Megan Shepherd – författare

For fans of Libba Bray, this first book in a gothic suspense trilogy is inspired by H. G. Wells''s The Island of Dr. Moreau and has been hailed by New York Times bestseller Carrie Ryan as having ""beautiful writing, breakneck pacing, a pulse-pounding mystery, and an irresistible romance.""

Following accusations that her scientist father gruesomely experimented on animals, sixteen-year-old Juliet watched as her family and her genteel life in London crumbled around her—and only recently has she managed to piece her world back together. But when Juliet learns her father is still alive and working on a remote tropical island, she is determined to find out if the old accusations are true. Accompanied by her father''s handsome young assistant, Montgomery, and an enigmatic castaway, Edward, Juliet travels to the island, only to discover the depths of her father''s insanity. Torn between horror and scientific curiosity, Juliet knows she must end her father''s dangerous experiments and escape her jungle prison before it''s too late. Yet as the island falls into chaos, she discovers the extent of her father''s genius—and madness—in her own blood.

A heart-wrenching tale of friendship and courage set amidst the fierce Space Race between the US and Soviet UnionBased on an incredible true story, Carnegie Medal nominee and New York Times–bestselling author Megan Shepherd crafts a harrowing, propulsive girl-and-her-dog tale that will linger in your heart long after the last page.Laika is a Cold Dog, a stray pup fighting for her life on the streets of Moscow. Then, one winter night, she is plucked from her alley to become a starflyer, a dog trained to travel into space. Distrustful of people, Laika tries to do everything she can to escape. That is, until she meets Nina.Nina is a Cold Girl, lonely and full of questions. Her best friend has moved to America in a rush, leaving Nina to face the school bullies all by herself. Plus, her father''s work as a scientist in the Soviet Space Program grows more secretive by the day.When the two meet in her father''s laboratory, their growing bond slowly warms the chill that has settled in each other''s hearts. As the Space Race between the United States and the Soviet Union grows fierce, Laika and Nina uncover shocking secrets and hard truths that will test their friendship. In this moving tale set against the backdrop of the Cold War, a girl and her dog must find the courage to chase their dreams all the way to the stars.

Now both hunter and prey, Haven travels far and wide to discover the contours of her family curse and escape the worst of her late father's creations.

Constantly looking over her shoulder, she fears Uncle Arnold the most. His irresistible whispers compel victims to commit horrifying deeds, and he's hungry to use Haven's abilities to rewrite the world to his liking. Drawn to the desert scrublands and Hollywood mansions of California, Haven discovers a string of murders that point directly to members of her family.

Given shelter by a mysterious benefactor, Haven and her sister forge questionable allegiances, using some otherworldly creatures to hunt down others. And when the trail of death ends at a studio from the Golden Age of horror films, reality and fiction become the strangest of bedfellows indeed.

What darkness began, only madness can end.

After killing the men who tried to steal her father''s research, Juliet-along with Montgomery, Lucy, Balthazar, and a deathly ill Edward-has escaped to a remote estate on the Scottish moors. Owned by the enigmatic Elizabeth von Stein, the mansion is full of mysteries and unexplained oddities: dead bodies in the basement, secret passages, and fortune-tellers who seem to know Juliet''s secrets. Though it appears to be a safe haven, Juliet fears new dangers may be present within the manor''s own walls.

Then she uncovers the truth about the manor''s long history of scientific experimentation-and her own intended role in it-forcing her to determine where the line falls between right and wrong, life and death, magic and science, and promises and secrets. And she must decide if she''ll follow her father''s dark footsteps or her mother''s tragic ones, or whether she''ll make her own.

With inspiration from Mary Shelley''s Frankenstein, this breathless conclusion to the Sweet Madness trilogy is about the things we''ll sacrifice to save those we love-even our own humanity.