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The Blame: One of the best crime thrillers of 2023
'Searingly topical.' THE TELEGRAPH
'Shocking.' HEAT
A fresh and topical debut thriller where two detectives on a chilling murder case begin a love affair, only for one of them to become a prime suspect.
Detective Erin Crane is investigating sixteen-year-old Sophie Madson's murder along with detective Tom Radley. They have a close professional bond built on mutual trust and a shared contempt for the head of the anti-corruption team, Walker.
During the investigation, Tom discovers Erin's biggest secret, but to her surprise, the revelation brings them closer together, and Tom and Erin embark on a love affair - despite all the risks.
Then Erin discovers dashcam footage showing Sophie getting into Tom's car barely an hour before she died. Tom becomes the prime suspect and everything Erin thought she could trust begins to crumble...
Reader reviews
'If I could rate it higher than five stars, I would do!'
'So many twists and turns that kept me guessing all the way through!'
'Shocking.' HEAT
A fresh and topical debut thriller where two detectives on a chilling murder case begin a love affair, only for one of them to become a prime suspect.
Detective Erin Crane is investigating sixteen-year-old Sophie Madson's murder along with detective Tom Radley. They have a close professional bond built on mutual trust and a shared contempt for the head of the anti-corruption team, Walker.
During the investigation, Tom discovers Erin's biggest secret, but to her surprise, the revelation brings them closer together, and Tom and Erin embark on a love affair - despite all the risks.
Then Erin discovers dashcam footage showing Sophie getting into Tom's car barely an hour before she died. Tom becomes the prime suspect and everything Erin thought she could trust begins to crumble...
Reader reviews
'If I could rate it higher than five stars, I would do!'
'So many twists and turns that kept me guessing all the way through!'
338 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 14, 2023
41 people are currently reading
349 people want to read
About the author
Charlotte Langley
6 books17 followersCharlotte lives in London where she works as a journalist. Her debut novel, The Blame, is a psychological thriller following the story of DI Erin Crane. She is currently working on a sequel. You can find Charlotte on Twitter @c_langley_ and Instagram @charlottelangleyauthor
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
June 21, 2024
This brilliant police procedural by debut author Charlotte Langley was gripping with sinister twists you won’t see coming.
Characterizations were strong and unreliable narrators and rogue coppers were plentiful.
I listened to the audiobook read by Tamsin Kennard who did an outstanding job with the narration.
A sequel to this book is planned and eagerly awaited.
September 21, 2023
I received a gifted copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review as part of the book tour hosted by Random Things Tours.
The Blame is the first book in a new police series with great potential. Detective Erin Crane is one of the detective's on the case of discovering the disappearance and murder of a young girl. As the case evolves, Erin is shocked when findings point the finger towards a fellow colleague, also on the case land linking it to previous sexual assaults and murders too. Erin could be in grave danger herself as she tries to discover the truth, but will this stop her or make her more determined?
This was such a great book and opens your eyes towards corruption within policing. The atmosphere and pace is perfect and I could visualise this becoming a great TV series! I really look forward to reading the next installment!
The Blame is the first book in a new police series with great potential. Detective Erin Crane is one of the detective's on the case of discovering the disappearance and murder of a young girl. As the case evolves, Erin is shocked when findings point the finger towards a fellow colleague, also on the case land linking it to previous sexual assaults and murders too. Erin could be in grave danger herself as she tries to discover the truth, but will this stop her or make her more determined?
This was such a great book and opens your eyes towards corruption within policing. The atmosphere and pace is perfect and I could visualise this becoming a great TV series! I really look forward to reading the next installment!
August 20, 2023
Three bent coppers in one nick - what are the chances?
I enjoyed the start of this crime thriller but the plot became very complex without enough anchoring, particularly with the red herring characters, who were thrown in but very lightly sketched.
The three cases are connected, and the plot revolves around two of the three officers trying to find evidence to nail or exonerate their colleague(s), or face prosecution themselves. It became confusing when previous cases became involved, and the original murder that launched the novel, that of gymnast Sophie Madson, seems to recede into the distance.
I was surprised that there didn't seem to be any public interest around police corruption, when the likelihood of three officers in one force being convicted of crimes including murder and tampering with evidence would surely provoke an outcry.
The pacing was slow and I began to despair that we would ever see the truth dragged out of one of the protagonists, who underwent a complete personality change during the novel.
I enjoyed the start of this crime thriller but the plot became very complex without enough anchoring, particularly with the red herring characters, who were thrown in but very lightly sketched.
The three cases are connected, and the plot revolves around two of the three officers trying to find evidence to nail or exonerate their colleague(s), or face prosecution themselves. It became confusing when previous cases became involved, and the original murder that launched the novel, that of gymnast Sophie Madson, seems to recede into the distance.
I was surprised that there didn't seem to be any public interest around police corruption, when the likelihood of three officers in one force being convicted of crimes including murder and tampering with evidence would surely provoke an outcry.
The pacing was slow and I began to despair that we would ever see the truth dragged out of one of the protagonists, who underwent a complete personality change during the novel.
September 10, 2023
I always love a police procedural drama, and The Blame was a fantastically written one. Perfectly paced and plotted, I devoured the book in one day. It was definitely a page turner and the author constantly left me wanting to know more - it was one of those ‘just one more chapter’ books and then before you know it, you’ve read the whole thing!
Detective Erin Crane is part of a team investigating the disappearance and then murder of a young girl. Former gymnast Sophie made a chilling 999 call that instantly made her a high risk missing person. During the imminent search for her, her killer brazenly dumps her body right in the middle of where the search is taking place. Investigations into her murder begin, but Erin is left reeling when the findings point towards someone within her team. As the case grows more complex and presents links to past sexual assaults and murders, Erin doesn’t want to believe that the culprit could be someone close to her. But who really is to blame? And is Erin putting herself in grave danger trying to find out?
I felt that the atmosphere was portrayed so perfectly in this book, I really felt like I was there with them. I could picture the scenes so clearly - it was almost as if it as playing out as a TV drama inside my head! Lots of quite chilling moments which gave me goosebumps at time! Whilst this book is obviously a work of fiction, there have been (far too many) real life instances of working police officers who abuse their position of trust, particularly with young women. So this was a very poignant novel as it reminded me of cases such as Sarah Everard’s - incidents that should never have been allowed to happen. Some people may read this novel and think that the level of corruption is unrealistic, but sadly, I think it’s a more accurate portrayal than we might wish to believe!
A fantastic debut - I could definitely see a screen adaptation working really well. I’m looking forward to reading Charlotte Langley’s future novels!
Detective Erin Crane is part of a team investigating the disappearance and then murder of a young girl. Former gymnast Sophie made a chilling 999 call that instantly made her a high risk missing person. During the imminent search for her, her killer brazenly dumps her body right in the middle of where the search is taking place. Investigations into her murder begin, but Erin is left reeling when the findings point towards someone within her team. As the case grows more complex and presents links to past sexual assaults and murders, Erin doesn’t want to believe that the culprit could be someone close to her. But who really is to blame? And is Erin putting herself in grave danger trying to find out?
I felt that the atmosphere was portrayed so perfectly in this book, I really felt like I was there with them. I could picture the scenes so clearly - it was almost as if it as playing out as a TV drama inside my head! Lots of quite chilling moments which gave me goosebumps at time! Whilst this book is obviously a work of fiction, there have been (far too many) real life instances of working police officers who abuse their position of trust, particularly with young women. So this was a very poignant novel as it reminded me of cases such as Sarah Everard’s - incidents that should never have been allowed to happen. Some people may read this novel and think that the level of corruption is unrealistic, but sadly, I think it’s a more accurate portrayal than we might wish to believe!
A fantastic debut - I could definitely see a screen adaptation working really well. I’m looking forward to reading Charlotte Langley’s future novels!
November 2, 2024
The Blame is a police procedural/psychological thriller that was initially mostly procedural but it then turned into a thriller that kept me second-guessing what/who was involved.
The story opens with DI Erin Crane on the case of missing girl, Sophie Madson. It’s not long before Sophie’s body is found and a murder investigation begins, Erin (key protagonist) works alongside her partner, DCI Tom Radley. and new DI Lewis. Things then get complicated – Erin’s personal life is impacting her decision making, her past is playing on her mind, and then when the murdered girl is seen getting into the car of her partner it becomes unputdownable. There are power plays, corrupt officers, personal entanglements and historical abuse which keeps you guessing till the final chapter. It ends with the possibility that there might be more for Erin and I could definitely see it being adapted to the small screen.
Overall a good read, although my kindle edition had numerous typos spelling and grammar which was a little frustrating.
The story opens with DI Erin Crane on the case of missing girl, Sophie Madson. It’s not long before Sophie’s body is found and a murder investigation begins, Erin (key protagonist) works alongside her partner, DCI Tom Radley. and new DI Lewis. Things then get complicated – Erin’s personal life is impacting her decision making, her past is playing on her mind, and then when the murdered girl is seen getting into the car of her partner it becomes unputdownable. There are power plays, corrupt officers, personal entanglements and historical abuse which keeps you guessing till the final chapter. It ends with the possibility that there might be more for Erin and I could definitely see it being adapted to the small screen.
Overall a good read, although my kindle edition had numerous typos spelling and grammar which was a little frustrating.
