"This book will seem fresh to new readers for decades to come." —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
Family secrets turn deadly in this edgy page-turner about the insidious limits of labels and the ties that bind just a little too tightly, from the New York Times bestselling author of the Chronicles of Vladimir Tod.
Growing up, Adrien and his sister, Grace, competed viciously for everything. It wasn’t easy being the adopted sibling, but Adrien tried to get along; it was Grace who didn’t want anything to do with him. When their scientist parents died in a terrible lab fire, there was nothing left to hold them together.
Now, after years apart, Adrien and Grace are forced to reunite at the elite boarding school where their parents were teachers. Being back around everyone he used to know makes Adrien question the person he’s become, while being back around Grace makes him feel like someone he doesn’t want to be.
For as much as Adrien wants to move on, someone seems determined to reopen old wounds. And when Adrien starts to suspect that Grace knows more about their parents’ deaths than she let on, he realizes there are some wounds no amount of time can heal. If Adrien isn’t careful, they may even kill him.
- Deadly Sibling Rivalry: He's the adopted son trying to forget the past. She's the perfect daughter who might have buried it. Their competition is no longer just a game.
- Dark Academia Setting: At the elite Wills Institute, the halls are filled with whispers and every shadow hides a secret, forcing Adrien and Grace back together after years apart.
- A Twisty Family Drama: Adrien is certain Grace knows more about the lab fire that killed their parents. But digging for the truth could get him expelled—or buried.
- Psychological Thriller: Is Grace the monster Adrien has always believed her to be, or is his own grief twisting the truth into something far more dangerous?
