cover image The Killer in Me

The Killer in Me

Margot Harrison. Hyperion, $17.99 (368p) ISBN 978-1-4847-2799-7

A teen tracks a serial killer in Harrison’s terrific debut thriller. Sleep hasn’t been kind to 17-year-old Nina Barrows, and she has taken to using pills to avoid it as much as possible. There’s a killer on the loose who calls himself the Thief in the Night, and Nina has insight into his next moves—her dreams give her a direct line into his life. Calling on Warren Witter, the friend who is hooking her up with her pills, she plans to stop the killer before he strikes again, but his identity remains elusive. Under the guise of meeting her birth mother for the first time, Nina and Warren set out on a road trip from Vermont to New Mexico that will lead them straight to the killer. Harrison expertly shapes a sharp, tense narrative, told alternately in Nina and Warren’s points of view, as Nina confronts terrifying personal truths and must fight for everything she holds dear. Taut storytelling and believable characters make this a standout mystery, with paranormal notes adding another layer of complexity. Ages 14–up. Agent: Jessica Sinsheimer, Sarah Jane Freymann Literary. (July)