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Description
A madman preys on the young and the old. Seen through the eyes of Hilary, a precocious, imaginative, lonely child, this is a chilling story about the perceptiveness of children, the blindness of parents and the allure of strangers.
Quick Summary
If you enjoy a story that mixes the thrill of a mystery with the bittersweet view of growing up, you'll find Nina Bawden's Devil by the Sea a satisfying read. Hilary, a bright, imaginative girl who feels overlooked by the adults around her, picks up on a creeping sense of danger that the rest of the seaside town ignores, turning her vivid inner life into both a shield and a warning. The tension builds as she tries to piece together what's really happening with a stranger who seems too charming for comfort, and the book does a great job of showing how children can notice things that adults brush aside. It's a quick, suspenseful page-turner that's perfect for readers who liked the mix of fear and heart in Stephen King's The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon, but with a tone that feels a bit more grounded for a younger audience. There are moments that are genuinely chilling, especially when the threat becomes real, so parents might want to be aware that the story leans toward spooky rather than comedic. Ultimately, the novel celebrates the power of a child's perception and the courage it takes to speak up, making it a memorable pick for anyone who likes a good, slightly eerie coming-of-age thriller.