The Stepfather Game

Lynn Manuel, the author of Return to Cranberry Farm, writes mystery
novels for young adults.

This story focuses on the problems of three stepsisters, Brynn, Chloe,
and Phoebe, who are left pretty much on their own while their single
mother works long hours as a cocktail waitress. On the surface their
problems seem to extend no further than boyfriends and the upcoming
dance. But on a deeper level, they each try to cope with the loneliness
caused by their mother’s absence. Brynn buries herself in books, Chloe
seeks out popularity with the wrong crowd, and Phoebe eats to fill the
void.

The novel deals with serious issues—such as racism, eating disorders,
and peer pressure—in a realistic and credible manner. And the threads
of the story are successfully interwoven to make a smooth-flowing
narrative. A serious flaw, however, lies in the use of the potential
stepfather, a police officer, as the one who makes contact with the
three daughters. His role would have been better filled by the mother,
since that’s where the real conflict lies, and the lack of resolution
seems inadequate and unsatisfying—just as Chloe’s unrelenting
cruelty toward her younger sister is never adequately explained.

This novel would be of interest to teenage readers.