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The Gosling Girl
Monster? Murderer?
Child? Victim?
Michelle Cameron’s name is associated with the most abhorrent of crimes. A child who lured a younger child away from her parents and to her death, she is known as the black girl who murdered a little white girl; evil incarnate according to the media. As the book opens, she has done her time, and has been released as a young woman with a new identity to start her life again.
But when one of her new friends, Lucy, is found dead in her flat, Michelle is the first in the frame. Brought into the police station to answer questions around Lucy’s suspicious death, it is only a matter of time until the press find out who she is now and where she lives and set about destroying her all over again.
Natalie Tyler is the officer brought in to investigate the murder. A senior black police officer, she has been ostracised from her family and often feels she is in the wrong job. But when she meets Michelle, she feels a complicated need to protect her, whatever she might have done.
Child? Victim?
Michelle Cameron’s name is associated with the most abhorrent of crimes. A child who lured a younger child away from her parents and to her death, she is known as the black girl who murdered a little white girl; evil incarnate according to the media. As the book opens, she has done her time, and has been released as a young woman with a new identity to start her life again.
But when one of her new friends, Lucy, is found dead in her flat, Michelle is the first in the frame. Brought into the police station to answer questions around Lucy’s suspicious death, it is only a matter of time until the press find out who she is now and where she lives and set about destroying her all over again.
Natalie Tyler is the officer brought in to investigate the murder. A senior black police officer, she has been ostracised from her family and often feels she is in the wrong job. But when she meets Michelle, she feels a complicated need to protect her, whatever she might have done.
397 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 20, 2022
31 people are currently reading
853 people want to read
About the author
Jacqueline Roy
16 books34 followersJacqueline Roy was born and raised in London. Her father was Jamaican and her mother was English. She lectured in English at Manchester Metropolitan University for many years, teaching Postcolonial Literatures and Creative Writing. She writes fiction for both adults and children.
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July 31, 2022I DNF this is a very dark read which I felt uncomfortable with it triggered things for me so have away no rating
February 6, 2022
This is a really hard book to review, due to its subject matter and the many many triggers that there will be in this book for people. It is a deeply disturbing and dark read, and I couldn't stop reading. It wasn't a light summer read in any way and will certainly not be for everyone.
I am not going to talk about the plot too much, there is alot going on all the time between the characters. At the centre of it all is Michele Cameron, a black woman who has just been released from prison where she has spent a large part of her life for her part in a child's murder, when she was just a child herself. She is now on the outside and struggling with a new name and life. She has no friends or family and is constantly worried that people will know who she really is. Her main interactions are with a police officer who she learns to trust, and a writer who wants to write a book about her.
I did read this on a rainy day whilst on summer holidays and didn't stop until I finished it. There is a surprising ending and it will give you much to think about.
I received a copy of an ARC for this book via a fellow booklover from the publisher. Released in Australia February 2nd.
I am not going to talk about the plot too much, there is alot going on all the time between the characters. At the centre of it all is Michele Cameron, a black woman who has just been released from prison where she has spent a large part of her life for her part in a child's murder, when she was just a child herself. She is now on the outside and struggling with a new name and life. She has no friends or family and is constantly worried that people will know who she really is. Her main interactions are with a police officer who she learns to trust, and a writer who wants to write a book about her.
I did read this on a rainy day whilst on summer holidays and didn't stop until I finished it. There is a surprising ending and it will give you much to think about.
I received a copy of an ARC for this book via a fellow booklover from the publisher. Released in Australia February 2nd.
May 2, 2022
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**2.5 stars**
The Gosling Girl by Jacqueline Roy. (2021).
Michelle's name will always be associated with a horrible crime; she was the black girl who lured a little white girl to her death. Having done her time, she is released as a young woman with a new identity to start her life again - until another shocking death occurs close to her. When she is brought in for police questioning, it's only a matter of time until the media find out who she is. Natalie is the officer investigating the murder. A black detective constable, she is ostracised from her family because of her job. When she meets Michelle, she feels a complicated need to protect her...
I actually found this one tricky to review. This is because while I can see it was well-written, and there were deep and important concepts involved, I just didn't really enjoy the book that much. Rather than detailing Michelle's crime as a child, the storyline explored the long-term effects for Michelle after her release in her early twenties. For my morbid reading tastes, I was hoping for more explanation on why Michelle committed the crime at aged ten. I didn't like the character of Zoe, who had decided to write a book about Michelle; I also didn't really get into the character of Natalie. Michelle was an interesting lead in a way and I did think it was good that the book shed a light on the mostly hidden reality of young serious offenders after release.
Overall: while I personally didn't rate this book highly, other readers have and I think it's a matter of if the style suits your reading tastes or not.
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**2.5 stars**
The Gosling Girl by Jacqueline Roy. (2021).
Michelle's name will always be associated with a horrible crime; she was the black girl who lured a little white girl to her death. Having done her time, she is released as a young woman with a new identity to start her life again - until another shocking death occurs close to her. When she is brought in for police questioning, it's only a matter of time until the media find out who she is. Natalie is the officer investigating the murder. A black detective constable, she is ostracised from her family because of her job. When she meets Michelle, she feels a complicated need to protect her...
I actually found this one tricky to review. This is because while I can see it was well-written, and there were deep and important concepts involved, I just didn't really enjoy the book that much. Rather than detailing Michelle's crime as a child, the storyline explored the long-term effects for Michelle after her release in her early twenties. For my morbid reading tastes, I was hoping for more explanation on why Michelle committed the crime at aged ten. I didn't like the character of Zoe, who had decided to write a book about Michelle; I also didn't really get into the character of Natalie. Michelle was an interesting lead in a way and I did think it was good that the book shed a light on the mostly hidden reality of young serious offenders after release.
Overall: while I personally didn't rate this book highly, other readers have and I think it's a matter of if the style suits your reading tastes or not.
August 6, 2022
*This was a very good read!
From the very beginning this book pulled me in, first I was intrigued to know what possessed a naive ten year old girl to murder a four year old child…surely there is some horrific background story to impel or provoke such extreme acts from a child?
The story is told in the first person and presents more as a study of the child Michelle Cameron (perpetrator) who has served her time for this crime and is now suddenly, and without warning, released into society to make her own way as a mature adult with a whole new identity.
It’s both sad and intriguing to note how her incarceration at that young age…first in an institution for juveniles, then later in prison to finish out her term…affected her whole being. As though her intellectual and spiritual growth had been stunted and her “being” disregarded and then discarded for a new made up identity…for her own protection.
Apparently her incarceration at the tender age of ten and onwards, was her punishment for the crime she committed. There appears to be no attempt at counseling or treatment plans, she was just locked away for fourteen years and then reinvented.
It makes sense that she would be frightened in this new world.
She is installed into a small unfurnished flat in London with minimum resources and is afraid to go outside for any reason, she’s never known that sort of freedom in her life. Her probation officer says she needs to get out and about and has set her up for a job interview she can’t afford to fail at…she has to make a living on her own.
Apart from reporting to her probation officer at regular intervals, she is left to her own devices, no other support is offered.
For starters she has to learn how to communicate with regular people and how to travel on public transport…there is so much to learn that her overwhelm is palpable.
