A tragic kidnapping leads to an unlikely friendship in this novel about finding light in the midst of darkness from Jennifer Mathieu, the author of The Truth About Alice.

When eleven-year-old Dylan Anderson is kidnapped, his subsequent rescue leads to the discovery of fifteen-year-old Ethan Jorgensen, who had gone on a bike ride four years earlier and had never been seen again.

Dylan's older sister, Caroline, can't help but wonder what happened to her brother, who is autistic and nonverbal and is not adjusting well to life back home. There's only one person who knows the truth: Ethan. But Ethan isn't sure how he can help Caroline when he is fighting traumatic memories of his own captivity.

Both Caroline and Ethan need a friend, however, and their best option just might be each other.

Also by Jennifer Mathieu:
The Truth About Alice: A powerful look at slut-shaming, told through the perspectives of four small-town teens, about how everyone has a motive to bring—and keep—a teen girl down.
Devoted: A girl with a controlling, conservative family realizes that her life is her own—if only she can find the courage to fight for it.
Moxie: An unlikely teenager starts a feminist revolution at a small-town Texas high school.

Praise for Afterward:
"The author of Devoted and The Truth About Alice writes another electrifying tale of self-discovery and the powerful effect relationships have on the human mind." —School Library Journal, starred review

"A thoughtfully rendered story of the healing power of friendship in the wake of trauma, Afterward is equal parts hopeful, moving, and nuanced." —Julie Murphy, New York Times–bestselling author of Dumplin' and Side Effects May Vary

"Heartbreaking and heart mending, Afterward is a beautifully crafted novel that shows the power of hope and the resilience of one incredible boy and the people who care about him." —Christa Desir, author of Bleed Like Me and Fault Line