THE WOMAN BEFORE ME has already won awards, including the CWA Debut Dagger so this is going to be interesting. The author, Ruth Dugdall worked for almost a decade in the criminal justice system as a probation officer, specialising in the most extreme crimes when seconded to a high security prison. So I guess she's writing about what she knows....
From the Blurb:
Rose Wilks' life is shattered when her newborn baby Joel is admitted to intensive car. Emma Hatcher has all that Rose lacks. Beauty. A loving husband. A healthy son. Until tragedy strikes and Rose is the only suspect.
Now, having spent nearly five years behind bars, Rose is just weeks away from freedom. Her probation officer Cate must decide whether Rose is remorseful for Luke's death, or whether she remains a threat to society. As Cate is drawn in to Rose's story, she begins to doubt her own judgement.
Rose Wilks and Emma Hatcher.
New mothers together.
But Rose's baby is in intensive care, and when Emma's son is killed, Rose is the only suspect.
Probation officer Cate Austin's new case is Rose Wilks, convicted of manslaughter and due for parole after five years in prison. Cate needs to know that Rose feels remorse for her crime. But as she hears more about her story, Cate's doubt begins to grow. And, she wonders, where is the line between love and obsession? How can there ever be justice when a child dies?