I paid special attention to the Prologue. Its very sensory and vivid, this female watching Father Fisher so doggedly, to try and save him from blackmail -- or prove he is a murderer. I think it mainly serves to set a very spooky tone and also alert us to the mysterious Father Fisher. If the Prologue weren't there, I think the reader would wonder why stick with a rather mundane opening. It is a "promise" there is spooky, dangerous stuff to come. By the time we get to the dad's death on pg. 12, we're hooked. So skillfully written, with fresh, quirky characters and a plot that will take you through to the end. ( )

My 14-year-old daughter strongly recommends it if you like dark books. Full review: http://www.canadianauthors.net/w/wynne-jones_tim/boy_in_the_burning_house_the.ph... ( )

Jim Hawkins father is dead. It is assumed he committed suicide, but his body has not been found. Ruth Rose, a young girl about Jim's age, who's step-father is the local preacher, thinks Father Fisher and Jim's dad were involved in the death of Tufts, a boy who was killed in a burning barn. As she and Jim start investigating the old murder, their lives are in danger and the murderer decides to eliminate their snooping. This book was an Edgar Award winner for best young adult mystery. ( )