Better the Devil

A harrowing, edge-of-your-seat psychological thriller about a queer homeless teen who, in a bid for safety, assumes the identity of a boy who went missing ten years ago...only to find that his new home is anything but a safe haven-from All That's Left in the World author Erik J. Brown!
Perfect for fans of Karen McManus, Holly Jackson, and Ryan La Sala.
When a runaway teen is arrested for shoplifting, he's desperate not to be sent back to the hyper-religious parents he knows will never accept him. While at the police station, he notices a resemblance to the aged-up photos of Nate Beaumont, a child who went missing ten years ago-and, in a moment of desperation, he takes Nate's identity in hopes that it will help him make a quick getaway.
Before he can run again, Nate's family arrives and welcomes him home to a life he never had. As "Nate" watches and waits for his chance to escape, he finds that the Beaumonts are nurturing and loving, very different from his own parents.
But soon unsettling things start to happen-vandalism, alarms going off in the middle of the night-and it becomes clear that someone knows "Nate" isn't who he says he is...and that the real Nate wasn't kidnapped, but murdered.
As he starts to unravel the mystery, he gets ever closer to the devil he may know-and learns he might be their next victim.

About the author

Erik J. Brown is the internationally-bestselling author of All That's Left in the World and the sequel The Only Light Left Burning. His books have received starred reviews from Kirkus, The Bulletin of the Center of Children's Books, and ALA Booklist. His second novel, Lose You to Find Me, became a USA Today Bestseller. Erik is also the co-host of the YA Book Podcast YA-OK where he and Alyssa Ljub of Netflix's The Circle talk with new and established YA authors about writing, publishing, and all things YA! He lives in Philadelphia with his family.

Summary

A harrowing, edge-of-your-seat psychological thriller about a queer homeless teen who, in a bid for safety, assumes the identity of a boy who went missing ten years ago...only to find that his new home is anything but a safe haven—from All That's Left in the World author Erik J. Brown!
Perfect for fans of Karen McManus, Holly Jackson, and Ryan La Sala.
When a runaway teen is arrested for shoplifting, he's desperate not to be sent back to the hyper-religious parents he knows will never accept him. While at the police station, he notices a resemblance to the aged-up photos of Nate Beaumont, a child who went missing ten years ago—and, in a moment of desperation, he takes Nate’s identity in hopes that it will help him make a quick getaway. 
Before he can run again, Nate’s family arrives and welcomes him home to a life he never had. As "Nate" watches and waits for his chance to escape, he finds that the Beaumonts are nurturing and loving, very different from his own parents.
But soon unsettling things start to happen—vandalism, alarms going off in the middle of the night—and it becomes clear that someone knows "Nate" isn't who he says he is...and that the real Nate wasn't kidnapped, but murdered.
As he starts to unravel the mystery, he gets ever closer to the devil he may know—and learns he might be their next victim.

Report

"Readers won't be able to look away. A grisly, unflinching, and twisty page-turner that takes an honest look at human nature." - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"Fuses survival thriller and suspenseful mystery to deliver a resonant psychological roller coaster." - Publishers Weekly
"With a charming, whip-smart hero and a palpable evil lurking beneath a thin veneer of the suburban dream, BETTER THE DEVIL is a propulsive, engaging page-turner you'll tear through in one sitting." - Gretchen McNeil, author of Ten and #murdertrending
PRAISE FOR ALL THAT'S LEFT IN THE WORLD: "A haunting story that's sure to delight (and terrify). " - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
PRAISE FOR ALL THAT'S LEFT IN THE WORLD: "Both Andrew and Jamie are fully realized, empathetic characters whom readers will take to heart. Superb." - Booklist (starred review)
PRAISE FOR ALL THAT'S LEFT IN THE WORLD: "In allowing the protagonists moments of laughter and warmth amid so much loss, he gets to the terrifying heart of societal collapse: the loneliness and guilt of outliving friends and family-and the resulting hope in connection." - Publishers Weekly
PRAISE FOR ALL THAT'S LEFT IN THE WORLD: "It's difficult to say Andrew and Jamie are lucky, as each lost everyone they knew, but love like this-a small ember carefully tended until it erupts into a sustaining flame-is rare even when there are millions of people around you." - Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
PRAISE FOR ALL THAT'S LEFT IN THE WORLD: "Brown has somehow achieved a book that is romantic, hilarious, warm-hearted, hopeful, and page-turningly thrilling all at once. I was hooked from beginning to end." - Dahlia Adler, author of Cool for the Summer
PRAISE FOR ALL THAT'S LEFT IN THE WORLD: "Tense, exciting, sometimes heartbreaking and always romantic, All That's Left in the World explores what it means to hold onto hope and humanity when the worst case scenario becomes reality. With characters you'll adore, and a fast-paced, mysterious plot that keeps you turning the pages as fast as you can devour them, this book is not to be missed." - Sophie Gonzales, author of Only Mostly Devastated
PRAISE FOR ALL THAT'S LEFT IN THE WORLD: "A timeless love story that could not be more appropriate for this moment, All That's Left in the World is a thrilling, heartfelt, and beautifully written debut." - Tom Ryan, Lambda Award winning author of I HOPE YOU'RE LISTENING
PRAISE FOR ALL THAT'S LEFT IN THE WORLD: "Survival is core to the queer experience, and in All That's Left In the World, Brown takes that to apocalyptic extremes with the story of Andrew and Jamie. This is quintessentially brave, dangerous-in-the-best-way queer storytelling!"-- - Adam Sass, award-winning author of Surrender Your Sons
PRAISE FOR ALL THAT'S LEFT IN THE WORLD: "All That's Left in the World is unfailingly riveting and hopeful. A timely exploration of survival, trauma, and love stitched together with sharp wit and bone-deep emotion. Erik J. Brown is an invigorating voice to watch out for." - Julian Winters, award-winning author of Running With Lions
PRAISE FOR LOSE YOU TO FIND ME: "A charming read about finding who and what really matters in life." - Kirkus Reviews

Product details

• Authors: Erik J. Brown
• Publisher: HarperCollins US
• Languages: English
• Age Recommendation: from age 13
• Product format: Hardback
• Release: 20.01.2026
• EAN: 9780063338326
• ISBN: 978-0-06-333832-6
• No. of pages: 400
• Subjects: Children's and young people's books; Children’s / Teenage fiction: Family and home stories, Children’s / Teenage personal and social topics: LGBTQ+, Relating to LGBTQ+ people, Children’s / Teenage: Personal and social topics, YOUNG ADULT FICTION: Mysteries & Detective Stories *, YOUNG ADULT FICTION: Romance / LGBTQ+, YOUNG ADULT FICTION: Thrillers & Suspense / Psychological, Children’s / Teenage fiction: Thrillers / suspense, Children’s / Teenage: Social topics: Poverty / precarity, Children’s / Teenage fiction: Romance and love stories