cover image Has Anyone Seen Allie?

Has Anyone Seen Allie?

Jan Hayden. Dutton Books, $13.95 (128pp) ISBN 978-0-525-65057-7

At 16, Judy has grown used to the summertime routine in Cody, Wyo. She and her friend Allie spend the days working at the five-and-dime, handsome Steve McDowell brings over the beautiful palomino Poppy for Judy to train for barrel-racing in the evenings and before long, the rodeo comes to town. But this year it all seems different. Steve is acting oddly, and Allie has a terrible secret that she can't disclose. On the opening night of the rodeo Allie disappears and a few days later her corpse is found. Judy is next on the killer's list. As entertainment, the novel offers amateur sleuthing with a western flavor, but only avid fans of horse stories and mysteries will forgive the shallow characterization and lack of suspense. Ages 10-up. (Mar.)