The Sunday Times & New York Times Bestseller. Although Jodie is only eight years old she is violent aggressive & has already been through numerous foster families. Her last hope is Cathy Glass... Cathy an experienced foster carer is pressured into taking Jodie as a new placement. Jodie's challenging behaviour has seen off five carers in four months but Cathy decides to take her on to protect her from being placed in an institution. Jodie arrives & her first act is to soil herself & then wipe it on her face grinning wickedly. Jodie meets Cathy's teenage children & greets them with a sharp kick to the shins. That night Cathy finds Jodie covered in blood having cut her own wrist & smeared the blood over her face. As Jodie begins to trust Cathy her behaviour improves. Over time with childish honesty she reveals details of her abuse at the hands of her parents & others. It becomes clear that Jodie's parents were involved in a sickening paedophile ring with neighbours & Social Services not seeing what should have been obvious signs. It's clear that Josie needs psychiatric therapy but instead Social Services take Jodie away from her & place her in a residential unit. Although the paedophile ring is investigated & brought to justice Jodie's future is still up in the air. Cathy promises that she will stand by her no matter what
- her love for the abandoned Jodie is unbreakable.