What do you think?
Rate this book
Criminal by Proxy
Description: Christine is on the hunt to find out more about her great aunt, Rose, hoping to decipher their severed relationship and the murder Rose committed, for which June is in prison. With a stroke leaving Rose incapacitated, it’s a rush against time to find the truth.
Things are doubly complicated when Christine’s girlfriend Terrie is accused of assaulting someone. Nervous about what she might do next, Christine and her friends avoid Terrie. With everything at stake, Christine must stick to the cold hard facts, reminding herself not to let her emotions get in the way.
Christine must evaluate everything happening in her life. The weight of the events buried by her aunt so many years before and the shame of the actions of the love of her life rest squarely on her. If the eyes of the law are always 20/20, how do love, emotion, and insecurities distort fact?
Things are doubly complicated when Christine’s girlfriend Terrie is accused of assaulting someone. Nervous about what she might do next, Christine and her friends avoid Terrie. With everything at stake, Christine must stick to the cold hard facts, reminding herself not to let her emotions get in the way.
Christine must evaluate everything happening in her life. The weight of the events buried by her aunt so many years before and the shame of the actions of the love of her life rest squarely on her. If the eyes of the law are always 20/20, how do love, emotion, and insecurities distort fact?
315 pages, Paperback
Published October 25, 2022
5 people are currently reading
63 people want to read
About the author
S.E. Smyth
7 books15 followersS.E. Smyth is a multi-genre author writing multi-faceted sapphic characters, often with mental health issues, however they fit into a plot. By exploring the intersections of identity, she finds imaginable goodness in the questionably bad.
While known for her masterful cat belly rubs, she can also often be seen taking brisk walks. She travels when the air is right looking for antique stores, records, bike trails, and the perfect beach. S.E. rises unnecessarily early and usually falls asleep by 9 p.m.
You can find her on most social media sites as @se_smyth and also at https://sesmythauthor.com
While known for her masterful cat belly rubs, she can also often be seen taking brisk walks. She travels when the air is right looking for antique stores, records, bike trails, and the perfect beach. S.E. rises unnecessarily early and usually falls asleep by 9 p.m.
You can find her on most social media sites as @se_smyth and also at https://sesmythauthor.com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
November 23, 2022
Heart-warming and heart-breaking
Christine is on a mission to find out the truth about what happened with her Aunt Rose that meant June has ended up in prison for years. Aunt Rose is unwell and Christine isn’t only battling finding out everything she can about her aunt before it’s too late. Her girlfriend Terrie is accused of assault and unsure of what to believe she finds herself avoiding Terrie until an insight causes her to evaluate everything she knows about the law.
Even though this story appears it will be intense and a lot to take in, I found it had a great flow of strong, important moments and more lighthearted ones. I loved that combination, and the snapshots of the past with Rose and June intertwined into the present day and Christine’s situation. There was a lot to deal with and yet she handled most of it expertly, examining the detail and trying to make rational and fair choices.
I really admired Christine. It took a lot for her to learn about her aunt’s past with June. All that had happened between them and the fact that June was serving time for a crime Rose had actually committed. Why that happened was the most shocking part, but it was what Christine needed to have those moments of realisation in her own relationship and life. Her connection with June was great, like the past and present coming together to learn from one another but also be a support. Where June could help Christine learn about the one person she’d missed so many opportunities to share who she was with, and how Christine could help June, not only finally get some sense of freedom but work through what had happened between her and Rose.
A lovely story about the past meeting the present, bringing people together, and the importance of questioning things when they seem unfair or unjust because it could make all the difference.
Christine is on a mission to find out the truth about what happened with her Aunt Rose that meant June has ended up in prison for years. Aunt Rose is unwell and Christine isn’t only battling finding out everything she can about her aunt before it’s too late. Her girlfriend Terrie is accused of assault and unsure of what to believe she finds herself avoiding Terrie until an insight causes her to evaluate everything she knows about the law.
Even though this story appears it will be intense and a lot to take in, I found it had a great flow of strong, important moments and more lighthearted ones. I loved that combination, and the snapshots of the past with Rose and June intertwined into the present day and Christine’s situation. There was a lot to deal with and yet she handled most of it expertly, examining the detail and trying to make rational and fair choices.
I really admired Christine. It took a lot for her to learn about her aunt’s past with June. All that had happened between them and the fact that June was serving time for a crime Rose had actually committed. Why that happened was the most shocking part, but it was what Christine needed to have those moments of realisation in her own relationship and life. Her connection with June was great, like the past and present coming together to learn from one another but also be a support. Where June could help Christine learn about the one person she’d missed so many opportunities to share who she was with, and how Christine could help June, not only finally get some sense of freedom but work through what had happened between her and Rose.
A lovely story about the past meeting the present, bringing people together, and the importance of questioning things when they seem unfair or unjust because it could make all the difference.
November 4, 2022
In her debut novel, author S.E. Smyth takes a past/present, dual POV look at the rose-colored glasses and blinders we wear when it comes to the actions of our loved ones, and how an era’s social climate impacts the repercussions of those actions for members of the LGBTQ+ community. She contrasts the helplessness of protagonist Christine’s Aunt Rose and her lover June while being railroaded by the justice system in the late 1960’s due to their sexuality with Christine and her friends’ ability to go to the police when Amy is assaulted (allegedly by Terrie) in the present day. However, she also reminds readers that harassment, antagonistic attitudes from strangers and coworkers, and strained relationships with their families are shared experiences amongst the lesbian and other LGBTQ characters of the story across the generations.
