"True Crime" for the Young Adult Mind

Sadie is perfect for true crime addicts, a tense and dark story that digs into the death of thirteen-year-old,Mattie, and the disappearance of her nineteen-year -old sister, Sadie. Summers weaves this gritty story through the transcripts of a podcaster's investigation and Sadie's perspective as she goes through her journey.

The novel itself is not a light one- this isn't the story for readers who want fairy tale happy endings. Sadie explores the darkness of what can happen to little girls when they grow up in towns where most people don't have a future, to little girls whose families are easy prey.

Sadie is really about its namesake's journey to find the man she holds responsible for her sister's death. It's not a tale of character development, but a journey into revenge. Sadie, the girl, is strong-willed and smart- she's a survivor, and she's crafty and street smart in a way that makes her quest believable. She's unwavering in her dedication to her sister, her view of the tragic-edged life that she's tried to make brighter for Mattie.

West, our podcast investigator, doesn't necessarily grow over the course of the novel, but we see depth in the way that he reacts to his progress and discoveries in searching for our lost young lady. He reacts, reflects, sympathizes as a versatile character instead of a cold narrator of this sad tale.

Sadie is a steady narrative that progresses through West and Sadie's travels rather than a rapid assault of action. Personally, I thought the pacing was perfect for the plot. It unravels at a manageable pace that will help readers easily follow through each twist and epiphany.

The conclusion isn't quite what I had hoped for, what I think many readers might hope for, but I absolutely can't argue that it's exactly what the novel needs. It stays true to the mood, to the thoughtful issues crafted within Sadie's pages. It keeps some of the mystery alive...for better or for worse.