Beneath the burning truth

When 16-year-old Maddy Torres moves to a quiet seaside town after her mom’s sudden disappearance, all she wants is answers—and a fresh start. But when strange symbols start showing up around her new school, and a charming but secretive boy keeps showing up at the wrong moments, Maddy realizes her mom’s vanishing wasn’t random. As she digs deeper, she uncovers a hidden world of codes, betrayal, and a conspiracy that ties her mother’s past to a dangerous present. With help from unlikely friends—and a boy who might just break her heart—Maddy has to solve the mystery before time runs out.