Denial

Still reeling from the tragic death of her husband, Jan Goodnight is reassigned as principal to a different middle school in a small Texas town. Replacing that school's recently-deceased and beloved principal becomes more difficult than Jan had anticipated. Her more disciplined approach at Eastwood Middle School is met with disapproval and resentment. The students are out of control. Test scores are marginal. One teacher craves Jan's job; another is accused of protecting a campus gang.

It all starts with a mouse in a box of Krispy Kreme donuts. Just a kid's prank, right? Negative. It's only the first in a series of mysterious and threatening incidents. When kids start to get hurt, Jan turns to a pair of local detectives for help. Enter Jordan Perry, a reporter in search of a juicy story. He steps not only into the investigation but also into a relationship with Jan.

Amid the whirling pace of dangers, parents' complaints, students' antics, and a teacher's threats, Jan and her allies team to connect the clues which will solve the mystery.

Three characters from DENIAL become protagonists in the novels ANGER, PROMISES, and DESPAIR.