Overturned 12+

About this book

What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. Especially murder.

Nikki Tate is infamous, even by Las Vegas standards. Her dad is sitting on death row, convicted of killing his best friend in a gambling dispute turned ugly. And for five years, he’s maintained his innocence. But Nikki wants no part of that. She’s been working on Operation Escape Vegas: playing in illegal card games so she can save up enough money to get out come graduation day.

Then her dad’s murder conviction is overturned. The new evidence seems to come out of nowhere and Nikki’s life becomes a mess when he’s released from prison. Because the dad who comes home is not the dad she remembers. And he’s desperately obsessed with finding out who framed him — and why.

As her dad digs into the seedy underbelly of Vegas, the past threatens everything and Nikki is drawn into his deadly hunt for the truth. But in the city of sin, some sinners will do anything to keep their secrets, and Nikki soon finds herself playing for the biggest gamble ever — her life.

Reviews

Praise for Lamar Giles

"My twin, Lamar, is a phenomenal innovative storyteller. His thrillers have laid the groundwork for us all. A true king!" --Tiffany D. Jackson, New York Timesbestselling author of Grown and The Weight of Blood

"Lamar Giles's work always has something to say, and it's well worth your while to listen." --Barry Lyga, New York Times bestselling author of I Hunt Killers

"When I think of Lamar Giles's work, I think of the books that make kids love reading. Whether it's through a fantasy adventure or a nuanced YA novel, he offers readers smart characters who face impossible circumstances that will keep them guessing until the end. A Lamar Giles book never disappoints." --Meg Medina, New York Times bestselling author of Burn Baby Burn

Praise for The Getaway

YALSA Top Ten Best Fiction for Young AdultsYALSA Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers

"Timely, thrilling, and gripping from start to finish. An absolute page-turner." --Karen M. McManus, #1 New York Times bestselling author of One of Us Is Lying

"The Getaway grabbed me from page one and didn't let go. I was immediately fascinated and disturbed by the fictional Karloff Country. You too will be lured in and then horrified by the truth behind those perfect customer service smiles..." --Malinda Lo, New York Times best selling author of Last Night at the Telegraph Club

★"With hints of Cory Doctorow, Jordan Peele, and Richard Matheson, this book stands on its own as a dystopian adventure, but the deeper metaphors around servitude, privilege, class, and solidarity mean that there's a lot to think about as the characters reckon with their proximity to and complicity in violence both local and far-flung. Hold tight: You'll want to stay on this nightmarish roller coaster till the end." --Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

★"This arresting and engaging dystopian thriller interrogates the horrors of racism, classism, unregulated capitalism and eco-fascism." --Shelf Awareness (starred review)

"Giles's harrowing dystopian novel combines an exploration of capitalistic greed and systemic racism and oppression with gripping psychological horror, resulting in a read that is guaranteed to terrify." --Publishers Weekly "With elements of adventure, science fiction, horror, and even a bit of romance in a broken world, Giles keeps readers wondering who can and cannot be trusted throughout this page-turning novel." --Horn Book

Praise for Spin

A New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice

YALSA Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers

"The first test of a whodunit is how heart-stopping and strange a thing has actually been dun. In Spin, Lamar Giles nails the murder...What's even more impressive is the subtle stuff you almost don't notice because Giles wears his intellect so lightly: the masterly knowledge of hip-hop and R&B; the command of technology's uses and abuses; the discerning ear for the way high schoolers talk.... A two-time nominee for an Edgar award, Giles is a terrific plotter...Spin champions the resourcefulness of teenagers and pities the grown-ups--villainous or just clueless--who underestimate them." --New York Times Book Review

* "Not to be missed." --Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

* "Spin delivers everything you could want in a book: lush, complex characters; a spine-chilling plot; a vividly drawn world; and, best of all, hip-hop." --Booklist (starred review)

★ "This novel transcends its genre." --School Library Journal (starred review)

★"This fast-paced tale seizes attention from the first thrown punch to the final curtain call...." --Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Lamar Giles has spun together a fast-paced, music-forward whodunit..." --School Library Connection

Praise for Overturned

A YALSA Top Ten Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers

A Kirkus Best Book of the Year

★"An utterly compelling whodunit." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"Giles, a founding member of We Need Diverse Books and two-time Edgar Award finalist, is in top form, weaving together the threads of his whodunit-and-why and resonantly depicting his characters' home and school lives. As a poker genius Nikki may be a singular sort of teenager, but she's grounded in desires and motivations that make her story as moving as it is thrilling." -- New York Times Book Review

"Another Giles winner." -- BCCB

"A fast-paced, endlessly intriguing mystery." -- Booklist

"Giles excels at pulpy crime drama, including a romance with a wealthy casino heir, scattering a trail of clues and bluffs to keep readers guessing." -- Publishers Weekly