Todd's Story (SVH Super Star #5)

Rating:
Summary: Sixteen year old, Todd, is faced with a fatal decision.
Review: When Todd Wilkins moves to Vermont, his longtime girlfriend, Elizabeth Wakefield is crushed. While in Vermont, Todd, the school's basketball star is on his way home from practice when night when he hears some sounds in the back alley. He peers into the darkness and notices an old man getting mugged. Todd rushes to a pay phone and calls the cops. Todd later finds out that the mugger, Kevin Holmes, was a basketball star at Todd's school the year before but had been kicked off for bad behavior. In court, after Todd testifies, Kevin vowes to get even with Todd. Somehow, someway. A few months later, Todd hears the good news that his father has been named President of Varitronics a computer chip company. Todd and his family move back to California and Todd resumes his relationship with Elizabeth. Soon, Todd begins recieving phone calls where no one says anything and then hangs up. One day, while he is at the mall with Elizabeth, he spots Kevin Holmes. Thinking that he is imagining things, he leaves immediately. He and Liz had signed up for a summer camp at Secca Lake. They were to be counselors. On the first day on the job, Todd finds out that Kevin works as a counselor there too. Todd is not worried. He knows that everyone will see how Kevin is and dilike him. But Kevin has changed... or so it seems. Suddenly, everyone thinks that Kevin is God's gift to mankind. Including Liz and her twin sister, Jessica. All of Todd's friends become buddies with Kevin. But while no one else is around, Kevin continues to threaten Todd. He tells him that if he tells ANYONE about his past, that he'll kill Elizabeth. But Todd has no where to turn. His parents have fallen for Kevin's acting too. Todd has even offered Kevin a job at Varitronics. And that is when Kevin starts to take over Todd's life. That job was supposed to be Todd's. Just like the job as basketball counselor was supposed to be Todd's but was taken away by Kevin. Then, Kevin invades even more, stealing Elizabeth. Elizabeth had been angry because Todd didn't share anything with her anymore. He kept secrets that she didn't know about. While their relationship was on the rocks, Kevin swoops in to snatch her. Then the muggings begin. People are mugged in Sweet Valley which has never happened before in such a peaceful town. Todd suspects Kevin, but what is he going to do? One night, after an argument with his dad, Todd walks to Secca Lake and notices a fellow counselor being robbed at knife point. Todd leaves after he looks at the muggers face. The next day, Todd convinces himself to go to the police. Once at Secca Lake, he finds that the police are already there. But the police aren't there for Kevin. They are there for Todd. The victim says that she recognized the voice of the attacker. It sounded like someone she worked with. She had never liked Todd and always liked Kevin so she had immediatly suspected him. While Todd is in jail, Kevin is carrying out the last of his revenge. He will put Todd away like Todd put him away. He will take away the respect of Todd's parents just like the respect of Kevin's parents was taken away when he was in jail. And lastly, he would take away the person that Todd loved most just like Kevin's brother was taken from him years before. By killing Elizabeth, Kevin will get his final revenge... This book was in one word.... FANTASTIC! I mean, I couldn't put it down. It is not like any other Sweet Valley High book. Or any other book that I have read. There are so many plots going on at one time but it is so clear and lucid that I am not confused in the least when I read it. There are relationship problems, a threatening criminal, a family crisis, and all kind of emotional dilemmas. I would recommend this book to anyone who has about a four hour time slot to sit and read a book through, because anyone in their right mind, shouldn't be able to put this book down once, in the middle of it. -Nicole