The Case Of Mary Bell by Gitta Sereny

A detailed, compassionate investigation into a notorious child murder case that combines meticulous interviews, court records and psychological analysis to explore how a neglected, abused girl came to commit deadly violence, how society and the legal system responded, and whether rehabilitation and remorse can alter our judgment of culpability; the account probes the complexities of innocence and guilt, the impact of traumatic upbringing, and the ethical dilemmas raised by punishing and protecting a child offender.