Whistling In the Dark | 
 enlarge | Author: Lesley Kagen
Publisher: NAL Trade
Category: Book
List Price: $13.95
Buy New: $5.65
You Save: $8.30 (59%)
New (7) Used (10) from $3.92
Avg. Customer Rating:  68 reviews
Sales Rank: 218160
Format: Bargain Price
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 320
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.3
Dimensions (in): 8 x 5.2 x 0.9
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.6
ASIN: B00164CNBI
Publication Date: May 1, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
|
| Also Available In:
|
| Similar Items:
|
| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
It was the summer on Vliet Street when we all started locking our doors...
Sally O'Malley made a promise to her daddy before he died. She swore she'd look after her sister, Troo. Keep her safe. But like her Granny always said-actions speak louder than words. Now, during the summer of 1959, the girls' mother is hospitalized, their stepfather has abandoned them for a six pack, and their big sister, Nell, is too busy making out with her boyfriend to notice that Sally and Troo are on the Loose. And so is a murderer and molester.
Highly imaginative Sally is pretty sure of two things. Who the killer is. And that she's next on his list. Now she has no choice but to protect herself and Troo as best she can, relying on her own courage and the kindness of her neighbors.
|
| Customer Reviews: Read 63 more reviews...
 Truly lovable and unforgettable. January 9, 2009
I was truly astounded by the complex levels of this first novel by media personality, Lesley Kagen. Superficially about a shocking and bittersweet summer in the lives of pre-teen sisters, Sally and Troo O'Malley, it skillfully touches on the effect that loss can have on families and communities. Kagen subtly weaves in the unrecognized double standard and danger that existed for children in a 1959 Milwaukee neighborhood. I love the brilliant recognition and use of childlike concrete thinking in all of the narratives. The midwestern charm absolutely shines through this wonderful fictional work.
Excellent Book November 25, 2008
One of the most enjoyable and well written stories I've read in years. The characters are very delightful and lovable. The author made them come alive and they were easy to identify with, no matter the age and gender of the reader. I've already sent copies to friends as gifts and their feelings are similar to mine.
 Used to being on their own... November 17, 2008
Ten-year-old Sally O'Malley and her nine-year-old sister Troo are living a summer they'll never forget -- their mother's in the hospital, leaving them with their abusive stepfather, and an older sister more concerned with her boyfriend than taking care of the family.
Then, of course, there's the pedophile running around, already having murdered and raped two little girls.
Sally, long accused of having an overactive imagination, is convinced she'll be the next victim. She's also positive she knows who the killer is -- Officer Rasmussen, a longtime family friend and neighbor, whom everyone else thinks is the ideal person.
Knowing no one will believe her "evidence," Sally decides, with a child's determination, to take matters into her own hands -- a choice that could prove deadly.
Kagan combines a child's innocence and the very different life of 1959 with a darkness that exists just beyond every doorstep, and has existed since the beginning of time. Despite the potential for a very dark story, she also manages to include a great deal of humor, as well as details of life during the era, providing for a colorful story that is bound to grip readers til the very end.
Classic October 16, 2008
This book is right up there with To Kill A Mockingbird. It is destined, I'm sure, to be a classic. What a delight to be transported to that time and place with such colorful characters. It would make a fabulous movie.
One of the finest books I have ever read . . October 9, 2008
Happily surprised to find such a treasure. Mystery, comedy, coming of age, tender, frightening. Beyond well-written. A new classic. A definite classroom choice. Bravo to the author. Very glad I found this gem.
|
|
|
