Synopses & Reviews
Maxine's older brother Derek has disappeared and is believed to be dead. The family is overwhelmed with grief. Maxine suffers in school, loses friends and is losing the interest of her parents. Then the phone calls begin--a boy claiming to be Derek. Is it truly her brother or could it be one of the bullies who relentlessly tormented him when he was alive?
Missing might seem a simple lost and found story, but at its heart lies a compelling examination of what it means to feel powerless and alone. The unexpected ending is written responsibly and with no easy answers. MacPhail writes with page-turning style, making this book eminently readable and thoroughly absorbing.
Synopsis
Maxine's parents had to do perhaps the worst possible thing: confirm the identity of her brother Derek's body by the clothes he was wearing when he disappeared. But then the worst possible thing really happens: Maxine receives a telephone call from somebody saying he is her brother. She can hardly believe her ears. Has Derek come back from the dead?
In this thriller, the author manages to confront many issues including: how different people deal with grief, the underrated effect of severe bullying at school, and sibling rivalry - all in a fast-paced, compelling narrative voice.
About the Author
Catherine MacPhail won the Kathleen Fidler Award for her first novel, Run Zan Run, and the Scottish Arts Council Award for her second novel, Fighting Back. Her other books for Bloomsbury include Dark Waters, Another Me, and Missing. Catherine MacPhail's work is enormously popular with teenagers, her trademarks being a mix of humor and pacy, topical storylines.