To catch a liar, he must become a liar.
Ethan Granger has no idea what his father does for work, just that it’s lucrative enough to make his family rich, and it often requires him to go out of town.
But when Ethan catches his dad in a lie, it raises unsettling questions he can’t ignore. Before long, Ethan’s investigation into this seemingly small fib uncovers a whole clandestine — and potentially criminal — operation.
Hiring a private eye, sneaking into his dad’s office, tailing him on his “business trips” — Ethan uses every deceitful trick his father taught him against those closest to him, but just how far will he go to expose the lies?
And what if the truth throws his whole world off balance?
New Brunswick Book Awards — Books for Young Readers Award | 2025 | Short-listed
“[The] first-person narration will ensnare readers immediately, sustaining their interest as this compact, strongly paced story navigates red herrings and subplots. … A fast-paced page-turner that explores moral gray areas.”
“Valerie Sherrard chilled me to the core in An Unbalanced Force. ... Readers who love action, suspense, and drama will enjoy this book.”
“Valerie Sherrard excels at realistic YA in which young people are challenged by ordinary feelings in perhaps uncommon circumstances. In An Unbalanced Force, Ethan is challenged with doing what's right which may be at odds with what his family might want.”
“Valerie Sherrard has created an intellectual story that puts a teenager in a pretty outrageous position and requires him to do the right thing. I love that Ethan, although a teenager and certainly prone to the wrong choices, makes very calculated and intelligent decisions throughout the story. You root for him because you would like to think you would make similar choices given the circumstances. … [T]his story was a thought provoking examination of family and choosing between family and what is right.”
“Valerie Sherrard’s An Unbalanced Force is a page-turning, edge-of-your-seat mystery that examines familial relationships, friendships, and personal ethics.”
“Opening with Isaac Newton’s First Law of Motion to solidify the title, and a first line that rocked me to my core, I was ready. … A fast-paced adventure that asks the hard questions of the responsibilities of sons and teenagers.”