The Murders of Lillian Ross by Sirena Van Schaik – Review by Jennifer Gordon

The Murders of Lillian Ross by Sirena Van Schaik
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a thought provoking and at times difficult read as the author deals with mature subject matters and very sensitive issues, however these are dealt with honestly and in terms of the storyline. These could be triggers for some readers, and the author does recognise this with a warning and also by giving information on places people can get help from at the end of the novel which I thought was a lovely touch. The storyline is very original and intriguing, it follows true crime author Allison McKinnon who has been given the opportunity to write about the previously untold story of convicted double murderer, Lillian Ross.

Lillian Ross is a woman who was born into a wealthy family but has ended up on Death Row sentenced to death for murder. For years she has kept her silence but has now chosen Allison to be the one to write her story. The more time the women spend together and the deeper Allison gets into Lillian’s past memories they realise they have more in common than expected, including having both suffered from traumatic events in their pasts. As Allison discovers Lillians troubled past and learns the shocking truths that explain her motives for the murders she committed, Allison begins to wonder if her own life with a similar past will lead her to the same inevitable conclusion as Lillian’s.

Although this is not an easy read and some of the more graphic parts were very difficult and upsetting to read, I also found myself gripped by the storyline and fully immersed in Allison and Lillian’s stories. The book being written from both women’s point of views gave me as the reader great insight into both characters. The wonderful characters made me feel engaged with them and I felt sympathy for both of them as their past traumas were uncovered. I liked and felt the connection between Allison and Lillian and how a friendship bond was formed through these prison visits. The authors descriptive narrative bought the prison setting in particular to life and made me feel claustrophobic at times. The conclusion is harrowing but expected, and I was left thinking about this book and the characters long after I had read the last page and put the book down. I recommend this real page turner of a novel but advise potential readers to be aware of the trigger warnings.

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