This was a brilliant read. As soon as I started reading this book I just knew I was going to love it. Highly recommended

I have read many books by this author and I have loved them all

This one is included in that statement

This book tells the story of a transgender child who has been murdered

This book was captivating and so thought provoking.

The book is told from different perspectives which is one of my favourite ways of telling a story

The book was fast paced

I really enjoyed it and will look out for more by the same author

I’ve had this book on my TBR pile since December. Not sure why it’s taken me so long to get round to reading it, but I should have read it sooner.

Really great book from this talented author - I loved her previous book, The Silence Between Breaths - and I enjoyed this one too.

Weaving multiple threads, we are introduced to several lead characters but the author’s style makes this easy to follow and you start to see how they all intertwine.

Whilst there’s lots of intrigue and suspense and a few twists and turns, it was an easy read once you’ve overcome the gruesome details of a post-mortem.

The easy style of the author draws you in to keep reading and the story is compelling. In particularly like the characterisation and thought the young Asian policewoman was fabulous. The story tackles some taboos but in a non-confrontational style which is refreshing.

But something is holding me back from giving this 5*; it’s possibly just that this book wasn’t as intense as TSBB... but well worth a read. 4*

This book had the makings of a great story. It started off well then sadly lost the plot. It's a modern thriller about a girl's murder. When the police get involved the story goes downhill. Every police person had problems and not many were sane!

Wow! Just read this amazing book, sitting in the sun and trying to hide the fact I’m crying. Allie Kennaway’s brutal murder on her prom night leaves a family shocked and the police investigating a possible hate crime as teenager Allie was transgender- a boy living life as a girl. Every character is vivid and compelling - from Allie’s family grieving the loss of their child to the new DC determined to impress her boss and hide her traumatic past. As a reader you’re made to understand what has motivated everyone of them to behave the way they have and you feel compelled to read on and discover more - from plot twist to plot twist. Stunning! Recommending it to all my crime loving friends!

Eighteen-year-old Allie Kennaway and her friends are off to their school prom, all dressed up in their finery and excited at the prospect of an evening of fun and dancing. But the evening ends in tragedy when Allie’s body is found in a street near the venue, the victim of a brutal attack. Allie happens to be transgender - is she the victim of a hate crime?

DI Donna Bell and her keen young DC Jade Bradshaw are charged to investigate the murder and begin to close in on their suspects. But someone near at hand has powerful reasons for not wanting them to get to the truth...

Will justice be done for Allie and her grieving family?

This was a brilliant read which packed a heavy emotional punch. I constantly moved between sadness, anger and hope. I thought Allie’s trans identity was handled very well - she has had her issues to contend with of course, but with a loving and supportive family and friends, her future seemed bright. The tragedy of her senseless death and the effect on those left behind is never glossed over. As Allie’s death occurs right at the start it would perhaps have been good to have another, not-dead trans character to mitigate the risk of a “trans = tragic victim” message. But I think Cath Staincliffe has tried hard to avoid any such message anyway.

All the characters were very well drawn. I could definitely relate to Donna, balancing work and family but with her partner acting as the main carer (I’m also in this position and it’s not often reflected in fiction). Jade was a particularly unusual and interesting character, who clearly has a significant back story which is only hinted at here. She has huge potential but is volatile and sometimes acts in ways which can only lead to trouble. I’d like to read more about Jade.

Allie’s family, father Steve and little sister Teagan, are also really well depicted (as are the extended family) and their feelings and reactions as the investigation progresses are very believable.

There is not a huge amount of mystery here - the perpetrators and their motivations are established relatively early on. The story, and the tension and doubt, mainly comes from the fight to bring those responsible to justice, when there is a real threat of the investigation being seriously derailed.

The Girl in the Green Dress is an excellent police procedural with its heart firmly in the right place. I loved it.

I have read a few of Cath Staincliffes books and they have all been crackers. This one is definitely my absolute favourite so far. She dealt with a difficult subject extremely well. The book started at a good pace and continued throughout and I couldn’t put it down. It left me feeling very emotional and it will still with me for some time. I would love to see more of these detectives in future books. Would 100% recommend this book

Cath Staincliffe writes top notch crime fiction which everyone who reads the genre should read. Set in Manchester, 18 year old Allie Kennaway is going to the Prom in a gorgeous green dress, with her close friends Bets and Helena. The girls are excitedly taking selfies whilst dad, Steve, is overflowing with pride at Allie, along with his 12 year old daughter, Teagan. Later that same night, Allie is discovered dead in the city centre, after a brutal and harrowing attack. DI Donna Bell, Manchester CID, is the mother of 5 children and married to Jim, a driving instructor, who takes on the lion's share of family responsibilities. Donna has acquired a new rookie partner, DC Jade Bradshaw, a brilliant, determined and volatile personality, to work on the murder investigation. It soon becomes apparent on closer examination that Allie is transgender, and there is speculation as to whether this is a hate crime. What is clear is that this is going to be a high profile investigation with intense media coverage. With a narrative that is delivered from a wide range of characters, this is a tale of grief, loss, betrayal, and police corruption.