Chapters from Christine’s POV have an impressionistic feel. Although she describes the people and settings around her in great detail, there is a sense of distance in her narrative, the details compensating for an emotional disconnect. She speaks almost clinically about her friend and former lover Amy and current girlfriend Terrie, dissociating from emotions and analyzing all of their actions and interactions on an intellectual level. Love seems theoretical, rather than something she feels at a gut level. Christine floats like a passive observer through her own life until she is jolted into action when her Aunt Rose suffers a stroke. Suddenly, unanswered questions about a long ago murder committed by her aunt seem urgent. Unable to get more than vague answers from her family, Christine seeks out June, Rose’s former lover who was imprisoned for the murder Rose committed.
Chapters from June’s POV, on the other hand, offer a much more direct narrative of the events of her life, as she relives them emotionally in real time. The past is alive for June, her feelings always at the forefront of her mind. Letters written and never sent describe vignettes from her life with Rose vibrantly, whether the memories are joyful or painful. Connecting to the love she still feels for Rose is what keeps her going as she languishes for years in prison.
As the friendship between Christine and June develops, June begins to live more in the present, while Christine begins to be more present in her own life. The stories behind both crimes unfurl gradually, revealing that perhaps emotional truths are just as, if not more, important than bare facts.
Chapters from Christine’s POV have an impressionistic feel. Although she describes the people and settings around her in great detail, there is a sense of distance in her narrative, the details compensating for an emotional disconnect. She speaks almost clinically about her friend and former lover Amy and current girlfriend Terrie, dissociating from emotions and analyzing all of their actions and interactions on an intellectual level. Love seems theoretical, rather than something she feels at a gut level. Christine floats like a passive observer through her own life until she is jolted into action when her Aunt Rose suffers a stroke. Suddenly, unanswered questions about a long ago murder committed by her aunt seem urgent. Unable to get more than vague answers from her family, Christine seeks out June, Rose’s former lover who was imprisoned for the murder Rose committed.
Chapters from June’s POV, on the other hand, offer a much more direct narrative of the events of her life, as she relives them emotionally in real time. The past is alive for June, her feelings always at the forefront of her mind. Letters written and never sent describe vignettes from her life with Rose vibrantly, whether the memories are joyful or painful. Connecting to the love she still feels for Rose is what keeps her going as she languishes for years in prison.
As the friendship between Christine and June develops, June begins to live more in the present, while Christine begins to be more present in her own life. The stories behind both crimes unfurl gradually, revealing that perhaps emotional truths are just as, if not more, important than bare facts.
October 1, 2022
A sweeping story that deals with the moral contrasts that exist within most people—we commit kind acts as well as those which are deemed unforgivable by society. The author takes a mature, intelligent look at what happens when the unspeakable happens and a loved one is accused of a serious crime. Love and loyalties are tested. Can love continue when the person you most believed in acts in such a manner that makes them seem like another person? Is love enough to conquer doubt?
Christine’s aunt and her lover are sent to prison for the shooting of a man. It happens in the past and details have become blurred with time. By the time Christine decides to investigate the events for herself, her aunt is sick and time is running out.
The back story tells of historical homophobia, sexism, and other horrors most queer people know about only too well. Perhaps the most interesting thing, at least to me, is the way in which Christine’s findings affect her and those she loves, such as her own girlfriend, Terri. Christine is forced to examine her own biases and assumptions about crime, justice, relationships and love. There’s nothing like looking one’s own moral compass to make you think and flounder.
When Christine’s girlfriend, Terri, is accused of assaulting another woman, all Christine has learnt and questioned is laid bare. Present day events become tangled up with the fate of her aunt. Christine is forced to make the most difficult decision of her life—whether to trust Terri’s non-guilty plea, or whether to go with her gut instinct. The ending made me cry.
A complex, emotional tale which will linger for a while. I hope this author writes many more intelligent books such as this one and when they do, I’ll be the first to read them.
Thank you to the author and NineStar Press for the ARC. You rock!
Christine’s aunt and her lover are sent to prison for the shooting of a man. It happens in the past and details have become blurred with time. By the time Christine decides to investigate the events for herself, her aunt is sick and time is running out.
The back story tells of historical homophobia, sexism, and other horrors most queer people know about only too well. Perhaps the most interesting thing, at least to me, is the way in which Christine’s findings affect her and those she loves, such as her own girlfriend, Terri. Christine is forced to examine her own biases and assumptions about crime, justice, relationships and love. There’s nothing like looking one’s own moral compass to make you think and flounder.
When Christine’s girlfriend, Terri, is accused of assaulting another woman, all Christine has learnt and questioned is laid bare. Present day events become tangled up with the fate of her aunt. Christine is forced to make the most difficult decision of her life—whether to trust Terri’s non-guilty plea, or whether to go with her gut instinct. The ending made me cry.
A complex, emotional tale which will linger for a while. I hope this author writes many more intelligent books such as this one and when they do, I’ll be the first to read them.
Thank you to the author and NineStar Press for the ARC. You rock!
November 23, 2022
I did enjoy the intertwining stories of June/Rose and Christine/Terrie. The stories of hope, fear, uncertainty were relatable.
There were several lines that were unnecessary or confusing and didn’t add to the story. Also, the stories seemed to jump around and there were missing transitional phrases or ideas. I believe the author had a vision for what she wanted to share, but it did not always translate to the page.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
There were several lines that were unnecessary or confusing and didn’t add to the story. Also, the stories seemed to jump around and there were missing transitional phrases or ideas. I believe the author had a vision for what she wanted to share, but it did not always translate to the page.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews