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Robyn Hunter Mysteries #7
Change of Heart
"Robbie," my dad said. "You told me yourself how Billy has been behaving. And you know the case against him-he had a grudge against the victim, he was found with the weapon, he was at the scene. Motive, method, opportunity."
Robyn's best friend Billy has been a mess ever since her other best friend Morgan dumped him. To make matters worse, Morgan started dating hockey star Sean Sloane right afterward. Billy is a vegetarian and an animal rights activist-he wouldn't hurt a fly. But when Sean winds up dead on the ice, Billy becomes the prime suspect. Can Robyn prove her friend's innocence?
Robyn's best friend Billy has been a mess ever since her other best friend Morgan dumped him. To make matters worse, Morgan started dating hockey star Sean Sloane right afterward. Billy is a vegetarian and an animal rights activist-he wouldn't hurt a fly. But when Sean winds up dead on the ice, Billy becomes the prime suspect. Can Robyn prove her friend's innocence?
228 pages, ebook
First published March 1, 2013
5 people are currently reading
173 people want to read
About the author
Norah McClintock
92 books208 followersNorah McClintock’s fascinating mysteries are hard to put down. Her Chloe & Levesque series, Mike & Riel series, and Robyn Hunter series, all published by Scholastic Canada, have been popular with readers in many countries. Norah has also written several crime novels for reluctant readers in the Orca Soundings series from Orca Book Publishers,
Norah is a five-time winner of the Crime Writers of Canada's Arthur Ellis Award for Best Juvenile Crime Novel. Read Mistaken Identity, The Body in the Basement, Sins of the Father, Scared to Death, and Break and Enter to find out why! Norah's books have been translated into more than a dozen languages, and she has won numerous awards.
Awards:
Arthur Ellis Award - Juvenile
o 1996 – Mistaken Identity – Winner
o 1998 – The Body in the Basement – Winner
o 1999 – Sins of the Father – Winner
o 2002 – Scared to Death – Winner
o 2003 – Break and Enter – Winner
Red Maple Award
o 2004 – Hit and Run – Winner
Norah is a five-time winner of the Crime Writers of Canada's Arthur Ellis Award for Best Juvenile Crime Novel. Read Mistaken Identity, The Body in the Basement, Sins of the Father, Scared to Death, and Break and Enter to find out why! Norah's books have been translated into more than a dozen languages, and she has won numerous awards.
Awards:
Arthur Ellis Award - Juvenile
o 1996 – Mistaken Identity – Winner
o 1998 – The Body in the Basement – Winner
o 1999 – Sins of the Father – Winner
o 2002 – Scared to Death – Winner
o 2003 – Break and Enter – Winner
Red Maple Award
o 2004 – Hit and Run – Winner
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
January 7, 2014
In this book there is a popular boy named Sean Sloane, he just stole Billy's girlfriend, Morgan. Although Morgan is in love with Sean, Billy is obsessed with Morgan and is constantly annoying her. So when Sean Sloane is murdered, right away Morgan assumes it was Billy. But Robyn, Billy's and Morgan's best friend knows Billy didn't do it and she is willing to prove it, even if it means losing Morgan's friendship. Robyn goes through a lot of interviews and questions but she ends up solving the mystery.
The reason I picked up this book was because I was looking for a good mystery book and I found this one. I read the back of the book and it sounded very interesting and so were the first few pages because they jumped into the action right away.
Then, the further and further I got into the book, the more and more interesting it got. I also like that the event in the book occur very quickly.
I would recommend this book to Nithusa, but not because she's my friend. But because she loves a good mystery book and I know she also likes this book because there is a lot of dialogue.
The reason I picked up this book was because I was looking for a good mystery book and I found this one. I read the back of the book and it sounded very interesting and so were the first few pages because they jumped into the action right away.
Then, the further and further I got into the book, the more and more interesting it got. I also like that the event in the book occur very quickly.
I would recommend this book to Nithusa, but not because she's my friend. But because she loves a good mystery book and I know she also likes this book because there is a lot of dialogue.
May 8, 2019
McClintock lets her characters do really nasty things, like betray friends and forgive awful people. The mystery itself seems like a vehicle to look clearly at specific people grappling with situations that test them in some way, tests they often do poorly on.
And then the boring bits about Robyn's crush on Nick, which is dull because I've not read the books (I assume they exist at the start of the series) where he's a decent guy; I only know him as the unpleasant guy at the end.
