Gripping story of fear and physical abuse

If you want to peek inside the reality of a relationship based on fear through physical abuse, this is the book to read.

THE ICE CREAM GIRLS
Dorothy Koomson
Sphere, pbk, $36.99

In a steady and methodical way, the story unfolds about a horrific period of time for two young girls.

The style of the book is to swap between the two narrators and as each woman confronts her current situation, they both experience flashbacks and/or reflect on the past to give context to their current choices.

Both girls were lovers with their history teacher. The older one was forced to accept the younger and he used them together, against each other in truly deviant ways.

He was a sick man who manipulated these (and other) young women. To the community and the school, he was a charismatic, good looking, kind and caring teacher.

In his home, he was domineering, controlling, insulting and quite regularly subjected the girls to physical harm under the guise of correction and discipline. Thankfully, they got their revenge but unfortunately, one of them had to spend 18 years in prison for a crime she didn't commit.

The book begins as Poppy is released from prison and tries to understand who she is, connect with her family and hunt down Serena who she believes committed the murder but was found innocent by the jury.

Poppy's fingerprints were on the murder weapon and both girls admit to being at his house at the time of the accident but both claim they left him alive.

Serena, married with two children, has never told her husband about her past, the teacher, the trial, the verdict. She lives with that tension and risks losing her family in the wish to protect them from her story.

Now, with Poppy challenging her to admit to something she didn't do, they both need to find a way to cope with a future that can include trust, faith and love.

It is a gripping, fascinating and well-written book.

- Kathy Young is a Dunedin writer.