A page-turning read about father-son relationships and the many ways of being a man. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

Gr 9 Up-This novel in verse tells the story of teenage Eddie Holder, who lives in a small Australian coal-mining town in the years after World War II. He longs to quit school, work in the mine, and spend time with his friend turned girlfriend, Sally. His brother, Larry, wants nothing more than to finish school and escape the town. Their father, Albert, has recently returned from the war a bitter, broken man and is determined that neither he nor his sons will ever set foot in the mine. Then a beautiful girl is murdered and suspicion falls on many of the men in the town, including the shady schoolteacher, some miners, and Albert and Larry. The story unfolds in a series of one- and two-page poems, each told from the point of view of a character. While the voices of Eddie, Larry, and Sally are strong and engaging, the poems from the adults, such as the teacher and the mayor, can be laborious. The strongest plot element is the mystery, which is well developed and has a surprising yet satisfying outcome. Some sexual scenarios make this most appropriate for older teens. Overall, a multilayered and affecting read.-Laura Amos, Newport News Public Library, VA Copyright 2009 Reed Business Information From: Reed Elsevier Inc. Copyright Reed Business Information

Times are hard in Eddie's dirt-poor Australian town after World War II, and he cannot wait to leave his brutal teacher and join the workers in the mines ( deep in the pit / where muscle and rock / fight their daily battle ). But his raging Dad, ashamed about not having made it to the war front, refuses to allow Eddie to get a job. Beautiful Sally loves Eddie, and they kiss and enjoy a romance. Eddie's older brother, on the other hand, adores a classmate, Colleen, but he cannot work up the courage to get near her. Then Colleen is murdered. In fast free verse, multiple characters tell the story in a series of interior monologues that build suspense about Colleen's killer, and then about another murder. At first the switching viewpoints are confusing, but the difference between how people appear in town and what they really think and feel intensifies the whodunit. A great title for readers' theater.--Rochman, Hazel Copyright 2009 Booklist From: Syndetics Solutions, Inc. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.