Falling From Grace

Jane Godwin

Puffin Books

June 2006 $17.95

196p pb

ISBN: 0-14-330241-8

This book Falling from Grace is a mystery novel.  The story is told by two different characters, one is Kip, a 14 year old boy the other, Annie, a 12 year old girl. On a dark and very stormy night at Point Nepean, Grace and Annie are playing their last game of tracking with their father.  When it gets dark, Annie wants to go back one way and Grace wants to go back another.  While Grace checks out her way, Annie climbs to the top of a sandy cliff then waits for Grace to come back because she knows her way goes nowhere.  When Grace returns, Annie calls her to climb up the cliff to join her, but clumsy Grace can’t make it.  The sandy cliff gives way because of the storm and sends Grace falling into the sea below.  Annie can’t find her and goes to find help.  Annie has been missing for a night and soon they become the prey of the 9.00 news, not to mention every other news show. Will they ever find Grace?

Kip is a 14 year old boy, that has just recently given up the one thing that he had ever imagined himself doing – swimming, because he doesn’t enjoy it any more.  On the dark stormy night, Kip wanders down to the bay and finds a black bag.  In it he finds a mobile phone ringing.  He answers it and a guy called Andrew is on the other end.  The bag and its contents belong to him and he is looking for his daughters, Annie and Grace.  He tells Kip to stay there and he’ll come and get the bag.

As Kip is waiting he meets Ted, who offers him some Gulf War Coke.  Ted is a strange guy that Kip can’t quite figure out but when police come around to ask about him, he feels strangely loyal to him.  Who is Ted and when will this guy come for his bag?

I thought Falling From Grace was fairly interesting; it has a good story line that I couldn’t put down.  The intended age group would be early teenagers.  The story line is good with that mystery twist where nothing is really revealed until the ending.  This book is a novel that doesn’t include any pictures.

I recommend this book to any one that loves a good mystery and a sense of imagination.

Jayda, aged 15, Balmoral, Queensland, Australia