Under the Bridge: The True Story of the Murder of Reena Virk

Jeff Karabanow is an associate professor in the School of Social Work,
International Development Studies, School of Health and Human
Performance at Dalhousie University.

Rebecca Godfrey’s compelling account of the brutal murder of Victoria
teenager Reena Virk guides the reader through the perspectives of police
officers, prosecutors and defenders, teenagers, young lovers, distraught
parents, and outraged community folk, among other key players, all of
whom were subjected to the glare of unending media attention. The
diverse narratives provide us with alternative interpretations of the
tragic event: a class issue (lower-income community), delinquency (young
kids “out of control”), lack of parental guidance, a burdened
child-welfare system, bullying, drug and alcohol dependency, family
disruption, teen angst, gang violence. With fluid, rhythmic prose,
Godfrey interweaves the perspectives of numerous actors to re-create the
events that took place “under the bridge” on November 14, 1997.
Petty adolescent trivialities, the lure of group-think mentality, and
the innate aggression and violence of human nature are among her
explanations for the senseless loss of life that occurred that night,
leaving many crumbled lives in its wake.