INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Survival is not a guarantee in this chilling horror novel where a teenage medium doesn’t know which is worse . . . confronting a school-shooter-turned-vengeful-ghost or enduring his racist high school.
“Spine-chilling YA horror.”—The Boston Globe
“A teenage version of Get Out . . . Douglass looks at race and trauma and death with a comical and horror-esque twist.”—The Root
Living in two worlds is exhausting and no one knows this better than sixteen-year-old Jake Livingston. His working-class, diverse neighborhood is a far cry from the world of St. Clair Prep, where he is one of the only Black students, constantly at the mercy of racist teachers and peers who don’t understand him. But when his neighbor—a survivor of a grisly school shooting—is murdered and the bloody initials of the now-dead shooter, Sawyer Doon, are left on the entryway wall of Jake’s home, Jake is forced to confront another world he wishes he could escape—the world of the dead.
As a medium, Jake sees ghosts around him all the time. Most are harmless. Stuck in their death loops as they relive their deaths over and over again, they rarely interact with people. And while for most of his life Jake has avoided them, this time there is no running away. Sawyer was a troubled teen who shot and killed six kids at a local high school before taking his own life. Now he’s a powerful, vengeful ghost, and he has plans for his afterlife—plans that include Jake. When Sawyer begins stalking him, high school becomes a different kind of survival game—one Jake is not sure he can win.
A ALA Rainbow Book List Pick • A Tor Young Adult Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Best Book Pick • A Black Caucus American Library Association Best of the Best Booklist Pick“Spine-chilling YA horror.”
—The Boston Globe “This book is absolutely incredible, chilling, and a must-read.”
—BuzzFeed
“YA readers looking for thrills and chills this summer will find them here.”
—Brightly“Captures the pain of navigating teenagerhood when no one around you sees the world the way you do . . . A quick, worthwhile read that manages to pack a lot of dark themes into a tight space.”
—The Young Folks“Chilling, edgy . . . spooky and layered . . . A wonderful genre-meld . . . This is an excellent debut.”
—Cinelinx “This YA debut from Ryan Douglass is a mix of genres—horror, mystery, thriller, and contemporary–that explores how a Black gay teen medium copes with the various kinds of violence that threaten him.”
—Culturess“Racial and sexuality themes undercut this gripping novel where a teen is haunted by the repercussions of his own sixth sense.”
—Cultured Vultures“A unique and terrifying world built on tension and ghosts.”
—The Seattle Times“An exceptional blend of genres—horror, mystery, thriller and contemporary—that brilliantly captures how Jake, a Black gay teen medium, copes with the varying kinds of violence threatening him . . . Douglass creates a clever and effective parallel between what Jake can't control—racism and how his body is perceived, a toxic father, an irresponsible brother, his mother's expectations—and his fight against Sawyer. The story builds to a rewardingly chilling and sentimental climax, as Jake must look deep within himself for the power to break the cycles of harm entrapping him . . . An extraordinarily crafted exploration of agency during Black gay teenhood.”
—Shelf Awareness, starred review“A teenage version of
Get Out, and you will not be disappointed. . . Douglass looks at race and trauma and death with a comical and horror-esque twist.”
—The Root“Crucial social commentary and insight into the ways discrimination can isolate and depress young adults. Lush and emotive prose chronicles Jake’s journey . . . Spooky, atmospheric, and layered.”
—Kirkus Reviews“There are many layers to navigate in this fast-paced trip to and from the world of the dead, including identity, violent and sexual traumas, and the stigma of mental illness, all with a supernatural and often gory twist . . . Ultimately, this is a satisfying addition to the supernatural horror section.”
—BCCB“Tackl[ing] mental illness, rejection, and loneliness. . . this novel takes a hard look at brutality in many forms, racism, homophobia, and consequences of the choices that we make.”
—School Library Journal
