I made the point earlier that series have good and not-so-good aspects for writers. One negative is the fact that readers don't always read the books in order. Killing Memories and the last book of the series are the only books of mine that should NOT be read out of order. In this 3-book series, the character arc is crucial to understanding Loser, so readers should start with Killing Silence.
A word here about character. When I released a book with a homeless protagonist, many loved it and like the humanizing images of people who are, after all, just people. One man's comment surprised me. He asked how I could portray one of "those people" as being able to think and act rationally enough to solve a crime.
Wow.
People live on the streets for many reasons. Yes, drug use and mental illness are common ones, but plenty of people in this country are just a few paychecks away from losing their homes. Assuming the homeless are automatically addicts or brain-damaged is a pathetic attempt to feel superior. I didn't address the man's question.
Loser does have mental issues, and we learn gradually through the series that a series of horrible traumas has left her unable to deal with the daily life. She can't speak more than 30 words a day. She can't sleep inside. She can't be Beth, the woman she once was. She sees herself only as Loser. Book #1 presents Loser as she is. Book #2 shows us where she came from.
Killing Memories: To escape the notoriety she gained in Book 1 as "the Homeless Hero," Loser goes home to West Virginia. She's looking to find peace in the home she inherited from her foster mother. She loves the place, but when another former foster daughter shows up, things get dangerous again. This book is available here for $2.99.