Spirit Seeker [Paperback]

Joan Lowery Nixon (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 7, 1997

Holly Campbell's life has suddenly become a newspaper-headline nightmare. Her friend Cody's parents have just been found murdered, and Cody is the prime suspect. Even Holly's father, the police detective in charge of the investigation, thinks Cody is guilty. Holly knows she must help her friend. Will a mysterious psychic help her solve the case and prove Cody's innocence?

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 6-8-Holly thinks her homicide-detective father is entirely too preoccupied with his work and should spend more time at home. Her attitude changes, however, when her boyfriend becomes the prime suspect in the brutal murder of his parents. Unable to believe that Cody could be guilty, she sets out to prove his innocence. A strange neighbor who claims to be clairvoyant, a spirit seeker, tells Holly that she, too, possesses supernatural sensitivities. As Holly revisits the scene of the murder and spends time alone with Cody, suspense builds. Then incriminating evidence against him is found and only at the last minute is the true murderer revealed. The situation here is highly charged and emotional, but the characters never quite convey the horror of the situation. Cody grieves and is upset, but never to the point of heartfelt anguish. Holly's attempts at detective work are intriguing but don't always ring true. At one point, she looks in the dead man's computer files to discover questionable business dealings. This is a step the police would surely not overlook themselves. In the last few pages, everything is neatly-if not too realistically-wrapped up. The supernatural elements in the story, while at times significant, are kept low key. In the end, Holly is left feeling more self-confident and dismisses any "super powers" she may have. This thriller is tightly plotted and moves like a made-for-TV movie. Middle schoolers will devour it and never notice the few aforementioned flaws.
Bruce Anne Shook, Mendenhall Middle School, Greensboro, NC
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Gr. 6^-9. Nixon's latest pits Holly Campbell against her police detective father in a race to discredit a growing mountain of evidence and exonerate her friend/boyfriend, Cody, before he is charged with the grisly double murder of his parents. Holly is engaging, her investigative techniques are realistically within the capabilities of a teenager, and her crisis of confidence over Cody's innocence is endearing. Younger readers will enjoy her and her friends; older teens will probably find them all a bit too "good" to be true. Nixon has a nice, easy style and manages to keep the pace up even when it seems that not much is happening. The interactions with the spirit world are strained, especially since the author discredits them in the end, and the villain is far too obvious from the first moment he walks on stage, but the story is an easy, light, not-too-scary read for those attracted to the genre. Jean Triner --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Laurel Leaf (April 7, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0440226856
• ISBN-13: 978-0440226857
• Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 0.6 x 6.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #937,433 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #87 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Teens > Mysteries

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A MUST READ BOOK!, February 10, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Spirit Seeker (Paperback)

I'm the kind of person who doesn't really like to read, but every so often I find a really good book, like Spirit Seeker. This book is a real thrill-seeker that will keep you at the edge of your seat. Once I started reading it, I just couldn't put it down! Not only is it a mystery story but there is telepathy, suspense, and conflict involved. The conflict is between Holly and her Father,the detective on the scene who thinks Cody is the murderer, Cody, whose parents were murdered, and Sarah, Holly's best friend who also believes Cody is the murderer, while Holly believes Cody is innocent. This is a major, must read book!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful!, June 14, 2001

By 

"daddysgal58" (TX USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Spirit Seeker (Paperback)

This is a wonderful book about a girl named Holly who finds out one night that her boyfriend Cody's parents were murdered and he is the #1 suspect. She knows that Cody didn't do it and is proving him innocent, but there is one detective that is positive that Cody was the murderer. This detective is Holly's father. The whole area is thinking that it is Cody, including Holly's best friend, Sara. She and one other mysterious person are positive that he did not murder his own parents, the two people that brought him into this world. The mysterious lady says that she could see inside of the house when it happened and saw the spirits of Cody's parents and the murderer. The end is a total surprise and I don't want to give it away!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent book!, April 24, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Spirit Seeker (Paperback)

This book really kept me on the edge of my seat! As Holly setsout to find the murderer of her friend Cody's parent's, she stumblesacross a lady who can send Holly telepathic messages. She claims thatshe saw the murder through her head, but how? Holly's father is convinced that Cody killed his own parents, but Holly doesn't think so. Is Cody really guilty for a murder?