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

For me, I picked up this novel originally as I am one who truly enjoys true crime. And I always like to see what goes through the mind of a murderer when it comes down to it. But, with this novel I was not only left surprised, but often totally swept into different emotions as well as I read through this who truly was the real villain in all of this?

The main characters Lillian who is the one who committed to acts of murder and the crime writer specialist named Allision who personally was selected by Lillian to write her story were not only very well written, but I will be honest both of them really pulled at my heart strings and I could feel what and who they were. I felt Allision was surprised to be selected as she is in her writing , taking the victims side and to tell their story and not the opposite. But without knowing the things I would learn, maybe she was still assigned to do just that? Early on I found truth in that there is always two sides to every story. And sometimes the truth is darker than I actually thought it could be…and in truth was I really prepared for what I would find?

The novel gripped me, and I didn’t want to stop reading even when some of the scenes were a bit graphic. I am a survivor of domestic violence and sexual abuse. Reading what Lillian had gone though made me feel so much, I wanted to scream in my mind for her father to leave her alone, to cry for her to what she endured. To cry and scream for the empty pain she went through and the silent tears no one heard. It was graphic and it provided quite the visual, but I would not have it any other way. The dark descriptive scenes made you not only feel for Lillian, but put you in her shoes and saw life through her and you really got to feel who she was as a person. It made the motives so much more clearer, and yet so much more darker and deeper compared to what I ever expected or imagined.

As I read Allison was also on the edge of her seat and I could truly tell she was moved by the stories and events. When I say moved, I don’t mean in happiness, I mean in shock and filled with so many emotions she as well as me could not wrap her heard around it. It seemed to make Allison question all she was doing and really made her debate with her crime story she was to write, who really was the one who committed the original crime? Who was the true victim?

The story progressed more emotions and a friendship was established between the two women like no other. As the book neared the big climax to me with the two in the jail cell. I honestly didn’t see it coming But perhaps Lillian was finally free from all the pain and torture she went through. She told her story. She left in good hands knowing what was next for her. She made request to Allision to do something in her life. And Allision didn’t only vow to do it, but in the books end she chose to live what she promised.

Allision wrote the story of Lillian and the murders. With the emotions and pain and suffering. She told the truth and nothing else. It was not just only the right thing to do, but its what was meant to be. The plan from the start perhaps.

Again, gripping story and made me get a thoroughly different perspective on now when I read true crime. Maybe there is inner truth to what motives that are present on people who murder? Was it the only way the people who commit these crimes can truly service justice knowing it will cost them the ultimate price in the end?

By the end leading the epic end of Lillian’s story I did not only understand why Lillian did the murders she did. I also why she felt she had to. And not just for herself, for anyone that could across these people, She truly was a heroine in her own mind, knowing she was commending herself, but she was saving others from experiencing anything close to what she had already gone through.

This author did not just only write a book that captivated my soul and heart, but it was also FREAKING amazing good. I was so lost in the words and the events, and the trauma that was endured. The friendship made between the two women was unquestionable. Though with Allision and Lillian, two different paths were set out for each of them I believe from the moment they first met. But, perhaps that was their own personal story all alone? Maybe one was already written and the other was still yet to be defined?

Loved this book. It was so amazing I am recommending this to all my true crime fanatic friends. This so good that it could easily pass for a true event true crime novel.

Well done to this amazing talented author!

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