Cassy much prefers her ordinary, well-run life, safe at home with her no-nonsense grandmother. But every so often--never with any warning--she is sent to stay with her mother, Goldie, a dreamy beauty who drifts from one seedy London neighborhood to the next. Goldie's latest home is a dilapidated "squat," where she lives with her boyfriend Lyall and his son. Somewhat unwillingly, Cassy finds herself participating in Lyall's latest project--an unusual theatrical production called Wolf. Gradually, Cassy realizes that Wolf has a sinister connection to the mystery at the core of her life. Driven by this new knowledge, the heroine returns to her grandmother's house to play an important role in a chilling finale. Crackling with suspense, this book demands to be read in a single sitting. As usual, Cross ( Roscoe's Leap , A Map of Nowhere ) has created a wholly believable cast of characters and placed them in a unique set of circumstances. Terrorism, the dark world of childhood fantasy, and the nature of fear itself are among the subjects tackled in this meticulously plotted novel. Ages 10-14.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
Grade 6-8-- Although she lives with her grandmother, brief visits to her mother, Goldie, have always been part of Cassy's life. But this visit is different, for Nan won't answer her letters or her phone calls. While she adjusts to Goldie's friends' odd living conditions and even helps with their traveling show on wolves, Cassy worries about her grandmother. A recurring nightmare, glimpses of a mysterious stranger, and slowly surfacing memories of her father come together as Cassy realizes that she must act to save her Nan's life. Cross has taken some hard realities--irresponsible parents, squatters in abandoned houses, terrorism--and set them into a fairy-tale framework created by Cassy's dreams. The wolf image echoes throughout the book. Cassy dreams, night by night, a Red Riding Hood story; her father, as a terrorist, behaves as a savage "lone wolf"; the players in their wolf show demonstrate to their young audiences that real wolves are loving parents and members of a community. This complicated structure may make readers wonder at first whether the story is a fantasy, but they will soon know better. Cross, a writer who believes in challenging both her characters and her readers, has created an exciting, multilayered, and thought-provoking thriller. --Ruth S. Vose, San Francisco Public Library
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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