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The Fall
THE FALL is a gripping psychological crime novel, but with the potential to appeal to an audience beyond the world of crime.What would you do if the man you love was accused of murder?Bad things never happen to Charlotte. She's living the life she's always wanted and about to marry wealthy banker, Dan. But Dan's been hiding a secret, and the pressure is pushing him over the edge. After he's arrested for the vicious killing of a nightclub owner, Charlotte's future is shattered.Then she opens her door to Keisha, an angry and frustrated stranger with a story to tell. Convinced of Dan's innocence, Charlotte must fight for him - even if it means destroying her perfect life. But what Keisha knows threatens everyone she loves, and puts her own life in danger.DC Matthew Hegarty is riding high on the success of Dan's arrest. But he's finding it difficult to ignore his growing doubts as well as the beautiful and vulnerable Charlotte. Can he really risk it all for what's right?Three stories. One truth. They all need to brace themselves for the fall.
368 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2012
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1809 people want to read
About the author
Claire McGowan
43 books2,056 followersClaire McGowan grew up in a small village in Northern Ireland. After a degree in English and French from Oxford University she moved to London and worked in the charity sector. THE FALL is her first novel, which is followed by a series starring forensic psychologist Paula Maguire. She also writes as Eva Woods.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 140 reviews
November 17, 2012
I had this book on my kindle for a while and thought I would give it a read whilst awaiting a pre-order to arrive. All I can say is, wow! I wish I had read it sooner. It's a cracking read and I couldn't put it down.
I liked Charlotte and Keisha but really liked the lovely Matthew Hegarty. The pace at the beginning is relentless, slows up in the middle and regains pace again. I particularly liked how the story was written from the viewpoints of the three main characters, and the trial itself was quite brilliantly written.
I was particularly stunned by the ending (or should I say saddened) and didn't see it coming to the conclusion it did.
I cannot wait for Claire's next book, due out in March 2013 I believe, but what I would really like is to see more of Matthew Hegarty as I'm certain a series of books could be written around him. Just a thought.
Highly recommended. 10/10
I liked Charlotte and Keisha but really liked the lovely Matthew Hegarty. The pace at the beginning is relentless, slows up in the middle and regains pace again. I particularly liked how the story was written from the viewpoints of the three main characters, and the trial itself was quite brilliantly written.
I was particularly stunned by the ending (or should I say saddened) and didn't see it coming to the conclusion it did.
I cannot wait for Claire's next book, due out in March 2013 I believe, but what I would really like is to see more of Matthew Hegarty as I'm certain a series of books could be written around him. Just a thought.
Highly recommended. 10/10
February 15, 2012
It is almost insulting to refer to The Fall as a debut novel, as nothing about this stylish, mature and accomplished work suggests a first book.
Two young London women from diametrically opposite ends of the social spectrum are thrown together one night after a violent murder in a Camden nightclub. The fiancé of one becomes the police’s prime suspect; the boyfriend of the other is ours. As the lives of both women go into freefall, they each lose everything and everyone on whom they previously relied. Before long, they have only themselves; eventually, they have each other.
The story is told from three different points of view: posh Charlotte, mixed-race Keisha and working class copper, DC Hegarty, and the book’s great strength, to my mind, is the ease with which McGowan switches from sink estate London, to well-heeled banker land, to the inner workings of the Met, making each voice distinct and entirely convincing. Much of the book makes for a sad and sober read – how easily everything we have falls away – but the choice sprinkling of Irish wit keeps it alive and entertaining.
There is nothing not to like about The Fall. Claire McGowan has produced a compelling and flawless thriller. Damn her eyes!
Two young London women from diametrically opposite ends of the social spectrum are thrown together one night after a violent murder in a Camden nightclub. The fiancé of one becomes the police’s prime suspect; the boyfriend of the other is ours. As the lives of both women go into freefall, they each lose everything and everyone on whom they previously relied. Before long, they have only themselves; eventually, they have each other.
The story is told from three different points of view: posh Charlotte, mixed-race Keisha and working class copper, DC Hegarty, and the book’s great strength, to my mind, is the ease with which McGowan switches from sink estate London, to well-heeled banker land, to the inner workings of the Met, making each voice distinct and entirely convincing. Much of the book makes for a sad and sober read – how easily everything we have falls away – but the choice sprinkling of Irish wit keeps it alive and entertaining.
There is nothing not to like about The Fall. Claire McGowan has produced a compelling and flawless thriller. Damn her eyes!
February 7, 2013
I'm not particularly into thrillers but when esteemed author Peter James was quoted as saying this was a British Bonfire of the Vanities - my all-time favourite book - I was hooked. And there are, indeed, similarities - they both have a cover and some pages in the middle with words on them. Sadly, that's it. Bonfire is a work of genius, bursting with magical set-pieces, complex, inter-woven story lines, on-the-money social commentary and fascinating, nuanced characters spouting sparkling dialogue. The Fall...has none of these.
I won't regurgitate the story here, save to say that there are three main characters, Charlotte, a white middle class woman whose banker fiance is accused of murdering a dodgy night club owner; Keisha, a mixed-race working class woman whose thuggish boyfriend knocks her and their child about and; Hegarty, a northern investigating detective now working the north London beat. There is no great mystery, although, in fairness, I doubt the author intended otherwise. We pretty much know from the off who dun what. Instead, I believe it's intended to be a sweeping, state of the nation, socially astute commentary, demonstrating the aching divide between the haves and have-nots; the misery of poverty and violence; privilege; race. But it fails on nearly every count.
Ms McGowan has a tin ear for dialogue. Whether she's serving up Keisha's quasi-patois or Charlotte's plummy nonsense, she keeps slipping or missing the mark completely. This is not how people talk. Worse, the senior policemen especially, sound as if they're characters in Dixon of Dock Green c.1962, 'I shouldn't wonder'. Presumably the editor excised 'stone the crows' and 'strike a light'.
This is novel-by-numbers stuff. I can picture Ms McGowan with her cork board plastered with yellow Post-Its containing the three personality traits of each character, pink ones for the story beats, green for locations. There's no genuine insight, no understanding, no intuition.
It's not without redeeming elements. I finished it, so the story itself clearly held sufficient interest. I did want to find out what happened to the characters, albeit the ending was rubbish. I quite enjoyed the simmering love story at its centre, albeit when it relocated to Singapore, it became silly.
Goodness me, I've just found out that Ms McGowan is the Director of the Crime Writers Association and that Peter James is the...hang on...yes, he's its Chair. Who'd've thought?
