If the Witness Lied

by Caroline B. Cooney

This young adult thriller takes place in twenty-four hours and explores how people as well as the media can exploit a situation with devastating results, especially when innocent children are involved.
 
 
Jack Fountain knows that what’s happened to his family sounds like the most horrible soap opera anyone could ever write. But it’s all true. It happened—to his parents; to his sisters, Smithy and Madison. And to his baby brother, Tris. What made it worse was that the media wanted to know every detail.
   Now it's almost Tris’s third birthday, and everything’s starting again. Aunt Cheryl, who’s living with the Fountain children, has decided that they will heal only if they work through their pain—on camera. It will be a field day for the media, and no one, except Cheryl, wants that. Jack and his sisters gear up to keep Tris’s adorable face off-screen, but they quickly realize that there is more at stake than their privacy. The very identities they’ve created for themselves are called into question. What really happened the day of their father’s accident?
   The Fountain siblings have less than twenty-four hours to change their fate. Together, they will ask questions no one asked at the time of the tragedy. And together, they vow that this time, they will not be exploited.

Genres: Mystery, Young Adult, Realistic Fiction, Fiction, Teen, Suspense, Thriller

224 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Caroline Cooney knew in sixth grade that she wanted to be a writer when "the best teacher I ever had in my life" made writing her main focus. "He used to rip off covers from The New Yorker and pass them around and make us write a short story on whichever cover we got. I started writing then and never stopped!"
When her children were young, Caroline started writing books for young people -- with remarkable results. She began to sell stories to Seventeen magazine and soon after began writing books. Suspense novels are her favorites to read and write. "In a suspense novel, you can count on action."
To keep her stories realistic, Caroline visits many schools outside of her area, learning more about teenagers all the time. She often organizes what she calls a "plotting game," in which students work together to create plots for stories. Caroline lives in Westbrook, Connecticut and when she's not writing she volunteers at a hospital, plays piano for the school musicals and daydreams!
- Scholastic.com

Reviews

[Spider the Doof Warrior · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was a terrible book!
Here's why. First of all, would folks REALLY picket the house of a woman with cancer to torment her about her discision to have her baby instead of abort and get chemo.
REALLY?
Would folks REALLY blame the baby for the mother's death when she decided to have him in the first place?
REALLY?!
Could a 2 year old child REALLY pull a parking brake when you have to press a button to move it and there's no way a child would have such manual dexterity?
REALLY?!?!?!
Would a dude really actually allow some random woman up into his house to take over this way?
And why wouldn't the police have investigated this? Why did it take so long to figure out that a two year old couldn't have done such a thing?
Were all of the adults in this book stupid and crazed by television?! How many times can I say "REALLY?!" in big letters over the dippiness of this dippy book?!

[Kaethe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had marked this as "stricken" after reading Synthesthesia's spoilerific review, because, well, really.

But then the PandaBat said it was great and I read it anyway.

Library copy

[Courtney · Rating 1 out of 5]

Um, I hate to be mean, but I can't discuss this book without a certain amount of snark. The plot is really contrived and convoluted. I'm usually prepared for some suspension of disbelief, but not this much. We are supposed to believe that everyone blames a 2-year-old for the unrelated deaths of both his parents and that their long-lost-kinda/sorta-stepaunt is allowed to take custody after their father's death. An aunt who has no history with the family whatsoever. Oh, and the father? He died ostensibly because his 2-year-old was "playing" with the parking brake while he left the car in neutral to retrieve something from in front/underneath their Jeep. Because a toddler is totally capable of releasing a parking brake in the few minutes that a father (who has the habit of leaving his car in neutral?) steps out of the car. And it's a Jeep, people. Moving out of neutral. From a dead stop. And it kills the father. The only adult witness, of course, is Cheryl, the crazy kinda aunt.
So, it's now been a year since the Dad died. Mom's been gone for a few years now. The two sisters have found alternative arrangements. Smithy, the 14-year-old, put herself in boarding school (don't even get me started on the logistics here) and Madison, the eldest, goes to live with her godparents. So that leaves Jack and the killer toddler, Tristan, left in the house with Cheryl. And at the opening of the book, a TV producer is at the house pitching a reality-TV show about the family. And there, friends, is the dire danger that the kids are in. The sisters miraculously decide to come home on their own at the same time. In fact, a lot of things "miraculously" happen. Like the ending. But, if you really want to read it, I'm not going to spoil it for you. Though if you're anything like me or my middle-school kids that I discussed this with, you'll have the story figured out within the first 20 pages. And the motivation will never hold weight. I don't buy any of it. How in the world did this get nominated for a state award? I'll never really understand. We did, however, have a wonderful time suggesting things that would have made this story work (or at least be compelling) as well as tearing apart all the goofy plot conventions. Blech.