Then her probation officer tells her that a journalist is very keen to get in touch with her, she want’s to write her side of the story. Michelle is confused by this as she doesn’t even know her story…she’s never talked about it to anyone.
And so a story of sorts begins to evolve, is she a Monster? Is she a Murderer? A child, or a victim?
I think we learn more about the system that moulded Michelle and then spat her out in it’s own ignorance and lack of just consideration as she bravely tried to navigate the cold world that was portrayed as freedom.
Although it is sold as a work of fiction, a fair bit of innuendo is involved in the telling of this story making me think (in retrospect) that the author was drawing from accounts of a real story or stories which may have similar themes…being careful not to add specific details, yet leaving the reader to draw their own conclusions.
Either way I thought this was a compelling and thought provoking read as a work of fiction and would readily recommend it to readers who love a crime mystery, fiction or non fiction.
It certainly offers food for thought and you are left pondering on so many pertinent “hypothetical” questions.
5⭐️s
Many thanks to Tracey @ https://www.carpelibrum.net and Simon Schuster publishers for my copy.
From the very beginning this book pulled me in, first I was intrigued to know what possessed a naive ten year old girl to murder a four year old child…surely there is some horrific background story to impel or provoke such extreme acts from a child?
The story is told in the first person and presents more as a study of the child Michelle Cameron (perpetrator) who has served her time for this crime and is now suddenly, and without warning, released into society to make her own way as a mature adult with a whole new identity.
It’s both sad and intriguing to note how her incarceration at that young age…first in an institution for juveniles, then later in prison to finish out her term…affected her whole being. As though her intellectual and spiritual growth had been stunted and her “being” disregarded and then discarded for a new made up identity…for her own protection.
Apparently her incarceration at the tender age of ten and onwards, was her punishment for the crime she committed. There appears to be no attempt at counseling or treatment plans, she was just locked away for fourteen years and then reinvented.
It makes sense that she would be frightened in this new world.
She is installed into a small unfurnished flat in London with minimum resources and is afraid to go outside for any reason, she’s never known that sort of freedom in her life. Her probation officer says she needs to get out and about and has set her up for a job interview she can’t afford to fail at…she has to make a living on her own.
Apart from reporting to her probation officer at regular intervals, she is left to her own devices, no other support is offered.
For starters she has to learn how to communicate with regular people and how to travel on public transport…there is so much to learn that her overwhelm is palpable.
Then her probation officer tells her that a journalist is very keen to get in touch with her, she want’s to write her side of the story. Michelle is confused by this as she doesn’t even know her story…she’s never talked about it to anyone.
And so a story of sorts begins to evolve, is she a Monster? Is she a Murderer? A child, or a victim?
I think we learn more about the system that moulded Michelle and then spat her out in it’s own ignorance and lack of just consideration as she bravely tried to navigate the cold world that was portrayed as freedom.
Although it is sold as a work of fiction, a fair bit of innuendo is involved in the telling of this story making me think (in retrospect) that the author was drawing from accounts of a real story or stories which may have similar themes…being careful not to add specific details, yet leaving the reader to draw their own conclusions.
Either way I thought this was a compelling and thought provoking read as a work of fiction and would readily recommend it to readers who love a crime mystery, fiction or non fiction.
It certainly offers food for thought and you are left pondering on so many pertinent “hypothetical” questions.
5⭐️s
Many thanks to Tracey @ https://www.carpelibrum.net and Simon Schuster publishers for my copy.
February 4, 2022
"As she leaves, Tyler wonders why she said nothing in the face of Dave Donaldson’s racism. Professionalism: don’t be drawn, you must remain professional. But sometimes, she concludes. Professional is just another word for silent."
This was an absolutely incredible read, Michelle Cameron was convicted of murdering a child when she was 10 years old, she was tried like an adult and got sent to prison for the crime. Michelle is now out of prison and in her twenties, she’s desperately trying to adjust to her new life, and her new identity, because she can’t be Michelle Cameron anymore. We follow Michelle in her new life where she mainly interacts with a police officer, Tyler, who is assigned to protect her after her new name and address are leaked to the public, and a therapist, Zoe, who wants to tell her story in a book deal.
Reading the book I wasn’t sure I trusted Zoe as she seemed to be pushing Michelle too hard to tell her story, even when she was very clearly upset. By the ending I did feel that Zoe had done right by her, even if it seemed to be a little too late while you were reading it. Michelle is very much still a child in her behaviours and mannerisms, and I think that’s to be expected from someone whose had to grow up in the judicial system.
The surprise ending of the book really gives you a moment to think and reflect on the whole book, and what Michelle’s life had been like. I would like a book two to see what happens from that ending, as there is the potential for another book, but I’m not sure we would get one as this is nicely wrapped up. I ended the book believing that although Michelle had a hand in the death of a child, she didn’t cast the killing blow, and unfortunately it was a young white girl that did, and naturally that girl didn’t go to jail for the crime as it was all pinned on the young black girl. A very sad, but very real thing that still happens to this day.
TW: animal cruelty and death, racial prejudice, death of a child.
Thank you so much to Simon & Schuster and Tandem Collective for sending me a book as part of a readalong.
This was an absolutely incredible read, Michelle Cameron was convicted of murdering a child when she was 10 years old, she was tried like an adult and got sent to prison for the crime. Michelle is now out of prison and in her twenties, she’s desperately trying to adjust to her new life, and her new identity, because she can’t be Michelle Cameron anymore. We follow Michelle in her new life where she mainly interacts with a police officer, Tyler, who is assigned to protect her after her new name and address are leaked to the public, and a therapist, Zoe, who wants to tell her story in a book deal.
Reading the book I wasn’t sure I trusted Zoe as she seemed to be pushing Michelle too hard to tell her story, even when she was very clearly upset. By the ending I did feel that Zoe had done right by her, even if it seemed to be a little too late while you were reading it. Michelle is very much still a child in her behaviours and mannerisms, and I think that’s to be expected from someone whose had to grow up in the judicial system.
The surprise ending of the book really gives you a moment to think and reflect on the whole book, and what Michelle’s life had been like. I would like a book two to see what happens from that ending, as there is the potential for another book, but I’m not sure we would get one as this is nicely wrapped up. I ended the book believing that although Michelle had a hand in the death of a child, she didn’t cast the killing blow, and unfortunately it was a young white girl that did, and naturally that girl didn’t go to jail for the crime as it was all pinned on the young black girl. A very sad, but very real thing that still happens to this day.
TW: animal cruelty and death, racial prejudice, death of a child.
Thank you so much to Simon & Schuster and Tandem Collective for sending me a book as part of a readalong.
July 16, 2022
Setting: London, UK.
Michelle Cameron was 10 years old when she murdered a neighbour's 4-year-old daughter, a crime that had the nation baying for her blood. Now 21, Michelle has been released from custody and is living under a new identity in London - if you can call it living. Incarcerated since the age of 10, she finds it hard to be on the 'outside' and doesn't really know what to do with her free time - until her probation officer finds her an office job, at which she excels.
She has also been approached by a psychologist called Zoe who wants to write a book telling her side of the story and demonstrating how the criminal justice system is flawed in the way it deals with child criminals, for example with the judge allowing her identity to be made public. Michelle attends regularly at Zoe's apartment but is reluctant to be too open about her past - there is a lot that she keeps back.