I won't regurgitate the story here, save to say that there are three main characters, Charlotte, a white middle class woman whose banker fiance is accused of murdering a dodgy night club owner; Keisha, a mixed-race working class woman whose thuggish boyfriend knocks her and their child about and; Hegarty, a northern investigating detective now working the north London beat. There is no great mystery, although, in fairness, I doubt the author intended otherwise. We pretty much know from the off who dun what. Instead, I believe it's intended to be a sweeping, state of the nation, socially astute commentary, demonstrating the aching divide between the haves and have-nots; the misery of poverty and violence; privilege; race. But it fails on nearly every count.
Ms McGowan has a tin ear for dialogue. Whether she's serving up Keisha's quasi-patois or Charlotte's plummy nonsense, she keeps slipping or missing the mark completely. This is not how people talk. Worse, the senior policemen especially, sound as if they're characters in Dixon of Dock Green c.1962, 'I shouldn't wonder'. Presumably the editor excised 'stone the crows' and 'strike a light'.
This is novel-by-numbers stuff. I can picture Ms McGowan with her cork board plastered with yellow Post-Its containing the three personality traits of each character, pink ones for the story beats, green for locations. There's no genuine insight, no understanding, no intuition.
It's not without redeeming elements. I finished it, so the story itself clearly held sufficient interest. I did want to find out what happened to the characters, albeit the ending was rubbish. I quite enjoyed the simmering love story at its centre, albeit when it relocated to Singapore, it became silly.
Goodness me, I've just found out that Ms McGowan is the Director of the Crime Writers Association and that Peter James is the...hang on...yes, he's its Chair. Who'd've thought?
October 12, 2022
Charlotte is planning her wedding, a no expenses spared affair, oblivious of the fact that fiance Dan is stressed and on the edge of redundancy. He'a a wealthy high-flyer working for a bank on the verge of collapse..
Half Jamaican, half English Keisha, lives hand to mouth with her violent boyfriend, Chris, with whom she has a young daughter being raised by Keisha'mother.
When Dan is arrested and charged for the brutal killing of a nightclub owner, Charlotte meets Keisha in the most unexpected way.
I bought this book specifically to read during my flight to Vietnam last December; it did not grab me at all - kept picking it up and putting it down after a couple of pages. It took me until New Year (2015) to finally decide I'd had enough after which I left it in the hotel lobby for someone else - that's how poor I judged it - it wasn't worth bringing home.
Having read McGowan's other books I was really looking forward to this, her first. I was disappointed. This is filled with irritating, unlikeable characters all of whom are stereotypes.....the policeman who misses the evidence, the rich girl who can't cope when things get tough, the angry, aggressive mixed race girl. With stilted, dull, dialogue, and a plot so thin I could predict the ending, I gave up after two thirds, put it down and left it. I have seen ditch water move faster than this book ....soooo sloooow. All I can say is that I'm so glad I read the later books first - if I'd read this first I would not have given them a second glance. At least her writing improved after this one.
Half Jamaican, half English Keisha, lives hand to mouth with her violent boyfriend, Chris, with whom she has a young daughter being raised by Keisha'mother.
When Dan is arrested and charged for the brutal killing of a nightclub owner, Charlotte meets Keisha in the most unexpected way.
I bought this book specifically to read during my flight to Vietnam last December; it did not grab me at all - kept picking it up and putting it down after a couple of pages. It took me until New Year (2015) to finally decide I'd had enough after which I left it in the hotel lobby for someone else - that's how poor I judged it - it wasn't worth bringing home.
Having read McGowan's other books I was really looking forward to this, her first. I was disappointed. This is filled with irritating, unlikeable characters all of whom are stereotypes.....the policeman who misses the evidence, the rich girl who can't cope when things get tough, the angry, aggressive mixed race girl. With stilted, dull, dialogue, and a plot so thin I could predict the ending, I gave up after two thirds, put it down and left it. I have seen ditch water move faster than this book ....soooo sloooow. All I can say is that I'm so glad I read the later books first - if I'd read this first I would not have given them a second glance. At least her writing improved after this one.
February 18, 2018
This is a very ambitious, original and highly assured debut novel. Written from the viewpoints of three central characters in the aftermath of the murder of a nightclub owner. I loved the way the book dealt with the fragile state of the current British "class system" and was equally adept at describing the lifestyles of investment bankers and the soul-destroying environments of homeless shelters.
Although this is the sort of psychological thriller which could never have a truly "happy ending", there is a very well rendered resolution at the end.
Although this is the sort of psychological thriller which could never have a truly "happy ending", there is a very well rendered resolution at the end.
August 17, 2013
Charlotte comes to on the floor of a toilet realising that she had lost everything, what had happened to cause her to reach rock bottom? Charlotte has been busy planning her very expensive wedding when her life is turned upside down. Keisha meanwhile is trying to persuade a Social Worker that she should have her daughter returned to her and her boyfriend Chris. One night Charlotte and Keisha's lives collide.
This book is really fresh, it is a crime novel but from the viewpoint of those on the outside. Supporting characters have never been so important as the story is told from both Keisha's and Charlotte's viewpoints. Their characters develop and although they come from very different backgrounds, they both struggle to overcome their weaknesses. The relationship between them is intriguing, as is the relationship between Hegarty, the Policeman, and Charlotte. All the characters in this book are finely drawn, they are engaging, so much so I read this book full of concern for both Charlotte and Keisha rather than the police procedural mystery element.
Claire McGowan has written a book that drags you into the story from the first page and produced a great debut novel.
This book is really fresh, it is a crime novel but from the viewpoint of those on the outside. Supporting characters have never been so important as the story is told from both Keisha's and Charlotte's viewpoints. Their characters develop and although they come from very different backgrounds, they both struggle to overcome their weaknesses. The relationship between them is intriguing, as is the relationship between Hegarty, the Policeman, and Charlotte. All the characters in this book are finely drawn, they are engaging, so much so I read this book full of concern for both Charlotte and Keisha rather than the police procedural mystery element.
Claire McGowan has written a book that drags you into the story from the first page and produced a great debut novel.
October 23, 2012
Enjoyed this one - an easy read but hard to put down even though it is obvious from the start who committed the murder. But the characters are so well developed that you end up caring what happens to them all. All very topical and relevant as well with its references to Facebook and corrupt bankers. Writing style reminded me of Into the Darkest Corner (although nothing like as creepy and threatening as that book becomes later on), another debut author book that I enjoyed recently. Don't often come across a crime novel which I like which I would try passing on to my wife but this is one of those, as well. Will definitely read more by this author.
