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About The Book

A spine-tingling debut thriller about the ultimate game of cat and mouse as a teen struggles to hold onto hope, and her sanity, while attempting to escape a cunning and determined killer—now with a brand-new look!

Ruth Carver has always competed like her life depends on it. Ambitious. Tough. Maybe even mean. It’s no wonder people call her Ruthless. When she wakes up with a concussion in the bed of a moving pickup truck, she realizes she has been entered into a contest she can’t afford to lose.

At a remote, rotting cabin deep in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Ruth’s blindfold comes off and she comes face-to-face with her captor. A man who believes his mission is to punish bad girls like Ruth. A man who has done this six times before. The other girls were never heard from again, but Ruth won’t go down easy. She escapes into the wilderness, but her hunter is close at her heels. That’s when the real battle begins, and Ruth must decide just how far she’ll go to survive.

About The Author

Photograph by Eric Graham

Carolyn Lee Adams is originally from the Seattle area, which is known for serial killers and those who write about them. She attended USC film school and graduated with a BFA in screenwriting. Ruthless is her debut novel. When she isn’t exploring the dark side of human nature in her writing, you’ll find her on stage as a stand-up comedian. Because those things go together.

Product Details

  • Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (August 13, 2025)
  • Length: 256 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781665973915
  • Ages: 12 - 99

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Awards and Honors

  • Gateway Readers Award Final Nominee (MO)
  • Westchester fiction Award Honorable Mention (CA)
  • Washington State Book Award Finalist
  • Keystone to Reading Secondary Reading List (PA)

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