by Nancy Werlin
First published 2008
Matt lives in constant fear with his two sisters under their mother's violent outbursts and cruelty. Every day becomes a careful calculation of how to avoid her rage and keep his siblings safe. Then he watches a stranger named Murdoch step in to protect a child being threatened in a convenience store. Matt sees something he has never witnessed before: an adult willing to shield a vulnerable kid from harm. When Murdoch starts dating Matt's mother, their home transforms. The screaming stops. His sisters laugh again. Matt dares to believe they might finally escape their nightmare. But the peace crumbles when Murdoch leaves, unable to handle Matt's mother's instability. With their protector gone and their mother's fury worse than ever, Matt faces an impossible choice. He can reach out to Murdoch and beg for help, risking rejection. Or he can find his own way to save his family, knowing he might not be strong enough for what lies ahead.
Genres: abuse, mystery, contemporary, thriller, family-drama
Vibes: dark, emotional, intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, unreliable-narrator
259 pages · Paperback · Speak
Content warnings: abuse, child-abuse, domestic-violence, mental-illness