Hired by a Massachusetts grand dame to prove the innocence of her grandson, who has been implicated in a school shooting, Spenser wonders why the boy seems unconcerned about his possible wrongful imprisonment.

Interweaves the stories of Muir High School's various groups of students--from the "jocks" to the "drama queens"--as they clash over everything from cheating on tests to cheating in relationships, with the ultimate clash that comes when one student reaches the breaking point.

Ever since the mass shooting at her California high school, junior Morgan Grant has become increasingly agoraphobic until even the idea of stepping outside her door can bring on a panic attack, a situation not made any easier by the fact that her parents are divorced--but when Evan moves in next door she finds herself attracted to him and begins to find herself longing for the life she has been missing.