The Body of Christopher Creed (Steepleton Chronicles, #1) by Carol Plum-Ucci

Apr 03, 2008 David rated it 4 of 5 stars

I think that this book was a great fictional book. When Christopher Creed, the class nerd, disappears no one knows what to think. They don't know if it was a suicide, run away, or a kidnapping. As the days go on and there is no sign of Christpher Creed, people begin to blame one another. However, Torey and Ali know something different. They know that Christopher lived a hard life with his annoying mother. When Torey and Ali's friend, Bo, gets blamed they are determined to find evidence that he d...more

5 likes · like · see review

Apr 13, 2008 Todd rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Body of Christopher Creed is about a high school student who has recently disappeared and some people believe he committed suicide. The story is told from another student’s point of view named Torey and we learn that Creed used to be bullied by everyone in school. The story is about trying to find Creed’s body, or find out where he is if he didn’t commit suicide. Torey and his friends try to find out if Chris was murdered or if someone drove him to commit suicide. They suspect that Mrs. Cree...more

3 likes · like · see review

Mar 15, 2013 Yoselin rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I currently finished reading this book two minutes ago, remember that as I write this review the time gap from when I last held the book in my palms also is lengthening.
The Body of Christopher Creed was a thrilling book to read. To some, myself being one, it does take a while to get really interested in it. I was lost at the start since it jumps from the present to the past; however, once I had read about seven to eight chapters, I was hooked.
The story is told in Torey's point of view and expl...more

1 like · like · see review

Jan 21, 2013 Miss Panek rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: enriched-reading-semester-2-2013

Plot Summary:
The Body of Christopher Creed is a mystery told by a boy named Torey. He is a high school senior that transferred to a boarding school to get away from the lies. His junior year was pretty rough and the people in his small town weren’t the easiest to live with. Well, actually, before Christopher Creed disappeared, Torey had a pretty normal existence but when Chris disappeared everyone began to talk. Was it suicide? Was it murder? Did Chris just run away? Why would the socially awkwa...more Plot Summary:
The Body of Christopher Creed is a mystery told by a boy named Torey. He is a high school senior that transferred to a boarding school to get away from the lies. His junior year was pretty rough and the people in his small town weren’t the easiest to live with. Well, actually, before Christopher Creed disappeared, Torey had a pretty normal existence but when Chris disappeared everyone began to talk. Was it suicide? Was it murder? Did Chris just run away? Why would the socially awkward teen just vanish? And, more importantly, why did Torey care so much about Christopher Creed’s disappearance?

Main Characters:
Torey: loves music, good guy, hates lies and lying, understanding, popular kid, dynamic character
Christopher (aka Chris) Creed: outcast, weird, wants to fit in but doesn’t, has a strict mother, no friends, always seems to be happy
Ali: cheerleader, bad reputation, Chris’ neighbor, rough home life, divorced parents, hopeful
Bo: a “boon” from the bad side of town, has a criminal record, feared by peers, courageous, there is more to him than what meets the eye

Key Issues:
tolerance, friendship, honesty, character, beliefs

Other Interesting Information:
I picked this book up not really looking for a mystery book. The title jumped out at me when scanning through the young-adult section at the bookstore and the price was right. I had no clue I had a suspenseful page-turner on my hands. If I had had a big enough block of time, I probably would have finished reading it in one sitting. Torey’s story and his honest voice suck the reader in. The ending leaves the reader thinking... and that’s all I can say without giving it away. I gave this book five stars because there is something for everyone in it. There is drama and friendship all wrapped into these shorter chapters (twenty-three in total) that move quickly. This makes this a great book for someone that doesn't like reading for long periods of time or for someone who likes to devour books in one sitting. However, this book is for a more mature reader because it contains some foul language.
(less)

1 like · like · see review

Sep 30, 2012 Mary rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book was alright. The characters were interesting, especially Ali and Bo. I think that everyone has a Creed at their school. THere's always that one kid that everyone thinks is weird, that nobody really likes. People ignore them, make fun of them, do cruel things to them. If you think about it, it's surprising that not all of the Creeds in the world have run away like Creed did. THeir lives can't be all that great, and eventually you must get tired of everyone picking on you. THen there are...more

1 like · like · see review

Aug 26, 2012 Cari rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: summer-reading, lmc-books

Ms. Plum-Ucci produces a knock-out read in her first novel. The Body of Christopher Creed is a quick read that keeps the story going at a steady clip from page to page. I have read several newer books about teenage bullying (emotional, physical or cyber) and this book follows a similar form. The story is told from the point of view of a popular kid who has a seemingly perfect life in a seemingly perfect town, but the disappearance of the class freak throws his world and the balance of the town o...more Ms. Plum-Ucci produces a knock-out read in her first novel. The Body of Christopher Creed is a quick read that keeps the story going at a steady clip from page to page. I have read several newer books about teenage bullying (emotional, physical or cyber) and this book follows a similar form. The story is told from the point of view of a popular kid who has a seemingly perfect life in a seemingly perfect town, but the disappearance of the class freak throws his world and the balance of the town out of whack. The lesson of the book is repeated several times throughout and boils down to that it is easier to point a finger and hold one person responsible then it is to look back at ourselves and see what we could have done differently.

