Oh,Wow,just Wow. There isn't enough superlatives in the English language to describe how much I loved this book.It's the mesmerising,thought-provoking,chilling story of two sisters Laurel (10) and Primrose (Rosie) (6) who 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.
On New Years Eve,nineteen years later at a motel on the Devon Cliffs,a five year old girl goes missing. When it is discovered that Hazel (Rosie) is staying at the hotel,The Flower Girls are about to hit the headlines all over again
This riveting,page turner features a number of vivid characters including Hazel,laurel,Max (the ex journalist) DC Lorna Hillier and Joanna Denton (Kirstie`s aunt). Throughout the book the reader is taken back in time to 1997 where we learn about Laural and Rosie`s childhood before,during and after the murder and there is also brief coverage of Laurel`s trial.The murder of poor little Kirstie is frighteningly similar to the torture and murder of poor little Jamie Bulger in 1993 and the question of accountability and wether criminals can be rehabilitated is raised throughout the story. Should someone who has committed and been convicted of a serious crime be released back into society? Should suspected and convicted criminals be given new identities and new lives? Why would a child even consider killing another child? are children born evil or can their actions be linked to unfavourable environmental factors? The author covers these highly moral issues with sensitivity and without being overly moralistic.
I love a book that plays with my emotions,I want to feel something about the characters and that is definitely what happened whilst I was reading this character driven thriller. There was characters I liked,disliked,annoyed me,frustrated me,sympathised with,changed my mind about and just plain gave me the creeps. Once I started reading this book,I didn't want to put it down,I was 100% hooked in from the first page right through to the spine chilling,shocking conclusion. The ending gives me chills everytime I think about it and is going to play on my mind for a very long time. I would love to watch a tv adaptation of this book and think it is worth far more than five stars.Very very highly recommended by little old me.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
I am a former human rights lawyer who used to work for the UK Government. As a litigator, I worked on cases involving Winnie Mandela and the rapper Snoop Dogg. I loved my job but then we re-located to the tropics and now I live in wonderful Singapore.
I also write short stories which have been published in in various anthologies. And when I’m not writing, I’m running The Singapore Writers’ Group which I founded in 2012. This is a fantastic group of both professional and amateur writers who meet monthly and attend workshops and critique sessions
Social Media Links
Website : https://www.aliceclarkplatts.com
Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/aliceclarkplatts/
Twitter : @aclarkplatts
PUBLICATION DATE : 24th January 2019
PUBLISHER : Raven Books
GENRE : Psychological Thriller
Pre-Order/Purchase Link....
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Flower-Girls-Alice-Clark-Platts-ebook/dp/B07GBWGMK4/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1547726886&sr=1-1&keywords=the+flower+girls+alice+clark+platts
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