by King, Charles - undifferentiated
First published 2017
Sam Watkins has lived at Lyons Orphanage since infancy, gifted with the ability to read minds. The teenage orphan can peer into the thoughts of nearly everyone around him, but Howard Lyons remains a mystery. The orphanage owner blocks Sam's telepathic probes and refuses to let him leave. When Sam discovers a bitter power struggle between Mr. Lyons and his assistant Natalie, the institution begins to crumble around them. Sam realizes the orphanage faces collapse unless someone intervenes. He must navigate the dangerous conflict between the two adults while searching for answers about his mysterious past and the true extent of his abilities. The deeper Sam digs, the more he uncovers about his origins and the real reasons behind Mr. Lyons's protective behavior. As the orphanage teeters on the edge of failure, Sam faces a choice between his own freedom and saving the only home he has ever known.
Genres: science-fiction, mystery, fantasy, thriller
Vibes: dark, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, unreliable-narrator
Setting: Lyons Orphanage
224 pages · Kindle Edition · New Generation Publishing
Content warnings: mental-illness