Prepare to have your heart broken

⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑  It seems wrong to enjoy a book of this nature, but I did. Completely. It was touching, poignant and provided points of view from various people impacted by a college shooting in Scotland. We follow events as they unfold from the POV of the shooter's mother, the first victim's mother and DI Helen Birch, who heads up the investigation whilst carrying her own tragic baggage. We feel first hand the sudden shock, disbelief and the crippling effect this has on normalcy. We see the heartless nature of the press, some far worse than others, and how being in the public eye can destroy any privacy needed at a time of such pain. It also shines a light on how conversations can be misconstrued and misunderstood - both intentionally and innocently - and the consequences of each.

This novel makes the reader feel as if they are there taking onboard everything that occurs. It breaks your heart yet there is a slight glimmer of a chance for healing, too, in the wake of such horror. This really was a sweet, heartrending novel that I feel sure will stay with me for some time.