Helpful Score: 3
Despite its silly, lurid cover, this is quite a good little thriller. Ms Jensen has written a horror book on child abduction and murder with no supernatural elements. Even though this book is for the adolescent and some pre-adolescents, I found it hard to put down. I think the author has written this book aimed for that audience especially given the book cover. None of the violence is overt; it's more vividly alluded to than anything else. The thriller part comes from the "what's behind that locked door?" mystery as well as wondering if any of the children will be able to make it out alive.
The victims are written very sympathetically so it's easy to empathize with them. The kidnapper/murderer is a bit overblown but the author manages to make him believable.
The victims are written very sympathetically so it's easy to empathize with them. The kidnapper/murderer is a bit overblown but the author manages to make him believable.