"Guaranteed to hook teen readers ... Pam Withers has crafted such a thrilling yet utterly believable text that this reader stopped at several points to Google details, not believing it was fiction ... It's a gripping story that makes tough choices relatable, difficult concepts understandable, and adventure unforgettable." — Canadian Teacher Magazine
"a sure winner for mid-level readers."— Winnipeg Free Press
"Withers takes readers on a superbly researched crawl through the underground world of the fictional town of Tass … Cave-In should capture readers’ interest with an intriguing sport rarely written about, combined with themes of environmentalism, politics, first love, and second chances — no helmet or headlamp required."— Quill & Quire
"The author's extensive background research is evident ... readers will come away better informed about environmental concerns."— Kirkus Reviews
"Cave-In is a breathless adventure story that keeps your heart pounding while your mind engages in an important eco fiction story. A thrilling exposé of corporate greed, Cave-In is rooted in a connection between the environment, politics, friendship and young love. Immaculately researched, it's a close-up experience of the joys and perils of caving that would be well-suited for any adventurous spirit." — Amanda West Lewis, author of The Pact, These Are Not the Words and Focus.Click.Wind.
"A twisty mystery full of dead ends and dark passages for readers to explore, Cave-In thrills from page one to its earth-shattering climax." — Michael F. Stewart, award-winning author of Heart Sister and Seeking Draven
"With impeccable research and descriptive writing, Withers has created a novel that is full of tension and adrenalin. The 'caving' element is so unique and interesting, especially in a teen setting. And then there's the mystery to the story that adds another dimension! Well done, Pam." — Lorna Schultz Nicholson, author of When You Least Expect It and Taking The Ice, and a voracious reader and writer of any-kind-of-sport book
"Cave-In opens up and explores a world that exists right below our feet. Hudson's relatable teenage ambitions and rivalries are expertly balanced against larger issues of conservation, ecology and personal responsibilities. Withers presents scientific facts accessibly so that even an author who refused to take science classes after grade ten (such as me) could grasp and understand. Cave-In will pull readers in as easily as one of the sinkholes within its pages." &mdash Paul Coccia, author of Leon Levels Up and co-author of On The Line
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2024-09-14
Geological disaster spurred by a corrupt logging operation threatens a small town that’s haunted by a past tragedy.
Even after a generation, the small Vancouver Island town of Tass is feeling the effects of the Big One, a sinkhole that swallowed an entire church full of people. No bodies were ever recovered. Sixteen-year-old Hudson has always delighted in exploring the area’s sprawling cave systems, but he’s recently become increasingly worried about the looming prospect of a repeat catastrophe. A timber company’s careless logging and road building are causing unpredictable changes in the patterns of subterranean water flow, the community center’s foundations are cracking, and the local mayor seems to be in the pocket of the company’s smooth-talking executive. Hudson’s worries turn out to be well founded as events and escalating tensions in town lead to a violent and terrifying climax. Though Hudson serves mainly as a mouthpiece and a model for safe caving practices, Withers does set him up for several heroic rescues. His developing relationships with an estranged former bestie turned bully and two rival girls from school add some personal heft. The author’s extensive background research is evident in the narrative, which is loaded with infodumps on cave formations and ecology, specific techniques involved in cave exploration, and the causes and dangers of sinkholes. Names and other oblique hints suggest that the cast may not be entirely white.
Narrow going plot-wise, but readers will come away better informed about environmental concerns.(Eco-fiction. 11-14)