June 20, 2022
I picked this up because I loved Claire McGowan's brilliant nonfiction debut and wanted to check out more of her work. This is a debut novel, a bit rough in places, kind of clumsy in how it handles some of the implications of the "community tensions" around the crime at the center of the book; but still I really appreciate how ambitious it is, and the ups and downs of the investigation and the fallout. I LOVED the relationship between Keisha and Charlotte that's at the heart of the book, and the way the focus of the story is not so much on the murder but on the fallout on the very different lives of these two women brought together by chance. Some of the reviews were calling this "a bit chick lit" and it was probably meant to be a bug and not a feature, but to me the human dimension is an absolute plus. Will definitely be checking out more of the author's books later on.
March 17, 2012
It looks like a crime novel, and yes, it is a crime novel. But it’s not so much the sory of a crime or the story of an investigation as the story of the effects of one crime on two very different women.
Charlotte has a wonderful life. She has a high-flying career in PR, she is engaged to Dan, a wealthy banker, they live in a luxury London apartment, and she is making elaborate plans for a dream wedding.
Keisha has a less wonderful life. Chris, her boyfriend has started to drink heavily and if often abusive, and her daughter was taken into care after a violent altercation, and she wishes she could leave but she has nowhere to go.
They sound a little stereotyped, and they are a little, but they are also believable, fallible, interesting human beings. And an interesting study in contrasts.
Their paths cross in a nightclub. Dan wanted to go somewhere different after a very difficult day and Chris had business there.
At the end of the evening a man was dead, and Dan was arrested and charged with murder.
Charlotte is devastated. She can’t believe it, but the evidence is there. Her wedding plans are ruined, her friends abandon her, and her employer seizes an opportunity to let her go.
Keisha is worried. Chris disappeared that night and he came back with blood on his clothing. She finally leaves, but she’s scared. She wants to do the right thing but she knows that there would be reprisals and that she could lose her daughter for good.
Two women who could crumble, but they find that they have more strength than they realised and they both pick themselves up and try to carry on. But it’s difficult, and both will face new complications.
But they will meet, and they will support each other: the woman whose boyfriend is accused of murder and the woman who believes her boyfriend is responsible for the murder.
It’s a touch unbelievable, yet it works.
As a human story The Fall works very well. There are a few too many coincidences and contrivances, but I could live with that because Claire McGowan handles her material so well. She has created two distinctive voices, she says a lot about race, class, how people react to difficulties very well, and she kept me believing and turning the pages.
But as a crime story it was not so good, Because it is clear from the start what happened. Because all thoughts of a defence are put on hold until the end of a book and then things start to happen far too quickly. And because it all felt just a little bit contrived, designed to fit around the stories of the two women.
The Fall is a very readable book, but it doesn’t quite work as well as it might have.
But the idea was great, and I’d certainly give anything else that Claire McGown writes the benefit of the doubt.
Charlotte has a wonderful life. She has a high-flying career in PR, she is engaged to Dan, a wealthy banker, they live in a luxury London apartment, and she is making elaborate plans for a dream wedding.
Keisha has a less wonderful life. Chris, her boyfriend has started to drink heavily and if often abusive, and her daughter was taken into care after a violent altercation, and she wishes she could leave but she has nowhere to go.
They sound a little stereotyped, and they are a little, but they are also believable, fallible, interesting human beings. And an interesting study in contrasts.
Their paths cross in a nightclub. Dan wanted to go somewhere different after a very difficult day and Chris had business there.
At the end of the evening a man was dead, and Dan was arrested and charged with murder.
Charlotte is devastated. She can’t believe it, but the evidence is there. Her wedding plans are ruined, her friends abandon her, and her employer seizes an opportunity to let her go.
Keisha is worried. Chris disappeared that night and he came back with blood on his clothing. She finally leaves, but she’s scared. She wants to do the right thing but she knows that there would be reprisals and that she could lose her daughter for good.
Two women who could crumble, but they find that they have more strength than they realised and they both pick themselves up and try to carry on. But it’s difficult, and both will face new complications.
But they will meet, and they will support each other: the woman whose boyfriend is accused of murder and the woman who believes her boyfriend is responsible for the murder.
It’s a touch unbelievable, yet it works.
As a human story The Fall works very well. There are a few too many coincidences and contrivances, but I could live with that because Claire McGowan handles her material so well. She has created two distinctive voices, she says a lot about race, class, how people react to difficulties very well, and she kept me believing and turning the pages.
But as a crime story it was not so good, Because it is clear from the start what happened. Because all thoughts of a defence are put on hold until the end of a book and then things start to happen far too quickly. And because it all felt just a little bit contrived, designed to fit around the stories of the two women.
The Fall is a very readable book, but it doesn’t quite work as well as it might have.
But the idea was great, and I’d certainly give anything else that Claire McGown writes the benefit of the doubt.
June 18, 2012
I’m not sure how I came to this… possibly a review. However I do remember reading the first few pages via Amazon and wanting to read more. It’s basically a crime novel but is also has a bit of chick lit to it. That puts it outside my usual comfort zone, but I think reading out of the norm from time to time is a good thing.
The Fall is mainly written from the points of view of two young women. Charlotte has a nice job in PR and is busy planning her wedding to City banker Dan. He’s been a bit stressed out at work recently so they decide to have a bit of night out. Things go bad when Dan’s card is refused in the club they visit and he ends up in an argument with the owner. Charlotte is a bit hazy on the details due to the cocaine she had taken. Things become even worse when Dan is arrested for the owner’s murder the next day. While he’s carted off to prison, Charlotte’s world collapses – the wedding is off, she looses her job, her money is rapidly running out…
The other woman is mixed-race Keisha who lives a world away from Charlotte financially and socially, though not far geographically, in a council flat. She is trying to get her daughter back from social services and patch up her relationship with small time crook Chris (though he’s the reason she lost her daughter in the first place.) As you might predict she’s not exactly a stone’s-throw away from the murder.
As you also might predict the two women end up working together to solve the murder whilst developing an ‘Odd Couple’ friendship. The third point of view is the policeman investigating the case who ends up with conflicted feelings for Charlotte. All these characters are well drawn and there are some interesting secondary characters too (although some verge on the eccentric, being defined by a few odd ticks and character traits)
The novel starts well and is an easy breezy read but unfortunately it gets a bit bogged down in the middle and I think could have been better edited there. Also I didn’t really like the ending and there are few too many handy coincidences along the way. There are some good moments of humour though (in particular with Charlotte’s PR job) and others may get more out of it than I did.
