Nobody Else Has to Know

What if you hit a little girl with your car and you could be certain nobody would ever find out? That's the premise of this compelling morality tale. At first, 15-year-old track star Webber can't remember anything about the crash that rendered him unconscious, the country road or the brief moments his grandfather let him take over the wheel of the Lincoln. Then his grandfather tells the police that he, not Webber, was driving when the car ran into Taffy Putnam, injuring her so badly she will never walk again. But as Webber struggles to regain the use of the leg he broke in the car accident, he is haunted by flashbacks and horrifyingly recalls his culpability. ""Nobody else has to know,"" Grandpa assures a tormented Webber, insisting he not confess to authorities. Tomey (The Queen of Dreamland) creates a suspenseful tale with a memorable protagonist, even if the supporting cast--his misguided grandfather and righteous, save-the-dolphins Dylis Clark, Taffy's former baby-sitter----occasionally seems stereotypical. Also hovering in the background are images of Webber's father, who died trying to save the life of a man who fell through the ice when Webber was eight. Though the ending lacks the note of finality found in Blackwater (reviewed above), the author's convincing portrayal of Webber's internal conflict (e.g., ""They bought him presents and hugged him and high-fived him and waited on him and admired him. Because they didn't know what he had done to Taffy Putnam. And he couldn't tell anyone the truth"") will likely satisfy readers that he'll do the right thing. Ages 12-up. (Aug.)