[Allison · Rating 1 out of 5]

Cooney is a big fan of telling and not at all a fan of showing. Even though it's just over 200 pages, easily 10 or 15 could have been knocked off if she'd quit repeating everything.

And while I know that you know, teens aren't known for thinking things through, the complete lack of awareness and extreme self-centeredness exhibited by every single Fountain child was astounding. Basically only Diana had any sense.

Also, the soap-style cuts -- where each section covers only a few minutes' time, ends on a cliffhanger, and the next section covers that same time with a different group of people -- bugged the crap out of me. The whole book lasted like four hours, and it could have lasted half an hour if any of the characters had used their damn brains.

AND. So I just do not see a woman with cancer choosing to delay chemo because of pregnancy being that big a controversy -- I DEFINITELY can't imagine people picketing her house to try and convince her to have an abortion over it. That's what conservatives think liberals are like -- not how the real world works. And Madison says that if people in her new town have heard about what happened with her parents, they don't mention it, but she moved 12 miles away. Surely Connecticut's TV markets are bigger than that!

Not a bad premise, but the execution was just terrible.

[K. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Content warnings: death of a parent (in the past), cancer (in the past), grief, murder

The premise of this was utterly intriguing. Unfortunately, I found the execution something of a slog. Don't get me wrong, I liked the story. But I found it slow and jumping between the three siblings didn't always work for me. Especially because the story throws you into the depths of the story and then explains the death of their parents in dribs and drabs. And, as a result, I kind of struggled in the early stages to understand why it was such a big deal.

Add in a moustache twirling villain and this was just sort of aggressively fine.

[Shayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who wouldn’t want a chance to be on television? Madison, Jack, and Smithy Fountain definitely wouldn’t. For the past two years their lives have been a media circus and all they want is to be left alone, to blend in, to be normal. The Fountain children are orphans. Their mother died of cancer shortly after giving birth to Tristan, having made a decision to have her baby rather than undergo chemotherapy that might have saved her life. Two years later, their father is killed in an accident. There is only one witness who claims baby Tristan caused the accident. The witness is “Aunt” Cheryl who has been living with the family since their mother died. Aunt Cheryl is a big fan of reality TV and has arranged to have a TV crew come to film a documentary about the family and its tragic past—a documentary that will cast 3-year-old Tristan as the killer of both his parents. As Tristan’s teenaged brother and sisters band together to prevent this from happening, and to remove Cheryl from their lives, they inadvertently discover some new clues relating to their father’s accident. Clues which raise the question… what if the witness lied?

Although things get wrapped up a little too neatly in the end, this story is chilling, gripping, and begs to be read in one sitting.

[Karin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. There was nothing wrong with this book. Caroline Cooney does her thing quite well. Suspense develops nicely and things are wrapped up neatly. Mostly the story of 3 siblings trying to protect their toddler brother when their aunt tries to get them to be the focus of a reality-tv series (younger brother ostensibly responsible for the deaths of their mom - from cancer - and dad - freak accident). Perfectly fine, middle-of-the-road teen thriller. Just nothing to write home about.

[Faith Monroe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was one of those books that you read all day without stopping. I was so said when it was over. I felt that I really connected with the characters in this story and I am looking forward to reading more of Caroline's books!

