The Creek by Jennifer L. Holm
First, pets go missing, and then a child is killed. Twelve-year-old Penny and her friends hear the gossip about Caleb and they, like all the parents, think he is the killer. After all, he terrorized the town before he was sent away and now he is back.
The story was okay. The characters don't have a lot of depth and Caleb is basically just a shadow of evil. The final reveal is a bit of a stretch. But it was a quick read with some twists and creepy moments. It's aimed at middle-grade readers and I think that age group would enjoy it.
I read this for the Terrifying Women square:
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