I first picked up this book because I remember following this case on our local news. I never in a million years would have guessed it would impact me the way it did. Sandra Martins-Toner writes with a pure honesty that few are willing to put forth. Sandra is honest about her feelings through the entire process good or bad. What their family has had to endure is embarrassing to the Justice System we have in place.
Pick up this book! It is heartbreaking, but will open your eyes to a system that clearly needs work.

This book is well worth reading. It is heart wrenching to read what this family went through in search of justice for their son. I had to put it down a few times as it is very upsetting.

Praise to Sandra for the courage to tell us the whole story of that horrible night and the aftermath. A definite view into the dark side of humanity and the lesson that justice is not always served in this country.

A must read.

I read this book for my crim class at university. With this said; I would reccommend it to anyone, not just for school purposes at all! This is the most touching book I have ever read. The story will stay with you forever, and show you the true power and strength of a mothers love. I'm thankful I read The Last Six Minutes, it opened my eyes in so many ways. This is a must read for anyone who is interested in our criminal justice system, is a parent, or has been affected by sensless violence.

This book is just amazing, it shows you the true colors of our so called "justice system" and it shows you the nightmare that amom who lost her baby shows everyday. This book is so amazing cause it shows how strong sandra is for continuing her quest for matt, and not only does she walk us thru our horrid court systems she also tells about an organization that her and her husband founded to help out others. reading this book made me feel pain, a mothers love for her son, and it also made me want to join on their quest for justice. sandra this book is all around amazing. Justice for matt. 3

This book is beautifully written. The conviction and the passion with which Sandra Martins-Toner writes is amazing. If anyone has experienced a loss or wants a better understanding of what is involved with this kind of trauma and the Canadian Criminal Justice System, this is a must read. It was truly inspirational. After reading Sandras book, I was inspired to become involved in making changes towards the Justice system.

The bravery that Sandra shows by writting this book while still dealing with her loss and her journey through the justice system is comparable to few. She is amazing and her book speaks volumes. Excellent, well written, beautifu and passionat. This is a book that absolutely everyone should read.

"The Last Six Minutes" is an amazing book!

From the minute I picked it up I could not put it down even, with the tears running down my cheeks.

I stayed up reading Sandra's book until I was done which took me 4 hrs to read!

This amazing woman Sandra Martins-Toner and Husband David Toner started the organization F.A.C.T. (Families Against Crime and Trauma) to help others who have had to deal with the same type of pain.

Her strength and courage is beyond words!

Thank-You Sandra your book was amazing!

I re-iterate my review posted 5 months ago.
"The Last Six Minutes" is raw and immediate. Not only does Sandra Martins-Toner lead the reader through the horrific and senseless murder of her child, Matthew, but through the myriad personal emotions of herself, her husband and her children. She then takes us into the legal proceedings they had to cope with where they would sadly find that offenders are more protected than victims. None of us should find this acceptable in Canada. This book inspires the reader to join arms with Martins-Toner and others to work together for a realignment of not only BC Criminal Code, but Criminal Code and the legal system across Canada so that one day we will be able to say with conscious that we have not only a legal system but a justice system. It is a fundamental definition of a just and civilized country that we protect the vulnerable and victimized, is it not? This is a MUST READ and a wonderful example that courageous good can prevail over evil. Matthew you are remembered,.

I read Sandras book in about 5 or 6 hours. I could not put it down. Being someone who has lost a loved from a vicious crime I found her book to be empowering, inspirational and incredibly heartfelt. she is a wonderful example of how to be strong during the darkest hours, and she shows us that we are not alone. I highly reccommend this book as a MUST READ for anyone who has lost a loved one to crime or anyone who is willing to join the fight

First and foremost, any person who hears Sandra's heart-wrenching story will wonder what justice could be done to ever repair the type of pain and loss that this family was forced to endure. In addition, you will realise how unfair and offender-focused our Canadian Justice System is.
Sandra has taken the unimagineable loss of her precious son Matthew and become one of very few strong voices for victims of crime. Sandra boldly addresses the issues of the justice system that continue to fail Canadians across the country on a daily basis. She also shines a bright light on the often-forgotton families who seem to remain victims of crime even after the loss of their loved one. It seems that the justice system is seen so differently from the eyes of the victims, yet the JS continues to ignore the much needed pleas for change, recognition, and true justice for all parties involved. The disgust that readers will feel as they learn the details of a so-called "mistrial" (which inevitably results in one of Sandra's son's murderer's appeal) will leave you wondering just how protected we all are when an event of such grief occurs.
It seems next to impossible for someone to pick themselves up after experiencing the type of trauma that Sandra and her family endured, but her bravery, pride, and strength manage to prevail throughout every page of "The Last Six Minutes".
This book is meant for much more than reaching out to victims and families of violent crime and I would recommend it to anyone.

