A Tunnel in the Pines by Lucia Greene. Book Review.

Click to buy A Tunnel in the Pines

Lucia Greene knows how to build suspense and create believable plots. A Tunnel in the Pines progresses at a fast pace and it’s difficult to put the book down. We have a foreshadowing of what might happen but we’re not sure what the final outcome will be. As the story builds and the sinister possibilities grow, we become more and more sure there’s going to be a tragedy. But, is it going to be exactly like the foreshadowing or is it going to be an unexpected twist? Will Taylor, Wills older brother, protect the younger boys or continue to bully and intimidate them along with Strat, the creepy, dangerous muscle guy.

Wills, and his best friend Andrew, have the best intentions when they start a club but things get out of hand quite quickly when the older boys take over. Unknown to Andrew, Wills has discovered that his friend has asthma but is keeping it a secret. Andrew is afraid he will become even more of a target but we know that some secrets can be fatal. The plot is tight and tells just enough details to keep the reader engaged.

The author draws a repeated parallel between the worms and the boys. Her use of Darwin’s information enriches both the story and the characters. The dialogue of the boys is completely believable as is their behavior, although I was frustrated and angry with Will’s older brother, Taylor.

As the situation unfolds, the reader is reassured that tragedy is on the way but how big and how final isn’t revealed until the end.

Lucia Greene is a polished, skillful writer whose words reel you in and keep you hooked to the very end. You care, deeply, about these kids and about the final outcome. The words flow so professionally that the reader is never conscious of the text but is, instead, completely immersed in the story.

The author, Lucia Greene, was interviewed on this blog here.

A copy of this book was generously donated by the author to my Little Free Library.

Bonnie Ferrante: Books For All Ages