San Francisco, 1906.
When Cora leaves her house in the early morning hours of April 18th, she expects trouble to find her, like it somehow always does. But as she makes her way to the San Francisco docks to look for her father, the earth begins to shake and suddenly, Cora realizes that she's not just in trouble--she's in danger.
Soon after, the last thing Cora remembers seeing is a tall building swaying overhead, before everything goes dark.
When Cora wakes up, she's trapped underground with Zhi, whom she met by accident on the way to the docks. They're running short on air and time, when miraculously, Cora's friend Oliver pulls them from the rubble. Once she's above ground again, Cora is shocked to find herself in a city that has been decimated by a massive earthquake.
Together, Cora, Zhi, and Oliver begin a desperate search for their families, all the while trying to evade terrifying fires that are tearing through the wreckage and a gang of thieves who are pursuing Cora and a valuable secret she holds.
From beloved #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer A. Nielsen comes a thrilling, suspenseful story about courage, friendship, and the strength it takes to survive one of the most terrible natural disasters this country has ever seen.
Jennifer A. Nielsen is the acclaimed author of the New York Times and USA Today bestselling Ascendance Series: The False Prince, The Runaway King, The Shadow Throne, The Captive Kingdom, and The Shattered Castle. She also wrote the New York Times bestseller The Traitor's Game and its sequels; the New York Times bestselling Mark of the Thief trilogy; The Scourge; and the critically acclaimed historical thrillers A Night Divided, Resistance, Words on Fire, Rescue, Lines of Courage, Iceberg,Uprising, One Wrong Step, and The Free State of Jax. Jennifer collects old books, loves good theater, and thinks that a quiet afternoon in the mountains makes for a nearly perfect moment. She lives in northern Utah with her family, and is probably sneaking in a bite of dark chocolate right now. You can visit her online at jennielsen.com or follow her on Twitter and Instagram at @nielsenwriter.