Out of Print 2012

Jonathan Pyre and Nick Bender are arch rivals — both nuts about Karen, the head cheerleader at Fillmore High. After a fight between the two, Nick forces Jonathan to vandalize a neighbor’s house. The unlucky Jonathan is caught in the act and agrees to complete chores for the owner as penance.

Soon, what began as an adolescent rivalry takes a sinister turn — Whittaker, the neighbor, is actually a vampire locked in a ruthless battle with Rancour, a werewolf dedicated to ridding the world of Whittaker and his ilk. As Jonathan finds himself becoming stronger, with hypersensitive hearing and vision, he wonders: Is it the physically demanding chores? Puberty? A tumor? Whatever it is, it gives him the confidence he needs to pursue Karen.

However, when dead bodies begin piling up, Jonathan realizes the truth — he’s been secretly enlisted as a foot soldier in the war between werewolf and vampire. This absorbing novel blends humor, suspense, and nail-biting horror in a format that engages even the most reluctant readers.

Nominated for a 2007 Cybils award.
Honourable mention for the OLA’s Best Bets list.