Christie... A family`s tragic loss and a mother`s fight for justice by Tracey Marceau with Anna Leask

When Christie Marceau was stabbed to death in November 2011, the nation shuddered not just at the brutality of the murder nor at the victims age but also at the fact that the killer was on bail for a prior attack on Christie, its a pattern that the justice department in New Zealand appear to repeatedly follow... free the attacker so he/she can finish the job, it is absolutely mind boggling but that`s how we roll in New Zealand and oh yes we will give you name suppression too if you want it!

This book is beautifully written, it is brave and it is courageous. It is Christie`s life and death laid bare, the story of a beautiful young lady with so much to live for who had it all taken from her by someone who could only be described as quite the opposite to Christie, her kindness and caring was repaid in the worst way possible.

This book is not an easy read, it will bring you to tears, it will also make you angry that our justice system is so deficient in thought, that a Judge would free on bail a young man who had attacked before, whose support systems could be described as inadequate at best, a young man who had just commenced a course of anti depression medication which often take weeks to become fully assimilated into the system, a young man whose background was dysfunctional and which needed further investigation, a young man who need a type of medication far stronger than what he was given and who needed to be kept locked up until the medication/counselling became effective and at least the Marceau`s could get themselves and Christie to the safety of Australia...the learned judge didn`t quite see it this way however. And as a consequence the young man came back and finished what he had started. The mortified Police could only do the bail checks that were mandatory and hope.

This is a journey that takes you with the Maceau family from the beginning of Christie`s life until her death in her mother`s arms, it is gritty and emotional, it is unflinching and it is probably one of the bravest books I have read. For the Marceau`s the fight for justice goes on, one can only salute their bravery and hope that somewhere down the line our bail laws are changed to serve the Victim and not the Perpetrator.

This book is available in Trade paperback and via the Library System.