Review: Great Read
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 02 8, 2012
Robin and Andy are home alone with servants; their parents have disappeared. Child Protective Services says they need a responsible adult to care for them and they have asked their Uncle Conrad to come stay with them. Not only has Robin not seen him since she was two, when he arrives he has an iron claw instead of his left hand. She doesn't know it yet, but that's not the only thing scary about him.This is a psychological thriller that will keep readers glued to their chair. This author does a good job of scaring the reader with suggestive conversations and threats to the children. He makes Uncle Conrad rabid enough and angry enough to be a real danger. The children have grown up in a loving family, are close with each other and the servants, and have no idea how to respond to their new caregiver.Mr. Deville is very good at drawing out your own fears by threatening his characters with everything from torn out fingernails to death. Just like the children, you can't be sure if Uncle Conrad means it or is just crazy. Or maybe he's crazy and he does mean it. But given such an ultimatum as: "I'm going to kill you unless you kill me first", what would you do?This story has good tension, a very interesting plot line and ends with a dramatic finish. You don't know who is going to win until the last few pages. The author managed to increase my heart rate, scare me with the creatures and people of the bayou, and kept my attention to the end. It's an exciting read with more than one "monster" involved. Could you do what these children did?Young readers will enjoy the action; older readers will enjoy the psychological games. There is even a touch of zombies. Do I have you intrigued yet?Originally posted at LAS YA Reviews