An audio book.
Hamstead. Sapphire, 17, multi-racial, lives with her uncle now that her parents are dead. She was a self-harmer. She had therapy sessions with Rowan, who she liked and stalked. She discovered Rowan's address, that his son Josh smoked grass on waste land, and that Rowan might be having an affair with a colleague, Alessia.
Kate and Rowan have been married for 25 years. Their children Josh (who his mother thinks is a soppy mummy's boy) and Georgina (who has a friend Tessa?), are in their mid teens. A year ago, Kate thought Rowan was having an affair - no evidence, but they nearly split up. After spying on him she suspects Sapphire. He had an affair before they had children.
Owen, a 33 year old virgin, teaches computing. Accused of inappropriate behaviour he resigns rather than undergoing awareness training. He's been living with his aunt Tessie (opposite Kate and Rowan) since his mother died when he was 18.
There are sex crimes in the area. Sapphire has gone missing. Police interview Kate, Rowan and Owen.
Chapters are from the PoVs of Sapphire (first person, using phrases like "muted streetlight"), Kate and Owen. Sapphire's chapters lag behind the others. She was molested when 10 by a boy, Harrison John, little older than her. She suddenly wants to take revenge. She suddenly starts sleeping outside, for some reason.
Owen is arrested. There's much circumstantial evidence. The papers have a field day. Kate begins to suspect Rowan and/or Josh. She slips into this mode with remarkable calm.
When the Sapphire timeline catches up with the others we learn that she broke the fingers of Harrison John and Alessia took her in to protect her. Alessia and Sapphire kept their secrets for days. Then Harrison John's arrested.
At the end Sapphire and Josh are friends, Kate has separated from Rowan, and Owen, who's getting his job back after retraining, has a nice girlfriend. But it's unclear whether Harrison John committed all the crimes.
Why the similarity of names - Tess* and Owen/Rowan?
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