A Sudden Silence

Jesse Harmon is tortured by guilt because he survived the hit-and-run accident that killed his brother, Bry. His guilt is compounded when he finds he is attracted to Bry's girlfriend, Chloe. Together Jesse and Chloe try to track down the drunk driver who killed Bry—but discovering the driver's identity leads to other disturbing truths. The Caldecott Medal–winning author portrays a teenage boy's battle with grief—and a devastating mystery—after his brother is killed by a drunk driver. Jesse Harmon is tortured by guilt because he survived the hit-and-run accident that killed his deaf brother, Bry. His guilt is compounded when he finds he is attracted to Bry's crush, Chloe. Together Jesse and Chloe try to track down the drunk driver who killed Bry—but discovering the driver's identity leads to disturbing truths that could change their lives forever. “Fast paced, suspenseful, magnetic, and meaningful, A Sudden Silence speaks about guilt, grief, and survival.” —School Library Journal “Bunting conveys a strong anti-alcoholism message through an intriguing detective story; Jesse's search to understand what has occurred is realistically portrayed, and the novel ends with signs that he is beginning to accept his loss.” —Publishers Weekly “The novel's anti-alcohol message is unmistakable, but it doesn't overwhelm the plot, which will capture teens with its brisk pacing and crisply sketched characters. A particularly good choice for reluctant readers.” —Booklist

A shattering teen novel by Eve Bunting, now in a new paperback edition

Publishers Weekly

When Bry is killed by a hit-and-run driver, his brother Jesse faces seemingly endless pain. He grieves for his brother and struggles with overwhelming guilt and unanswerable questions, because he had been walking alongside the road with Bry when the drunk driver struck him. He wonders if he could have pulled his deaf brother, who could not have heard his shouts, out of harm's way. And he feels terrible because he was thinking about Chloe, Bry's girl, only seconds before the accident. That Jesse is still attracted to Chloe after Bry's death only augments his guilt. Determined to track down the drunken driver, Jesse's discoveries lead to more pain. Bunting conveys a strong anti-alcoholism message through an intriguing detective story; Jesse's search to understand what has occurred is realistically portrayed, and the novel ends with signs that he is beginning to accept his loss. Ages 12-up. (April)

Upset at being unable to save his brother Bry from a fatal hit-and-run accident, and feeling guilty because of his growing attraction to Chloe, Bry's girlfriend, Jessie Harmon tries to ease his conscience by finding the hit-and-run driver Summary: Jesse Harmon searches for the hit and run driver who killed his brother Bry.