It helped that I wasn’t mentioned in most of the books. Not the paperbacks with the title bloody and oozing, the glossed pages of crime scene photographs. Not the less popular but more accurate tome written by the lead prosecutor.
-- Narration (“It begins with…”)

Importance: At the outset of the novel, Evie pretends to herself and to the reader that she is grateful for her lack of notoriety and for the fact that she was ignored in the historical accounts of the murders committed by the other girls. As the narrative progresses, however, it is revealed that not being involved in the crimes committed by the group exacerbates Evie’s feelings of being unseen and unknown. The fact that Evie may resent not being mentioned in the books is hinted at through her extensive knowledge of everything that was written about the murders, showing how thoroughly she has searched for any mention of her...