Jeanette Baker — Blood Roses

Mira Books 2002 Paperback, 296pp. How does a woman pick up the pieces after witnessing her husband's brutal murder? And how does she live with the ache in her heart, which she sees every day reflected in the eyes of her children? Kate Nolan has taken it one day at a time for the past six years - believing she can make a difference in the politics of Northern Ireland, believing her children will live to see peace in their country. But sixteen-year-old Kevin Nolan does not believe in much anymore, and despite the efforts of his mother and sister he runs to others for solace. When he is arrested for dealing drugs, he and his mother are given a choice: Kevin can go to prison or he can become an informant. (ISBN: 9781741160208). Good.