They could be anyone, anywhere . . . even the person walking by you right now. The Veritas Project is their code name—but only a handful of people know teens Elijah and Elisha Springfield have been covertly commissioned by the President to investigate strange mysteries that delve into the paranormal and supernatural. Their charge is to find out not only what happened, but why—the veritas (Latin for truth) behind the seemingly impossible phenomena. Their new assignment: Hangman's Curse In Baker, Washington, three popular student athletes lie in an incoherent coma, with loss of muscle coordination, severe paranoia, and hallucinations. It's whispered that they're victims of Abel Frye—a curse that's haunted the school since a student died there in the 1930s. Now the curse is spreading, and students are running scared. The Veritas Project must go undercover to find the truth . . . before it's too late.

It was supposed to be a cold case… only it’s not cold at all. Cindy Baker has died a thousand deaths, none of them her own. No matter how carefully she blocks the light, the memories get in, even when they aren’t hers. Jesse Nash knows the truth about Hannalyn Burkhardt’s disappearance is much more sinister than everyone believes. The ten-year-old cold case seems isolated, but Jesse is convinced that’s wrong. Georgia Dunham has to find her missing birth mother – the elusive assassin Sin. Her mother may be good at going undetected but, if Georgia doesn’t get answers soon, a past she doesn’t understand could destroy her family. When the three collide, they’ll find they’ve opened the door to something more malevolent than they ever expected. Bad Name is the first book in the new Hangman’s Shadow series. Each of the three women has a unique and disturbing past, but together might be able to crack the unsolvable. From USA Today Bestselling author and multiple Best Suspense and Best Fiction of the Year award winner AJ Scudiere, this new series will have you anxiously waiting to see if you guessed correctly. “Install a seatbelt in your favorite reading chair.” - ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

This story could have come straight from the headlines about many schools around the country and will lead kids and young adults to an understanding of peer pressure and the pain that comes from being different. In Baker, Washington, three popular student athletes lie in comas following loss of muscle coordination, severe paranoia, and hallucinations. It's whispered that they're victims of Abel Frye, the cursed ghost who has haunted the school since he died there in the 1930s. Now the curse is spreading, and the students are running scared. Veritas means truth and this series is uniquely positioned to help teenagers discover truth for themselves. As the author of This Present Darkness and as someone who struggled through his teenage years, no one is better suited than Frank Peretti to join with readers on this quest for truth.