Skip to main content Skip to search Skip to search

Young Adult Fiction Thrillers & Suspense

Set You Free

by (author) Jeff Ross

Publisher
Orca Book Publishers
Initial publish date
Oct 2015
Category
Thrillers & Suspense, Siblings, Mysteries & Detective Stories
  • Paperback / softback

    ISBN
    9781459807976
    Publish Date
    Oct 2015
    List Price
    $14.95
  • eBook

    ISBN
    9781459807990
    Publish Date
    Oct 2015
    List Price
    $0.99

Add it to your shelf

Where to buy it

Recommended Age, Grade, and Reading Levels

  • Age: 12
  • Grade: 8 to 12
  • Reading age: 12

Description

The mayor’s six-year-old son, Ben Carter, is missing—and Lauren’s brother, Tom, is the main suspect. Lauren knows her brother would never harm anyone, but the police don’t agree. Ben’s stepbrother doesn’t agree. The mayor certainly doesn’t agree. To some people in Resurrection Falls, Tom is the freak who, rumor has it, once tried to lure a kid into the woods.

But if Tom is innocent, why was he lurking around outside the mayor’s house the night Ben disappeared? And why has he also vanished? After teaming up with Tom’s friend, Grady, a computer enthusiast and part-time hacker, Lauren decides that rather than try to prove Tom’s innocence, they should simply give the police some more options. Because everyone, even the mayor’s apparently perfect family, has secrets.

About the author

Jeff Ross is an avid rider of boards. If you can stand sideways on something and propel yourself forward, backward and/or sideways, then sign him up. He spent his formative years standing sideways on a board in Thornbury, Ontario, and now stands sideways on boards in Ottawa, Ontario, where he teaches Scriptwriting and English at Algonquin College. More information can be found at www.jeffrossbooks.com.

Jeff Ross' profile page

Awards

  • Commended, CCBC Best Books for Kids & Teens
  • Short-listed, The Crime Writers of Canada Arthur Ellis Award - Best Juvenile/YA Book

Editorial Reviews

"This tale of suspense about the simultaneous disappearance of a young child and an enigmatic teenager turns out to be not at all what it seems...The narrow squeaks and plot twists are well placed, and as an unreliable narrator, Lauren holds attention from bleary beginning to triumphant close."

Booklist

"Fans of small town crime thrillers will really enjoy this brisk page-turner from Jeff Ross.”

Yvonne Prinz, author

"Lauren's edgy personality, Grady's admirable tricks, and plenty of suspense make this a worthy read. An engaging and entertaining mystery."

Kirkus Reviews

"Lauren is a believable teen, caught between her ill mother’s care and the allure of making a reputation as the fun girl. This novel works well in the style of a suspense thriller."

Resource Links

"Effectively stretches out the tension inherent in a missing child case, gradually getting more fast-paced and exciting...The writing is engaging, and the mystery is intriguing...Set You Free would make an interesting departure point to discuss law versus morality: is it ever okay to disobey the law in order to do something right? The book could also be used in a discussion of unreliable narrators. Teens will enjoy the good writing and the suspenseful, action elements of the plot."

CM Magazine

"Readers will be intrigued...Ross does a good job of offering clues to the reader while throwing some curve balls...Recommended."

School Library Connection

"Well-developed characters, an original plot, and a thrilling story line make this book impossible to put down. This page-turner is a must read for teens who enjoy mystery...An extremely well written crime thriller that asks the question 'How well do you really know anyone?'"

School Library Journal

Other titles by

Related lists