The Dead Boys, by Royce Buckingham
Teddy Matthews has to move to a small town in the Washington desert when his mother gets a job at the local plant. But next door a creepy sycamore tree is growing, mutated by nuclear waste. The tree has lured boys in to feed from for decades. And the tree wants Teddy is next.
Teddy catches on right away that something is wrong in town. Every boy he meets ends up disappearing. And the landscape keeps changing from new to old. With a little detective work, Teddy soon discovers what’s going on. And while the reader knows a little about what’s going on, the build-up of suspense is intense.
This is a short, quick read for middle readers on up. The ambiance is spooky and dark, yet never over the top for younger readers. A highly enjoyable tale of mystery and non-stop creepy fun, I found myself caught up at once. The story was gripping from the beginning to its climactic ending.