The Crazy School

I attended the Desisto School, which the book is based on. The school was such a twisted evil place that is extremely difficult to fully explain and for people that did not attend the school to understand and believe. I got almost half way through the book, but the book brought back too much anger and emotion in me that I had to stop reading it. This book, although not a true story, truely gives you a picture of what this sick school was all about. Consequently, I commend the author for her true portrayal of the Desisto School, and even more commendable are her efforts in informing the public of these evil schools that continue to exist and thrive to this day.

I'm no literary critic but I know what I like -- and I loved both of Cornelia Read's books. I've hesitated writing a review because I don't think I can do them justice. I am a voracious reader, but I have to like the characters quickly or I won't give the story a chance. I want Madeline Dare and her pal Ellis (from the first book) to be my pals. Yeah the stories themselves are fun, but it's the sense of place and the characters that had me hooked in the first few pages. I'm hoping we'll see more of Ellis in the next book -- which I will buy in hardcover as soon as it is released.

I was fortunate enough to attend The DeSisto School in West Stockbridge, MA, next to Tanglewood, in the late 1970s and early 1980s before it truly became The Crazy School. Cornelia Read's detailed account of how it was for a teacher was not privy to most students there, and thus fascinating to learn about. Accurate down to the minutiae, Read satisfies us all--alums as well as educators--curious to reminisce with out-loud laughter, and probably some tears as well. The lingo, the rituals, and the worship have been craftily woven into another Dare-ing mystery. Every chapter's end leads to unexpected winding turns, much like Route 183 itself. And Read's hipster voice lends a breezy coolness and vivid color--crisp as the air in the Fall and Winter of the Berkshire Mountains.

The saga of Madeline Dare continues in The Crazy School. When her husband's job fell through, Madeline took a teaching position at The Santangelo Academy. The private school was for the behaviorally-challenged. Perhaps that is an understatement. The school was for mentally-deranged students. Dr. David Santangelo created the school on his property. Dr. Santangelo is insane. Most of the teachers lived on campus. Lucky for Madeline she did not. Therapy sessions were mandatory for all the teachers. The therapy was actually helping Madeline. When they were in real trouble, the students were sent to the farm where they were "expected to labor and their parents were charged double tuition". The kids seem to relate to Madeline. Even with her baggage, she seems the sanest of the lot. Moony and Fay were sent to the farm. They were hiding the fact that they were going to be parents. They planned to leave the Academy. When the couple was found dead, the authorities thought it was suicide. Madeline was the chief suspect when they determined it was murder. The first half of The Crazy School introduces the reader to the students and teachers. The tension slowly builds, until it reaches a crescendo. Read has added twists and turns that will keep the readers on the edge of their seats and wondering who the real culprit is. Read describes a school that would be as frightening for the teachers as for the students. Cornelia Read is an exceptionally talented author. She weaves a great mystery. The Crazy School is a shocker. Fans of fiction and mystery will not want to miss this one. Reviewed by Debra Gaynor for ReviewYourBook.com

Madeline Dare is an appealing heroine -- imperfect and full of self-doubt, but always trying to do the right thing for the troubled kids in her care. As usual, Read's sense of place and tone are perfect: anyone who lived through the times she writes about is vividly reminded of what it was like. Her portrait of the humorless and wrong-headed "educators" at the academy is chillingly real. Another great read and satisfying story from Cornelia Read.