August, Die She Must

by Barbara Corcoran

A feud over the merits of two counsellors divides the campers at Camp Allegro until one of the counsellors is found murdered.

172 pages, Library Binding

First published January 1, 1984

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

This is not the Shark Tank celebrity, but an author of children's books. The books are mostly realistic fiction about older children and teens who come from families that are dysfunctional or at least face interesting challenges.

Also used the pseudonym Paige Dixon and Gail Hamilton.

Reviews

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

I saw this at the library, and realized that I'd read it when I was a kid. I loved books about horses like this when I was growing up. I don't remember much about it, but as I scanned the inside jacket, I saw that the synopsis gave away a lot! Like the entire plot. They should have kept a lot of that out; they would have been good surprises for the reader.

[Marie Petry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Titled after a line in a brief, yet lyrically bittersweet Simon and Garfunkel song; I remember as a 14 year old picking up this book at a tiny bookstore in a small town and reading it to pass the time.

Usually, I rate books that engage me either 4 or 5 stars. Returning to this book many years later, I found the plot line was so far fetched and the characters, including the protagonist Stella, to be annoying, repulsive, and hopeless. The only person who came across as reasonable and sympathetic was Kim after being cheated out of the tennis tournament by the twins.

Barbara Corcoran's other camping thriller, You're Allegro Dead, is much more believable and Stella as well as many other recurring characters like Hen, Eva, Davenport, and even Nicole came across as more likable and relatable.

[M. Langlinais · Rating 5 out of 5]

A favorite from my childhood that I decided to pick up again out of nostalgia. I still love it.