Code of Silence by Tim Shoemaker

Telling the Truth Could Get Them Killed. Remaining Silent Could Be Worse. When Cooper, Hiro, and Gordy witness a robbery that leaves a man in a coma, they find themselves tangled in a web of mystery and deceit that threatens their lives. After being seen by the criminals---who may also be cops---Cooper makes everyone promise never to reveal what they have seen. Telling the truth could kill them. But remaining silent means an innocent man takes the fall and a friend never receives justice. Is there ever a time to lie? And what happens when the truth is dangerous? The three friends, trapped in a code of silence, must face the consequences of choosing right or wrong when both options have their price.

My review:
I occasionally review juvenile fiction, and so so for a few reasons: Some of it is really good, I am still a kid at heart, and I am always on the look out for good books for my nieces and nephews. This one sounded worth reading and reviewing, so I requested it and was not disappointed at all.

This is supposed to be geared for ages 13-16 or so, but the writing is not "dumbed down" at all (not meant in a derogatory sense). Other than the main characters being 13-year old kids, this could pass for an adult novel.

The plot was great and suspenseful, and the book reminded me a bit of the Three Investigators books I read as a kid, only better. Even though I am an adult, I couldn't put the book down.

Lying is dealt with a lot in the book. The central character, Cooper, makes a pact with his friends to keep a secret, but finds himself telling lie after lie to keep the secret, until even his friends wonder when he is telling the truth.

The book comes to a satisfying and suspenseful ending and after the story part of the book, there is a discussion on lying with reasons people lie, the effects, etc that I thought was done very well.

A side note: I passed the book onto my nieces and asked them what they thought. Stephanie (16) said it was "awesome!" and said she told Katie(12) "Katie, you HAVE to read this book!" Katie also loved it, so there you have it.... two members of the audience the book is geared for loved it also.

About the author:
Tim Shoemaker is a speaker and author of eight books, including Dangerous Devotions for Guys; Smashed Tomatoes, Bottle Rockets, and Other Outdoor Devotionals; and Mashed Potatoes, Paint Balls, and Other Indoor/Outdoor Devotionals.He has three grown sons and has been happily married for over 32 years. His debut into the juvenile fiction market draws from his experience with kids as a volunteer youth leader for more than sixteen years.


Code of Silence is available from Zondervan Publishing.

Thanks to Zondervan for the review copy.