This was a hard read. Not because it was poorly written, mind you, but because of the subject matter. Anytime you deal with child rape and murder, it’s a difficult thing that needs to be handled in a way that builds suspense and evokes emotion without overly sensationalizing the story. Add in the additional elements of multiple child rapes/murders, rampant cover-ups, unsolved cases, a town full of really awful people in charge, and the complication level ramps up exponentially.

This book is based on the true-life crimes known at the St. Cloud Quarry murders, which took place in St. Cloud, Minnesota in 1977. Mary and Susanne Reker were sisters, ages 15 and 12 respectively. They went missing in early September of that year, and their bodies were found, nude and stabbed at the local quarry later that same month. Told in alternating points of view (though mostly from the view of their teenage friend, Heather), this story is a twisting, turning mass of subplots and heart-wrenching and horrific revelations. This town was a terrible place to live with multiple pedophiles and multiple serial killers both residing in town and passing through. This is a story that as a parent will eat you alive with dread and keep you up at night. Most especially because it’s true. Look up the news reports – all of this actually happened, even though you can’t (or don’t want to) believe it did.

Jess Lourey’s telling of the story is masterful, but the plot twists and subplots were overlayed and intertwined to the point of leaving me confused and re-reading here and there. This was one hell of a story – but God almighty, I wish I’d never read it. Four stars.