Murder on the Loose

by Ellen Godfrey

Joan Lowery Nixon, president of the Mystery Writers of America, has found 10 well-known writers to craft spellbinding stories for adults who want to read but have undeveloped reading skills. Here are stories with adult themes and interests that challenge adult minds. All of the books in the series are written at the fourth- sixth- and eighth-grade reading levels, yet offer characters, situations, and concerns appropriate for adult readers.

109 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 1999

Reviews

[Carl Brookins]

First in Ellen’s series of adult novels primarily aimed at people for whom reading English is difficult or is a new language all together. In spite of the special parameters placed around this book, Ms. Godfrey has not stinted in her attention to the development of characters, action, pace and thus the creation of a good mystery.

Janet Barkin is a high school drop out, divorcee and a close friend of a street-wise teenager, a beautician and an old woman who is barely ambulatory. Janet’s ex, a cop given to violent and abusive rages is also on the scene. When Janet wins the lottery, criminals in the community threaten her if she doesn’t fork over at least part of the $100,000. She is specifically threatened with allusions to two immigrant women recently found dead under mysterious circumstances..

Instead of following her previous pattern of bowing to superior strength, Janet decides to fight back. MURDER ON THE LOOSE is the story of what happens. This is a good, adult-level novel, carefully constructed on a basic reading level and should find widespread effective use for adults with learning difficulties of various kinds. It cannot have been easy to write this book and the author is to be complimented for her efforts.

[Eman Alazabi]

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