Fourteen-year-old Tanner Bolton has a happy life in Edmonton, but has a disturbing recurring dream of swimming in the ocean, something he has never done. Meanwhile, in a small town on Vancouver Island, Alex Swanson, also 14, copes with his drunken, violent father. When Alex runs away from home, Tanner’s dreams and their accompanying headaches send him to a psychiatrist, his hockey game deteriorates, and he discovers a strange ability to move objects while in a rage.When Alex becomes a street kid in Vancouver Tanner’s dreams grow increasingly troubled.

Most readers will figure out the connection between the two boys before anyone in the story does. Tanner’s dreams reflect Alex’s troubles, and the boys are twins, separated at birth because their father, who lives with Alex, wanted only one child.

The plot does depend heavily on coincidence, and the psychokinesis could easily have been omitted, but Hrdlitschka’s skill as a writer more than compensates for these flaws. Her characterization is strong. Alex’s naiveté allows him to be drawn into a drug dealer’s world, and his strong morality makes his escape completely believable. Tanner’s steady decline is also handled with skill. The pacing is excellent and the plot resolution satisfying. This is a real page-turner. Disconnected is definitely worth reading, and will be especially good for reluctant readers with an interest in suspense and the supernatural.