Olivia McAfee relocates to her New Hampshire childhood home to raise her son, Asher, and manage her father’s apiary after escaping an abusive marriage. Their quiet lives shatter when Asher’s teenage girlfriend, Lily Campanello, is found dead at the bottom of a staircase. Asher becomes the primary murder suspect, forcing Olivia to confront whether her son inherited his father’s violent temperament. The narrative alternates between Olivia’s perspective during the criminal trial and Lily’s backstory, eventually revealing a significant secret regarding Lily’s gender identity that reframes the legal defense and the motive for the crime.
Readers who value legal procedurals and stories about hidden identities will find this useful for understanding the complexities of the transgender experience. People read it to see how a courtroom drama intersects with biological and social definitions of womanhood. By the end, the reader understands the mechanics of beekeeping as a metaphor for protection and the reality of how systemic prejudice influences the judicial system. It provides a detailed look at the tension between a parent's loyalty and the objective facts of a violent act.
- Published
- 2022
- Language
- EN
