Twenty-one-year-old Laurie Kenyon is accused of murdering her popular English professor, Allan Grant. While the evidence against her is substantial, Laurie has no memory of the stabbing. The narrative reveals that Laurie suffers from Dissociative Identity Disorder, a psychological consequence of being kidnapped and abused as a young child. Her mind has fractured into several distinct personalities, including a protective but volatile alter named Leona, who may be responsible for the death. As her sister, attorney Sarah Kenyon, and psychiatrist Justin Donnelly attempt to uncover the buried memories of her childhood abduction, the original kidnappers resurface to ensure their past crimes remain hidden.
This novel is for readers of psychological thrillers who are interested in the clinical mechanics of repressed memory and multiple personality structures within a legal framework. Those who appreciate a procedural approach to crime fiction will find value in the detailed depictions of psychiatric evaluation and courtroom strategy. Readers walk away with an understanding of how early childhood trauma can manifest as clinical dissociation and the ways in which the legal system handles defendants with complex mental health conditions.
Practical, clear-cut and escapist; an easy read.
Best for readers like The Escapist Adventurer. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 1989
- Language
- EN
