The Vanishing of Class 3B by Jackie Kabler

"Olivia casts one more despondent glance towards the school gate, hoping to see the minibus miraculously appearing, but it doesn't, of course, and clearly, she can't put this off any longer. She's going to have to tell the parents she currently has absolutely no idea where their children are, and this is not going to be fun. She takes a deep breath and heads for the door."          -from the novel

This title caught my attention probably because I am a retired teacher and I enjoy a good mystery from time to time. I had never read anything by this author, but this novel was definitely a page turner! 

A small class of 2nd and 3rd graders go on a field trip with 4 teachers and aides. When the minibus does not return and none of the chaperones are answering their phones, the head teacher, Olivia, quoted above, is very worried, not to mention the parents who are frantic. After some hours of waiting and searching, it is apparent there has been a kidnapping. When a ransom message finally arrives, it demands a huge amount of money and threatens to reveal a secret of one or more of the parents. And wouldn't you know there are several among them who have secrets!

After about the 2/3 point in the book, I could hardly put it down. I am rating it a 4 only because I found the climax disturbing for reasons I must not reveal.