Catch a Killer

by George A. Woods

A twelve-year-old boy has a confrontation with a killer when he decides to hide in a supposedly deserted house after a fight with his mother

Genres: Read For School

248 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1973

Reviews

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars -- I have such mixed emotions about this book - not so much about its content because I finished it in a day, but about its marketing. Written by a children's book reviewer for the New York Times and selected by the Edgar Award committee as a Juvenile Honor book in 1973, this story is much more of an adult story than I expected. I know that this was published in 1972 in a different world with different expectations, but none of the prior Edgar Juvenile books that I have read are quite so graphic. The story begins with an argument between Andrew, a 12-year-old boy, and his mother. His dad died when Andrew was two, and now his mom is struggling to raise him as best she can. They yell, and she slaps him on the face. Planning to hide for an hour to make his mom feel really bad before he returns, he leaves from the injustice of her action. He hides in a summer house (the family only comes for the summer and then closes the house for the winter) a half mile down the road to stay out of the cold November air and breaks into more than he bargains for. There is really no mystery here. This is a thriller from its violent start to its bloody finish. I credit the author for allowing me to care about the characters, amazingly enough, but I am also amazed that this story is for juveniles. Times change!

[Jon Burnette · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book I can ever remember sitting down and reading in the 4th grade. It was a restricted book in my school's library so i had to sneak it. It kept me gripped from beginning to end. I can still feel the satisfaction of finishing it and feeling like I had taken a ride on an epic journey.

[Frank · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read in the 80s

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this as a kid and remember it really changing me. Recently got ahold of a copy to read it again. Definitely a heavy book for juvenile lit! Did not disappoint.

[Leeann · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had to read it for my English class in march. I didnt love it but i didnt hate it either, We started it a day after i got my Clockwork Princess book so you can already see why i wasnt focused on the book in english.

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book that started my obsession with reading all thanks to a great teacher that took a risk and had us read a book that was banned in many schools.

[Hannah]

Read this book for school.

It was alright, kind of boring, sucky ending.

[Lyndzee · Rating 3 out of 5]

We read it in class

[Nessa]

I read this years ago and remember it being really good and eerie.