Having attended a meeting with her probation officer one day, Michelle is surprised to encounter Lucy - a girl who she was friends with during their incarceration at a secure children's home called Whytefields. Lucy is a drug addict and prostitute and abuses her friendship with Michelle, but she is the only friend that Michelle has so she tolerates Lucy's behaviour. However, when Lucy is found murdered, the police instantly suspect Michelle once it becomes clear that she knew the victim. Once she is arrested, it doesn't take long for her real identity to become known and her whole false identity and life comes crashing down...
This is a difficult read, involving a child murdering another, younger, child - it brings back the Jamie Bulger case all over again. Michelle is demonised by the victim's family, the Press and the public - part of this is put down to the fact that the murder is of a white child by a black child, the perceived racism being a large part of the book. This includes that experienced and observed by Natalie Tyler, a black detective involved in the investigation of Lucy's murder who, convinced of Michelle's innocence from an early stage, finds herself trying to protect Michelle after her release without charge.
A good twist at the end, which wasn't totally a surprise to be honest, but overall only a 3-star read for me - 7/10.
Michelle Cameron was 10 years old when she murdered a neighbour's 4-year-old daughter, a crime that had the nation baying for her blood. Now 21, Michelle has been released from custody and is living under a new identity in London - if you can call it living. Incarcerated since the age of 10, she finds it hard to be on the 'outside' and doesn't really know what to do with her free time - until her probation officer finds her an office job, at which she excels.
She has also been approached by a psychologist called Zoe who wants to write a book telling her side of the story and demonstrating how the criminal justice system is flawed in the way it deals with child criminals, for example with the judge allowing her identity to be made public. Michelle attends regularly at Zoe's apartment but is reluctant to be too open about her past - there is a lot that she keeps back.
Having attended a meeting with her probation officer one day, Michelle is surprised to encounter Lucy - a girl who she was friends with during their incarceration at a secure children's home called Whytefields. Lucy is a drug addict and prostitute and abuses her friendship with Michelle, but she is the only friend that Michelle has so she tolerates Lucy's behaviour. However, when Lucy is found murdered, the police instantly suspect Michelle once it becomes clear that she knew the victim. Once she is arrested, it doesn't take long for her real identity to become known and her whole false identity and life comes crashing down...
This is a difficult read, involving a child murdering another, younger, child - it brings back the Jamie Bulger case all over again. Michelle is demonised by the victim's family, the Press and the public - part of this is put down to the fact that the murder is of a white child by a black child, the perceived racism being a large part of the book. This includes that experienced and observed by Natalie Tyler, a black detective involved in the investigation of Lucy's murder who, convinced of Michelle's innocence from an early stage, finds herself trying to protect Michelle after her release without charge.
A good twist at the end, which wasn't totally a surprise to be honest, but overall only a 3-star read for me - 7/10.
February 20, 2022
Challenging binary rhetoric and institutional bias, The Gosling Girl is a thought-provoking novel from Jacqueline Roy.
Michelle Cameron was just 10 years old when she was found guilty of murdering her four year old neighbour, Kerry Gosling, and incarcerated in a young offender’s institution. Now twenty four, she’s been freed on licence, given a new identity and housed in a tiny London flat. Naive, vulnerable and lonely, the adjustment is a struggle, nevertheless, ‘Samantha’ finds a job she’s good at, adopts a stray dog, and begins to imagine future possibilities, until her DNA is found at the scene of a murder, and her new life is upended.
“What does it mean, this word that describes her constantly? Someone who doesn’t tell the truth? Someone who does bad things? Someone who doesn’t care? Is she evil?”
Michelle Cameron is a killer, but Roy asks if that is all, and will ever, define her in The Gosling Girl. For her part, Michelle finds it impossible to reconcile her past and peoples opinions of her, with her present, and hope for the future. It’s easy to pass judgement on Michelle with the barest of facts, but much more difficult as further details about her life are revealed.
“So my whole life is going to be about what happened when I was ten no matter what I do. It will go round and round, no way out of it, not ever. Consequences: actions and consequences.”
The righteous anger of Kerry’s family at Michelle is immediately relatable so it was uncomfortable for me to acknowledge my growing sympathy for the girl. The author raises questions about the nature of justice, and of punishment, as well as the inequalities inherent in the system.
“Devil-child, a paper called her once. She stares at her face and wonders if evil is etched in the light brown layers of her skin.”
Roy also addresses the role of racial prejudice, particularly in relation to the specifics of Michelle’s crime, and the subsequent treatment of her by the media. This theme is also highlighted by Natalie Tyler’s struggle to reconcile her identity as a black (and queer) woman with being a police officer when neither culture wholly accepts the other.
The Gosling Girl is a confronting, nuanced and poignant read.
Michelle Cameron was just 10 years old when she was found guilty of murdering her four year old neighbour, Kerry Gosling, and incarcerated in a young offender’s institution. Now twenty four, she’s been freed on licence, given a new identity and housed in a tiny London flat. Naive, vulnerable and lonely, the adjustment is a struggle, nevertheless, ‘Samantha’ finds a job she’s good at, adopts a stray dog, and begins to imagine future possibilities, until her DNA is found at the scene of a murder, and her new life is upended.
“What does it mean, this word that describes her constantly? Someone who doesn’t tell the truth? Someone who does bad things? Someone who doesn’t care? Is she evil?”
Michelle Cameron is a killer, but Roy asks if that is all, and will ever, define her in The Gosling Girl. For her part, Michelle finds it impossible to reconcile her past and peoples opinions of her, with her present, and hope for the future. It’s easy to pass judgement on Michelle with the barest of facts, but much more difficult as further details about her life are revealed.
“So my whole life is going to be about what happened when I was ten no matter what I do. It will go round and round, no way out of it, not ever. Consequences: actions and consequences.”
The righteous anger of Kerry’s family at Michelle is immediately relatable so it was uncomfortable for me to acknowledge my growing sympathy for the girl. The author raises questions about the nature of justice, and of punishment, as well as the inequalities inherent in the system.
“Devil-child, a paper called her once. She stares at her face and wonders if evil is etched in the light brown layers of her skin.”
Roy also addresses the role of racial prejudice, particularly in relation to the specifics of Michelle’s crime, and the subsequent treatment of her by the media. This theme is also highlighted by Natalie Tyler’s struggle to reconcile her identity as a black (and queer) woman with being a police officer when neither culture wholly accepts the other.
The Gosling Girl is a confronting, nuanced and poignant read.
May 18, 2022
The Gosling Girl is disturbing, distressing, addictive......I read it in a day!
Michelle Cameron has spent the last 14 years in institutions after being convicted of murder at the age of ten.
Roy leaves the reader questioning Michelle's guilt or innocence and she is not quite sure herself what she has done wrong.
By not mentioning Michelle by name until well into the book we get an insight into what it is like to have your identity stripped from you.
The difficulties faced after being released and trying to live in a society you have never been part of are well conveyed.
It took me a little while to get into the story but once I did the pages flew and I couldn't put it down. Filled with flawed characters that are on the whole unlikable, however very real in their thoughts and actions.
Throughout the book I found myself warming to Michelle as I followed her small triumphs and devastating losses. Each time she picked herself up and started again I wished for her to have the happy ending she dreamed of.
