The Last Good Day of the Year

Gr 9 Up—It only took a few moments for Sam's life to change forever. On New Year's Eve, 1986, Sam, seven, and her best friend and neighbor, Remy, are the only witnesses to the abduction of Sam's little sister, Turtle, age four. In the aftermath, the two children struggle to tell police everything they remember. In the end, Sam's older sister's boyfriend is convicted and her family is devastated as her sister is never found. Sam's family eventually moves away only to return 10 years later to try and reconcile themselves with the tragedy that still haunts them. Their return brings back memories for Sam as she reconnects with Remy and she begins to wonder: did they tell the truth that fateful night? Is the wrong man in jail? The story unfolds through flashbacks, excerpts from a true crime book written about the case, and events during the summer of 1996. However, the eventual denouement is too rushed, leaving more questions than answers. Sam is a sympathetic character, but readers never really get to know her, despite being in her head for most of the book. The characters' motivations and development is haphazard, and while the story contains lots of tension that fans of the genre will love, the ending may leave them frustrated. This fragmented tale doesn't feel fully stitched together.