“A strong tale of adventure and self discovery.”

“The tension may keep the novel rolling but the best parts of Sweetwater Night are the scenes where Matt and Jenny make the first overtures to understanding each other and what their father’s death has meant to their relationship between themselves and with their mother. Matt’s obsession with his own feelings has blinded him to the feelings of the two people he most cares about, and Stewart paints a convincing picture of his growth in awareness of that aspect of himself.”

“The importance of setting is clearly highlighted in this novel. The Sweetwater State Forest is on the one hand, a beautiful, magical place with clear, bubbling streams and magnificent trees. Yet it can, and does, suddenly turn to a place where the bush is a solid wall and the giant trees become like a coffin. Instead of offering a place of sanctuary, it becomes a sinister landscape of dead-end paths, grasping, scratching bushes and impenetrable forest as the killer closes in on the group. Sweetwater Night is a well-paced story, with the reader positioned to align with Matt as he deals with some personal demons. This novel is also useful for discussions on ‘letting go’ and dealing with change and is a most engaging story.”

“The reader’s attention is tightly held as the friendships between the group is stretched to breaking point and the tension between brother and sister becomes enmeshed with guilt over their father’s death and the decision to go against their mother’s wishes. It’s a great read, one which will have kids of lower secondary age turning the pages all the way to the less than happy ending. After an experience like that, it would be totally unbelievable if the story was neatly resolved …and it’s heartening to see an author and publisher not pandering to that conservatism, in a novel aimed at the twelve-to fifteen-year-old age group.”