- after a visiting cousin goes missing, the family works together to find her
- the search leads them into a large web of criminal activity, resulting in much action and suspense
- convo: two child kidnappings
- homeschool-friendly and themes of Christian courage, humility, repentance and submission to authority
- great for horse lovers
Type: chapter book
Ages: 10-15
Author: C.R. Hedgcock
Okay, let me first address the main complaint in other reviews and then we’ll go on to the fun stuff… In the initial chapters, I felt the cheesiness others have commented on, but my thought was more like, “people are going to think that’s cheesy, but I find it refreshing.” The main family is openly Christian and it’s woven throughout, with a genuine feel. Now, I did make a note about how the children seemed “too” Christian, as if the author was trying to contrast them with the snobby cousin a bit too much. They were too perfect. However, as the story went on, they made more mistakes and became more human-like. It was as if the author was noticeably maturing herself as she journeyed farther into the book. Now there are several more books in the series, and I understand they only get better, so count me in!
All the horse-loving kids are sure to appreciate the many scenes surrounding riding and competitions. If you’re a part of a large family or one that lives on a farm, you’ll find much to connect with as well.
The spoiled, unfriendly girl does eventually humbly repent, becoming a great friend to her cousins. She plays a big part in catching the criminals.
There’s a great amount of suspense for ages 10-15. Considering sensitive readers, the scariest part was probably when the kidnappers used chloroform to knock out the kids and put them in their car. Otherwise, the intense scenes are mostly just suspenseful, as the title suggests! Good guys against bad guys.
In the end, they give God the proper glory for it, without feeling forced into the text. The main girl’s thoughts were always laced with prayers, giving a great example of “praying without ceasing.” (See 1 Thessalonians 5:17.) I loved how the whole family worked together and how well the parents were raising the children (a rare literary sight these days). Overall, I’m very happy with this being an option for middle grade readers, and I look forward to continuing the series one day!