They Never Came Back

By Caroline B. Cooney

200 Pages

Published by Delacorte Press

★★★★

By Mel

 

I really enjoyed reading this book. It was more of a realistic book then what I normally read, but it still held enough mystery and suspense that I couldn't put it down. But, it's also a little sad.


This is a story about a ten-year-old girl whose parents turned out to be thieves. As soon as they discovered that the police were on to them, Murielle's parents (Rory and Cade Lyman) planned an escape. Taking Murielle was part of the plan until her Aunt Lois stepped in. She never took Murielle to the airport where her daddy was waiting for her. He had no choice but to continue without her and meet her mommy in England. The one thing Murielle never let go of was the hope that they would return for her. She loved her parents and had never seen then as bad people. But, five years later they were still gone and Murielle now seemed to have disappeared too. 


Cathy Ferris is a fifteen-year-old girl who is trying to learn a year of Latin in a few weeks of summer school. One day she is taken completely by surprise when this boy, Tommy, comes up and mistakes her for Murielle, his long-lost cousin. He exclaims how mush he has missed her and asks where she has been. All Cathy can say is that she isn't Murielle and then asks who she even is. Soon this whole ordeal becomes the talk and focus of the sixty summer school students. They all research the Lymans and find pictures of the little girl. The one thing they know for sure is that Cathy does strike a remarkable resemblance to Murielle. 


This book is definitely a book worth reading. The author writes in a unique fashion that I found enjoyable. the only downfall to the book was the ending. i felt like it sort of never had a real resolution. I would have enjoyed an epilogue or something. But it wasn't too bad. I still think it's a good book for everyone o read.