The Reformatory

In the Jim Crow South of June 1950, twelve-year-old Robbie Stephens Jr. is sent to the Gracetown School for Boys, a reformatory, for defending his sister. This institution, known as The Reformatory, becomes a place of profound terror.

Robbie possesses a unique ability to see ghosts, or 'haints.' What once offered solace after his mother's death now reveals the grim reality of the reformatory. As boys disappear, the spectral visions hint at unspeakable horrors. Alongside his friends Redbone and Blue, Robbie navigates the school's brutal rules and learns to survive. Meanwhile, his sister Gloria mobilizes family and friends to secure his release.

This gripping work of historical fiction, recognized as a New York Times Notable Book and a finalist for the Locus Award, is also a winner of the Bram Stoker Award and the Shirley Jackson Award. It brings to light the tragedy of the Dozier School for Boys through the story of a relative the author's family rarely discussed, making it a significant contribution to the genre of Award Winners and New York Times Best Sellers.