Blood on the Beach

by Sarah N. Harvey, Robin Stevenson

Overview

Eight teens are dropped off on a remote west-coast island for a week-long treatment program called INTRO (Into Nature to Renew Ourselves).

The story is told by two of them: Alice, whose police-officer mother believes Alice might have a substance-abuse problem, and Caleb, who assaulted his abusive stepfather. They are joined by six other miscreants and three staff: a psychologist, a social worker and an ex-cop. On the first night, one of the girls disappears from her cabin. There is a panicked search of the island, but she is nowhere to be found. The adults seem oddly ineffectual in dealing with the crisis—and then the ex-cop gets sick and dies. The radio has been sabotaged, and there is no way to call for help. When the social worker also becomes ill, the kids decide to take matters into their own hands and track down the killer.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781459812956
Publisher:	Orca Book Publishers
Publication date:	03/21/2017
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	272
Lexile:	HL620L (what's this?)
File size:	2 MB
Age Range:	12 Years

About the Author

Sarah N. Harvey is the author of over a dozen acclaimed books for teens and young children. She lives in Esquimalt, British Columbia, where she is a freelance editor and proud grandmother of three amazing grandchildren.

Robin Stevenson is the author of more than twenty-five books for kids and teens, including Pride Puppy!, Pride Colors and Kid Activists: True Tales of Childhood from Champions of Change. The first edition of her nonfiction book Pride: Celebrating Diversity&Community (2016) won a Stonewall Honor and was shortlisted for numerous other awards. Robin lives in Victoria, British Columbia.

Editorial Reviews

"Will be avidly consumed by high school readers...It is the novel's spin on what seems, at first, to be almost stereotypical fictional set-up that makes the novel much more than just a regular old 'whodunit'...Readers will remain mesmerized to the very end."

CM Magazine

"Will keep readers guessing right up until the end. Middle and high school teens who like a good mystery will enjoy this book and may be able to relate to some of the characters."

School Library Connection

"Both the adult and young adult characters are relatable and there are some great plot twists including one final unexpected twist at the end."

John Spray Mystery Award Jury

"Together, [Harvey and Stevenson] are powerful. They have created a wild assortment of characters and exposed them to a more tenuous situation than those from which they came."

CanLit for LittleCanadians blog

"So fun! I thought Blood on the Beach was an enjoyable and intriguing book...The authors each bring their own style and expertise to the characters they create...All in all, I think I'd definitely recommend this one to teen readers, ever to more reluctant readers, and adults who like a really solid thriller."

Sense and Sensibilty and Stories blog

03/01/2017
Gr 9 Up—A compulsively readable tale about a group of teens struggling to cope with their troubled lives and prevent their bloody deaths at the hands of a murderer. Alice, small but fierce, is the daughter of a cop and was caught drinking underage. Caleb, of the tall, dark, and handsome persuasion, has been labeled violent after attacking his stepdad, who was beating Caleb's mother. Thrown together with a small group of other misunderstood misfits, they must survive a weeklong psychological rehabilitation camp on a remote island, trapped with a serial killer bent on picking them off one by one. While this is not exactly a slasher novel, fans of Friday the 13th would feel right at home in the tale's camp, as the authors adeptly establish an enjoyably eerie, uncomfortable tone from the very start. Sensitive topics, such as teen suicide and statutory rape, are touched upon but are mostly discussed within the realm of group therapy sessions, which grounds them. The authors alternate points of view between the two protagonists, which heightens each narrative by providing insight into the characters' reactions and motives, while simultaneously raising questions as to their reliability. VERDICT Wickedly fun and fresh, this fast read is highly recommended for those who can't get enough of dark mysteries, lovers of illicit romance, and anyone who appreciates creepy camp stories.—Emily Grace Le May, Providence Community Library

School Library Journal

2017-01-17
What is supposed to be an intervention program for troubled teens goes awry.After Alice (a white teen) has a couple of beers too many at a party and Caleb (a dark-skinned teen) beats up his abusive stepfather, the two find themselves en route to a private island for a weeklong intervention program with six other "troubled" teens. Day 1 goes as expected with group therapy and a cleansing ritual, but things quickly take a turn on Day 2 when one of the teens goes missing and the adults refuse to radio for help. By Day 3, one of the three program leaders is dead and the other two are no help. With the discovery of a sabotaged kayak and a broken radio, Alice, Caleb, and the others realize they are stranded. As suspicion and terror take hold, the teens must work together to stay alive and find a way off the island. Told from the alternating perspectives of Alice and Caleb, the novel is full of sudden, unexpected twists that feel forced and unbelievable, driving the plot obviously rather than organically. Similarly, while the characterization of the teens attempts to defy stereotypes, readers never really get the chance to know them beyond the surface. This fast-paced adventure misses the mark with a bland narrative and equally bland characters. (Adventure. 12-16)

Kirkus Reviews