October 20, 2025
A great idea for a thriller but, much like the victim in this debut novel, hardly executed with panache.
What we have here is an author who certainly can come up with a good idea, but has much to learn about the craft of writing. We start with a prologue, set in the middle of the story, which makes it look like the tale will be about the public/press reaction to police corruption, but this is a thread that only lightly raises its head throughout the remainder.
Then there are the big details that would surely prove a showstopper to this narrative happening. The lack of ANY solicitors in interview rooms. Printers with months-long memories of documents printed out. A perp blurting out a whole exposition of their crimes when that's the last thing they'd do to save themselves.
And there's the little annoyances - lack of clarity as to who's speaking a line of dialogue, multiple errors in proofreading, and soooo many very similar descriptions all over the place - I got sick of descriptions of chair legs scraping and the very palpability of Erin's cardio-vascular system.
And yet, it's still something of a page-turner. If the above aren't details you'd really worry about, and judging by some reviews you'd perhaps not be in a minority, you'd probably enjoy it. I say that not sneeringly, as I did enjoy it to a certain degree.
I hope that this author continues to write, as she has some promise. But some work on technique wouldn't go astray.
What we have here is an author who certainly can come up with a good idea, but has much to learn about the craft of writing. We start with a prologue, set in the middle of the story, which makes it look like the tale will be about the public/press reaction to police corruption, but this is a thread that only lightly raises its head throughout the remainder.
Then there are the big details that would surely prove a showstopper to this narrative happening. The lack of ANY solicitors in interview rooms. Printers with months-long memories of documents printed out. A perp blurting out a whole exposition of their crimes when that's the last thing they'd do to save themselves.
And there's the little annoyances - lack of clarity as to who's speaking a line of dialogue, multiple errors in proofreading, and soooo many very similar descriptions all over the place - I got sick of descriptions of chair legs scraping and the very palpability of Erin's cardio-vascular system.
And yet, it's still something of a page-turner. If the above aren't details you'd really worry about, and judging by some reviews you'd perhaps not be in a minority, you'd probably enjoy it. I say that not sneeringly, as I did enjoy it to a certain degree.
I hope that this author continues to write, as she has some promise. But some work on technique wouldn't go astray.
September 26, 2023
The writing gripped me from the beginning and kept my interest until the end. There were so many twists and turns which were enjoyable to read that I suspected everyone!
I enjoyed that some of the chapters were from the point of view of different characters and also went back in time. Sometimes it wasn't overly clear how far we had gone back in time, but after the first paragraph or so you knew where you were.
A couple of chapters did have the time frame as a title, so it seemed a bit strange that not all of the chapters had this.
One other small thing that I would say is that I couldn't tell when the story linked back to the opening. I would have liked to have joined up with the opening at some point. It just felt incomplete, despite the fact that there was an epilogue at the end to finish it off.
Despite these minor things it was still an engaging read and due to me wanting to keep on reading, I gave it 5 stars.
The chapters were a mixture of different lengths, with a couple only being a few pages long. This kept the story moving and gave it a good flow. As mentioned above, a few of the chapters were labelled if they were from the perspective of another character which I found interesting. It gave the story a more rounded feel to it.
The characters were excellent. I suspected them all at some point throughout the book, even the main character! It was nice to get a couple of different points of view, however it didn't help me to solve the mystery! The characters were well written and kept the mystery going.
Lastly the settings. They were lightly described as the story was about people. They did however provide the perfect backdrop for this mystery.
Overall a great read that felt authentic and one which was full of twists and turns. I didn't see the end coming!
I enjoyed that some of the chapters were from the point of view of different characters and also went back in time. Sometimes it wasn't overly clear how far we had gone back in time, but after the first paragraph or so you knew where you were.
A couple of chapters did have the time frame as a title, so it seemed a bit strange that not all of the chapters had this.
One other small thing that I would say is that I couldn't tell when the story linked back to the opening. I would have liked to have joined up with the opening at some point. It just felt incomplete, despite the fact that there was an epilogue at the end to finish it off.
Despite these minor things it was still an engaging read and due to me wanting to keep on reading, I gave it 5 stars.
The chapters were a mixture of different lengths, with a couple only being a few pages long. This kept the story moving and gave it a good flow. As mentioned above, a few of the chapters were labelled if they were from the perspective of another character which I found interesting. It gave the story a more rounded feel to it.
The characters were excellent. I suspected them all at some point throughout the book, even the main character! It was nice to get a couple of different points of view, however it didn't help me to solve the mystery! The characters were well written and kept the mystery going.
Lastly the settings. They were lightly described as the story was about people. They did however provide the perfect backdrop for this mystery.
Overall a great read that felt authentic and one which was full of twists and turns. I didn't see the end coming!
