It was published in 2014 by Medallion Press, with a limited hardcover collectors edition from Cemetery Dance Publications.

[2][3] The novel takes place over the course of one year, 1993-1994, and focuses on a group of friends growing up in a small bayside community called Harting Farms, Maryland, located on the shores of the Chesapeake Bay.

The novel is narrated by 15-year-old Angelo "Angie" Mazzone, who relays the story of a child abductor and murderer who has been plaguing his hometown called the Pied Piper by local police.

The book received generally favorable reviews, with Booklist touting that "horror and crime fans will find much to like here"[1] while Horror Novel Reviews called the novel "a consistently engaging read, and one that should have you turning the pages long into the night....a great book about childhood.

"[4] Reader reviews were mixed, with some suggesting this was Malfi's strongest book to date while others complained about the languid pace of the novel and the fact that it did not involve any supernatural or horror genre elements.