Ransom [Paperback]

Lois Duncan (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Random House Childrens Books (September 1, 1993)
• ASIN: B001IARCUC
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (93 customer reviews)

More About the Author

Lois Duncan was born in Philadelphia, PA, and grew up in Sarasota, FL.
She knew from early childhood that she wanted to be a writer. She submitted her first story to a magazine at age 10 and became published at 13. Throughout her high school years she wrote regularly for young people's publications, particularly Seventeen.

As an adult, Lois moved to Albuquerque, NM, where she taught magazine writing for the Journalism Department at the University of New Mexico and continued to write for magazines. Over 300 of her articles and stories appeared in such publications as Ladies Home Journal, Redbook, McCall's, Good Housekeeping, and Reader's Digest, and for many years she was a contributing editor for Woman's Day.

Lois is the author of over 50 books, ranging from children's picture books to poetry to adult non-fiction, but is best known for her young adult suspense novels, which have received Young Readers Awards in 16 states and three foreign countries. In 1992, Lois was awarded the Margaret A. Edwards Award, presented by the School Library Journal and the ALA Young Adult Library Services Association for "a distinguished body of adolescent literature." In 2009, she received the Katharine Drexel Award, awarded by the Catholic Library Association "to recognize an outstanding contribution by an individual to the growth of high school and young adult librarianship and literature."

Six of her novels -- SUMMER OF FEAR, KILLING MR. GRIFFIN, GALLOWS HILL, RANSOM, DON'T LOOK BEHIND YOU and STRANGER WITH MY FACE -- were made-for-TV movies. I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER and HOTEL FOR DOGS were box office hits.

Although young people are most familiar with Lois Duncan's fictional suspense novels, adults may know her best as the author of WHO KILLED MY DAUGHTER?, the true story of the murder of Kaitlyn Arquette, the youngest of Lois's five children. Kait's heartbreaking story has been featured on such TV shows as Unsolved Mysteries, Good Morning America, Larry King Live, Sally Jessy Raphael and Inside Edition. A full account of the family's on-going personal investigation of this still unsolved homicide can be found on the Internet at http://kaitarquette.arquettes.com.

Lois Duncan's personal web page is at http://loisduncan.arquettes.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars If you like action and suspense read Ransom, June 9, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Ransom (Paperback)

I read the book Ransom by Lois Duncan. I want to review it because it was very exciting and suspenseful. It is about a group of high-school teenagers that are from rich families. One ordinary Friday the kids got on their bus, but the bus driver wasn't the usual. The kids thought it was a substitute, but it actually was their kidnapper. The kids were taken up to the top of a mountain and held ransom. The kids go through hard times in a cabin in the winter. Do you think the high-school students can escape? You can find out by reading this book. I recommend this book because it has a strong plot, with well developed characters, but it gets to the action quick and the action lasts for the rest of the story. If you like suspenseful, action packed stories read Ransom by Lois Duncan.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THIS WAS A GREAT BOOK!, March 6, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Ransom (Paperback)

I thought that the book Ransom, by Lois Duncan, was a great story and had a suspenseful theme. Lois Duncan is a very thoughtful writer, and I loved the way she wrote the suspense into the events, like when she vividly explained every detail of how the kidnapping took place and how she went over all of the possible ways to get out of it without having to pay the ransom, and why it wouldn't work. I also liked the way that the characters had seperate personalities and their actions matched. An example is, Dexter, one of the children who has been kidnapped, has a very short temper, and is always being upset and angry for one reason or another in this sticky situation. I think that almost every kind of person would enjoy this book because the children in this book that were kidnapped can relate to everyone. It shows how they dealt with the situation they were given. I certainly recommend this book to anyone who likes suspense and mysterious plots.

The kind of person who is curious and likes to get to the end of the book would also find this hard to put down. Overall this book was worth the time I took reading it. The only part I didn't fully enjoy was the very depressing mood, because it was about five children that were kidnapped and their parents couldn't get enough money to pay the ransom. Also it was kind of confusing because the setting switches back from place to place, so it isn't that easy to follow. Other than those two problems I thought that this is one of the best books I've ever read because, overall it is thrilling, and keeps you on the edge of your seat the whole time. I hope you will agree with me.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very exciting, one of her best, April 24, 2001

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Ransom (Paperback)

Ransom is one of my favorite books by Lois Duncan. It's a bit slow through the first two chapters, but the rest will keep you on the edge of your seat. You won't be able to stop reading. This is not only probably the best book Lois Duncan wrote, it's the best book I ever read. It all starts with a simple bus ride home from school. But, when the kids realize that they have a very suspicious bus driver..... I recommend this book for any reader, especially those who love suspence.