A Candidate for Murder

March 4, 1991
Busy with school, a serious romance and her father's gubernatorial campaign, Cary pays little attention to a mysterious conversation she overhears at a party. Only gradually does she suspect that a series of strange events--two break-ins, several ominous phone calls and an attempted murder--are related to her inadvertent eavesdropping. Convinced that Cary knows too much, someone goes to great lengths to ensure that she keeps quiet. Because the evildoers' identities are obvious from the onset, and because the few red herrings are not all that misleading, this novel is more a thriller than a mystery . Believable characters and an ever-mounting level of suspense hold the reader's attention to the finish, when Cary--like any up-to-date feminist heroine--rescues herself from a deadly situation. This thoughtfully rendered portrait of a family entering the political limelight brings to mind the work of Ellen Emerson White ( White House Autumn ; The President's Daught e r ). Ages 12-up.

March 30, 1992
While Cary's father enters the political limelight, his daughter gets embroiled in a series of strange events in this thriller. Ages 12-up.

March 1, 1991
Gr 6-8- -Cary Amberson's father is running for governor of Texas, and this means many changes in her life. Classmates she thought were her friends start joking about her father, and she has less time for schoolwork and her boyfriend, Justin. She starts getting some odd telephone calls, and has the feeling that she's being watched. Readers, aware of when Cary's problems started, must wait impatiently for her to figure it out. There is no doubt that Cary will eventually be safe, and the suspects presented are clearly red herrings. The only real mystery is what attracts Cary to her wimpy boyfriend. In addition, Nixon leaves a significant flaw in the plot in order to create a suspect. In spite of all the terrifying things that happen to Cary, her parents don't tell her that their butler is really a bodyguard, thinking she'd be frightened by the knowledge. This is, quite simply, unbelievable, and mystery readers deserve more respect. While Nixon does maintain mild interest until the end, this is not one of her better thrillers. For those looking for real suspense, suggest Joan Hess's A Diet to Die For (St. Martin's, 1989), or anything by Barbara Michaels. -Elizabeth Mellett, Brookline Public Library, MA

January 1, 1991
Cary, the daughter of a wealthy gubernatorial candidate, overhears a suspicious conversation and becomes a prime target for murder. Nixon displays her customary skill in creating individual scenes of suspense.

(Copyright 1991 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)