Gr 7 Up--Debut author Davis takes readers on a wild ride in this suspense novel featuring abduction, murder, revenge, and redemption. At age nine, Phoenix left her father's home with his girlfriend, Nina, who she now calls "Mom." Phoenix and Nina have been planning for the day when they will return to Nina's idyllic hometown of Jasper Hollow, OH, to exact revenge on Ellis Bowman, Nina's nemesis. When Phoenix comes to care for many of the people in the Ellis family and becomes romantically involved with Ellis Bowman's daughter, Melody, allegiances are tested. While readers may struggle to understand Phoenix's loyalty to Nina, who took her from a comfortable life to live in a van and steal food, the story's action and pace are compelling. The unfolding relationship between Phoenix and Melody is believable and engaging. Most characters are coded as white. VERDICT Recommended where there is demand for YA suspense.--Carly Wiggins Searcy, formerly at Calcasieu Parish P.L., LA

A grifter uses her 16-year-old daughter to exact revenge on the man who betrayed her. Technically Phoenix isn't Nina's real daughter, but Phoenix isn't her real name either. Her mother bailed when she was 2, and Nina has taken care of her since they fled Phoenix's father's house when she was 9. The two survive by separating unsuspecting folks from their belongings, but Phoenix is tired of living on the fringe, and Nina promises that they'll finally have the perfect life they deserve. All she has to do is dig up dirt about Jasper Hollow, Ohio's resident celebrity, Ellis Bowman, whose inspirational books put the town on the map. When the Bowmans catch Phoenix spying, she makes up a sob story on the fly. It works, and she's invited to stay with the gregarious Ellis; his kind wife, Jill; and their teenage twins, Melody and Neil, until she gets back on her feet. As Phoenix gets to know the family and explores her undeniable chemistry with Melody, she wonders if Ellis is really the monster that Nina says he is and realizes that the price of revenge may be too high. The author evocatively captures the feel of small-town life, and Phoenix, whose longing for a family is palpable, inspires sympathy, as does Nina, whose own story is interspersed throughout. Much of the suspense comes from the dread over how Phoenix's charade will end. Main characters are cued as White. A page-turning debut. (Thriller. 12-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Phoenix has been on the run with Nina, who calls herself Phoenix's mother, since Phoenix was nine. But now Nina has a plan. She drives them to her hometown of Jasper Hollow, Ohio, in the Appalachian foothills, in order to force Ellis Bowman to confess to ruining her life. Ellis is a hero, credited with using the proceeds of his wildly popular books to save his dying town. Nina drops Phoenix off with instructions to track down incriminating evidence. After lying her way into Ellis' household, Phoenix learns of a recent accident that has tainted his reputation. Phoenix also finds herself enjoying the comforts of a home, the kindness of Ellis' wife, and friendship with their teen children. Flashbacks fill in the shocking events of Nina's adolescence, even as Nina becomes increasingly unhinged and violent in the present. Phoenix is smart and nimble enough to keep Nina satisfied, even as she begins to perceive the truth of her own childhood. An engaging debut that propels readers through a dark tangle of lies and secrets.

Sixteen-year-old Phoenix has been on the road ever since her father's girlfriend, Nina, stole her away at age nine; subsequently, the two have survived by stealing necessities and camping out each night. Now Nina has a plan--to return to her hometown and force renowned author Ellis Bowman, her ex-lover, to confess the sins of his past--and she needs Phoenix's help. After arriving in the quaint Ohio mountain village and scoping out Bowman's house, though, Phoenix gets caught. Believing she's a homeless orphan, Ellis, his wife, and two teen children take her in and treat her as part of the family. Enjoying the comforts of home and becoming infatuated with Ellis's daughter, Phoenix's loyalties are torn. She doesn't want Nina to hurt Ellis's family, but she can't betray the woman she calls "Mom" even as Nina's attempts to spook Ellis grow increasingly violent. Interspersing a recounting of Nina's harrowing teenage years with Phoenix's present-day, first-person narrative, debut author Davis creates a complex, suspenseful story about small-town secrets, vengeance, and compassion through the cued-white cast. If Nina's antics seem larger-than-life, other aspects of the novel, including characterizations of Ellis's children, who both have secrets of their own to hide, come off as chillingly real. Ages 12--up. Agent: Victoria Doherty-Munro, Writers House. (May)