An academy for liars

''Alexis Henderson is one of the best Gothic writers out there.'' HANNAH WHITTEN''Alexis Henderson is an exhilarating talent, creating rich new worlds that terrify and enchant.'' RACHEL HARRISONLennon Carter''s life is falling apart.Until she gets a mysterious phone call inviting her to sit the entrance exam for somewhere very few have heard of - Drayton College, a school of magic hidden in a secret pocket of Savannah.Lennon has been chosen because - like everyone else at the school - she is special. She possesses the innate gift of persuasion: the ability to wield her will like a weapon and to use it to control others and, in rare cases, matter itself.After passing the gruelling exam, Lennon must now learn how to master this devastating power.While persuasion takes a heavy toll on her body and her mind, she is captivated by all that surrounds her - her studies, Drayton''s lush, moss-draped campus, her brilliant classmates and, most of all, by Dante, the charismatic adviser who both intimidates and enamours her.But as Lennon becomes more adept at wielding her uncanny abilities, she uncovers more about the unsettling history of Drayton and Dante''s tragic and violent past, and is increasingly disturbed by what she finds.For it seems that the ultimate test is to embrace absolute power without succumbing to corruption and darkness . . . and it''s a test she''s terrified she is going to fail.''A modern-day Anne Rice, Henderson has a gift for creating a world engorged with desire and death.'' THE NEW YORK TIMES