The Fall is mainly written from the points of view of two young women. Charlotte has a nice job in PR and is busy planning her wedding to City banker Dan. He’s been a bit stressed out at work recently so they decide to have a bit of night out. Things go bad when Dan’s card is refused in the club they visit and he ends up in an argument with the owner. Charlotte is a bit hazy on the details due to the cocaine she had taken. Things become even worse when Dan is arrested for the owner’s murder the next day. While he’s carted off to prison, Charlotte’s world collapses – the wedding is off, she looses her job, her money is rapidly running out…
The other woman is mixed-race Keisha who lives a world away from Charlotte financially and socially, though not far geographically, in a council flat. She is trying to get her daughter back from social services and patch up her relationship with small time crook Chris (though he’s the reason she lost her daughter in the first place.) As you might predict she’s not exactly a stone’s-throw away from the murder.
As you also might predict the two women end up working together to solve the murder whilst developing an ‘Odd Couple’ friendship. The third point of view is the policeman investigating the case who ends up with conflicted feelings for Charlotte. All these characters are well drawn and there are some interesting secondary characters too (although some verge on the eccentric, being defined by a few odd ticks and character traits)
The novel starts well and is an easy breezy read but unfortunately it gets a bit bogged down in the middle and I think could have been better edited there. Also I didn’t really like the ending and there are few too many handy coincidences along the way. There are some good moments of humour though (in particular with Charlotte’s PR job) and others may get more out of it than I did.
November 12, 2012
The Fall is an ambitious debut novel that delivers some memorable moments, but for the most part feels ungainly, as the characters are often used instrumentally by McGowen.
The story is centred on a chaotic moment in which the lives of two girls in their mid-twenties - who appear pretty dissimilar at first - collide with mutual tragedy. It's an interesting premise, but lacks any real momentum or mystery as the reader is quite quickly made aware of the real perpetrator.
There are some genuinely funny moments (mainly one liners) and snippets where the dialogue is both interesting and sincere; however, McGowen's bold intention struggles to be fully realised as a host of complex characters are unsatisfactorily explored due to constraints. This is evident in the relationship between Keisha and her estranged father, which is glanced over fairly quickly. McGowen often avoids providing a plausible explanation for why characters behave as they do at key moments, which results in the experience feeling a tad forced.
The story is centred on a chaotic moment in which the lives of two girls in their mid-twenties - who appear pretty dissimilar at first - collide with mutual tragedy. It's an interesting premise, but lacks any real momentum or mystery as the reader is quite quickly made aware of the real perpetrator.
There are some genuinely funny moments (mainly one liners) and snippets where the dialogue is both interesting and sincere; however, McGowen's bold intention struggles to be fully realised as a host of complex characters are unsatisfactorily explored due to constraints. This is evident in the relationship between Keisha and her estranged father, which is glanced over fairly quickly. McGowen often avoids providing a plausible explanation for why characters behave as they do at key moments, which results in the experience feeling a tad forced.
January 29, 2013
This novel was decidedly flat and is more drama than suspense or crime/murder.
It is a debut novel and it reads unfortunately like one. Lots of description but the plot is really about the trial of the main character's boyfriend and a sub-plot.
Multiple voices are used to narrate the novel but of course this just makes it convenient to pad out the novel and til the pages.
374 pages is a lot of stuff to read and be underwhelmed in the end.
Reviewers might be kind to the author because she is the director of the Crime Writers' Association, but to call this novel a success would be a crime in itself.
It is a debut novel and it reads unfortunately like one. Lots of description but the plot is really about the trial of the main character's boyfriend and a sub-plot.
Multiple voices are used to narrate the novel but of course this just makes it convenient to pad out the novel and til the pages.
374 pages is a lot of stuff to read and be underwhelmed in the end.
Reviewers might be kind to the author because she is the director of the Crime Writers' Association, but to call this novel a success would be a crime in itself.
September 14, 2021
after a rough start, i ended up really liking this book.
i loved both keisha and charlotte, the main characters. they definitely go through (a lot of) changes and turn out for the better.
i do think that for a thriller/mystery it didn’t have a lot of that haha. i knew right from the start who did it and i think you’re supposed to? so it didn’t leave me sitting on the edge of my seat. but still, i did really want to find out what happened.
i liked the ending too, especially the fact that it was very better sweet because i’m weird and i don’t like happy endings usually.
a solid read and i enjoyed!
i loved both keisha and charlotte, the main characters. they definitely go through (a lot of) changes and turn out for the better.
i do think that for a thriller/mystery it didn’t have a lot of that haha. i knew right from the start who did it and i think you’re supposed to? so it didn’t leave me sitting on the edge of my seat. but still, i did really want to find out what happened.
i liked the ending too, especially the fact that it was very better sweet because i’m weird and i don’t like happy endings usually.
a solid read and i enjoyed!
September 12, 2020
Love this author....
I read her other two stand alone books first. This one I see was written a few years back. I guess it's her debut novel but I believe she's got a five book series as well that I haven't read yet. This book is great for a debut novel. It sucks the reader in and doesn't let go. Very suspenseful and well written. I loved the characters, felt like I related to them. Solid four stars.
I read her other two stand alone books first. This one I see was written a few years back. I guess it's her debut novel but I believe she's got a five book series as well that I haven't read yet. This book is great for a debut novel. It sucks the reader in and doesn't let go. Very suspenseful and well written. I loved the characters, felt like I related to them. Solid four stars.
October 13, 2017
I LOVED this book. Page turner, really believable characters, very different from each other, and beautifully written.
November 28, 2020
A night out at a Jamaican nightclub turns into a nightmare for Dan Stockbridge and his fiancee Charlotte. Arrested for murder and remanded in custody until his trial, Dan gives up hope but Charlotte is determined to clear his name and forges an unlikely alliance with Keisha whose boyfriend, Chris has a history of violence. Investigating the crime is Matt Hegarty, an ambitious but fair copper who falls for Charlotte and begins to question Dan's guilt as more details begin to emerge. Told from the perspectives of the three main characters, this is an absorbing read that rattles along at a good pace.
March 6, 2024
I read this book because I was friends with the author, Claire McGowan, when I was at university. She was in the year above me and joined my English year group in my third year after her year abroad in France (she was doing English and French joint honours). I remember her saying that she wanted to be an author and was writing a novel. This is her first published novel, but I don’t know if it was what she was writing at the time I knew her in the mid-noughties. I bought it the year it was published (2012) but have only just got round to reading it. In the meantime, she’s published lots of other books and is really successful. She also writes for TV, radio, and film, and has a pseudonym (Eva Woods) for her women’s fiction. This is the first book of hers I’ve read.
I don’t often read crime thrillers like this. They’re not my sort of thing. But I enjoyed this novel and found it easy to read and quite compelling. There are some parts of it that seemed implausible, but I’m not going to spoil them or pick them apart. I thought the narrative method of switching between the perspectives of the three main characters - Charlotte, Keisha, and Hegarty - worked quite well. It kept the pace high and broke it down into bite-sized chunks. My favourite characters were Charlotte’s unlikeable parents - particularly her odious step-father, Phil.
