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Review:

Our little secret by Allayne Webster


cover image Omnibus books, 2007 ISBN 978186291723 1
The story of the grooming and eventual rape of young teenager, Edwina, is shocking and salutary. Shocking because the scenes detailing her rape are graphic with nothing left to the imagination, and because everyone who reads this book will be able to see just how easy it is to seduce a young girl. Salutary because it gives the readers a valuable insight into the minds of such people. So it should be read as widely as possible.

Edwina is just noticing boys, and is flattered by the attention she receives from 25 year old Tom, who works with her father. He often calls at the house, talking to, then tickling, then finally kissing Edwina, before taking her out of the town in his car. He hurts her but insists that 'our little secret' is just that, and continues to abuse her. When the suicide of  a girl in the town who has been raped alerts teachers to the fact that Edwina has changed,  one of them talks to her, drawing her story out until she admit that something has happened.

This book deservedly will cause a stir, some parents will not like its graphic nature, and some will not like it because it talks about such a subject candidly. But it will alert girls and parents to the predatory nature of some men and how their children can be groomed to accept their advances. So have it in your library. Some may like to attach a senior fiction label, some may have it for parents, some may keep it on a restricted shelf, but have it available because kids will ask for it, their network is much faster than ours.
Fran Knight

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