HANGMAN'S CURSE: The Veritas Project Volume 1

Peretti, long praised for his popular Christian fiction for adults and his strong storytelling style, here turns his talent to young adult fiction with a quick-paced thriller about the evils brought by bullying and intolerance. When the star athletes of a Washington state high school are struck down by debilitating hallucinations, the Springfield family (Nate; his wife, Sarah; and teen twins Elisha and Elijah) go undercover to investigate the mystery. The Springfields operate independently, as the Veritas Project, guided by their Judeo-Christian faith to seek the truth behind strange occurrences. They even have a mobile home nicknamed the Holy Roller. But this setup never seems overly corny in Peretti's hands. As the slightly chilling story unfolds, readers learn about the ghost of Baker High—a boy named Abel Frye, who supposedly hung himself in one of the old hallways in the 1930s. Throughout, Peretti paints a realistic picture of the clique-y world of high school that will be familiar to just about anyone. His comfortably paced, compelling performance consistently draws readers along. Peretti has an obvious knack—sure to appeal to his intended tween and teen audience—for emphasizing his beliefs without preaching. Ages 12-up. (Feb.)