The book delivers consistent suspense and the mystery will keep you hooked until the end. Some of the language has become a little dated, especially related to technology (floppy disks!), but the plot is timeless. Some of the characters are a little one dimensional, but the complex main characters make up for that. The atmosphere is dark and mysterious, and some events could be disturbing for younger readers, but in my mind they are no more or possibly less disturbing than events in The Hunger Games. Over all, the compelling mystery and strong first-person narrative will resonate with teens and adults a like.

Some reviewers have been suggesting that this book should either not be read in schools or should not have received recognition by the Prinz prize because there is frequent foul language, violence and mentions of drugs and sexuality. To those reviewers, I say that that is exactly why it is read in high school, not middle school. This book deals with mature themes and takes place in a very realistic portrayal of high school life. The drama, gossip, cliques, and denial by both adults and teens of serious issues reflect common experiences for many teenagers and most teens will find a character they relate to. As a middle school library worker, this book is marked as Young Adult book and I am comfortable with that assignment. It can be checked out by 8th graders in our library without permission from parents and I think that most kids will turn it back in if they feel disturbed or uncomfortable with the material. There are many lessons to be learned about how much gossiping, lying and denial can destroy people's lives and those are lessons that shouldn't be shielded from children mature enough to handle the rest of the material. I would like to point out that this book does not describe any sexual acts in graphic detail and the references are only made when applicable to the story or character development. This book is a great book to open up a discussion with teens about bullying and the mature content should not be a road block to that discussion. (less)

1 like · like · see review

Apr 12, 2012 Jill rated it 5 of 5 stars

So many twists and turns in this one. You think you have it figured out by the middle of the book and then you're thrown a curve ball. I loved this book. There could have been less of the teenager "like" thrown in all over the place, but that's a small detail.

"Why do people have so much trouble seeing their own faults but such an easy time seeing everyone else's?"

"She gave me some spiel about how writing letters to Grandma had become her tradition, and that traditions gave you a feeling of sanit...more So many twists and turns in this one. You think you have it figured out by the middle of the book and then you're thrown a curve ball. I loved this book. There could have been less of the teenager "like" thrown in all over the place, but that's a small detail.

"Why do people have so much trouble seeing their own faults but such an easy time seeing everyone else's?"

"She gave me some spiel about how writing letters to Grandma had become her tradition, and that traditions gave you a feeling of sanity and security, even if they weren't practical."

"I had heard somewhere not long ago that Christ was crucified naked. But in this stained glass, and in every other crucifixion picture I had ever seen, Christ was wearing this little cloth, like a loincloth. It was as if the story had been added to, so as not to disgust people too much...I wondered if it was a good thing to change a story because the truth was too disgusting. I even asked Reverend Harmon when he came over one night to visit my dad. He said that the truth was less important, in this case, than the impact the truth would have on people...it struck me that the Church is always saying you shouldn't life, and here was one."

"There were blank spots where I must have dropped off to sleep that night without realizing it. But I would come out of them and look at the clock when I did. No more than half an hour ever passed." That sounds similar to the periods of insomnia I've been having the past few months, worrying about Holly's breathing at night.

"I felt his wish for make-believe to come alive, for some sort of control over the universe so that if life started to suck, you could just imagine something else into existence."

"People only see as far as they are able, and the rest of the truth is lost on the. A kid in the midst of us led a tortured existence. Bo Richardson wants to be everyone's mother. Christ died naked."

"I just don't understand how people can show all the violence. But they single out the nudity. Nudity is a problem, but all the violence isn't. I don't understand people." And this is exactly what I realized in high school after seeing how different British and American TV are. The first thing that struck me was the amount of nudity they showed. But when I came back to the US what struck me was the amount of violence that was shown. Of course, over the past decade American TV is showing lots of sex AND violence to kids, and yet they're not trusted to drink until they're 21. What's wrong with this picture? No wonder so many kids are binge drinking.

"I seem to remember this theory that we're all dealt fifty-two cards by the end of our lives. If you get all aces in the beginning, you have a greater chance of getting your twos and threes in rapid succession later. And when we die(the dying part makes me think that the Church had something to do with this lesson), we stand up in front of God, sort of realizing that there are no greater lives, only greater beginnings, middles, or ends. And greater depths under lesser appearances." This holds with my theory that anyone who loves someone other than themselves will experience grief and loss at some point in their life. Dan and I are getting a large dose all at once at a younger-than-average age, but spread out or dealt out in one dose, loss is loss. In the same way that you can't compare losing a loved one quickly or unexpectedly to losing someone gradually, watching them disappear, as we are with Holly. Does it hurt more to rip a band-aid off quickly or one hair at a time? What's the difference? It hurts either way. Loss is loss.

