Did Jessica murder one of her playmates, a troubled boy named Charlie, when she was twelve years old? Disturbed by a recurring dream and needing to clear her conscience, Jessica returns to Victoria, British Columbia, her hometown and the site of the possible crime. There she catches up with her longtime best friend, Jilly, who confirms that Charlie did in fact go missing the week that Jessica's family relocated to Australia. But a memory?erasing bout of meningitis at the time of the incident means Jessica doesn?t recall the questioning police officers, the extensive ground search, or being the last person to see Charlie alive.

Jilly keeps Jessica from tackling the dangerous dilemma alone and summons the police when the two become neck deep in trouble. Will Jessica be able to acquit herself of murder before entering college in Calgary, or will her memory of Charlie's death remain a fear she must learn to live with?

In Return to Bone Tree Hill, experienced YA writer Kristin Butcher chronicles a mystery that has the reader piecing together the evidence alongside Jessica and Jilly. From life and love conversations under the Bone Tree and the feverish nightmare that continues to offer nebulous clues, to midnight sleuthing and a few life or death confrontations, even the most reluctant readers will be caught up by the minute?to?minute action of these furtive, accidental detectives.

After nearly 30 years as a published author, Kristin has written more biographies of herself than she cares to remember. And she has run out of new ways to describe the same old life. Besides, she doesn't think of herself in terms of her birthplace, education, and work history. What she'd really like people to know about her is that she loves to dance. She loves to laugh. She loves to learn. Crossword puzzles relax her. Waiting frustrates her. She likes spending time by herself. And, like the heroine in her new book Closer to Far Away, she has a family that gives her strength. Her books include Cheat, Girls Like Me, The Druid and the Dragon, and Alibi. Kristin lives in Campbell River, British Columbia.

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Return to Bone Tree Hill

Jessica Lawler is 18 years old when her recurring nightmare begins. The dream takes place six years earlier, in the week before her family relocates to Australia. Jessica is playing with her friends on Bone Tree Hill when a frightening turn of events leads her to murder a boy named Charlie. To Jessica, the nightmare feels so real and the boundaries between dream and memory begin to blur as she learns that Charlie did in fact disappear around that time. Back in Victoria and determined to uncover the truth, Jessica and her friend Jilly begin a dangerous bid to unlock Jessica’s memory and unravel the mystery.

Kristin Butcher’s short, action-packed chapters help to create and sustain tension throughout the narrative, drawing the reader into the story. The clever plot structure weaves together dream fragments, memory and current day reality. This enables the reader to share in Jessica’s sense of helplessness as she struggles to piece together the events of that day on the hill. Despite a few plot inconsistencies, this novel is well paced, creating a sense of urgency that drives the story.

The characters in Return to Bone Tree Hill are likeable, even though they lack believability at some points in the story. However, teenage readers will certainly be able to connect with the well-crafted bond between the friends, Jessica and Jilly.

Return to Bone Tree Hill is a suspenseful novel which compels the reader to keep turning the page. This is an engrossing read well suited for ages twelve and up.