Sandie Martins Toner bares her soul in heart wrenching detail. The Last Six Minutes is the raw truth, taking us on this young mother’s real life journey of anguish and outrage after losing her precious child, son Matthew, to a horrific murder. It offers an unflinching portrait of the savage murderers while exposing brutal flaws in the Criminal Justice System. The Last Six Minutes is a must read for every Canadian who believes victims of crime deserve at least equality in treatment and rights compared to the criminals who prey on us.

Sandie's book is amazing,.Her strength and courage is like no one I have ever met. By writing this book she has opened my eyes to the lack of a justice system we have in Canada and that we all need to rise to the occasion to prevent this tradgedy from happening to another family. Thank you again Sandie for sharing your story and Matthew with the world.

The Last Six Minutes is about a mother's crusade in her fight for justice for the senseless murder of her 16 year old son. Sandra Martins-Toner wrote this book after her son Matthew was brutally beaten to death on July 1st, at the Surrey Central Sky Train Station in British Columbia. This random act of violence sparked Sandra Martins-Toner to found the organization F.A.C.T. (Families Against Crime and Trauma).
This book is a true story, and really captivates how much the laws in Canada need to change. It will captivate all readers. Once they start reading it, they wont be able to put it down!

Ashlyn

I started reading this book and had to put it down because I couldn't see the pages through my tears.
I then wiped my tears and picked it up and couldn't put it down again. I read all day and through the night.
I have never done that with any other book.
This is a must read for everyone that sits and watches stories on the news and then thinks OMG that poor family. We then go on with our lives not thinking about the gut renching torture that these families go through. I can't even imagine. Sandie fights for justice not only for her son but for all of us and she does this while suffering through Horrific stress.
She and her husband are true heroes and after reading this book you feel different about the tragedys you see on the news.
You'll want to scream at the politicians and do anything you can to help change these rediculous laws that give the killers more rights than the victims. I want to thank Sandie and David for thier fight for justice for all of us.

A powerful and gripping true story of tragedy and despair when a youth is murdered and his family is left coping with the circumstances surrounding his violent death. In addition to such an unbearable loss, they are then forced into a criminal justice system that is spiralling downwards on a path that seems both unjust and unfair. This book is a real eye opener and a must read for each and every Canadian citizen. I couldn’t put it down; it left me awed and inspired of Sandie’s courageous and tireless optimistic approaches in making changes to our justice system during a time when extreme grief and weariness overwhelms even the most well intended. Violent crime is an everyday event in today’s society; Matthew could be anyone’s son, however, Sandie has taken the initiative to become everyone’s mother and fight for what we believe is right.

"The Last Six Minutes" is raw and immediate. Not only does Sandra Martins-Toner lead the reader through the horrific and senseless murder of her child, Matthew, but through the myriad personal emotions of herself, her husband and her children. She then takes us into the legal proceedings they had to cope with where they would sadly find that offenders are more protected than victims. None of us should find this acceptable in Canada. This book inspires the reader to join arms with Martins-Toner and others to work together for a realignment of not only BC Criminal Code, but Criminal Code and the legal system across Canada so that one day we will be able to say with conscious that we have not only a legal system but a justice system. It is a fundamental definition of a just and civilized country that we protect the vulnerable and victimized, is it not? This is a MUST READ and a wonderful example that courageous good can prevail over evil. Matthew you are remembered,.

An amazing book, written by a courageous woman, about a beautiful son... Keep up the inspirational work!

"Our greatest fear is not that we are inadequate,
but that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us.
We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant,
gorgeous, handsome, talented and fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.

Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking
so that other people won't feel insecure around you.

We were born to make manifest the glory of God within us.
It is not just in some; it is in everyone.

And, as we let our own light shine, we consciously give
other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our fear,
our presence automatically liberates others"

Im looking at my copy of Sandra's book and I am in awe of this woman and her family. I did not have the slightest comprehension of what little rights victims had until F.A.C.T. came to be. Sandra I cant even find the words to describe the respect I have for you. How can a mother lose one child while bringing another one into this world and fight for all our rights at the same time. I feel the name of your book should have one more sentence added
"A mothers strength"

This book really captures what it is wrong with our legal system. The many wrongs within our legal system. Sandra has taken her personal tragedy and written a book so powerful that it will make you want to ask the question "what can I do? How can I help in the call for change?"
The book reminds us of how often the victims of crime and their loved ones are victimized over and over again by light sentencing, legal loopholes and protection of criminals rights over the rights of society. Over the rights of YOU and ME. The book makes you feel so many emotions, it certainly ignited a fire in me to ask myself those questions. I am in awe of Sandra's ability to share, so openly, the pain of losing her son in such a tragic and horrible way and share the pain of going through the agony of reliving it everyday of the trial and now, the new trial of the co-accused. I am in awe of her strength and determination to see that justice, true justice, will be found not only for Matthew, but the other victims of crime in our society. This book is a voice for those who have been victimized by the "Legal System". This book will find it's way in the number 1 read in Canada.

Please buy and read this book. It is powerful, it will make you sad, make you angry, make you want to DO something and that's what it needed.