Carrie M. Freitag and Margaret Kerouac, Contributing Editor

The events of Sept.11, 2001, made us brutally aware that no one is excluded or safe from the impact of murder. The beauty of Aftermath is that we can rise up out of horror, transformed rather than damaged. We can learn to contend with evil without being consumed by evil. We can develop skills to survive and avoid the pitfalls that serve to re-victimize the victims. Aftermath inspires readers to reach for the healing and growth that can evolve from profound tragedy.

Aftermath takes readers on a tour of the law enforcement and criminal justice system from the murder investigation, through the prosecution, and beyond the verdict. It examines how competing definitions for justice play out in the courts and the media. For some, justice is unveiling the truth, convicting the murderer(s), and making them serve a sentence commensurate with their crimes and violations against humanity. For others, justice is proving the suspect’s legal innocence. For others, justice is nothing more than successfully manipulating the system to evade accountability and incarceration for crimes committed. The thought-provoking style of Aftermath encourages readers to question and consider many fundamental aspects of our country’s system for handling crime, justice, and public safety.

While Aftermath offers specific insights into homicidal grief, it also serves as an excellent reference for anyone who has experienced loss—not just those affected by murder. Readers will leave this literary experience hugging their loved ones a little closer and understanding that violence hurts more than the victim.

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