[Emma.P · Rating 4 out of 5]

If the Witness Lied by Caroline B. Cooney is a realistic fiction novel told from the third person omniscient perspective. This book was very hard to understand, but once you understand what’s going on, it makes a lot of sense. The character, Jack, is a very responsible kid. His Aunt Cheryl is an imbecile. His sisters are irresponsible and give up a lot. And his little brother, Tris, is very curious. The Fountain family was a very happy family, until, something so tragic happened: their parents died. Both of their deaths involved Tris. Aunt Cheryl is trying to get Tris to be the murderer by getting him to say something on the internet. While this is happening, Jack and his sisters are trying to make sure Tris is far away from Aunt Cheryl by going all over town to keep Tris occupied.
I recommend this book to seventh grade through high school. It’s a very confusing book to read, so you need to have a good understanding of what’s going on. This book is also about death and murder, so if you don’t like that kind of imagery, then I wouldn’t read this book.

[leela ⚡️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

ok this book was really good but kinda scary too

[Isabel · Rating 1 out of 5]

At least it was short.

This book would have been fine - maybe even worth three stars - if it had just stayed in its lane and tried only to impart the moral about family that we were promised. We don’t need the three random political viewpoints thrown in there, because plot-wise, the book was fine, and the characters were mediocre but not terrible.

Okay, first off, why didn’t anyone think to get their grandparents involved? And even if they didn’t want to bother them to literally SAVE their little brother’s life, why wouldn’t they think of them as a placement option? Instead, Jack was immediately like, “They’re gonna throw Tris into an abusive foster home and put me in JAIL!” He literally thinks they put orphans in juvenile detention for no reason, which is just plain stupid.

Also, the whole thing with Tris’ mother. What she did was commendable - heroic, even. But as the author wrote about it, it felt distinctly anti-abortion. The mom’s comment about how you can’t just throw away babies, the picketers in their front lawn - in a case like that, most people would absolutely think that mom was a hero regardless of their political stance. People LOVE that sad-but-happy-ending crap, so a mother willingly sacrificing herself for her child would be treated wonderfully. People wouldn’t protest in front of their house or confront them directly - at least, the overwhelming majority of them wouldn’t. That situation could have simply served as a sweet character building moment and instead it became political. And it wasn’t even a choice, like have the baby or abort him and still survive. Abortions for medical emergencies are even protected in places like Alabama, so picking that type of abortion to get all political about was kinda dumb. (Not to mention that the mom was just plain stupid - she said that doctors are as accurate as weather forecasters, which is so blatantly wrong. I told my mom, a nurse, about that line and she was horrified into silence.)

All of the talk of God was really annoying. Talking about church was amazing because it filled in the children’s backstories and presented another place that they had lost. I liked the pastor, too. However, the random monologuing about how they individually felt about God, and their collective, eventual return to prayer, was unneeded. At one point, I actually read the blurb again just to assure myself that no, I hadn’t missed some line about how this was a Christian book. Especially since there was no big return-to-faith moments at the end, it was all useless.

Speaking of religion, in Smithy’s boarding school, a girl is attacked and questioned for being religious. I don’t know if this author has spent any time in the good ol’ US of A, but as a kid who didn’t go to church, churchgoers aren’t the ones who get picked on. I think the way many Christians approach atheists is that they’re this big united group set on attacking religion, since Christians themselves are united and often used to looking down on other groups. Really, atheists are the exact opposite. That’s kinda the point: there’s no hive mind and they’re generally pretty accepting. As a result of this incorrect mindset, atheists are mostly displayed as cookie cutter liberals when that’s pretty far from the truth. And it’s always easier for an organized group to bully a disorganized population. Always. (Sorry, just my repressed memories of childhood torment at the hands of “good” Christian children bubbling up. Also, disclaimer because some people are too dumb to understand generalized statements, there are exceptions to everything I’ve said.)

This is more nitpicking the cover of my copy, but on the back of the version I own, there’s an excerpt from the book that, no joke, happens in the last chapter or so, effectively ruining that part for me. Very poor planning.

This book was written by a conservative Christian laboring under her delusions of what liberal atheists are like. And boy, did it miss the mark.

I can see now why my library withdrew the book and sold it for less than a dollar. Now, I’m off to avoid all other Caroline B. Cooney books like the plague.

