Shadow of Doubt

Robyn Hunter Mysteries #5

by Norah McClintock

When Robyn’s teacher receives a threatening package, Robyn tries to find out who’s behind it. But is her teacher really being stalked, as she claims . . . or is she just making it up?

Genres: Mystery, Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Teen, Fiction, Mystery Thriller

224 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

Norah 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

Reviews

[Lara]

Robyn has a new substitute teacher, Ms. Denholm, who appears to be the victim of a stalker. All is not as it seems, however, including Ms. Denholm’s true identity, and Robyn has to figure out what to believe as evidence that Ms. Denholm is fabricating the entire threat begins to stack up against her. Meanwhile, Robyn’s ex-boyfriend Nick, who has been missing for six weeks, calls and leaves Robyn a muddled phone message. Should she continue to try to forget Nick and move on with Ben who is sweet and obviously cares about her, or should she interpret the call as a sign that Nick still cares for her and needs her?

This is the fifth book in the Robyn Hunter Mystery series, but readers can figure out the plot and character development without having read the other books in the series. It is written in a juvenile way with very short sentences and a rather contrived plot, but I can see middle school readers enjoying the love triangle as well as the mystery. Recommended for middle school collections that own the other Robyn Hunter books; otherwise, it is optional.

[Merrilyn Tucker]

McClintock's cohesive whodunnit carries the reader along in a snappy 223 pages. This is her genre and she knows her characters, plot, and action and where the story is headed. In this, the fifth book in the Robyn Hunter series, the eponymous "Robbie" has a substitute English teacher in her high school. This teacher just happens to be the daughter of Robbie's mother's boyfriend. Father and daughter have not seen each other since the daughter, Melissa, was eight, so the two are getting reacquainted. Melissa thinks she is being stalked by a man named Mikhail and is frightened for her life. Ted fears for Melissa and Robbie's father gets involved, too, as a private investigator. Meanwhile, Robbie is in a dilemma about whom she should love: Nick, the "bad" boy, or Ben, the super-rich-and-good-looking boy. I liked the book; it's safe for 6th grade and up to read. It's not edgy, murder is not graphically expressed, and the teens' language is unnaturally tame.

[Dolores]

Book 5 in the series, and Robyn has officially moved on from Nick. There is a new teacher in school who is (coincidentally) the long-lost daughter of her mother's boyfriend and who has a stalker. Or does she? As always, a well-written mystery, humor and a romantic tangle with lots of teen appeal.

[Hpitcher]

i really loved this book. im kinda stuck in between the whole robyn/ben robyn/nick thing but it was wicked

[Ellen]

Kinda Freaky but good

[Kathy Wawer]

This is a good solid mystery for tweens and teens. Nothing special.

[Siti Nurul Ain]

wow! amazing book! (: totally worth reading for those who enjoy mysteries and suspense! this book doesn't have a typical storyline where you can predict the ending. will review more soon!

[Nujhat]

SO not what u seemedit tob be

[Susana]

In the beginning of the book was really interesting because robyn is broken between two young men. Her recent boyfriend, Nick left town six weeks before the story even begins, taking off when she was away on a school trip. Nick had sent her a christmas present with no return address and has left her a recorded message from a pay phone in another state. Meanwhile she is being pursued by a classmate name Ben, he is wealthy, handsome,and very thoughtful person. As the novel begins robyn delivers a box of roses which were dropped off at the school office for her favorite teacher name, Ms. denholm. Inside of the box was a baby doll without its head, its chest ripped open and spattered with red paint. Robyn suggested to call the police but the teacher says that it ain't against the law to pull jokes like the one they pulled on her. At this point Ms. denholm is trying to figure out who must of done it and why. She thinks it’s her ex-boyfriend because he wouldn’t leave her alone, when she broke up with him. Robyn notice that Ms. denholm was frightened when she saw the baby doll and was trying to help her out to figure who must of sent it. It turns out that Ms. denholm’s stepfather was an abusive husband and a stalker. Her mother ran away lived hiding and adopted a name for herself and her daughter to change their identities. This can really happen to anyone in real life events. There’s been crimes about people being stalked and killed.

[Jairo Calderon]

In the beginning of the book two was really interesting because robyn is broken between two young men. Her recent boyfriend, nick left town six weeks before the story even begins, taking off when she was away on a school trip. Nick had sent her a chritmas present with no return address and has left her a recorded message from a pay phone in another state. Meanwhile she is being pursued b a classmate name ben, he is wealthy, handsome, and very thoughtful person. As the novel being robyn delivers a box of roses which were dropped off at the school office for her favorite teacher name,ms donholm. Inside of the box was a baby doll withous its head, its chest ripped open and spattered with red paint. Robyn suggested to call the police but the teacher says that it ain’t against the law to pull jokes like the one they pulled on her. At this point ms. denholm was frightened when she saw the baby doll and was trying to help her out to figure who must of sent it. It turns out that Ms. denholm’s stepfather was an abusive husband and a stalker, her mother ran away lived hiding and adopted a name for herself and her daughter to change their identities. This can really happen to anyone in real life events. There’s been crimes about about people being stalked and killed .

[Beth]

I liked the mystery, although the police were a little on the dumb side. I find the teen romance stuff deadly dull, though (I'm clearly not the audience here!). Ben is perfect and shallow selfish friend Morgan is all for him, but Nick is this sexy bad boy blah blah blah. Every time Ben or Nick show up or Robyn even thinks about them I put the book down for a few weeks or months, which is why it took me a year to read this!

[Kaia Seeley]

morgan is literally the worst friend how can you be friends with someone like that. the twist was pretty predictable i saw it coming like halfway through the book. billy was also annoying, robyn’s friends suck. robyn is making me mad with her still being on nick like oh my god. ben is kinda weird too. this book was a huge step down from the fourth one

[Khadija]

The book is really interesting but at some point it get really boring and their is no action so i give it a 4 not a 5.

[Erin]

This was never my favourite, although it's hard to be the book that comes after my actual favourite. That being said, I still didn't see the plot twist of who Bonnie's actual stalker was, though, and it's great. Props to Norah McClintock for that. I miss Nick in this one, and it's difficult to start seeing Robyn and Ben's relationship falling apart because of Robyn's lingering feelings for Nick. Ben is a great substitute, and I feel bad for him.

[Jaclyn Carson]

Shadow of Doubt, a piece of mystery written by Norah McClintock is about a girl named Robyn who tells about her new substitute, her love life, and her family problems. She talks about all of the ups and downs that go with all of the problems in her life and how things don't always work in her favor. I would definitely recommend this book for the fact that it is a good book and keeps you wanting more.

[Abigail]

Nice