Questions I Want to Ask You

Perfect for fans of David Arnold and Jeff Zentner, this young adult novel from the author of Playlist for the Dead is an intriguing mystery about family, secrets, and how to move forward when the past keeps pulling you back.

Patrick “Pack” Walsh may not know where he’s going in life, but he’s happy where he is. He’s got a job lined up for himself after graduation. A great girlfriend. And can’t really see himself ever leaving his small town. Then, on his eighteenth birthday, a letter from his mother changes everything. Because she’s dead. At least, that’s what he always believed.

As Pack begins a journey to uncover the truth about the parents he thought he knew, the family he didn’t know he had, and the future he never realized he wanted, he starts to have a whole different understanding of his life—and where he wants to go from here.

Questions I Want to Ask You is a contemporary realistic coming-of-age story with an emotionally-driven mystery at its core. Kirkus praised it as "a well-rounded, much-needed portrait."

How do you find your future when your whole past is a question?

• A Powerful Father-Son Bond: Pack and his dad are a team. But the search for his mother threatens to reveal secrets that could tear their close relationship apart.
• An Unraveling First Love: He and his girlfriend Maddie have their future planned, until the letter arrives and pulls them in opposite directions.
• Small Town Mystery: In a town where everyone knows your business, Pack discovers that the biggest secrets are the ones kept at home.
• A High School Senior Story: On the cusp of graduation, Pack must decide between the comfortable future he always wanted and the unknown truth he desperately needs.

“A page-turner that combines genuine intrigue with heartbreak and desire.” - Holly Goldberg Sloan, New York Times bestselling author

Praise for Pushing Perfect: “Twists and turns abound. Reminiscent of Lois Duncan with its methodical uncovering of clues and multiple red herrings, this mystery will keep readers turning the pages.“ - School Library Journal

“Recommended for teens who enjoy mysteries in the form of timely, realistic fiction.” - Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)

“Falkoff’s coming-of-age story leaves the reader feeling proud of Pack’s personal evolution and ends in a place that truly feels like a new beginning.” - ALA Booklist

“Many teens will identify with Pack’s desire for things to stay as they are even as they change around him. The mystery is quiet but intriguing, leading to a satisfying conclusion that is not perfect but hopeful. The highlight here is Pack’s personal growth and self-discovery. Give this to readers with a taste for intrigue and quiet, character-driven stories.” - Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)

“The highlight here is Pack’s personal growth and self-discovery. Give this to readers with a taste for intrigue and quiet, character-driven stories.” - Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)

Praise for Questions I Want to Ask You: “A well-rounded, much-needed portrait of a boy with self-image issues and a narrow mindset who expands his viewpoint and prepares for an uncertain future.” - Kirkus Reviews

Praise for Playlist for the Dead: “Falkoff treats a difficult topic with delicacy and care.” - Publishers Weekly

“A nice premise with some truly powerful moments.” - Kirkus Reviews

“Realistic and well-written.” - School Library Journal

“An absorbing and sensitive read.” - Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books