First published 2014
Dion James spent years polishing shoes on the corner outside Alcott-Simpson's luxury department store. The fourteen-year-old boy with unruly hair and a polio limp cleaned up his appearance and nursed dreams of working inside those glass-and-bronze doors. Everything changes when he spots a girl with striking black eyes and long dark hair fleeing store detectives after stealing a sweater. Days later, Dion finds himself trapped inside the store after closing time when chaos erupts. He encounters the mysterious thief again. Her name is Sara, and together they witness a series of inexplicable events that defy logic. Strange occurrences pile up around them, including the disturbing sight of eyes peering from a mink-lined fishbowl. Dion must uncover Sara's true identity while grappling with phenomena that challenge everything he thought he knew about reality. His simple dream of respectable employment transforms into something far more complex and dangerous.
Genres: adventure, mystery, contemporary, thriller
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, fish-out-of-water, found-family
Setting: Alcott-Simpson's
Period: 20th-century
162 pages · ebook · Open Road Media Teen & Tween