• Age: 14 to 17
• Grade: 8 to 12

In this sequel to Dooley Takes the Fall, Ryan Dooley continues to struggle against circumstances that would defeat most teenagers, let alone kids who have been in serious trouble with the law. Dooley was involved in a break and enter a few years ago, served his time, and is now living with his hard-nosed uncle. But there are threads that still link Dooley to his former life of aimless criminality, and one of them – with the affable Jeffie, a sometime drug dealer and one-time buddy – threatens to bring him down, especially when Jeffie turns up dead, while still owing money to Dooley. Much worse, Dooley’s estranged mother turns up dead as well, and his uncle is suspected of having caused her death. And then there's Nevin, a rich friend of Dooley's girlfriend, Beth, who drives a Jag and always seems to be around when Dooley wants to be with Beth. Somehow, though, Dooley is able to work his way through the immense hazards in his life and emerge, not unscathed, but with his integrity intact.

 

Norah McClintock est l’auteure de plus de 40 livres, dont ceux des collections Chloe & Levesque, Mike & Riel et Robyn Hunter Mysteries, tous publiés chez Scholastic Canada. Les livres de Norah ont été traduits dans une douzaine de langues. Elle a remporté le prix Arthur Ellis dans la catégorie du meilleur roman policier jeunesse et beaucoup d’autres récompenses. Native de Montréal, Norah a obtenu un baccalauréat en histoire de l’Université McGill. Une mer de chagrin est son premier roman historique. «Il est temps d’utiliser toutes ces connaissances en histoire», a-t-elle dit. Norah vit maintenant à Toronto.

 

Norah McClintock is the author of Tell and Snitch, both Orca Soundings novels. Norah lives in Toronto, Ontario.

Norah McClintock's profile page

• Short-listed, Arthur Ellis Award for the Best Juvenile Crime Book
• Joint winner, Resource Links Best Books

Homicide Related

Although his life is hardly the stuff of fairytales, Ryan Dooley seems to have things relatively under control. Going to school, holding down a part-time job at a local video store and respecting the rules imposed by his guardian/uncle (a former cop), Ryan seems to be turning his life around. For extra incentive, there’s his girlfriend Beth who is the absolute best thing that’s ever happened to him.

Then the mother he hasn’t seen in years turns up dead. Murdered in fact. Suddenly this death opens up a whole host of uncomfortable questions, for Dooley, his uncle and the police. When one of Dooley’s drug-dealing friends from the past also turns up dead, Dooley finds himself squarely in the midst of a whole lot of trouble… and surprises.

Once again, Norah McClintock, a master-crafter of mysteries, gives readers a fast-paced plot that offers up tantalizing clues to the identity of the killer while also providing interesting insights into the story’s main characters. In this second installment, Dooley has firmly established himself as a likeable underdog whom readers will continue to root for. As more of his childhood and family history comes to light, his story of triumphing over adversity becomes as important as the resolution of the mystery. McClintock has created another winning mystery series that works equally well as a contemporary teen drama, and it should enjoy a wide readership. Lisa Doucet