The Rumour by Lesley Kara

There’s a killer among us.

Genres: Mystery, Thriller
Published: 27th December, 2018
Goodreads
Series: N/A
Rating: 4

When single mum Joanna hears a rumour at the school gates, she never intends to pass it on. But one casual comment leads to another and now there’s no going back . . .
Rumour has it that a notorious child killer is living under a new identity, in their sleepy little town of Flinstead-on-Sea.
Sally McGowan was just ten years old when she stabbed little Robbie Harris to death forty-eight years ago – no photos of her exist since her release as a young woman.
So who is the supposedly reformed killer who now lives among them? How dangerous can one rumour become? And how far will Joanna go to protect her loved ones from harm, when she realizes what it is she’s unleashed?

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Small town gossip is vicious. Nobody can escape the wagging tongues. Are you an introvert, keeping to yourself? Uh-oh… maybe you are a brutal killer, trying to blend in!

Joanna is new to Flinstead and doesn’t have many friends. When her son, Alfie complains about other kids not playing with him in school, Jo takes her mum’s advice and tries to make friends with other mothers. She fancies herself as someone who’s not into gossiping, and yet, she figures the best way to get in on with the mums is to jump on the bandwagon and speculate about a possible child murderer living among them under a new identity in their peaceful little town. Not just once, but on every possible occasion.

Jo’s sort-of-boyfriend, Michael (a.k.a. Alfie’s dad), a journalist, is not helping matters with his endless digging for the truth. He’s so dead set on writing a book about Sally McGowan, that he even broaches the subject of moving in with Jo and Alfie, even though up until now they weren’t even in a relationship.

Once the first accusation is cast, the story hurtles towards a big showdown with great speed. There’s always something to worry about. A dubious twitter account with cryptic messages, a neighbour who might not be as trustworthy as everyone thought, a book club meeting cancelled, or just strange, doctored photos showing up on Halloween. Take your pick.

There’s also the debate whether children who commit a heinous crime deserve a second chance, and if whether it’s even possible to rehabilitate them completely.

A thrilling, and absolutely entertaining story about the power of gossips, The Rumour will appeal to fans of small town mysteries and suspense.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley, in exchange for my opinion.