The Escape

The Escape

Not everyone who goes into the woods comes out…. It was supposed to be a short hike, a way for Fletcher and Adam to kill time one boring afternoon. But when day turns into night and neither boy returns home, their town is thrown into turmoil. Search teams comb the forest. Then Avery, the police chief's daughter, stumbles on a body. It's Fletcher―disoriented, beaten, and covered in blood. He has no memory of the incident, and worse yet, he has no idea what happened to the still-missing Adam.… As danger and suspicion grow, one thing becomes very clear: No one can escape the truth. Praise for Hannah Jayne's The Dare : "A page-turner in the spirit of Lois Duncan's classic I Know What You Did Last Summer; it will undoubtedly please the thriller-loving crowd." ― Kirkus "Well-rounded characters spark with life in this chiller." ― Booklist "Reminiscent of Sara Shepard's Pretty Little Liars series, The Dare is a novel that truly makes one think about their own actions― and the possible consequences." ― Teen Reads Gr 8 Up—The day after popular Adam Marshall goes for a hike with loner Fletcher Carroll, the Dan River Falls police department receives a call that the two boys have vanished. Avery Templeton, daughter of the police chief, volunteers to help with a search of the local woods. Although she knows she shouldn't stray from the path, when she does, Avery finds a bruised and bloody Fletcher with no memory of the events of the previous day and no idea where Adam could be. The rumor at Dan River Falls High School is that Fletcher is guilty of murder, but Avery, who is spending more time with him, is determined to prove his innocence. Told from the viewpoints of Fletcher and Avery, this mystery is entertaining but lacks depth. Flashbacks add to the even pacing the work: as Fletcher's memories slowly reveal what happened on the hike, suspense builds, and readers begin to see potentially interesting layers to the boy's personality. But a new side of the teen is never quite revealed, and Avery remains frustratingly static; at times, her knowledge of police lingo and murder investigative procedure is more interesting than her thoughts or her actions. As it is, Avery complements Fletcher, and the dynamic between the two helps to keep readers interested. VERDICT A thriller of average quality, The Escape offers readers a slight twist to an otherwise predictable ending.—Maggie Mason Smith, Clemson University R. M. Cooper Library, South Carolina "This well-paced thriller’s contemporary setting and quirky characters make for a quick and entertaining read. The author’s knowledge concerning traumatic memory loss and schizophrenia helps create an authentic and compelling story...Students who enjoyed R. L. Stine’s scary stories in elementary school and are fans of Caroline B. Cooney’s thrillers should find this book appealing." ― VOYA Magazine "This mystery is marked by gripping psychological suspense and the plot builds to a dramatic conclusion." ― Booklist "Avery is part of search and rescue team, and she is the one that finds Fletcher. He is beaten, bloody, and nearly unconscious. Adam is nowhere to be seen. After Fletcher is somewhat recovered, he is questioned by the police about the whereabouts of Adam. But Fletcher has no memory of the incident. All he knows is that someone killed Adam and tried to kill him―but failed. The plot of this book was fantastic. The book had so many twists and cliffhangers it was hard to put it down. Nothing in this book was disappointing" ― SLJ Teen Newsletter "The author did a fantastic job of portraying a serious crime, while still making me feel sorry for the villain at the same time. I recommend this book to teenagers and adults because of the novel’s intensity and violence. Hannah Jayne is a wonderful writer, and I will definitely be on the lookout for more from her! This is one book you simply cannot miss!" ― Manhattan Book Review "This book definitely had me on the edge of my seat. It’s a psychological thriller that I simply couldn’t put down...Hannah Jayne is a wonderful writer, and I will definitely be on the lookout for more from her! This is one book you simply cannot miss!" ― Manhattan Book Review "Well-written, conversational, and quick-moving, readers are given several points of view as the story develops. This is perfect for those readers in high school English classes who clamor for contemporary scary stories that are not vampires and werewolves" ― School Library Connection Hannah Jayne lives in the San Francisco Bay Area and writes cozy mysteries, young adult fiction, chick lit, and grocery lists that she never seems to remember to bring to the grocery store. Hannah shares a house with two neurotic, feet-attacking cats and has Kryptonite-like weakness for donuts. Visit www.hannahjschwartz.com. One "Come on, loser!" Adam yelled over his shoulder. Fletcher could hear Adam's laughter echoing back at him as he pumped his legs, intent on keeping the deep green of Ada