Concrete Angel -- Patricia Abbott

Concrete Angel begins with a murder.  We know who's guilty.  It's Eve Moran, whose life has been a series of small scams, thefts, and deceptions.  She can't seem to help herself, and now she's in big trouble.  Or she will be if someone else doesn't take the blame for her.  That's where her daughter comes in.

Christine Moran is 12 years old. She's pretty much been manipulated by her mother for her whole life, and she confesses to the crime, making it seem as if she was saving her mother's life from an attacker.

After that, things get complicated.  Eve goes on to more and more complicated schemes, and it begins to dawn on Christine that she's become a partner in crime and might even become more like her mother.  Then Eve has another child.

Abbott's writing is sharp and clear, and her characters are as real as your neighbors.  Abbott has written a lot of fine short stories, and her first novel is a winner.  Check it out.