With themes of embedded racism, child abuse, police inadequacy and lynch mobs, this book will have you infuriated with the system.
*I received my copy from the publisher
Michelle Cameron has spent the last 14 years in institutions after being convicted of murder at the age of ten.
Roy leaves the reader questioning Michelle's guilt or innocence and she is not quite sure herself what she has done wrong.
By not mentioning Michelle by name until well into the book we get an insight into what it is like to have your identity stripped from you.
The difficulties faced after being released and trying to live in a society you have never been part of are well conveyed.
It took me a little while to get into the story but once I did the pages flew and I couldn't put it down. Filled with flawed characters that are on the whole unlikable, however very real in their thoughts and actions.
Throughout the book I found myself warming to Michelle as I followed her small triumphs and devastating losses. Each time she picked herself up and started again I wished for her to have the happy ending she dreamed of.
With themes of embedded racism, child abuse, police inadequacy and lynch mobs, this book will have you infuriated with the system.
*I received my copy from the publisher
April 9, 2022
*Disturbing*
I finished this book a day or so ago and it is one of those stories that I have found hard to review. The story is about young girl Michelle Cameron aged 10 who committed a terrible crime. I find it hard to describe her. The book makes you wonder if she is a Monster, Murderer, Child or Victim
The answer is she could be all of those. We see that she has served her time and is out on license. She has a new name and is set up in another area. She is slowly getting her life back then another horrific crime happens and she is back in the frame.
Assumptions are made and for good optics via the police because Michelle is mixed race she is assigned a black Dc Natalie Tyler whose family despise her job and have distanced themselves from her. There is even some hostility that she feels from her colleagues
Because of the decisions of the police Michelle has to move again with another identity. Is she safe? I am calling her Michelle for simplicity as that is her birth name, but she does have other identities
This book shows how racism and the lack of support or resources available to someone like Michelle, I know she committed a terrible crime but in some ways she is still childlike.
Snapping at her heels is a psychologist with troubles of her own who wants to write a book about why children commit crimes, will she succeed?
A difficult topic and reading this felt almost like a true story, I had mixed emotions and part of me wondered if someone else was to blame for her crime.
I finished this book a day or so ago and it is one of those stories that I have found hard to review. The story is about young girl Michelle Cameron aged 10 who committed a terrible crime. I find it hard to describe her. The book makes you wonder if she is a Monster, Murderer, Child or Victim
The answer is she could be all of those. We see that she has served her time and is out on license. She has a new name and is set up in another area. She is slowly getting her life back then another horrific crime happens and she is back in the frame.
Assumptions are made and for good optics via the police because Michelle is mixed race she is assigned a black Dc Natalie Tyler whose family despise her job and have distanced themselves from her. There is even some hostility that she feels from her colleagues
Because of the decisions of the police Michelle has to move again with another identity. Is she safe? I am calling her Michelle for simplicity as that is her birth name, but she does have other identities
This book shows how racism and the lack of support or resources available to someone like Michelle, I know she committed a terrible crime but in some ways she is still childlike.
Snapping at her heels is a psychologist with troubles of her own who wants to write a book about why children commit crimes, will she succeed?
A difficult topic and reading this felt almost like a true story, I had mixed emotions and part of me wondered if someone else was to blame for her crime.
January 26, 2022
Thanks to Random Things Tours for my hardback copy and spot on the blog tour.
This was quite a book, for so many different reasons.
I was excited to read this, and was right to be.
It tackles a serious subject matter, that of murder committed under 18, releasing them from a young offenders institute and providing them with a new identity. This will divide a lot of readers, and certainly gives us something to think about. It is a subject on which everyone will have an opinion, and this book handles it all extremely sensitively.
It centres around Michelle Cameron, the Gosling Girl, who killed a 4 year old child when she was ten. Michelle is a fascinating character, and the reader is shown the logistics of Michelle adapting to her new identity and her past simultaneuously. Much of what is talked about I hadn't even considered before. Can a person ever move on from their past, if they are not able to be the person who went through it?
A painful and thought-provoking read that will stay with me.
This was quite a book, for so many different reasons.
I was excited to read this, and was right to be.
It tackles a serious subject matter, that of murder committed under 18, releasing them from a young offenders institute and providing them with a new identity. This will divide a lot of readers, and certainly gives us something to think about. It is a subject on which everyone will have an opinion, and this book handles it all extremely sensitively.
It centres around Michelle Cameron, the Gosling Girl, who killed a 4 year old child when she was ten. Michelle is a fascinating character, and the reader is shown the logistics of Michelle adapting to her new identity and her past simultaneuously. Much of what is talked about I hadn't even considered before. Can a person ever move on from their past, if they are not able to be the person who went through it?
A painful and thought-provoking read that will stay with me.
January 29, 2022
This felt like it was a true crime read rather than a work of fiction. I think because it was written in the first person.
Michelle is in her 20s, yet she presents as a very young, child like girl. This is not a criticism, I can completely see why she sees the world as she does, and why she can't reason like the average 20 something year old woman would.
Michelle has a tragic beginning on this earth, and she certainly pays for it as life moves on around her.
I disliked Michelle, but at the same time, I felt she had some goodness to her that she just wasn't able to communicate.
A little girl lost her life because of the actions of an older child - could you forgive?
The story has many angles to explore, because not only is Michelle Cameron portrayed by the country as a child killer, she's Black, the child who died was white. What happens later in life touches on institutional racism.
How would this story of ended if Michelle came from a White family?
So many dark themes explored here, the main one for me was loneliness.
Is Michelle a killer, is she a victim, is she a monster - the jury is out on that for me.
Michelle is in her 20s, yet she presents as a very young, child like girl. This is not a criticism, I can completely see why she sees the world as she does, and why she can't reason like the average 20 something year old woman would.
Michelle has a tragic beginning on this earth, and she certainly pays for it as life moves on around her.
I disliked Michelle, but at the same time, I felt she had some goodness to her that she just wasn't able to communicate.
A little girl lost her life because of the actions of an older child - could you forgive?
The story has many angles to explore, because not only is Michelle Cameron portrayed by the country as a child killer, she's Black, the child who died was white. What happens later in life touches on institutional racism.
How would this story of ended if Michelle came from a White family?
So many dark themes explored here, the main one for me was loneliness.
Is Michelle a killer, is she a victim, is she a monster - the jury is out on that for me.
November 26, 2021
First off I should say this was a very enjoyable read. I am saying that first off because the rest of my review may be a little bit muddled - that's how this book made me feel and not in a bad way.
Many people will be drawn to this novel as it deals with a child killing another child however despite the sensationalist nature of something like that, the book is not sensationalist.
Some may say it's a slow burner and I would agree with that. But the strength of the book lies in the slow drawing out of Michelle's character. Of course you are going to hate her, she killed a kid didn't she? How could you do anything but hate her? And what of her white friend who was with her on the day it happened? You're going to hate her too, right? Sorry? The white girl didn't even face prison and yet Michelle, a young black girl, was jailed for it? That can't be right can it? Surely not?
These are the questions and issues raised by the novel and it's clear the issue of race is so important to the writer and the story.
I would recommend this to everyone and will be keen to hear what you all think about Michelle aka The Gosling Girl....you're definitely going to hate her. Aren't you?
