An audio book. Largely Marty's 1st person PoV and Trent's 3rd person PoV.
We start with Eva's PoV. She's been a Lake District primary school teacher for over 20 years. She has a husband Justin and daughter Marty. At a school performance put on for the new kids a gunman comes in and she dies trying to shield the children. Kit, a boy with problems, dies too. His father, Larkin is a quiet policeman - a widower (Elsie was his wife).
Trent has always wanted to be a journalist. At school he started "The Daily Stun". Tim often stays the night with his mother. Trent rather resents this. His father died a decade before in the army. When the identity of the killer's revealed, Trent realise that they played together.
Lia is Marty's friend.
The press hound Marty. Larkin asks her about some details that don't match up (she says she was in the hall). And people wonder why Larkin took an hour to arrive at ther scene.
Helen's son has "episodes" - disappearing or sudden anger. His father has left.
Conspiracy addicts challenge the whole story, wondering if the shooter (Rohin Sullivan) was correctly identified. Trent starts digging up Eva's grave to confirm that a body's there. Posters are up. Marty notes that "Mother looked back at me like a mourned dictator".
At Eva's wake (held at her house) the police raid because the gun is Justin's. Trent is told that his father killed himself. His mother had been keeping it a secret. Trent goes to live in London.
Shockjock Ray Cleave keeps the story alive. Trent and Sue are friends, conspiracy theorists. Sue has a daughter who’s disowned her. Trent discovers that Marty had talked to Rohan.
Months roll by, then years. We repeatedly return to Day One, a different narrator each time until at the end we get Eva's PoV again.
Roy plans a Truth Rally on the day of the inquiry. He doesn’t turn up. Marty admits at the inquiry that she hadn’t been in the hall. But she doesn’t mention Rohan (10 years older than her) with whom she’d had a secret affair for a year or 2. Lia knew about it. Marty had shown him her father’s gun. When she told him she wanted to leave him to focus on her retakes, he hit her. Trent gets into the inquiry with Sue, and they try to disrupt the inquiry. He’s arrested and gets 12 years for this and other offences. His mother visits, which is maybe why she and Tim separate. Trent lives with her after 6 years, when he’s released. Marty tracks him down, watches his movements. They meet. She’s carrying a knife. They talk about their mutual gratitude to Rohan.
Lia might fancy Marty. Marty didn’t realise that Lia dropped out of university because Marty’s mother died. Larkin leaves the town and dies mountaineering.
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