Abbott's early novels were historical hard-boiled crime fiction told from a woman's point of view. Her more recent work has shifted away from gangsters and femme fatales towards the secret worlds of teenage girls - and believe it or not, it's even darker. Dare Me centers on a group of fiercely competitive cheerleaders who fall under the sway of a charismatic new coach, and the fallout that occurs when she tries to disrupt their pecking order.