Thanks to Simon & Schuster UK and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Many people will be drawn to this novel as it deals with a child killing another child however despite the sensationalist nature of something like that, the book is not sensationalist.
Some may say it's a slow burner and I would agree with that. But the strength of the book lies in the slow drawing out of Michelle's character. Of course you are going to hate her, she killed a kid didn't she? How could you do anything but hate her? And what of her white friend who was with her on the day it happened? You're going to hate her too, right? Sorry? The white girl didn't even face prison and yet Michelle, a young black girl, was jailed for it? That can't be right can it? Surely not?
These are the questions and issues raised by the novel and it's clear the issue of race is so important to the writer and the story.
I would recommend this to everyone and will be keen to hear what you all think about Michelle aka The Gosling Girl....you're definitely going to hate her. Aren't you?
Thanks to Simon & Schuster UK and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 10, 2022
How ridiculous to say this book is too good? Too disturbing and too dark? It’s one I’ll be thinking about for a long time. Michelle Cameron killed a four year old and her ‘whole life is going to be about what happened when I was 10’ it’s given me so much to think about, how society treats young offenders, how much racism is in the justice system, what happens to any prisoner once they’re released, how they will never not be seen as the monster..it’s a dark, difficult, disturbing book…but if it wasn’t so well done it wouldn’t have been
March 19, 2022
This is an incredible story.
It leaves you with more questions than answers and one that would make a great book club book because there is just so much to talk through with it
This follows Michele who was imprisoned for an awful crime. Years later when she is released this follows her trying to rebuild her life told through herself, her kissing officer Natalie and Zoe who wants to write a book about Michelle
Very powerful
It leaves you with more questions than answers and one that would make a great book club book because there is just so much to talk through with it
This follows Michele who was imprisoned for an awful crime. Years later when she is released this follows her trying to rebuild her life told through herself, her kissing officer Natalie and Zoe who wants to write a book about Michelle
Very powerful
January 15, 2022
The Gosling Girl is instantly one of my favourite reads this year, and I can't see many others topping it. Michelle Cameron is one of the most hated women in Britain. She committed a heinous crime, that of killing a sweet, innocent 4-year-old girl in a horrific way. Michelle was just 10 years old when she committed this crime.
I was glued to every single page of this book and read it in one sitting. I was instantly triggered by the tragic murder of two-year-old James Bulger by two young boys who lured him away from a shopping centre in Merseyside with the sole intent to torture and murder that little boy. Robert Thomson and Jon Venables were just 10 years old at the time, innocent-looking school photos looking back at us on the nightly news. I was seventeen at the time and when I think back to the vitriol and hate lobbed at these two young boys, it really made me feel confused and uncomfortable. I could never say at the time of course publicly, seventeen year old me was not equipped to face that backlash. These kids were, after all, pure evil according to the tabloids. Nothing more to discuss.
The Gosling Girl explores these themes deeply and with sensitivity. It also shines a light on racism in our society today. We've seen this highlighted in global mainstream media recently with the whole of Australia alerted to the fact that little Cleo Smith had been abducted from a campsite and the whole world was following the case of Gabby Petito. Both of them picture-perfect, fair-skinned, light-haired females. Whilst both of these cases warranted news coverage and an extensive search for them, it is clear that column inches and 24/7 news loops do not focus on the thousands of black children and women who are in danger and go missing every single day.
I was so engaged in this book and my mind spun back and forth. One minute thinking that Michelle Cameron was being vilified and hunted at times like an animal. Other times, I was sharply reminded that an innocent girl had her life taken away, a family shattered. The Gosling Girl takes you through the lives of these people, on both sides of the looking glass.
If you are intrigued by true crime, the inconsistencies of the justice system and are looking for a read with suspense and a few twists and turns. The Gosling Girl should be on the top of your reading list.
Intrigued by The Gosling Girl? Check out the amazing and interesting author Q&A page from Simon & Schuster
I was glued to every single page of this book and read it in one sitting. I was instantly triggered by the tragic murder of two-year-old James Bulger by two young boys who lured him away from a shopping centre in Merseyside with the sole intent to torture and murder that little boy. Robert Thomson and Jon Venables were just 10 years old at the time, innocent-looking school photos looking back at us on the nightly news. I was seventeen at the time and when I think back to the vitriol and hate lobbed at these two young boys, it really made me feel confused and uncomfortable. I could never say at the time of course publicly, seventeen year old me was not equipped to face that backlash. These kids were, after all, pure evil according to the tabloids. Nothing more to discuss.
The Gosling Girl explores these themes deeply and with sensitivity. It also shines a light on racism in our society today. We've seen this highlighted in global mainstream media recently with the whole of Australia alerted to the fact that little Cleo Smith had been abducted from a campsite and the whole world was following the case of Gabby Petito. Both of them picture-perfect, fair-skinned, light-haired females. Whilst both of these cases warranted news coverage and an extensive search for them, it is clear that column inches and 24/7 news loops do not focus on the thousands of black children and women who are in danger and go missing every single day.
I was so engaged in this book and my mind spun back and forth. One minute thinking that Michelle Cameron was being vilified and hunted at times like an animal. Other times, I was sharply reminded that an innocent girl had her life taken away, a family shattered. The Gosling Girl takes you through the lives of these people, on both sides of the looking glass.
If you are intrigued by true crime, the inconsistencies of the justice system and are looking for a read with suspense and a few twists and turns. The Gosling Girl should be on the top of your reading list.
Intrigued by The Gosling Girl? Check out the amazing and interesting author Q&A page from Simon & Schuster
March 18, 2023
Sometimes books aren’t cheery and light and fluffy. Sometimes they are raw and gritty and uncomfortable.
This is one such book. It is so important.
The protagonist has just been released from prison where she spent fourteen of her twenty years. She struggles to fit in and is confronted with the shadows of the crime that led to her imprisonment at 10. She is a complex character, soft in many ways, but coarse and scary in other areas.
Various people take advantage of her in her life. Her only friend always borrows money she has no intention of paying back. The media uses her to sell salacious headlines, her psychologist wants to dig through her memories to write a book, and the police use her as a showpiece for their handling of racial issues.
I truly admire how the author did not shy away from drawing out the darkness of life and yet managed to leave the gory parts off the page.
I felt so protective of Michelle, even when she wasn’t right. Her motivations and her back story made her so real.
My only regret is letting this one sit in my bookshelf so long before I found the enthusiasm to read it. It’s a helluva story.
This is one such book. It is so important.
The protagonist has just been released from prison where she spent fourteen of her twenty years. She struggles to fit in and is confronted with the shadows of the crime that led to her imprisonment at 10. She is a complex character, soft in many ways, but coarse and scary in other areas.
Various people take advantage of her in her life. Her only friend always borrows money she has no intention of paying back. The media uses her to sell salacious headlines, her psychologist wants to dig through her memories to write a book, and the police use her as a showpiece for their handling of racial issues.
I truly admire how the author did not shy away from drawing out the darkness of life and yet managed to leave the gory parts off the page.
I felt so protective of Michelle, even when she wasn’t right. Her motivations and her back story made her so real.
My only regret is letting this one sit in my bookshelf so long before I found the enthusiasm to read it. It’s a helluva story.
