Having raced through this in the course of one sitting, I have to say I’m surprised to have never heard of the book before now.
The main character, Faith Flores, is a truly terrifying sixteen year old. Living with her aunt after the death of her mother, Faith is something of a loner and desperate to keep people at a distance. Being known as a junkie’s daughter is enough to keep most people away, but there’s a vulnerability to Faith that you can’t help but warm to. Clearly smart, Faith is a victim of circumstance and it’s more than a little depressing that someone so bright and sparky would – in all probability – struggle through life due to the things she can’t access.
When Faith goes to visit her mother’s friend she’s given evidence to suggest that the details of her mother’s death are not quite what she’s been told. Her mother was involved in a clinical trial, and when her asking questions about the trial leads to threats and people linked to it dying it’s pretty obvious that Faith is onto something.
With the help of her friends – and a fair amount of luck – Faith digs into the scientists running the trial and learns some unpalatable truths. High-risk situations aplenty, this book is genuinely hard to put down.