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Publication Date: 17th June 2014 from St Martins Press.

Thank you to the author and publisher for the review copy via Netgalley.

As a teenager, Toni Murphy had a life full of typical adolescent complications: a boyfriend she adored, a younger sister she couldn’t relate to, a strained relationship with her parents, and classmates who seemed hell-bent on making her life miserable. Things weren’t easy, but Toni could never have predicted how horrific they would become until her younger sister was brutally murdered one summer night.
Toni and her boyfriend, Ryan, were convicted of the murder and sent to prison.

This is the second novel I have read from Chevy Stevens, the first being “Still Missing” which was superb – this one however took my addictive reading personality to WHOLE new levels. From the very moment I picked it up I was immersed into the story which flowed at a terrific pace and was at times thrilling and at times very emotional. Great all round.

We follow Toni as she leaves Prison and tries to re-start her life. As she returns to her hometown and tries to settle, hoping to leave the past behind her and let go of her trauma, she soon becomes caught up once again in the mystery surrounding the murder of her sister. Most people assume she is guilty but she knows better. Using present time and flashback, the author weaves a twisted and fascinating tale that will have you rapidly turning the pages to discover the truth.

As well as being a terrific mystery this also has some real character depth and insight, looking as it does at relationships in high school, bullying and rebellion, and the very authentic dynamic that can exist between teenagers and their parents – alongside the often fiery love/hate feelings that occur between siblings. The whole thing is actually very realistic, Toni is far from a typical teenager and yet she is also exactly that. The resolution when it comes is clever, but what I liked most about this one was the emotion behind it all. Toni’s feelings about everyone and everything ping off the page and into your head and you will feel for her a great deal even when she is behaving quite atrociously. All in all hugely intelligent character building, especially when it comes to the growing – the differences between Toni the teenager and Toni the adult, with all her experiences.

Very good indeed. Highly Recommended.

Happy Reading Folks!