Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy. It’s certainly an interesting read, but I found elements of it just too obvious to really work.
Laurel and Primrose are 10 and 6 when they are accused of kidnapping a toddler and killing her. Laurel is found guilty and sentenced to prison. Rosie, being deemed incapable of knowing the criminality of these actions - and saying she can’t recall any details - is not charged with anything and is given a new identity.
Dubbed The Flower Girls, nineteen years pass and people campaign tirelessly to prevent Laurel being released. There is no contact between the sisters and then a curious set of circumstances sets up a spiralling situation.
The details we’re given of the abduction are tough to read. They are unflinchingly detached, and in the nature of the detail bring to mind the James Bulger case.
There’s lots of references to modern-day crimes and it certainly raises interesting questions about the issue of criminality and guilt, and how we deal with children that commit such crimes.
Where the book didn’t quite work for me was in the set-up of the actual sisters and what happened. Some information is deliberately withheld but there are clues from early on that hint firmly at the ‘shock’ revelations we get towards the end. Where it surprised me was with regard to the new relationship forged between Rosie ( in her new identity) and her boyfriend. The ambiguity surrounding details of this relationship is unsettling, and the ending will certainly make you reconsider one or two judgments you make along the way.

This was another book that I had been hearing lots about on social media. I was really excited when I found out it was available on NetGalley. I requested a copy and was lucky enough to be approved nearly straight away.

This is a chilling story about two sisters who tortured and murdered a two year old girl. However, only  once sister was ever convicted as the other was too young. The youngest sister is given a new identity and lives a whole new life with only a few people knowing about her true identity. A good few years later a 5 year old girl goes missing at a hotel where the youngest sister is staying with her family, and The Flower Girls are about to be headline news once again.

The story and plot were very interesting and thought provoking. While reading the book I kept thinking about similar real life events that have happened. i.e. the murder of James Bulger in 1993.

I thought the author has done a wonderful job of keeping the book simple yet covering important issues such as child abduction in such a subtle way.  While reading through the book you can tell that the author has spent a lot of time in researching the topics and issues covered.

Although there were some interesting and well developed characters, there were some that I found very annoying and took a disliking to them.

About halfway through the book I thought I had worked out what was going to happen but I was so wrong. The ending was shocking and I wasn’t expecting it. This book really had me sitting at the edge of my seat.

I highly recommend this book especially if you’re looking for a gripping page turner, with lots of twists and turns.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing, Raven Books for a copy of this eARC in return for an honest and unbiased review.

The opening chapters in this book are enough to make any mother break out in a cold sweat. The first chapter way back in 1997 is when two sisters Laurel 10 and Primrose/Rosie 6 entice a toddler from the park down an old canal path where the little girl would be found brutally murdered later in the day. In court the sisters were dubbed The Flower Girls. Laurel stood trial for murder while her sister and mum and dad were given new identities and moved far away. Rosie was deemed to be too young to stand trial for murder.
Nineteen years later Laurel is facing another chance, or lack or it, for parole which is strongly objected to by the toddler's family. While Rosie, now Hazel, is celebrating her 25th birthday at a seaside hotel with her fella and his daughter when a five-year old girl goes missing from the hotel. It isn't long before someone sees similarities between Hazel and the child she was. So she decides to bring it all out in the open, tell what she remembered of that day 19 years earlier but swears that she knows nothing of the missing child in present day.
I thought that the author did amazing creating the opening chapter. It is shocking and harrowing showing how devious and cunning the sisters were, especially Laurel to get the toddler to go with them but it isn't graphic. Later in the book some of the injuries are learnt and that really does hit hard but it is written with thought to who will be reading this book. I felt that I connected with the characters in the book like I was supposed to, as my feelings were constantly changing as the story progressed.
There wasn't a massive police influence in the story as it was disclosed more by the sisters than anyone else although other characters did have their own say too. The story goes back and forth between past and present each bringing their own shocks, some a little predictable while others blew me away. A brilliant conclusion.

The flower girls is a psychological thriller of a disturbing nature. Rosie and Laurel are sisters who were very close as children but after the death of a toddler everything changed. Laurel aged 10 was convicted of the murder, as she had no other explanation of what happened and Rosie then 6, was too young to be prosecuted, she couldn't remember anything either, they were dubbed the flower girls by the press so she and her mum and dad went into witness protection and moved away. 20 years later another child is missing and someone spots a flower girl, the detective who is trying to find the missing child wants to believe it's her who has taken the child but she needs proof.
It's a page turner for sure but not all the threads are concluded, the truth about the original crime comes to light at the very end it an ok read but some bits obvious.

