This analysis was generated by AI from publicly available reader reviews, literary criticism, and book discussions. It has not been verified by a BookLens community reviewer and may contain errors. Be the first to verify →
Content snapshot
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Violence
A lot
A child is found bloody and clinging to life on train tracks; the assault itself is reconstructed rather than staged, but its aftermath is described plainly
Language
Some
Middle-school and adult voices with light-to-moderate profanity
Sexual Content
Barely any
No sexual content; the online grooming element is a catfish scheme built on a folklore hoax rather than a sexual approach
Substance Use
Barely any
Not a feature
Emotional Intensity
Very heavy
Reviewers foreground bullying of all ages, mean-girl cruelty, an online deception targeting a lonely child, betrayal between friends, and parents trying to bury what their children did
What this book is about
Cora Landry, Violet and Jordyn plan a sleepover investigation into a local urban legend. Cora is discovered bloody on the railroad tracks and the other two are gone. Gudenkauf assembles the case from journals, transcripts and testimony as a small Iowa town decides which twelve-year-old to believe.
Notes for sensitive readers
Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.
Violence against a child
Bullying and online deception targeting a minor
Reader Verification
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