Thin Ice [Hardcover]

Marsha Qualey (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 6, 1997

Seventeen-year-old Arden Munro has been raised by her older brother, Scott, ever since the death of their parents 10 years earlier. He has been her only family. But now Scott too is dead--or so believe the local police and everyone in Arden's community. Arden, however, is convinced that Scott has staged his snowmobile accident and purposely disappeared. She will search until she finds him. As Arden obsessively continues her detective hunt, she is forced to examine her feelings of loss and isolation, and to finally realize that these feelings existed long before Scott's accident. Whether or not her brother reappears, where should Arden turn for the support that usually comes from family? The page-turning mystery leads to a heart-tugging conclusion that is at once hopeful and sad, piercing and satisfying.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Convinced that her brother's death was staged, a teenage orphan sets off on a relentless search for the truth. "An edge-of-the-seat adventure," said PW in a starred review. Ages 12-up. (Nov.)r
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Grade 7-10. Orphaned at age seven, Arden has been raised by her much older brother, Scott. He has allowed her to become an independent young woman. When Arden is a high school senior, Scott is apparently drowned in a snowmobile accident. The vehicle is recovered from a river, but even after a great deal of searching, no body is found. Arden grieves and suffers terrible nightmares until one day she realizes that something about the facts surrounding Scott's death is not right. She becomes convinced that he has staged his own death. His girlfriend is pregnant and Arden believes that he has chosen to disappear rather than face the burden of raising yet another child. No one believes her, so Arden embarks on a search for him on her own. As clue after clue dead ends, she becomes discouraged but stubbornly refuses to believe that Scott is dead. The brilliance of this plot is that readers do not find out the truth until Arden does. This fact will keep young people anxiously turning pages, trying to puzzle out what has actually happened. At the same time, they will understand and empathize with Arden, a strong-willed teen who perseveres in spite of huge obstacles. Scott's character is not developed enough before his disappearance for readers to understand why he might be depressed enough to pull a vanishing act, but this does not detract from the suspense. This is a good mystery that deals also with issues of family, relationships, and responsibility.?Bruce Anne Shook, Mendenhall Middle School, Greensboro, NC
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers; First Edition first Printing edition (October 6, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385322984
• ISBN-13: 978-0385322980
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.6 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,223,605 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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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 This book by Marsha Qualey was an excellent book!, November 18, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Thin Ice (Laurel-Leaf Books) (Mass Market Paperback)

Arden is a very creative and smart individual. Her brother Scott has been raising her since their parents were in a plane crash. Scott and Arden's relationship is just like any other brother and sister's but not only is Scott a brother to her, but he's a father figure too. I recall one time when he tried to explain her name, "Arden can't you wait. I mean didn't you want to know why mom chose to call you Arden?" Everything seems to be going well with Scott. He's got a girlfriend who he seems to be happy with, and he has his snowmobile. But he hasn't convinced Arden that he is happy with his life. One morning Arden wakes up for school and notices that her brother hasn't came home. A day later she gets worried because her brother still hasn't shown up. She calls her brother's friend,Al Walker, who is also a policeman. He calls for a search and a few days later they find Scott's snowmobile by a creek just a few miles away from their house. Arden couldn't believe it, no he couldn't be dead. Everybody assumes that Scott is dead, except for one person... Arden. She spends the next few months searching for her brother. The big question is... Did Scott really die or did he just fake his death? Read the book to find out! I believe that young teens will enjoy this book because the charaters are very real to me. The relationships between the characters are easy to relate to.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A great story about the search for a lost brother., October 25, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Thin Ice (Hardcover)

This book is about Arden and her search for her missing brother Scott. Arden just turned seventeen and she lives with her brother. Since both of her parents are dead, she has no one left in the world except her friends. While searching for her brother, Arden continues her framing business, school, and taking care of the house. Thus begins the healing and possible admit to defeat of her brother's dead. I enjoyed reading this book, and although I find the plot to be unusual, I liked the ideals. Arden is a character with very human feelings, and is stubborn in finding her lost brother. She will not admit defeat until she has tried to find her brother, even if she has to go against all odds. The climax of this book is rather surprising, but very emotional as well. I would recommend this book to teenagers of all ages.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Captivating!, August 1, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Thin Ice (Laurel-Leaf Books) (Mass Market Paperback)

This book was really good. I read it on recommendation of a friend, and all I could do after I started was read. I liked it a lot. After I finished I just kept going back and reading over some of the best parts, over and over. It was really good!

The story is about a teenager named Arden who lives with her brother. Both of her parents died when she was young, so he takes care of her. One day he gets in a snow machineing accident, which really scares him. A week later when his snow machine, and other things are found in the river, she knows he is dead. Or is he? No one beleives her, thinking it's brought on by depression, as she starts to search for her missing brother. This book was captivating, a story like no other. I would DEFINATELY recommend it.