Nineteen years ago a two years old girl was brutally murdered by two young girls, sisters Laurel and Rosie Burman who were only 10 years and 6 years old at the time. The press dubbed them The Flower Girls. Laurel, the older girl was convicted of murder and Rosie and the rest of the famiy were given new identities. Hazel (as Rosie is known now) is staying at a hotel in Devon with her partner and his daughter. A young girl, Georgie, goes missing from the hotel and Hazel is suspected of being involved as her past is revealed. This is a gripping storyline flashing between the present day and the past and how everyone has been affected, It is a good psychological thriller, very thought provoking with a complete surprise at the end. A highly recommended read.
Thanks to NetGalley and Raven Books for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Wow a great read. Two sisters are involved in the death of a young girl. Nearly twenty years later another little girl goes missing is history going to repeat itself. I won’t go into the story too much as I don’t want to give anything away but I highly recommend reading this book.

‘Is this what marriage is like? she wonders. A constant balancing act between infatuation and impatience.’

At first glance, it appears as though The Flower Girls is going to be a pretty cut and dry thriller. A girl disappears from a hotel on New Year’s Eve, and when a terrible storms starts raging outside it’s a race against time to try to find her – and the person responsible for abducting her.

Hazel is terrified that the finger of blame will be pointed her way, because she has a secret. Her real name is Rosie, and she’s one of the infamous Flower Girls: the moniker given to her and her sister, Laurel, who was convicted of the brutal murder of a toddler when she was just 10 years old.

Rosie was unable to be tried – as a 6-year-old she was too young to face trial – but even the trauma of seeing what Laurel did to the poor girl caused her to wipe it from her memory, the entire day a completely blank space in her mind.

Hazel’s life is good now. She’s in a long-term relationship with a man called Jonny, who she thinks is preparing to propose. She gets on with his teenage daughter, despite the fact that she’s definitely not old enough to be her mother. She doesn’t want all of that to be ruined.

But when an author staying in the hotel recognises her and forces her to come clean to the investigating officer about her identity, Hazel is catapulted back into the spotlight – and back into Laurel’s life, too.

The Flower Girls is more than just a mystery novel, it’s an exploration of the meaning of family. Laurel is abandoned by her parents and her sister, but their uncle Toby supports her throughout the years, representing her over and over again as he regularly tries – and fails – to get her released from prison. Meanwhile, Hazel finds herself a new family in the form of Jonny and Evie, telling Jonny the truth about her past and feeling pleasantly surprised when he accepts her anyway.

It’s also the perfect starting point for many different moral discussions. Can a child truly be evil? Or held accountable for their actions in a legal sense? Is it more important to examine biological or sociological in these kinds of cases? What exactly constitutes a life sentence? My mind was racing at multiple points while reading The Flower Girls, and I found myself needing to put it down to gather my thoughts into some kind of order. These were topics I’d thought about before but was examining in a completely new light, and I loved the fact that Alice Clark-Platts took a basic idea and elevated it to such heights.

The way the story is told is genius, too. The first half of the book is propelled along at a breakneck speed, as the search for Georgie is extremely time-sensitive. Meanwhile, flashbacks are laced throughout the unfolding events, throwing us back in time to when Hazel was Rosie and the original crime was committed. I was eager to know what happened in both aspects of the plot, and I found myself racing through the present day chapters to dive back into the past, then wanting to get back to the present as quickly as I possibly could.

It’s been a while since I’ve been this captivated by a thriller, as they seem to have become so repetitive and predictable in recent years. Although there were some twists I saw coming throughout The Flower Girls, the ways that they were revealed were fresh and interesting, and there was a big twist that had my jaw dropping open and made me want to reread the entire book with this information in mind (something I’m still considering doing).

I requested The Flower Girls from NetGalley on a whim, because it seemed like the kind of book I’d probably enjoy, but I didn’t have my expectations too high because I was sure it wasn’t going to impress me. I’m pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this story, and I’m planning on going back and exploring some of Alice Clark-Platts previous releases to see if they’re as good as this one.

