The Cage

Shepherd (The Madman%E2%80%99s Daughter) gives a hoary premise%E2%80%94alien abduction%E2%80%94new life in this twisty tale. Sixteen-year-old Cora Mason, daughter of a powerful Senator, has just gotten out of juvenile detention following a fatal car accident when she is kidnapped by psychic extraterrestrials and dumped in an Earthlike habitat with four other teens. Expected to mate within 21 days to %E2%80%9Censure the continuation of [their] species%E2%80%9D or face a dire fate, the captives%E2%80%94including a Norwegian genius, a Thai model, a Maori black marketeer, and a Colombian-American with a mysterious connection to Cora%E2%80%94differ in their responses. Cora is determined to escape, but is going home possible or even desirable? While the characters and their cultural backgrounds remain lightly sketched, their complicated relationships with each other ring true. Multiple points of view provide a complex picture of Cora%E2%80%99s actions and their impact on the people around her. Shepherd is a master of pacing, and each chapter brings new revelations. First in a series, the novel ends with a satisfying conclusion to the central mystery, while maintaining suspense about Cora%E2%80%99s fate. Ages 13%E2%80%93up. Agent: Josh Adams, Adams Literary. (May)