Seconds Away

With one important exception, most of the violence in Seconds Away happens off-scene. Mickey Bolitar's friend Rachel is shot and receives a superficial wound. Her mother, however, dies from a gunshot. A subplot involves World War II, the Holocaust, and the extermination camp of Auschwitz. In the most violent scene, a gunfight leaves one of the major supporting characters grievously wounded.

Unlike the first volume in this series, there's very little sexual content in Seconds Away. Mickey is very attracted to Rachel and becomes a little awkward and tongue-tied in her presence. While searching a suspect's office, he's jealous when she lures a former boyfriend away from the scene with indirect promises of physical contact.

Only one or two instances each of "damn" or "hell." There's a running gag about "MILF," which in this case stands for the "Musicals I Love Foundation." The vulgar alternative for that acronym is not mentioned.

A cache of illegal drugs serves to drive the plot, but none of the characters partake of it. Mickey's mother is in rehab, but this volume includes no scenes with her.

Parents need to know that Seconds Away is the second novel in a series featuring high school sleuth Mickey Bolitar. It picks up in the immediate aftermath of the Shelter, the harsher human-trafficking-themed first installment. It's possible to read Seconds Away as a stand-alone thriller, but some of the impact of its details will be lost. The main mystery revolves around a shooting that leaves one of Mickey's friends wounded and her mother dead. The second plot thread concerns the death of Mickey's father and its connection to the Holocaust. Much of the violence happens off-scene, but a gunfight leaves a major supporting character grievously wounded. A cache of drugs is used as a plot point. There's very little cursing ("hell," "damn") or sexual content.