Eli’s father is vehemently against his taking the job, but won’t explain why. Eli knows that there’s some connection between Dr. Wyatt and his parents—something too painful for his father to discuss. Something to do with his mother, who is now debilitated by Huntington’s disease. As he continues to work at the lab, and to spend time with Dr. Wyatt, he begins to uncover some disconcerting truths about himself—about his very makeup.

Rich and suspenseful, with a hair-raising conclusion, this is Nancy Werlin’s most dynamic novel yet—one that explores the ethics and amazements of genetic engineering.