The Crying Tree

by Naseem Rakha

Irene and Nate Stanley move their kids, Shep and Bliss, from Southern Illinois to Oregon. They are away from their family, their friends and everything they've ever known. As they are getting settled into their new lives, 15-year-old Shep is shot and killed by a young man who is caught breaking into their home. Years later, Irene receives a letter that the murderer is going to be executed, and Irene finds she cannot let him die without making peace with what happened. Her attempt to reach out to Robbins sets off a chain reaction that no one can stop.

This book was very clever. It started off as a story that I thought would be about Irene and Robbins connection and the Stanley family coming to terms with Shep's murder. But there soon came to light that there may have been more to Shep's death than anyone suspected. Why doesn't Robbins want to file any further appeals? Can Irene forgive Robbins for what happened? And what really happened that afternoon so many years ago when Shep was killed? And when she lays it all out for the reader, there were a few times when I went back and reread earlier parts of the book, wondering how I missed it.

This is not a book advocating or critcizing the death penalty. All sides of the story are shown, the Stanley family, Robbins, and the prison warden who is responsible for making Robbins' death happen. This book is more about forgiveness and truth. I recommend it.