Canadian Gift Guide

What’s The Buzz?: Unless you were living under a rock for the last few years, chances are you’ve heard of Amanda Knox. The American college student was studying in Perguia, Italy in 2007 when her roommate Meredith Kercher was murdered. The new novel Abroad is heavily inspired by this case, however it’s actually told from the perspective of Meredith, who in this fictionalized account is renamed Tabitha, or Taz. Based on the attention that case got, you can bet this one will earn plenty of buzz too.

What’s The Plot?: As mentioned above, Abroad is told from the perspective of Tabitha, a bit of a wallflower hailing from Ireland who chooses to branch out and reinvent herself by taking a year to study in Italy. Once there, she’s swept up in a group of popular, wealthy British girls named the B4. Taz feels on top of the world – suddenly she’s going to glamorous parties, wearing posh clothes, getting into the best restaurants, all without spending a time. But as Tabitha gets closer to the girls and begins to notice their self-destructive tendencies, her beautiful yet quirky American roommate, Claire, warns her that the girls might not be the best choice of friends. Tabitha continues to deny that there is anything dysfunctional about the B4, even as their darkest secrets come tumbling out, including how Taz fits into their foursome. As it is, Taz is frustrated with Claire’s flighty behaviour, particularly as it interferes with Tabitha’s own romantic life. All the while, Tabitha is unknowingly (but also knowingly – the story is told from her deceased self’s point of view) marching toward her untimely, unfortunate death.

How Close Is This To The Meredith Kercher / Amanda Knox Case?: Pretty darn close. If you’ve followed the story in any capacity, you will recognize a lot of the key details infused into these pages. The big twist naturally is the fact it’s told from the ‘Meredith’ character’s perspective, as a sharp reminder that the real victim in this unfortunate tragedy is the girl who was murdered, moreso than the girl who was (potentially) wrongly convicted. Although you know that Tabitha is going to die, the surprising thing is how intriguing it is to find out how she meets her end. There are plenty of candidates, although if you know the actual story pretty well, then you’ll find the ending of this fictional account is pretty in line with what the courts have somewhat determined – with a rather sympathetic light cast on the Amanda Knox (‘Claire’) character. That being said, it’s also pretty refreshing to have one possible version of this girl’s life explored – before the murder, before the unfortunate infamy. It’s a pretty spectacular, almost fantastical, imagining of the events leading up to her death, but it’s still plenty interesting.

Beach Read Potential?: Who doesn’t enjoy getting wrapped up in a murder mystery while at the beach? Despite knowing where the story is headed, Abroad still provides quite a quandary as to who killed Tabitha and why. Of course, the real focus of this story is a young girl’s semester abroad and how she could get swept up in the chaos that ultimately contributes to her end. The lavish parties, exotic setting and mean girl drama also makes for a bit of a soapy, intriguing read that’s ideal for an afternoon hammock swing.

Who Should Read This Book?: I’ve looked at some other peoples’ reviews of Abroad and it’s surprising how few of them connected the dots to the Meredith Kercher / Amanda Knox case (there is an afterword that spells it out more specifically). It seems that people that don’t make the connection find the book less enjoyable, so to that end, I will say – I’d primarily recommend this to people who have heard of the case, even remotely. That being said, it’s still an insightful, if eerie, look at how abruptly one’s life can change at this young age – if you’ve thought about studying abroad, are interested in true crime stories, or simply enjoying reading about the dynamics of female friendship, consider this one.

Abroad just hit shelves last week, and retails for $22.95. Consider picking it up for your college-aged kid as a cautionary tale this summer, or for that true crime lover in your life. And of course, I do have a copy of this scintillating novel for you to read. Here’s how to enter:

1) Tell me in the comments below by July 11, 2014 – How much do you know about the Meredith Kercher / Amanda Knox case? Why are you interested in reading this book?

2) Entries are limited to one per person / per email address / per household (or more if you score bonus entries). A random draw will be conducted on or around July 12, 2014 to select the winner(s), who will have 48 hours to respond before another winner is chosen in their place.

3) Entries are limited to Canadians that have reached the age of majority in their province. Quebec is not eligible for this promotion.

4) Bonus Entry: Follow Random House of Canada on Twitter. Tag them and me (@cdngiftguide) in a Tweet about why this ripped from the headlines read is tops on your summer reading list! Post a link to your Tweet below to earn yourself an extra entry into the draw.

5) Bonus Entry #2: Add this book to your to-read list on GoodReads, and leave a link back to the page it’s on below to earn yourself another bonus entry.