Gail Pallota , author of "Stopped Cold"

In Stopped Cold, a teen mystery with a touch of romance and spiritual talk, youngsters solve real problems in the real world. The Christian message, you don’t have to be number one for God to love you, is woven into the plot. It’s set in a small town in the North Carolina Mountains, but things aren’t what they seem in peaceful Mistville.

Margaret McWhorter enjoys a laid-back Freshman year in high school flirting with Jimmy Willmore, swimming and hanging out with friends—until that day. Her brother, Sean, suffers a stroke from taking a steroid. Now he’s lying unconscious in a hospital. Margaret’s angry at her dad for pushing Sean to be a great quarterback, but a fire of hatred burns inside her to make the criminals pay.

Looking for justice, she takes Jimmy and her best friend, Emily, through a twisted, drug-filled sub-culture. A clue sends them deep into the woods behind the school where they overhear drug dealers discuss Sean.

Time and time again they walk a treacherous path and come face to face with danger. Even the cop on the case can’t stop them from investigating. All the while Margaret really wants to cure Sean, heal the hate inside, and open her heart to love.