The Gone Book
Hard-hitting urban drama about friendship, family and loss from the author of Things I Know.
Kirkus Starred Review
Matt's mom left home when he was 10. He writes letters to her but doesn't send them. He keeps them in his Gone Book, which he hides in his room. Five years of letters about his life. Five years of hurt. Matt's dad won't talk about her. His older brother is mixed up with drugs and messing with dangerous characters. His friends, Mikey and Anna, are the best thing in his life, but Matt keeps pushing them away. All Matt wants to do is skate, surf, and forget. But now his mom is back in town and Matt knows he needs to find her, to finally deliver the truth.
For fans of Brian Conaghan.
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"[A] taut, emotionally authentic story ... Powerful." - Kirkus STARRED review
"Achingly sad but hugely funny. A gritty story full of heart." - Sheena Wilkinson, author of Hope against Hope
"Helena Close's YA debut The Gone Book is sure to make a big splash. From the memorable first line right through to the dramatic conclusion, the story hurtles along at a rapid rate, riding the crest of a massive wave and finally throwing its reader on Lahinch's shoreline with a thump...Close is an incredible storyteller." - Books Ireland Magazine "I would highly recommend this book. It's a chaotic read, full of twists and turns. It is gritty and realistic, and highlights the anguish of an absent parent and the strife of teenage friendships." - Paper Lanterns
"A heart-wrenching, hard punching, insightful narrative of life in modern Ireland." - Swear by the Books
