The story and narration are good, but I could have benefitted by having the ebook also. Many different characters, lots of changes in time line and character did cause some confusion for me. Recommended.

Publisher info. Amazon - In 1982 Victorian police were called to a home on a housing estate an hour west of Melbourne. There, they found a five-year-old boy lying still and silent on the carpet. There were no obvious signs of trauma, but the child, Jacob, died the next day.

The story made the headlines, and hundreds attended the funeral. Few people were surprised when the boy's mother and her boyfriend went to prison for the crime. Police declared themselves satisfied with the result, saying there was no doubt 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....

Twenty years on, Lauren has created a new life for herself, but details of Jacob's death begin to resurface and the story again makes the newspapers. As Lauren struggles with the ghosts of her childhood, it seems only a matter of time before the past catches up with her. ( )

Short commentary as this was read for our face to face bookclub meeting yesterday. Lovers of this book will be pleased to know I was very much in the minority because I really did not like this book. Partially that's because of some stereotypical coincidences between the characters in this and the last book by the same author read - damaged / fragile women and more balanced / carefree despite trials blokes. Partially it's because there was so much telling it felt like there'd be an exam to pass at the end. Mostly it was because read the prologue, you've pretty much read the whole book. ( )

This story is written from the point of view of each of the main characters in the book. Jake, a five year old child, dies. Who killed him and how? He has 2 sisters and a brother and they teach tell their part in the story and the years after. The investigating police officer also tells his story.
I found this way of writing hard to follow initially but as the book progressed it became easier to follow.
It shows us the reality of fostering children, and the different type of person who does it. ( )

I have read another book by this author " I came to say goodbye" which I found to be a powerful but confronting story so wanted to read this one too.
It starts with the death of a five year old boy Jacob. The parent's story is that this boy and his older brother were sent to the shop for messages and on the way home Jacob was beaten up by two men. But this story is never believed by the police and the mother and her partner are found guilty and sent to jail where the mother dies some years later. However you always felt there was more to the story that this and that Jacob's older sister Lauren knew what had happened but would not say. The story then goes on to tell the story of what happened to each of the siblings Lauren, Harley and Hayley, and what they made of their lives.In the end the past does catch up with Lauren and the truth is revealed. Again it is somewhat of an upsetting story, but unfortunately these things do happen in our world. The good thing is though, that even with the trauma that these children experienced, two out of the three were, in the end, able to make something good out of their lives. ( )