(less)

1 like · like · see review

Mar 08, 2012 Lori rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The following reviews from young teens who read this book:

I just couldn't get into this book, it had some dark elements that I thought were unnecessary and disturbing. As it is, I didn't like where the story was going and wasn't really interested in anything that the characters were doing. I didn't feel like the author fleshed out the people in the story, they seemed rather lame and stereotypical. I would not recommend it. This book had an underlining dark atmosphere and unsettling elements that...more

1 like · like · see review

Mar 08, 2012 Lori rated it 1 of 5 stars

My son felt the same as the reviews listed below from teens. He was very disturbed by this book. How it got into his high school library - I DO NOT KNOW. As a parent I followed up and read through Chapter 12, I myself couldn't finish the book. Foul language, sexual references, perversion, talk about suicide, bad characterization, just too many bad underlying tones to list here. This IS NOT a book for jr. high or high school kids. Most adults would never consider this book as a choice for any chi...more

1 like · like · see review

Jan 12, 2012 Bebe rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: finished-irp-books

This book is about a guy named Torey Adams, and what he goes through when a weird, reserved kid, Chris Creed, goes missing from the town of Steepleton. Chris Creed had always been picked on, he was just awkward, and distant. He didn't have any friends and his parents were really strict. One day he just disappears. No one in the town knows what happened, could of been suicide or a murder. The only clue anybody has is a note that was left on one of the computers in the library. Only a few have see...more This book is about a guy named Torey Adams, and what he goes through when a weird, reserved kid, Chris Creed, goes missing from the town of Steepleton. Chris Creed had always been picked on, he was just awkward, and distant. He didn't have any friends and his parents were really strict. One day he just disappears. No one in the town knows what happened, could of been suicide or a murder. The only clue anybody has is a note that was left on one of the computers in the library. Only a few have seen the letter including Torey and his friends, who hacked into their principal's email to read it. Right away vicious rumors began to go around about what happened, and some people are trying to pin Chris Creed's disappearance, on one of the Boons. Torey and his friend Ali become really interested and want to find out what happened. Torey, Ali, and Ali's boon boyfriend Bo Richardson, get a hold of Creed's diary. Things get even stranger, and they all become suspects. Torey becomes more distant from his other friends, and the whole situation is changing him. He starts putting himself in other people shoes and gets closer to Creed's disappearance. All everybody wants is the truth. People blame everyone else because they can't face the fact that they could of been part of left, or was it really murder? Torey will do whatever it takes to clear him and his friend's names, but it could get a little dangerous.

I thought this book was pretty good. It took a little while to get into it, but once it got to the middle it was much better, and more interesting. It was really mysterious and suspenseful, and somewhat different from what I normally read. I loved how when reading it I got really drawn in. I wanted to know what really happened, books like that are always good. It was also was one of those books where I was constantly making predictions of what would happen next, so I had to read on and see if I was right. Some parts were freaky, and some were sad. I really enjoyed how the situation changes Torey, and how he suddenly has a different more understanding outlook on everything. I also think it sends a strong message that everybody is different, and you can't just judge a person by what they do or where they live, because in reality, you probably don't know the real them and what they may have gone through.

I gave this book a 3 because it was a good, but it's not something I will remember forever or want to read again. If you like mysteries you would definitely like this book. People who have a good imagination and like books that make you think should read this. It also has some to do with legends, and ghost stories, which I think made it a little more exiting. It was in general a creepy book, and I did get scared at some parts, so even if you like thrillers you should try reading this. (less)

1 like · like · see review

Jan 01, 2012 Uriel "Jabberwock" rated it 5 of 5 stars

My oh my, this book was stunning. A wonderful example of great Young Adult novels that are out there, they truly catches your attention and pulls you through it along with Torey. The setting in so realistic and imaginable, while something about the town is just...off.
I, while reading this, came up with a few ideas on naming. Some people do believe names are not all important to the book, but in this case I think, especially with the large "Christoper Creed" on the cover, the names are important...more

3 likes · like · see review

Nov 28, 2011 Crystal rated it 3 of 5 stars

In the small woodsy town of Steepleton, the strange disappearance of neighbourhood outcast, Christopher Creed, deeply troubles the townspeople. Has he committed suicide? Was there a murder or a kidnapping? Nothing of this matter ever occurs in Steepleton so everyone is extra alert, especially Torey Adams. He stops at nothing but to recover answers that will lead him closer to finding Creed.

This mystery-suspense novel is well written in the point of view of a teenage boy. His voice was consistent...more

like · see review

Nov 08, 2011 Daniel rated it 5 of 5 stars

I loved the book “The Body of Christopher Creed,” by Carol Plum-Ucci because it is so much like real life and is very intriguing and suspenseful. “But whatever happened to Bob Haines, I know this town destroyed him. They blamed him, because it was easier than admitting they were partly responsible.” pg. 115. This is so true because a lot of people do that, blame others but not their selves. This also makes me think that innocent people will get the blame. “So many people would suffer if she hung...more

like · see review

Oct 14, 2011 Jodi Papazian rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-reads

This is on the high school summer reading list and always very popular. After I saw that a sequel is coming out, I decided to give it a try.
After school outcast Christopher Creed disappears without a trace, the town is torn between believing that he has run away from his oppressive parents or was brutally murdered by a cruel classmate.
When Torey finds out that his name was on the list of kids that Creed did not get along with, sent before his disappearance, he finds himself to be an unwilling...more

like · see review

Sep 29, 2011 Janie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: issues, high-school-setting, 3-stars

Christopher Creed, the incredibly obnoxious boy who irritates everyone he meets, has gone missing, vanishing completely from the face of the small town of Steepleton, leaving just a cryptic email in his wake.

