READING FOR TEENAGERS: 'The Reappearance of Rachel Price' is a compelling read – Park Rapids Enterprise

Do you have any favorite authors? Almost all readers do this.

There are authors who write a book that I love, but I never like another book by them again. And then there are authors whose books captivate me from start to finish. Authors who write credible and relatable characters. Authors whose books I can't put down. I have read every one of their books.

Holly Jackson is one of those authors, and her latest book, “The Reappearance of Rachel Price,” is one of those books.

Bel Price's mother, Rachel, disappeared 16 years ago, when Bel was 2 years old. And the fact is that Bel was with his mother when she disappeared from the family car. The car was found on the side of a road not far from their home with Bel sitting in her car seat chatting happily. But Bel doesn't remember anything.

Bel wonders what happened to her mother, but after 16 years, she is happy with her life as it is. She lives with her father in the house he grew up in. His uncle and his family, including his cousin Carter, live just down the street. Bel and Carter are best friends. Their grandfather also lives nearby, but he has symptoms of dementia and needs constant care.

Since Rachel's disappearance, interest in her case has only grown. True crime podcasts have featured his story, and most recently a producer contacted the family about creating a series about it. And since they need money to pay for Bel's grandfather's care, his father agrees to participate in the series.

Bel is not happy to be part of the show. She has been trying to cope with her mother's disappearance for years and finds it all stressful. At the beginning of the book, the entire extended family is interviewed and filmed. They talk about the day Rachel disappeared and what they would do if she ever came home.

Part of the series involves filming a re-enactment of his disappearance, and Bel is troubled by it. She leaves and decides to return home, but on the way something surprising happens. She sees someone who looks like Rachel. And this Rachel tells a horrible story.

But Rachel's story is inconsistent and Bel wonders what to believe. She and a member of the film crew investigate on their own, and what they discover is more surprising than the story Rachel tells.

“The Reappearance of Rachel Price” is both a family drama and a mystery and a thoroughly compelling read. If you like young adult mysteries, I highly recommend this one.

And just a reminder that summer is here again with the summer reading program. It is open to anyone aged 2 to 18. Register in our temporary spaces Monday – Thursday 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the Hubbard County Government Center, or Friday 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. in Heartland Park.

Mary Schwartz works in the young adult section of the Park Rapids Regional Library, ordering books and creating programs. On the Literary Mary channel on YouTube, her videos explore books, STEM, creativity, and family history research. She also enjoys hiking and exploring the woods with her camera and her husband, Kevin.

Mary Schwartz works in the young adult section of the Park Rapids Regional Library, ordering books and creating programs. On the Literary Mary channel on YouTube, her videos explore books, STEM, creativity, and family history research. She also enjoys hiking and exploring the woods with her camera and her husband, Kevin.