Spirit Seeker
Grade 6-8-Holly thinks her homicide-detective father is entirely too preoccupied with his work and should spend more time at home. Her attitude changes, however, when her boyfriend becomes the prime suspect in the brutal murder of his parents. Unable to believe that Cody could be guilty, she sets out to prove his innocence. A strange neighbor who claims to be clairvoyant, a spirit seeker, tells Holly that she, too, possesses supernatural sensitivities. As Holly revisits the scene of the murder and spends time alone with Cody, suspense builds. Then incriminating evidence against him is found and only at the last minute is the true murderer revealed. The situation here is highly charged and emotional, but the characters never quite convey the horror of the situation. Cody grieves and is upset, but never to the point of heartfelt anguish. Holly's attempts at detective work are intriguing but don't always ring true. At one point, she looks in the dead man's computer files to discover questionable business dealings. This is a step the police would surely not overlook themselves. In the last few pages, everything is neatly-if not too realistically-wrapped up. The supernatural elements in the story, while at times significant, are kept low key. In the end, Holly is left feeling more self-confident and dismisses any "super powers" she may have. This thriller is tightly plotted and moves like a made-for-TV movie. Middle schoolers will devour it and never notice the few aforementioned flaws.Bruce Anne Shook, Mendenhall Middle School, Greensboro, NCCopyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.