To Torey Adams, who had nothing really to do with the kid, it’s like a punch in the face when he and his friends hack in to see the email for some laughs and he sees his name. “I wish that I had been born somebody else—Mike Healy, Jose DeSantos, Tony Ide, Evan Lucenti, Torey Adams, Alex Arr...more

like · see review

Jul 28, 2011 Samantha Heare rated it 3 of 5 stars

The Body of Christopher Creed is a Mystery YA Printz award winner, and it doesn’t fail in the suspense department.

Torey Adams lives a good life in Steepleton NJ, until the day he is named as being somebody Christopher Creed would rather be in his suicide / run-away note. Since Creed, the class freak and frequent punching bag left without a trace, the town breaks down as it speculates on what happen to Christopher Creed. As Torey's friends join in on the speculation, making obnoxious supposition...more

like · see review

Jan 15, 2011 Courtney rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: teen

Victor “Torey” Adams has the perfect life: he’s a popular football player dating the prettiest girl in school . . . . Or at least he was, until Christopher Creed disappeared. When the misfit boy goes missing, Torey Adams’ starts asking questions and discovers a side of his small town, and a side of people, that many would like to keep hidden.

In this coming-of-age mystery the bulk of the novel centers not on Christopher Creed’s disappearance, but on what that disappearance does to Torey Adams. Tr...more Victor “Torey” Adams has the perfect life: he’s a popular football player dating the prettiest girl in school . . . . Or at least he was, until Christopher Creed disappeared. When the misfit boy goes missing, Torey Adams’ starts asking questions and discovers a side of his small town, and a side of people, that many would like to keep hidden.

In this coming-of-age mystery the bulk of the novel centers not on Christopher Creed’s disappearance, but on what that disappearance does to Torey Adams. Translation: A teenage boy’s vision of a safe, ideal world is shattered. Despite the familiar theme, Plum-Ucci’s book succeeds on the basis of characterization and a well-placed literary device: the flashback. The book opens with a troubled, long-haired narrator looking back through the lens of a piece of writing. From the first few pages I was drawn in by Torey’s inquisitive voice and hooked with curiosity to discover what made a naive boy hard and jaded.

Overall, the novel read smoothly, but fell short of my expectations: full, complex, troubled characters (Torey, and his new-found outsider friends, Ali and Bo) were sadly offset by flat stereotypes of other supporting characters (the bad cop, the bitchy girl, the dumb jock friends). A second complaint (and I may be channeling the bitchy girl here) is the use of song lyrics to express a character’s feelings. For example, near the novel’s end, Torey relates a sense of hope with the lyrics, “On a mountain, somewhere over there, Broken bones grow straight like arrows. Broken hearts unfold to care” (322). While this is intended to be touching, I had to restrain my instinctive eye-roll. Reading emotional lyrics feels empty without the music to give the words context. The song lyrics isolated and distracted me as a reader. Still, to be fair, an increasing number of YA books are using this convention (see Maggie Stievater’s Shiver and Linger, as well as Melina Marchetta’s The Piper’s Son) so either today’s teens really do respond to lyrics, or (more likely) today’s adult-authors-writing-for-teens feel that they’re bridging some sort of generation gap using music as a medium.
(less)

like · see review

Oct 17, 2010 Tahleen rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: teen, mysteries, thrillers

Torey Adams is member of a well-off, slightly rural small town where everyone seems to get along... except for Torey's classmate Christopher Creed, the local weirdo and annoyance. But when Creed goes missing and leaves a cryptic note that could point to running away, suicide or murder, old secrets and the ugly side of the community come out in the open. And when Torey tries to dig up the truth, he is one of the main targets for their hatred and fear.

This is a mystery and a thriller, but also a l...more Torey Adams is member of a well-off, slightly rural small town where everyone seems to get along... except for Torey's classmate Christopher Creed, the local weirdo and annoyance. But when Creed goes missing and leaves a cryptic note that could point to running away, suicide or murder, old secrets and the ugly side of the community come out in the open. And when Torey tries to dig up the truth, he is one of the main targets for their hatred and fear.

This is a mystery and a thriller, but also a look at small-town life and ethics. In Torey's community, everyone wants to showcase their virtues without having to deal with their and their neighbor's imperfections and flaws. Blame is passed from person to person, and because no one wants to accept the responsibility they share in Creed's disappearance (as well as other incidents in the town from years earlier), they point their finger at anyone who might be able to serve as their scapegoat. The boons are a favorite target, the poorer and more wild group of people that live on the fringes of the town, though anyone will serve the purpose so long as the accusers are cleared.

Torey is very philosophical about his ethics and beliefs, especially in reviewing his own treatment of Creed and others in the past. He is forced to reevaluate his life and his choices in light of Creed's disappearance (and possible suicide), leading him to change his attitude and actions toward everything. His inner monologue will also spark readers to think about the way they treat others as well. Plum-Ucci highlights that a person's family life might lead them to act the way they do, and readers should get the message that they can't truly judge a person until they really know them. There is more to a person than the way they act in public.

My problems with the book lie in the language and telling of the story. Torey is a sympathetic character, but the way he and his friends speak sometimes sound off. They use slang that make me double take, which throws me off from the story. It was something that consistently bothered me throughout the book, though it wasn't something that happened on every page.

