The Vanishing at Pinecrest

<p>When twelve-year-old Sam Rivera starts at Pinecrest Middle School in April he expects the usual challenges of being a new kid. What he doesn't expect is to discover that students have been vanishing from the school every twelve years always four at a time always in April always without a trace.</p><p></p><p>Aaron Mitchell the robotics club president is already gone. Sofia Alvarez a talented artist disappeared next. Now Caleb Johnson and Lily Robertson have vanished too following a sinister pattern that stretches back decades.</p><p></p><p>Sam's father an archaeologist disappeared eight months ago while researching ancient rituals in Ecuador. But when Sam finds hidden evidence linking his father's research to Pinecrest's dark history he realizes the disappearances are no longer random. They're sacrifices part of a ritual performed by a secret society that believes they're protecting the city from an ancient evil.</p><p></p><p>With the help of three unexpected friends and a trail of clues his father left behind Sam has just three days to uncover the truth before the ritual is completed. But the deeper he delves into Pinecrest's secrets the more perilous his investigation becomes with danger lurking at every turn.</p><p></p><p>Some mysteries are meant to be buried for a reason. And some people will kill to keep them that way.</p><p></p><p>As time runs out Sam realizes that he may be the only one who can break the twelve-year cycle of terror. The responsibility weighs heavily on his young shoulders and he must summon all his courage and wits to survive long enough to try.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p>