February 6, 2022
When Michelle Cameron was a child, herself aged 10-13 years old, she and her friend Jessie who was 12-13 years took their neighbour Kerry Gosling who was 4 at the time to play and when they returned, only Michelle and Jessie returned. The book then jumps ahead to the present time and we learn that Kerry was murdered and Michelle Cameron tried for the murder while Jessie got off scot-free. From the beginning, we can see racial profiling coming into play as Kerry and Jessie were both white and of course Michelle -black-skinned. Michelle is out on probation or license as they call it over in the UK and she has a new identity as Samantha. During her time, she meets back up with Lucy who was in the juvie hall at the same time as Michelle and they become friends again. What happens though when Lucy turns up dead and once again the press point to Michelle Cameron aka Samantha as the prime suspect as once a black killer always a killer right. During this time, Samantha's new identity and her apartment are released to the public and she becomes a target and the newspapers start rehashing her past with the nickname "The Gosling Girl". Of course, we as the readers know she is innocent but this is a trial by media story. It did get me thinking about what happened if she was white not black as this book does touch a lot on racial bias etc. I did love the ending of this book as someone does come to the bat for Michelle and in light, maybe she will finally get some justice for herself. This book possibly also due to the setting being in the UK and the black/white angle reminded me of Dorothy Koomson's The Ice-Cream Girls series and with the new identity - Anne Cassidy's Looking for JJ which was one of my favorite childhood reads when I was 10-12 years old
February 8, 2022
An impressive novel which tackles the difficult task of taking the reader inside the head of Michelle Cameron who, as a 10 year old, killed a 4 year old girl. It covers the period of her release from custody and her attempt, as an adult with a new identity, to reintegrate into society. As well as getting inside Michelle’s head, Jacqueline Roy builds up an atmosphere of tension and suspense as the authorities struggle to keep her whereabouts secret.
My only complaints about the novel are that, as with so many books, it’s about 50 pages too long and I also found the ending somewhat unconvincing.
My only complaints about the novel are that, as with so many books, it’s about 50 pages too long and I also found the ending somewhat unconvincing.
August 31, 2025
A difficult choice of subject matter & at times hard to read but I couldn’t put it down. Gosling Girl tells the story of Michelle, a convicted child killer whose identity has been changed after her release from prison. We are invited to judge whether the main character was a murderer or a victim in her own right.
I’m glad the story ended where it did but I’d have liked to have known more about Tyler, whose story I found equally engaging as Michelle’s. I also wish we’d found out more about the young accomplice although for the book’s commentary on racism and injustice I fear we found out all that we needed to know. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book & how much I continued to think about it after it was finished.
I’m glad the story ended where it did but I’d have liked to have known more about Tyler, whose story I found equally engaging as Michelle’s. I also wish we’d found out more about the young accomplice although for the book’s commentary on racism and injustice I fear we found out all that we needed to know. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book & how much I continued to think about it after it was finished.
November 7, 2022
I had no expectations of this book going in as I had never heard of it before and randomly picked it up at the library. It ended up being an absorbing read that I found hard to put down. Is a tough subject matter but really well done. 4 stars.
January 14, 2022
3.5 Stars
This was a really heavy read. Full of darkness and sadness, just so much sadness, with very few moments of light throughout and I did struggle a little with that.
Michelle Cameron has been released from a juvenile prison facility where she has spent most of her young life after being responsible for the murder of a child when she herself was only a child.
Known throughout the media as The Gosling Girl, the black girl who murdered a white girl, Kerry Gosling. Racism and its impact on Michelle is a strong undercurrent throughout the entire book highlighting the injustices of when a crime is committed by a black person vs a white person.
The story follows her release and the difficulties she faces trying to adjust to life on the outside. She is a young adult now but so naïve and so vulnerable that she almost still seems as if she is still 10 years old.
With no one around to look after her she is left to rely on an awkward relationship with a Detective who is now part of her life after a murder takes place not long after her release, a murder it seems she may be implicated in.
Michelle struggles daily with her own worthiness, added to that the blatant racism she faces, and the hatred heaped upon her by the media and the mob-like mentality of locals, it feels like she will never actually be free to live her life.
And yes, she is a child killer, the valid question is raised as to whether she should even have been given the opportunity to live her life and experience freedom in the first place, but it’s a hard one to form an opinion on in the book as the actual details surrounding the murder are quite grey and murky and you are kind of left to make your own assumptions as to what happened.
Again, it’s a heavy read, and there’s certainly no joy to be found, but at the same time it’s a fascinating as well as heartbreaking look into the lives of those that have never had an easy life, right from birth. It’s one of those books that you kind of need to just sit with after you finish it and spend some time absorbing what happened.
I don’t normally put trigger warnings on my reviews, but I feel this one needs a few mentions, including cruelty to animals, child endangerment, plus the insinuation of sex crimes against children.
I’m hugely grateful to Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to read this one and enabling me to step out of my comfort zone.
This was a really heavy read. Full of darkness and sadness, just so much sadness, with very few moments of light throughout and I did struggle a little with that.
Michelle Cameron has been released from a juvenile prison facility where she has spent most of her young life after being responsible for the murder of a child when she herself was only a child.
Known throughout the media as The Gosling Girl, the black girl who murdered a white girl, Kerry Gosling. Racism and its impact on Michelle is a strong undercurrent throughout the entire book highlighting the injustices of when a crime is committed by a black person vs a white person.
The story follows her release and the difficulties she faces trying to adjust to life on the outside. She is a young adult now but so naïve and so vulnerable that she almost still seems as if she is still 10 years old.
With no one around to look after her she is left to rely on an awkward relationship with a Detective who is now part of her life after a murder takes place not long after her release, a murder it seems she may be implicated in.
Michelle struggles daily with her own worthiness, added to that the blatant racism she faces, and the hatred heaped upon her by the media and the mob-like mentality of locals, it feels like she will never actually be free to live her life.
And yes, she is a child killer, the valid question is raised as to whether she should even have been given the opportunity to live her life and experience freedom in the first place, but it’s a hard one to form an opinion on in the book as the actual details surrounding the murder are quite grey and murky and you are kind of left to make your own assumptions as to what happened.
Again, it’s a heavy read, and there’s certainly no joy to be found, but at the same time it’s a fascinating as well as heartbreaking look into the lives of those that have never had an easy life, right from birth. It’s one of those books that you kind of need to just sit with after you finish it and spend some time absorbing what happened.
I don’t normally put trigger warnings on my reviews, but I feel this one needs a few mentions, including cruelty to animals, child endangerment, plus the insinuation of sex crimes against children.
I’m hugely grateful to Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to read this one and enabling me to step out of my comfort zone.
May 21, 2022
For me, this was not only underwhelming but a little baffling as to what the plot or point was.
Was it a story of a girl with so many secrets from so long ago that she finds solace in unloading them to a psychologist/author in the telling of her story? Kind of , but not really.
Was it a story of a girl who was a child when incarcerated and as an adult finds her only safety in the relationship of her offender protection liaison? Possibly, but no.
Was it a story of a girl continuously targeted for the colour of her skin, abandoned by everybody she thought she could rely on? Getting closer, but it’s hard to tell.
