Module 9: They Never Came Back

Summary: Cathy is a young girl taking an intensive Latin course in a neighboring, well-to-do town. One day, during lunch, she is spotted by a boy named Tommy, who identifies her as his long-lost cousin Murielle. Cathy denies the claim, but the reader soon learns that Cathy is indeed Murielle, who disappeared when her parents were accused of embezzlement, ruining the lives of many around them. Cathy's classmates at the summer school take an intensive interest in her history and the case of her parents. They become convinced that Cathy is, indeed, Murielle. Once her cover is blown, the FBI hot on her parents' trail, Cathy must choose between her adoptive family and the aunt and cousins she left five years prior.

Cooney, C. B. (2010). They never came back. New York, NY: Delacorte Books for Young Readers.

My Impressions: I really did not like this book. It tries to be a mystery, but it reveals the truth by chapter five. It tries to make me feel sorry for Cathy/Murielle, which I did, for a while, but I came to realize that she is as manipulative as her parents were. I am supposed to root for Cathy to get back with her rich family, but I would have rather she stay with her foster family, who love her unconditionally. I was really bothered by the scene where Cathy's younger foster brother is taken from the family, which crushes them. Not two days later, Cathy forsakes these people who have given her a good home for her rich aunt. I feel that her primary motivation, like that of her parents, is money. The ending, wherein Cathy's classmates make a MySpace page for her and her parents answer, is far-fetched, and the ultimate resolution, when Cathy tells them to "RUN" is out of character for a girl who, not a chapter before, had talked about how much she hated her parents for putting her through all this. An unsatisfying read.

Reviews:

"Cooney’s (The Face on the Milk Carton ) tightly constructed thriller teems with suspense and has a touch of romance. The third-person narration initially switches between Cathy and 10-year-old Murielle, who is coping with her parents’ flight, but like the story itself, it evolves and grows in complexity. Through a large cast of convincing characters, Cooney expertly plumbs the lingering emotional aftereffects of the Lymans’ actions, raising difficult questions about family, loyalty, and self. Ages 12–up." -- Publisher's Weekly

They Never Came Back. (January 11, 2010). Publisher's Weekly. Retrieved October 20, 2011 from http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-385-73808-8




"Cooney has crafted another thriller with a lot of appeal. With chapters alternating between Murielle's past and Cathy's present, readers will speed through the pages. The book couldn't be more relevant in light of the Bernie Madoff scandal; Cooney's adaptation of a complex fraud story for this age group is interesting if one can look beyond some weaknesses. For example, Cathy's classmates at times come across as unrealistically invested in the possibility of Cathy being Murielle. This book will appeal to the same crowd that's been reading Cooney's reluctant-reader-friendly titles for years."
                                                                                       -- School Library Journal


Barnes, J. (January 1, 2010). They never came back. School Library Journal. Retrieved October 20, 2011 from http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6712875.html.

Uses in the Library: The climax of this book is a great discussion starter for Teen Privacy Week and encouraging students to be safe with their information online.