ALEX, BY PROXY

Blurb

HARROWING NEW DETAILS IN ‘MONSTER MOMMY’ CASE… SHOCKING INFORMATION SURFACES AS ‘MONSTER MOMMY’ CASE HEADS TO TRIAL… HOW COULD A MOTHER POISON HER SON?

Welcome to sixteen-year-old Alex’s life, ripped straight from the headlines.

Alex is a victim of Munchausen by proxy, but he’s also a witty, sarcastic kid with unusually good crossword skills and a penchant for astronomy. At least he used to be. Now that he’s recovered from years of illness induced by his mother, he sort of has to figure out who he is all over again… And most importantly, he’ll have to decide if he can testify against the woman who gave birth to him.

As Alex awaits the trial, his friends convince him to start a podcast as a way to tell his story. Lethal Lullaby brings Alex closer to his old life—hanging out with friends, cracking jokes, having fun—but at the same time, dark memories surface, forcing Alex to acknowledge that the podcast could be making things worse. It seems like he’s got deeper issues than he’d like to admit, and this time, he can’t blame them on his mom.

Day by day, Alex’s mental health crumbles, until he can no longer distinguish between truth and fiction. Should he trust himself to testify? And if he gets up there, what version of the truth will he share?

Alex, by Proxy is OUT NOW from Holiday House, and is available for purchase here and at the links below:

Trigger Warnings

Trigger warnings for this project include medical child abuse, Munchausen syndrome by proxy/factitious disorder imposed on another, emotional abuse, self-harm (unintentional), gaslighting, bullying, and some swearing.

Editorial Reviews

A suspenseful read for true crime and podcast enthusiasts. . . Recommended for middle and high school collections.
—School Library Journal (starred review)

Debut author Cantor writes sensitively about serious topics like factitious disorder imposed on another (formerly known as Munchausen by proxy), mental illness, familial rupture, and friendship conflicts. . . An intense spin on true-crime podcast stories that reels readers in.
—Kirkus Reviews

Cantor’s empathetic portrayal of mental health makes her an exciting new name in the YA mystery space.
—Booklist

A poignant tale of reclaiming one’s agency through a strong narrative voice and a protagonist I was rooting for from the first chapter.
—Blair Hanson, author of America’s Not-So-Sweetheart