"Liz McGregor has always been a great journalist but only South Africa
could have wrung out of her this single-minded account of the murder of
her beloved father. The book is an indescribable duty, exquisitely
done." - Peter Bruce
"An enthralling account of the journey by a daughter to meet with those
convicted of her father's murder." - Trevor Manuel
A searing, intimate memoir tracing the author's attempt to find out the
truth about her father's murder.
Robin McGregor, an older man who has recently moved into a small town
outside Cape Town, is brutally murdered in his home. Cecil Thomas is
convicted for the crime, but his trial leaves more questions than
answers. As much as his daughter Liz McGregor tries to move beyond her
grief - she finds new work, she even discovers love - she still wants
answers. What drove Thomas to torture and kill a complete stranger?
The author meets the murderer's family and discovers that he comes from
a loving, comfortable home. He is educated and skilled, there is no
apparent reason for his descent into delinquency. After protracted
obstruction from the prison authorities, she finally gets to confront
him but not without putting herself in danger. She finds answers, but
not the answers she is looking for.
Unforgiven tells a story seldom told: what happens to a family when
one of their own is murdered? In a country where, year upon year, tens
of thousands of people lose a loved one to violence. Where restorative
justice is preached but not practiced. Where prisons are universities of
crime. What would it take to achieve redemption? For the victim, the
perpetrator and the country?
