Book ~ "Breakaway" (2012) Michael Betcherman

From Razorbill ~ Sixteen-year-old Nick Macklin's life has been divided in two. Before and After. Before his father went to jail, and After.

Before, he was a talented hockey player, an A student, in love with his girlfriend, Sherry, and had the greatest dad in the world, a man who not only was there for him after his mom died of cancer, but who was also a star player for the Vancouver Canucks.

Then the bottom fell out. His father was convicted of murder and given a life sentence for a crime Nick is convinced he didn't commit.

Now living with his dad's agent, the only thing that keeps Nick going is a burning desire to seek justice for his father. Who framed him? And why? Drifting away from everything and everyone who matters, Nick spends his days roaming the city, looking for the bald man with a limp who is the key to answering these questions: the man his father swears planted the evidence that led to his conviction.

Finding him is like looking for a needle in a haystack—until Nick stumbles on a very real clue, an eye-opening revelation that just might get his father out of jail forever.

Nick's dad, a famous hockey player, is convicted of murder and sent to prison for life.  Nick's mom is dead so Nick goes to live with his dad's agent, Al.  Nick finds it hard to be satisfied with the once a month visits to see his dad in prison.  Believing in his dad's innocence, Nick rides the buses around Vancouver looking for Baldy, a bald man with no eye brows and limps who left some paint on Nick's dad's jacket on the night of the murder ... this ultimately convicted his dad.

Nick eventually puts his life in order ... he gets back on the hockey team and puts some effort into  improving his grades. Plus he makes peace with his ex-girlfriend, Sherry.  Then Nick and his friend, Google, come across a tip they can't ignore and the mystery is eventually solved.

This is a YA book that didn't seem like a YA book.  I enjoyed the writing style and didn't find it  immature.  The language and actions at times is actually mature.  The story was good and I'd recommend this book.

I  received a copy of this book at no charge in exchange for my honest review.