About this book
Lamar Giles takes readers on a wild and dark ride in this contemporary Witness Protection thriller, perfect for fans of James Patterson, Harlan Coben, and John Grisham. Nick Pearson is hiding in plain sight. In fact, his name isn't really Nick Pearson. He shouldn't tell you his real name, his real hometown, or why his family just moved to Stepton, Virginia. And he definitely shouldn't tell you about his friend Eli Cruz and the major conspiracy Eli was uncovering when he died. About how Nick had to choose between solving Eli's murder with his hot sister, Reya, and "staying low-key" like the Program said to do. But he's going to tell you—unless he gets caught first. . . .
Why it was banned
Listed in PEN America's Index of School Book Bans as banned pending investigation in Escambia County Public Schools, Florida, in August 2023.
Censorship history
United States school ban context: Fake ID was listed by PEN America as banned pending investigation in Escambia County Public Schools in August 2023. The book's presence in the Escambia list matters because it is a YA mystery by a Black author, and the lawsuit and free-expression debate around the district emphasized that removals disproportionately affected works connected to race, identity, and marginalized experiences. Even when a title is genre fiction, removal can reduce the diversity of voices available to students.
Bans
| Country | Year | Reasons |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 2025 | Other |