There are certain shibboleths to our condition." At the end of the first book of The Twelve-Fingered Boy Trilogy, Jack and Shreve are incarcerado?physically locked up. Shreve's back in the custody of the state of Arkansas, and Jack's somewhere in the clutches of Mr. Quincrux?both problems Shreve aims to rectify. Cages might hold Shreve's body, but the power that's been growing since his encounter with Quincrux has reached a pinnacle. Nothing can prevent his mind from scaling the etheric heights. Freed from his body, Shreve discovers the magnitude of the evil that's stirring in the east. The wave of insomnia that's paralyzed the nation is only the beginning.
consequences and drawbacks of power in a world where children are routinely exploited and neglected and have only their wits to rely on., ""John Hornor Jacobs's The Twelve-Fingered Boy is a thrill ride. With candy. And polydactyl, reluctantly heroic kids who go up against all odds in a world of uncontrollable superpowers and unrelenting bad guys. Exciting, suspenseful, creepy, and fun--The Twelve-Fingered Boyis a terrific, fast-paced read!"" --Andrew Smith, award-winning author of The
Marbury Lens and Stick., ""John Hornor Jacobs conjures dark magic with The Twelve-Fingered Boy. A powerful new voice whispering out of the dark. A brilliant first YA novel!"" --Jonathan Maberry, author of the acclaimed Rot and Ruin, New York Times bestselling author of The King of Plagues and Patient Zero.

Sherve Cannon finds himself back in the custody of the state of Arkansas, but this time he's in a mental institution. His ability to absorb the memories of others has him teetering on the edge of insanity. Meanwhile, an unspeakable evil is stirring in Baltimore. Shreve must keep his wits and find Jack, the Twelve-Fingered Boy, if he's to avert the end of all things.