Although they are not major themes of the book, Cadnum is also percolating a couple of social, even political issues, underneath the surface of Edge. The first is the notion of justice. It is obvious to the reader and Zachary that Steven Ray McNorr is the person responsible for shooting his father, but he will probably never be punished for the crime. As a subtext of the novel, Zachary learns, with great frustration, the vagaries of the legal system. He shows up at each hearing determined to see justice done, only to be denied. The cruel irony of the book, as one review pointed out, is "Zachary and his parents hold the moral high ground but will be paying a heavy price for years whereas the criminal escapes punishment."

Teens, inundated with the influence of television shows and real-life events such as the O. J. Simpson...