Her mother has just died, she has had to move to New Hampshire to live with her mum's identical twin, Miriam, whose mannerisms, so like her mum's, twist that knife deeper.
And she feels very odd in herself, what with a racing heartbeat and severe pins and needles attacks.
And things are about to get even worse. Kitty, Evie's best friend, has been in London.
When the two reunite Evie almost passes out when Kitty touches her wrist.
Evie doesn't know it yet but she is now Kitty's Shield, genetically bound to protect her friend from any threat.
Years earlier a paramilitary organisation inserted a synthetic gene into certain people's DNA, which has now resulted in three distinct strains: Sparks such as Kitty, catalysts who ''awaken'' Shields, and Strays, merciless killers also triggered by Sparks.
Ages: 15+.
• René Nol is a Dunedin reader.
