It all starts when Matthew observes a heroic scene in a convenience store: A man named Murdoch puts himself between an abusive father and his son. Matt is determined to get to know this man. And when, amazingly, Murdoch begins dating Matt’s mother, it seems as if life may become peaceful for the first time.

Matt and his sisters have never before known a moment of peace in a household ruled by their unpredictable, vicious mother. And so, after Murdoch inevitably breaks up with her and the short period of family calm is over, Matt sees that he needs to take action. He refuses to let his family remain at risk. Can he call upon his hero, Murdoch? And if not, what might his desperation lead him to do?

A thought-provoking exploration of self-reliance and the nature of evil and a heart-wrenching portrait of a family in crisis, this is Nancy Werlin’s most compulsively readable novel yet....

Eli Samuels, barely out of high school, is offered a job at prestigious Wyatt Transgenics by its founder, a legendary molecular biologist. The salary’s amazing, the work is interesting, and Dr. Wyatt seems to want to mentor him. It’s almost too good to be true. But Mr. Samuels is vehemently against Eli’s taking the job, and he won’t explain why. Eli knows that there’s some connection between Dr. Wyatt and his parents—something painful for his father. Something to do with his mother, now debilitated by Huntington’s disease. As Eli works at the lab and spends time with Dr. Wyatt, he begins to uncover some disconcerting information—about himself....

Guilt, murder, ghosts -- will David and Lily ever escape the past? Recently acquitted of accidently killing his girlfriend but still crucified with guilt, 17-year-old David has moved to Massachusetts to complete his senior year of high school. His aunt and uncle have offered him shelter. His attic apartment in their house is full of ghostly shadows at night, his aunt is cold, and his 11-year-old cousin Lily is hostile. As Lily's behaviour becomes more threatening towards him, David wonders what secrets lurk within Lily. The more he thinks about Lily, the more he is forced to deal with his own past. Is Lily a killer too?...

After being accused and acquitted in the death of his girlfriend, seventeen-year-old David is sent to live with his aunt, uncle, and young cousin to avoid the media frenzy. But all is not well at his relatives’ house. His aunt and uncle are not speaking, and twelve-year-old Lily seems intent on making David’s life a torment. And then there’s the issue of his older cousin Kathy’s mysterious death some years back. As things grow more and more tense, David starts to wonder—is there something else that his family is trying to hide from?...

As the orphaned daughter of a wildly successful inspirational singer/author, Marnie Skyedottir stands to inherit great wealth. But until then, Marnie has to survive a dreary life in private school. She endures by escaping into an online role-playing game as much as possible and steering clear of the other students. So when Marnie is kidnapped by someone who also claims to be Skye’s daughter, she is worried. With her reclusive tendencies, will anyone even know she’s gone? And will her online gaming skills be of any help to her in this real-life drama?...

Eli Samuels, barely out of high school, is offered a job at prestigious Wyatt Transgenics by its founder, a legendary molecular biologist. The salary’s amazing, the work is interesting, and Dr. Wyatt seems to want to mentor him. It’s almost too good to be true. But Mr. Samuels is vehemently against Eli’s taking the job, and he won’t explain why. Eli knows that there’s some connection between Dr. Wyatt and his parents—something painful for his father. Something to do with his mother, now debilitated by Huntington’s disease. As Eli works at the lab and spends time with Dr. Wyatt, he begins to uncover some disconcerting information—about himself....

For Matt and his sisters, life with their cruel, vicious mother is a day-to-day struggle for survival. But then Matt witnesses Murdoch coming to a child’s rescue in a convenience store, and for the first time, he feels a glimmer of hope. When, amazingly, Murdoch begins dating Matt’s mother, life is suddenly almost good. But the relief lasts only a short time. When Murdoch inevitably breaks up with their mother, Matt knows he needs to take action. But can he call upon his hero? Or will he have to take measures into his own hands? A heart-wrenching portrait of a family in crisis, this is Nancy Werlin’s most compulsively readable novel yet....

Lucy has nine months to break an ancient curse in order to save both herself and her unborn daughter.

Inspired by the ballad “Scarborough Fair,” this riveting novel combines suspense, fantasy, and romance for an intensely page-turning and masterfully original tale.

