DOUBLE IDENTITY

Bethany’s life has always been safe and protected; her parents comfort her, spoil her and spend frequent quality time with her. But one day, when she’s almost 13, her parents bundle her into the car and drive her to Sanderfield, Ill., where they leave her with an aunt she never knew she had. Aunt Myrlie is kind, but nobody will tell Bethany where her parents have gone. Why do Myrlie, her adult daughter and the Sanderfield townspeople stare at Bethany as if she’s a ghost? Who is this mysterious “Elizabeth” she keeps hearing about? As Bethany finds answers to some of her questions, a mysterious man follows her around town. Tough philosophical puzzles are raised here, though explored too lightly, as Bethany confronts identity, free will, ethics vs. law and whether parents should live vicariously through their children. A surprisingly comforting resolution concludes this safe but compelling thriller. Bethany’s discovery of her own identity makes for a mystery well worth solving. (Science fiction. 10-12)