[Mandie Miranda · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best award winning book for young teens. This book goes through ups and downs, emotional breakdowns and a crazy ride you do not want to come off of! Jack and Maddie Fountain are the two main characters in the story. They really made me enjoy the book, because they both relate to me in the way that they aren’t lazy to finish once they start something. They were very dedicated throughout the book to find the murderer of their father. At the end of every chapter I would constantly ask myself and wonder what will happen next? This book is good for teens because the characters are teenagers with the exception of the three year old brother. Teens can really put themselves in the character's shoes because they are the same age as well. At the same time anyone would enjoy this book because of all the actions.

[Breanna F]

The Fountain family are no longer together. Jack is the only one to protect Tris. Smithy and Madison are gone. And somehow, sometime, the court let Aunt Cheryl raise Tris and Jack.
I’ve always wondered how hard it is for orphans, and now I know. Once Laura Fountain, the mom, died of cancer, everybody thinks that 2 year old Tris is the reason. Why? Because Laura wouldn’t take chemo, it would kill the baby. She would have it after Tries was born, but was too weak and died. Madison, Smithy, Jack, and Tris had a hard life, but once a girl named Cheryl Rand comes into the picture, it was easier, or was supposed to be. Cheryl likes the kids to call her Aunt, even though she’s not. However, their father dies. Going to the back of his jeep to pick something up, Tris climbing into the driver’s seat, and pulling the parking brake. And now, Cheryl Rand, their so called Aunt takes care of them. Madison and Smithy ended up leaving, and Jack has to take care of Tris the rest of the way. But Jack can’t protect his brother all the time. Especially when their Aunt Cheryl sells Tris to television, because television is her life.
Aunt Cherly wants the TV to make a reality show, family reunion, taping the feelings of the kids. But most of all, the little 2 year old, Tris, who killed both of his parents. And so "Aunt" Cherly can have her fame. Smithy and Madison come back for their father’s birthday. Which is perfect timing for the TV, but Jack will not let it happen. So he leaves the house, and once he finally has Madison, his sister by his side again, his plan could work. But secrets that they never knew, wouldn’t ever think would be true, are. They find pictures, pictures of Aunt Cheryl wearing Laura’s engagement ring, the next taking it off, the next her face lit up with madness, and the last, is the picture that gives the truth. Did Tris really kill their dad, can they get out of the show, stop it from happening, can they go to police tell them everything.
Can they protect Tris?
What can they do when a witness lies.
I felt like putting the book down in the beginning, but made myself keep reading it. And I am glad I did. I couldn’t put down this book, always wondering what’s around the next corner for the Fountain’s. I was at the edge of my seat wondering whether little Tris killed their dad, or if it was truly, their dear Aunt Cheryl.
I would read this book maybe once again, recommending it to anyone. I would say this book is probably more in the suspense/mystery. At first the book was sad, and it took a while to understand, but overall, It was a great book.
I could always tell which person was talking throughout; Caroline b. Cooney did a great job, because I could see Jack being a great big brother.

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

Caroline Cooney has been writing well-crafted YA thrillers for a LONG time, and she's got it down pat. This one is no exception, and offers some moments where the goosebumps go up and down the arm. Story picks up about a year after a series of tragic events befell the Fountain family; Laura, the mother, was diagnosed with liver cancer while pregnant with her fourth child. She chose to carry the baby to term, rather than undergo chemo which might have saved her. Her story became a cause, and her death soon after the boy's (Tris) birth turned her into a martyr, and Tris into an unwitting killer. Just about two years later, Reed, the father of the family, was killed in a horrible car accident right in the family's driveway. Tris was in the car at the time, and according to the only witness, was responsible for letting the car's parking brake go, to fatal effect.

Now the children have scattered, unable to cope with their loss, or talk with each other about what they may still have left. Jack (14) and Tris (now 3) still live in their family home, under the guardianship of Cheryl, a relative in name only. Madison, the oldest, has gone to live with her godparents a few miles away, while Smithy, a year younger than Jack, has gone off to a boarding school in another state. On what would have been their father's 41st birthday, Jack discovers that Cheryl, who has always sought the spotlight, has been negotiating with a television producer, who wants to do a human-interest documentary on the family. Jack knows that this will only expose Tris to more brutal media scrutiny, when he doesn't even know what happened. When Madison and Smithy return home, to try to reclaim some sliver of their family, the children discover that there is much more to the story of their father's death than was previously thought, and that Tris may not be the "parent killer" that he's been made out to be.

