The Afterdark

Gr 10 Up–Ada is dead, and it’s her twin sister Evie who must now take her place at ever-exclusive Northcroft, a university for the ultra-elite of the ultra-elite. People like famous actress Holland Morgan, Evie’s new dormmate and crush. Northcroft is located on a remote island in a dense forest with a strange curfew. As Evie is quickly drawn into a conspiracy involving secret societies, unsolved murders, and her own absent father, she must figure out what is going on, and quickly; because the trees are calling, and she can only stay away for so long. With engaging, emotionally charged prose, creative worldbuilding, and defined characterization, Latimer quickly establishes a world of entitlement and corruption. Themes of substance abuse, broken families, and financial privilege all provide the background to a complex and dark supernatural fantasy with angst that teens will find relatable. Baked into the setting, the woods surrounding Northcroft possess a tension and creepiness that creates a realistic suspense and enhances the sense of foreboding present from the very start. This title contains mild sexual acts and references.