June 22, 2024
Thrilling
February 1, 2025
Couldn’t put this book down. A real page turner.
August 7, 2023
A fantastic debut by Charlotte Langley.
Thanks to netgalley and the publishers for this arc
The start of another police series which suits me down to the ground as I love reading them.
I will be queuing up for the next story involving Erin Crane as I need to know what she does next
4 stars
Thanks to netgalley and the publishers for this arc
The start of another police series which suits me down to the ground as I love reading them.
I will be queuing up for the next story involving Erin Crane as I need to know what she does next
4 stars
May 5, 2024
One of the worst books I’ve ever read.
Where to start? The unlikeable, unrepentant, massively inconsistent main characters? The horribly convoluted plot? The fact that the cover and blurb contain massive spoilers about things that don’t enter the plot until at least 80 pages in? The vast quantity of typos? The unforgivable barrage of poor research that went into this crapfest? Or how about the prologue scene that is not only never referenced in the book, despite it supposedly occurring two weeks before the plot starts (a plot that lasts months), but also that it adds nothing and goes unexplained.
Let’s start with the MC. She’s corrupt, clueless, inept, and happy to sleep with a random guy she interviews in a pub, and strip off in front of someone she thinks might be a killer every other five minutes. She obsesses about her partner Tom, then suddenly they have sex twice and apparently that is a “torrid affair” (later, jn the epilogue, she reminisces on all the times he got her a blanket and rubber her feet etc, in the possibly three days they were actually together). In a blink of an eye, she turns on him when she discovers “evidence” he might be a wrong’un, even though this has come hot on the heels of him finding out she PLANTED EVIDENCE and didn’t turn her in. In fact, she’s so moronic that she runs off to tell her superiors every little thing she finds out, even when she supposedly thinks those same superiors might be crooked. And happily goes along to a superior’s house late at night just to have a private conversation (surprise surprise, this almost leads to her getting killed). But then I suppose that’s the kind of thinking that requires only the single brain cell she seems to possess.
Don’t get me wrong; Tom’s a horrible character too. But then so is everyone else (except maybe Lewis). But then the entire police force is awful. Not ONCE does any suspect have legal representation. They flit between suspects every five minutes. They happily allow suspects to be interviewed with no one else present or any kind of recording occurring (at one point, one awful character literally beats the shit out of a suspect in an interview room, and no one is around to intervene).
But it’s all ok, because apparently all you need to do to solve a case is rely on printers remembering the things they printed weeks or months ago (printers don’t do this), and that every time someone views a file on the computer system, it is recorded (pretty sure that’s also not a thing).
I could go on. Halfway through I felt like quitting, but I hate not finishing books. However, I wouldn’t even use thjs crap as toilet paper. Apparently the author is “a fresh, breakout voice in gripping psychological police dramas”. I’d love to see some actual evidence of that. However, I will never be giving this hack another second of my life.
Where to start? The unlikeable, unrepentant, massively inconsistent main characters? The horribly convoluted plot? The fact that the cover and blurb contain massive spoilers about things that don’t enter the plot until at least 80 pages in? The vast quantity of typos? The unforgivable barrage of poor research that went into this crapfest? Or how about the prologue scene that is not only never referenced in the book, despite it supposedly occurring two weeks before the plot starts (a plot that lasts months), but also that it adds nothing and goes unexplained.
Let’s start with the MC. She’s corrupt, clueless, inept, and happy to sleep with a random guy she interviews in a pub, and strip off in front of someone she thinks might be a killer every other five minutes. She obsesses about her partner Tom, then suddenly they have sex twice and apparently that is a “torrid affair” (later, jn the epilogue, she reminisces on all the times he got her a blanket and rubber her feet etc, in the possibly three days they were actually together). In a blink of an eye, she turns on him when she discovers “evidence” he might be a wrong’un, even though this has come hot on the heels of him finding out she PLANTED EVIDENCE and didn’t turn her in. In fact, she’s so moronic that she runs off to tell her superiors every little thing she finds out, even when she supposedly thinks those same superiors might be crooked. And happily goes along to a superior’s house late at night just to have a private conversation (surprise surprise, this almost leads to her getting killed). But then I suppose that’s the kind of thinking that requires only the single brain cell she seems to possess.
Don’t get me wrong; Tom’s a horrible character too. But then so is everyone else (except maybe Lewis). But then the entire police force is awful. Not ONCE does any suspect have legal representation. They flit between suspects every five minutes. They happily allow suspects to be interviewed with no one else present or any kind of recording occurring (at one point, one awful character literally beats the shit out of a suspect in an interview room, and no one is around to intervene).
