*"Cormier is in top form in this cilling portrait...a sense of 'tenderness' pervades this gripping tale."--"School Library Journal," starred review "Cormier's latest is a mesmerizing plunge into the mind of a psychopathic teen killer that is both deeply disturbing and utterly compelling." --"Booklist" "A serial killer; an aging cop with a hunch; an impulsive 15-year-old runaway: Three familiar characters are spun by a master of suspense into another disturbing study in emotional dysfunction."--"Kirkus Reviews" "Rarely has Cormier's irony been darker...readers will stay on the edge of their seats."-- "Publishers Weekly" "From the Hardcover edition."

Robert Cormier has been called "the single most important writer in the whole history of young adult literature." In 1991, he received the Margaret A. Edwards Award, honoring his lifetime contribution to writing for teens.