When I Was Ten by Fiona Cummins delves into the dark and twisted aftermath of a shocking double murder that leaves two young sisters forever altered. The story follows Sara and Shannon Carter, who, after witnessing their parents' brutal killings, find their lives irrevocably changed. One sister, dubbed the "Angel of Death," is accused of the murders and spends years in a secure unit, while the other is left to navigate life in foster care, shrouded in secrecy and trauma.

The premise is compelling, and Cummins excels in portraying the chilling atmosphere of childhood innocence shattered by violence. The segments where the girls are children are beautifully written, filled with a mix of horror and sadness that draws the reader in. However, as the story unfolded, I found myself grappling with significant inconsistencies that detracted from the overall experience.

At various points, the narrative seemed to shift blame from one sister to the other, creating confusion rather than intrigue. The older sister appears to be the culprit, then it's the younger sister, and ultimately the friend's testimony complicates matters further. The friend initially claims to have witnessed the sisters standing over their parents, only to later contradict herself by stating she saw the younger sister committing the act.

Furthermore, the ending raises eyebrows when it reveals that the mother is not quite dead, leading to a bizarre decision to suffocate her with a pillow. This felt like a stretch and left me wondering if the author lost track of her own narrative. It seemed as if the plot had become muddled, and unfortunately, these inconsistencies overshadowed the strong foundation that had been laid.

Overall, while When I Was Ten presents an engaging premise and contains thrilling moments, the execution falters due to narrative inconsistencies. It's a story that had the potential to be deeply impactful but ultimately felt disjointed.

Oh my goodness, this book is going to pull you right in, throw you about a bit and spit you right out - it is such a ride!! I loved the start of the book and was immediately hooked and wanting to read more. The chapters from different points of view worked perfectly and I love how the author drip fed us information as the book went along! Whilst some of it is heartbreaking and eye opening, it holds your attention perfectly and there were twists I did not see coming!! Five star read for me and one of the best thrillers I have read.

I knew that this was going to be dark after reading the blurb but this story went seriously dark! I absolutely powered through the book and couldn't bring myself to put it down. Despite being such a harrowing story, it was compulsive reading and it was brilliantly executed. I loved the fact that this book didn't just have multiple POV's but also looked at one story/incident from multiple angles - childhood abuse, politics, journalism and the media. I wasn't expecting this book to make such a big impact on me but it was twisty and horrendous and bleak which, for a Crime Thriller fan is exactly what you want to read!

Loved this nail biting thriller, raced through the pages to uncover twists and truths. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read this ARC.

When I was ten is another brilliant novel from Fiona Cummins.

1997 and two young girls are taken away from Hilltop House by the Police. They are sisters aged 10 and 12, their parents murdered, stabbed to death..

Almost twenty years later, one of the sisters is finally breaking her silence about the case that shocked a nation.

The other, who has now built a new life for herself, is horrified that her family will be destroyed and doesn't want her sister to do it,

This is a difficult novel to read at times due to the subject matter, and there is also a chapter to be avoided if you don't like spiders!!

When I Was Ten by Fiona Cummins

Another thrilling book from Netgalley.

Didn't want to put it down until it was over!

Sara and Shannon Carter are bound by tragedy. The murder of their parents.

Tormented by horrid abuse, one of the sisters takes matters into their own hands and ends the misery the parents bring to their lives, thus dubbed, the angel of death.

13 years later, the truth will reveal itself. Ripping apart the lives of many. Brinley Booth, their childhood best friend, and now a journalist will help spill all for the most explosive interview of her career.

Everyone has a story to tell, but who is telling the truth and what will they do to protect their secrets?

Absolutely Brilliant - as are all Fiona Cummins novels !!

I could not put this down it was exciting -heartbreaking and the ending had a perfect twist

Highly Recommended !!!

Thankyou NetGalley for an ARC in return for an honest review

'When I Was Ten' is a very dark, disturbing read from Cummins. However, it is also an electric read and I was absolutely gripped by this from start to finish. Definitely read the blurb before starting this but if you read this prepared then you are in for a treat and an exhilarating read that will leave you wanting more. I enjoyed that as the book progressed, Cummins changes the time period the book is set in, it allows the reader to understand more about what is going on and the characters thought processes. I was also surprised by the amount of twists and surprises that Cummins throws in. I was not expecting them and it only served to increase my enjoyment.
In a weird way, I found the characters very likeable and I cared about them and what happened to them. This also helped my enjoyment. Overall I thoroughly enjoyed 'When I Was Ten', if you are looking for a dark thriller that will thrill and excite you, then look no further.
Thank you to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for an advance copy.

Inhaled this book in one sitting , it was by far one of my favourite reads. As I am new to reviewing I was unsure where to start but this book was a huge big yes for me

Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

Intense, gripping and impactful - i really enjoyed this. I jever would've foreseen that plot twist. I definitely recommend picking this one up if you're in a thriller mood.

Just......absolutely fantastic. This kept me up till the early hours. I could not put this book down. The characters and storyline are absolutely amazing and I rushed through those pages.
##Amazing##UpAllNight##

A fascinating thriller. I haven’t read anything by this author before so I was excited to pick this one up. Was so good and the beginning was a little confusing until you place all the characters I found but that’s probably just me.
A great thriller

I enjoyed the multiple POV in this book. This was a gripping and unique thriller with great characters that had my attention from the very start.

Easily one of the best books I have read in years.

Literally could not put this down. Hook, line and sinker I was drawn to this book and I disappeared into this rollercoaster story.

What makes a child want to kill their parents ?

There are parts of this book that you think you can't read, but you have to. You have to keep going. I read this book almost in one sitting and that is a huge thing for me. I had to step away for fear of being up all night but this is a fantastic read.

I would like to thank the author, the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of this book. I really enjoyed it and it kept me guessing, I will be recommending this book to everyone I know.

This was a dark and twisted read which really kept me on the edge of my seat throughout. An utterly engrossing book which is builds tension beautifully throughout and adds a creeping sense of menace as the story progresses. A thrilling ride right from the get go.

Oh my days. What a fantastic book that managed to get me out my reading slump! Never knew where I was going to be taken next

Interesting plot and the opening was certainly intriguing. Some good twists as it progressed that kept me reading.

Utterly brilliant, just like everything else Fiona Cummins has written.

Thanks very much to the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this title. Many thanks, Dave