Zach's Lie by Roland Smith - A Book Review

Oct 27, 2011
Laurie Zinn

Zach Granger's family moves to Elko, Nevada - Ken Lund

After his father is arrested for involvement with a drug cartel, Jack Osborne and his family must enter the Witness Security Program and start a new life.

Jack Osborne awoke in the middle of the night to an intruder's hand over his mouth, telling him if he made a sound he would die. Three intruders dressed in black and wearing ski masks tie up Jack, his sister and his mother and hand a cell phone to his mother.

“They will kill us if you talk.” is all she is permitted to say to his father on the other end of the line.

Confused and terrified, the Osborne family learn that their father, Neil Osborne, had been arrested for involvement with a drug cartel and now the whole family is in danger. Trying to protect his family and cooperate with the authorities, Neil Osborne advises his family to enter the Witness Security Program, which means leaving the life they know without saying goodbye, taking on new identities and starting new lives in a new location without him.

With the help of two United States Marshals, the family relocates to the small, rural town of Elko, Nevada, out in the middle of nowhere and with a much simpler lifestyle than they are used to. Their new last name is Granger, and Jack's new name is Zach.

Starting a new school is difficult, but Zach quickly befriends the school custodian, Sam, who is a good ally to have because he is liked and respected by the principal and the other students. While his mother tries to open a small bookstore, Zach and his sister, now called Wanda, meet friends and become involved in school activities. Zach is even interested in a girl named Catalin.

As Zach settles into his new life while keeping secrets and trusting no one, his safety is quickly jeopardized, and he must take fast action to protect his family and everyone he has come to know and care about.

Zach's Lie - Strengths and Weaknesses

Zach's Lie is an exciting and suspenceful novel written for young adults but could certainly be enjoyed by adult readers. It describes the life of a middle school-aged boy entering the Witness Security Program and starting over in a new school.

The topic may be of interest to young readers because they may not know or understand what entering the Witness Security Program is like for a child. Many children may be able to relate to moving and starting a new life in a new city, but not as many children would know what it is like to take on this challenge while becoming someone new and not being able to discuss their past.

Zach's Lie is a fast paced book that is hard to put down. Most of it is written from Zach's perspective, but some of the chapters describe actions and conversations between the members of the drug cartel, whose investigations lead them closer to Zach's family, and make the book that much more exciting.

Roland Smith - Author of Zach's Lie

Zach's Lie, published in 2001 by Hyperion Books for Children, is Smith's first book in a series about Jack Osborne and his family. The sequel, Jack's Run, was published four years later.

Smith has written over 30 fiction and non fiction books for children and young adults. Many of these books are about or include animals, as he draws on his 20 years of experience as a Zoo Keeper for a children's zoo in Portland. Working with animals took him all over the world, but he eventually left the profession to pursue his love for writing.

Smith lives in Portland, Oregon with his wife, Marie.