The Flower Girls is going to be one of the biggest releases of 2019, I can feel it.

I found this book, The Flower Girls by Alice Clark-Platts very hard to get into at first But Then Bang!!!!! I was Hooked!
What a Brilliant Superb book this was. So, I am so glad I did not give up on reading it.

In 1997, On a lovely warm summers day, two little girls Laurel aged 10 & Rosie aged 6 who are sisters, whilst playing out in the summer sun, abducted, tortured and killed a two year old toddler Kirstie Swann. The older girl, Laurel is charged with the murder of Kirstie but younger sister Rosie she was too young to be tried in court and charged if found guilty. They were called The Flower Girls by the press. Rosie went on to lead a normal life with a new identity, but hides and lives with a big secret. of her past

On New Years Eve 19 Years later, Laurel is still in prison. Hazel (Rosie) is staying at a hotel in Devon Cliffs, with her partner and his teenage daughter, when a five year old girl goes missing. It's discovered that Hazel (Rosie) is staying at the hotel.
The Flower Girls is about to hit the headlines all over again.

A lot of things go through your mind whilst reading this book.....

Did Rosie hurt or have anything to do with the Torture and murder of Kirstie Swann?

Has Hazel and her parents visited their daughter/sister Laurel since she was a child or had any contact with her?

Did Hazel have anything to do with the missing little girl that went missing at the hotel?

Then Bang.....OMG.....What a fantastic ending! Didn't see that coming......Brilliant! Brilliant!!!
Highly recommend this Book!

Fantastic 5 star read!

I would like to thank NetGalley, Bloomsbury Publishing Plc (UK & Anz) and the author Alice Clark-Platts for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It’s so exciting to come across a synopsis that could be ‘ripped from the headlines’, this novel spoke to the true crime fan in me, so if believability is something you seek in your psychological thrillers, you won’t go wrong with this one. The majority of this story is set in the present day, and centres around Primrose, who is now known as Hazel; a child has gone missing from the same hotel she is staying at. Meanwhile, her sister, Laurel, continues her battle for parole. And that’s as much as you’re getting about the specific events that occur – you need to experience the suspense for yourself, guess all the different outcomes, and then see how things turn out.

Clark-Platts is a former human rights lawyer, and I think her knowledge in the field was evident in this novel, it played a role in how she crafted the legal elements, but also the personal and emotional reactions of the characters, whether it be the emotions from the family, from Laurel herself, from the wider public (always ready to play judge and jury), or journalists (ready to exploit to get the story). There were some very human emotions on display here, and this transcended off the page to the point where you, the reader, start asking questions… Is nineteen years long enough, should Laurel be given parole? You find yourself analysing a person’s capacity to change, trying to decide if your actions at 10 years old should determine the rest of your life. In equal measure, you wonder how a family moves past the death of a child, can they? What does it take to heal and move forward with your life? All this and more is explored within this novel, wrapped up in a thrilling mystery.

From very early on, I did call one of the ‘reveals’, but this novel has more than one, so Clark-Platts still managed to shock me. As this plot plays out, there are continued references to real life cases; these give the novel a chilling edge if you are familiar with the cases mentioned, if you remember when you first heard about these tragic incidences and how they made you feel. These references make the novel all the more hard-hitting, darker in nature.

The Flower Girls gives you a 360-degree view of all that occurs, you really feel invested in the plot, privy to the thoughts of the main characters, you have total belief in what you’re reading. Not only through the well-crafted plot, but through the fluid writing-style, this was a really gripping read.

While this is not a debut, it’s the first time reading this author, and I must say, I’m mightily impressed, and will for sure seek out more of her work!

"...the law has nothing to do with the truth."

In 1997, two young girls -- 10-year-old Laurel and 6-year-old Primrose (Rosie) -- are accused of abducting and killing a toddler in a gully near a canal by their back garden. Because of her young age, Rosie is not subject to trial but Laurel (referred to during the proceedings as "Child X") is convicted and sent to a detention center. After the court case, her identity was revealed to the public and Laural and Primrose were labeled with the Flower Girls name. While Laurel languished at the youth center until age 18, the rest of the family were given new identities, moved away, and never visited her. When Laurel turned 18, she was moved to a women's prison and her only regular visitor was her uncle, and solicitor. Meanwhile, Rosie grew up out of the spotlight with her Mum and Dad and their notoriety hidden.

