July In August

Book excerpt: Twelve-year-old July Krativitiz lives in Maplewood, New Hampshire with her adorable two-year-old brother, Abe, and her drug-addicted mother. July's life is complicated. Her mother is often too stoned to care for her little brother. So July must either stay home to protect him or pray for his safety when she is at school. Mary White, an elderly neighbor, offers help. But when Mrs. White discovers what's going on with July's mother, she takes some very drastic actions. For one thing, she kidnaps the children to a faraway lakehouse where she knows they will be safe, safe, safe. July soon realizes Mrs. White is not the kindly neighbor she believed her to be. Then Abe's father, Roger, comes to pick up his little boy for their weekend visit. He understands something is wrong as he is climbing the stairs as it is eerily quiet and smells of rotten potatoes. When he enters the apartment he finds July's mom dead on the floor with no sign of the children. Roger embarks on a journey to find July, Abe, and their mom's killer.