The Third Eye by Lois Duncan - Book Review
Release: 19/06/2012
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Little, Brown
Source: GoodReads
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Synopsis: An edge-of-your-seat thriller from the bestselling author of I Know What You Did Last Summer.
When Karen closes her eyes, the visions come. Through time and space, she sees a place where stolen children sleep. And if Karen denies a young policeman's request for help, the children may never go home again.
Lois Duncan presents a ticking clock mystery with thrills at every turn.
Goodreads
Amazon
About the Author Lois Duncan: Lois Duncan (born Lois Duncan Steinmetz) was an American writer and novelist, known primarily for her books for children and young adults, in particular (and some times controversially considering her young readership) crime thrillers. Duncan's parents were the noted magazine photographers Lois Steinmetz and Joseph Janney Steinmetz. She was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, but grew up in Sarasota, Florida. Duncan started writing and submitting manuscripts to magazines at the age of ten, and when she was thirteen succeeded in selling her first story.
Duncan attended Duke University from 1952 to 1953 but dropped out, married, and started a family. During this time, she continued to write and publish magazine articles; over the course of her career, she has published more than 300 articles, in magazines such as Ladies' Home Journal, Redbook, McCall's, Good Housekeeping, and Reader's Digest. After her first marriage, which produced three children, ended in divorce, Duncan moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, to teach journalism at the University of New Mexico, where she also earned a BA in English in 1977. In 1965 she married Don Arquette, and had two more children with him.
A Decent Psychic Thriller That Takes Too Long to Get Going
Lois Duncan's The Third Eye was my first read from the author, and for a book published in 1984, I thought it was a fairly decent thriller.
What Works:
The central concept is easily one of the book's biggest strengths. I enjoyed following Karen as she gradually discovers how her psychic abilities work and learns to understand what they mean for her. The author does a good job of portraying Karen's reluctance to draw attention to herself before she begins to recognise her abilities as a gift that comes with a certain responsibility.
Her character development is particularly satisfying when she finds herself involved in a kidnapping case. Rather than simply treating her powers as something unusual, Karen begins to understand how they can be used to help others.
Some of the resulting scenes are genuinely tense, particularly when Karen finds herself trapped in a house with no clear way out. These moments showcase the more suspenseful side of Duncan's storytelling and kept me interested in seeing how Karen would handle the situation.
What Falls Short:
My biggest issue was the amount of unnecessary drama involving several characters. The extended focus on Tim, the prom, Lisa, and their surrounding storylines felt excessive, especially when the actual mystery takes so long to develop. In hindsight, much of this material could have been trimmed without affecting the main plot.
Moreover, the romantic chemistry between Rob and Karen also felt unnecessary and uncomfortable, given their apparent age difference and Rob's position as a police officer.
Finally, the revelation concerning another character's psychic abilities was fairly predictable. However, I appreciated how the author explored the different ways people respond to and embrace their abilities.
Verdict:
The Third Eye is a decent psychic thriller with an interesting premise and some genuinely tense moments. However, the slow buildup, unnecessary subplots, and predictable reveal keep it from reaching its full potential. Enjoyable enough, but compared with today's standards, I expected a little more.
Perfect for: Readers who enjoy vintage YA thrillers, psychic abilities, and suspenseful mysteries with a supernatural touch.
The Third Eye
by Lois Duncan
Synopsis
"An edge-of-your-seat thriller from the bestselling author of I Know What You Did Last Summer.
When Karen closes her eyes, the visions come. Through time and space, she sees a place where stolen children sleep. And if Karen denies a young policeman's request for help, the children may never go home again.
Lois Duncan presents a ticking clock mystery with thrills at every turn.
"
Release
19/06/2012
Format
Paperback
Publisher
Little, Brown
Source
GoodReads
About the Author
Lois Duncan
Lois Duncan (born Lois Duncan Steinmetz) was an American writer and novelist, known primarily for her books for children and young adults, in particular (and some times controversially considering her young readership) crime thrillers. Duncan's parents were the noted magazine photographers Lois Steinmetz and Joseph Janney Steinmetz. She was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, but grew up in Sarasota, Florida. Duncan started writing and submitting manuscripts to magazines at the age of ten, and when she was thirteen succeeded in selling her first story.
Duncan attended Duke University from 1952 to 1953 but dropped out, married, and started a family. During this time, she continued to write and publish magazine articles; over the course of her career, she has published more than 300 articles, in magazines such as Ladies' Home Journal, Redbook, McCall's, Good Housekeeping, and Reader's Digest. After her first marriage, which produced three children, ended in divorce, Duncan moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, to teach journalism at the University of New Mexico, where she also earned a BA in English in 1977. In 1965 she married Don Arquette, and had two more children with him.
My Review
A Decent Psychic Thriller That Takes Too Long to Get Going
Lois Duncan’s The Third Eye was my first read from the author, and for a book published in 1984, I thought it was a fairly decent thriller.
What Works:
The central concept is easily one of the book’s biggest strengths. I enjoyed following Karen as she gradually discovers how her psychic abilities work and learns to understand what they mean for her. The author does a good job of portraying Karen’s reluctance to draw attention to herself before she begins to recognise her abilities as a gift that comes with a certain responsibility.
Her character development is particularly satisfying when she finds herself involved in a kidnapping case. Rather than simply treating her powers as something unusual, Karen begins to understand how they can be used to help others.
Some of the resulting scenes are genuinely tense, particularly when Karen finds herself trapped in a house with no clear way out. These moments showcase the more suspenseful side of Duncan’s storytelling and kept me interested in seeing how Karen would handle the situation.
What Falls Short:
My biggest issue was the amount of unnecessary drama involving several characters. The extended focus on Tim, the prom, Lisa, and their surrounding storylines felt excessive, especially when the actual mystery takes so long to develop. In hindsight, much of this material could have been trimmed without affecting the main plot.
Moreover, the romantic chemistry between Rob and Karen also felt unnecessary and uncomfortable, given their apparent age difference and Rob’s position as a police officer.
Finally, the revelation concerning another character’s psychic abilities was fairly predictable. However, I appreciated how the author explored the different ways people respond to and embrace their abilities.
Verdict:
The Third Eye is a decent psychic thriller with an interesting premise and some genuinely tense moments. However, the slow buildup, unnecessary subplots, and predictable reveal keep it from reaching its full potential. Enjoyable enough, but compared with today’s standards, I expected a little more.
Perfect for: Readers who enjoy vintage YA thrillers, psychic abilities, and suspenseful mysteries with a supernatural touch.
