Broken - Daniel Clay

Broken
Daniel Clay
Harper Collins

Skunk is 11 and in a coma. From her hospital bed she guides the reader through the events in her neighbourhood. Across the street to Skunk, live the Buckleys, a mild mannered couple with their awkward son Rick. In the same square live the Oswalds, a family of foul-mouth bullies.

Saksia Oswald, out of a bet with her older sister, went for a drive with Rick Buckley, seduced him and then proceeded to humiliate him throughout the neighborhood. Later in the day, Saksia's younger sister was caught with the contraceptive pills she had stolen from her teacher. To save herself from a brutal punishment, she lied to her father.Skunk was playing outside when Bob Oswald strode across the square and brutally assaulted Rick, accusing him of raping his daughter.

After that Rick was never the same... he had become 'Broken'. He spent his days locked inside his bedroom for the fear he may be attacked again. As Broken's paranoia and madness grows, events around the neighbourhood slowly spiral out of control to a devastating conclusion.
This is a gripping tale and one that I had great difficulty putting down.