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CM . . . .
Volume V Number 9 . . . . January 1, 1999
Fifteen-year-old Mick Standish is convinced that his father, Dan, is "...a
screw-up, the worst father in the world." Since Mick was born while his father
was in prison, Mick's memories of him consist mainly of the half-dozen
occasions his mother had taken him to visit his father in jail. Tragedy haunts
Mick's life. Just days after Dan finally receives his parole, Mick's mother
dies as the result of a work place accident. Safe in foster care after a short
stay with his father, who has turned to drink to ease his pain and anger, Mick
remembers his mother's faith in his father's innocence, and the promise that he
has made to her on her deathbed - to stick up for his father. When Dan comes
out after his third prison term, Mick is hopeful that this time things will be
different; however, his hopes are soon dashed. Dan drives him to Haverstock,
Dan's old home town, and dumps him with his grandfather, Big Bill, a sour and
bitter old man who has nothing good to say about his son, Dan. Mick soon finds
out that others in the town shun him as the son of a murderer. The news about
Dan gets worse. It appears that, besides having a terrible temper and a problem
with drinking, he is a blackmailer. When Mick becomes convinced that there are
things going on in his father's family that may exonerate Dan in the murder of
Barry McGerrigle, he sets out to discover what actually happened on the night
of the tragedy.
As in McClintock's other suspense novels, there some deft plot twists, a
violent climax, and a happy (if hard to believe) ending. It is a formula that
seems to succeed with young mystery fans, as will the cover (on which Mick is
depicted as a Leonardo DiCaprio look-alike) and the handy pocket-size of the
novel.
It is to be expected in a mystery novel that characters will take a backseat to
plot. Unfortunately for adolescent readers of Sins of the Father, as
well as a cast of one-dimensional characters, the pace is uneven and the plot
considerably less gripping than the author's earlier suspense thrillers.
Given the popularity of this genre with young adult readers and the novel's
attractive cover, Sins of the Father is not likely to languish on the
shelf; however, McClintock fans expecting another page-turning gripper like
Jack's Back or Mistaken
Identity are likely to be disappointed in this story.
Recommended with reservations.
Valerie Nielsen is a recently retired teacher-librarian who co-chairs the
Manitoba Young Reader's Choice Award Committee.
To comment on this title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.
Copyright © the Manitoba Library Association.
Reproduction for personal use is permitted only if this copyright notice
is maintained. Any other reproduction is prohibited without
permission.
Published by
TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR THIS ISSUE - JANAURY 1, 1999.
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