SOLVED. Generic thriller about a murderous child. [s]

[Adam]

By James Patterson or one of those fifty-books-a-year guys. There's these two kids. The good one, protagonist, has a mother with an art gallery near the California coast. His friend is sociopathic and wants to kill people. Vaguely remember him using that cliche line about not wanting to try alcohol because he doesn't like to give up power. The climax is set in a junkyard, I think. Maybe a vicious dog is involved?

[GracieKat]

Maybe try John Saul? A lot of his books feature murderous kids/teens

[Scott]

Maybe The Voice of the Night by Dean Koontz?

[Adam]

I'm pretty sure it's Voice of the Night. Thanks, guys.