Conney crafts suspense as well as any author, and this would be a good title to give to students interested in mysteries. The importance of family, love and forgiveness are all key here as well. What kept this from being a better book, for me, was the way Cheryl's motivation in the story was never fully explained; the children have guesses as to why she may have done what she did, but it's never clearly resolved. As a result, she's a pretty one-sided character. Also, the story seemed to wrap itself up almost too cleanly at the end. I realize that after everything this family has gone through, they must deserve some happiness, but it almost seemed too neat to me. Still, it's a good, fast-paced read, which is definitely worth the time.

[Bethany · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am ambivalent about this book. I kind of hated it, but it was also--I couldn't stop reading. I wanted to know what would happen, what had happened, but there were some things I just couldn't reconcile. Cooney felt very preachy here, as in, this character should turn to God, these kids should be kids and call their grandparents, and most of all (really, this was an over-arching theme in the book) no one should ever watch tv. If you watch tv, you are the devil. Everyon that is involved in making television is the devil.

And then I had trouble with the main plot because--no one would blame a toddler for releasing a parking brake that killed his father, no one would demonize that baby. I mean, yes, other children might feel resentment or anger toward the toddler, but the news media/adults watchign the story from home would--they wouldn't make that jump. It would be, "This poor child, he'lll have to grow up without his father and eventually he'll have to deal with his own guilt re: his involvement therein." It would not be, "This is clearly Rosemary's baby." So...that pretty much dissolves the entire premise of the book, which is problematic.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you love a mystery, this book is for you. Caroline B. Cooney writes a story that keeps you glued to the pages! In this novel, the Fountain family is torn apart by the death of their mother(cancer) and their father (murder? accident?). "Aunt" Cheryl moves in to take care of the children. She is not really their aunt and seems to want nothing else but to erase all memories of the parents from their home. She was the only witness to the death of the father, but how could a 2-year-old toddler release the parking break in a Jeep? After Maddie, the older sister, tries to do the same in another Jeep and has much difficulty, she begins to suspect that things aren't right. Within a 24-hour period, the 4 siblings try to unwind the mystery. This is just in time as "aunt" Cheryl has sold their story to a reality TV show producer. This would tear the family apart - what is left of them.

[Siena Mccollum · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was filled with suspense, especially towards the end. At the beginning, the reader doesn't know much about the story, just that the Fountain family is trying to protect their little brother, Tris. Slowly, you find out what had happened to their parents. You figure out the storyline piece by piece. Sometimes, especially at the beginning, I was lost because I wasn't aware of the plot yet. Also, the majority of the middle of the book was a slow read because I didn't find any interest in it. It was all background stories and small events. This book focuses on the importance of family and how you would do anything for them. Like what Jack, Madison, and Smith do for their little brother, Tris. Overall this book was okay, the only part I didn't enjoy was the slow middle section, that felt like forever to read. Besides that I loved the mystery feel to it and the plot twist.

[Emily Cottle · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is another one of those books that I couldn’t put down but didn’t necessarily like. Here’s what I think…A woman who has no legal relation to a bunch of orphans would have absolutely no right to make decisions for them. I’m pretty sure that if they didn’t want her there, they could kick her out. I know there was the concern that they would go to foster care, but there was clearly the grandparent option the whole time. I also didn’t buy the whole “everyone thinks this child is a devil” theory. No matter what the media said, the public would never call a two-year-old an evil murderer. So basically, there was too much sentimentality. I felt conned into feeling sorry for the main characters, and the bad characters were too entirely evil.

[Vesmé · Rating 1 out of 5]

Changing my rating to 1 out of 5. I'd give it 1/2 star if I was able to.

This was like a fanfic where everything bad happens to your favorite character, without the payoff of gay sex at the end.

Seriously, so much in this book is unbelievable. This is like some sort of wetdream of a book for Christians who like to feel that they're being persecuted all the time.

Also, the book outright says (chapter 8) that most woman would find it EASY to get chemo to save themselves, thusly end the life of their own unborn child. EASY! You know what, I doubt that's an easy fucking decision to make and it's an insult to suggest so.