But it’s all ok, because apparently all you need to do to solve a case is rely on printers remembering the things they printed weeks or months ago (printers don’t do this), and that every time someone views a file on the computer system, it is recorded (pretty sure that’s also not a thing).
I could go on. Halfway through I felt like quitting, but I hate not finishing books. However, I wouldn’t even use thjs crap as toilet paper. Apparently the author is “a fresh, breakout voice in gripping psychological police dramas”. I’d love to see some actual evidence of that. However, I will never be giving this hack another second of my life.
October 23, 2024
At first I really struggled to get into this book... even the blurb of this book gave away a twist from within the first 100 pages, and that pissed me off - I almost gave up on it to be honest, but I'm glad I didn't. Even with the frustrating spelling errors mentioned in a few other reviews (honestly, they were incredibly basic ones - shocked an editor didn't catch them?!), and even with some of the glaring obvious 'real life' failures (why did NONE of these people get legal representation?! WTF!), it was a good read once it got going.
I couldn't decide if this book got a 3 or 4 stars from me, but I've ended up going with 3... even though in the end I couldn't put it down and I do think some of the key topics, were incredibly relevant and important! .. when I look at my pro/con list of the book (below), it just doesn't deserve a 4 to me, sorry...
I wouldn't say I recommend this as such tho, unless you're someone who likes to read A LOT then its worth it, but for the most part this won't be a memorable book for me - if you can only read a couple of books a year, then there are definitely better choices available!
Pros
- Important key topics written well
- Lots of twists and turns
- Once I got into it (approx 100 pages) I couldn't put it down
- I couldn't find the answer online when I tried to google it (lol, I was tired and needed to go to bed and just wanted to know who did it! And I couldn't find it! haha... ultimately a good thing, but frustrating in the moment)
Cons:
- very slow start - took me 100 pages to get into it
- felt some character introductions were dodgy - took me til nearly half way to understand who these people were...
- Spelling errors
- Didn't feel 'real' that no one bothered with legal representation (especially considering such serious charges!)
- third party POV (ie. The main character, Erin, wasn't written in the first person narrative which I think is important to connect a reader in my opinion!)
I couldn't decide if this book got a 3 or 4 stars from me, but I've ended up going with 3... even though in the end I couldn't put it down and I do think some of the key topics, were incredibly relevant and important! .. when I look at my pro/con list of the book (below), it just doesn't deserve a 4 to me, sorry...
I wouldn't say I recommend this as such tho, unless you're someone who likes to read A LOT then its worth it, but for the most part this won't be a memorable book for me - if you can only read a couple of books a year, then there are definitely better choices available!
Pros
- Important key topics written well
- Lots of twists and turns
- Once I got into it (approx 100 pages) I couldn't put it down
- I couldn't find the answer online when I tried to google it (lol, I was tired and needed to go to bed and just wanted to know who did it! And I couldn't find it! haha... ultimately a good thing, but frustrating in the moment)
Cons:
- very slow start - took me 100 pages to get into it
- felt some character introductions were dodgy - took me til nearly half way to understand who these people were...
- Spelling errors
- Didn't feel 'real' that no one bothered with legal representation (especially considering such serious charges!)
- third party POV (ie. The main character, Erin, wasn't written in the first person narrative which I think is important to connect a reader in my opinion!)
September 13, 2023
What a fantastic debut from Charlotte Langley, I’m really hoping this book will be the first of many!
When a distressed teenager makes a 999 call whilst being attacked DI Erin Crane is assigned to the case and a search is begun to find missing teenager Sophie. Whilst a search of the woods is taking place Sophie’s body is found and a murder investigation is launched.
Soon matters become complicated as Detective Tom Radley becomes a prime suspect in her murder, and to make matters harder for Erin her and Tom were at the beginning of a love affair.
As the book goes on Tom discovers Erin’s secret, that she put an innocent man behind bars to avenge traumas of her past. Weirdly this draws the two of them closer together as they both have secrets they want to stay hidden from the rest of the force.
Further challenges are faced when Erin realises a more senior officer is also involved in hidden crimes witch have been kept hidden from the rest of the force, and with the head of anti-corruption DI Walker taking up his own investigation it’s only a matter of time until secrets and lies are exposed.
What I loved about The Blame was there was plenty of suspense, you had murders, sexual exploitation, drugging and throw in bent coppers trying to cover their own backs to make this thriller different to any I’ve ever read before, and I loved it! Every time I thought I had work out who was behind the crime I was thrown in another direction.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for an advance copy of this book in exchange for this review. Really hoping that the blame will be part of a new series
When a distressed teenager makes a 999 call whilst being attacked DI Erin Crane is assigned to the case and a search is begun to find missing teenager Sophie. Whilst a search of the woods is taking place Sophie’s body is found and a murder investigation is launched.
