This powerful and gripping thriller has a rare mix of characters pupils can identify with, a plot full of tension and suspense and a fast pace.

Fourteen-year-old Jim Hawkins has had a difficult time since his father mysteriously vanished a year ago. Recovering from the shock hasn’t been easy for him or his mother, and it’s all they can do to hold on to their Ontario farm.

So when Ruth Rose, the troubled stepdaughter of the local pastor, tells Jim that she believes his father was murdered by her stepfather, he doesn’t want to believe her. After all, she is crazy, isn’t she? But Ruth’s determination is infectious, and soon Jim joins her in a quest for the truth. As they delve into the past, painful secrets come to light, and Jim begins to realise just what the pastor is capable of.

The Boy in the Burning House is an excellent novel to explore the narrative techniques of the thriller genre. The beautifully drawn setting also provides opportunities for learning about different cultures. Thematic contrasts between charity and suspicion, love and hate provide good discussion points.

‘This is a gripping read and a thoughtful, realistic and sustained examination of trust, guilt and betrayal.’

Books for Keeps