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Sold in Secret

The Murder of Charlene Downes

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Sold in Secret

By: Karen Downes
Narrated by: Lucy Brownhill
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'1st November 2003 started so unremarkably that I wish I had appreciated the normality of it. Because I would never, ever know peace again.'

Charlene Downes was 14 when she went missing in Blackpool's seedy underbelly. Once a happy-go-lucky schoolgirl, she had become a truant - hanging out with the wrong crowd by the takeaway shops and pier. But Charlene's mum, Karen, always knew her typical teenage daughter would come home.

Until one day she didn't.

Karen has been searching for 15 years, campaigning for the truth of what happened to her daughter. To this day, Karen and her family have no body, no convictions and no answers. Arrests were made and a murder trial took place, but no one has ever been brought to justice.

On the 15th anniversary of Charlene's disappearance, Karen shares this heartbreaking account of every parent's worst nightmare. Abuse Child Abuse Dysfunctional Families Dysfunctional Relationships Parenting & Families Relationships True Crime Emotionally Gripping
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Took me days to finish this book. The strength of a mother 💕 heartbreaking

Such a heart wrenching book.

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I feel for Karen and her family however the book had me hooked. I hope she gets answers soon.

Great book

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This is incredibly sad,Charlene was failed!
Her mothers love and strength will hopefully one day bring her home

Incredibly sad

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Only purchased as I am obsessed with this case. There needs to be more investigation into the parents and one other unrelated suspect. Even if they had nothing to do with her disappearance, they are shady as hell. Only on chapter 5 so far but they’ve not mentioned the convicted sex offender that was staying in their house at the time and their open door policy to every dodgy pervert in the area. They’ve also lied about calling the police. They didn’t call until the Monday, after the convicted sex offender had been sentenced and left the house. Charlene’s mum was chastised for not calling and wanting to get the call over quickly as she needed to go out.

Don’t purchase this book if you’re looking to find out what actually happened. But if you’re interested in the banality of evil and a rose tinted story from the mother, go for it.

There’s a channel 5 3 part series on on demand that sheds more light on this tragic story.

Don’t read if you want to know what actually happened to Charlene

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a very touching about Downes heart breaking of loosing a daughter . how the they struggles of staying together as their world falls apart

the family bond

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