And then the boring bits about Robyn's crush on Nick, which is dull because I've not read the books (I assume they exist at the start of the series) where he's a decent guy; I only know him as the unpleasant guy at the end.
September 5, 2021
Actually not too bad, although I am quite uncomfortable with the idea that Billy could be a killer, and also with the way Morgan acts throughout the entire book. She has never been my favourite, but is mostly still tolerable. In this one, I truly do want to smack her across the head. As always, there's never enough Nick. Just give the people what they want, Norah. For my sanity, please. I may read this again in the future, but it isn't high on my list of Robyn Hunter favourites.
March 16, 2018
Billy and Morgan were best friends when they started dating but when they broke up months later, Morgan was able to dump Billy like yesterday’s news. He was left hurt and angry, which left Robyn in an awkward position between her two best friends. After a grueling fight that pushes Billy against Morgan’s new beau, Sean, he's left in a terrible situation when Sean winds up dead a few days later. Now, Billy is on the chopping block for a murder he says he didn’t do when all signs point to him. Robyn wants to help Billy but Morgan has already condemned him to a life behind bars. Robyn must use her detective skills to solve the murder of the skilled hockey player that was killed on the ice. Meanwhile, her ex-boyfriend is in town and he’s sniffing around her dad’s place. Will she be able to figure out the secrets that circulate behind the scenes and solve this murder?
Change of Heart was a murder mystery unlike any other. It was written as part of Orca’s series for reluctant readers so I found it to be a quick read. For someone like me who’s not a huge mystery reader, this story is a fusion of great elements that wasn't too heavy in any genre. It had a focus on interrelationships alongside its murder mystery that really made me interested in the people aspect of the story. It is not just about the murder of Sean. It is about the emotions and responses of the people around him and around Robyn. I became invested in all the minor characters and their stories, and Norah McClintock made their narratives have a significant effect on the main story.
There were only two parts of this story I didn’t enjoy. The beginning of this story seemed a bit rushed in how they introduced Billy’s character. Considering that readers are supposed to understand that he is a kind vegetarian that cares about animals, it’s hard to believe that he’s not the murderer. I know that the way the story is set up we are supposed to believe that he committed the murder. However, a lot of the story seems to be Robyn convincing us that that is not true. It is just much easier to believe he was the murderer. Also, the romance between Robyn and her ex-boyfriend didn’t seem to be that important to the story so I didn't get why it was included in the first place. It just seemed out of place with all that was going on.
Change of Heart was a murder mystery unlike any other. It was written as part of Orca’s series for reluctant readers so I found it to be a quick read. For someone like me who’s not a huge mystery reader, this story is a fusion of great elements that wasn't too heavy in any genre. It had a focus on interrelationships alongside its murder mystery that really made me interested in the people aspect of the story. It is not just about the murder of Sean. It is about the emotions and responses of the people around him and around Robyn. I became invested in all the minor characters and their stories, and Norah McClintock made their narratives have a significant effect on the main story.
There were only two parts of this story I didn’t enjoy. The beginning of this story seemed a bit rushed in how they introduced Billy’s character. Considering that readers are supposed to understand that he is a kind vegetarian that cares about animals, it’s hard to believe that he’s not the murderer. I know that the way the story is set up we are supposed to believe that he committed the murder. However, a lot of the story seems to be Robyn convincing us that that is not true. It is just much easier to believe he was the murderer. Also, the romance between Robyn and her ex-boyfriend didn’t seem to be that important to the story so I didn't get why it was included in the first place. It just seemed out of place with all that was going on.
December 17, 2012
I’ve always enjoyed reading Norah McClintock’s novels. She remembers so well what it was like to be young and facing all of life’s challenges at that age. Change of Heart is an intriguing story about three best friends: Robyn, Billy, and Morgan have been friends for a long time. The latter two had been dating for a while until Morgan called it quits with Billy and left Robyn in the middle. Robyn doesn’t want to take sides, but with Billy acting more and more uncharacteristically like the lovesick puppy, and Morgan flaunting her new relationship, Robyn finds it increasingly difficult to remain good friends with both of them. All of a sudden, Morgan’s new boyfriend is found dead and all the signs point to Billy. Can the three of them ever become friends again? This is a story of believing in your friends and standing your ground even when everyone believes you’re wrong.
