Deviant

Abigail Thom was given up by her mother as a newborn, and after an itinerant childhood in Scotland, a 16-year-old Abigail is surprised to learn that her birth mother has just died, leaving her a letter, a large sum of money, and a one-way plane ticket to Los Angeles to live with a family Abigail never knew existed. Out of place with her hardened demeanor (not to mention her Scottish accent), Abigail gradually begins to let down her guard around her new older sister, Becky, and Becky’s graffiti artist friends, but she still senses that something is not right within her privileged new family. Readers will enjoy Abigail’s blunt voice and savvy as she works to unravel the mystery of her parents’ pasts. Fitzgerald’s (Amelia O’Donohue Is So Not a Virgin) experience writing thrillers for adults comes through in this atmospheric story that features codebreaking, an SF edge, and many twists. The ending, while satisfying on its own, is ripe for a sequel. Ages 14–up. Agent: Lucy Juckes, Jenny Brown Associates. (June)