St Helena's School for Wayward Boys has a reputation, and that's exactly why Nolan Pritchard checks himself in. That's where he believes he belongs, with all the other young men the world chewed up and spat out. At night, he dreams of fire swallowing his dead best friend up whole. Each night he runs into the flames and wakes up just the same: alone, terrified and guilty. A murderer, that's what he is. Throwing himself into the chaotic world of the wayward boys of St Helena's, his life collides with that of Ellis Callahan, a charismatic older boy with a talent for pickpocketing; Dominic, who earned his nickname 'Scissors' for a violent incident with another boy; Graves, a mute boy who freaks out even the toughest of students; Kit, the principal's perfectionist private-school son; Ace, the intimidating, poker playing bad boy of the school and Worm, his loud-mouthed right hand man.