The Twisted Window (1988)

3 1/2 stars.

Once I realised that this book was first published in 1988, everything fell into place. It just had that sort of feel about it. It's hard to explain quite why, but it lacked the subtelties of some modern Young Adult novels. This was not one that I felt crossed over for adult reading as many YA books do now. Although this version has been updated to allow for modern technology, such as mobile phones, they didn't seem to be an integral part of the characters' lives as they would be today. Also, Brad's use of a gun to get what he wanted, seemed a bit excessive.

Tracy Lloyd is thirteen and has recently lost her actress mother who was murdered. Her father spends much of his time away on film sets and has sent Tracy to live with her aunt and uncle. This has necessitiated a change of town and schools and she has become a bit of a loner.
Brad Johnson has come from another state. He spots her from a distance and feels drawn to her. He needs help to locate his baby sister who he suspects may be with his step-father in Winfield.
Although Tracy has avoided contact with other boys, she goes against her better judgment and decides to help Brad. She is angry with her father for sending her away and sympathises with Brad in his anger against his step-father.
There follow several twists and turns, some more believable than others. Not everything is as it initially seems.
The ending was quite well done but did leave some issues unresolved.

I loved the author's biography at the end, with photographs of her as she grew up and of her growing family. This was a lovely touch. ( )

The Twisted Window is a story about Brad Johnson and Tracy Lloyd. Brad has traveled to Texas from New Mexico in order to track down his baby sister Mindy, who has been kidnapped by his stepfather. Enrolling Tracy in his plan to get her back and bring her home, the two teenagers come together to help Brad's family become reunited.

The beginning was strange for me, with Brad looking over girls in a high school to find "the right one" for his plan. However, after all that was over, I was automatically interested in his story. The main theme of the book is about relationships between families, and I quickly got sucked into the characters' lives and their family troubles. Tracy, especially, has an interesting background and her relationship with her relatives play quite a big role in framing what happens throughout the story.

The main characters' stories were what got me through this book -- much of the plot was over-the-top. I was more frustrated with the side characters than anything. I can't say much at risk of revealing the big twist, but I'm not sure how Brad actually gets the opportunity to kidnap his sister. A lot of the major plot points had issues in believability for me, which kind of turned me off the whole story. I do recommend The Twisted Window more for middle-grade readers than for older people. It is too undeveloped to be a very satisfying read to most adults and even older teenagers. There are a lot of unresolved issues at the end, especially in regards to Tracy and her relationship with her aunt, uncle, and father.

This particular edition has some edits made to help it fit in with the newer generation (the use of cell phones and other updated technology). Overall, these worked great, but there was one time where the CD player suddenly became a cassette player.

However, the twist at the end is very good. I didn't start suspecting that something like that was coming until quite late in the book, so it was a nice surprise. Overall, it's a fast read and great if you're looking for a quick suspenseful story.

*I was provided a free copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.* ( )

"there are lots of spoilers online for this book-watch out for those-I've purposely not talked about any bit of the plot"
read more: http://likeiamfeasting.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/twisted-window-lois-duncan.html ( )

This is an unusual and disturbing story about mental illness. The attractive, new guy at school, Brad Johnson, has taken an interest in Tracy Lloyd, but what does he really want from her. If it only could be so easy. His story is heart-wrenching and frightening and her fate is in the hands of this confused young man.

A young adult novel with twists and turns that catch you off guard. It will take you in and leave you gasping.

Thank you to Ms. Duncan, Open Road Media and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book. ( )

When Brad, the new kid at school, approaches Tracy for help, she is reluctant. He wants her to help him get back his little sister, Mindy, who, he claims, has been kidnapped by his ex-stepfather. Tracy doesn't know him and parts of his story don't add up. Shouldn't he go the cops, his mother, anybody in authority? But Brad has a perfectly good explanation for all her objections. Finally, after seeing the beautiful little girl and, if she is being honest, partly because she is angry with her aunt and uncle with whom she lives, she agrees to help. It seems like the right thing to do and Brad's plan seem fool-proof.

Except, of course, it's not and when it all goes sideways, Tracy finds herself on the run with a boy who may or may not be a psychopath and a little girl who may or may not be his sister.

Lois Duncan is one of the Grand dames of YA fiction. Her books are always filled with enough red herrings, sleight-of-hand, and unexpected plot twists which can make the most seasoned reader slap himself on the forehead and exclaim, "damn, I didn't see that coming". The Twisted Window is no exception. Originally written in 1987, it may be more than twenty years old but it is still a heck of a page turner. And as an added bonus, it is being brought back with the added bonus of a short biography of Ms Duncan and some great photos of her life. ( )