Author Description

When an accidental dunking in toxic waste gives sixteen-year-old Jared the ability to read minds, he discovers horrifying secrets about family members at the summer reunion. Sixteen-year-old Jared falls into a toxic swamp just before the yearly summer reunion at Grandmother's house. He comes away with the ability to "visit" other people's minds, and things get very complicated very quickly. He discovers that his beautiful cousin Annalise is a sociopath, responsible for the death of another teenage girl, and that his ironfisted grandmother is an accomplished thief with even stronger mind-reading capabilities than his own. Grandma has her own theory about how to handle Annalise, and it includes exposure to the mind-expanding toxins. A confrontation of wills ensues, with Grandma ruthlessly bending others to her purpose. Mind visits, family secrets, and unusual characters will make Sleator's story easy to booktalk beyond the sf and fantasy genres.