When I Was Ten by Fiona Cummins

Twenty-one Years ago, Dr Richard Carter and his wife Pamela were murdered in what has become the most infamous double murder of the modern age.

Ten-year-old Sara Carter - nicknamed the Angel of Death - spent eight years in a children’s secure unit and is living quietly under an assumed name with a family of her own.

Now, on the anniversary of the trial, a documentary team has tracked down her older sister Shannon Carter, compelling her to break two decades of silence.

Her explosive interview sparks national headlines and journalist Brinley Booth, a childhood friend of the Carter sisters, is tasked with covering the news story.

For the first time, the three women are forced to confront what really happened on that blood-soaked night - with devastating consequences for them all

When I Was Ten by Fiona Cummins

I received a copy of this book from the publisher Pan Macmillan and Netgalley in return for an honest review. Thank you to them both.

I loved this story. I think I’m turning into a thriller type of girl now! So this book threw a good few twists my way, there was a couple of open mouth moments there!

Sara and Shannon lived an awful childhood, and we get to find out so much of this throughout out the story. We get to understand why what happened happened, and you really do feel for the girls. Their childhood friend Brinley lives next door, and knows what goes on, but hasn’t actually seen anything happen, as Dr and Mrs Carter are so careful when others are around. We read flashbacks of that night, nights and days previous, and a lot of the present, always from Sara (or now as she is know Catherine), and Brinley’s POV. 

Catherine is now grown and living under a new identity, with her husband and daughter. But it isn’t long before things start unravelling, especially once Shannon goes on air to plead with her sister to find her again.

But there is another persons POV we see, and that is the Justice Secretary. To be honest I didn’t think he fit well into the story, and he could have been left out completely and I don’t think it would have made much difference. But he was there anyway, and I suppose just added an extra character. 

That didn’t take anything away from the story though. It was a fab thriller, and rather sad at times too, and I would definitely read more of Fiona Cummins work.