What We Saw: A Thriller

by Mary Downing Hahn

Overview

A chilling murder mystery lies at the heart of this page-turning thriller about a missing teacher, small town secrets, and turbulent tween friendships from master of middle grade horror Mary Downing Hahn.

When best friends Abbi and Skylar witness a clandestine meeting between a mysterious woman and someone in a dark van, they're thrilled. Finally, a mystery to spice up the summer!

Who could these people be? Why are they meeting? Are they spies? Criminals? The two girls are determined to find out. But then a local woman goes missing and is found dead in the woods. And Abbi and Skylar realize that their detective work could hold the keys to solving her murder. Suddenly, sleuthing isn't so fun anymore.

As tensions rise and their friendship frays, the girls find themselves in increasing danger, and must choose between keeping a secret or exposing a life-altering truth.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780358731061
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	09/06/2022
Sold by:	HARPERCOLLINS
Format:	eBook
Pages:	208
File size:	4 MB
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Mary Downing Hahn’s many acclaimed novels include such beloved ghost stories as Wait Till Helen Comes, Deep and Dark and Dangerous, and Took. A former librarian, she has received more than fifty child-voted state awards for her work. She lives in Columbia, Maryland, with a cat named Nixi.

Editorial Reviews

A compelling story of family, friends, bullies, and peer-group conformity.”  — Horn Book Magazine

“A small-town murder heralds the death of childhood innocence in this character-driven thriller.”  — Publishers Weekly

"A chilling and thrilling addition to a beloved author’s oeuvre." — Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

2022-08-31
Two girls get swept up in a murder mystery in their small town.

It’s a hot summer, and 12-year-old Abbi and her best friend, Skylar, spend their days at the mall, the pool, and the library. When Skylar, the more daring of the duo, decides they should bike to the edge of town, a seedy area where the bullies from their school live, Abbi has reservations but says yes anyway. The discovery of a treehouse makes the journey worthwhile, and things become even more interesting when they spot a mysterious man and woman meeting up just below. Are they Russian spies like Abbi imagines or just regular adults having an affair like Skylar’s dad did? The fun mystery turns serious, though, when the woman runs off into the menacing woods. When a beloved teacher goes missing, the friends piece together the information and have to figure out how to help without winding up in trouble with their parents, or worse. The prolific Hahn, particularly known for her eerie ghost stories, stays away from the supernatural in this quick-paced tale but keeps the thrills coming. She expertly captures the feel of a small-town summer and tumultuous middle school friendships and never talks down to young readers or shies away from frank descriptions of real-world threats. Still, an optimistic ending shows there is always light and joy to be found. The protagonists are cued White.

A chilling and thrilling addition to a beloved author’s oeuvre. (Thriller. 9-13)

Kirkus Reviews