The Lost and the Found

June 27, 2016
Clarke (Undone) explores how a family fractures when a child goes missing, as well as the emotional roller-coaster they undergo when that child returns home. Faith Logan was three years old when her older sister, Laurel, was abducted by a stranger. For the next 13 years, Faith cobbled together a mostly normal existence, though constantly under the shadow of her missing sister. When Laurel miraculously reappears, Faith’s carefully constructed life slowly begins to fall apart as she grapples with mixed emotions concerning Laurel’s return. Blending coming-of-age elements with psychological suspense, Clarke carefully weaves a story in which the unnerving truth is slowly unveiled. As with the best thrillers, the truth is far from a straight line, and what readers believe changes with every turn of the page. In this fast-paced and darkly entertaining novel, Clarke’s true success lies is in crafting a realistic and haunting story of two young women who redefine what it means to be sisters. Ages 14–up. Agent: Julia Churchill, A.M. Heath.

July 15, 2016
Faith's big sister, Laurel, was kidnapped when Laurel was 6 and Faith was 4, and now, 13 years later, she has been found.Faith and her family, all white, are certain that the 19-year old woman really is Laurel. She has memories that only Laurel could have. Laurel had been held captive by a man who imprisoned her in his basement and abused her yet also tried to give her a rudimentary education. As might be expected, Laurel has some difficulty coping with her newfound freedom and fitting in with the family. She sometimes hides under a desk, blocking off the rest of the room. Yet she also tosses away the beloved teddy bear that she had clung to when she was kidnapped and kept all those years, and Faith notices Laurel sneaking off. Meanwhile, Laurel adamantly refuses to take a DNA test required by the police. By the time Laurel tells Faith all, readers may have guessed some of it but probably not all. Clarke keeps the story moving along through Faith's present-tense account, balancing understandable jealousy of the attention lavished on Laurel while trying to cope with her own boyfriend and with Laurel's fame. The narrative never details the abuse Laurel suffered but provides enough about her imprisonment to heighten the question of what really happened. An intriguing story from start to finish. (Mystery. 14-18)

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July 1, 2016

Gr 9 Up-Clarke delivers a suspenseful, timely tale with a plot taken straight from the headlines. Faith's sister Laurel reappears after her kidnapping 13 years ago. What begins as a story about readjusting to life after the unimaginable happens gradually morphs into a gripping thriller. Slowly, Laurel reveals subtle discrepancies that lead Faith to believe something is amiss. Is Laurel an imposter? Or is Faith jealous? Readers share Faith's doubt and cheer her on as she starts to discover the truth. Instead of confiding her fears in Michel, her father's partner and Faith's most trusted adult, Faith confronts Laurel, and what follows is a convoluted but page-turning conclusion that Clarke cleverly lays tracks for earlier. The strong hook and trail of clues keep readers guessing and overshadow slight weaknesses, such as a brief lull in the pace, an unfinished thread regarding the betrayal of Faith's boyfriend, and fuzzy setting details. Clarke's indictment of vulturelike media and a poetic metaphor about cuckoo birds will linger in readers' minds, lending this novel a bit more gravity than typical teen thrillers. VERDICT This mystery will have wide appeal and keep teens riveted.-Laura Falli, McNeil High School, Austin, TX

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