Adrift

Five of us went out on the water that night.
None of us came back whole, and not all of us came back.

Best friends Matt and John are spending the summer working: Matt to save money for college, John to kill time before trade school. On the beach, the beautiful Driana stops Matt in his tracks. Dri, Stef and JoJo invite the boys to a party at Dri's Hamptons mansion, and Matt drags John along.

When Stef decides it's a beautiful night to go windsurfing, the others race out on the water to make sure she's safe. But with no land in sight and a broken boat engine, it's not just Stef they have to worry about. And as the hours turn into days, the prospect of rescue seems further and further away...

Paul Griffin is a teacher and a devoted helper of at-risk and special-needs teens. He works with organisations like Behind the Book and Literary for Incarcerated Teens, focusing on helping young men and women tell their stories. He is the author of four novels for young adults, including Ten Mile River, Stay With Me and Burning Blue. Paul lives in Manhattan.

'His lonely, vulnerable characters, including the parents are totally convincing and the mystery and excitement of the hacking kept me turning the pages.' Choices for English, AATE

'Griffin gracefully answers and solves mysteries, leaving us with hope and a smile without making things falsely shiny and bright.' New York Times

'Griffin's prose is gorgeous and resonant.' Publishers Weekly

'This fast-paced survival adventure makes an excellent crucible for Griffin's examination of class.' Kirkus