Staincliffe has a close working knowledge of how a police investigation works, displaying this knowledge with expertise as we follow the ins and out of the case. Donna has a team she trusts, that includes the experienced DS Martin Harris as they try and trace Allie's movements on that night. When a failed asylum seeker, a witness to the murder, gives them an artistic sketch of the 18 year old perpetrators, they expect to make arrests soon, only to find themselves stymied. Allie's family and friends have their world torn apart as they fall prey to the depths of grief and face up to the enormity of their loss. In a heartbreaking project booklet, Allie had created the A-Z of the T. (Transgender), with a whole host of pertinent facts for and about about the Transgender community, including statistics such as 84% consider taking their own lives, whilst 35% commit suicide, 19% are attacked, and 62% face ongoing transgender abuse. Many people leave unbearable and hateful abuse about Allie on social media, adding to the never ending pain that the Kennaways go through. One of the parents of the perpetrator's is heartbroken, wondering how her son could have done something so heinous, whilst the parent of the other is determined to cover up the crimes of his son who has such a bright future in front of him. Will the Kennaways get justice in the face of such formidable obstacles?

Cath Staincliffe weaves an atmospheric crime story with an indepth social and political commentary on the issues that affect the transgender community. Some of the characters Staincliffe creates display the ignorance and prejudice to be found in our contemporary world. The characters are so complex, compelling and authentically developed, from the family travails of Donna, to the horror and devastation of grief as experienced by Steve, Allie's father. This is brilliant crime fiction that I found so emotionally affecting. I know many readers are fed up with 'The Girl...' crime books and I honestly cannot blame them, given the preponderance of such fare. However, I would urge readers to make an exception when it comes to this novel, they will not regret it. Many thanks to Little, Brown for an ARC.

Another interesting and thought provoking book from Cath Staincliffe.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.

I thought this was an interesting premise for a book, but I found that rather than it being a story centred around a teenage transgender girl it was more to do with the aftermath of her murder. I found that disappointing as I would have been more interested in the development of Allie, but her life was merely touched upon in the wake of her death.

While this was a very emotionally charged story, it didn't really interest me. There was no mystery to be solved although there were a couple of surprises along the way, it wasn't my usual type of book.

Happy and excited, Allie went off to her prom with her friends. Hours later, after a 999 call she was found battered to death in an alley near where the prom had taken place.

Examination of the body revealed that she was transgender. Was that a motive? Was this a hate crime?

This story is told from various angles. From her father and little sister's perspective they are numb with shock. We also see the worries of a mother who wonders what is wrong with her son- why had he suddenly decided to do his own laundry? And why did he suddenly disappear? We also follow the police investigation- from the detective in charge- another mother who struggles to juggle all her responsibilities, and another detective who will do anything to protect his family.

This is a fast paced story that explores parental love and the struggle to do the right thing. The characters were very well written and it would be good to read more about the chief detective.

Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for giving me the chance to read & review this book.

When you find yourself with tears on your cheeks upon finishing a book, you know the author’s got to you. Lots of unanswered questions at the close of this, with a description of a vigil that is tapping into a mood that’s been all too evident in Manchester this year but this book ended on a really hopeful note that should be celebrated.
Cath Staincliffe knows how to deliver a decent police procedural. We follow this investigation from start to a finish of sorts, learning some of the methods used during a major investigation the likes of which most of us will never have knowledge of. Thankfully.
The opening of the novel felt a little slow. We’re introduced to Allie (dressed up and about to go to her prom), Oliver (a stereotypical moody teen) and a number of detectives. It felt rather disjointed initially, but when we see one of the detectives arriving at a crime scene and we make the connection with the green dress Allie was wearing it starts to fall into place.
Your child not returning from a night out is every parents’ nightmare. This story taps into our deepest fears as parents, but it’s given contemporary appeal because Allie was transgender and seems to have been murdered because of this.
The shocks, once they arrive, come thick and fast. From pretty early on we can see who is involved and the story forces us to focus on just how far people will go to protect the ones they love.
Unfortunately for me, though I raced through this and thoroughly enjoyed it, I felt outraged and sickened by some of the attitudes expressed here which is part of the reason why I’d give this a 4.5 rating. The outdated law meaning that Allie is referred to as male in the post-mortem is disgusting, some of the racist and sexist attitudes expressed saddened me (though I know they’ll still be around) and I was sickened by one of the central characters. I sense we’re meant to be, but this character was almost a caricature villain and their actions weren’t always believable.
This is certainly one I’d highly recommend, and I must thank NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this.

