Publisher: Walker Press
Publication Date: April 2013
ISBN: 978-14063-4084-6
Pages: 233
Format: PBB
Publication Date: April 2013
ISBN: 978-14063-4084-6
Pages: 233
Format: PBB
The Night She Disappeared
by April Henry (Author)
Summary
Gaby works part-time as a delivery girl at Pete’s Pizza. She also drives a Mini Cooper. One night Kayla, who also works at Pete’s, goes missing. A customer who had placed an order had asked whether the girl in the Mini Cooper was working that night. Gaby is horrified that Kayla’s fate was really meant for her and she is determined to find the missing girl. She teams up with another co-worker, Drew, and together they set out to prove that Kayla isn’t dead – and to find her before she is.
My Review
Phew! Did you know that Henry was inspired to write this book by a real case? That fact certainly gives this story more credence. The scene is set pretty quickly and we are greeted with a retrospective sad tone of Drew, the guy who took the order from the suspect.
Henry has an open and natural voice, which bodes well for her fiction and makes this difficult story so much easier to digest. This book uses transcripts to tell the story from a different angle, I really enjoyed this aspect. Sometimes it’s nice to step outside the head of a character.
Although this story is based on a horrific, cruel and disturbing crime the artistry with which Henry spins this story is admirable and even enjoyable. The characters are immediatly likeable, especially the character of the missing girl, Kayla. Yes, Kayla also lets us know her point of view. Kayla’s narrating can make for creepy reading if you think too much about it, but it adds so much to the story.
We also get some narration from the bad man (I can’t give you any more detailed label as it could spoil the story). But yes, he is there. So be warned, sometimes the story can be too personal and real.
All in all, I found this to be a great book, full of mostly loveable characters. I think it would be very interesting for people who read adult crime to read this YA version. They’d be scared of the reality of it!
Read this book, you won’t regret it.
Thank you to Walker Press and Hannah Love for the review book.
Michelle Moloney King 