Story & Pacing: 8
I was happy to read a story about hockey, what with our NHL-less season, and it made for a nice backdrop against which to set some of the actions in this story. McClintock’s story has good pacing and readers will have no trouble getting into the conflicts. Even though this is book 7 in a series, there is enough background information to explain the relationships, and it doesn’t feel like I need to read the 6 previous novels—although I am quite interested in doing so!
Characters: 8
Robyn is a great protagonist, and one with whom anyone who has ever found him/herself in the middle can sympathize. Billy, who is always described as being laid back and romantic, displays very worrisome behaviour, which makes him unlikeable in the beginning, but he works well with Morgan’s character who doesn’t seem to care at all about her erstwhile boyfriend’s feelings.
Setting: 7
Set in school, on the skating rink, and in various places around town, there isn’t much to be said for setting. It’s a typical high-school novel, so the different locales work for the story.
Style & Writing: 7
McClintock’s writing is very easy to read. You will have no trouble getting into the story and believing in the scenarios in which she places her characters.
Learnability & Teachability: 7
This is a good book for youth between grades 7-10. Even though some of the characters are much older, I think younger students enjoy reading about older students in “mature” situations. Older students may find the characters unrealistic by the time they have reached senior year in high school.
POTENTIAL TEACHABLES
Hockey rules and superstitions; character development; predicting the culprit; creating back story (if students haven’t read other works in series); rules of moving from collegiate sports teams to professional teams.
Story & Pacing: 8
I was happy to read a story about hockey, what with our NHL-less season, and it made for a nice backdrop against which to set some of the actions in this story. McClintock’s story has good pacing and readers will have no trouble getting into the conflicts. Even though this is book 7 in a series, there is enough background information to explain the relationships, and it doesn’t feel like I need to read the 6 previous novels—although I am quite interested in doing so!
Characters: 8
Robyn is a great protagonist, and one with whom anyone who has ever found him/herself in the middle can sympathize. Billy, who is always described as being laid back and romantic, displays very worrisome behaviour, which makes him unlikeable in the beginning, but he works well with Morgan’s character who doesn’t seem to care at all about her erstwhile boyfriend’s feelings.
Setting: 7
Set in school, on the skating rink, and in various places around town, there isn’t much to be said for setting. It’s a typical high-school novel, so the different locales work for the story.
Style & Writing: 7
McClintock’s writing is very easy to read. You will have no trouble getting into the story and believing in the scenarios in which she places her characters.
Learnability & Teachability: 7
This is a good book for youth between grades 7-10. Even though some of the characters are much older, I think younger students enjoy reading about older students in “mature” situations. Older students may find the characters unrealistic by the time they have reached senior year in high school.
POTENTIAL TEACHABLES
Hockey rules and superstitions; character development; predicting the culprit; creating back story (if students haven’t read other works in series); rules of moving from collegiate sports teams to professional teams.
March 25, 2013
3.5 stars
To see my full review:
http://bookvacations.wordpress.com/20...
This is my fourth McClintock novel and I must say, I really do enjoy her YA novels. The three that I read prior to this one were all part of the Orca Soundings books for reluctant readers, which I stumbled across a few years ago, and which my struggling readers really enjoy. Orca Sounding books are written by many different authors, and they’re engaging in that the storyline is at teen level, but the writing is for that of second through fourth grade readers. This is very helpful when students read below their grade level, especially as the stories are engaging and help promote a love of reading, which is key.
Change of Heart is the seventh book in the Robyn Hunter series, but it stands completely alone, as I suspect all the novels in this series do. It wasn’t until after I finished reading the novel that I realized it was part of a series, but in truth, it doesn’t matter either way. McClintock introduces the characters quickly and begins the story, giving readers just enough background and information, and the best part is that, though it’s not an Orca Sounding book, it’s still written for the reluctant reader.
Robyn Hunter is stuck between a rock and a hard place here as her best friend, Billy, is charged for murder. Truth be told, it doesn’t look good—from the initial fighting and stalking to the possession of the weapon with his fingerprints and victim’s blood on it, everything points to him. But Robyn doesn’t believe it. And she’s the only one.