This is a police procedural book with a difference in so far as we hear from the victim’s family point of view almost as much as various members of the investigating police team.
At first I was not sure if I would like the “quick read” sections from various characters in the book but I soon got used to this and it added to my enjoyment. I felt it mirrored the high speed of the murder investigation and changing emotions as the family came to terms with the reality of their loss. The characters were well developed so it was not confusing as to who was speaking at any time and (unlike in other books I’ve read in the past) I did not find myself having to flick back as it was always clear who was narrating. Further, there was one character that I did not like so I was able to read her sections properly without skimming over them as I knew that if I continued with them, they would be over quickly!
I felt that the transgender issues were dealt with very well in this book (a mixture of supportive and unsupportive characters and those who had mixed feelings as reflected in real life).
The only reason I do not give this a five star rating is because the police procedural parts went off kilter in the latter stages of the book and became unrealistic (I do appreciate it’s a novel so artistic licence is allowed - but I expect a certain level of research and realism if appealing to lovers of this genre!).
However, overall it is a very well written book that deals with a topical subject extremely well and has made me want to read more of Cath’s work.
Thank you to NetGalley for a kindle copy of this work in exchange for an honest review.

This is the second book of Cath Staincliffes that I've read and I loved it. Her writing is so easy to read, you just get pulled into the book. I liked all the police procedures. I find it interesting how they work everything out. Cath Staincliffe draws you in and takes you on a thrilling journey!

This book is set in Manchester and is about the killing of a teenage girl on a night out who turns out to be transsexual. The book tells parts of the story from differing perspectives of some of those concerned with events. Initially this appears to be a simple police murder case story and is perfectly readable. Then there is a twist. I have to say that in part I saw it coming but it was good. It has the effect of taking this story to another level.

The writing here is taught and sparse. It works well both for readability and to increase the tension. However I found that if I didn't read a reasonable chunk at a time the multiple perspectives could be distracting. I did find some of the characters not overly developed. On the other hand one of the main and important characters, Jade, was fairly well developed but wasn't quite convincing to me even though I did like her.

The inclusion of the transsexual aspect here worked for me I think though I am don't have any great awareness of the subject. It made the story up to date and offered the dimension of the family's issues with gender and political correctness as well as those of the police. The twist in the story made the book better for me than it would have been without it.

I have enjoyed this author's writing in the past and I did enjoy this book too. I intend to read more of her work when I get the time. If I wasn't 100% convinced by some of the characters I still thoroughly enjoyed the story.

Allie Kennaway is off to her school prom, an evening most teenager look forward to, a time to get dressed up and go out with friends and have some fun. That is what Allie has planned and as she’s ready for the off, her dad Steve couldn’t be any more proud of her.
The night doesn’t turn out to be much fun for Allie. Allie Kennaway age 18 is never to return home. Brutally murdered, beaten to death in an apparent hate crime because of her transgender identity.
A crime that has destroyed a family a father who had lost his wife to cancer has now lost his daughter, his younger daughter Teegan has lost her sister, a family ripped apart so cruelly. A crime that has appalled the country, and the police have a huge job on their hands to find the killer.

Another very interesting read, I have now read a number of books by Cath Staincliffe and I seem to have enjoyed them all.
This one is a very interesting & a compelling read, told at a steady pace. It’s subject is quite topical at the moment and something we seem to be hearing more and more about. Todays society is a lot more understanding with thing although I still believe a lot of people are still uncomfortable with this subject, and i like how that was highlighted in the book with certain characters and their views.

This really was an fascinating story, and I really don’t think anything I write about it will do the book the justice it deserves, I’m worried about saying to much, then concerned I'm not saying enough, so I'll end with – Give this book a read, and decide for yourself.

This book was really raw and very emotional.
It starts with Allie who is transgender going to her school's prom but is brutally killed and it's down to the police to find out what happened to her.

It's a very heartwarming book when you find out what Allie meant to everyone.