Guilty

By Norah McClintock

Finn watches in horror as his stepmother is gunned down in front of his house. His father reacts and kills the gunman. When Finn learns that the killer is the same man who admitted to killing his birth mother years before, he is shocked and wants to know if this is more than a terrible coincidence. At the police station, he meets Lila, daughter of the killer, and they strike up a wary friendship. Both of them are desperate to find the truth. What they discover hints at a much larger conspiracy.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Orca Book Publishers
• Release date: Apr 1, 2012
• ISBN: 9781554699926

Norah McClintock

Norah McClintock won the Crime Writers of Canada's Arthur Ellis Award for crime fiction for young people five times. She wrote more than sixty YA novels, including contributions to Seven (the series), the Seven Sequels and the Secrets series.

Reviews for Guilty

[queenalyss · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I received this book April 2012 and apparently forgot to write the review. Despite the fact that it has been a year and a half since I read the novel, I still remember it. For how simple and quick of a reading it is, it has managed to be slightly memorable. I thought it was a good evening read amd the author has some potential for longer, teen detective novels. I would recommend this to a teen that is starting out in this genre.

[saplin_2 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The story is told in alternating first person chapters. Finn's mother was killed 10 years about when we was just 7. In the opening chapter he witnesses the man who killed his mother shoot his step mother. Then his father kills the man. Lila (the other narrator) is the murderer's daughter. Her father just got out of prison and they ware planning to start a life together.At first I didn't care for Lila's voice, but it improved as the book went on. From the beginning the reader is suspicious that the story Finn knows might not be the real truth. The two teens must figure out what really happened 10 years ago and how that ties to the recent deaths. The book is fairly predictable, but still a fun read with interesting characters.

[annettemills · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Guilty had enough unexpected twists and interesting main characters to keep me very interested.Finn watches from his upstairs window as a man shoots his stepmother and Finn's father then shoots the murderer. That's the opening scene, and we are off and running.Lila's father is the one who shot the stepmother. It just so happens that he also murdered Finn's real mother, and has just been released from prison for that crime.The story alternates perspective between Lila and Finn. Guilty may be a bit predictable -- you know they are both going to try to figure out what happened and why. I had a pretty good idea of the real story from early on in the book, but I still didn't know it all. And even if you do think you know, it just helps you root for the characters to figure it all out.There are some good adult role models, which always is uplifting to me. The police detective, the man who knew Lila's dad from prison, the manager of Finn's father's club, and Lila's aunt all help to bring some hope to this devastating story.The pace is unrelenting, so there's no chance to get bored. The book is short, making this an excellent choice for reluctant readers. The main characters are a boy and a girl, which means this will appeal to both. Guilty is a twisted plot with some unexpected developments. There's a heart-pounding climactic ending, but it is also satisfying. I really enjoyed this quick read and can't wait to tell some of my teens about Guilty.

[bryndahlquis · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I was expecting to like this, because Nora McClintock usually writes pretty good mysteries, but then the first couple chapters me doubtful.But then, halfway through, I found myself really enjoying it and I didn't like having to put it down.But then the ending was very abrupt, and I saw it coming.I don't usually like mysteries and I don't usually like books in which not much happens, and Guilty is a mystery where nothing much happens. Despite this, I did kind of like it. I liked Lila and Finn and found myself actually caring about them and their lives, and I really felt connected to them.But the ending was just... too easy, I guess? I saw it coming a mile away. Still, the actual last chapter isn't that bad. It's just the solution to the mystery that's a little disappointing.

[terriko_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The mystery of why Lila's father returned to the scene of the crime turns out to be a much bigger question than either Lila or Finn realized...This is a fast-paced mystery that's hard to put down. The swapping viewpoints between Finn and Lila, the two teenagers left behind when the shots are over, really works to draw you in to both sides of the crime. It's a short read for an adult as it's young adult length, but rather than feeling juvenile, it feels sleek -- a book stripped down to the essential action and mystery. Definitely worth a read!

[lms8esmith · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed McClintock's alternating points of view for Guilty. Having a girl's and a boy's perspective about the happenings in the book was great! I liked the climax of the story, but I felt like after the climax the book just ended. I wanted a little more explanation in order to clean the plot up some. This was a quick read, and I look forward to offering it in my classroom. :O)

[liviania_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I was drawn to GUILTY by the blurb. Finn witnesses his stepmother's murder by the same man who killed his mother and his father subsequently shooting the man. That, of course, causes him to question things. What could possibly have motivated the killer? What follows is the definition of a quick read. Since I'm timing myself for the 48 Hour Book Challenge, I know that I finished in 53 minutes.The story alternates between Finn's point-of-view and Lila's. Lila, the daughter of the killer, grew up believing her father had been framed and unjustly sent to prison. This new murder seems to confirm that everything she didn't want to believe about her father was true. Then Lila and Finn meet in the police station and begin a tentative friendship. As both of them research their pasts, they discover they didn't know as much about their parents as they thought.Both Finn and Lila are somewhat static characters. The plot drives GUILTY rather than character growth. But they're good characters to tell the story. Finn is slightly numb to everything due to reliving his childhood trauma. Lila is stuck with her final argument with her father. She prioritized working over school and didn't get a scholarship to college. She stands by her decision, but feels guilty over how it might have contributed to her father's death. GUILTY is a delightful mystery and a nice change from all the science fiction I started my day with. The ending is pretty obvious, but I enjoyed the journey there. I'm interested in reading more by Norah McClintock.

[ltcl_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I received this as an advance read through LibraryThing's Early ReviewersWe know someone is guilty of the murder of Finn's mom and stepmother but the question is who. Finn is unlucky enough to be the first to find his mother dead and then watch as he sees his stepmother gunned down years later. Lila is also unlucky since it is her dad that is accused of the murder of Finn's mom then dies after being shot by Finn's dad and taking the rap for his stepmom's murder as well. Both kids meet rather innocently and it is then it is Lila's relentless search to uncover the truth and clear her dad's name that makes them allies. Teens will eat this up because of the very believable plot and real characters- fast paced enough to finish in one sitting.

[spartyliblover · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Finn witnesses his step-mother being shot down, and his father in return shooting the gunman. At the police station he meets the gunman's daughter Lila without knowing who she is. The story is told from alternating points of view of Finn and Lila, which moves the plot along quickly. The two form an interesting sort of friendship that helps the them both start to put together pieces of their lives. An engaging mystery with an ending that isn't exactly your happily ever after, but still satisfying.

[shootingstar2428 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

My students are going to love this book! They love the ORCA publications, and this is great because it's one step above the typical ORCA book: it's a little bit longer, has more complicated vocabulary, and, in my opinion, it's better written. In addition, my students love mysteries, and this one had me guessing for quite awhile. It's an easy, engaging read, and I would recommend it for any middle or HS classroom.

[emily1s · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It took me less than 24 hours to read this book! It’s a page turner, for sure This is the first book by Norah McClintock that I have read, and if I would have known how awesome and suspenseful her books are, it certainly would not have been the first!Finn and Lila are such real characters, that I wanted everything to work out for them. The mystery surrounding these two is straight out of Criminal Minds or CSI, but Guilty is even better! Once you get started there’s no stopping.