The action of the book is what keeps the story moving along, despite its philosophical and ethical undertones. Torey and his friend Ali are scrambling to find the answer before the disappearance is pinned on someone innocent, thus driving the story forward. But through all this the ending is left ambiguous, with a few hints as to what really happened.

Because of the action-centered nature of this book and because of the male narrator, this would be a good quick pick for a boy, especially if they like mysteries or thrillers. They might be turned off by the introspective parts a little, but it's a good read.(less)

1 like · like · see review

Aug 17, 2010 Margaret rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Christopher Creed, the class dork who gets beat up by everyone, disappears, leaving only an email. Everyone speculates on what could have happened to him - is he dead, did he run away? Torey Adams and his friends, a popular group, all join in the speculation. Torey gets pulled deeper in to the mystery through his relationship with Ali, a girl he grew up with who has started to develop a reputation and is having troubles at home.

*SPOILERS*

The story is told in flashback. We know at the beginning t...more

1 like · like · see review

Jun 16, 2010 Suzette Gee rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

If you are looking for a pageturner, I recommend this book. I read it in a day and it really held my interest. The narrator, Torey Arrington (he's a boy, by the way) is a popular kid in his high school who is disturbed when one of their classmates turns up missing. There is some debate whether Chris Creed committed suicide or ran away. Torey feels driven to figure out what happened to him, partially because he feels guilty about the way he treated Chris. Chris was an obnoxious kid that everyone...more

2 likes · like · see review

Jun 02, 2010 Josephine rated it 2 of 5 stars

I read the book The Body of Christopher Creed by Carol Plum-Ucci. The book is set in a small town called Steepleton where a boy, Christopher Creed, goes missing. No one knows whether or not he is alive. Creed was often picked on and terrorized by his peers in addition to having to deal with his strange mother. When he disappears, rumours circulate of suicide, and even murder. The main character, Torey, feels like he is the only one of friends who is taking the incident seriously. He wants to fi...more I read the book The Body of Christopher Creed by Carol Plum-Ucci. The book is set in a small town called Steepleton where a boy, Christopher Creed, goes missing. No one knows whether or not he is alive. Creed was often picked on and terrorized by his peers in addition to having to deal with his strange mother. When he disappears, rumours circulate of suicide, and even murder. The main character, Torey, feels like he is the only one of friends who is taking the incident seriously. He wants to find out more, and in effect soon finds himself in deep trouble and the target of many accusations. While I was reading, I noticed a common theme throughout the book of reality versus unreality.
For example, Chris Creed himself had blurred the lines between his real life, and his fantasy of being a normal kid with a girlfriend and a perfect world. He had a constant smile on, even when being bullied and put down. In his diary, he wrote of a girl named Isabella, who was in fact a real person but she had no interest in being with him at all. Also in his diary, Chris wrote a list of good things about himself. Torey thinks, “It almost seemed like an exercise in trying to brainwash yourself into believing good stuff about yourself.” Creed tried to convince himself he was a handsome teenage boy with lots of friends. This was how Creed coped with the sadness of being an outcast. He was lying to himself about an unreal world and desperately wanted to be one of the boys who bullied him in reality.
Another example is a character in the book named Renee. She is fierce and tough and not afraid to speak her mind. When a boy named Bo tells people about her dad’s infidelity, she denies it so avidly that she begins to believe her own lie and later insists that her dad moved out because people were lying about him and it was too much stress. The reality is that her dad was cheating on his wife, but Renee couldn’t admit that to herself. Torey writes, “I could tell she was really upset, and I wondered if it was because she felt in her heart that her dad was capable of it.” Renee had created her own unreality where she had no family problems and everything was just fine.
I realized that denial is a big part of creating these fantasy worlds. Sometimes it is easier to pretend everything is fine rather than face the real situation. It is easy to start believing your own lies, but it can get you into a lot of trouble. Even if you pretend something never happened, the truth will always be looming over your head, because deep down, you know you are in denial. It is only when something so terrible takes place, something hard to even admit to yourself, that the line between reality and unreality is not so clear anymore.
(less)

3 likes · like · see review

Jan 03, 2010 Beth rated it 5 of 5 stars

Every class has a kid that everyone picks on, and in Steepleton, it's Chris Creed. He's the type that has an annoying grin plastered on his face no matter how you insult him, the one who never seems to get it when you scream at him to leave you alone. One night he doesn't come home.
A cryptic email that reads almost-but-not-quite like a suicide note surfaces, and in it, Chris admits that he DOES know how much he was disliked, that he wishes he were born as someone else, someone with a more perfec...more Every class has a kid that everyone picks on, and in Steepleton, it's Chris Creed. He's the type that has an annoying grin plastered on his face no matter how you insult him, the one who never seems to get it when you scream at him to leave you alone. One night he doesn't come home.
A cryptic email that reads almost-but-not-quite like a suicide note surfaces, and in it, Chris admits that he DOES know how much he was disliked, that he wishes he were born as someone else, someone with a more perfect life -- and lists 10 classmates. One, Torey Adams, is haunted by this revelation, and feels immense guilt over treating his troubled classmate badly in the past. He is shocked at the way his clique jokes about Chris's disappearance, and how lightly they take the fact that someone they have known since kindergarten may be kidnapped, or run away, or murdered, or dead by his own hand.

