Erase Me

Traumatized teens navigate a labyrinth of betrayal, conspiracies, paranoia, and violence in this brutal psychological thriller by Silver (Dead Happy). Ever since a car accident that occurred a year before this book’s start, and his subsequent two-month-long coma, 17-year-old Elias experiences nightmares, struggles to feel emotion, and is constantly aware that “something” is missing. In an effort to feel guilt, he steals a stranger’s phone; this act of thievery inadvertently leads him to Traumaland, an underground club where patrons pay to experience other people’s memories of violence and suffering. Upon electing to view a recollection from the viewpoint of Jack, a trauma survivor he recently met in a support group, Eli is shocked to see himself in the vision, which depicts a harrowing physical altercation that Eli doesn’t recall. Searching for the truth about the event, Eli discovers that everything he was told about his accident was a lie, that he once knew Jack very well, and that the secrets of Traumaland extend further than he expected. Flashbacks and Traumaland memories leisurely document Eli and Jack’s blossoming relationship as well as Eli’s grappling with mental health challenges and the unseen forces shaping his life. The result is an unsettling tale that balances suffering with hope. Major characters cue as white. Ages 12–up. Agent: Alexandra Devlin, WME. (Mar.)