A Thousand Cuts

A Thousand Cuts by Detective Inspector Lucia May has been assigned to investigate what looks like an open and shut case of school violence. During the course of the investigation, she finds the reasons for a school teacher opening fire on a school assembly were not as clear and straightforward as everyone would like to believe.  Even as she continues to investigate in the face of extreme pressure from staff at the school, coworkers and even her supervisor she finds that discovering the reasons why the teacher did what he did will risk her the respect of her peers and even her career.

I could not stop thinking about this novel, which alternates first-hand witness police reports with third person narration of the investigation. This is an extremely effective portrayal of where mixing politics, money and a toxic school culture can lead.