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Shadow of a Unicorn
Sarah Burton, an orphan, goes to her cousin Rowena's ranch, Unicorn Farm, to live, but when she arrives a series of deadly accidents has convinced everyone there is a curse on the farm
224 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published April 1, 1987
23 people want to read
About the author
Norma Johnston
57 books30 followersNorma Johnston was born in Ridgewood, New Jersey, USA, the only child of Marjorie (Pierce), a teacher and Charles Eugene Chambers Johnston, an engineer. She read voraciously--especially mysteries, to which her family was addicted. She was ducated at Ramsey public schools and Montclair State College, later studied acting at the American Theatre Wing and elsewhere, and received a teaching certificate from Montclair College. She was actress, director, designer, stylist, retailer, teacher, counselor, entrepreneur, preacher, editor, ... and in between all her other careers she was the author of more than 70 novels, mainly gothic romances for teens. She become a a full-time writer in 1973.
Johnston also wrote under the pseudonyms of Nicole St. John, Pamela Dryden, Lavinia Harris, Kate Chambers, Catherine E. Chambers, Elizabeth Bolton, and Adrian Robert.
Johnston also wrote under the pseudonyms of Nicole St. John, Pamela Dryden, Lavinia Harris, Kate Chambers, Catherine E. Chambers, Elizabeth Bolton, and Adrian Robert.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
February 16, 2011
I rate this book highly if only for its status within a very specific genre: horse-porn for girls. I unpacked this novel from an old box and had to read it; the hilarious teenage hijinks and horsey details are so indulgently enjoyable! Bonus = finding a grade-school portrait of a long lost friend tucked into the pages. Yeah, that dates this book pretty accurately!
April 30, 2025
This mystery is intense. By the halfway point, I was so glued to the page I couldn't put it down for anything until I finished, desperate to know how it ended and frantically trying to decide which of the many possible suspects were the culprit(s) and which were simply red herrings. Was I over- or under-thinking what would be a subtle clue vs. too obvious for a teen audience??
Along the way I also adored the bond between Sarah and her cousin-turned-legal-guardian, fell in love with Unicorn Farms and its residents*, rather enjoyed the recurring motif of the brass unicorn sculpture whose oddly ominous-looking shadow lends the book its title, and thought that even if Richy-Rich Greg wasn't the villain, his stubborn and opinionated views on how his girlfriend should be running her business suggested he would simply be a nightmare to marry (with a high risk of having a costly, messy divorce). Run, Rowena, run!
*Often to my detriment. The worst thing about this book is the truly absurd number of horses we meet only to see sicken and die out of the clear blue sky shortly thereafter, to say nothing of those who died in the fire a few years ago, or the pair of human deaths by the end. Beauvais, our first introduction, remains safe -- but truly about every other horse is imperiled.
Still, the farm itself really was a wonder -- for all that it's on the brink of financial ruin, it really hit home for me how much wealth lies in its assets after generations of family ownership when we're told she paid almost a *million* dollars (in the late 80s) for a couple of new training options. Add in a lovely historic manner, massive grounds, and all the valuable-yet-still-beloved-like-pets equine stock, and it's easy to see why Sarah finds it her happy place, even amid the turmoil and danger.
I'm just sorry I didn't know about this one sooner. It would have thrilled my middle school, Thoroughbred-series-loving heart, but I would have enjoyed it just as much as I do now at any other point, I think. I've read a couple of other books by this author over the years, but this is my hands-down favorite.
Along the way I also adored the bond between Sarah and her cousin-turned-legal-guardian, fell in love with Unicorn Farms and its residents*, rather enjoyed the recurring motif of the brass unicorn sculpture whose oddly ominous-looking shadow lends the book its title, and thought that even if Richy-Rich Greg wasn't the villain, his stubborn and opinionated views on how his girlfriend should be running her business suggested he would simply be a nightmare to marry (with a high risk of having a costly, messy divorce). Run, Rowena, run!
*Often to my detriment. The worst thing about this book is the truly absurd number of horses we meet only to see sicken and die out of the clear blue sky shortly thereafter, to say nothing of those who died in the fire a few years ago, or the pair of human deaths by the end. Beauvais, our first introduction, remains safe -- but truly about every other horse is imperiled.
Still, the farm itself really was a wonder -- for all that it's on the brink of financial ruin, it really hit home for me how much wealth lies in its assets after generations of family ownership when we're told she paid almost a *million* dollars (in the late 80s) for a couple of new training options. Add in a lovely historic manner, massive grounds, and all the valuable-yet-still-beloved-like-pets equine stock, and it's easy to see why Sarah finds it her happy place, even amid the turmoil and danger.
I'm just sorry I didn't know about this one sooner. It would have thrilled my middle school, Thoroughbred-series-loving heart, but I would have enjoyed it just as much as I do now at any other point, I think. I've read a couple of other books by this author over the years, but this is my hands-down favorite.
April 5, 2018
Not bad for teenage horse porn - definately nostalgic for me and brought back memories of my horses - was more maturely written than many of the newer teeny bopper books that are so popular right now
February 7, 2013
read this in high school & it was a favorite.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews