Emma Hunt is a single mother working hard to bring up her two teenage sons. What dominates her life is Asperger’s Syndrome – her struggle to ensure a place for her eldest son, Jacob, and his obsessions, in a world that does not understand him. Her commitment to Jacob has destroyed her marriage, dictated the direction of her career and created a unique lifestyle for the family. They live by house rules that give structure and security, while she cooks according to colour scheme, and routines are set around Jacob’s obsessions.

Meanwhile, Jacob recreates murder scenes at home, complete with fabricated blood, while Theo, his younger brother, longs for the normal family life that he sees in the homes he visits at night. It is ultimately Jacob’s obsession with forensic science and with murder – on television and in the local community – that propels the family into the courtroom and a murder trial.

Jodi Picoult’s latest offering uses the formula that has made her writing a success – a social issue, parental choices, sibling relationships and the voices of the characters who tell the story. At the same time, she weaves a gripping whodunnit that will keep readers guessing. Those who love Jodi Picoult will not be disappointed.