The Lost and the Found

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.