• Age: 12
• Grade: 8 to 12
• Reading age: 12

Tegan was in the backseat when her two best friends were gunned down in front of her. Was it an argument over drugs? An ongoing feud? Or something more random? Tegan says she didn't see who did it. Or know why. Nobody will believe her. Not the police; not her friends; not the families of the victims; and not even Kelly, her own sister. Is she afraid that the killer will come back? Or does she know more than she is saying?

Shunned at school and feeling alone, Tegan must sort through her memories and try to decide what is real and what is imagined. And in the end she must decide whether she has the strength to stand up and do the right thing.

 

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

• Commended, Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) Quick Picks
• Commended, TriState Young Adult Book Review Committee Book of Note
• Commended, Ontario Library association (OLA) Best Bets

"An exciting read."

Tacoma School District #10

"[A] fast-paced mystery...Although the ending is highly dramatic, the events do not stretch beyond believability. Tegan's mental block is understandable and realistic. The infighting between the families of the two victims, both from different economic, ethnic, and social backgrounds, is tragic and believable. The dangers of buying illegal drugs are presented without overt moralization. Through alternating the narrative between the two sisters, McClintock unveils details about Tegan and the victims that surprise and change readers' initial attitudes about them. Several scenes, including one in which Tegan learns that her mother's job is in jeopardy and a flashback involving an enraged motorist, crackle with tension. A solid choice for reluctant readers."

School Library Journal

"A slim and shocking stand-alone [novel]...McClintock lays all the complexities and horror of adolescence bare...The brisk pace, solid character development and inventive structuring make for fast, page-turning reading, and it all wraps up with an unpredictable plot twist and ending. Mysterious and haunting, packed with hard truths about adolescence."

Kirkus Reviews

"McClintock can sure tell a story! She creates a duo of sisters who are credible in their jealousy anti-relationship, she creates a murder scenario that is eerie and unexplainable, and finally, she uses originality in her presentation that the reader will simply adore!...Her use of a play-like structure is intriguing and thought-provoking...[and] the drama at the end will astound the reader!"

Tri-State YA Book Review Committee

"The novel is fast-paced and dramatic as chapters of first-person narrative are juxtaposed with a movie-script portrayal of events."

Canadian Literature

"The story's themes are mature but realistic...[and] the story is adept in portraying the lives of contemporary teens."

Library Media Connection

"Sure to appeal to teenage mystery fans...McClintock's writing is taut and tense, and the reader will find him/herself flipping rapidly through the pages seeking the truth...about that fateful night."

Resource Links

"A triple good read of a suspenseful thriller...Its topic is timely, its characters flawed but smart, and the screenplay format a great introduction to the discipline."

CD Syndicated

"A quick, enjoyable read for mystery fans."

Washington State Young Adult Review Group

[A] fascinating narrative...McClintock has created a thrilling and thoroughly believable suspense novel that explores many issues, including drug use, relationships, memory, trust, and more...Tegan and Kelly are both fully realized and engaging teenagers, but adult characters are also surprisingly complex, most notably Martin's father, Tony Genovese. This page-turner is a quick and enjoyable read, and teens who are discovering McClintock for the first time will no doubt run to the library to find more of her great reads. Highly Recommended."

CM Magazine

"Mystery queen Norah McClintock has created another edge-of-your-seat thriller that will keep readers guessing until the end...A fast-paced and enjoyable read that will make an excellent addition to any teen mystery collection."

Canadian Children's Book News

She Said / She Saw

Seventeen-year-old Tegen was in the back seat of the car when her two best friends were gunned down in front of her. Tegen says she didn’t see anything and has no idea of motive, but nobody believes her — not the police, not her friends, her family, even Kelly, her own sister. Shunned at school and feeling alone, Tegen must sort through her memories and try to decide what is real and what is imagined. Does she know more than she’s telling, or is it possible that she’s telling the truth?

With her new novel, mystery queen Norah McClintock has created another edge-of-your-seat thriller that will keep readers guessing until the end. The story is told by Kelly and Tegen in alternating voices (each written in a different style). Kelly, whose sections are written as a film script, speaks directly to an invisible camera. Tegen writes in the first person, telling her story directly to the reader. The camera perspective also reveals details that Tegen leaves out, giving the reader a wider view on what is happening around her.

What Tegen did / didn’t see is the central focus of this mystery, and the author does an excellent job of keeping readers guessing. Tegen thinks she is telling the truth but, as Kelly points out, readers don’t know what’s inside the teller’s head that hasn’t been revealed, and Tegen’s reliability as a narrator is always in question. Also interesting is the way the author keeps adding layers to her characters, challenging readers’ perceptions of the characters and offering a valuable lesson about judging people too quickly.

References to drinking and drug use might make this more suitable for a high school reader, but overall this is a fast-paced and enjoyable read that will make an excellent addition to any teenmystery collection.