Lucy is seventeen when she discovers that the women of her family have been cursed through the generations, forced to attempt three seemingly impossible tasks or to fall into madness upon their child’s birth. But Lucy is the first girl who won’t be alone as she tackles the list. She has her fiercely protective foster parents and her childhood friend Zach beside her. Do they have love and strength enough to overcome an age-old evil?...

A beautifully wrought modern fairy tale from master storyteller and award-winning author Nancy Werlin.

Inspired by the classic folk ballad “Scarborough Fair,” this is a wonderfully riveting and haunting novel of suspense, romance, and fantasy. Lucy is seventeen when she discovers that she is the latest recipient of a generations-old family curse that requires her to complete three seemingly impossible tasks or risk falling into madness and passing the curse on to the next generation. Unlike her ancestors, though, Lucy has family, friends, and other modern resources to help her out. But will it be enough to conquer this age-old evil?...

Dear Emmy,
I have decided to write it all down for you, even though I do have my doubts. I wonder if you really need to know exactly what happened to us–me, you, Callie–at the hands of our unpredictable, vicious mother. How we lived back then, when I was fifteen and you only seven, all of us full of fear. And then full of hope when we met Murdoch, the man who seemed to be showing us an easier future. What Murdoch did and what he couldn’t do. What you and I did. Part of me hopes that you’ll go along happily your whole life and never want to know the details.
But I need to make sense of it. I need to try to turn the experience into something valuable for you, and for myself–not just something to be pushed away and forgotten. Emmy, the events we lived through taught me to be sure of nothing about other people. They taught me to expect danger around every corner. They taught me to understand that there are people in this world who mean you harm.
Matthew...

Lucy Scarborough is seventeen when she discovers that the women of her family have been cursed through the generations, forced to attempt three seemingly impossible tasks or to fall into madness upon their child’s birth. How can Lucy succeed when all of her ancestors have tried and failed? But Lucy is the first girl who won’t be alone as she tackles the list. She has her fiercely protective foster parents beside her. And she has Zach, whose strength amazes her more each day. Do they have enough love and resolve to overcome an age-old evil?

Inspired by the ballad “Scarborough Fair,” this spellbinding novel combines suspense, fantasy, and romance for an intense and masterfully original tale.

“Werlin reinforces her reputation as a master of the YA thriller...brilliant.” – Booklist starred review on The Rules of Survival

“Mesmerizing.” – Publishers Weekly starred review on Double Helix...

Eli has lucked into a job at Wyatt Transgenics—offered to him by Dr. Wyatt, the famed scientist. The salary is substantial, the work is interesting, and Dr. Wyatt seems to be paying special attention to Eli. It’s almost too good to be true. Is there a catch?

Eli’s father is vehemently against his taking the job, but won’t explain why. Eli knows that there’s some connection between Dr. Wyatt and his parents—something too painful for his father to discuss. Something to do with his mother, who is now debilitated by Huntington’s disease. As he continues to work at the lab, and to spend time with Dr. Wyatt, he begins to uncover some disconcerting truths about himself—about his very makeup.

Rich and suspenseful, with a hair-raising conclusion, this is Nancy Werlin’s most dynamic novel yet—one that explores the ethics and amazements of genetic engineering....

Frances refuses to look in the mirror; she can't bear to face her reflection. She has hidden from herself and everyone around her for such a long time, and now that her brother Daniel has committed suicide, she can't help thinking that it's somehow her fault. If she hadn't been so caught up in her own pain, maybe she would have noticed her brother's. It's time to stop hiding-to reach out to Daniel's friends at their private school. Daniel had been deeply involved in Unity Service, the charitable group on campus, and Frances is determined to join the group and to make amends.

But something's not quite right about Unity, and soon Frances finds herself in the middle of a puzzle too ominous to ignore. Exactly what are the Unity members trying so hard to hide? This time Frances won't scurry away. The memory of her brother is at stake. ...