I don’t often read crime thrillers like this. They’re not my sort of thing. But I enjoyed this novel and found it easy to read and quite compelling. There are some parts of it that seemed implausible, but I’m not going to spoil them or pick them apart. I thought the narrative method of switching between the perspectives of the three main characters - Charlotte, Keisha, and Hegarty - worked quite well. It kept the pace high and broke it down into bite-sized chunks. My favourite characters were Charlotte’s unlikeable parents - particularly her odious step-father, Phil.
July 15, 2018
One murder, three people’s perspective on it.
The story had me hooked, I kept wanting to go back and find out more
The story had me hooked, I kept wanting to go back and find out more
August 5, 2022
I'm not sure how I came upon this book. I think it might have been an Amazon deal and after finishing it, I'm glad I didn't pay too much for it.
This book was an absolute slog to get through. Between characters that were just unlikable to all the descriptive detail, I had a hard time keeping on it. I was shocked when I'd look at the percentage read on my Kindle because it felt like I'd been at it much longer. Toward the end, I started skimming just to get to the conclusion because I couldn't take the dialog or the descriptive detail anymore.
I see now that this is a debut novel for this author. I've read some of her other books which I enjoyed so I'm glad to see things have gotten better. As someone in another review said though, if I'd read this one first, I might have given up on the author.
I won't go into the actual story but it is told from the POV of three different characters. There isn't much mystery in the plot as you can figure out pretty quickly who is responsible for the murder. It just takes a long, long time and many pages for the characters to come to the same conclusion. I did enjoy the "friendship" between Charlotte and Keisha. I didn't care for the romance storyline as it was predictable and silly. I'm just very glad to be done with this one.
This book was an absolute slog to get through. Between characters that were just unlikable to all the descriptive detail, I had a hard time keeping on it. I was shocked when I'd look at the percentage read on my Kindle because it felt like I'd been at it much longer. Toward the end, I started skimming just to get to the conclusion because I couldn't take the dialog or the descriptive detail anymore.
I see now that this is a debut novel for this author. I've read some of her other books which I enjoyed so I'm glad to see things have gotten better. As someone in another review said though, if I'd read this one first, I might have given up on the author.
I won't go into the actual story but it is told from the POV of three different characters. There isn't much mystery in the plot as you can figure out pretty quickly who is responsible for the murder. It just takes a long, long time and many pages for the characters to come to the same conclusion. I did enjoy the "friendship" between Charlotte and Keisha. I didn't care for the romance storyline as it was predictable and silly. I'm just very glad to be done with this one.
August 17, 2020
I do like this author. This may be my favorite thus far.
February 15, 2025
Charlotte Miller has everything; a well-paid job, designer clothes and a handsome fiancé, Daniel Stockbridge, who she is about to marry. However, that is all about to change.
Totally wrapped up in her expensive wedding plans, Charlotte had been oblivious to the fact her future husband had more important things to worry about than their upcoming nuptials. The bank he worked for was under threat of liquidation, meaning he was about to lose his prestigious job and could no longer afford to pay for the grand wedding she had planned.
After breaking the bad news to Charlotte, Dan suggests they go out to a Jamaican club in Camden, which he thought sounded good. Still reeling from the shock, Charlotte is reluctant to go, but after seeing the stress in Dan’s eyes finally agrees to go. However, before they leave the flat, Dan produces some cocaine, which he persuades her to share with him, telling her it will relax them. Unfortunately, when they arrive at the club and Dan tries to buy a drink, his company credit card is declined. Fuelled by the cocaine, he becomes aggressive and starts shouting until the owner, Anthony Johnson, takes him into the office to sort things out. Woozy from the cocaine, Charlotte waits outside for Dan to return, thinking no more about the incident until the police turn up at their flat the following day and arrest Dan for the murder of Anthony Johnson.
Unable to remember much about that night, but convinced Dan is innocent, Charlotte is determined to prove her fiancé is not a murderer. However, because of a previous incident at work where a black colleague had left due to racial harassment, together with the fact Anthony Johnson was also black, Dan is further accused of being a racist.
Assumed guilty by association, Charlotte suddenly finds herself targeted by Anthony’s sister and her friends, who viciously attack her. Fortunately, the incident is witnessed by Keisha Collins – a mixed-race girl with problems of her own – who intervenes. A victim of domestic abuse, whose child had been taken into care until she could provide a safer environment for her, Keisha could not be more different from Charlotte. However, after realising her partner, Chris Dean, could possibly be mixed up in the murder, Keisha decides to join forces with Charlotte to find out the truth
‘The Fall’ is one of the best crime thrillers I have read recently. Alternating between each of the main characters’ viewpoint, the author paints a vivid mental picture of the very different backgrounds inhabited by Keisha and Charlotte. Keisha is poor and domestically abused by her violent partner, for whom she dropped out of further education. Charlotte, by contrast, was brought up in an affluent family and educated at the best schools. However, despite their many differences, the two girls manage to form an unlikely alliance, which turns out to be beneficial to them both.
‘The Fall’ is brilliantly written with well-drawn characters. Their complicated relationships and tense interactions kept me hooked until the very end. I can thoroughly recommend it.
Totally wrapped up in her expensive wedding plans, Charlotte had been oblivious to the fact her future husband had more important things to worry about than their upcoming nuptials. The bank he worked for was under threat of liquidation, meaning he was about to lose his prestigious job and could no longer afford to pay for the grand wedding she had planned.
After breaking the bad news to Charlotte, Dan suggests they go out to a Jamaican club in Camden, which he thought sounded good. Still reeling from the shock, Charlotte is reluctant to go, but after seeing the stress in Dan’s eyes finally agrees to go. However, before they leave the flat, Dan produces some cocaine, which he persuades her to share with him, telling her it will relax them. Unfortunately, when they arrive at the club and Dan tries to buy a drink, his company credit card is declined. Fuelled by the cocaine, he becomes aggressive and starts shouting until the owner, Anthony Johnson, takes him into the office to sort things out. Woozy from the cocaine, Charlotte waits outside for Dan to return, thinking no more about the incident until the police turn up at their flat the following day and arrest Dan for the murder of Anthony Johnson.
Unable to remember much about that night, but convinced Dan is innocent, Charlotte is determined to prove her fiancé is not a murderer. However, because of a previous incident at work where a black colleague had left due to racial harassment, together with the fact Anthony Johnson was also black, Dan is further accused of being a racist.
