Kirkus Reviews
"While foggy cliffs and colorful villages effectively evoke the exotic Newfoundland setting, it's the mystery that moves the tale forward...A fast-paced, often riveting mystery with a plausible, thrilling climax."
CM Magazine
"This suspenseful mystery keeps the reader engaged...Charlie is a very likeable character, one to whom readers will easily relate. In addition to the major themes, censorship and literacy are issues which are also brought up and could instigate conversation in a classroom. Highly Recommended."
Resource Links
"Charlie is a true teen hero. Faced with a situation that would be well beyond the abilities of the average 13-year-old, Charlie is a character that will catch the attention of most teenagers. A fast-moving and exciting plot leaves the reader wanting more at the end of each page. The descriptions of Newfoundland are haunting, creating a compelling visual backdrop for the story. The conclusion is both believable and satisfying."
CanLit for Little Canadians blog
"Mills' writing seamlessly brings together the pathos of Charlie's situation with the coarseness of Frankie's and Nick's circumstances...The cliff hangers, beyond those of its setting, repeatedly lead the reader to anticipate but instead surprise, just the way a great thriller should."
Tri State YA Book Review Committee
"In Charlie, Rob Mills has created a nearly perfect, enigmatic character. Charlie is naïve yet worldly. He is compassionate and vulnerable, yet resilient and resourceful...The falling action is equally intriguing, and when the reader reaches the ending, he finds it to be shocking and emotional. Readers will want a sequel, needless to say, in order to discover the next chapter in Charlie's life. Mills combines contemporary topics like child abuse and a writing style that is full of local color and dialect to give us an excellent book."