Review: Girl on Trial by Kathleen Fine

Girl on Trial

by Kathleen Fine

Publisher: CamCat Books

Pages: 336

Format: eARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads: Does doing one bad thing make you a bad person?

Sixteen-year-old Emily Keller, known by the media as Keller the Killer, is accused of causing the deaths of four family members, including young children. Emily is one of the youngest females to be accused of a crime so heinous, making this the nation’s biggest trial of the year. But what really happened that fateful night―and who’s responsible―is anything but straightforward.

Living in a trailer park in Baltimore with her twin brother and alcoholic mother, Emily’s life hasn’t been easy. She’s had to grow up fast, and like any teen, has made questionable decisions in a desperate attempt to fit in with her peers. Will her mistakes amount to a guilty verdict and a life in prison? It’s up to the jury to decide.

Kritters Thoughts:  Before I dive into my review, I want to give some content warnings, this book has some tough scenes to read that involve inappropriate relationships, drugs, and alcohol.  While I don't have kids this age in my house, I could see if you do that this may be difficult for you to read and I do have them in my life and this made me think twice about making sure that I and the other adults in their lives are aware of what they are doing and who with!  

Emily Keller is sixteen years old and she did some things and some things were done to her and because of a sequence of events she finds herself in a courtroom with murder being spoken.  The book bounces between her trial and going back in time to before the main event and up to it.  Thankfully the book is clearly edited, so the reader knows when and where they are and can easily follow the timelines.  

This was not an easy read and I had to stop a few moments to gather myself because I felt so much for Emily for the childhood and life that she was building and how hard it was with what she was given.  Her childhood was so different from mine and I couldn't imagine trying to start life the way she did.  I wish she had the opportunity for more attentive parents that could possibly have interjected and prevented her from so many of the events and it was hard to watch the dominos fall knowing that she would end up in a courtroom.  

A hard, difficult read where when I finished I knew I needed to switch genres and read something completely different, but I was glad I read it.  A debut novel that I would encourage to read, but with the content warnings given above.  I hope Kathleen Fine has another idea up her sleeve, because the way she pulled this story together was so good and I would love to read another by her.  

Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Ebook 2023 Challenge: 6 out of 100

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Partner in Crime Tours.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.