‘This is a wonderful novel, powerful, humane and moving. It’s also one of the best police procedurals I’ve read this year’ Ann Cleeves
A groundbreaking story of love and hate, loyalty and betrayal, in a world of change.
How far would you go to protect your child?
Can you really keep them safe? What if who they are puts them at risk?
And what if they have blood on their hands?
Teenager Allie Kennaway heads off for prom night, cheered on by her dad Steve and little sister Teagan. But Allie never comes home, beaten to death in an apparent hate crime because of her transgender identity. As police investigate the brutal murder, a crime that has appalled the country, one parent is at her wit’s end with her son’s behaviour. Are his outbursts and silences hiding something much darker than adolescent mood swings? And if her suspicions are correct, then what does she do? Another parent will fight tooth and nail to save his boy from the full force of the law. After all, blood is thicker than water and everyone should look after their own. But if he succeeds then Allie and her family will never get the justice they deserve.
A groundbreaking story of love and hate, loyalty and betrayal, in a world of change.
Praise for Cath Staincliffe:
‘Harrowing and humane. A real knockout’ Ian Rankin
‘It’s always exciting to see a writer get better and better and Cath Staincliffe is doing just that’ Val McDermid
‘Remarkable depth … The most grown-up writer in British crime fiction’ Telegraph
Complex and satisfying – Sunday Times
A groundbreaking story of love and hate, loyalty and betrayal, in a world of change.
How far would you go to protect your child?
Can you really keep them safe? What if who they are puts them at risk?
And what if they have blood on their hands?
Teenager Allie Kennaway heads off for prom night, cheered on by her dad Steve and little sister Teagan. But Allie never comes home, beaten to death in an apparent hate crime because of her transgender identity. As police investigate the brutal murder, a crime that has appalled the country, one parent is at her wit’s end with her son’s behaviour. Are his outbursts and silences hiding something much darker than adolescent mood swings? And if her suspicions are correct, then what does she do? Another parent will fight tooth and nail to save his boy from the full force of the law. After all, blood is thicker than water and everyone should look after their own. But if he succeeds then Allie and her family will never get the justice they deserve.
A groundbreaking story of love and hate, loyalty and betrayal, in a world of change.
Praise for Cath Staincliffe:
‘Harrowing and humane. A real knockout’ Ian Rankin
‘It’s always exciting to see a writer get better and better and Cath Staincliffe is doing just that’ Val McDermid
‘Remarkable depth … The most grown-up writer in British crime fiction’ Telegraph
Complex and satisfying – Sunday Times
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Reviews
An intelligent and emotionally engaging moral workout
Cath Staincliffe gets into the heads of ordinary people and makes them extraordinary
It's always exciting to see a writer get better and better and Cath Staincliffe is doing just that
Complex and satisfying
For her insistence on looking real life squarely in the face I would call Staincliffe the most grown-up writer in British crime fiction ... her novel is mercilessly exciting too
A sensitive and humane writer whose talent for characterisation ... is the fuel for real suspense
A powerful, complex, gripping, perfectly paced book that packs a punch
Powerful, complex and utterly gripping
Emotionally unsparing, this expertly written police procedural is also an outstanding thriller, hard to put aside even for the sake of sleep.
This is a wonderful novel, powerful, humane and moving. It's also one of the best police procedurals I've read this year
Her finest novel yet, emotionally unsparing, powerful, humane and moving . . . This is a timely, brave and brilliant book