One of the worst books I've ever read.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Fountain kids--Madison, Jack, Smithy, and Tris--first lose their mother to cancer, and then their father is killed in a freak accident. Two-year-old Tris supposedly took off the emergency brake and the car rolled over Mr. Fountain. Now "Aunt" Cheryl has taken over everything--the house, their lives, and their money. When they discover the terrible truth of what Cheryl did, the kids know they must get rid of her, but will anyone believe them?

As long as you don't think too deeply about some of the unrealistic things that happen, this is a good, scary book. I really liked it.

[Kat · Rating 1 out of 5]

The suspense was well done, as the author tends to do that well, but the book was preachy and unbelievable. Blaming a child for something without ever doing an investigation is unrealistic. Letting a non-relative take over a home and family is also unrealistic. Clearly it was written by a Christian, which isn’t a big deal, but the book was distinctly anti-abortion, played down medical science by comparing doctors to weather forecasters (uhm what?), and the religious aspect felt forced and shoved at the reader, all which rubbed me the wrong way as an information literacy professional.

[Angela · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel the best way to sum up this book is to call it "Classic Cooney" - Caroline B. Cooney has been writing young adult suspense books for ages and this one sticks close to her original formula. Read more on my blog at: http://bookishblather.blogspot.com/20...

[Lorena · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a quick read. The mystery plot hooked me and I could not put this title down. I did notice that a lot of the same information was repeated by the different characters. That did get annoying after awhile.

[Zoey · Rating 5 out of 5]

If the Witness lied By Caroline B. Cooney
Book report by Zoey Cloward p. 6
This book is quite marvelous. It starts out with the second oldest Jack. But the sad thing is Jack is 15 although he doesn’t act like it. Jack takes care and feels responsible for his little brother Tris who’s only three. Jack and Tris have two sisters Madison who’s the oldest and Smithy who’s the second to youngest. They are the Fountain kids the Fountain parents however are both dead. The Fountain children are orphans and after their parents died. Madison went to live with her godparents, smithy went to boarding school. Jack and Tris however stayed in their beloved home as they watched every trace of their mother and father be destroyed by their evil aunt Cruella Deville not actually her name is Cheryl. Funny thing is she’s not actually their aunt she’s their mothers step sister after her father got married for a month and then ended in a quick divorce.

The story takes a turn when it’s their dad’s birthday. Both Madison and Smithy decided to go home on the sperm of the moment when they all haven’t talked to each other in months. But their timing couldn’t be worse. Cheryl has sold Tris to T.V. This wouldn’t be such a big deal for most people. But people and the media believe that Tris killed both his parents. Which isn’t true his mother died of cancer she was willing to give her life to make sure Tris had one. Some people said she was committing suicide. But Laura Fountain saw it as making sure her child survived. The father is another story Tris was accused of Killing his father when he got under the car to grab something and the car rolled back. The only witness was their aunt Cheryl who had come after their mother died to help out around the house.

When these siblings come back together they come up with a plane to stop the t.v. docudrama from happening. As they try to stop this plan they come across an astonishing secret that Cheryl has kept. Could the only witness to their father's death could have lied, and now Tris has to pay the price. The author does a really good job at making you hate cheryl like you know she’s pure evil. Jack has to hold back from wanting to rip her head off. But at moments when I was reading this book I wanted to rip her head off. This book was so amazing because you saw a broken family come back together and be healed. I recommend you read this book.

[Breanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

If the Witness Lied is a fictional story, written by Carol B. Cooney. In this book you are told the story of the Fountain children, whose parents died just a few years apart. Their mother of cancer and their father because the baby played with the parking brake. The kids separated, the boys, Tris and Jack, stayed with Aunt Cheryl, in their house, Smithy, the youngest sister, sent herself to boarding school, and Madison, the oldest, went and lived with her godparents. Throughout the story the children learn to come together. When they come together they find out is wasn’t their baby brother who killed their father.

Jack is a great character, he stays with his baby brother, helps raise him, but doesn’t really get the chance to be a teenager. Smithy left her family and friends, to live a life that wasn’t for her. Madison transferred schools to live with a family that didn’t want her. Tris was to young to understand what was happening and still played a key time in the story. Cheryl was not to be trusted from the start but the kept her around anyway.

