Nevermore's Picks: The Guilty One and Detroit: An American Autopsy

One of the beauties of the Nevermore Book Club is that the members read and report on their own books so folks don't always read the same book. Still, there are some books that make the rounds of more than one reader.  Here are a couple of books which made a big impression on our members:

The Guilty One by Lisa Ballantyne is highly recommended by Nevermore.  British solicitor Daniel Hunt is handed the case of an eleven year old boy, Sebastian, who is accused of murdering a younger child in this psychological thriller. As he investigates, Daniel is forced to relive parts of his own childhood with his drug-addicted mother and his time in foster care. The author asks a lot of hard questions about child welfare and the criminal justice system, but also explores the nature of love, family and forgiveness. The fact that this is a first novel makes it all the more impressive. 

 Our readers found it hard to put down, and drew comparisons to Defending Jacob by William Landay and The Child Who by Simon Lelic, both of which deal with the same shattering premise. All three offer ample room for discussion of the juvenile justice system (or lack thereof) while being entertaining at the same time. Landay's book offers a lot of twists and turns in addition to great court room scenes, while Lelic is less on the identity of the murderer and more about the consequences of taking an unpopular stand-- and yes, there are still twists and turns.

The other top recommendation is for Detroit: An American Autopsy by Charlie Leduff.  How did Detroit go from one of the most vibrant, wealthy cities in America to being one of the nation’s poorest, a symbol of decay?  Investigative reporter Leduff, a native of Detroit, traces the trail of corruption and mismanagement, all the while revealing the human faces behind some of the stories such as firemen forced to sell their brass poles to raise money for equipment or policemen taking the bus to crime scenes.  One story involved a corpse left so long that it froze into ice several feet thick.  As someone commented, it’s like watching a car wreck—it’s horrible and horrifying but you can’t look away.

The Child Who by Simon Lelic

Reviewed by Jeanne

There is a prologue, but the real story of The Child Who by Simon Lelic starts with a celebration of an apparent piece of good luck.  Attorney Leo Curtice returns a routine call to the police station and finds himself the attorney appointed to represent a twelve year old boy who stands accused of brutally murdering an eleven year old girl.  It’s a high profile case that could make Leo’s career, and Leo does have ambitions; the problem is, he’s also idealistic. He doesn’t quite understand the rising anger directed not only at his client but at Leo himself.  Then the anonymous letters start arriving, and he begins to fear for not only his own safety, but that of his wife and daughter as well.

Lelic sets up several fascinating, complex moral dilemmas in his novel.  Leo is hardworking, earnest and hoping to finally prove himself.  Daniel Blake, the boy accused of murder, is sullen and angry and yet Leo feels sorry for the child whom so many want to toss to the wolves.  The child’s mother and stepfather seem more interested in how the case will affect them than they do in the outcome for Daniel.  Meanwhile, Leo’s wife is becoming increasingly frightened and upset as their daughter is bullied at school over her father’s involvement in the case.  In some ways, this book is a good companion for William Landay’s Defending Jacob, in which a district attorney finds his own son accused of murdering another student.  For me, Lelic’s book is more about the questions: can a child be responsible for murder? Who is to blame? How much should an individual risk in the name of some perceived higher principle? Lelic doesn’t provide any easy answers—or really, any answers.  Choices are made and prices are paid.  The characters are interesting but I didn’t find them engaging; it might have influenced readers more strongly in one direction or another and I don’t think that was the author’s intent.  He wants us to wonder. Leo, for example, asks many of the questions about justice but he also sees the case as a way to make a difference in the world.  Is he fighting for Daniel or for his own reputation?

The book does have some very deft twists and turns, though I’m not sure I’d dub it a thriller as some reviews did.  One big twist in particular I didn’t see coming, but in looking back there were hints.  If you like a mystery that gives you an opportunity to mull some big questions, this may be the book for you.