The Killing Tree

by Jay Bennett

An ancient African statue received as a gift from his dead father involves a seventeen-year-old boy with diamond smugglers.

Paperback

First published January 1, 1972

About the author

Jay Bennett (born in New York City, December 24, 1912, died June 27, 2009 in Cherry Hill, NJ) was an American author and two-time winner of the Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America. Bennett won the Edgar for Best Juvenile novel in 1974 and 1975, for The Long Black Coat (Delacorte Press) and The Dangling Witness (Delacorte Press), respectively. He was the first author to win an Edgar in consecutive years. A third book, The Skeleton Man (Franklin Watts), was nominated in 1987. Bennett is best known among English teachers and young adults for these and other juvenile mysteries, like Deathman, Do Not Follow Me (Scholastic).

Reviews

[Tracy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this in high school for a book report (which I had to present as an oral report to the class ... and got a C on :( ). Anyway, it's about a guy who gets in trouble with some bad guys and I think murder, kidnapping and/ or blackmail might be plot points but it's been some time since I read it. I recall in the report to the class telling them that at some point you find out what "the killing tree" is ... but who knows now? It was a pretty good read and kind of suspenseful.

[Jennifer_vasquez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fred Wilk gets a african statue as a gift from his dad who died. And he deals with threats and attacks where ever he is. Freds situation get out of his control.