Concealed by Christina Diaz Gonzalez

The Hook: 

Katrina and her family have been on the run for three years because her dad helped to bring down one of the biggest drug cartels in the United States. Katrina does not remember much of her life before witness protection because a horrible car accident wiped all her memories. What she knows best now is keeping a low profile, not answering too many questions, moving from place to place, and changing her name—so much so she is not even sure what her real name is anymore. The family tries to stay off the grid as much as possible. But Katrina thinks her mom and dad are keeping secrets from her too due to their whispered late-night discussions that they think she cannot hear.  

Katrina hopes they will stay at the trailer park they just moved to because she has made a friend—a boy named Parker. But when her father disappears and she witnesses her mom being dragged off by armed men, Katrina does not know what to do. Parker, a computer hacker, helps her flee to a safe house where they meet Agent X, a man her parents trusted in the past. But Katrina soon uncovers secrets and lies revealing the life she has been living is not what it seems. 

This is an exciting, fast-paced novel full of twists and turns. It is in our library. It is also in Sora and Axis 360 as an eBook and an audio book. It is 10 AR points. 

My Thoughts and Recommendations (Careful! There Could Be Spoilers!): 

This is a suspenseful mystery that reminds me of a Young Adult book in several ways. Most middle school mystery books are funny and rather predictable. This book is more serious and there are some intense chase scenes with the bad guy (Mr. X). Up to the end, you will be questioning who is telling the truth and who is lying and how her parents are involved. Katrina’s memories are jogged in bits and pieces, and it all is brought together in the end. This is a modern thriller and one the kids will enjoy! I recommend it for anyone who likes mysteries. 5th –8th grade. 4.3 stars.