40 Days in Hicksville - by Christina Kilbourne (Paperback)

About the Book

Kate just wanted to meet her infamous, estranged grandfather, she didn't expect to encounter skulls hidden on his property. And she didn't expect Zach, the exasperating boy next door, to be the only person who can help her solve a thirty-five-year-old cold case.

Book Synopsis

Winner, SYRCA Snow Willow Award 2024

Winner, Forest of Reading - Red Maple 2025

Winner, YA Dude Books Reviewers' Choice Awards 2025

"[40 Days in Hicksville] is worth a read, and is a great example of the power of a well-written dual-perspective narrative." -- Canadian Review of Materials

Kate doesn't want to spend one minute in the "Hicksville" her mother moved them to, much less the entire year she's stuck here in the decaying house they inherited from her grandparents. She misses her boyfriend and sneaking out at night to make urban exploration videos for her growing YouTube channel.

Zach, the boy who lives next door, tries to befriend Kate even though she ignores him. But when Kate discovers her estranged grandfather lives nearby, she wants to meet him despite the small-town rumours of his violent past, and takes Zach with her.

That's when they find the crevasse on her grandfather's property and the skeletons hidden inside.

That's the day they find out Kate's uncle and his friend went missing as teenagers.

Instead of counting down the days until she can leave Hicksville, Kate and Zach start working together to solve the cold case that has silenced her mother for thirty-five years.

Review Quotes

"[40 Days in Hicksville] is worth a read, and is a great example of the power of a well-written dual-perspective narrative."

--Lindsey Baird "Canadian Review of Materials"

"Kilbourne brilliantly builds the tension in the story as each character is forced to face their deepest emotions, from desire and apathy at the beginning to anger and the guilt that comes from generational trauma later in the story."--James Steeves "YA Dude Books"