Betty Jane is coming to our book club meeting tonight and I am SO pumped.

When our book club suggested this book and I discovered the author was a small town author I figured it would be a 'blah' book. Serves me right for assuming and placing a stereotype on the book, because the story and writing was fantastic.

Betty Jane splices nonfiction and fiction together in a compelling way. The nonfiction side is herself, a writer, researching the story of the last man hanged in Alberta--Robert Raymond Cook. She shares the story of how she became intrigued with his story, the research, and whether or not he was indeed guilty of murdering his father, stepmother, and five half siblings.

The fiction side of the story is a story Betty Jane is struggling to tell. One of Louise, a new mom who gains a 'bad apple' stepson when she marries. Louise fears her stepson and has conversations with Betty Jane, the author of Louise's story.

Fiction and nonfiction mingle with each other and the nonfiction side influences the fiction side--in ways that makes Louise worry!

It's a brilliant concept that Betty Jane pulls off effortlessly. It's a fast read. The author touches on the gruesome murders in a way that intrigues the readers, but doesn't gross them out. However, there were times when I was so caught up in what was going to happen and Louise's worries that I had to keep reading so I could leave off for the night in a spot that would allow me to sleep!

Highly recommended.