Desert Angel

Fourteen-year-old Angel wakes up one morning at her desert trailer home to discover her mother has been murdered by a lowlife named Scotty, who has vanished. Angel has no water, no weapon, but she knows that Scotty, an expert tracker and hunter, will surface soon in order to eliminate her as a witness. She has to run, to disappear, if she is to survive and tell the world what happened. Her flight takes her through a harsh landscape to places she never expected to be, forcing her to trust others for the first time and strengthening her in ways she doesnt even anticipate . . . until its time to take a stand.

“…a fast-paced adventure…”--School Library Journal “…this will be a magnet for thriller aficionados.” --BCCB, Starred Review “Never showy, this is hard, gritty realism, and Prices depiction of the twitchy psyche of an abused girl is dead-on. Serious thriller fans will be more than satisfied.” --Booklist “…if suspense is your bag, this is a book to read.” --VOYA “Both the best and worst of humanity shine through in this gripping novel.” --Publishers Weekly "Relentless, heart-stopping suspense." --Kirkus Reviews Praise for The Interrogation of Gabriel James:  Winner of the 2011 Edgar Award for Best Young Adult Novel  “The fast pace, dark mood, and well-plotted story line should have readers hooked.” —Publishers Weekly "As with the finest interrogation dramas, like the movie The Usual Suspects, the final reveal is both satisfying and surprising, but its the well-structured and paced buildup thats most worth relishing.” —Booklist “The author writes intriguing and believable characters…The result is not only suspense but a memorable and believable characterization. Top notch.” —Kirkus Reviews

An ALA Best Book for Young Adults * "A taut thriller about Angel, a 14-year-old who is pursued by a man who has a deadly need to silence her. . . . The small, decaying towns, the Salton Sea and the desert heat provide a vivid backdrop for the unfolding drama. Angel is a tough heroine who needs help but knows if she accepts it, she is risking other lives, too. Relentless, heart-stopping suspense." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review* "This will be a magnet for thriller aficionados." —BCCB, starred review"A fast-paced adventure." —School Library Journal "Never showy, this is hard, gritty realism, and Prices depiction of the twitchy psyche of an abused girl is dead-on. Serious thriller fans will be more than satisfied." —Booklist"If suspense is your bag, this is a book to read." —VOYA"Price delivers a visceral thriller. . . . Pacing is tight, aided by direct, clipped prose that underscores Scottys brutality and Angels fragile emotional state. Both the best and worst of humanity shine through in this gripping novel." —Publishers Weekly

Charlie Price lives in northern California. His previous novel, The Interrogation of Gabriel James, was hailed as "top-notch" by Kirkus Reviews, "surprising" by Booklist, and "gripping" by BCCB, and won the 2011 Edgar Award for Best Young Adult Mystery.