Flash by Michael Cadnum

Flash is an unusual story that will appeal to a wide variety of readers. Brothers Bruce and Milton set out to rob a bank and are disappointed in the results. In the meantime, siblings Nina and Carraway are looking for their own way to save their father's ailing business. When Terrence (Nina's boyfriend) witnesses Bruce and Milton burying something in the back yard, he alerts Nina and Carraway, who decide to profit from the brothers' carelessness. Underlying all the action is the financial crisis and its myriad repercussions. The Bay Area setting is richly detailed and the book's contemporary setting make this a singular reading experience. Recommended for reluctant readers. Grade 8+

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