Title: WHEN I WAS TEN
Author: Fiona Cummins
ISBN: 9781509876945
Publisher: Pan Macmillan
Pages: 369
Source: Private Copy
She had lived a lie for thirteen years, and the perfect life as she had known it was about to change forever.
Everyone remembered Sara and Shannon Carter, the little blonde haired sisters. Their Dad was the local GP and they lived in the beautiful house on the hill. Their best friend, Brinley Booth, lived next door. They would do anything for each other but everything shifted on that fateful day when Dr Richard Carter and his wife Pamela were stabbed fourteen times with a pair of scissors in what has become the most talked about double murder of the modern age.
The girls were aged ten and twelve at the time. One, nicknamed the Angel of Death, spent eight years in a children’s secure unit accused of the brutal killings. The other lived in foster care out of the limelight and prying questions. Now, on the anniversary of the trial, a documentary team has tracked down one of the sisters, persuading her to speak about the events of that night for the first time.
Her explosive interview sparks national headlines and Brinley Booth, now a journalist, is tasked with covering the news story which brings to light fresh evidence and triggers a chain of events which will have devastating consequences.
Official Summary
16 April 2025
I am new to Fiona Cummins; she has been on my TBR for a while and I am excited to share my review. When I Was Ten is a gripping, emotional thriller that dives deep into the ripple effects of a childhood trauma that shocked a nation. If you’re drawn to stories about dark family secrets, buried guilt, and the murky line between truth and memory, this one definitely delivers.
The story is told from multiple perspectives and timelines, which I usually love—and in this case, it’s handled well. It follows two sisters, Sara and Shannon Carter, who were just children when their parents were brutally murdered. One sister was blamed, dubbed the “Angel of Death,” and locked away. The other disappeared into a new life, carrying the weight of a terrible secret. Thirteen years later, everything starts to unravel when a documentary digs into the case, reopening wounds and stirring up long-buried truths.
I appreciated how Fiona Cummins explored the long-term psychological impact of the crime. You can feel the pain and guilt simmering beneath the surface of each character, especially Sara, who just wants a normal life. There’s a raw vulnerability to her chapters that made me feel deeply for her—even when I wasn’t sure I could trust everything she was saying.
Brinley Booth, the childhood friend turned journalist, was another compelling perspective. As she digs into the case, she forces everyone—herself included—to face some uncomfortable truths. Her role added a solid investigative thread to the story, and I loved how everything started tying together as the layers peeled back.
Why not five stars? I found the pacing dipped slightly in the middle, and a couple of twists were a little predictable. That said, the emotional depth of the characters and the final revelations more than made up for it.
This is a book about fractured childhoods, the lasting scars of trauma, and the lies we tell ourselves (and others) to survive. It’s haunting, thought-provoking, and lingers long after you turn the last page. Highly recommended if you’re in the mood for a dark, character-driven thriller with a punch of true crime-style intrigue.
Also By Fiona Cummins
THE NEIGHBOUR
FOR SALE: A lovely family home with good-sized garden and treehouse occupying a plot close to woodland. Quiet, leafy road, good schools, close to the sea and commutable to London. Perfect for kids, fitness enthusiasts, dog walkers . . .
And, it seems, the perfect hunting ground for a serial killer.
On a hot July day, Garrick and Olivia Lockwood and their two children move into 25 The Avenue looking for a fresh start. They arrive in the midst of a media frenzy: they’d heard about the local murders in the press, but Garrick was certain the killer would be caught and it would all be over in no time. Besides, they’d got the house at a steal and he was convinced he could flip it for a fortune.
The neighbours seemed to be the very picture of community spirit. But everyone has secrets, and the residents in The Avenue are no exception.
After six months on the case with no real leads, the most recent murder has turned DC Wildeve Stanton’s life upside down, and now she has her own motive for hunting down the killer – quickly.
About the Author
Author bio from the author’s site
Fiona Cummins is an award-winning former Daily Mirror showbusiness journalist and a graduate of the Faber Academy Writing A Novel course. She lives in Essex with her family. Rattle is her first novel.
Thank you for visiting the blog and reading my review. I am making time for the new-to-me authors that’s been waiting for me on my TBR and this was a great addition to myself. I cannot wait to add more of Fiona Cummins’ books to my TBR. Are you a fan? Which is your favourite book? Please leave a comment below. Until next time…. Happy Reading!
