Better the Devil Better the Devil
Better the Devil Better the Devil

Better the Devil

By Erik J. Brown

$19.99

Publication Date: January 20, 2026

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Availability: Out of stock, but more on the way Pre-orders ship after the publication date.

Ages 13 And Up, Grades 8 And Up

A harrowing, edge-of-your-seat psychological thriller about a queer homeless teen who, in a bid for safety, assumes the identity of a boy who went missing ten years ago...only to find that his new home is anything but a safe haven—from All That's Left in the World author Erik J. Brown!

Perfect for fans of Karen McManus, Holly Jackson, and Ryan La Sala.

When a runaway teen is arrested for shoplifting, he's desperate not to be sent back to the hyper-religious parents he knows will never accept him. While at the police station, he notices a resemblance to the aged-up photos of Nate Beaumont, a child who went missing ten years ago—and, in a moment of desperation, he takes Nate’s identity in hopes that it will help him make a quick getaway. 

Before he can run again, Nate’s family arrives and welcomes him home to a life he never had. As "Nate" watches and waits for his chance to escape, he finds that the Beaumonts are nurturing and loving, very different from his own parents.

But soon unsettling things start to happen—vandalism, alarms going off in the middle of the night—and it becomes clear that someone knows "Nate" isn't who he says he is...and that the real Nate wasn't kidnapped, but murdered.

As he starts to unravel the mystery, he gets ever closer to the devil he may know—and learns he might be their next victim.

  • Custom microvideo asset for online promotion and advertising
  • Finished book mailing to social media influencers at on-sale
  • Promotion on Epic Reads, including:
    • Inclusion in relevant round ups
    • Inclusion in monthly “Most Anticipated” blog series
    • Inclusion in “New Releases” roundup on Instagram

About the Author

Erik J. Brown is the internationally-bestselling author of All That's Left in the World and the sequel The Only Light Left Burning. His books have received starred reviews from Kirkus, The Bulletin of the Center of Children's Books, and ALA Booklist. His second novel, Lose You to Find Me, became a USA Today Bestseller. Erik is also the co-host of the YA Book Podcast YA-OK where he and Alyssa Ljub of Netflix's The Circle talk with new and established YA authors about writing, publishing, and all things YA! He lives in Philadelphia with his family.

Format: Hardcover

Pages: 400

Publisher: Storytide

Publication Date: January 20, 2026

ISBN: 9780063338326

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