Gr. 6^-10. A bomb shatters the Williams family's adventurous, upbeat life in London as Americans abroad when 11-year-old Billy is handed an explosive package in the subway on his way to school one day. Teenage Laura devotes herself to finding her brother's killer, or at least to figuring out the reason behind the terrorist incident, for which no group comes forward to claim responsibility. Tension builds expertly in Cooney's latest thriller, which is sure to hook fans early on with its breezy dialogue, believable characters, and--since it's set in an international school in London--interesting global perspective. Family members vent their anger and grief over Billy's death, and a particularly fine psychological portrait of Laura emerges as she begins to break down in the process of seeking justice for her brother. In the end, readers may not be quite satisfied with the revelations about classmate Jehran and her mysterious household as they relate to the Williams tragedy, but the book does a fine job of conveying the ambiguity and void facing a family looking for answers from the dark underground of terrorism. Anne O'Malley
From Kirkus Reviews
Fans know what to expect from Cooney (The Voice on the Radio, 1996, etc.): bullet-train pacing and entertaining prose. This accessible offering opens as Billy Williams, 11, accepts a package from a passerby and is blown up in a London tube station. The action is full steam ahead as the Williams family mourns and attempts to go on, except for Laura, 16, who embarks on an absorbing and obsessive journey to find her brother's killer. The novel isn't perfect: Laura's transformation from a self-involved ``ugly'' American abroad to vengeful paranoiac is fairly convincing, although readers may have trouble getting past their initial dislike of her and her self-satisfied oblivion. While most of the characters are as real as their grief--making human choices, and suffering the consequences--others simply fade out of the story, and the culprit is based more on a stereotype than on logic. If the novel requires a few big leaps of faith, readers will be glad they stayed with it, and will be caught up in exciting, compulsive reading. (Fiction. 12+) -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
Review
“Exciting, compulsive reading.” —Kirkus Reviews
“Thought-provoking as well as a just plain good read.” —Publishers Weekly
About the Author
Caroline B. Cooney (b. 1947) is the author of nearly a hundred books, including the famed young adult thriller The Face on the Milk Carton, an international bestseller. Cooney’s books have been translated into several languages, and have received multiple honors and awards, including an American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults award and a nomination for the Edgar Allan Poe Award. She is best known for her popular teen horror thrillers and romance novels. Her fast-paced, plot-driven work often explores themes of good and evil, love and hatred, right and wrong, and moral ambiguity. Born in Geneva, New York, Cooney grew up in Connecticut, and often sets her novels in dramatic New England landscapes. She has three children and four grandchildren and currently lives in South Carolina.