All in all the concept behind this book had a lot of potential but failed to deliver. The tangled mess of the storylines all got swept up too much in each other that none of them really delivered. Whilst we came to know what happened that day with little Kerry Gosling, we never really came to understand it fully. There is a difference between knowing and understanding. Many assumptions had to be made.
Rather than overcoming her story with the truth that could have come from this book, they fake her death (which is so bleeding obvious) and resettle her not in Jamaica (which would make sense from her heritage perspective) but in South Africa?! And Dom basically disappeared from the book early on but was instrumental in organising this without her protection liaison knowing?! And then this book that tells her full story with empathy and compassion is mentioned as an afterthought.
And don’t even get me started on the misuse of throwing borderline personality disorder in there without any actual assessment taking place!
I was left very disappointed by this one.
Was it a story of a girl with so many secrets from so long ago that she finds solace in unloading them to a psychologist/author in the telling of her story? Kind of , but not really.
Was it a story of a girl who was a child when incarcerated and as an adult finds her only safety in the relationship of her offender protection liaison? Possibly, but no.
Was it a story of a girl continuously targeted for the colour of her skin, abandoned by everybody she thought she could rely on? Getting closer, but it’s hard to tell.
All in all the concept behind this book had a lot of potential but failed to deliver. The tangled mess of the storylines all got swept up too much in each other that none of them really delivered. Whilst we came to know what happened that day with little Kerry Gosling, we never really came to understand it fully. There is a difference between knowing and understanding. Many assumptions had to be made.
Rather than overcoming her story with the truth that could have come from this book, they fake her death (which is so bleeding obvious) and resettle her not in Jamaica (which would make sense from her heritage perspective) but in South Africa?! And Dom basically disappeared from the book early on but was instrumental in organising this without her protection liaison knowing?! And then this book that tells her full story with empathy and compassion is mentioned as an afterthought.
And don’t even get me started on the misuse of throwing borderline personality disorder in there without any actual assessment taking place!
I was left very disappointed by this one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 16, 2022
When the book begins you find out that our main character Michelle murdered a 4-year-old girl when she was only a child herself. You then jump in time to when at 21 she is released with a new identity, and whilst coming to terms with this she is questioned by police after the murder of a friend only for her real identity to then be revealed.
The book was a slow burner, to begin with, however going into the second half you begin to realise the pace is exactly how it is supposed to be - keeping you wanting more, The story is very centred around how people can misconceive people because of their past, their background, their upbringing and their race.
I don't think that I've felt as many emotions reading a book since some of my favourite John Marrs thrillers, I felt angry, frustrated, heartbroken and disappointed. At times this was a hard read, and I can imagine more so for those who have been or are directly by the themes of the book. Reading this was a bit of a strange experience as I kept having to remind myself it was a work of fiction. However, I guess that is exactly what it is meant to do, highlight the issues and get you to connect to the characters. Would definitely recommend it to those true crime fans who are in need of a new book.
The book was a slow burner, to begin with, however going into the second half you begin to realise the pace is exactly how it is supposed to be - keeping you wanting more, The story is very centred around how people can misconceive people because of their past, their background, their upbringing and their race.
I don't think that I've felt as many emotions reading a book since some of my favourite John Marrs thrillers, I felt angry, frustrated, heartbroken and disappointed. At times this was a hard read, and I can imagine more so for those who have been or are directly by the themes of the book. Reading this was a bit of a strange experience as I kept having to remind myself it was a work of fiction. However, I guess that is exactly what it is meant to do, highlight the issues and get you to connect to the characters. Would definitely recommend it to those true crime fans who are in need of a new book.
July 16, 2022
I was really looking forward to reading this book & for the most part I enjoyed it but as has been the case with a lot of recent books, the ending was a let down.
I felt Michelle’s back story could’ve been explored more as it felt like more needed to be told about the reasons she killed a child. It was touched on briefly but I wanted to know more about her mother, the Gosling family and so on.
Zoe, the psychiatrist was unlikeable & I don’t think she did much to promote psychiatry. I felt she exacerbated Michelle’s symptoms & was quite cruel.
Tyler, the cop, whilst empathetic & sympathetic was too wrapped up in her own racial issues to really help Michelle.
It was sad & thought provoking in light of her (white) co-conspirator getting off, which is appalling. But as we all know this happens when there is privilege & discrimination.
The supposed twist could be seen a mile away (& I’m useless at figuring out the twist, usually).
The ending was ‘blah’. This could’ve been an amazing read if not for lack of more extensive background detail & the ending.
I felt Michelle’s back story could’ve been explored more as it felt like more needed to be told about the reasons she killed a child. It was touched on briefly but I wanted to know more about her mother, the Gosling family and so on.
Zoe, the psychiatrist was unlikeable & I don’t think she did much to promote psychiatry. I felt she exacerbated Michelle’s symptoms & was quite cruel.
Tyler, the cop, whilst empathetic & sympathetic was too wrapped up in her own racial issues to really help Michelle.
It was sad & thought provoking in light of her (white) co-conspirator getting off, which is appalling. But as we all know this happens when there is privilege & discrimination.
The supposed twist could be seen a mile away (& I’m useless at figuring out the twist, usually).
The ending was ‘blah’. This could’ve been an amazing read if not for lack of more extensive background detail & the ending.
August 15, 2023
Actually three stars but you lose a star if the dog dies I don’t make the rules
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 5, 2022
“She wants to know more. She wants to know why. She wants to figure out if Michelle Cameron really is the monster she’s made out to be.”
Humans are the scariest of monsters. But are these monsters irredeemable? Should they be punished for one mistake, especially when that mistake was made when they were a child? These are some of the questions posed by The Gosling Girl, the gripping psychological thriller that tells the story of Michelle Cameron, a young woman fresh out of prison and trying to adjust to being free. It is a life Michelle has never really known because at just 10 years old she became the most infamous and hated child in the country after murdering four-year-old Kerry Gosling. And though she is out of prison, she will never really be free; forced to change her identity and living in fear of vigilantes discovering the truth and taking revenge into their own hands.
What. A. Book. Thought-provoking, poignant and totally riveting, this is a story that will linger long after you close it's pages. The author explores uncomfortable and difficult themes such as the nature of evil, childhood crime, institutional racism and psychological imprisonment versus physical imprisonment, forcing us to feel some uncomfortable emotions. The characters are richly drawn and compelling, the plot multilayered and intricately woven, and the writing nuanced and evocative, creating a connection between Michelle and the reader. Jacqueline Roy is a powerful storyteller, her descriptions providing a sense of tension, unease, dread and desperation. There is so much pain, trauma and helplessness in these words that it cuts you like a knife and bleeds from the pages.
"She pictures the young woman who had sat opposite her on the sofa, unsure of herself, awkward, lacking communication skills. Traumatised, in all likelihood. She will take her under her wing, facilitate her in coming to terms with the terrible crime she committed and write about the process. Surely no one could object to that. "
This story is a piercing psychological portrait that goes deep inside Michelle’s psyche. When we meet her she is overwhelmed and terrified of everything, having never made her own decisions, worked a job or lived in her own place. She constantly lives in fear of being found out and doesn’t know if she can ever trust anyone. The author vividly portrays her sense of isolation and fear, how she feels adrift without a soul in the world who cares for her or she can turn to, even her mother having turned her back on her once she was convicted. I never expected that I would feel such sympathy and warmth towards a self-confessed child-killer, but the author enabled me to see beyond her abhorrent crime and look at Michelle as a real person, rather than one-dimensionally evil.
