YA Suspense - Girl hiding from burglars in store overnight

[Janet]

I read this sometime in the mid-to-late 80's in my elementary school library, so I'm fairly sure it was YA, although the topic seems a bit older.

The main character was a girl who was somehow locked (or trapped) inside a department store overnight with some burglars or robbers. I think she was high school age or maybe early 20's. I can't remember how or why they both ended up in there, but the burglars were not aware of her at first. When they realized she was in there with them, they tried to catch her and it became a kind of cat-and-mouse hunt with her hiding from them, trying to avoid them until the morning.

I think at some point they were taking things from the jewelry counter displays, but I don't recall if that was their main objective.

At some point, she was hiding inside a clothing rack and took off her shoes so they wouldn't hear her sneaking around. I think she also changed into a black leotard to they wouldn't see her as easily, but I may be mistaken on that detail.

I don't remember the ending but I think she was able to escape them in the end, because I feel like if she'd been caught that would have stuck in my memory.

[Kim]

This rings a bit of a bell for me, but the only book I've found that might be a fit is Secrets of the Shopping Mall by Richard Peck. Some details don't quite match, though..

[Kris]

Secrets of the Shopping Mall by Richard Peck - Celticoracle's suggestion

[Janet]

Celticoracle wrote: "This rings a bit of a bell for me, but the only book I've found that might be a fit is Secrets of the Shopping Mall by Richard Peck. Some details don't quite match, though.."

I can see the similarity, but doesn't look like the one I remember, based on the flap and some of the Amazon reviews. Thanks though!

[Kris]

Did the girl work there, shop there, or her father owned the store?

A long shot - Emmy, Beware! by Harriette Sheffer Abels?

[Janet]

Kris wrote: "Did the girl work there, shop there, or her father owned the store?

A long shot - Emmy, Beware! by Harriette Sheffer Abels?"

I was actually trying to recall if she worked there while I was writing this up - I'm leaning toward yes on that; if not, then she was a shopper. I'm nearly 100% certain her father didn't own the store. I got the impression it was a large department store chain like a JC Penney or Kohl's or Sears, but it didn't use a chain name that I recognized at the time.

I'll see what I can find on Emmy, Beware! although so far I can't find more than the 1-sentence flap. The title doesn't ring a bell though. Pretty sure the book was a paperback novel, not hardcover, which is the only thing I'm finding in searches. Wish I could find a sample to read!

[Angela]

Neither of these seems exactly right, but just in case...

Eyes in the Fishbowl by Zilpha Keatley Snyder. This one has a supernatural twist, and the main character is a boy, but there's a girl hiding in the department store as well.

Hide Till Daytime by Joan Phipson. Google Books gives this as the plot summary: "Agatha and her little brother George are locked in a department store after closing time. Their bewilderment turns to panic when they realise that there is also a burglar in the store, stealthily trying to catch them." The characters look to be much younger than you describe, but the plot about being locked in a department store overnight with a robber sounds almost identical.

[Janet]

Angela wrote: "Neither of these seems exactly right, but just in case...

Eyes in the Fishbowl by Zilpha Keatley Snyder. This one has a supernatur..."

Wow, there's a lot more books with this theme than I'd realized! Thanks for the suggestions. I'm certain the main character was a girl though, nearly certain she was alone aside from the burglars, and positive that it was not an illustrated book.

I'll probably scour my local library for copies of all these just to make sure, but so far nothing sounds like the one I hazily recall. :(

[Rainbowheart]

Still looking, Janet?

I found Nightmare Store, but I don't think it's the right type of book.

[Janet]

Doesn't look like it, but thanks for the suggestion! I think I got it out of my elementary school library, which would have meant it was published before 1990, so this one falls into the right timeframe, but it sounds like the main character is a guy, so not the right one.

[Rainbowheart]

The Clue in Blue?

The Joker's Revenge?

The Lancelot Closes at Five?

[Janet]

I'm not totally sure on the Joker's Revenge, since the synopsis is so short, but I don't think it was a Nancy Drew book. The other two definitely don't look right to be though.

[Kris]

Here's the Google Books preview of The Joker's Revenge by Carolyn Keene - Rainbowheart's suggestion:

https://books.google.com/books?id=SH6... There are different cover images.

[Janet]

Thanks for the link to the preview. Sadly, it is not the book. :(
It was less mystery and more suspense. The scene that stands out the most strongly in my memory was her removing her shoes and changing into a dark leotard (or similar) taken off the rack to make it easier to sneak around while the burglars were looking for her. I remember it as a cat-and-mouse vibe.

[Rainbowheart]

Still looking, Janet?

[Becky]

Have you found out the name of this book? I came across this post because I'm looking for this book, too. I thought I was crazy cause my sister and I have read the same books and she doesn't remember this one. I've posted about this on Reddit with no luck.

I remember the main character's "friend" and her boyfriend were the robbers. At first they didn't know she was stuck in there. The main character hides from them all night. At one point she hides from them by sliding into rolled-up carpeting or rugs. Her "friend" realizes she's in the store and lays out a sandwich for her to eat and she walks around whispering to her that she wants her to come out to talk. The boyfriend doesn't know she's doing that. The main character also tosses an orange down the escalator at one point to distract them.

It's funny how I remember so much about it but still can't find the book!!!

[Becky]

Here is a link to a few inside pages of Emmy, Beware. I don't remember it being hardback, either, and I don't think there were pictures, either, so I don't think this is it.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/144091986028

[Rainbowheart]

Might want to check the Fiction set in Department Stores list.

[Kelly]

I remember the girl hiding jewels in the jewelry cases and changing into dark clothes. What is this one?!

[Paula]

Is it "Weekend Of Fear" by Virginia Nielsen from the Windswept series?

[Rainbowheart]

Ooooh, that's gotta be it! Super good find, Paula. :)

[Kris]

Janet, are you looking for this book - or did you find it?

[Capn]

I didn't see it mentioned, so I'll throw out this, if Janet's still around:

The Lancelot Closes at Five
"When two girls secretly spend the night in a model home, they leave behind traces of their visit which involve the entire neighborhood in a mystery."

(Though it looks like Paula nailed it already) ;)

[Shannon]

Oh my goodness! I have been looking for this book for 30 years! THANK YOU SO MUCH! I can't believe you guys found it for me. I have this vague recollection of her being stuck in the mall with robbers and it's actually her boyfriend, but I've searched and searched and could never find the title. THANK YOU PAULA!!!

[Shannon]

Paula you saved me! I've been searching for 30 years!

[Kris]

Glad you found your book, Shannon.

Just so we don't get confused, Janet is the OP (original poster).

[Kori]

Thank you Paula! I’ve been trying to find this book for YEARS. A google search brought me here. I specifically remembered the rolled up carpet so when you mentioned it I was like “yes!”.

[Kat]

Janet (OP) was last active in December 2021, just for knowing.