House of the Judas Goat

by Douglas Kruger

Genres: YA Horror

Synopsis

When a child trafficking network sets up a fake student exchange programme, families from around the world fall for it. Seventeen-year-old Kendall jets off on what she believes will be a Californian adventure. First stop: a luxurious hillside mansion for ‘Orientation Week’. Blinded by the opulence and their own naivety, the youngsters cavort. Meanwhile hidden cameras transmit images to international buyers of them flirting, sleeping, bathing and playing. Escape is impossible. The house is sealed tight. They are also being managed from within. One of them is a traitor, a ‘Judas Goat,’ subtly curating their thoughts, sabotaging their every bid for freedom. But who? Kendall must persuade the other students that they are all prey. Together they must uncover the Judas Goat and find a way out, or they will be sold to the highest bidder. They only have a week.

Release date: September 11, 2025

Publisher: Claret Press

Print pages: 262