Counterfeit Son by Elaine Marie Alphin

Alphin, Elaine Marie. Counterfeit Son. San Diego: Harcourt, 2000. ISBN-10: 0-15-202645-2

Summary
With the cops closing in on Pop, Cameron Miller takes his chance to escape. Every time Cameron's father had kidnapped and killed a little boy, Pop would collect the newspaper articles about the boy. Cameron tells the police that he is Neil Lacey, one of the boys Pop had killed. The Laceys are overjoyed to have their boy back-- they had never given up home that he would be found alive. Detective Simmons doesn't believe that Cameron is Neil and insists on a DNA test. Cameron is worried about what will happen when they realize he isn't Neil. He's also worried about his father's friend Cougar who is recently out of jail and will surely know that Neil isn't alive.


Critical Evaluation 
Cameron has internalized his abusers criticisms, believing that he is bad and deserving of punishment. His identity is determined by other's perceptions of him. His younger brother and sister don't believe that the boy who shows up is their brother-- he has changed too much. Thus, Alphin asks readers to consider what shapes our identities. Also, with the threat of DNA results looming, Cameron has to decide what he wants to do. Overall and interesting and thrilling story.

Reader's Annotation 
Cameron was banished to the basement as Pop would kidnap and kill other boys upstairs. Now, with Pop gone, Cameron takes on the identity of one of the kidnapped boys. Can he convince the family that he is their lost son? Can he claim this nice family with the nice house and sailboats as his own?
 
Bibliotherapeutic Usefulness 
Reminds readers that identity can change and individuals can overcome character traits that they dislike.

Genre and Subject 
Abuse, identity, family, mystery

Why I read it
Cameron is a cunning man, willing to trick a desperate family in order to escape his life of abuse.