Soon matters become complicated as Detective Tom Radley becomes a prime suspect in her murder, and to make matters harder for Erin her and Tom were at the beginning of a love affair.
As the book goes on Tom discovers Erin’s secret, that she put an innocent man behind bars to avenge traumas of her past. Weirdly this draws the two of them closer together as they both have secrets they want to stay hidden from the rest of the force.
Further challenges are faced when Erin realises a more senior officer is also involved in hidden crimes witch have been kept hidden from the rest of the force, and with the head of anti-corruption DI Walker taking up his own investigation it’s only a matter of time until secrets and lies are exposed.
What I loved about The Blame was there was plenty of suspense, you had murders, sexual exploitation, drugging and throw in bent coppers trying to cover their own backs to make this thriller different to any I’ve ever read before, and I loved it! Every time I thought I had work out who was behind the crime I was thrown in another direction.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for an advance copy of this book in exchange for this review. Really hoping that the blame will be part of a new series
December 8, 2023
The Blame has a premise that immediately piqued my interest but it could have gone either way. Police procedurals either bore me or thrill me and I'm very happy to report that not only did The Blame do the latter, it's also one of my favourite reads of the year.
Perhaps it's because this is a book that's billed as part police procedural and part psychological thriller. There's a lot more to it than an investigation into a murdered teenager. There are entanglements, power play and corrupt officers thrown into the mix and it made for an exhilarating read.
The story opens with DI Erin Crane on the case of missing girl, Sophie Madson. It's not long before Sophie's body is found and a murder investigation is commenced, with Erin working with her usual partner, DCI Tom Radley. Things then become very complicated - Erin's personal life is intertwined with her job, her past is playing on her mind, and then when Sophie is seen getting into the car of a police officer just before she died it blows everything apart.
From a very procedural beginning this turned into a rollercoaster thriller. Unexpected punches to the gut had me exclaiming out loud more than once. I didn't know who to trust, not Erin, not Tom, not their colleagues, and Charlotte Langley threw suspense and surprise at me time and again. The Blame is a fast-paced read that I wanted to get back to whenever I was forced to stop. Think Line of Duty. It would translate so well onto the small screen. The end of The Blame made me think there might be more for Erin but either way this was an excellent debut which means I'm excited about what Langley will deliver next.
Perhaps it's because this is a book that's billed as part police procedural and part psychological thriller. There's a lot more to it than an investigation into a murdered teenager. There are entanglements, power play and corrupt officers thrown into the mix and it made for an exhilarating read.
The story opens with DI Erin Crane on the case of missing girl, Sophie Madson. It's not long before Sophie's body is found and a murder investigation is commenced, with Erin working with her usual partner, DCI Tom Radley. Things then become very complicated - Erin's personal life is intertwined with her job, her past is playing on her mind, and then when Sophie is seen getting into the car of a police officer just before she died it blows everything apart.
From a very procedural beginning this turned into a rollercoaster thriller. Unexpected punches to the gut had me exclaiming out loud more than once. I didn't know who to trust, not Erin, not Tom, not their colleagues, and Charlotte Langley threw suspense and surprise at me time and again. The Blame is a fast-paced read that I wanted to get back to whenever I was forced to stop. Think Line of Duty. It would translate so well onto the small screen. The end of The Blame made me think there might be more for Erin but either way this was an excellent debut which means I'm excited about what Langley will deliver next.
September 18, 2023
The body of 16 year old Sophie Madson has been dumped in the woods right under the noses of the police who are in the area searching for her. Her body is found by DI Erin Crane who embarks on an extremely complex murder case which incriminates her partner and lover, DCI Tom Radley. Did Radley have anything to do with Sophie’s murder or has he been framed?
This case is personal in more ways than one as a dark secret from Erin’s past comes to light and could not only ruin her career but see her going to prison.
This is Charlotte Langley’s debut novel and is described as ‘a psychological suspense police thriller…” It definitely is that. The narrative is fast paced with twists, turns, red-herrings and heart in mouth chapters that keep you reading. The characters have depth and get under your skin; they’re human and flawed, which felt completely real to life.
The story built up slowly and led down a couple of blind alleys and then smack, into a shocking twist which I didn’t see coming. That is good planning, to keep the reader guessing and wrong footed so when the truth is revealed, it’s met with a shocked, and also delighted, in-take of breath.
I started this book on the Saturday and completed it Monday afternoon. I couldn’t stop thinking about it and needed to know who killed Sophie; who was lying; could anyone be trusted. I was kept guessing right until the end which was extremely satisfactory and I didn’t feel as though I had wasted my time. I was completely invested in this story and the characters.
This case is personal in more ways than one as a dark secret from Erin’s past comes to light and could not only ruin her career but see her going to prison.
