ALMOST TRUE

In this sequel to When I Was Joe (2010), "Joe" (formerly Tyler, now Jake) continues to make bad decisions based on his very partial understanding of his own past even as he tries hard to escape the present. "Joe" was the new identity given to Tyler as part of the witness-protection program he entered in order to keep his testimony safe from influence after he witnessed a fatal stabbing. Tyler had been an insecure loner, while Joe was popular and made friends, but Jake barely knows who he is, and his new situation is even more confusing than the last. His fear for everyone’s safety combines with his ignorance and a hair-trigger temper to keep the danger level high. Readers must have read the first book in order to understand this one, but for those in the know, Tyler/Joe/Jake is an enormously sympathetic character in fascinating, extraordinary circumstances. The swift pace will keep those already attached hooked to the end. The story is set in Great Britain, and a modicum of familiarity with their justice system is helpful, though not totally necessary. Framing the typical adolescent search for identity within the travails of a threatened witness—who may well be lying about various parts of his story or who may just be confused—makes for a high-octane survival tale. (Adventure. YA)