Frances Leventhal's brother Daniel has committed suicide at the exclusive Pettengill School. But there is more to his death than meets the eye! 16-year-old Frances Leventhal, half Japanese, half Jewish American, can't bear to look at herself in the mirror. She has hidden from herself and everyone around her for years, and now that her brother Daniel has committed suicide by taking a massive heroine overdose, she can't help thinking that it's all her fault. If she hadn't been so caught up in her own insecurities, maybe she would have noticed her brother's pain. It's time to stop hiding -- to reach out to Daniel's friends at their private school, where they were both scholarship pupils. Daniel had been deeply involved in Unity Service, the charitable group famed across the country for its work through schools, and Frances is determined to join the group and somehow make amends. But something's not right about Unity, and soon Frances finds herself in the middle of a puzzle too ominous to ignore. Exactly what are the Unity members trying to conceal? This time, Francis isn't hiding. The memory of her brother is at stake....

After seventeen-year-old David is forced to stand trial for his girlfriend’s death, he is sent to live with his aunt and uncle and their young daughter, Lily, to avoid the media frenzy. But all is not well at his relatives’ house. His aunt and uncle are not speaking to each other, and Lily seems dead set on making David’s life a torment. And then there’s the issue of their older daughter, Kathy, who died under mysterious circumstances a number of years back. As things with his family grow more and more tense, David starts to wonder: Is he the only one who’s hiding something?

“David and Lily are sympathetic characters, who compel readers to discover the whole truth behind their stories. Once they get started, readers will be hard pressed to put this book down.” – VOYA, starred review

“[A] tautly plotted thriller, rich in complex, finely drawn characters.” – Booklist, starred review...

16-year-old heiress Marnie's inability to communicate with the people around her leads to a terrifying ordeal at the hands of an insane kidnapper! 16-year-old Marnie Skyedottir is tremendously wealthy and totally alone. The daughter of a superstar who died years ago, Marnie refuses to take part in her oppressive boarding-school community. She would rather burrow away in the dark, comforting world of her favourite Internet adventure game. Especially now that she has started chatting online with one of the other players, an intriguing rogue who calls himself the Elf. But closing herself off from everyone around her doesn't mean that she's safe, as Marnie soon discovers. Kidnapped, locked inside an empty basement cell, Marnie is forced to confront painful truths about herself and her famous mother as she desperately tries to escape her jailer. Oh, how little her cyber-adventure game has prepared her for this real-life dungeon! And how she longs for just one more battle of wits with her mischievous Elf!...

After seventeen-year-old David is forced to stand trial for his girlfriend’s death, he is sent to live with his aunt and uncle and their young daughter, Lily, to avoid the media frenzy. But all is not well at his relatives’ house. His aunt and uncle are not speaking to each other, and Lily seems dead set on making David’s life a torment. And then there’s the issue of their older daughter, Kathy, who died under mysterious circumstances a number of years back. As things with his family grow more and more tense, David starts to wonder: Is he the only one who’s hiding something?

“David and Lily are sympathetic characters, who compel readers to discover the whole truth behind their stories. Once they get started, readers will be hard pressed to put this book down.” – VOYA, starred review

“[A] tautly plotted thriller, rich in complex, finely drawn characters.” – Booklist, starred review...

A beautifully wrought modern fairy tale from master storyteller and award-winning author Nancy Werlin.

Inspired by the classic folk ballad “Scarborough Fair,” this is a wonderfully riveting and haunting novel of suspense, romance, and fantasy. Lucy is seventeen when she discovers that she is the latest recipient of a generations-old family curse that requires her to complete three seemingly impossible tasks or risk falling into madness and passing the curse on to the next generation. Unlike her ancestors, though, Lucy has family, friends, and other modern resources to help her out. But will it be enough to conquer this age-old evil?...

As the daughter of the wildly successful inspirational singer-author Skye – who died in a plane crash when Marnie was young – Marnie Skyedottir stands to inherit great wealth. But until she is old enough, she must survive a dreary life in private boarding school. She endures by escaping into an online role-playing game as much as possible, and steering well clear of the other girls. So when Marnie is kidnapped by someone who also claims to be Skye’s daughter, she is terrified. With her reclusive tendencies, will anyone even notice that she’s gone? And will her online gaming skills be of any help to her in this real-life drama?

“As she did in The Killer’s Cousin, Werlin offers a compelling thriller that will have readers turning pages.” – Booklist

“The pacing is fast and the author successfully explores the layers of the theme to build interest and suspense.” – SLJ...

