The Reader: Lesley Cully, Founder of the Buckle Up in the Back Campaign.

The Review: The Guilty One by Lisa Ballantyne

This is the debut novel from Lisa Ballantyne and already it’s being touted as a phenomenon.

The story is told from the view of Daniel, a successful lawyer who is taken on to defend Sebastian, an 11-year-old boy accused of murdering his playmate.  The story moves from the present to the past as we discover Daniel has not had the easiest of childhoods.  An addictive mother means he is put out to foster care and then eventually adopted by Minnie, a woman with her own troubles and grief after losing her daughter. 

In Daniel’s adult life we discover that Minnie has done something to mean he cuts all contact and indeed is not there at her death, despite several attempts from her at making contact.

There are many themes to the book – which is the true guilty one? Is nature versus nurture the reason for certain behaviors?  Did Sebastian really kill his friend?

Rating: It’s a fascinating book that will stay with you long after reading – perfect for a book club or just to lose yourself in a great read!