Flash forward 20 years to Rosie's (now her name is Hazel Archer) 25th birthday. She and her partner Jonny are at a Balcombe Court in Devon on New Year's Eve to celebrate with his teenaged daughter, Evie. A cry goes up early in the evening -- a 5-year-old girl, Georgie Greenstreet, has gone missing. A massive search begins even as a horrible winter storm comes in and blankets the hotel and beach with ice and bitter cold. When DC Lorna Hillier arrives on scene, she's in high gear and initiates an intense investigation. It's during this drama that Hazel meets the author, Max Saunders, and reveals her hidden identity as she shares with him her worry that she will be outed as a "Flower Girl" and somehow accused of this crime. Seeing an opportunity in this fortuitous encounter, Max has visions of a book deal based on Hazel's life and the long ago murder of Kirstie Swann. NO SPOILERS. Now, just pick up the book and read it!

I'm still reeling after finishing this book in the last couple of hours. Definitely it's a one-sit read as I think most will find it impossible to put down. Told in alternating points of view and going back and forth in time, it is an incredible story that asks more questions than it provides answers. This extremely well-written mystery demands that the reader think about evil and the concept of punishment. If you think about what you've read in the news, you'll be staggered by the notion of child murderers and again, wonder how and why they walk among us. Despite the clues and revelations, the conclusion leaves many dangling uncertainties and I would have liked to have seen more explanation and a more spelled-out ending -- I couldn't believe it when I read the last paragraph -- what??? No, please tell me more!

There were many characters in this book and they each play a role but were not fleshed out as much as I wanted -- give me more details and information. That said, I felt that I could identify at times with several of them and also want to shake others until the truth fell out. I really enjoyed this gripping story and definitely will look for other books written by this author. Very compelling and unsettling.

Thank you to NetGalley and Raven Books for the e-book ARC to read and review.

This story grabs you from the beginning with the shocking murder of a child by children not much older which does make uncomfortable reading. Fast forward 20ish years and the story of what happened unfolds piece by piece. One of the ”flower girls” as they were nicknamed is in prison and cut off from her immediate family and the other is free with a new identity as she was “too young” to be charged. The main subject matter is very emotive and as the aftermath story unfolds with shocks and surprises. I could not put this book down for long.

The Flower girls is a very different thriller and one which truly lives up to the blurb. In addition to being a first rate story, with twists and turns that keep the reader guessing, it’s also disturbing and thought provoking.

There are clear parallels with some real crime cases; notably the murder of James Bulger and the child killer, Mary Bell. The narrative examines culpability and rehabilitation. Do children who kill grow into loving, caring and morally aware adults? It explores themes which resonate with these cases and sensitive issues are very carefully handled.

It’s packed with plausible characters who endear and estrange, much like real people. I was hooked from the outset and consider this one of the most memorable books I’ve read in a long time. I think it’s one people will talk about.

My thanks to the publisher for a review copy via Netgalley.

After I finished reading this I walked away thinking that I would give it 3 stars. I felt that while the book was nothing amazing it was still an easy read and compelling enough to keep me going back.

Then I kept thinking about it. Over and over. The more I kept thinking about it the more I realised that I didn’t want to give it 3 stars after all. I actually wanted to give it 2 stars. So I did.

I don’t like ‘downgrading’ books from what I originally rated and I don’t do it often. So why did I do it here?

On reflection, The Flower Girls is a fairly average crime thriller. A murder was committed many years ago, someone was arrested for it and justice was served. Flash forward nineteen years to a cold winter day at a hotel where a young girl goes missing (but who is found quite quickly).

The story comes into play because one of the guests is a young woman aged 25. Nothing remarkable perhaps aside from the fact that she’s one of the titular ‘Flower Girls,’ a term coined for a pair of sisters (aged 10 and 6) who tortured and murdered a toddler those nineteen years ago.

Laurel, aged 10, was the one convicted for the crime and has spent her life in prison. Rose, aged 6, was the one deemed too young to be responsible and was given a new identity. We now know her as Hazel.

The tension comes from two factors; did Hazel have something to do with the disappearance of the girl at the hotel and exactly how involved was Hazel in the original murder?

