The Fear Trials

Meadow Woodson has been trained to survive. This is a prequel to The Murder Complex, by Lindsay Cummings, and it is set in a blood-soaked world where the murder rate is higher than the birth rate. For fans of Moira Young's Dust Lands series, La Femme Nikita, and the movie Hanna.

Meadow Woodson's father calls it The Fear Trials, and it is a rite of passage in their family. Meadow is up against her brother Koi. The Fear Trials will both harden her and make her brave. If Meadow wins, she will get a weapon of her own and the right to leave the Woodsons' houseboat without her father or mother at her side. Set in the violent, complex, and mysterious world of The Murder Complex, and introducing Meadow Woodson—a teenage girl trained to survive no matter what the cost—and her family, who are together for the last time on their houseboat in the Florida Everglades.

Epic Reads Impulse is a digital imprint with new releases each month.

What happens when the only person standing in your way is your own brother?

Sibling Rivalry: Meadow must face her own brother, Koi, in a series of brutal trials where only one can win their father’s approval and a weapon of their own. Gritty Heroine: Trained from birth to be a survivor, Meadow Woodson is a teenage girl forged by a violent world, but her greatest test will challenge her will to kill. High-Stakes Prequel: Discover the violent origins of Meadow in this action-packed prequel novella to the fan-favorite novel, The Murder Complex. Survival Story: Set on a houseboat in the Florida Everglades, this is a grim, fast-paced story where the murder rate is higher than the birth rate and darkness brings death.