Zach's Lie

Zach’s Lie (2001) is a critically acclaimed young adult thriller by American author Roland Smith. The novel explores themes of identity and the importance of family, truth, and trust. Smith is a New York Times bestselling author and has written over 20 young adult novels. Zach’s Lie won the Nevada Young Readers Award, and the American Library Association chose it as a Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers. Smith’s novel Jack’s Run (2007) continues the story of Zach’s Lie , as Aznar continues to pursue the family as his trial approaches.

This guide uses the Little, Brown Books for Young Readers 2003 reprint edition for citations.

Plot Summary

The novel is told in the first-person past tense from the perspective of the protagonist, 13-year-old Jack Osborne (later Zach Granger), with shifts into third-person past tense. It is divided into three parts.

The novel begins in Jack’s hometown before his family is forced into the Witness Security Program (WITSEC) after his father, Neil, is arrested for drug-running. Jack, his sister Joanne, mother Patricia, and father Neil have a happy family life, though his parents often argue. Neil is an ex-Navy fighter pilot who started his own small airline company that begins to fail, causing him to fall into debt.