Description of book
On 11 November 1982, police were called to a housing estate an hour west of Melbourne. In the lounge room of an otherwise ordinary brick veneer home, they found a five-year-old boy lying on the carpet. His arms were by his sides, his palms flat. The paramedics could see no obvious signs of trauma other than an almost imperceptible indentation to the boy's skull, but he died the next day.
The boy's mother said a man had attacked her son on the way back from the shops but few people were surprised when she and her boyfriend went to prison for the crime. Police declared themselves satisfied that justice had been done. And yet, for years, rumours swept the estate and clung like cobwebs to the long-vacant house: there had been a cover-up. The real perpetrator, at least according to local gossip, was the boy's six-year-old sister, Lauren…
Reviews
* Overington has created a pageturner- Good Reading
* The author has covered many such stories as an investigative journalist, but uses this novel to explore the concern we feel for the children left behind after such traumatic experiences. A thoughtful approach to troubling real-life events- Woman’s Day
* A gripping debut novel...Taut writing helps rachet up the tension between the voices of each of the people involved, until all the layers are stripped away to finally reveal the truth- Australian Women’s Weekly
* The novel resonates with realism. It’s impossible not to think of real life cases that have made the headlines and wonder whether those who experience it can ever get past their trauma, and whether the truth always emerges. - Better Homes and Gardens
* It is powerful and engrossing and will keep you guessing right until the end. - Townsville Bulletin
Child protection is the real issue here, and while it’s not pleasant subject matter, it’s hard to look away. - Sunday Telegraph