Inspired by the Manson cult, but not based on it, it's about a lonely girl who falls in with a hippie cult in California. We're told at the beginning--by her older self looking back-- that she was not part of the murders. So I guess I was expecting an innocent, naive character who didn't know what was going on. But no. Evie is in a dark place; which makes sense. You would have to be in a dark place to embrace the people she did. To have hatred at the world, distain for your parents, and a self-loathing insecurity. Cline depicted Evie's character perfectly. Although we know the story builds to murder, fans of fast-paced crime will think this is slow. This is literary fiction, dark, detailed characters.