Defender by Graham McNamee (review)

Abstract

Reviewed by: Defender by Graham McNamee Kate Quealy-Gainer, Assistant Editor McNamee, Graham Defender. Lamb, 2016 [240p] Library ed. ISBN 978-0-553-49896-7 $20.99 Trade ed. ISBN 978-0-553-49895-0 $17.99 E-book ed. ISBN 978-0-553-49897-4 $10.99 Reviewed from galleys R Gr. 7-10 At six foot six, Tyne (Tiny) Greer casts an intimidating figure on the basketball court, but at heart she’s a softie who adores her supportive family and her goofy boyfriend, Stick. After an injury benches Tiny, she starts to help her dad with his superintendent duties in their building. While cleaning up the basement, she finds a decades-old body of a girl sealed up in the basement wall; when her dad he goes to check it out, he claims there’s nothing there. The body is indeed gone, but Tiny is certain of what she saw, and the prime suspect for moving the girl is now her beloved father. With the help of Stick’s sleuthing skills and few questions around the neighborhood, Tiny realizes her family’s past is hardly what she been told, and their secrets are bringing danger to both Tiny and Stick. Tiny’s happy existence turns oppressive and terrifying in the blink of an eye, and when she loses the picture of her father as a good and just man, it feels like another blow to her identity after losing basketball. Endearing Stick is determined to help Tiny, and while his CSI-like investigating is obviously convenient to the plot, it also seems to be just another quirk in a quirky kid. The loving jabs and smack talk that make up their interracial relationship (she’s white, he’s Latino) add a bit of levity to a dramatic situation. Red herrings will fake out even the most savvy reader, while the plot hustles along with plenty of dialogue and action. The premise and follow-through make this a solid win, especially for reluctant readers. [End Page 427] Copyright © 2016 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois