Crossed Connections

Robert Cormier's expertly crafted, exciting page-turner called Tenderness poses one important underlying question: What happens when the paths of two very different adolescents converge? Eric Poole is a psychopathic serial killer who was incarcerated for the murder of two teenaged girls. Nicknamed "The Iceman" for his emotionless demeanor by the other convicts in his cellblock, Eric is now being released, and is thinking of his future victims that he will be "tender" with. Lori Cranston is a troubled runaway who has left home because her mother's boyfriend has molested her. She has seen Eric Poole's picture on television and is now obsessed with him. Lori decides that she must see him again, because she feels that he will give her the kindness and "tenderness" that she craves. When Eric and Lori finally meet, how will the encounter conclude? Murder, obsession, and mesmerizing psychological portraits - the ultimate recipe for an absorbing read.