Brenda and Sherilyn never felt like they fitted in anywhere until they met each other. They always believed that no-one cared about them, or barely even noticed them, but when they first see each other, a instant bond is formed which is so strong that nobody can come between them – not even their own child. They have a daughter, but resent her intrusion into their lives so much that they take horrific measures to get rid of her.
There are no spoilers in this review, as it becomes obviously early on in this book that the Gutteridges have murdered their child in the most stomach churning fashion, and this book takes the reader through the circumstances leading up to the crime, their arrest and trial. It is narrated by several characters, including the neighbour who can’t help wondering if she should have done something sooner; the harassed social worker who blames herself for not being more thorough; the police officer who stumbles upon the scene of the crime; Brenda and Sherilyn themselves, and their families.
The writing is, on the whole, excellent. Despite there being a large number of narrators, each one has their own distinct voice, and their stories really drew me in. They reflected the horror that we all feel when we read about such crimes and the bewilderment at how anybody could do such a thing. The first half of the book was more interesting to me, but the story did have me gripped throughout. There was one aspect which I found difficult to believe – this being the idea that Brendan and Sherilyn were so ‘in tune’ with each other that their minds became one, even when incarcerated separately. This was probably the only flaw in the book, although for other readers, it may serve to enhance the writing.
So, would I recommend it? In all honesty, I would hesitate to do so. As a piece of terrific and gripping writing, I definitely would, but make no mistake – this is a truly disturbing piece of writing, which plays on people’s most basic fears. Definitely a book which makes a serious impact.
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