Like Michelle, the story gives up its secrets slowly, keeping the reader guessing at the truth of what happened the day of the murder and Michelle’s childhood; small clues dropped like crumbs that make us wonder if she is guilty and what might have led to her committing such a crime. But is there anything that could make us understand a child killing another child? Or is it always completely inexcusable, something only someone truly evil could do? By keeping the circumstances of what happened that day in the shadows and instead creating a bond between Michelle and the reader, the author allows us to see the grey areas that make this such a complex issue.
Darkly atmospheric, disquieting, tortured and heartfelt, I can’t recommend this highly enough. It is the perfect marriage of complex moral and social issues in a powerful and compelling psychological thriller that you’ll not be able to put down. Read it now!
Humans are the scariest of monsters. But are these monsters irredeemable? Should they be punished for one mistake, especially when that mistake was made when they were a child? These are some of the questions posed by The Gosling Girl, the gripping psychological thriller that tells the story of Michelle Cameron, a young woman fresh out of prison and trying to adjust to being free. It is a life Michelle has never really known because at just 10 years old she became the most infamous and hated child in the country after murdering four-year-old Kerry Gosling. And though she is out of prison, she will never really be free; forced to change her identity and living in fear of vigilantes discovering the truth and taking revenge into their own hands.
What. A. Book. Thought-provoking, poignant and totally riveting, this is a story that will linger long after you close it's pages. The author explores uncomfortable and difficult themes such as the nature of evil, childhood crime, institutional racism and psychological imprisonment versus physical imprisonment, forcing us to feel some uncomfortable emotions. The characters are richly drawn and compelling, the plot multilayered and intricately woven, and the writing nuanced and evocative, creating a connection between Michelle and the reader. Jacqueline Roy is a powerful storyteller, her descriptions providing a sense of tension, unease, dread and desperation. There is so much pain, trauma and helplessness in these words that it cuts you like a knife and bleeds from the pages.
"She pictures the young woman who had sat opposite her on the sofa, unsure of herself, awkward, lacking communication skills. Traumatised, in all likelihood. She will take her under her wing, facilitate her in coming to terms with the terrible crime she committed and write about the process. Surely no one could object to that. "
This story is a piercing psychological portrait that goes deep inside Michelle’s psyche. When we meet her she is overwhelmed and terrified of everything, having never made her own decisions, worked a job or lived in her own place. She constantly lives in fear of being found out and doesn’t know if she can ever trust anyone. The author vividly portrays her sense of isolation and fear, how she feels adrift without a soul in the world who cares for her or she can turn to, even her mother having turned her back on her once she was convicted. I never expected that I would feel such sympathy and warmth towards a self-confessed child-killer, but the author enabled me to see beyond her abhorrent crime and look at Michelle as a real person, rather than one-dimensionally evil.
Like Michelle, the story gives up its secrets slowly, keeping the reader guessing at the truth of what happened the day of the murder and Michelle’s childhood; small clues dropped like crumbs that make us wonder if she is guilty and what might have led to her committing such a crime. But is there anything that could make us understand a child killing another child? Or is it always completely inexcusable, something only someone truly evil could do? By keeping the circumstances of what happened that day in the shadows and instead creating a bond between Michelle and the reader, the author allows us to see the grey areas that make this such a complex issue.
Darkly atmospheric, disquieting, tortured and heartfelt, I can’t recommend this highly enough. It is the perfect marriage of complex moral and social issues in a powerful and compelling psychological thriller that you’ll not be able to put down. Read it now!
May 14, 2022
Michelle Cameron was just 10 years old when she murdered a child. Now in her twenties and out on her own for the first time, she has a new identity and is trying to navigate her new life.
This is actually really hard to review. I don't know if it is because of the topic, as it definitely isn't as dark or disturbing as other books I have read, or the realistic approach. The way Michelle is written, she becomes almost a likeable character that you can't help but feel for but then every so often she shows some really scary tendencies. It's a constant back and forth as to whether she is just a deeply lonely and traumatised person or there is something more sinister underlying.
It's also hard to read the other characters in the book, Zoe the therapist/author and Natalie the police officer. Both seem to battle with how they interact with Michelle and Zoe in particular I wasn't sure if she truly wanted to help or was just after all the juicy details for her book.
Overall I would rate 3.5/5 stars. It did keep me engaged and moved at a fairly fast past but I felt some aspects were left unresolved. I'm sure this was on purpose but I would have like a bit more in the end.
This is actually really hard to review. I don't know if it is because of the topic, as it definitely isn't as dark or disturbing as other books I have read, or the realistic approach. The way Michelle is written, she becomes almost a likeable character that you can't help but feel for but then every so often she shows some really scary tendencies. It's a constant back and forth as to whether she is just a deeply lonely and traumatised person or there is something more sinister underlying.
It's also hard to read the other characters in the book, Zoe the therapist/author and Natalie the police officer. Both seem to battle with how they interact with Michelle and Zoe in particular I wasn't sure if she truly wanted to help or was just after all the juicy details for her book.
Overall I would rate 3.5/5 stars. It did keep me engaged and moved at a fairly fast past but I felt some aspects were left unresolved. I'm sure this was on purpose but I would have like a bit more in the end.
May 9, 2024
Oh My Goodness
I almost gave up on this book. Early on it seemed a little slow. The storyline seemed scattered with no clear direction at one point. Michelle seemed like a pathetic outcast. My curiosity about her past kept me going. Man, this book took a turn into something so heavy. So scandalous and downright heartbreaking. Michelle’s sad demeanor made so much sense. She had been subjected to so many horrible things. Life kept kicking her back down. When the second death occurred, it seemed like her life was ruined. The plot twist that came when that crime was solved really threw me off. So much was happening in this poor girl’s life. I appreciated getting somewhat of a happy ending in an otherwise dark story. I’m so glad that I pushed through and finished this.
I almost gave up on this book. Early on it seemed a little slow. The storyline seemed scattered with no clear direction at one point. Michelle seemed like a pathetic outcast. My curiosity about her past kept me going. Man, this book took a turn into something so heavy. So scandalous and downright heartbreaking. Michelle’s sad demeanor made so much sense. She had been subjected to so many horrible things. Life kept kicking her back down. When the second death occurred, it seemed like her life was ruined. The plot twist that came when that crime was solved really threw me off. So much was happening in this poor girl’s life. I appreciated getting somewhat of a happy ending in an otherwise dark story. I’m so glad that I pushed through and finished this.
March 16, 2025
I thought this book was a sensitive and very original thriller about a woman who has a terrible crime in her past and the way that she gets manipulated by a lot of 'authority' figures, and the hatred by the media and society. It also touches on a lot of racial inequality and the way that people are still stereotyped, as well as the way that true crime and memoir type books can still end up exploiting people even with good intentions. It does have some child abuse flashbacks so be prepared if this is something that would upset you, although they are not terribly detailed. However, it is well worth the read and I'll be looking out for Jacqueline Roy's other books as it was so thought provoking and written in a very original style.
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