In my opinion this was an amazing book. I love the way it was put together. You believe something that turns into something you would not imagine to happen. The twist ending is the best part. All the characters are amazing and it is truly a wonderful fiction book.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't know why this book sat on my shelf unread for years. I know that Caroline Cooney is an awesome author. When I started to read this book I thought that I wasn't going to like it. Then I got into the non-stop action and danger and I read the entire book in one day. And it is an awesome story of family love.

The Fountain children, Madison, Jack, and Smithy, lose their mother when she refuses chemo for her liver cancer because she is pregnant. She died weeks after little Tristan is born. In comes horrible Aunt Cheryl to help care for the children. She isn't even really an aunt and only became their mother's stepsister for a short time when they were both adults. Then when Tristan was 2 Mr. Fountain died in an accident- Cheryl said that the baby released the parking brake and it ran over their dad. She was the witness. Unable to face life without parents, Madison moves in with friends. 14 year-old Smithy applies to boarding school in another state. Jack is left home alone with Tris as his protector. Now the children come together when Cheryl is selling their tragedy to a TV documentary. The older siblings swear that Tris's life will not be ruined by the spotlight that he killed both of his parents. Their quest seems impossible against the wiles of Cheryl but united, anything is possible.

[Sammy Wheeler · Rating 4 out of 5]

If the Witness Lied by Caroline B. Cooney is a story pack full of mystery and adventure. The Fountain kids (Jack, Tris, Smithy, and Madison) used to live a normal life until a tragic accident killed their dad. Who's to blame? The youngest Fountain kid Tris who happened to be only 3 years old. Cheryl, their aunt, wanted to show the world the terrible life the kids live in, but Jack doesn't want his younger brother exploited on TV. Strangely, this new found liking of Cheryl's reconnects the Fountain kids. But did Tris really kill his father? Or is someone else to blame? This book was a wonder to read, it's the perfect mix of real-life scenarios and fiction. My favorite part is how the Fountain kids come together to save their little brother. Smithy and Madison come back from living separate lives and do everything they can to help Jack keep Tris’s face of the media. The book also slowly reveals more about the life they lived in before their father died, which gives the reader a better understanding of the life the Fountain kids had before the accident. If the Witness Lied is the perfect story for young readers who live for mystery and families reconnecting after having a broken home. It's a story people might relate to in their own ways.

[Ben I · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like this murder mystery. One of my favorite things about this book is they assume that Cheryl's telling that the baby (Tris) released the parking brake of his dad's car whilst he was in front of it and killed him. But half way through the book about, they start to wonder. Is this a lie? How was he strong enough to release it? They meet up after being split apart from their fathers and mothers death. They come from boarding school, from home, from foster parent's houses to meet at the fountain house. (the family is the Fountain family) They meet up and in the dark they work together to solve the mysteries. With help from grandparents, school ministers, and more they confront Cheryl of the murder and for blaming/framing it on the poor baby. Through events like : printing bank info, finding a photo of Cheryl's hand on the parking brake, Cheryl wearing the ring of the dead mother, Cheryl attacking Diana and more lead to the conclusion of the framed murder.

[Madison · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's not often that a book will cause a wave of anger through almost the entire body of the work. This book in particular got my blood boiling over a few characters with how they acted and why. This is the story of a little child who; in a way; killed both mother and father. However the deaths of both parents were unrelated to the last baby boy.

Some people after reading this book may argue on one death, however that is besides the point.

This story, through it's ups and downs with the family and the little boy is also shown through the social media and major news channels. This young killer boy has only known the media his life ever since birth and his mother's death. Now with the father gone the boy becomes famous once more for the death of his father, killing off one generation of his family.

[Emery Van Abel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was an amazing story and kept me at the edge of my seat the whole time. This book is about 4 children who are all separated from each other and living with other families because both of their parents died. All except one sibling who stayed with their baby brother that is accused of two murderers. First, their mom was pregnant and had cancer and in order to do chemo, the baby would be killed. The baby was born and shortly after, the mom died. Also, the public accused the newborn of killing the father because he "drove over him when he was under the car." The family comes together and they find out many crazy things about the murdering of their parents! This book has a lot of twists and turns and has suspense throughout the whole story.