Vanished by Christina Holt

VANISHED

Ten years ago, Emily Miller went missing when she was only five years old. Everyone in town thought she had either drowned in the lake near her house, or had been kidnapped. Some even whispered that her father, Frank Miller was responsible.

No one suspected the old boathouse behind the Miller property, except Emily’s father. Frank Miller knew what had happened to his little girl. He knew the boathouse had her.

Ten years later, thirteen-year-old George Morgan wanders into the same boathouse and discovers a magical secret. At first he’s thrilled. He reveals his secret to his fifteen-year-old brother Eddie, thinking it will bring them closer together. After all, George and Eddie used to be best friends, before they moved to town, and before Eddie started hanging out with a bunch of older boys—the same boys who make it their mission to bully George on a daily basis. But, when Eddie tells his friends about the boathouse, everything starts to go wrong.

Suddenly the cool, magical secret of the boathouse isn’t a secret anymore, and the mysteries of the past come back to haunt them, putting their lives in great danger.

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Excerpt

George picked this tree not only for the shape, but also for the view. From his spot, he could see the lake, and the back of the Miller house. The house sat on about five acres of land, and had a private entrance to Fox Lake. They had an old boathouse in front of the lake, which was severely weather beaten and in need of a paint job. It also had the biggest chain and deadbolt George had ever seen. Closer to the house was a child’s play set.

It was simple for the most part, an old aluminum set that had rusted over the years. It consisted of monkey bars, two swings, and a slide. The tree next to the play set had a tire swing hanging from the thickest branch. There must have been a second tree at one point, in the backyard, but all that remained of it was a stump directly in front of the boathouse.

He wished he was brave enough to get closer to the house, but he knew he’d be in trouble if his parents ever found out. He rummaged through his backpack, and found a bag of chips he had thrown in earlier. He sat there until the sun began to dip into the horizon.

REVIEW

The main character, George,  and his brother, Eddie, come to life quickly. The reader is drawn into their lives so smoothly, they seem like the kids next door. That's when the ordinary begins to shift. Holt draws on the reader's emotions, making them care about the characters and wonder about the strange events that occur in the boat house. The "rumors" are revealed in a natural and enticing manner. Not only is the plot well developed, and the characterization immediate, the narrative is well written and pulls the reader into the story. This book is well worth reading. You will page-turn with eager anticipation until you reach the conclusion. 


BOOK BLING gives this novel FOUR STARS! 

Meet the Author

Christina Holt is a writer of Young Adult Science Fiction. She loves to create original stories that capture the young reader from the first page and give them a reason to love reading. Christina’s first published novel was Second Chance (LBF Books, 2007). Christina Holt currently lives in Memphis, TN with her husband, daughter, and the family pug, Pete. 

You can find her online at   www.christinaholt.net