The Night She Disappeared

Gr 10 Up—In the tradition of Caroline Cooney and Joan Lowry Nixon, April Henry's latest mystery thriller (Holt, 2012) is best listened to with the lights on. Gabie and Kayla, two high school seniors, are working at Pete's Pizza after school and making plans for college. One day, Kayla switches shifts with Gabie, answers a delivery call, and disappears into thin air. The only clue is a phone call from the kidnapper, John Robertson, asking for the girl in the Mini Cooper (Gabie drives one). What happens next is a detailed exploration of the aftermath of Kayla's disappearance and the search to find her, conducted both by the police who think Kayla is dead, and Gabie, who is convinced she's alive. The story is told through the first-person perspectives of Kayla's coworkers Gabie and Drew, the kidnapper, and Kayla herself. Henry's fast-paced narrative explores the far-reaching effects of an all-too-real situation and the emotional and psychological consequences it can have on a community. Supplementing the story are investigative artifacts and evidence, reminiscent of a TV police procedural. Kate Rudd's raw narration taps into the fear and uncertainty faced by the characters and enhances the tension building in each chapter. This page-turner will leave listeners on the edge of their seats until the very last sentence.—Michaela Schied, Indian River Middle School, Philadelphia, NY