I wouldn’t say that this is Robyn is necessarily a modern-day sleuth, but she does slowly begin to piece things together, more-so through perseverance than ingenuity. It was very interesting to see how the puzzle fit together, and I liked that, each time I had a suspect, more information was presented to change my tune. However, I wasn’t really a fan of depressed, angry Billy, shy Robyn, or pissed off Morgan. That being said, I enjoyed the novel, but the characters made be a bit angry. I think this would be great for a seventh or eighth grader, though.
To see my full review:
http://bookvacations.wordpress.com/20...
This is my fourth McClintock novel and I must say, I really do enjoy her YA novels. The three that I read prior to this one were all part of the Orca Soundings books for reluctant readers, which I stumbled across a few years ago, and which my struggling readers really enjoy. Orca Sounding books are written by many different authors, and they’re engaging in that the storyline is at teen level, but the writing is for that of second through fourth grade readers. This is very helpful when students read below their grade level, especially as the stories are engaging and help promote a love of reading, which is key.
Change of Heart is the seventh book in the Robyn Hunter series, but it stands completely alone, as I suspect all the novels in this series do. It wasn’t until after I finished reading the novel that I realized it was part of a series, but in truth, it doesn’t matter either way. McClintock introduces the characters quickly and begins the story, giving readers just enough background and information, and the best part is that, though it’s not an Orca Sounding book, it’s still written for the reluctant reader.
Robyn Hunter is stuck between a rock and a hard place here as her best friend, Billy, is charged for murder. Truth be told, it doesn’t look good—from the initial fighting and stalking to the possession of the weapon with his fingerprints and victim’s blood on it, everything points to him. But Robyn doesn’t believe it. And she’s the only one.
I wouldn’t say that this is Robyn is necessarily a modern-day sleuth, but she does slowly begin to piece things together, more-so through perseverance than ingenuity. It was very interesting to see how the puzzle fit together, and I liked that, each time I had a suspect, more information was presented to change my tune. However, I wasn’t really a fan of depressed, angry Billy, shy Robyn, or pissed off Morgan. That being said, I enjoyed the novel, but the characters made be a bit angry. I think this would be great for a seventh or eighth grader, though.
February 10, 2013
Originally published in 2009, Norah McClintock's series Robyn Hunter have had their covers redesigned to become more of a modern series for teens to read. I am glad that they have been as if not I may never had discovered a new series to read and a new author to look for when it comes to edgy teen fiction. Change of Heart was definitely one of those novels that pulled at your heartstrings and had you wondering what was happening and what was actually going on. The novel starts with two boys having a fight over a girl , it looks harmless and could have been but the blood between these two boys Billy and Sean runs deep and its not good blood either. With Sean dating Billy's ex-girlfriend it seems that Sean has everything Billy wanted and when it seems that somebody is targeting Sean - Billy becomes the number #1 suspect. When tragedy strikes , it seems somebody wants to frame Billy as Robyn believes and this time the framing could put him away for life - for murder. Robyn now stuck in the middle between Billy - the convicted and Morgan - her other best friend and Sean's girlfriend - Can she do what's right for both of her friends and clear not only Billy's name but find out the truth and save her friendship with Morgan or will Robyn be forced to take sides ?
A fast-paced teen novel that really keeps you on your toes and a great read that you won't want to put down with an ending that will keep you guessing right till the very end
A fast-paced teen novel that really keeps you on your toes and a great read that you won't want to put down with an ending that will keep you guessing right till the very end
April 24, 2016
The mystery in this book was really good. And this was probably one of the better books in the series but Robyn really frustrated me. She came off as a bit of a pushover and didn't really have any, well, 'angry moments' you could say. She doesn't seem to be teen sleuth material, the way she doesn't even stick up for herself to her own best friend. (Even Billy really annoyed me.)
The other thing that irritated me was the last couple pages. I felt it would have been better if the author had ended the book a chapter earlier. The ending was just a little too nicely wrapped. But then again this is a book for the younger set.
The other thing that irritated me was the last couple pages. I felt it would have been better if the author had ended the book a chapter earlier. The ending was just a little too nicely wrapped. But then again this is a book for the younger set.
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August 1, 2012fave!
November 28, 2013
In class we had to choose a book from the library. I chose this book cuz the back sound very inteseting. It only took me few days to read. I think it is a best book yet
September 27, 2014
This is one of my favourites of the Robyn Hunter series. Morgan and Billy are perfect together.
November 28, 2013
Loved the ending! :-)
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews