The Twisted Window [Hardcover]

Lois Duncan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1988

Tracy, a high school junior, becomes embroiled in the problems of a strange boy, who asks her assistance in "snatching" his half-sister from her father who has allegedly kidnapped her.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

When Brad tells Tracy that his little sister Mindy has been kidnapped by his stepfather, she promises to help him locate the child. Tracy is moved by Brad's story and defiant of the aunt and uncle she has lived with ever since her mother was stabbed to death. They find the toddler Brad is searching for, and Tracy arranges to baby-sit for Mindy, then turn her over to Brad. But the situation turns dangerous when Brad shows up with a gun, and Tracy realizes that the story he told was far from the truth. Duncan, a master of the YA suspense novel with such books as Locked in Time and The Third Eye, has created another gripping psychological tale with an absolutely unpredictable (but thoroughly believable) twist at the end. Ages 12-up.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-9 Tracy believes that she's doing the right thing when she helps Brad kidnap his little sister after she had been stolen by his stepfather. But things are not as they seem. Brad and Tracy have taken the wrong child, whom Brad mistakenly believes is his sister Mindy. Too late, Tracy realizes she's trapped in the car with a boy who may be crazy, and whose actions have led to a search warrant for their arrest. Duncan skillfully draws readers into this twisting and suspenseful plot. She captures perfectly the gullibility of adolescence; Tracy's well-meaning intentions make the resulting consequences of her actions all the more horrifying. As in I Know What You Did Last Summer (Little, 1973), this book relies on realism, rather than the supernatural, to terrify. One minor complaintalthough Brad and his friend Jamie both gain some insight into themselves by the end of the book, it is not clear that Tracy ever does. There is no evidence of her acknowledging her aunt and uncle's love for her or the consequences of her own actions. In spite of this, Duncan offers a well-written thriller that's sure to be popular. Cathryn A. Camper, Minneapolis Public Library
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 183 pages
• Publisher: Perfection Learning (September 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0812470931
• ISBN-13: 978-0812470932
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (54 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,834,830 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Twisted widow, November 10, 2003

By 

Shirley Bennett - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Twisted Window (Laurel-Leaf Suspense Fiction) (Mass Market Paperback)

For the last couple of weeks I have been reading this book called The Twisted Window by Lois Duncan. Here are some reasons this book is good, and why I chose to read it. The book keeps you guessing all the way to the end because you don't know what's going to happen next. The story is full of suspension, and clues all through the story. This book is a great book to read if you're in to misters. The book was so good I couldn't but the book down because it was full of suspension, and it kept my attention to read the book more. The main things that I like about this book are the way the charters are, and the way there described. And here are some descriptions that interested me.
There was this young girl in high school named Tracy Lloyds, a girl who moved to her uncle and Aunts home in Winfield Taxies. Because her mother got murdered in New York where they lived, and Tracy's father didn't want Tracy. Tracy mostly kept to her self and was not worried about others being friends with her. Tracy told her self never to like taxies, or the people. Tracy was really a loner, and she never truest anyone because she was really paranoid about every thing.
Then there was Brad Johnson who was from Albuquerque in New Mexico who was not known in Winfield High school, but who was vary odd and wearied to Tracy because the way he acted. He even watched her and did not understand why an odd handsome guy would be looking her direction. Brad did come to her, and ask for help because she seemed like someone Brad can trusted. But the question is help with what?
This book is full of mysteries and the person who is reading it would want to find out what happens next. Because once you thing you understand it something else happens so it leaves you with suspension. Through the whole book even to the ferry lasted page it leaves you guessing, and wondering what's going to happen. And you are going to have to read it to find out what I'm talking about, to find out how it ends. And the biggest thing you really want to know is what Brad wants with Tracy. This book was two thumbs up to my. I seen no reason at all to say in anyway that there is any bad thing about this book called The Twisted Window. This book is written by Lois Duncan who has written several books that are will known. I think anyone would enjoy this one particularly.

17 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Good Book, December 8, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Twisted Window (Laurel-Leaf Suspense Fiction) (Mass Market Paperback)

I thought The Twisted Window, by Lois Duncan, was a good book. It's about a girl, Tracy, who has been chosen by this guy named Brad to help him carry out his plans. At first it seems innocent enough, but as you get farther into the book you realize that Brad is not exactly what he seems to be. Tracy then realizes how deep she has gotten in. It is now her problem, too. She must fix what she has done. I like this book because it has some unexpected twists to the characters. Once I started reading I had to know what was going to happen, so I couldn't put it down. The story fits together well and is realistic. I found myself wondering what I would have done in Tracy's position. It wasn't the best book that I have ever read but it's definitely at the top of my list.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mysterious and dynamic characters will keep you on your toes, February 25, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Twisted Window (Laurel-Leaf Suspense Fiction) (Mass Market Paperback)

Tracy a Winfield High junior, goes with Brad Johnson on a trip she will not soon forget. The hansom Brad seems like a nice boy. Brad asks Tracy to go along with him to re-kidnap his half-sister from his ex-stepfather. Tracy accepts. On their journey, odd facts about Brad change her mind about the kind of person Brad really is. The Twisted Window is for people eleven to adult. It is full of twists and turns. Therefore I give this novel five stars.