Miv lives in a small Yorkshire town that sadly has been plagued with heinous murders of women, by a killer dubbed the Ripper, for many months. She and her bestie, Sharon, profile the likely suspects in town and end up finding out more than they would ever want to know—and it’s a lot for a pair of 12-year-old girls: regional pride, racism, mental illness, marital issues, pedophilia, fascism. The issues are astonishing in breadth and all so present, while the proper citizens mind their own business. Miv and Sharon’s close observations collide with a racist neighbor who appears to be targeting their friends Ishtiaq and Omar Bashir, leading readers to believe that they are closing in on identifying the Ripper as well. Godfrey builds an authentic small-town community, with Aunty Jean helping hide “the problem” (depression) with her sister Marian, Miv’s mother, who is essentially non-existent for most of the book. Miv sees the perfect family, the Wares, fall apart, while helping the town librarian, Mrs. Andrews, escape from her abusive husband. The mystery builds with chapters ending with annotations for The List, Miv’s profile for each suspect. As each heartbreaking truth is revealed, Sharon and Miv’s relationship begins to crumble, with readers wondering, along with Sharon, if finding the Ripper has become an obsession. There’s a lot packed in here. But the dizzying feeling Godfrey creates with all the reveals from the adults, who are shockingly less than perfect, makes this a great read for adults and young adults ready to have their neighborhood suspicions confirmed.
(Young Adult)
