The Nightmare Thief

Autumn Reiniger wants something special for her 21st birthday. And she expects it. Daddy's already bought her a sports car, an apartment, and admission to the private college where she parties away her weekends. In her most thrilling present yet, Autumn is treated to a 'crime spree weekend' in the California wilderness courtesy of Edge Adventures, a company specialising in urban reality games.

Armed with an ultra-deluxe weekend package, Autumn and her friends will become drug kingpins, bounty hunters and prison escapees. In what he thinks is a chance to overcome a childhood fear, Autumn's father also asks for a character called the Bad Cowboy. Played by an actor hired by Edge employees, what Peter Reiniger doesn't know is that the Bad Cowboy will be played by a pyschopath intent on turning a birthday dream weekend into a waking nightmare. Aware that only the wealthy can afford such experiences, the Bad Cowboy is accompanied by a motley crew who infiltrate Edge in order to hijack Autumn's big weekend.

When one of Autumn's classmates is murdered before the crime weekend begins, Jo Beckett is called in to perform a psychological autopsy. Tracing a link back to Autumn, Jo and Gabe Quintana accompany the group. What Jo doesn't realise is that the criminal gang has infiltrated Edge Adventures and is in control of the whole weekend. When Autumn's friends realise Jo's fears about the gang, a fight ensues and the bus crashes, leaving the driver dead. The rest of the gang are tracking the bus and it is only a matter of time before they will catch up with the youngsters. It is up to Jo and Gabe to protect the group and escape from the California wilderness to save their lives.