The Abduction

When his best friend, April, disappears from her bedroom in the middle of the night, no one, not even Theodore Boone—who knows April better than anyone—has answers. As fear ripples through his small hometown and the police hit dead ends, it’s up to Theo to use his legal knowledge and investigative skills to chase down the truth and save April. 

The Abduction focuses on Theo as he follows the clues, looking for April. The story involves Leeper, a distant relative of April, who has just gotten out of jail. Theo’s determination and worry over April make him likable. However, to find his friend, Theo takes off with his uncle Ike, even though he knows his parents would disapprove. In addition, Theo convinces his friend to lie for him. While his intentions are honorable—save his friend—his deceit is intentional. After finding April, Theo calls his parents to explain why he lied to them and receives no punishment. 

Since the book is written from Theo’s point of view, much of the action is only seen through his perspective. Instead of being an active participant, Theo watches the investigation. For example, when police find a body in the river, Theo and his friends watch from a hillside. This provides readers with a buffer between the crime’s harshness and the information they receive. The book stays accessible to younger readers because they witness the characters’ fear from the outside rather than feeling it themselves. 

When Theo and his uncle find April, the scene is anti-climactic because she was never in any real danger. After she is found, they take a long car ride back home, and the book ends with a court hearing involving April and her parents. The lack of action makes The Abduction best suited for readers who enjoy learning about police investigations and character motives. Even though the book isn’t as action-packed as other books in the series, Theo is an interesting protagonist who gives readers an inside look at criminal investigations.  

Sexual Content  

• None 

Violence  

• None 

Drugs and Alcohol  

• April says her parents are “crazy” and have “drug convictions.” 

• April’s mom left her alone at night because “her mother was taking pills and losing her mind.” 

• Leeper, a relative of April, bought “cigarettes and beer.” 

• A man who is mentioned once spent most of the evening in his favorite bar, drinking his favorite cheap beer. 

• Theo’s uncle Ike represented a client who was “convicted for operating a small-time drug ring.” 

• When Theo went to visit Ike, he had a “bottle of beer already opened.” 

• Theo and Ike go to a frat party. “Theo had never seen so many cans of beer in his young life. Girls were dancing on the porch as their dates watched them and smoked cigarettes.” Theo also sees two cans of beer. 

• April says her father’s band drinks and does drugs.

Language  

• Theo’s mom says, “Oh, my God” one time. 

• April says “Omigosh” once. 

• Theo thinks his mother is “a Nazi about his cell phone bill.” 

Supernatural 

• None 

Spiritual Content  

• When April returned home, “the entire town took a deep breath, smiled, and thanked God for a miracle.”