This is Charlotte Langley’s debut novel and is described as ‘a psychological suspense police thriller…” It definitely is that. The narrative is fast paced with twists, turns, red-herrings and heart in mouth chapters that keep you reading. The characters have depth and get under your skin; they’re human and flawed, which felt completely real to life.
The story built up slowly and led down a couple of blind alleys and then smack, into a shocking twist which I didn’t see coming. That is good planning, to keep the reader guessing and wrong footed so when the truth is revealed, it’s met with a shocked, and also delighted, in-take of breath.
I started this book on the Saturday and completed it Monday afternoon. I couldn’t stop thinking about it and needed to know who killed Sophie; who was lying; could anyone be trusted. I was kept guessing right until the end which was extremely satisfactory and I didn’t feel as though I had wasted my time. I was completely invested in this story and the characters.
September 18, 2023
this is such a multi-layered head-spinner of a story, I almost needed a police whiteboard of my own to track all of the suspects and links between them!
'The Blame' is a fantastic addition to one of my favourite genres, police procedurals and investigations.
The pace of the story doesn't let up from start to finish; it is a real page-turner with red herrings and misdirection at every turn.
The main character, Erin Crane is fantastically complex, still battling her own childhood demons and insecurities. The fall out of a badly made professional decision that may come back to bite her is hanging over at all times too.
The story is told across a series of timelines, past and present, with multiple points of view, building the picture of what is going on but providing the opportunity for more twists and turns.
The focus on police corruption and cover-ups is a very timely one; the story has a distinct Sarah Everard feel to it which is utterly chilling and unfortunately all too possible.
I can't believe that 'The Blame' is a debut novel, it is so assured, well-considered and confidently written. It would make a fabulous TV drama, all of the elements are there
'The Blame' is a fantastic addition to one of my favourite genres, police procedurals and investigations.
The pace of the story doesn't let up from start to finish; it is a real page-turner with red herrings and misdirection at every turn.
The main character, Erin Crane is fantastically complex, still battling her own childhood demons and insecurities. The fall out of a badly made professional decision that may come back to bite her is hanging over at all times too.
The story is told across a series of timelines, past and present, with multiple points of view, building the picture of what is going on but providing the opportunity for more twists and turns.
The focus on police corruption and cover-ups is a very timely one; the story has a distinct Sarah Everard feel to it which is utterly chilling and unfortunately all too possible.
I can't believe that 'The Blame' is a debut novel, it is so assured, well-considered and confidently written. It would make a fabulous TV drama, all of the elements are there
September 21, 2023
This is a fast paced read centred around the disappearance of sixteen-year-old Sophie Madson and the police investigation surrounding the case. Well written with a good cast of characters, although there does seem to be an inordinately high number of corrupt/ crooked police in this one station!
Briefly, a body is found and soon identified as missing Sophie. DI Erin Crane and partner DCI Tom Radley are investigating. As the investigation progresses Erin starts to believe the Pat her nemesis head of anti-corruption DI Walker is involved but finding proof is the problem. Then, after starting an affair with Tom she begins to have her doubts about him. Who can she trust?
There were so many red herrings in this I felt like I was on a fishing trip! Told across multiple timelines and from multiple POV’s it could have become confusing but I found it easy to follow. An opportune tale given the number of recent high profile cases of police convicted of heinous crimes and corruption cases. A good debut police procedural/crime thriller and I’ll be looking out for the authors next book.
Briefly, a body is found and soon identified as missing Sophie. DI Erin Crane and partner DCI Tom Radley are investigating. As the investigation progresses Erin starts to believe the Pat her nemesis head of anti-corruption DI Walker is involved but finding proof is the problem. Then, after starting an affair with Tom she begins to have her doubts about him. Who can she trust?
There were so many red herrings in this I felt like I was on a fishing trip! Told across multiple timelines and from multiple POV’s it could have become confusing but I found it easy to follow. An opportune tale given the number of recent high profile cases of police convicted of heinous crimes and corruption cases. A good debut police procedural/crime thriller and I’ll be looking out for the authors next book.
September 23, 2023
Ohhh I love a first introduction to a new series and The Blame certainly packs a punch and lays high expectations for the future of the Erin Crane series.
Detective Erin Crane is investigating the disappearance and murder of a young girl. The more she delves and uncovers, the more she realises not everyone around her can be trusted - even those who are supposed to protect us.
The Blame is so well written and absolutely riveting from start to end. I’ve spent the summer reading lovely cosy romances so this was a welcomed shock to the system back into reading thrillers.
The plot is really well developed and exciting and unravels at a great pace. Slow enough to build suspense and intensity but revealing clues, twists and turns at the right time to keep me hooked.
