Four bystanders in the wrong place at the wrong time. Witnesses to the shocking shooting of a teenage boy. A moment that changes their lives forever. Fiona, a midwife, is plagued by panic attacks and unable to work. Has she the strength to testify? Mike, a delivery driver and family man, faces an impossible decision when his frightened wife forces him to choose - us or the court case. Cheryl, a single-mother, doesn't want her child to grow up in the same climate of fear. Dare she speak out and risk her own life? Zak, a homeless man, offers to talk in exchange for witness protection and the chance of a new start. Ordinary people in an extraordinary situation. Will the witnesses stand firm or be prevented from giving evidence? How will they cope with the emotional trauma of reliving the murder under pitiless cross-examination? A compassionate, suspenseful and illuminating story exploring the real human cost of bearing witness. Praise for Cath Staincliffe's The Kindest Thing: 'A painfully honest exploration of an ordinary family under stress ... A stunning piece of work.' - Anne Cleeves. 'Modest, compassionate... a solid ingenious plotter with a sharp eye for domestic detail.' - Literary Review. 'Complex and satisfying' - The Sunday Times. 'It's always exciting to see a writer get better and better, and Cath Staincliffe is doing just that' - Val McDermid.