Eleven-year-old Ava O'Brien has always been a quiet, observant child. But one night, she confides in her parents about something unimaginable: a day at school when her classmates were blindfolded and led into a hidden basement, where figures in masks performed chilling rituals. Ava’s description is vivid and full of details she could never have invented—or so she claims.
As her parents, Teddy and Barbara O'Brien, struggle to reconcile Ava's horrifying account with the world they know, the family is pulled into a spiral of uncertainty. Is their daughter’s story the product of an overactive imagination, or has she stumbled upon a dark truth hiding in plain sight? Whatever the answer, Ava will carry the weight of that day, a shadow that follows her into adulthood, shaping the woman she will become—and the evil she may never escape.
THIS IS A DISTURBING STORY, BE WARNED
The Heart of a Child. This novel is very loosely based on the McMartin preschool controversy from the 80's. This is a suspense-filled, character-driven tale that blends elements of psychological horror with the tension of a classic thriller. Readers who enjoy the unnerving dread of Dan Simmons’ works may find The Heart of a Child particularly engaging.
