The Rag and Bone Shop

ROBERT CORMIER

In this short but intense YA psychological thriller, police interrogator extraordinaire Trent pits himself against 12 year-old Jason Dorrant, suspect in the murder of a 7 year-old neighbor girl. Ethically haunted by his success but driven by ambition, Trent must elicit a confession or Jason walks in the absence of any physical leads in the case. Jason, on the other hand, is trusting, naive, and completely innocent. Who will triumph in the stifling confines of the interrogation room? I thoroughly enjoyed the character development and the intensity of the cat-and-mouse interrogation between Jason and Trent, which showcase Cormier's ability to write a thriller without relying on plot. It also provides depressing commentary on the practice of interrogation with an ending as sad as it is horrifying. Despite the young age of the protagonist, I would reserve this book for older teens and adults.