ALA Booklist (Mon Mar 01 00:00:00 CST 1999)

During Ginger Shaw's thirteenth birthday celebration in a restaurant, she notices a strange woman staring at her. Later she becomes convinced the woman is following her and clearly knows all about her. When the stranger finally confronts Ginger, it is to reveal that she is Ginger's real mother. What Ginger doesn't know is that the stranger is mentally unbalanced and is being sought for an attempted kidnapping. Ginger has other things on her plate, as well. She can provide evidence to save her favorite teacher's job, but if she does, she may compromise her family's business. Kehret skillfully weaves together these two story lines, providing an ending that is both exciting and suspenseful; and Ginger is a clever, quick-witted, sympathetic character to whom readers can easily relate. The fast pace and the fact that this is less complicated than most books in the genre will make it especially appealing to readers new to mystery and suspense books. (Reviewed March 1, 1999)

School Library Journal

Gr 5-8-Two separate plot lines involve Ginger in danger and controversy. She is being stalked by a mentally ill woman who believes that the 13-year-old is her daughter. Meanwhile, Ginger's favorite teacher, Mr. Wren, is being harassed by Mrs. Vaughn, an irate and influential parent who doesn't like the way he is coaching the girls' basketball team. Ginger's parents are away on business trips, so there is no adult on the scene to turn to when she and her older sister begin to suspect that someone is watching their house. Nor can anyone advise her on what to do in the case of her teacher. Because she videotapes the school's basketball games, she has proof that Mr. Wren has done a good job of coaching. But if she makes those tapes public, her mother and sister may lose customers because Mrs. Vaughn threatens to boycott their party-planning and catering businesses. As events unfold, suspense builds. The mentally ill woman is a sinister presence, but she is not a well-developed character. Mrs. Vaughn is the quintessential obnoxious parent, pushy and self-centered. Ginger is a plucky, thoughtful young teen. When the two plots converge in the final scenes, everything is resolved satisfactorily. This enjoyable novel will draw readers' interest and keep them turning pages. The message, that a person should follow her conscience and do the right thing in spite of the expected consequences, is one that young people will understand and appreciate.-Bruce Anne Shook, Mendenhall Middle School, Greensboro, NC

Horn Book (Sun Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 1999)

Repeatedly accosted by a woman who claims to be her real mother, thirteen-year-old Ginger struggles to outwit the stalker--without seeking advice from her parents or other adults. A moral-dilemma subplot, which finds Ginger making a decision that could jeopardize family members' businesses, helps to flesh out the characters. The fast-paced thriller is appealing despite the contrived ending.

Kirkus Reviews

In an age of missing children, Kehret (The Blizzard Disaster, 1998, etc.) spins an exciting tale about a deranged mother and the child—not hers'she stalks. Ginger has long had the feeling that somebody is watching her; during her 13th birthday party in a restaurant, she sees a strange woman staring at her, who also appears to write down the license plate number when Ginger's family drives away. Questions nag at Ginger but she brushes them off, facing other, more ordinary problems. A meddlesome parent, Mrs. Vaughn, is trying to get Mr. Wren, Ginger's basketball coach, fired; wanting more playing time for her own daughter, Mrs. Vaughn has concocted a list of complaints, claiming that Mr. Wren doesn't teach basic skills. Ginger, an aspiring sports announcer, has videotaped many of the practices and has the evidence to prove Mrs. Vaughn wrong, but is afraid—as is most of the community—of getting on the woman's wrong side. The stalking of Ginger, her near-kidnapping, and her attempt to live honorably by coming forward to save Mr. Wren converge in a dramatic climax. While the story reads like a thriller, the character development and moral dilemmas add depth and substance. (Fiction. 10-12)