Books.org participates in affiliate programs including Bookshop.org and the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. We may earn a commission from qualifying purchases made through links on this page, at no additional cost to you.
Overview
Willo Davis Roberts wrote many books for adults and children during
her long and illustrious career. Three of her children's books won Edgar
Awards, while others received great reviews and other accolades. The
One Left Behind would have been her hundredth book for children.
Fourteen-year-old Cici hopes for a romantic summer at the beach but instead finds herself trying to solve a murder which had occurred there the previous year.
Synopsis
Willo Davis Roberts wrote many books for adults and children during
her long and illustrious career. Three of her children's books won Edgar
Awards, while others received great reviews and other accolades. The
One Left Behind would have been her hundredth book for children.
Children's Literature
This award winning author's suspenseful tale of mystery and murder as seen through the eyes of an adolescent girl is a winner. Gripping, well detailed and textured, this story will quickly and easily envelop the reader. Cici loved vacationing with her family up at Crystal Lake. The scenery is beautiful and she has the opportunity to hang out there with other kids, relatives and friends. But this year would be different, she thought. Almost 15 years old, she is one of the "big kids" now, entitled to more privileges. She also could pursue her amorous interest in Jack, long thought unavailable because he is older but now seemingly within reach. But all her plans come to an end when she discovers that this bucolic community is rocked by the murder of Zoe Cyrek. To make matters worse, Brody, Jack's brother, was arrested as Zoe's killer. There are several unexpected twists, unpredictable enough to keep the best sleuths from guessing the conclusion. 1998 (orig.
Editorials
Children's Literature -
This award winning author's suspenseful tale of mystery and murder as seen through the eyes of an adolescent girl is a winner. Gripping, well detailed and textured, this story will quickly and easily envelop the reader. Cici loved vacationing with her family up at Crystal Lake. The scenery is beautiful and she has the opportunity to hang out there with other kids, relatives and friends. But this year would be different, she thought. Almost 15 years old, she is one of the "big kids" now, entitled to more privileges. She also could pursue her amorous interest in Jack, long thought unavailable because he is older but now seemingly within reach. But all her plans come to an end when she discovers that this bucolic community is rocked by the murder of Zoe Cyrek. To make matters worse, Brody, Jack's brother, was arrested as Zoe's killer. There are several unexpected twists, unpredictable enough to keep the best sleuths from guessing the conclusion. 1998 orig.School Library Journal
Gr 6-9-The brisk pace of this suspenseful murder mystery lures readers right to the gripping ending. Fourteen-year-old Cici Linden's anticipated summer among family and old friends on Crystal Lake in Michigan takes an abrupt turn when she realizes that the brother of the boy she likes has been convicted of murdering a flirtatious girl from the summer community. Convinced of Brody's innocence, Cici searches for the real killer in the midst of the illness and death of her beloved grandmother and her growing conviction that her stepgrandfather is somehow involved in the crime. Before discovering the murderer's identity, Cici survives being shot at and uncovers double blackmail. Roberts writes insightfully about death and the different ways in which people grieve. This is a well-crafted, sophisticated story that conveys Cici's conflicting feelings as her hopes for a romantic summer turn sour.-Connie Tyrrell Burns, Mahoney Middle School, South Portland, MEKaren Simonetti
Last summer Cici and her family couldn't make it to their Michigan cabin. This summer promises to be better. Fourteen-year-old Cici fits into her new bikini beautifully; surely, 17-year-old Jake will notice. But last summer, Jake's older brother was convicted of murder, and this summer, Jake wants to talk about it. As Jake and Cici review the facts of the case, clues surface. In the middle of their investigation, Cici's grandmother dies. Although Cici feels guilty for suspecting the mourners, she prepares a list of suspects with motive and opportunity. When the list disappears, it's apparent that someone knows what the teens are doing. Cici's first-person narrative enhances the realistic characterizations, and although the ending is a bit formulaic, it's still a suprise. A charming mystery for readers who like Nancy Drew.Kirkus Reviews
When Cici and her family arrive at Crystal Lake, where they've spent every summer except the previous one, they hear terrible news. An older boy, Brody, is in prison for the murder of Zoe, the resident flirt. Neither Brody's younger brother, Jack, nor his mother believe he's guilty, and Cici thinks there are too many holes in the story that convicted him, so she decides to investigate. Her discoveries make her a target for a blackmailer and, possibly, the real murderer. As a complicated story of lies and cover-ups comes to light, Cici learns more than she ever wanted to know about her family and friends. She puts her childhood behind her and hopes that Jack, on whom she's always had a crush, will see her for the young adult she has become.Old pro Roberts (The Absolutely True Story, 1994, etc.) has come up with a suspenseful story that will keep readers turning pages until the bitter truth is exposed. The element of menace she inserts into the idyllic lakeside community is quite believable; there are enough red herrings along the way to keep even mystery sophisticates from guessing the outcome.