This is a nail-biting novel by Irish writer Siobhan Dowd, and follows Shell, a girl left to look after her two younger siblings, as her mother died, and her father is constantly drunk. The characters are beautifully written, and the style of suspense and mystery writing is excellent. Set in 1984, in Ireland, where gossip and rumors are rife, Shell takes care of her two siblings while the father is away, collecting for charity, from which he skims money for drink. All these events are caused by her mother's death, which led to her father's depression, and all the weights dropped on her young shoulders. Shell sometimes hears her mothers voice, and describes it as 'a swift pure cry'. The townsfolk also compare Shell's beauty to her mothers, and this attracts the attention of one Declan Ronan, who gets her pregnant. This event sparks off the more memorable passages in the book, with Shell having the baby, trying to hide it, burying it, getting arrested, and charged with murder. A very emotional story, the characters are easy to relate to, making for an incredibly controlled, but original story, portrayed by an excellent writer. Many messages are put across, more notably, wealth and poverty, innocent and criminal, and sexuality. This is a very intriguing book, and as a mystery, also does well. I recommend this to teens, as there are some extracts unsuitable for children. The cover is inviting, and also serious. The book was shortlisted for 2007 Carnegie Medal. Beautiful story.