Maybe this isn’t what I was expecting it to be. It was compelling enough for me to continue reading but I didn’t feel like the stakes were high because sadly I could see the ending coming at me like car headlights. Maybe we were meant to work it out. Maybe I’ve just watched a lot of police dramas on TV.

The characters are not particularly compelling. We sit inside the heads of Hazel, Laurel, Max (a writer at the hotel who wants to use the information he knows on Hazel to benefit his career), Hillier (the cop trying to solve the disappearance of the missing girl), Joanna (aunt of the murdered toddler) and Toby (uncle of Laurel who is trying to get her parole).

That’s a lot of character perspectives for a crime thriller.

Unfortunately I feel the author was using the larger cast of characters and their varying perspectives to weigh in on the debates of ‘is evil born or created‘ and ‘when can we say someone has been fully punished for their crime‘ but this just didn’t fully work for me. The characters became devices rather than fleshed out characters and because there’s some unreliable narrators involved I actually felt a little cheated with purposeful misdirection.

Maybe I just wanted a more terse, psychological thriller and uncertainty. I never ask for uncertainty in stories but I wonder if here it would have been used for better effect.

But I’m probably saying that because I just didn’t like the ending. And as that’s the last thing you read in a book (shocker) that’s probably another reason why I changed my rating from a 3 to a 2.

I would have preferred uncertainty to the author’s ending which seems to concretely answer the question of ‘is evil born or created’ while simultaneously not providing any answers of substance. It’s hard for me to further elaborate without spoilers and I don’t want to spoil.

Now I must be completely honest with you and I hope it doesn’t offend: –

As mentioned before I found The Flower Girls to be a fairly average crime thriller. But I think the reason why this book is so hyped is because it benefits from the ‘sensationalism’ of having two young girls murder a baby.
And this is where I can’t separate my subjectivity from objectivity.

It’s a piece of fiction. Yep. Fine. It’s a piece of fiction that made me feel uncomfortable. Yep. Fine. The ending made me feel uncomfortable. Fine.

The frequent references and comparisons to a real life case in order to highlight how shocking this fictional murder was made me feel uncomfortable. I didn’t feel so fine.

If you’re comfortable with this, that’s fine (and no, this review is not about how many times I can use the word ‘fine’ even though it does appear to be a lot) but I didn’t like it and ultimately our reading experiences are personal because we’re humans not robots.

The real life case often referred to and I believe acts as inspiration to ‘The Flower Girls’ is that of Jamie Bulger which happened in the UK in 1993. If you want more details I suggest Google but it is horrid and involves two ten year old boys torturing and murdering a two year old.

The problem I have is that The Flower Girls references Jamie Bulger a lot. I feel this is to get the readers to fill in the blanks as to how horrifying the fictionalised crime is but a) that’s lazy writing, b) the author doesn’t provide any intelligent insight into the crimes, c) the book sensationalises the crime and glamorises Hazel without providing a narrative as to why this is not a good thing.

Like I said – I can’t separate my subjectivity from objectivity. This is on me. I didn’t like something and I didn’t like it enough for me to rate the book 2 stars.

Even if I remove the subjectivity then sadly I think this is an average crime book using sensationalism to give it a boost.

Maybe I should just stick to Agatha Christie.

A harrowing story about crime, grief and punishment, The Flower Girls is a fast paced and twisty read that is bound to make you uncomfortable.

The Flower Girls is a totally in-your-face suspense, with a chilling premise: two little girls murdered a toddler nearly twenty years ago, and while one of them is still behind bars, the other one is living her life, free as a bird, under a knew identity, barely even remembering the crime that had been committed.

Joanna, the murdered toddler's aunt is still campaigning for longer sentences, and through her story the author examines the effects of grief and the inability of letting go. Is it really the best thing to hold onto that all consuming anger? Is it possible to rehabilitate children who committed serious crimes?

Hazel (a.k.a. Rosie) is seemingly free and can live as she pleases, but when a child goes missing in the hotel she stays with her boyfriend, it still sucks to be her. She does whine a lot about this, to the point where I couldn't even feel sorry for her anymore, but as the police search getting more desperate, another problem pops up. An author recognizes her and comes up with the brilliant idea to write a book about Hazel, so she can tell her side of the story, and free herself from all past guilt. Also there will be money... lots of money.

