The Inevitable Undoing of Zahara Douglass - by Leslye Penelope (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

For five years, Zahara Douglass has been haunted by her sister's impossible disappearance. Now, in December 1999, with the world on the brink of chaos, Zahara sets out to find her sister no matter the cost in this twisty and compelling modern fantasy from Leslye Penelope.

In April 1994, Zahara watched her twin sister, Annica, get hustled into a stranger's car and disappear--only to return to a world where no one remembers Annica ever existed. Not her mother. Not the police. No one.

Now, as the world braces for the looming Y2K crisis, Zahara finds evidence that proves her sister was real. Determined to uncover the truth, she hires a private investigator and begins digging into her family's shadowed past. When the investigation leads to two charismatic men who once served with her father in Vietnam, Zahara realizes she and her sister may be pawns in a dangerous power struggle with unthinkable consequences.

​To find her sister, Zahara must face the truth about her family, her memories, and the power lurking within her. But the sisters' reunion comes at a price--one that could unravel reality and bring about the end of the world.

Review Quotes

Praise for Leslye Penelope

"Leslye Penelope has been one of fantasy's most indispensable voices for the past decade." --The Washington Post

"Leslye Penelope has created a rich and immersive world. It's a story that weaves together threads of real history with bits of the utterly fantastic. The Monsters We Defy will keep you turning the pages and wanting more!" --P. Djèlí Clark on The Monsters We Defy

"Penelope's blend of fantasy and history is pitch perfect, with wit, romance, and a lovable found family thrown in for good measure. Readers will be wowed." ―Publishers Weekly (starred review) on The Monsters We Defy

"A mesmerizing tale that deftly blends history and magic. It's a thoughtful, timely, and immensely compelling read. Readers will find much to admire and marvel at from the first page to the very last!" --Nicole Glover on Daughter of the Merciful Deep

About the Author

Leslye Penelope has been writing since she could hold a pen and loves getting lost in the worlds in her head. She is an award-winning author of fantasy and romance. Equally left and right-brained, she studied filmmaking and computer science at Howard University and sometimes dreams in HTML. She hosts the My Imaginary Friends podcast, co-hosts the Ink and Magic podcast, and lives in Maryland with her feline dependents.