Dooley Takes the Fall by Norah McClintock Review

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Right away, Dooley knows he's in trouble. For one thing he's got a record. For another, the dead kid isn't exactly a stranger - and he's no friend.

So slowly the net begins to close around 17-year-old Dooley, a troubled lone wolf who has a couple of strikes against him already. Not many are on Dooley's side; in fact at times he even wonders whether his uncle - a retired cop - thinks he's guilty again. There's a big question of trust in their uneasy relationship, and his uncle is the only one standing between Dooley and big time disaster.

The dead kid's sister Beth is someone Dooley would like to have think better of him as well - but she also suspects he's involved in the crime. And all around him are other teenagers at school and in the world he's drawn into who would like to pin him with responsibility for a growing number of murders that swirl through the city.

This book isn't my usual style of what I like to read but I fell in the mood for a book that wasn't too well known but has a great message and tells of a troubled teen. This story was just what I was looking for.

Dooley, the hero of the book, is not as typical as one might think after reading the book description: Dooley actually feels real, a loner who doesn't come off as desperate but rather so intriguing that it has the reader memorized by how he deals with problems and life in general.

The story in general was a great read. Full of drama, suspense and a tinge of romance that was just above satisfaction.

This is the second book I've read by Norah McClintock and certainly not the last. So far her books have shown so much truthfulness in all it's characters and generation that would make any reader stop and think why there isn't enough praise coming through for these stories(Click here for my Review for Masked).

When I realized there were more books to this series I was ecstatic. There are three books in total: Dooley Takes the Fall, Homicide Related, Victim Rights.

4/5





Homicide Related (Ryan Dooley #2) Victim Rights (Ryan Dooley #3)

Masked by Norah McClintock Review

Note: Photos will lead to GoodReads

Rosie walks in on an armed robbery in her father's convenience store. Who is the masked man? And why does she think she knows him?

Everyone has something to hide.
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There's a masked man in the store, and it isn't Halloween.
I duck down again—fast.
I hear someone say, "This is a stickup." It's the guy in the mask. He has a weird voice, like it's not a normal voice. He says, "Is there anyone else in the store?"
That tells me that the masked man hasn't seen me.
"No," my dad says without even a second's hesitation.

Excerpt:

...I feel her tremble, and I'm sorry about that. I'm sorry I have to scare her. But there's no other way. I watch the old man lower his hands to the cash cash register. I wonder how much money is in there...

Masked for me was envisioning with many unexpected turn of events. Norah McClintock has done a few Orca books as well as her popular novels published by Scholastic Canada. This is my second book by McClintock and although this one is placed on the pile for reluctant readers, I can't help but recommended this book to any YA books fanatic.

When I read, I like the feeling that I'm right by the characters side, (depending on who was telling the story from their point f view; Daniel, Rosie, or the masked man) feeling how they feel, thinking the way they think...it's real, so true.

Rosie, the daughter of the man whose store is getting robbed finds herself in a very sticky situation...maybe even more than Daniel, the boy who walks through the doors hoping for a grab and go rather than a stick up by a masked man. Corey (Rosie's boyfriend) who's somewhat a minor character in the story turns out to be quite essential himself...poor kid is waiting for Rosie to run off with but finds that people aren't always what they seem to be. Which brings me to story's' message...people aren't really honest with themselves, therefore dishonest with anyone in their path.

I was very impressed by McClintocks ability to write such as interesting story in a matter of 108 pages...the story came together really good too. This gets a 4/5 only because it's a little too short.

4/5