There's the obligatory debate about nature vs. nurture, and of course we can't have a story like this without someone posing the question whether it's possible that some children are born evil. Well... Through disturbing flashbacks you will get all the details of what took place in 1997, so you can decide it for yourself. I personally came to the conclusion that I don't know anything about anything anymore, people suck, and I just want to hang out with the cat.

Although The Flower girls is a brilliantly written, twisted and thought provoking thriller, there is such thing as one too many plot twist, so while I thoroughly enjoyed the ride, it ended with a tiny eyeroll for me.

This storyline reminded me of the tragic case of James Bulger. I found it to be an uncomfortable subject and while I did finish the book I'm not sure that I would recommend it

2 Sisters go out to play, while they are out they abduct and murder a baby!
The 2 sisters Laurel and Primose are caught, one is charged and is put away for life, one is too young to be prosecuted and so has her name changed ( and her parents ) and her life is led in secret
19 years on a little girl goes missing at the hotel her and her fiancé are staying at....of course the truth of who she is comes out....but is she involved in this crime?....she then decides to go and visit her Sister in prison, for the first time, then the truth amongst many lies starts to emerge
The book is menacing and certainly didn’t have any ‘LOL’ moments!,I found the writing cold but then am guessing it was meant to be that way, its not the book to call cosy, by any means, the regular references to Hindley etc also chill you even more
The Sisters are both horrible characters, again they are meant to be and if the author was hoping to create characters to despise then she succeeded!
The other players in the book are equally unpleasant and there is an above average quota of stomach acid that they all seem to have!
Some of the plot I found far fetched and some storylines petered out, I could see why they were there but just fizzled off when kinda ‘dealt with’
There are 2 endings, one which I am sure many will guess as I did but then the last 2 pages have an abhorrent ending that ( and I read a lot!!) shocked me and made me pull a eurrghhhh no way face! Then theres an extra bit added to the 2nd ending that made me grimace even more
If the author wanted to create a book that got you at the end, again she succeeded!!!
A disturbing uneasy read that will stay with you, the ending raised my overall score for the book

One of the best books that I’ve read recently, could not put it down ,
two sisters Laurel and Primrose aged 10 & 6 tortured and murdered two year old Kirstie Swann on a warm summer's day in 1997. Dubbed The Flower Girls by the press,Laurel was convicted whilst Rosie who couldn't be held accountable due to her young age was given a new identity and a new life. The story that follows is so gripping full of twists and turns and what an ending, just simply AMAZING.
Thankyou to the author, publisher and NetGalley.

This was very enjoyable, keeps you guessing with a lot of red herrings and I did not want to put it down.
Thank you Netgalley for giving me the chance to read and review.

I was completely swept away by the first half of this book but much less so the second half, with the missing child safe and sound and Hazel's secret already out. The final couple of twists felt like they needed more explanation and earlier signposting for them to ring true. A thought-provoking book nevertheless.

The Flower Girls, Alice Clark-Platts debut thriller is both emotional and chilling due to the thought-provoking and complex plot. It reminded me right away of the James Bulger case, and as if the horror of finding a murdered child isn't enough the brutal, merciless killers are children themselves. Just like the Bulger case, this story brings a lot of emotion to the surface as we struggle to decipher why these children would carry out such an incident and how much culpability do they have for their actions at certain ages? It's quite didactic which I liked; it dealt with morality in a subtle way rather than shoving preconceived ideas down your throat. Having studied law at degree level the questions surrounding intent, age, brain capacity and responsibility of children for their actions were endlessly compelling to me. By the end of the book I had so many questions, and I love it when a novel is both rivetingly good and inspires a multitude of questions to arise in a readers mind.

This is an exquisitely written, intense and disturbing story, and I raced through it in a single sitting; I was just too far in to put it down and it had activated my mind and created much food for thought. The tension throughout is palpable, and there is an undertone of pure dread because of the nature of the crime, which never really dissipates. This is indeed a masterclass in crafting an absorbing yarn which plays with your emotions, and I know this is a story that will stay with me for a long time to come. There's something so shocking about the idea of two seemingly innocent children taking part in such a horrendous act. Should they get to live in witness protection? Should they be locked up for life? Will the first crime committed lead to recidivism? So many questions...

Many thanks to Raven Books for an ARC.