THE ROBBER GHOST

by Karin Anckarsvard ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 22, 1960

A well motivated plot, increasingly ensnaring the reader's attention, and superb character delineation elevate this Swedish-born mystery from the routine to the unusual. Bertil, a new boy in town, is not accepted by a closely knit group of school chums who find him smug and superior. A Post Office robbery shocks the entire town and when one evening Cecilia and Michael see a figure in the window of the old renovated castle (around which chilling legends have arisen), their curiosity, buttressed by the recent town mystery, leads them to investigate. After several adventures with ""ghosts"", the two discover the robbery money and Bertil the ""ghost"". Cecilia's perception of the cracks in Bertil's bland mask is confirmed when the story of the robber ghost unfolds and another dimension to Bertil's character emerges. He is neither hero nor villain. Although he bravely retrieved the money from the robbers and hid it, he spent part of it on a dog to allay his loneliness, and on an unsuccessful party calculated to win him friends. Michael's unbending morality is broadened and softened and Bertil eventually becomes part of the community. Intensely realistic handling and sound psychological insights create a more profound response in the reader.

Pub Date: Feb. 22, 1960

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Harcourt, Brace

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 1960

Categories: FICTION