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Blindfold
Four years after convicted murderer Dante Guarino disappears from his cell, Maggie Keene's mother begins a campaign to restore the old courthouse that leads to a dangerous discovery
356 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 1997
16 people are currently reading
126 people want to read
About the author
Diane Hoh
83 books292 followersDiane Hoh is the author of fifty-seven novels for young adults. She grew up in Warren, Pennsylvania but currently resides in Austin, Texas. Reading and writing are her favorite things, alongside gardening and grandchildren.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
April 21, 2024
Maggie Keene's mother is part of a heritage group that tries to preserve old buildings. Her latest focus is the old courthouse. However, mysterious incidents are occurring whenever Maggie or others visit the courthouse. It would appear that someone doesn't want the building to be saved! Is it connected to Maggie's work on the school jury, who decide on punishments for naughty students? Or could it have something to do with the murder of a 13-year-old girl, supposedly committed by her 16-year-old boyfriend, who subsequently escaped jail and disappeared the night after his conviction?
Another solid effort from Diane Hoh. I think she's incapable of writing a bad one. This fit her formula right down to a T. Female protagonist, with five or so friends who could be the guilty party. I actually had the killer figured out within the first few chapters (it seemed quite obvious to me), but Hoh still does a good job of trying to make the reader second-guess themselves! Hoh always plays fair with the reader. There's nothing more tiresome than a thriller that has a bunch of people with a motive and it turns out to be the one person who didn't seem to have one! This was surprisingly longer than usual for a Point thriller, coming in at a large 325 pages. I think this was a tad too long - it took a bit of time for me to get into the story. But once it got going, it turned into the usual Diane Hoh thriller that I know and love.
The big drawback here is what has been found in a couple of her others - Funhouse, The Wish and Dark Moon immediately spring to mind - in that it keeps requiring the characters to return to the scene of the crime in order to keep the story moving. Why the hell do they keep on going back to that courthouse again and again and again? Stay away from it and things won't happen! By the fifth time the characters were all going back there, I was slapping my forehead in frustration. Also, as a main character, Maggie grew on my nerves at times. She's very judgmental and surprisingly snotty to the people she claims to be her friends. And the TSTL mantle could almost be thrown at her as well. Don't go back to the courthouse, Maggie! Who cares if people think you're a coward? That's better than being seriously injured or killed!
However, these are gripes common when reading 90s YA through a modern, adult lens. I would have loved this if I read it when I was younger. Still, it was a bit special to read something by my favourite 90s YA author, in my 40s, that I had not read before. It took me back to my youth a bit.
Another solid effort from Diane Hoh. I think she's incapable of writing a bad one. This fit her formula right down to a T. Female protagonist, with five or so friends who could be the guilty party. I actually had the killer figured out within the first few chapters (it seemed quite obvious to me), but Hoh still does a good job of trying to make the reader second-guess themselves! Hoh always plays fair with the reader. There's nothing more tiresome than a thriller that has a bunch of people with a motive and it turns out to be the one person who didn't seem to have one! This was surprisingly longer than usual for a Point thriller, coming in at a large 325 pages. I think this was a tad too long - it took a bit of time for me to get into the story. But once it got going, it turned into the usual Diane Hoh thriller that I know and love.
The big drawback here is what has been found in a couple of her others - Funhouse, The Wish and Dark Moon immediately spring to mind - in that it keeps requiring the characters to return to the scene of the crime in order to keep the story moving. Why the hell do they keep on going back to that courthouse again and again and again? Stay away from it and things won't happen! By the fifth time the characters were all going back there, I was slapping my forehead in frustration. Also, as a main character, Maggie grew on my nerves at times. She's very judgmental and surprisingly snotty to the people she claims to be her friends. And the TSTL mantle could almost be thrown at her as well. Don't go back to the courthouse, Maggie! Who cares if people think you're a coward? That's better than being seriously injured or killed!
However, these are gripes common when reading 90s YA through a modern, adult lens. I would have loved this if I read it when I was younger. Still, it was a bit special to read something by my favourite 90s YA author, in my 40s, that I had not read before. It took me back to my youth a bit.
January 3, 2014
Whew, finally finished! I've been in such a reading rut, and so distracted by other things, that it took me 2 months to read this book. I'm glad to be done so that I can now move on to something else :) The book itself was pretty decent. I did get bored along the way, but it's probably just because I wasn't in the right mood for a YA.
April 23, 2014
Hmmmm so far idk the scares are not scary, I don't care about a building. Points for a main character named Scout though
On reflection a disappointment not as good as prom date or the silent scream
On reflection a disappointment not as good as prom date or the silent scream
January 26, 2019
(3.5) Each chapter had a lot of suspense and turns which made it a quick read. I enjoyed the twist at the end I did not see coming.
June 25, 2023
Diane Hoh, queen of the 90s YA thriller. To me.
October 22, 2024
* Maggie is fore-person for the student jury at school, so annoys people by giving them punishments.
* Her mother is trying to save the old courthouse in town, but other people want to demolish it and build a youth centre.
* Maggie and her friends go to the courthouse to deliver some plans from Maggie's mother, then decide to explore.
* Maggie gets locked in the coal bin, and when one of her friends let's her out, the ceiling comes down and they all nearly get squished
* Maggie finds her gavel cut into 5 pieces, then some scales with blood in them, and then a doll with a blindfold and a noose. Someone is targeting her
* There's an event at the courthouse and the kitchen blows up and nearly kills Maggie too.
* There's another event and her friend Lane ends up down a well.
* Another time Maggie is threatened by some kids, ends up in the coal bin again, and discovers the bones of an old prisoner, one who she thought was related to the stuff happening now. Dante was imprisoned for killing his girlfriend Christy (which he didn't actually do) and convicted and imprisoned. They thought he'd escaped, but obviously not as they found his bones.
* Then there's a misunderstanding with a ticket and Maggie stupidly goes looking for the sheriff in the new courthouse building and is nearly killed by the real killer who is her friend Lane, and who is pissed off that she discovered Dantes remains, because it was Lane who killed both Christy and Dante.
* Her mother is trying to save the old courthouse in town, but other people want to demolish it and build a youth centre.
* Maggie and her friends go to the courthouse to deliver some plans from Maggie's mother, then decide to explore.
* Maggie gets locked in the coal bin, and when one of her friends let's her out, the ceiling comes down and they all nearly get squished
* Maggie finds her gavel cut into 5 pieces, then some scales with blood in them, and then a doll with a blindfold and a noose. Someone is targeting her
* There's an event at the courthouse and the kitchen blows up and nearly kills Maggie too.
* There's another event and her friend Lane ends up down a well.
* Another time Maggie is threatened by some kids, ends up in the coal bin again, and discovers the bones of an old prisoner, one who she thought was related to the stuff happening now. Dante was imprisoned for killing his girlfriend Christy (which he didn't actually do) and convicted and imprisoned. They thought he'd escaped, but obviously not as they found his bones.
* Then there's a misunderstanding with a ticket and Maggie stupidly goes looking for the sheriff in the new courthouse building and is nearly killed by the real killer who is her friend Lane, and who is pissed off that she discovered Dantes remains, because it was Lane who killed both Christy and Dante.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 20, 2018
This was a great story that I raced through. The characters were great and I wanted to know all about them. Lots of incidents and twists and turns highly recommend.
Read
December 31, 2019Re-read one of my favorite thrillers from childhood.
March 5, 2023
Drags on.
May 28, 2022
This was predictable and cheesy, but I had a fun time reading it. I think having one of the POV characters be the unnamed killer was a great choice for the story.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews