Synopses & Reviews
It's too late for you. You're dead.
Those words float through Claire Cain's head as she lies broken and barely alive after a brutal beating. And they continue to haunt her months later, in the terrifying nightmares that plague her. So when her father takes a job in another state, Claire is hopeful that getting out of Chicago will offer her a new start.
But when she arrives in Peculiar, Missouri, Claire quickly realizes something is wrong—the town is brimming with hidden dangers and overrun by feral cats. And her fears are confirmed when a popular high school girl, Serena Sims, is found dead in the icy woods behind the school. While everyone is quick to say it was an accident, Claire knows there's more to it—for she was the one who found Serena, battered and bruised, surrounded by the town's feral cats.
Now Claire vows to learn the truth about what happened, but the closer she gets to uncovering the mystery, the closer she also gets to discovering a frightening reality about herself—and the damage she truly sustained in that Chicago alley. . . .
With an eerie setting and heart-stopping twists and turns, Holly Schindler weaves a gripping story that will make you question everything you think you know.
Review
“A heavily gloomy feel pervades this novel that shifts through phases of fantasy, mystery, psychological thriller, and thoughtful realistic fiction dealing with PTSD.” Booklist
Review
“With back-to-back scenes of exquisitely imagined...real horror, Schindlers third YA novel hearkens to the uncompromising demands of her debut, A Blue So Dark…This time, the focus is on womens voices and the consequences they suffer for speaking…A story about reclaiming and healing.” Publishers Weekly (starred review)
Review
“From the opening pages readers will be immediately immersed in this dark story…[which] has echoes of classic Hitchcock. Issues of cliques, peer pressure, bullying, self-esteem, post-traumatic stress syndrome, teacher-student relationships, and pet abandonment will provide substance for discussion.” School Library Journal
Review
“In the town of Peculiar, the cats arent the only ones keeping secrets… A dark and creepy psychological who-done-it that will keep you guessing until the very end.” Jody Casella, author of Thin Space
Review
“Wow! This book starts off with a bang - two of them, actually - and then it sinks its claws into you and never lets go.” April Henry, New York Times bestselling author
Review
“Readers wanting a psychological thriller should try Schindlers novel.” Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)
Review
“The books central plot is compellingly created. Effectively eerie... will leave some lingering chills.” Bulletin of the Center for Children & #8217;s Books
Synopsis
The Lovely Bones meets
Black Swan in this haunting psychological thriller with twists and turns that will keep readers guessing until the very last page.
It's too late for you. You're dead. Those words continue to haunt Claire Cain months after she barely survived a brutal beating in Chicago. So when her father is offered a job in another state, Claire is hopeful that getting out will offer her a new start. But when she arrives in Peculiar, Missouri, Claire feels an overwhelming sense of danger. Her fears are confirmed when she discovers the dead body of a popular high school student in the icy woods behind the school, surrounded by the town's feral cats. Claire knows there's more to this "accident" than meets the eye. But the closer she gets to finding out the truth, the closer she also gets to realizing a frightening reality about herself. . . .
About the Author
Holly Schindler is the author of Playing Hurt and the critically acclaimed A Blue So Dark. She grew up with two cats she adored; one of them started out life as a feral cat. Although she's a lifelong resident of Missouri (and swears her hometown has the prettiest skies around), she has never personally visited Peculiar . . . but the name of the town makes her imagination run wild.