Laura Stewart Schmidt

"I know why you did this. You don't want another Spriggs tragedy."

Until Proven Innocent is an interesting read that I recommend to anyone who is a lover of teen fiction or mysteries. Henry Spriggs went missing 50 years ago. Nobody knew what prompted his disappearance or why he may want to leave...other than the fact that his family died in a fire. Alison, the heroine of this story, leads us on a journey to find the truth. Was her grandmother really guilty of causing the Spriggs' deaths or was she set up? Alison has the answer.… (lisätietoja)

When 15-year old Alison's grandfather implicates her grandmother in the long-ago deaths by fire of a local mother and child, her grandmother blames Alzheimer's confusion. But Alison, who adores her grandfather, is determined to discover the truth. The only evidence that still exists is the house where the tragedy happened-which is scheduled for demolition in two weeks. With the help of her two younger brothers, Alison follows a trail of clues which shows her grandmother leading a life in which she was ostracized by the town even though she was found innocent in a trial. But someone else is interested in these long-ago deaths and as the clues begin to come together, he will kill again to keep her from stirring up the ashes.
This YA mystery is well-plotted and the clues are all there. The characters are well-drawn, natural, and well-motivated. Additionally, the theme of the mental deterioration of a well-loved grandparent was well-done. My one criticism is that I found the pacing rather slow, especially in the beginning. I am not sure if today's teens will have the patience to stick with these carefully-spaced clues.… (lisätietoja)