Publisher's Weekly
A spirited and outspoken 12-year-old barely coping with turmoil and trauma is the appealing centerpiece of Murphy's ( Bloodties ) fourth novel. Robin and her father, Marcus, have moved to an apartment in Boston, leaving her alcoholic and increasingly muddled mother in the suburbs. Robin is still having nightmares as a result of the death of a friend at summer camp, a death for which Robin was partially responsible. Optimistic and caring, Marcus hopes that several months with a competent therapist will help his daughter. After a lethargic start, the novel gains intensity when a kind-hearted, gracious neighbor, Dorothy, offers to stay with Robin when Marcus must leave town overnight. When he returns the next day, he discovers that they have vanished. Who is Dorothy and just what does she want with Robin? Marcus joins with Robin's shrewd therapist to track down Dorothy's identity and whereabouts, but it is Robin's unconventional and tenacious mother who zeros in on Robin's increasingly horrific predicament. Although braced by vivid and original characters, this thriller fails to overcome its heavy predictability. (Feb.)

Library Journal
A fatal accident at summer camp, coupled with the breakup of her parents' marriage, has left 12-year-old Robin Garr faced with a life filled with guilt, nightmares, and a sense of inexplicable terror. Moving with Robin to Boston and access to the psychiatric help she so obviously needs, Marcus Garr is unquestioningly grateful when his downstairs neighbor seems only too willing to provide his daughter with understanding, support, and companionship, though Robin is not quite as appreciative. But is Dorothy Cotton as purely motivated as she would have him believe? Or is she perhaps using the girl as a means to initiate a meaningful relationship with Marcus? The answer is somewhat unexpected in this tightly woven tale, which will keep readers turning pages in breathtaking, fascinated horror. Recommended and likely to enjoy brisk circulation. By the author of Bloodties (Donald I. Fine, 1987) and other works.-- Judith A. Gifford, Salve Regina Coll. Lib., Newport, R.I.

Genre: Mystery