SYNOPSIS

Nicki, her grandma dead and dad in prison, is yanked out of the group home she lives in and introduced to a family in hiding.

Nicki is a decoy of sorts for the family who are in witness protection from a dangerous mob pursuing the mom.

Identities changed, Nicki / aka Charlotte, her new parents and an unwelcoming younger brother being a new life as an “average family of four” in a small suburban town.

As the family adjusts to their new life, their adoptive daughter finds friends of her own and blends in at school.

Yet despite exhaustive training from the Secret Service, both siblings misstep and are discovered by the mobsters.

With quick thinking and bravery, Nicki outwits the attackers (including her own dad!) and save her family’s lives.

Time to move again…

PERFECT AGE 11 – 14

We love

• Nicki is our modern-day hero – she not only protects her adoptive parents and forgives her brother’s rude behavior; she also makes a new friend and helps Britney enjoy school and life!
• Nicki’s adoptive mom is a modern-day hero, too – including not just her determination to stand up to the mob but also her appreciation for Nicki’s struggle with kleptomania.
• Engaging narrative makes this book a real page turner.

WATCH OUT FOR (Language, Big / Sensitive Topics, Outdated Concepts):

• If your reader is not familiar with the concepts of racketeering, organized mafia and their preferred methods of conflict resolution, a brief preview may be helpful.

CONVERSATION STARTERS

• How would you describe Nicki’s personality? Is she someone you’d want to be friends with – why?
• Could the family have prevented having their picture in the school paper? What do you think made them let down their guard?
• When the truth is revealed and the family needs to move again, one person is especially harmed and left behind. Who would you say that is?