Module 9: Don't Look Behind You

Book Summary:

In this story, the main character is a teenage girl named April. In the beginning, she finds out that her father has been testifying in court against a big-time drug dealer, and his life and the lives of his family are in danger. To keep safe, they have to enter the witness protection program. April chafes at having to leave her entire life behind, including her boyfriend and her tennis playing, along with her name and anything else that might identify her. As she rebels against the new life, a hit man sent for her father brings terror to the family in a very suspenseful ending.

APA reference:

Duncan, L. (1989). Don’t look behind you. New York: Bantam Doubleday Dell.

My Impressions:

I enjoyed reading this book. I have read several other books by Lois Duncan and I enjoy her writing style very much. She is very good at getting inside the mind of teenagers, and this is probably one of the reasons why her books are so successful.

While this book was about the suspense and horror of being tracked down by a hit man, it also was about  a teenage girl’s attempt to live her life the way she wanted to no matter what the circumstances, and her rebellion against conforming to what was expected of her. In the end, she grew up a bit and realized that her life was not over just because of the circumstances, and she was able to accept her new life.

The book was very well written overall. The author introduces the reader to the main character right away, and gives us a sense of what her life is like now. When the problem is revealed, the reader gets an inside look at what April is thinking as she is going through the issues of having to stay in hiding. The reader experiences April’s terror when the hit man finds their hotel, and the wide range of emotions that she goes through when they have to totally uproot their lives and become different people in a new place. Through her experiences, the reader gets an idea of how it might feel to have to change your life so completely. The suspenseful ending is a page-turner, and the brief glimpse the reader gets of April’s new life after all the turmoil is a very satisfactory finale. It was very interesting to see a situation like this from a teenage girl’s point of view.

Professional Review:

Larson, J. (1989, July). Don't Look Behind You. [Review of the book Don't Look Behind You by L. Duncan]. School Library Journal 35, p. 91. Retrieved from http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/

Undoubtedly a master of suspense, Duncan has written a spellbinding tale of uniquely contemporary horror. Seventeen-year-old April Corrigan's life ends abruptly when she learns that her airline executive father has been working secretly undercover for the FBI. Now his testimony against a notorious drug dealer has placed the whole family in danger, and April and her family are quickly relocated under the Federal Witness Security Program. What begins as a temporary measure soon must become a way of life. April, an ace tennis player, has to stop playing tennis; her mother must give up a lucrative career as a children's author; their names are changed; and April's naive attempt to communicate with her boyfriend causes the violent death of an agent. The entire book is fast-paced and enthralling, but the conclusion will have readers on the edge of their chairs. April and her grandmother get involved in a high-speed cross-country chase which culminates in the death of a hit man. Although some readers will not be able to imagine having to sever completely all ties with their past, they won't be able to put this book down. Don't Look Behind You is filled with booktalk potential.--Jeanette Larson, Mesquite Public Library, Tex.

Library uses:

This would be a good book to include in a mystery/suspense theme at the library. One good way to highlight books like this would be for the library to have a “Mystery Night” aimed at middle school and high school aged kids. They could have events and games to go with the mystery theme, and of course have a display of books available that fit the theme. I think events like this are a great way of encouraging kids to read.