Laugh Till You Cry

by Joan Lowery Nixon

THIRTEEN-YEAR-OLD Cody doesn’t like Texas. He and his mom were only supposed to spend the summer there, helping out his grandmother. But Cody’s grandmother is sick and needs them to stay. Now he’s the new kid at the local middle school and all his friends are back in California. You’d think Cody’s cousin Hayden would show him the ropes. Not only is Hayden in the same grade, he lives next door. But Hayden doesn’t want anything to do with Cody.

Cody’s luck begins to change when he befriends Officer Ramsey, a policeman and aspiring stand-up comic. Officer Ramsey appreciates Cody’s jokes so much, he pays Cody for the material! But it’s no laughing matter when a crime is committed at school and Cody becomes a suspect. Cody is going to need more than jokes to solve this mystery—and clear his name.


From the Hardcover edition.

Genres: Young Adult, Mystery, Contemporary

112 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Author of more than one hundred books, Joan Lowery Nixon is the only writer to have won four Edgar Allan Poe Awards for Juvenile Mysteries (and been nominated several other times) from the Mystery Writers of America. Creating contemporary teenage characters who have both a personal problem and a mystery to solve, Nixon captured the attention of legions of teenage readers since the publication of her first YA novel more than twenty years ago. In addition to mystery/suspense novels, she wrote nonfiction and fiction for children and middle graders, as well as several short stories. Nixon was the first person to write novels for teens about the orphan trains of the nineteenth century. She followed those with historical novels about Ellis Island and, more recently for younger readers, Colonial Williamsburg. Joan Lowery Nixon died on June 28, 2003—a great loss for all of us.

Reviews

[Jessie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not one of Joan Lowery Nixon's best mysteries.

[Julia · Rating 2 out of 5]

this book was not scary like i excpected it to be. it was very disapointing.

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cody moves to Texas from California so that they can take care of an ailing grandmother. You would think with cousins around, it wouldn't be hard for Cody to make friends. But all his cousin wants is to set him up for a prank he didn't commit.

[Ree . · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wasn't a huge fan of the whole storyline. It wasn't a big mystery, very obvious. I just wanted to read another one from the master herself. RIP Ms. Nixon!

[Heather]

Cody and his mother move from California to Texas to take care of his ailing grandmother. Cody's cousin, Hayden, lives right next door, but the two are definitely not close. Hayden and his two bully friends go out of their way to make Cody's life pretty miserable in this new town. Then one day, there is a bomb threat called into the school, and Cody is accused of the crime. With help from his officer friend, Mr. Ramsey, Cody proves his innocence and the real perpetrator is caught. A short, quick-paced but not very well-developed or exciting story. In the Introduction by Mary Higgins Clark, you find out that Joan Lowery Nixon died in 2003, but this novel was copyrighted in 2004. I wonder if the book would have been even better had she been the one to finalize it.

[Ch_wesley Miller · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cody is a thirteen- year old boy who doesn't like living in Texas. He thought that he was only visiting for awhile, but his grandmother became ill and he and his mother was forced to stay. He misses all his friends back in California. Cody befriends a policeman who is also an aspiring comic.Cody is suspected of a crime at the school and the mystery begins to unravel.

[Sophia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a GREAT book! It's about a kid, Cody, who goes to live with his Grandmother when she is sick. Unfortunetly his cousin lives next door. He meets new people and faces new chalenges that summer that will change his live!

[Francesca Hurley · Rating 3 out of 5]

a book of friednship, love and suspense. a thriller that meant for younger kids, but not scary enough to give them nightmares.

[Cinnamon · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent book for upper elementary/ lower middle school and struggling readers

[Lauren Tong · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a GREAT mystery!

[Sammie]

really short. but really good!

[Suzanne Dix · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story with a Hollywood cheesy ending. An easy read for reluctant readers with just enough tension to keep the plot moving.

[Emily Maurer · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was OK and short

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy to read. Engaging characters. Not necessarily relatable for teenagers but good suspense and conclusion. Want to read more by this author.

[Pablo · Rating 5 out of 5]

i really liked it but it would be better if she finshed her own book