Desert Angel — In the California desert, 14 year old Angel is on the run from the man who abused her, killed her mother, and intends to kill her too. Her mom’s boyfriend, a lowlife named Scottie, will use his considerable tracking skills to locate Angel and eliminate her as a witness. Angel has no water and no weapon, but she’s good at making herself scarce. Her tragic plight takes her into an unforgivably harsh landscape with the man who wants to kill her only a few deadly steps behind.
On her own, she may not make it but she stumbles onto an underground Mexican-American community of tough, secretive outsiders who will push Angel to trust others, survive this life or death struggle, and escape not just a relentless pursuer but also a past filled with lost hopes and a future without promise.
AWARDS AND ACKNOWLEDGMENT for Desert Angel
- An ALA Best Book for Young Adults
- Published in the U.K. by Random House
REVIEWS
“A taut thriller about Angel, a 14-year-old who is pursued by a man who has a deadly need to silence her . . . The small, decaying towns, the Salton Sea and the desert heat provide a vivid backdrop for the unfolding drama. Angel is a tough heroine who needs help but knows if she accepts it, she is risking other lives, too. Relentless, heart-stopping suspense.” —Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review
“This will be a magnet for thriller aficionados.” —BCCB, Starred Review
“A fast-paced adventure.” —School Library Journal
“Never showy, this is hard, gritty realism, and Price’s depiction of the twitchy psyche of an abused girl is dead-on. Serious thriller fans will be more than satisfied.” —Booklist
“If suspense is your bag, [Desert Angel] is a book to read.” —VOYA
“Price delivers a visceral thriller . . . Pacing is tight, aided by direct, clipped prose that underscores Scotty’s brutality and Angel’s fragile emotional state. Both the best and worst of humanity shine through in this gripping novel.” —Publishers Weekly