A Guide for Murdered Children

By: Sarah Sparrow

Narrated by: Keith Szarabajka

Length: 12 hrs and 18 mins

Publisher's Summary

"In her astonishing thriller, Sarah Sparrow has joined the ranks of Shirley Jackson and Stephen King. A warning: there is no safe place to read this book." (David Cronenberg)

Terrifying, thoroughly original and hauntingly written, A Guide for Murdered Children is a psychological thriller - and otherworldly surprise. 

We've heard it said that there is no justice in this world. But what if there really was? What if the souls of murdered children were able to briefly return, inhabit adult bodies, and wreak revenge on the monstrous killers who stole their lives?

Such is the unthinkable mystery confronting ex-NYPD detective Willow Wylde, fresh out of rehab and finally able to find a job running a Cold Case squad in suburban Detroit. When the two rookie cops assigned to him take an obsessive interest in a decades-old disappearance of a brother and sister, Willow begins to suspect something out of the ordinary is afoot. And when he uncovers a series of church basement AA-type meetings made up of the slain innocents, a new way of looking at life, death, murder - and missed opportunities - is revealed to him.

Mystical, harrowing, and powerfully moving, A Guide for Murdered Children is a genre-busting, mind-bending twist on the fine line between the ordinary...and the unfathomable.

©2018 Sarah Sparrow (P)2018 Penguin Audio

Meaning

There is a power to this book, even though it is often a challenging read. Challenging in that the subject matter treads on untouchable territory in our times of surface-level relationships, but these issues are very real for too many and Sparrow takes them all head on. It’s unfortunate Sparrow goes by a pseudonym because I would love to talk to him/her, but I understand — a pseudonym for this book is clear evidence of the taboo subject matter.

I found meaning in the way the story gives value to these fallen children and their families, and provides a way for escape and redemption. Any person or family affected by abuse of any kind — and there are many in this wicked world — will find solace in this book, and will hopefully grow a little closer to their own point of “balance.”

As far as stories go, the mystery, suspense, and fantasy woven with very modern pop culture references - as in, Stranger Things - takes you there. And the dialogue and narration make me want to meet Honeychild, hang with Willow, and have a long talk with Elaine.

The narrator was masterful.

Unusual and good!<br />

I've never read a book like this but the premise intrigued me. I ignored a lot of it -- the train, milk and cookies, people with more than one name for instance. murdered children returning to settle the score with the men who killed them. An intelligent debate in very interesting form.