40 Days in Hicksville
40 Days in Hicksville
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Paperback ©2023--
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Orca Books
Annotation: Kate just wanted to meet her infamous, estranged grandfather, she didn't expect to encounter skulls hidden on his property. And she didn't expect Zach, the exasperating boy next door, to be the only person who can help her solve a thirty-five-year-old cold case.
Genre: [Suspense fiction]
 
Reviews: 1
Catalog Number: #6788277
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Orca Books
Copyright Date: 2023
Edition Date: 2023 Release Date: 10/14/23
Pages: 253 pages
ISBN: 1-7708-6715-5
ISBN 13: 978-1-7708-6715-4
Dewey: Fic
LCCN: 2023934879
Dimensions: 20 cm
Language: English
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews

Kate Cooper likes exploring-until a creepy discovery hits close to home.Fifteen-year-old Kate has just moved east across Canada to her mother's childhood home in the small town of Clarendon, which she's dubbed Hicksville-and she's not happy about it. It's just Kate and her mom, as her unstable dad is barely around. Zach Whitchurch, Kate's neighbor and classmate, keeps riding over to her house on his John Deere lawn mower, and the two bond over their mutual interest in Kate's paternal grandfather, who's rumored to have killed his wife. Exploring the woods on her grandfather's property, Kate and Zach come across a crevasse that merits further exploration. But when Zach finds a human skull, it leads to a web of secrets unraveling. The story is told in alternating first-person chapters from Kate's and Zach's perspectives. Character development is unfortunately lacking; it feels like there's little more to Zach than his interest in Kate, while Kate comes across as a stereotypical rebellious teenager. Repetitive events-ditching school to snoop and sneaking into the woods-become tiresome as they drive the story to its underwhelming climax. One highlight of the book, however, is its depiction of how trauma affects families' well-being; Kate's parents each carry demons from their pasts into their present lives. Most characters read white.A thin mystery with ultimately forgettable characters. (Thriller. 12-16)

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Kirkus Reviews
Reading Level: 5.8
Interest Level: 7-12

[40 Days in Hicksville] is worth a read, and is a great example of the power of a well-written dual-perspective narrative.  Canadian Review of Materials

Kate doesnt want to spend one minute in the Hicksville her mother moved them to, much less the entire year shes stuck here in the decaying house they inherited from her grandparents. She misses her boyfriend and sneaking out at night to make urban exploration videos for her growing YouTube channel.

Zach, the boy who lives next door, tries to befriend Kate even though she ignores him. But when Kate discovers her estranged grandfather lives nearby, she wants to meet him despite the small-town rumours of his violent past, and takes Zach with her.

Thats when they find the crevasse on her grandfathers property and the skeletons hidden inside.

Thats the day they find out Kates uncle and his friend went missing as teenagers.

Instead of counting down the days until she can leave Hicksville, Kate and Zach start working together to solve the cold case that has silenced her mother for thirty-five years.


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