Torey's perfect existence begins to fall apart as he turns his back on his shallow friends, hangs out with the school [bad girl:] and a guy from the wrong side of the tracks, and starts investigating Chris's disappearance. Skeletons of all shapes and sizes come out of their closets. The gossip, lies and backstabbing at the high school are a microcosm of what goes on in the small town society. I found the novel slightly S.E. Hinton-ish -- which just goes to show that things haven't changed much between the haves & have-nots in 25+ years.

Plum-Ucci has created a dynamic and sensitive teen who takes an honest look at high school society, friendship and small town life. Torey reflects on people, friendship, and the truth, and his voice is honest and authentic.

I really enjoyed the premise of the book, too, which is that Chris never turned up dead or alive and Torey is still searching for him, using a website to tell his story. If the author wanted to play more with the format, designing the text to look more like a website might have been sort of cool. This might also work as an e-book. This book will really appeal to fans of Nancy Werlin as we await her next gem and could make for a good discussion on how teens relate to one another in groups.(less)

1 like · like · see review

Nov 12, 2009 Kelly S rated it 3 of 5 stars

People go to crazy measures to keep themselves out of trouble. This is what happens in the book The Body of Christopher Creed by Carol Plum-Ucci. The majority of the characters in this book falsely accuse the people around them of a horrible tragedy just to keep themselves off the suspect list. This book is a mystery about the disappearance of a high school outsider named Christopher Creed. All the people in Christopher’s town of Steepleton create made up stories about how other people caused hi...more

1 like · like · see review

May 07, 2009 Michaelj rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Body Of Christopher Creed, by Carol Plum-Ucci, is a mystery. It is about the mysterious absence of a young boy, named Christopher Creed. This book takes place in the present and in the past. It is told in flashback, so it takes place in Steepleton, a local town, and it also takes place in New England, as Torey, the main character, is finishing up his senior year of high school.
Many people think that Chirstopher was killed, and many people still think that he is still alive out there in the...more The Body Of Christopher Creed, by Carol Plum-Ucci, is a mystery. It is about the mysterious absence of a young boy, named Christopher Creed. This book takes place in the present and in the past. It is told in flashback, so it takes place in Steepleton, a local town, and it also takes place in New England, as Torey, the main character, is finishing up his senior year of high school.
Many people think that Chirstopher was killed, and many people still think that he is still alive out there in the world. Christopher was said to be bullied a lot in school, people thought that he is annoying and that he is a brat. There were stories that people told that described them beating up Chris a lot. The majority of the people thought that Mrs. Creed had something to do with Christopher missing, because she seemed too protective, and for the fact that she may have done something to Chris if he did something bad.
The main character in this story is Torey Adams. He is finishing up his senior year in high school in New England, and is trying to discover what happened to his classmate, Christopher. Torey faces a lot of conflict in this story, he faces an internal conflict with himself, on whether he should make one decision versus another. He faces a lot of eternal conflict with his friends, because Torey begins hanging out with regular friends, but then he sort of drifts off and starts to hang out with a different group of people.
I thought that the author used a unique style to write this wonderful story, she told the story through Torey’s eyes, which made you get more of a feel for what was going on. The author described the characters very well, and so you would think that they were real because they were described so much detail.
All in all, i thought that this book was very good and that it is ver well written. I would recommend this story to anyone who likes mysteries, and someone who likes an intense book, one with a lot of action. I would recommend this book to people 13 or older, because this book contains graphic content.
(less)

1 like · like · see review

Mar 12, 2012 Abby rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-lit-2012

Plot Summary:

Christopher Creed is that one strange kid in your classes that was always just a little socially awkward. When he suddenly goes missing, the whole town is concerned that he may have been kidnapped, murdered, or that he may have committed suicide. Torey, who is the main character of this story, started to remember all the times that he was mean to Chris, that he had punched him in the face in the 6th grade, just for being obnoxious.

Many other people remember treating him this way t...more Plot Summary:

Christopher Creed is that one strange kid in your classes that was always just a little socially awkward. When he suddenly goes missing, the whole town is concerned that he may have been kidnapped, murdered, or that he may have committed suicide. Torey, who is the main character of this story, started to remember all the times that he was mean to Chris, that he had punched him in the face in the 6th grade, just for being obnoxious.

Many other people remember treating him this way too, and everyone seems to realize that Chris didn't really have any friends. Torey begins talking to a classmate named Ali, who happened to live next door to Chris. Ali had her own assumptions of what happened to him, and invited Torey over one night to spy on the Creed's house. Torey, Ali, and Ali's boyfriend Bo, all get mixed up into a crazy investigation that leads to the police pointing their finger at Bo, just because he had a previous history.

Torey goes through a good amount of growth in his maturity, and steps out of his sheltered life to help Ali clear her boyfriend's name, and to find out what really happened to Christopher Creed.

