What They Want to Hide by Eric Yang

A years-long grudge between two families. The price of revenge. Kids caught in gripping danger, desperate to free an innocent suspect. Dark secrets piecing together a dark truth. Rhett Fielding and Cole Morrison, two eighth graders at Sparrow Falls Middle School are forced to seek safety in the same room during a code-red lockdown. Filled with nervousness and uncertainty, both are terrified as they sit in darkness, waiting for further announcements. But before the police or any updates reach them, their worst fear becomes a reality. The intruder, dressed in black clothing and a ski mask, breaks into the room, presumably in search of something. A couple moments later, the intruder locates Cole and kidnaps him, narrowly missing Rhett hiding only a few feet away. Rhett makes it out alive and unscathed but is horrified at what happened to Cole. And he is further appalled when he hears that Denny Morrison, Cole’s older brother is being charged for the incident. Rhett is almost sure he didn’t do it though. He’d seen and heard the intruder, further supporting his belief that Denny couldn’t have done it. Eventually, when nobody seems to listen to him, he takes matters into his own hands, launching an investigation. Feeling overwhelmed by guilt, sadness, anger, and determination, Rhett delves through a trail of dark secrets, resolute on proving Denny innocent. What he begins to learn through his investigation is beyond shocking, and as one discovery leads to another, he finds himself struck by the full, horrifying truth. A gripping, fast-paced thriller that will leave readers shocked long after the final page.