Pawns

by Willo Davis Roberts, David Pohl (Illustrations)

Teddi has recently been orphaned and she now lives with her kindly, older next door neighbor, Mamie. The times they share and the safety Teddi feels are precious. Then trouble appears in the form of Dora, Mamie's daughter in law. Not only did Mamie not know that Dora was expecting a baby, she didn't even know that her recently dead son had been married. Something seeems out of sync and Teddi is determined to find out why.

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Childrens

154 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1998

About the author

Willo Davis Roberts was an American writer chiefly known for her mystery novels for children and young adults. She won Edgar Allan Poe awards in 1989, 1995, and 1997 for best juvenile and best young adult mysteries. Her books included The View from the Cherry Tree, Twisted Summer, Don't Hurt Laurie, Megan's Island, Baby-sitting is a Dangerous Job, Hostage, The Girl with Silver Eyes, The One Left Behind and Scared Stiff.

Reviews

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review: https://hiplibrariansbookblog.com/200...

[Carla · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the writing style but the plot was soooo transparent. From the first chapter I know how the book would unwind. Very disappointing.

Book description:
"I'm Dora," the girl -- obviously pregnant -- said as Teddi opened Mamie's door to her. Teddi stared blankly. Who was Dora? All too soon, Teddi knew. Dora was, she said, the wife of Mamie's son Ricky, who had recently died in a plane crash. She was to bear Ricky's son -- very soon -- and had come to live with Mamie because she had no other place to go. Mamie had never heard of Dora but, then, Ricky didn't write often. He had been working elsewhere for almost two years. It was possible, though a bit odd, that he had married and not told his mother. Because the thought of an unexpected grandchild made Ricky's loss easier for Mamie to bear, Dora was quickly settled into the household.

For Teddi, however, recently orphaned and now living with Mamie, Dora was a threat. Mamie's house was small. How long would there be room in it for Teddi, who was only a friend, as well as Dora and her baby, who were relatives? What would happen if Teddi had to leave? She had no place to go.

Teddi tried to like Dora, to accept her presence, but the awful night Teddi had to assist Dora as the baby was born, the discovery of how little identification Dora had, and, most of all, Dora's reluctance to talk about Ricky, all raised questions Teddi could not answer. Was Dora really who she said she was, and if not, how did you prove it?

Fortunately there was someone to help: Jason, the new boy next door. Yet how much did Teddi want to know? Would the truth about Dora make life better or worse -- for Teddi, for Mamie, for Dora, and for her baby?

[Beth Gordon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this author when I was a teenager, and I was pleasantly surprised the library had her backlist.

After the deaths of both her mother and father, Teddi moves in with her older neighbor Mamie who takes her in. Mamie just experienced her own loss; her son died in an airplane accident.

Two weeks later a pregnant young woman claiming to be his widow knocks in on the door. Teddi is suspicious, and, as the title suggests, there might be something else going on.

My main complaint with this book is so much happens without character build-up. Mamie seems to have recovered from her son dying. Teddi forms an instantaneous friendship with the son of the people who bought her former home. This definitely isn’t a character-driven novel. The plot isn’t suspenseful either. What is good? Roberts’ writing is strong.

[Krysta · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm surprised Simon Pulse republished this thriller as it really does read like a work first published in the 90s, just because of its simplicity and short length. Also, it was obvious from the start that Dora was an imposter and strange that it took so long for Teddi to figure it out and for her to try to do something about it. After she did, the story abruptly ended.

[Highlander · Rating 4 out of 5]

I adored this book as a kid, and rereading it now I still enjoyed it. Some parts are definitely a little unbelievable, but I think that adds to the charm of the story. There’s a lot of tragic events in this book, but it’s very hopeful in how things are portrayed. A very enjoyable and interesting mystery. The characters are written very well, and I especially like Teddi’s maturity.

[Mark Lester · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are parts of the book which are totally nail-biting. It will keep you on the edge and you will find yourself wanting to read from one page to another. Personally, I liked the story because of the twist in the end. I hated Dora since the beginning but it was a good short novel!

[Hana Jane (stardewhana) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book that I read from Willo Davis Roberts. And I love this than the Twisted Summer.

[Hendrix Eva · Rating 3 out of 5]

my kind of mystery thriller aka lightweight

[Will · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was good. The plot was intense and thrilling and kept me wanting more..most of the time. Some things were predictable and the ending wasn't all that great. I enjoyed the writing style and the tone it put in place for the reader. It was a quick read that was very nice and had lots of twists and turns. Some parts got really boring and I took a long break from it sometimes, but once I finished it, I realized it was pretty good. I'd recommend this book for readers who enjoy a mystery/thriller.

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pawns includes some amazing things in the story. along with some other questions including is dora Really who she says she is? find out in pawns!

[Hayley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely hands down one of my favorites. Recommend 4th and up.

[Jenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my #1 book! It is so good and suspenseful and man it has a wierd ending :)