More than meets the eye

In Jennifer Dyer’s The Donor (Quill & Flame Publishing, 404 pp.), 17-year-old hacker Tasha Jenkins is determined to avenge her father’s death by exposing an illegal organ-smuggling operation run by wealthy scientist Nigel Foster. She decides to attend a dinner at the company where her late father worked in order to meet Nigel in person. But when she’s introduced to his only son Cameron at the event—a teen boy who desperately needs a heart transplant due to a fatal heart condition—Tasha starts to doubt everything she thought she knew about the Fosters. Cameron seems certain of Nigel’s integrity and goodness. Could it be possible that someone else at Foster Medical is responsible for her father’s death?

Cameron Foster has led the sheltered life of a medically fragile child. Even with his father’s wealth and advanced medical technology, his life feels as though it’s hanging on by a thread. When he meets the girl of his dreams, he’s more than ready to break his father’s overly strict rules to spend time with her. With his upcoming heart surgery hanging over his head like a potential death sentence, Cameron does everything in his power to win Tasha over.

What he doesn’t expect to find in Tasha is a girl capable of seeing straight through the shroud of lies that has engulfed his entire life. It seems that the nature of his heart, in both flesh and love, is not what it appears to be. Instead of the normal teen dating experience that Cameron was hoping for, a tangled web of lies, kidnappings, and murder greets him around every corner. As more of the truth is gradually uncovered, Cameron must come to grips with who he is and what his and Tasha’s future may or may not hold.

The Donor is a fast-paced young adult thriller that will keep teens and adults alike turning pages well past bedtime. Readers will also find light sci-fi elements the further they delve into the story. Dyer’s writing is both clever and skilled as she crafts a complex web of secrets and science. Christian imagery and prayer are mentioned as the characters question who is worthy of their faith and trust. This book is best suited for older teens since it deals with themes of psychological abuse and mental health conditions. It contains some romantic sensuality, including mildly descriptive kissing and admiring one another’s bodies using some suggestive language.

Dyer’s own challenges with mental health issues and panic attacks inspired some of Cameron’s story in The Donor. In her author’s note, she encourages her readers to seek help if they are also struggling with anxiety. “You’re not alone,” she writes. “It’s hard, but there is help. I regularly see a counselor. There’s no shame in experiencing anxiety and panic attacks, but I urge you not to ­suffer alone.”