Bloody Mary, which takes its title from the childhood game, tells the story of socially adept, thirteen-year-old Hadley and her protective mother. They live a privileged life in Chicago's gentrified Lakeview section, but soon find themselves in an unusual state of chaos and flux.<BR>A seizure and an accidental fall lead Claire to disconcerting visions and odd behavior. She falls into a reckless affair; she alienates her closest friends. The seizures begin to mount, and Claire drifts away from Hadley in pursuit of her fulfillment, while Hadley is in the process of destroying her own life, quickly and efficiently. The novel alternates seamlessly between Claire's and Hadley's perspective, tracing the effects of fear and desire on a settled, complacent life.