The Boy Who Wasn't There

The Boy Who Wasn't There by Michael Panckridge (black dog books)
PB RRP $16.99
ISBN 9781742031835
Reviewed by Vicki Stanton

The Boy Who Wasn't There is the first book in a new series, The Book of Gabrielle. Gabrielle, or Gaby, has woken in a hospital and has no memory of her previous life and no connection to anyone or anything from her past. A voice speaks to her and says she will receive redemption by helping others. She arrives at her foster home and strange and terrifying occurrences happen. Swarms of moths, spiders and birds attack, frightening visions appear and she feels as though she is being suffocated in the night.

A mysterious boy also lives in the house and Gaby is unsure of her foster parents. Gaby's story is also interspersed with notes from another inhabitant of the house. The story moves along quickly and Panckridge writes simply but in a compelling fashion. The Boy Who Wasn't There is a real page-turner. Twists are around every corner and I loved how during the bird attack Gaby makes a connection with the birds and eventually has some control over them.

The Book of Gabrielle series is bound to be a winner and will attract both girl and boy readers keen to discover Gaby's story as well as solve the mystery within each title.