Product Description
Joseph Vaughan's life has been dogged by tragedy. Growing up in the 1950s, he was at the centre of series of killings of young girls in his small rural community. The girls were taken, assaulted and left horribly mutilated. Barely a teenager himself, Joseph becomes determined to try to protect his community and classmates from the predations of the killer. Despite banding together with his friends as ' The Guardians', he was powerless to prevent more murders - and no one was ever caught. Only after a full ten years did the nightmare end when the one of his neighbours is found hanging from a rope, with articles from the dead girls around him. Thankfully, the killings finally ceased. But the past won't stay buried - for it seems that the real murderer still lives and is killing again. And the secret of his identity lies in Joseph's own history...

This is a wishlist book for Isisjem. Enjoy :-)

Big R J Ellory fan. This is probably his most famous novel. Wanted to read this to see why this one above all others seems so universally popular. Thanks Beqi for passing it on.

This is the book that first brought R J Ellory to my attention as I'd seen the book all over the place and it made me curious. This is certainly the book he's most well known for writing (at the moment). It's the third of his books I've read so far and it's my least favourite. I don't want to give too many spoilers away. This is a good book. It's disturbing in places and makes for disquieting reading (as maybe anything concerning the murders of children would!). There are only really a couple of people likely to have 'done it' in this novel. However, I'm not sure the bit where one of the characters gets murdered is credible. How could this person murder someone in boarding house in the middle of New York and nobody see a thing? Lucky I'd say! I liked the way that right up until the end you're left with some doubt as to who has done the horrible crimes. In fact right up until the last few pages I really thought we'd never find out! And then when it is revealed it seemed to come out too quickly with no clear reasoning as to how it had become obvious to one character how it was this person!! Frustratingly we never really get an insight into the motivation of the killer. I guess this is more about good and evil and injustice than the actual killer?

I would definitely read other R J Ellory novels - I'm just not sure this one is a favourite.

Taking along to the meet up tonight!

Apologies for not journalling sooner! Seen this all over the place but never read it. Hope to get round to it soon!