by: Rachel Byrne
Genre: Teen/Young Adult SciFi Mystery Thriller
Release Date: September 22, 2025
Publisher: Humboldt Press
IN A PLACE WHERE NOTHING IS AS IT SEEMS, WHO CAN BE TRUSTED?
Mysteriously invited to attend the elite Haverford Pines Academy, sixteen-year-old Lina Jamison feels out of place. With mediocre grades and no special talents, she questions why she was chosen to be among her generation’s brightest and most promising teens. Only after Lina saves a fellow trainee’s life does she begin to glimpse her own potential.
Settling into the academy’s training, she starts to uncover secrets and question Haverford Pine’s motives. Why is HP monitoring its trainees’ conversations? How were they selected? And what’s behind the alarming rumors of former trainees meeting dark fates?
As the term progresses, Lina realizes that her presence there may not be a coincidence. With danger lurking around every corner and her own destiny hanging in the balance, Lina must uncover the truth before it’s too late.
Gold Award, Independent Publisher Book Awards - Young Adult Fiction
Gold Award, Readers' Favorite Book Awards - Young Adult Mystery
2024 Colorado Public Radio "Books We Love"
“Keep moving!” a Tore yelled from the side. “Number forty-one, finish your lap.”
The boy’s chest hitched, and I felt a wave of sympathy. He was an easy peg as a computer nerd who had probably never run a mile in his life. Even though Matthew had said physical fitness was important, why make everyone run on the first day? Wasn’t that something they could work up to over the course of the summer?
“Come on, buddy,” I murmured. “You can do it.”
As if hearing me, the boy straightened and turned my way. His arms dropped to his side, and he cocked his head like Desi did when he spotted a squirrel.
My own body reacted weirdly. I had never seen this boy before but there was a sudden connection between us, like an invisible rope of energy pulling us together. And I knew—how I knew, I had no idea—so much about him. That he was an only child, and his favorite foods were chicken tikka masala and peanut butter cookies; that he spent days in the library curled up in an old armchair reading books; that he spied on people like I did, only he used computers.
I didn’t realize I was moving until I had crossed most of the ground between us. He was moving too. Arriving up close, we stopped and stared at each other. He was a touch taller than me, his eyes the color of the ocean on a cloudy day, pale blond eyebrows matching almost-white blond hair.
I knew him. That recognition was mirrored in his stunned expression.
The boy’s chest hitched, and I felt a wave of sympathy. He was an easy peg as a computer nerd who had probably never run a mile in his life. Even though Matthew had said physical fitness was important, why make everyone run on the first day? Wasn’t that something they could work up to over the course of the summer?
“Come on, buddy,” I murmured. “You can do it.”
As if hearing me, the boy straightened and turned my way. His arms dropped to his side, and he cocked his head like Desi did when he spotted a squirrel.
My own body reacted weirdly. I had never seen this boy before but there was a sudden connection between us, like an invisible rope of energy pulling us together. And I knew—how I knew, I had no idea—so much about him. That he was an only child, and his favorite foods were chicken tikka masala and peanut butter cookies; that he spent days in the library curled up in an old armchair reading books; that he spied on people like I did, only he used computers.
I didn’t realize I was moving until I had crossed most of the ground between us. He was moving too. Arriving up close, we stopped and stared at each other. He was a touch taller than me, his eyes the color of the ocean on a cloudy day, pale blond eyebrows matching almost-white blond hair.
I knew him. That recognition was mirrored in his stunned expression.
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Driven by a lifelong fascination with the complexities of human nature and a love for American history, Rachel enjoys a career that explores the depths of the human psyche. As a devoted mother and dog lover, she treasures family moments and indulges in hobbies like reading, writing, tennis, and travel. Rachel’s commitment to literature stems from her childhood as a shy bookworm, aiming to create engaging stories that resonate with readers and leave a lasting impact.
Places to find Rachel Byrne:
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