Ava and Fred are sister and brother raised by their parents June and Neel. Their parents (Neel and June) have established an experimental school. They believe in teaching Fred and Ava as well as their students on Rosseau's ideal of freedom. This causes Ava and Fred to make major decisions about their own upbringings. Ava's best friend, Kitty has an older brother who marries her . Ava is glad to have a normal life. When she learns that Fred has been arrested and charged for killing a 12 year old boy, whose body has been recently found, she can't believe it. She knows Fred has always been strange while growing up, she can't imagine him being a killer. Why is Fred strange? Fred's public defender can't be bother talking to Fred to learn what Fred has to say about his side of the story. Why? Will Fred go to prison?

The book is a story where you may recognize your family or may not. I say this as I think every family has its secrets. The author has written a novel about the dynamics of a family in a novel that has a surprising ending. It made me wonder if we truly know anyone.