20 September 2022

Without even realising it, this is my second book about mass shootings. It’s not what it sounds like. This book might have a tragic mass shooting at its core, but the story is more about motherhood, and what a mother would do for her child.

This is a fabulously moving story that is going to keep you glued to the pages as you read late into the night. I picked up this book just as “load shedding” become a regular thing. Luckily my darling husband has made sure I have decent light for reading, even when our power is turned off.

This is my first encounter with Laura Marshall and I have already headed over to my favourite online site to add her other two books to my Wishlist. Sadly, Friend Request is not on the sire, I will have to find a copy somewhere else. I was deeply engrossed by this story and found myself deeply engrossed by the mystery. The characters were awesome. Let’s just say, I have a mother-in-law named Sylvia and she has dementia. It was easy to relate to, making this book a special read for me. Laura Marshall is creative in her storytelling and I love the way she keeps you guessing while the mystery unfolds. She is an author I look forward to spending more time with.

Twenty-Five-years ago, Travis Green walked through the street of Hartsead shooting people at random. He killed eleven people before turning the gun on himself. The last victim was Cassie Colman’s day. Rumour has it, that Cassie, aged four, was in the room at the time and that she was discovered covered in blood.

Now Cassie has returned home to look after her mom, Sylvia, who has been diagnosed with dementia. Sylvia never spoke about that tragic day, or about the husband she has lost. Cassie has spent her life eager for knowledge while hating the reaction she receives when she meets anyone new. Most people are filled with curiosity and love to question Cassie about the events she has no memory of.

Doubting her ability to cope, Cassie struggles to juggle the demands of looking after Sylvia and her new baby girl. Yet, she finds herself befriending a journalist writing an article about the shooting for the twenty-fifth anniversary and quickly becomes caught up in a search for the truth. Soon threats are made, and it’s clear that someone wants the past left in the past… Cassie cannot ask her mom, and she is desperate for the truth, but can she find the answers she is looking for before someone ends up hurt?

This was a brilliant read. I raced through this book and found myself annoyed every time I needed to walk away from it. The author managed to keep invested and eager to find out what really happened that day.

Sylvia Colman stole my heart. She was just as sweet as my mother-in-law. The author captured the effects of dementia beautifully and sharing Cassie’s frustrations and sadness at the loss of her mother was genuine and rather close to home. The author did a stunning job with this character. If I did not know better, and if the ending was a little different, then the author could have been writing about my mom-in-law.

I have seen this book all over social media and am I happy that I added it to my TBR. I loved this book; it is a fantastic read.

If you are looking for a mystery that will keep you guessing, with awesome characters that will steal your heart, then you simply must read this book. I cannot recommend this one highly enough, and I want to thank all my fellow bloggers for recommending this marvellous book.