The Reformatory by Tananarive Due

Set in Gracetown, Florida, in 1950, The Reformatory is a haunting and powerful novel from award-winning author Tananarive Due. Twelve-year-old Robbie Stephens Jr. is sentenced to six months at the Gracetown School for Boys, where he is confronted with the brutal realities of the Jim Crow South and the terrifying secrets hidden within the institution. Gifted with the ability to see ghosts—known as “haints”—Robbie discovers that the spirits surrounding the Reformatory may reveal the truth about boys who have mysteriously disappeared. Blending historical fiction with supernatural horror, this gripping novel explores racism, injustice, family, resilience, and survival. Critically acclaimed and deeply moving, The Reformatory is an unforgettable story of courage in the face of unimaginable darkness.