A quiet belief in angels by R.J. Ellory
Date: 15 October 2009
Starting in 1939 and set in the small town of Augusta Falls, Georgia, twelve year old Joseph Vaughan, after hearing of the brutal murder of a young girl, sets up The Guardians with his friends to protect their neigbourhood. However, despite their efforts the murders continue for the next decade and Joseph's life is deeply affected. It isn't until fifty years later that the murderer is finally identified. Although this story is essentially about serial murders, it is so much more than that. Evocative of small town life and full of rich characters, the story is played out against iconic periods of American history. I would highly recommend it to anyone wanting more than just a straight-out mystery.