Chapter 1

The abduction of April Finnemore took place in the dead of night, sometime between 9:15 p.m., when she last spoke with Theo Boone, and 3:30 a.m., when her mother entered her bedroom and realized she was gone. The abduction appeared to have been rushed; whoever took April did not allow her to gather her things. Her laptop was left behind. Though her bedroom was fairly neat, there was some clothing strewn about, which made it difficult to determine if she had been able to pack. Probably not, the police thought. Her toothbrush was still by the sink. Her backpack was by her bed. Her pajamas were on the floor, so she at least had been allowed to change. Her mother, when she wasn’t crying or ranting, told the police that her daughter’s favorite blue-and-white sweater was not in the closet. And April’s favorite sneakers were gone, too.

The police soon dismissed the notion that she’d simply run away. There was no reason to run away, her mother assured them, and she had not packed the things that would make such an escape successful.

A quick inspection of the home revealed no apparent break-in. The windows were all closed and locked, as...

"Not since Nancy Drew has a nosy, crime-obsessed kid been so hard to resist." —The New York Times

"Classic Grisham." —The Los Angeles Times

"Smartly written." —USA Today

"Grisham is an absolute master." —Washington Post

"Edge-of-your-seat drama, sophisticated plotting, and plenty of spunk." —Chicago Sun-Times

"Gripping . . . I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a good mystery." —Scholastic News