From Publishers Weekly After spending seven chapters articulating the conflicts and relationships of high-school senior Cray Buchanan， Cadman (Taking It; Breaking the Fall) zaps readers with a sudden crisis: the inexplicable disappearance of Cray's older sister， Anita. Tension mounts rapidly as the protagonist， along with his parents and the police， traces frustratingly vague clues taken from fragments of conversations and excerpts from Anita's diary. As this riveting novel progresses， the tragedy unravels the fabric of family life. The personalities of characters undergo subtle changes: Mrs. Buchanan， an archeologist， puts on a stoic front， Cray's father， a factory owner， becomes somewhat fanatic in his behavior and Cray begins to be more open and honest about his feelings. Although the mystery remains unsolved， as in Susan Beth Pfeffer's The Year Without Michael， the final scene， set at the family's lakeside cabin， affords a type of closure. Fans of intense psychological dramas can expect to be emotionally drained by the time they reach the last chapter. Ages 12-up. Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information， Inc. From School Library Journal Grade 7-10?Cray Buchanan， high school senior， narrates this taut， waking nightmare of contemporary American life. When his 18-year-old sister Anita fails to come home from work one night， all normal， daily events and problems abruptly lose importance. Cray's fleeting hopes of becoming the varsity quarterback and a fire at his father's furniture factory fade into obscurity. Days stretch out in a litany of tension and futility?police interviews， searching dumpsters and alleys， and MISSING posters. Poignant scenes unfold as Cray invades the sanctity of his sister's room and diary to uncover clues to her disappearance. Cadnum's character portrayals resonate. Torn between grief and anger， the family tries to make sense out of the senseless. The mother， a practical scientist， retreats into her study and her research， with periodic raids on the refrigerator， all the while preparing for the worst. The father clings to the optimistic high ground， leaving no person or organization untapped， and passes his days in a frenzy of activity， but no resolution is in sight at novel's end. Cray delves deep into his sister's secret self， a direct contrast to his earlier inattention. His regret over not knowing her better allows him to reevaluate his friends and family. Exquisite descriptions cruelly juxtapose the unbearable open ending， leaving each reader with "zero at the bone."?Alice Casey Smith， Sayreville War Memorial High School， NJCopyright 1996 Reed Business Information， Inc. See all Editorial Reviews