Assumed guilty by association, Charlotte suddenly finds herself targeted by Anthony’s sister and her friends, who viciously attack her. Fortunately, the incident is witnessed by Keisha Collins – a mixed-race girl with problems of her own – who intervenes. A victim of domestic abuse, whose child had been taken into care until she could provide a safer environment for her, Keisha could not be more different from Charlotte. However, after realising her partner, Chris Dean, could possibly be mixed up in the murder, Keisha decides to join forces with Charlotte to find out the truth
‘The Fall’ is one of the best crime thrillers I have read recently. Alternating between each of the main characters’ viewpoint, the author paints a vivid mental picture of the very different backgrounds inhabited by Keisha and Charlotte. Keisha is poor and domestically abused by her violent partner, for whom she dropped out of further education. Charlotte, by contrast, was brought up in an affluent family and educated at the best schools. However, despite their many differences, the two girls manage to form an unlikely alliance, which turns out to be beneficial to them both.
‘The Fall’ is brilliantly written with well-drawn characters. Their complicated relationships and tense interactions kept me hooked until the very end. I can thoroughly recommend it.
January 25, 2022
It started with wedding plans and ended with her fiancé in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. She should’ve been married and on her honeymoon instead she’s looking for ways to prove his innocence.
One week before the wedding they went to a club in Camden. Dan was stressed about work, finances, and the wedding. He needed a night out to unwind dragging Charlotte with him.
The Fall is about a white posh British woman and a mixed-race woman who fall into an unusual friendship after a murder takes place at an all black club while both were present. The fallout of Charlotte’s fiancé being accused of murder while Keisha’s boyfriend snuck off leaving Keisha behind. Both women realize they were with men who had secrets and the influence of being with these men leads to problems. Charlotte fights for Dan’s innocence while Keisha fights to keep Chris out of her life.
The Fall alternates between Keisha and Charlotte telling individual stories of how they are linked together after tragedy brought them together.
Keisha is of mixed raced having difficulty fitting in because of the way she looks. She is trying to regain custody of her daughter Ruby but her relationship with her troubled boyfriend keeps causing problems. Until Keisha can turn her life around and create a stable environment for Ruby she could lose her permanently. With the recent murder her troubled boyfriend has involved her in isn’t helping her case.
Charlotte is engaged to a man who has secrets. Days before the wedding he’s charged with murder for a crime he claims he didn’t commit. In order to get to the truth she puts herself in harms way while trying to protect him.
I wish I had requested a sample of this book before purchasing it. I planned on returning the book but missed the window of opportunity. I’m not one to quit a book so I’m skim reading until the end. Although, There’s nothing connecting me to this story.
I am struggling with Claire’s writing voice. Between the British verbiage and black slang it’s been a battle. Personally it’s choppy and unfortunately I’m not enjoying the delivery of information. This was a long arduous journey with unnecessary details. I wanted to like this story but it was bogged down by so many unnecessary distractions.
I found some of the content offensive and unnecessary. I understand Claire is creating a story revolving around race and ethnicity but there’s a proper way and improper way of conveying that information. This story had bold comments in regards to a persons weight, color, and appearance. This was more than a story about a white guy being accused of murdering a black guy.
It becomes a case of racially motivated murder, yet the first three parts of the story have nothing to do with the case at all.
One week before the wedding they went to a club in Camden. Dan was stressed about work, finances, and the wedding. He needed a night out to unwind dragging Charlotte with him.
The Fall is about a white posh British woman and a mixed-race woman who fall into an unusual friendship after a murder takes place at an all black club while both were present. The fallout of Charlotte’s fiancé being accused of murder while Keisha’s boyfriend snuck off leaving Keisha behind. Both women realize they were with men who had secrets and the influence of being with these men leads to problems. Charlotte fights for Dan’s innocence while Keisha fights to keep Chris out of her life.
The Fall alternates between Keisha and Charlotte telling individual stories of how they are linked together after tragedy brought them together.
Keisha is of mixed raced having difficulty fitting in because of the way she looks. She is trying to regain custody of her daughter Ruby but her relationship with her troubled boyfriend keeps causing problems. Until Keisha can turn her life around and create a stable environment for Ruby she could lose her permanently. With the recent murder her troubled boyfriend has involved her in isn’t helping her case.
Charlotte is engaged to a man who has secrets. Days before the wedding he’s charged with murder for a crime he claims he didn’t commit. In order to get to the truth she puts herself in harms way while trying to protect him.
I wish I had requested a sample of this book before purchasing it. I planned on returning the book but missed the window of opportunity. I’m not one to quit a book so I’m skim reading until the end. Although, There’s nothing connecting me to this story.
I am struggling with Claire’s writing voice. Between the British verbiage and black slang it’s been a battle. Personally it’s choppy and unfortunately I’m not enjoying the delivery of information. This was a long arduous journey with unnecessary details. I wanted to like this story but it was bogged down by so many unnecessary distractions.
I found some of the content offensive and unnecessary. I understand Claire is creating a story revolving around race and ethnicity but there’s a proper way and improper way of conveying that information. This story had bold comments in regards to a persons weight, color, and appearance. This was more than a story about a white guy being accused of murdering a black guy.
It becomes a case of racially motivated murder, yet the first three parts of the story have nothing to do with the case at all.
October 8, 2022
3.6
It’s hard to believe this is a debut novel! The author took on a complex story (what ambition) and delivered. The narrators are also terrific. I grabbed this during an audible sale. Recommend if you read in psych thriller genre often and need a book with a fairly fresh storyline. (There are some aspects that are 🥱 like scummy financers).
I’ve read two other books by McGowan and enjoyed them as well. They’re sometimes included w/ KU.
SUMMARY: Charlotte and her fiancé Dan go out to a nightclub a week before their wedding to blow off stress. Keisha and her baby daddy Chris are also there (Chris works clubs). The women notice each other in the loo but don’t interact.
Charlotte’s memory after that encounter is fuzzy, but she vaguely remembers Dan and Chris talking with others. They (Charlotte and Dan) left a few minutes later. Keisha also saw the men talking.
The next morning (?) Dan is arrested for murder. The evidence is compelling and Dan can’t defend himself as he was in a blackout. Keisha, meanwhile, finds what appears to be blood on Chris shoes. He says it’s ketchup 🙄
The rest of the book primarily follows Charlotte, as her life spirals out in the wake of her fiancés arrest (eg the wedding is canceled, she’s harassed, loses her job, friends turn on her, etc). Charlotte is also determined to prove Dan’s innocence.
Keisha (who also narrates some chapters) has her own problems to deal with. Her mother falls ill, her baby has been taken by social service, and Chris is abusive. Yet Keisha also knows something and decides to contact Charlotte. The two become unlikely “friends” during mutually difficult times. Yet they both also still hold some information close to their chest and don’t fully help each other. Self preservation is real!
