The Truth

December 1, 2015
A teen hostage is forced to recount his battle with a home invader. Chris is just an ordinary kid stuck in an extraordinary situation. Eight days ago an intruder found his way into Chris' home, and Chris shot him dead. Now the intruder's brother, Derek, has Chris held hostage, demanding an honest account of the fateful night and threatening to cut off a few fingers if Chris dares to lie. It's a great, flashy premise, but Johnston comes very close to squandering it. Chris is focused solely on protecting his younger brother after their father died a few years ago and their mother grew distant. It's solid motivation, but it's the only characterization Chris gets, and that one note gets old all too fast. Derek isn't much better; his most interesting attribute provides a dark mirror image of Chris, as he is haunted by his failure to protect his own brother when it counted. The author makes this mirror very explicit, which undercuts the resonance. The most problematic element of the book comes in the very end in the form of Derek's haunting, brutalized past, a pitch-black element that doesn't fit the pulpy tone of the rest of the novel. Even in a book with the threat of torture and gunplay, this darkness is one step too far. A crackerjack idea hobbled by weak characters and the author's heavy hand. (Thriller. 12-16)

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February 1, 2016

Gr 9 Up-Chris Russo wakes up in a dark basement tied to a chair. He is being held captive by Derek Brannick, who demands the truth about the shooting death of his younger brother Caleb at Chris's hands. He threatens to cut all of Chris's fingers off with garden shears if not told the truth. Eight nights ago, Caleb broke into Chris's home. Chris felt he had no choice but to shoot him in self-defense to protect his mom and younger brother, Devon. He appointed himself the man of the house after his police officer dad was killed in the line of duty. He focused his life on Devon's Little League games and overall well-being. He became an overnight local hero for shooting Caleb, whom he learned was a 13-year-old runaway. The teen was instantly invited into the popular cliques and received by his crush Rita before his kidnapping. Chris eventually tells the truth, and the reveal will be unexpected for readers. This YA thriller by Edgar Award nominee Johnston often feels predictable and redundant. Some readers may have issues with the background roles that the parents have. Detective Fyfe may be accused of perpetrating dirty and crooked police stereotypes. VERDICT Recommended for readers who enjoy edgy thrillers.-Donald Peebles, New York Black Librarians Caucus

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