Twelve years ago, 18-year-old University of Iowa freshman Abby Hartmann disappeared. Now, Jon Allan Blue, the serial killer suspected of her murder, is about to be executed. Abby’s best friends, Bree and Chelsea, watch as Abby’s memory is unearthed and overshadowed by Blue and his flashier crimes. The friends, estranged in the wake of Abby’s disappearance, and suffering from years of unvoiced resentments, must reunite when a high-profile podcast dedicates its next season to Blue’s murders.
True crime cares about every little detail. Except the victim and her loved ones.
In this book, two women must decide if they want a famous true crime podcast to dissect the murder of their best friend, years ago. Are they ready to relive everything, hoping that a few sleuths will solve the mystery and finally link the murder to the alleged killer, now in prison? Everyone knows it’s him − but there’s no proof, and without proof, is there really a murder?
This novel is not true crime. It asks us about the ethics and the moral implications of digging into someone’s painful past for fun − or for education, advocacy, or maybe closure, depends on whose opinion you decide to listen. It was a perfect tie-in to this excellent LitHub post on the ethics of telling true stories of trauma.