Main Characters:

Victor "Torey" Adams: This is the main character of the story, and the story covers his Junior and Senior years in high school. Victor is very naive and sheltered, he came from a family where his father was an engineer and his mother was a lawyer. They had no family problems, and it was difficult for Torey to relate to people that did. When Christopher Creed goes missing, Torey feels incredibly guilty for the way he treated him. This guilt was one of the reasons that he was so wrapped up in finding out what happened to him.

Ali McDermott: Ali is a young girl whose parents recently divorced, and her mom is known quite well around town as a harlot. She is confused about many things in her life, and she gains a tarnished reputation. Ali has lived next to the Creed family for most of her life, and she is determined that Christopher disappeared because of his military styled mother. After her boyfriend is accused of murder, she does everything she can to find out the truth.

Bo Richardson: Bo grew up on the wrong side of the tracks. He was known as a "boon" because he came from the "boondocks." His mother was an alcoholic, and he was left to care for his younger siblings. Although he had a criminal record that was quite substantial, he had a good side to him that always made him look out for others. He tries to take the fall to keep everyone else safe.

Key Issues: Mystery, Suspense, Denial, Bullying

Other Interesting Information: This book gives a strong look at quite a few unhealthy family situations in the city of Steepleton. It also addresses bullying in a kind of indirect way. I felt that some of the information included was unnecessary, and that the story may have even been better with those unnecessary passages left out. I chose to give this book 3 out of 5 stars because even though I enjoyed the plotline, it was difficult for me to get into it. I also do not care for the way the bullying was addressed, and left unresolved. I do not feel like young adult readers will take as much away from this story, as I would like them to.
(less)

1 like · like · see review

Mar 05, 2012 Alyssa rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult-2012

Plot Summary:
The Body of Christopher Creed is a mystery told by a boy named Torey. He is a high school senior that transferred to a boarding school to get away from the lies. His junior year was pretty rough and the people in his small town weren’t the easiest to live with. Well, actually, before Christopher Creed disappeared, Torey had a pretty normal existence but when Chris disappeared everyone began to talk. Was it suicide? Was it murder? Did Chris just run away? Why would the socially awkwa...more Plot Summary:
The Body of Christopher Creed is a mystery told by a boy named Torey. He is a high school senior that transferred to a boarding school to get away from the lies. His junior year was pretty rough and the people in his small town weren’t the easiest to live with. Well, actually, before Christopher Creed disappeared, Torey had a pretty normal existence but when Chris disappeared everyone began to talk. Was it suicide? Was it murder? Did Chris just run away? Why would the socially awkward teen just vanish? And, more importantly, why did Torey care so much about Christopher Creed’s disappearance?

Main Characters:
Torey: loves music, good guy, hates lies and lying, understanding, popular kid
Christopher (aka Chris) Creed: outcast, weird, wants to fit in but doesn’t, has a strict mother, no friends, always seems to be happy
Ali: cheerleader, bad reputation, Chris’ neighbor, rough home life, divorced parents, hopeful
Bo: a “boon” from the bad side of town, has a criminal record, feared by peers, courageous, there is more to him than what meets the eye

Key Issues:
tolerance, friendship, honesty, character, beliefs

Other Interesting Information:
I picked this book up not really looking for a mystery book. The title jumped out at me when scanning through the young-adult section at the bookstore and the price was right. I had no clue I had a suspenseful page-turner on my hands. If I had had a big enough block of time, I probably would have finished reading it in one sitting. Torey’s story and his honest voice suck the reader in. The ending leaves the reader thinking... and that’s all I can say without giving it away. I gave this book five stars because there is something for everyone in it. The short-ish chapters (twenty-three in total) would make this a great book to teach in a classroom. The 720 Lexile Level combined with the content and length of the book would make this a great addition to a seventh or eighth grade language arts class. (Note: Book contains some foul language. The book does include the word “slut” numerous times and stays true to what that word implies- however, there are hardly any graphic sexual details; the worst graphic details are in chapter eight.)
(less)

1 like · like · see review

May 11, 2013 Rosalia rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013, audiobooks, mystery, young-adult, printz-award-honor

Torey Adams life gets turned upside down when Christopher Creed disappears from his small town. A note is emailed to the principal's office that could either be a runaway note or a suicide note; it's definitively vague. Christopher Creed had a very strict mother and tried way too hard to be friendly. His note details how left out he felt and how he wished he could be more like others, and goes on to specifically list classmates; including Torey. Torey is completely bugged by this. He wants to kn...more

like · see review

Nov 13, 2009 Dee rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Anyone who likes mysteries!

When Chis Creed, the delinquent class outcast, disapears with only a suicide note to hint at where he was, Torey and his newfound friends Bo and Ali decide to "play detective" and try to figure out where he could have gone. As they comb the town for clues, they discover that everyone in Steepleton has, as Torey quotes, "a skeleton in their closet". Torey and his friends soon unearth the fact that Mrs. Creed, Chris Creed's mother, definitely had something to do with his disapearance--but what? As...more

1 like · like · see review

Mar 12, 2011 Stephanie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: my-middle-school-reading

So, I'll save my observations and rant about YA lit for the end. First, my succinct thoughts about TBoCC.

I'd give it 2 1/2 stars if I could. There were parts I liked and parts that were okay at best.