As the daughter of the wildly successful inspirational singer-author Skye – who died in a plane crash when Marnie was young – Marnie Skyedottir stands to inherit great wealth. But until she is old enough, she must survive a dreary life in private boarding school. She endures by escaping into an online role-playing game as much as possible, and steering well clear of the other girls. So when Marnie is kidnapped by someone who also claims to be Skye’s daughter, she is terrified. With her reclusive tendencies, will anyone even notice that she’s gone? And will her online gaming skills be of any help to her in this real-life drama?

“As she did in The Killer’s Cousin, Werlin offers a compelling thriller that will have readers turning pages.” – Booklist

“The pacing is fast and the author successfully explores the layers of the theme to build interest and suspense.” – SLJ...

Lucy Scarborough is seventeen when she discovers that the women of her family have been cursed through the generations, forced to attempt three seemingly impossible tasks or to fall into madness upon their child’s birth. How can Lucy succeed when all of her ancestors have tried and failed? But Lucy is the first girl who won’t be alone as she tackles the list. She has her fiercely protective foster parents beside her. And she has Zach, whose strength amazes her more each day. Do they have enough love and resolve to overcome an age-old evil?

Inspired by the ballad “Scarborough Fair,” this spellbinding novel combines suspense, fantasy, and romance for an intense and masterfully original tale.

“Werlin reinforces her reputation as a master of the YA thriller...brilliant.” – Booklist starred review on The Rules of Survival

“Mesmerizing.” – Publishers Weekly starred review on Double Helix...

As the daughter of the wildly successful inspirational singer-author Skye – who died in a plane crash when Marnie was young – Marnie Skyedottir stands to inherit great wealth. But until she is old enough, she must survive a dreary life in private boarding school. She endures by escaping into an online role-playing game as much as possible, and steering well clear of the other girls. So when Marnie is kidnapped by someone who also claims to be Skye’s daughter, she is terrified. With her reclusive tendencies, will anyone even notice that she’s gone? And will her online gaming skills be of any help to her in this real-life drama?

“As she did in The Killer’s Cousin, Werlin offers a compelling thriller that will have readers turning pages.” – Booklist

“The pacing is fast and the author successfully explores the layers of the theme to build interest and suspense.” – SLJ...

After seventeen-year-old David is forced to stand trial for his girlfriend’s death, he is sent to live with his aunt and uncle and their young daughter, Lily, to avoid the media frenzy. But all is not well at his relatives’ house. His aunt and uncle are not speaking to each other, and Lily seems dead set on making David’s life a torment. And then there’s the issue of their older daughter, Kathy, who died under mysterious circumstances a number of years back. As things with his family grow more and more tense, David starts to wonder: Is he the only one who’s hiding something?

“David and Lily are sympathetic characters, who compel readers to discover the whole truth behind their stories. Once they get started, readers will be hard pressed to put this book down.” – VOYA, starred review

“[A] tautly plotted thriller, rich in complex, finely drawn characters.” – Booklist, starred review...

As the daughter of the wildly successful inspirational singer-author Skye – who died in a plane crash when Marnie was young – Marnie Skyedottir stands to inherit great wealth. But until she is old enough, she must survive a dreary life in private boarding school. She endures by escaping into an online role-playing game as much as possible, and steering well clear of the other girls. So when Marnie is kidnapped by someone who also claims to be Skye’s daughter, she is terrified. With her reclusive tendencies, will anyone even notice that she’s gone? And will her online gaming skills be of any help to her in this real-life drama?

“As she did in The Killer’s Cousin, Werlin offers a compelling thriller that will have readers turning pages.” – Booklist

“The pacing is fast and the author successfully explores the layers of the theme to build interest and suspense.” – SLJ...

Lucy Scarborough is seventeen when she discovers that the women of her family have been cursed through the generations, forced to attempt three seemingly impossible tasks or to fall into madness upon their child’s birth. How can Lucy succeed when all of her ancestors have tried and failed? But Lucy is the first girl who won’t be alone as she tackles the list. She has her fiercely protective foster parents beside her. And she has Zach, whose strength amazes her more each day. Do they have enough love and resolve to overcome an age-old evil?

Inspired by the ballad “Scarborough Fair,” this spellbinding novel combines suspense, fantasy, and romance for an intense and masterfully original tale.

“Werlin reinforces her reputation as a master of the YA thriller...brilliant.” – Booklist starred review on The Rules of Survival

“Mesmerizing.” – Publishers Weekly starred review on Double Helix...