When We Go Missing

A teen races to uncover the origin of disturbing photographs in this unsettling thriller by Henry (Stay Dead). Portland, Ore., 17-year-old Willow O’Connor, a talented photographer, works at Finding Home, an animal rescue agency that specializes in hard-to-adopt animals. Along with taking pictures for the agency’s website, Willow completes most of the day-to-day duties with Finding Home’s elderly director, and trains new volunteer Dare, also 17, in everything from how to walk a dog to the rules and hierarchy of the local dog park. Then Willow finds a lost camera memory card on the sidewalk that’s filled with hundreds of posed and unposed pictures of pretty girls, some of whom appear terrified. After the police brush her off—“It’s not a crime to take people’s photos”—and she finds a picture of herself on the card, she enlists Dare to help investigate. Interspersed throughout steady third-person narration following Willow and Dare are chapters detailing real estate agent Ryan, who readers quickly learn is the owner of the lost memory card. The well-paced narrative effectively balances the central mystery with numerous subplots, including the adoption agency’s financial ups and downs and Willow and Dare’s budding romance. Comedic canines such as French bulldog Pierre provide laughs amid the tension. Most characters are white. Ages 14–up. Agent: Wendy Schmalz, Wendy Schmalz Agency. (May)