Set You Free

August 1, 2015
Lauren's young babysitting charge, Ben, the mayor's son, has gone missing in the middle of the night. Seemingly, the first she hears of it is when sneaky Detective Carole Evans shows up on Lauren's doorstep, wanting her to come along to search for the missing child. Lauren quickly learns that her high school-senior brother, Tom, seems to be the primary suspect since he may have been stalking Ben in the days before he disappeared. But Tom has gone missing too. Grady, who, though previously unknown to Lauren, appears to be Tom's best friend, combines forces with Lauren, utilizing his very superior knowledge of all things computer to both try to locate Tom and figure out who the actual kidnapper could be. JJ, the mayor's sketchy teenage son, seems like a good candidate. Tension-as well as a developing connection between Grady and Lauren-quickly increases, culminating in a bit of illegal entry and a scary car chase. It's only near the conclusion that Lauren reveals her actual role in the entire affair. Since she's served as narrator, her near-complete failure to hint at her much greater knowledge seems like a rather underhanded ploy. Still, Lauren's edgy personality, Grady's admirable tricks, and plenty of suspense make this a worthy read. An engaging and entertaining mystery, especially for those who don't mind if they can't solve it before the protagonist. (Mystery. 12-18)

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September 1, 2015

Gr 8 Up-Lauren and her brother, Tom, were very close growing up. They didn't have any other siblings and were less than a year apart in age. However, when their parents got a divorce, and Tom moved away with his father, the siblings slowly grew distant. Though not as close to Tom as she used to be, Lauren still feels like she knows her brother. But when the police knock on her door to inform her that the mayor's five-year-old son has disappeared at the exact same time that her brother has inexplicably vanished, everything Lauren thinks she knows about Tom is put into question. Choosing to be unfailingly loyal to her brother and realizing that trying to prove his innocence may be impossible, Lauren strikes out to give the police other options for kidnapping suspects. In the process, she reveals that everyone has secrets, even the mayor's seemingly flawless family. Well-developed characters, an original plot, and a thrilling story line make this book impossible to put down. This page-turner is a must read for teens who enjoy mystery. VERDICT An extremely well written crime thriller that asks the question "How well do you really know anyone?"-Ellen Fitzgerald, White Oak Library District, Lockport, IL

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