The detective on the case also narrates occasionally; his chapters are mostly boring dribble about his crush on Charlotte.
Eventually the fiancé goes to trial the big question remains on whether Keisha will share what she knows.
It’s hard to believe this is a debut novel! The author took on a complex story (what ambition) and delivered. The narrators are also terrific. I grabbed this during an audible sale. Recommend if you read in psych thriller genre often and need a book with a fairly fresh storyline. (There are some aspects that are 🥱 like scummy financers).
I’ve read two other books by McGowan and enjoyed them as well. They’re sometimes included w/ KU.
SUMMARY: Charlotte and her fiancé Dan go out to a nightclub a week before their wedding to blow off stress. Keisha and her baby daddy Chris are also there (Chris works clubs). The women notice each other in the loo but don’t interact.
Charlotte’s memory after that encounter is fuzzy, but she vaguely remembers Dan and Chris talking with others. They (Charlotte and Dan) left a few minutes later. Keisha also saw the men talking.
The next morning (?) Dan is arrested for murder. The evidence is compelling and Dan can’t defend himself as he was in a blackout. Keisha, meanwhile, finds what appears to be blood on Chris shoes. He says it’s ketchup 🙄
The rest of the book primarily follows Charlotte, as her life spirals out in the wake of her fiancés arrest (eg the wedding is canceled, she’s harassed, loses her job, friends turn on her, etc). Charlotte is also determined to prove Dan’s innocence.
Keisha (who also narrates some chapters) has her own problems to deal with. Her mother falls ill, her baby has been taken by social service, and Chris is abusive. Yet Keisha also knows something and decides to contact Charlotte. The two become unlikely “friends” during mutually difficult times. Yet they both also still hold some information close to their chest and don’t fully help each other. Self preservation is real!
The detective on the case also narrates occasionally; his chapters are mostly boring dribble about his crush on Charlotte.
Eventually the fiancé goes to trial the big question remains on whether Keisha will share what she knows.
June 10, 2020
This was what it felt like when you hit rock bottom, when you’d lost everything that mattered. Rock bottom, and it smelled of bleach and tasted like the sour, metallic tang of blood.
The first and only book I've read by Claire McGowan is "The Other Wife". I thoroughly enjoyed that book as it hit all the right notes for what I needed in a thriller at the time. I wouldn't call this book so much a thriller as a crime drama.
Charlotte and her fiancé Dan are getting married in one week. They decide to have a night on the town and the night ends with Dan having an argument with the club manager and both Charlotte and Dan waking up the next morning with fuzzy memories of the night before and the police at their door. Unknown to them, the club manager was found murdered and Dan was the last person to be seen with him, in a heated argument, and there is also physical proof that Dan murdered him. So, in a bewildering turn of events, Charlotte and Dan go from happily engaged soon-to-be-married couple to Dan being in prison awaiting trial and Charlotte looking over her shoulder because people want her to pay for what Dan did. Charlotte's life gets entwined with one of the other women who was at the club and they forge an alliance of sorts in their once separate but oddly aligned goals of trying to figure out how to save Dan and searching blacked-out memories for proof of the person who actually committed the crime.
It was pretty obvious, at least to me, whodunnit, and the objective of the book was more to determine how to prove it rather than figure it out. So, for my tastes, the book didn't have enough of the thrill factor.
But what it lacked in mystery it made up in the characters. I feel that the quote above sums up the experiences of the main characters in the book. I don't think I've ever read a book where I've disliked the characters more but was so attached and drawn into the story that I couldn't help but be intrigued by their lives. I don't think there was a single person, except for maybe DC Matthew Hegarty, that I liked. So, it's a pretty impressive feat for an author to be able to write such unlikeable characters and yet have them be such good characters in the overall story.
Plot: ⭐⭐⭐ ½
Characters: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Mystery: ⭐⭐⭐
Writing: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Overall: ⭐⭐⭐ ½, rounded up
The first and only book I've read by Claire McGowan is "The Other Wife". I thoroughly enjoyed that book as it hit all the right notes for what I needed in a thriller at the time. I wouldn't call this book so much a thriller as a crime drama.
Charlotte and her fiancé Dan are getting married in one week. They decide to have a night on the town and the night ends with Dan having an argument with the club manager and both Charlotte and Dan waking up the next morning with fuzzy memories of the night before and the police at their door. Unknown to them, the club manager was found murdered and Dan was the last person to be seen with him, in a heated argument, and there is also physical proof that Dan murdered him. So, in a bewildering turn of events, Charlotte and Dan go from happily engaged soon-to-be-married couple to Dan being in prison awaiting trial and Charlotte looking over her shoulder because people want her to pay for what Dan did. Charlotte's life gets entwined with one of the other women who was at the club and they forge an alliance of sorts in their once separate but oddly aligned goals of trying to figure out how to save Dan and searching blacked-out memories for proof of the person who actually committed the crime.
It was pretty obvious, at least to me, whodunnit, and the objective of the book was more to determine how to prove it rather than figure it out. So, for my tastes, the book didn't have enough of the thrill factor.
But what it lacked in mystery it made up in the characters. I feel that the quote above sums up the experiences of the main characters in the book. I don't think I've ever read a book where I've disliked the characters more but was so attached and drawn into the story that I couldn't help but be intrigued by their lives. I don't think there was a single person, except for maybe DC Matthew Hegarty, that I liked. So, it's a pretty impressive feat for an author to be able to write such unlikeable characters and yet have them be such good characters in the overall story.
Plot: ⭐⭐⭐ ½
Characters: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Mystery: ⭐⭐⭐
Writing: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Overall: ⭐⭐⭐ ½, rounded up
March 31, 2020
The story unfolds in three people's perspective. Two women from different class and race are brought together through one murder case - one with a fiance who was being held for the murder trial while the other tip toed around a suspicion that her boyfriend may be involved but had too much to lose if she came forth. The third perspective is from the investigating detective, who had arrested the suspect then had doubt he got the wrong guy. The story is less of a whodunit and more of a thriller/suspense type of book. The book also cover bits of the trial of the murder case.
The characters are flawed and their actions may be cringe-worthy, but their reasons are sensible enough. The contrast between the class and social standing is vivid though a bit stereotypical. Of the three perspectives we get, the struggle and thoughts of the women were more interesting (satisfying) to read, whereas the detective's role felt more like a last-minute addition to add tension and forced "ethical themes" to the book. I mean, the Singapore trip is the turning point for Charlotte. She had became more confident and brave after she met with her father there. I felt when the book chose to focus on the detective's emotional battle (to court or not to court) instead, it was a missed opportunity.