I found the premise really interesting, but the story itself didn't hold me consistently. I appreciated the theme that there is always more to someone's story... at least for the central characters. While I found the central characters likable, Torey, the main character, becomes almost too likable a...more So, I'll save my observations and rant about YA lit for the end. First, my succinct thoughts about TBoCC.

I'd give it 2 1/2 stars if I could. There were parts I liked and parts that were okay at best.

I found the premise really interesting, but the story itself didn't hold me consistently. I appreciated the theme that there is always more to someone's story... at least for the central characters. While I found the central characters likable, Torey, the main character, becomes almost too likable and knowing. He has an unrealistic growth spurt of maturity. Bo Richardson and Torey's mom are the two most interesting characters in the whole book. In fact, I want Plum-Ucci to write Bo's story. I'd read that book in a heartbeat.

There are moments that this story really moves and creates some real tension, and others where it slows to a halt. I skimmed pages towards the end to get to the conclusion, and sadly, I was disappointed with it. Too bad.

Pet peeves: some clunky spots in the actual writing mechanics and the fact that the author has Torey using "like" in really weird spots. I'm not sure, like, why you'd have any character talking that way unless you were trying to highlight an affectation. It added no character value and just distracted from the story... it highlighted poor writing. Sorry.

My general rant:
So I read a LOT of YA lit, and over the years, I've become more discerning and more critical of things that just don't ring true. I have a hard time knowing what doesn't ring true because I am an adult and not the primary intended audience, or because I'm tired of the never-ending stereotypes of school culture that is alive and well in YA lit. I'm sick of the wildly broad brush-strokes that define teenagers in books - cheerleaders, sluts, jocks, science geek, dirtbags - and then manage to soften them as they go, but only for the main characters. Has YA lit made no progress? Can't we put a bit more texture in from the beginning?
Look, my school had South Wallers - the kids who were similar to the boons in this story. But none of us wrote them off as garbage and refused to talk with them or were scared of them. Some Wallers were in chorus with me, some ran cross country with me... they were always nuanced as the rest of us. No one was just a jock. Our swim team also had guys in the orchestra and writing for the school paper. Ugh. I'm sick of the continued myth that students see each other as just ONE thing. ONE group. Those in ONE group were the exception, not the rule, and that wasn't how we judged one another. And it really underestimates a reading audience if an author can't get past the myths of school.

(less)

1 like · like · see review

Jul 11, 2012 Justin rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-for-students

I found this book to be a very interesting mystery tale that has a lot of commentary on class division and social hierarchy in high school. It revolves around the mysterious disappearance of a student named Christopher Creed who everyone in his school pretty much hated because of his social ineptitude. He leaves a note to the principal at his school that says he's gone, but not if he killed himself or if he just left town. When no body turns up, his fanatical mother begins to try and peg his dis...more I found this book to be a very interesting mystery tale that has a lot of commentary on class division and social hierarchy in high school. It revolves around the mysterious disappearance of a student named Christopher Creed who everyone in his school pretty much hated because of his social ineptitude. He leaves a note to the principal at his school that says he's gone, but not if he killed himself or if he just left town. When no body turns up, his fanatical mother begins to try and peg his disappearance as a murder committed by one of the town's less priveleged "boons" from out in the boondocks. The main character, Torey, has to navigate trying to know these students who he used to consider the social undercurrent of his school and decide why people are blaming a non-existent murder on them. As he digs deeeper, he finds that a screwed up family life and years of torment may be to blame for Christopher's disappearance rather than another student.
I would only recommend this book for high school students and not middle schoolers for several reasons. First, I the story is very complicated with its examination of social prejudice and classism, which most younger students are going to have trouble picking up on. It also deals with bad parental situations very frankly, and how students take out their bad home lives through promiscuity and substance abuse. The students also use very frank language with each other, which probably isn't appropriate for younger students. I would definitely have a high schooler read this book, as it might help them see the way they treat people can have a dramatic impact on them. Also, when other students act "weird", maybe it's because of issues you can't even begin to comprehend, so you shouldn't be so hard on them. I found the book engaging and full of a great mystery and self examination. This would be an especially good recommend or companion book with Jay Asher's "13 Reasons Why", as they share many of the same themes and situations. (less)

1 like · like · see review

topics	posts	views	last activity
Do you think chris creed is still alive?	1	1	Mar 28, 2013 10:47am
Word game	2	1	Mar 28, 2013 10:46am
What's The Name o...: young adult book about a boy who's trying to find another boy that's disappeared [s]	6	19	Sep 13, 2012 08:38am
What's The Name o...: Guy running away because his mom was so controlling about his life and some kid trying to find him [s]	6	125	Apr 07, 2012 10:41pm

title link	preview: The Body of Christopher Creed
avg rating	preview: The Body of Christopher Creed Goodreads rating: 3.86 (2833 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/311840.The_Body_of_Christopher_Creed?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348530607l/311840.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/311840.The_Body_of_Christopher_Creed?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]The Body of Christopher Creed by Carol Plum-Ucci[/url]

The Body of Christopher Creed (Steepleton Chronicles #1)

Friend Reviews

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topic
Discuss This Book

combine
Other Editions (14)

Genres

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About Carol Plum-Ucci

Books by Carol Plum-Ucci

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website

Trivia About The Body of Chris...

Quotes from The Body of Christophe...