The Finisher was published by Scholastic in 2014. Vega Jane is fourteen years old, living in Wormwood — a walled village whose inhabitants believe that nothing exists beyond the wall except the deadly Quag (a forest of monsters). Vega works in a factory that “finishes” objects — polishing, completing, perfecting — for purposes no one in Wormwood understands or questions.
When her friend Quentin Herms vanishes beyond the wall (an event that should be impossible), Vega begins asking questions that Wormwood’s Council does not want answered. She discovers that the Quag is not impassable, that the wall was built not to keep monsters out but to keep Wormwoodians in, and that the village’s enforced ignorance serves the interests of those who control it.
The novel is Baldacci’s departure from adult thrillers into YA fantasy — but its themes (institutional deception, the courage required to seek truth, the punishment of nonconformity) connect directly to his adult work. Wormwood is a metaphor for any closed society that maintains power through controlling information.
Collecting The Finisher
First edition (Scholastic, New York, 2014): Hardcover with dust jacket.
Market values:
- First edition, fine/fine: $10–$25
- Very good/very good: $5–$12