Hope Fullerton-Smith's problems are adding up. A psychopath on the loose in her neighbourhood. A delinquent foster brother out to get her. A mute Russian girl sharing her bedroom. Hope's new roommate, Vera, is weird. She can't speak and she has horrible nightmares. But she gets under Hope's skin. As details of her cruel life emerge, Hope agrees to help her try to dodge deportation back to Russia. But it's not a good time to be sneaking around town, and Vera's quest to find the one thing she believes will give her a shot at staying in the US leads her toward a vicious trap. As Vera puts herself in the path of mortal danger, Hope never suspects the shocking truth: that she herself stands to win, or to lose, more than she ever dreamt possible. Artful storytelling in a thrilling tale that will grip you to the very last page.