First Clues Review: Into the Dark by Peter Abrahams

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Into the Dark by Peter Abrahams
The Echo Falls Mysteries

HarperCollins (Paperback)
ISBN-10: 0-06-073710-7 (0060737107)
ISBN-13: 978-0-06-073710-8 (9780060737108)
Publication Date: March 2009
List Price: $6.99

Review written by Kevin, Age 11, Grade 6. Date of review: March 2009.

Review: Into the Dark, being the third book in the Echo Falls series, is a thriller of a book. With infinite fiascos and situations that will make you jump out of your seat and bite your nails waiting anxiously what is going to happen next! Written by Peter Abrahams, this novel is a wonder.

The book begins on a lazy Saturday where Ingrid is alone at home. Her best boy friend Joey calls her up and asks if she wants to go snowshoeing with him. Joey just got brand new snowshoes for Ingrid the day before. As Ingrid and Joey are out snowshoeing they see the old Indian trail and decide that it would be fun to go on it for a while. This particular trail goes through Grampy’s property. Grampy is Ingrid’s grandfather. Joey and Ingrid are having a pleasant experience when Ingrid stumbles over something clogged in the sinkhole. Ingrid observes closely from one side what the thing in the hole is, but when she turns to the other side of the object, it turns out to be a murdered man. The police arrive and look for evidence as usual, but there is something different about this case than all the others to Ingrid. The police are questioning her grandfather for murder or even manslaughter! Ingrid, the youth sleuth, will persevere to find the right evidence and clues to prove to the police and the judge that her grandfather is innocent. But can the youth sleuth pull it off again? Read on to find out.

This book deserves a standing ovation and a round of applause. This was a marvelous novel, packed with spine tingling predicaments and laugh-your-lungs-out situations. The back story plot (with the father getting into some deep trouble) was a very well fortified and strong plot story and it followed along with the story tying in very satisfactorily at the end with the primary plot. The primary plot (the murder of Mr. Thatcher) was very well thought out and well put into place. The flow of events moves very smoothly. Every piece of evidence that Ingrid finds somehow lead into an important event (I won’t mention any because that would give away the story.) It was an excellent novel, very well-written and I just love the characters in the stories. Thank you, Mr. Abrahams for a great read!

Books in this series have been nominated for Edgar Awards, and Down the Rabbit Hole won the Agatha Award in 2005 for Best Children/Young Adult.

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First Clue Mysteries is pleased to provide information on over 100 mystery series for children and young adults. Each series is conveniently listed under three different age categories (New Sleuth, ages 4 to 7; Future Sleuth, aged 7 to 10; and Sleuth in Training, ages 10 and older). If you have a favorite mystery series you'd like to see added to our site, please contact us.

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