The Taking of Jake Livingston

by Ryan Douglass

First published 2021

Jake Livingston already stands out as one of the few Black students at St. Clair Prep. His popular older brother fits in easily, but Jake struggles with something far worse than social isolation. He sees ghosts everywhere. Most spirits remain trapped in endless loops, replaying their final moments without bothering the living. Then Jake encounters Sawyer, the ghost of a teenager who murdered six students at a nearby high school before killing himself. Unlike other spirits, Sawyer possesses terrible power and harbors dark intentions for his existence beyond death. He begins targeting Jake specifically, upending everything Jake thought he understood about the supernatural world. As bodies appear in Jake's neighborhood, his daily life transforms into a desperate fight for survival. The rules that once governed his interactions with the dead no longer apply. Jake must find a way to stop Sawyer before becoming another victim, but he faces this battle uncertain whether he possesses the strength to win.

Genres: horror, supernatural, thriller, paranormal

Vibes: dark, emotional, fast-paced, suspenseful

Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, supernatural-abilities, survival

Setting: St. Clair Prep, Nearby High School

246 pages · Hardcover · Putnam

Content warnings: death, graphic-violence, murder

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