Also, the book had hidden these humorous lines within the story but they feel a bit displaced with the timing. For example there was this line about airplane air is like recycled farts, which is amusing on its own, but it was placed right as the detective about to see Charlotte when he landed at Singapore. I would feel humor is unlikely the first thing in his mind, but perhaps nervousness and excitement.
The book has a good story and is a quick read, although it will probably not be one that stays with me. Let's see.
The characters are flawed and their actions may be cringe-worthy, but their reasons are sensible enough. The contrast between the class and social standing is vivid though a bit stereotypical. Of the three perspectives we get, the struggle and thoughts of the women were more interesting (satisfying) to read, whereas the detective's role felt more like a last-minute addition to add tension and forced "ethical themes" to the book. I mean, the Singapore trip is the turning point for Charlotte. She had became more confident and brave after she met with her father there. I felt when the book chose to focus on the detective's emotional battle (to court or not to court) instead, it was a missed opportunity.
Also, the book had hidden these humorous lines within the story but they feel a bit displaced with the timing. For example there was this line about airplane air is like recycled farts, which is amusing on its own, but it was placed right as the detective about to see Charlotte when he landed at Singapore. I would feel humor is unlikely the first thing in his mind, but perhaps nervousness and excitement.
The book has a good story and is a quick read, although it will probably not be one that stays with me. Let's see.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 15, 2022
I was looking forward to this read but in the end I was left disappointed. I have read other books by this author and enjoyed them but not so much with this one.
This is a story told from three POV’s, Charlotte who is about to marry a wealthy banker named Dan, Keisha and DC Hegarty. Charlotte and Keisha are very different and virtually opposites of each other. Their lives collide when Charlotte’s fiancé Dan is accused of murdering a man in a Camden nightclub and Keisha believes her boyfriend may be the real killer.
Both women are suffering as they both go into freefall and lose the one person they believed in but maybe gain each other. Charlotte opens the door to Keisha, an angry and frustrated stranger with a story to tell. Charlotte is convinced of Dan’s innocence but she needs to fight for him, even if it means destroying her perfect life. But what Keisha knows threatens everyone she loves, and puts her own life in danger.
DC Matthew Hegarty is riding high on the success of Dan’s arrest. But he’s finding it difficult to ignore his growing doubts as well as the beautiful and vulnerable Charlotte. Can he really risk it all for what’s right?
Three stories. One truth. They all need to brace themselves for the fall.
There were chunks of this book I did enjoy but not fully absorbed by this one.
This was the authors debut novel and from my point of view she does have more to offer us readers.
This is a story told from three POV’s, Charlotte who is about to marry a wealthy banker named Dan, Keisha and DC Hegarty. Charlotte and Keisha are very different and virtually opposites of each other. Their lives collide when Charlotte’s fiancé Dan is accused of murdering a man in a Camden nightclub and Keisha believes her boyfriend may be the real killer.
Both women are suffering as they both go into freefall and lose the one person they believed in but maybe gain each other. Charlotte opens the door to Keisha, an angry and frustrated stranger with a story to tell. Charlotte is convinced of Dan’s innocence but she needs to fight for him, even if it means destroying her perfect life. But what Keisha knows threatens everyone she loves, and puts her own life in danger.
DC Matthew Hegarty is riding high on the success of Dan’s arrest. But he’s finding it difficult to ignore his growing doubts as well as the beautiful and vulnerable Charlotte. Can he really risk it all for what’s right?
Three stories. One truth. They all need to brace themselves for the fall.
There were chunks of this book I did enjoy but not fully absorbed by this one.
This was the authors debut novel and from my point of view she does have more to offer us readers.
January 18, 2022
Excellent. A murder brings together two young women who inhabit totally different worlds despite living close to each other in North London. Charlotte, middle class and well-off, whose life is turned upside down when her fiance Dan is arrested for the murder of a black night-club owner. And Keisha, illegitimate and mixed race, a mother whose daughter has been taken into care to protect her from Keisha's violent and controlling boyfriend. It seems like an open and shut case. Dan has no memory of the event, but the evidence points to him being the killer. Yet the arresting officer has doubts, although his motives for digging deeper may not be entirely ethical.
The story meanders its way. If you're put off by a slow build up, this may not be for you. Gradually we learn more about each of the main characters; we learn more about the events of the fateful night. We discover more about various agendas that may be at play.
Amazingly accomplished for a first novel. 4.5 stars.
The story meanders its way. If you're put off by a slow build up, this may not be for you. Gradually we learn more about each of the main characters; we learn more about the events of the fateful night. We discover more about various agendas that may be at play.
Amazingly accomplished for a first novel. 4.5 stars.
December 16, 2023
I had read one of the author's books in her Paula Maguire series and had not liked it much but when I saw this book in the library and realised that it was the author's first novel I thought I would give it a try.
The story is set in London and gets off to a powerful start when an investment banker gets in a fight with a club owner and is later arrested for his murder. I really felt involved with the characters especially the banker's fiancee whose life falls apart. However as the story unfolded the author lost her way a bit and by the time the murder trial started I was not so engaged. The ending was a bit too neat as well. The author is a good writer but I do not think that her books are for me.
The story is set in London and gets off to a powerful start when an investment banker gets in a fight with a club owner and is later arrested for his murder. I really felt involved with the characters especially the banker's fiancee whose life falls apart. However as the story unfolded the author lost her way a bit and by the time the murder trial started I was not so engaged. The ending was a bit too neat as well. The author is a good writer but I do not think that her books are for me.
April 18, 2025
I will be so sad when I have read all of Claire McGowan’s books. I only recently discovered her and she is up there with Sharon Bolton, Harlan Coben, Michael Robotham and a few others. This one was bit slow for a few pages… but then, it is compelling. There are two main characters, both female, that find themselves in a mess but are determined to take control of their lives. Charlotte and Keisha are about as different as can be. One white with lots of privileges, the other biracial with none. It is tense until the very end to see if the wronged man who is in jail for murder gets released. Did feel sorry for Hagerty, the detective, but it was good to see that Charlotte stuck by her fiancé.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 18, 2019
This story "falls" short. Very, very short. I was interested in the differentiation of class amongst the characters, but it felt obvious and stereotypical. The characters are all just TERRIBLE people who make very weird decisions; Keisha being the only redeeming light at the end of the tunnel.. To top it off, I listened to this on audio and found the editing very distracting and inconsistent. The decibel level from one chapter to the next kept changing drastically and I constantly needed to adjust the volume to hear certain narrators. I don't like being so negative but I did not enjoy this book one bit.
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