The characters are developed in a way that I didn’t know who to trust and who was being honest and good. I completely felt Erin’s confusion and distrust of the people who were supposed to have her back.
This is a brilliant introduction to a new crime series and I devoured every page. I cannot wait for the next instalment.
Detective Erin Crane is investigating the disappearance and murder of a young girl. The more she delves and uncovers, the more she realises not everyone around her can be trusted - even those who are supposed to protect us.
The Blame is so well written and absolutely riveting from start to end. I’ve spent the summer reading lovely cosy romances so this was a welcomed shock to the system back into reading thrillers.
The plot is really well developed and exciting and unravels at a great pace. Slow enough to build suspense and intensity but revealing clues, twists and turns at the right time to keep me hooked.
The characters are developed in a way that I didn’t know who to trust and who was being honest and good. I completely felt Erin’s confusion and distrust of the people who were supposed to have her back.
This is a brilliant introduction to a new crime series and I devoured every page. I cannot wait for the next instalment.
September 15, 2023
Wow! This was such an amazing and gripping read, that had me turning the pages desperate for more.
I love a police procedural and this one definitely had its twists and turns throughout which I definitely did not guess. I was adamant about who the suspect was, but I was proved wrong again and again, which kept me reading and hungry for more.
There were certain topics written about such as child abuse, but this was written and incorporated into the storyline well and in a way that the reader could be made to understand the reasoning as to why some actions were carried out.
I liked the ending of the story and how everything came together and brought it to a close. I also liked how a sense of hope was portrayed for Erin and was happy with how it ended for her.
This was such a perfectly paced drama, with great tension and atmosphere created and was a brilliant debut. I look forward to reading more from @charlottelangleyauthor soon.
I love a police procedural and this one definitely had its twists and turns throughout which I definitely did not guess. I was adamant about who the suspect was, but I was proved wrong again and again, which kept me reading and hungry for more.
There were certain topics written about such as child abuse, but this was written and incorporated into the storyline well and in a way that the reader could be made to understand the reasoning as to why some actions were carried out.
I liked the ending of the story and how everything came together and brought it to a close. I also liked how a sense of hope was portrayed for Erin and was happy with how it ended for her.
This was such a perfectly paced drama, with great tension and atmosphere created and was a brilliant debut. I look forward to reading more from @charlottelangleyauthor soon.
May 15, 2024
I think this could be the start of my thriller era because I loooved this and look how quickly I read it!! This is definitely the type of thing I could read in one sitting.
*spoiler* the only thing I did think is that the author could have developed a greater backstory for Tom to explain why he was so career obsessed to the extent he would take such measures!! And was a bit hard to keep up with the other officers involved at first as they were only mentioned in passing. We never actually got to return to the exact moment of “disgrace” that Erin faces that is foreshadowed at the beginning of the book either.
But love!!!
*spoiler* the only thing I did think is that the author could have developed a greater backstory for Tom to explain why he was so career obsessed to the extent he would take such measures!! And was a bit hard to keep up with the other officers involved at first as they were only mentioned in passing. We never actually got to return to the exact moment of “disgrace” that Erin faces that is foreshadowed at the beginning of the book either.
But love!!!
September 5, 2023
This book was so gripping from the very start that I didn't want to put it down. I don't read many books centered around the police but I really loved this one. There were so many twists and turns, and just when you thought you'd worked it out, there would be another piece of evidence that knocked it all down. The only reason this isn't a 5 star is because I just wanted more, I kind of wish the epilogue was split into a few chapters instead. However, I'd 100% recommend this one!
Thanks to NetGalley and Bedford Square Publishers for the e-ARC
Thanks to NetGalley and Bedford Square Publishers for the e-ARC
September 29, 2023
This is the start of a brand new police procedural series. The body of a 16 year old girl has been left in the woods right in front of the police. They just miss the culprit. This is no ordinary murder case though. As DI Erin Crane & DCI Tom Radley try to solve the case, Tom is in the firing line. Did he do it? Maybe the gymnastics teacher who is a bit touchy feely? Someone else entirely?
I loved it. I had a few ideas of where it was going but I was completely wrong. Can't wait to read more in this series.
I loved it. I had a few ideas of where it was going but I was completely wrong. Can't wait to read more in this series.
August 18, 2023
This is an excellent debut novel from the author, featuring Detective Erin Crane. It started at a fast pace, with the murder of a young girl but then slowed as the plot became more complex. It focuses around police corruption and sexual abuse of young women. There were plenty twists, although I was desperate to find out the truth, and I would have liked more depth of character. it's a promising start to a new series and I hope there is a follow up. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.
October 17, 2023
This was absolutely fantastic!
I’m a massive fan of a police procedural and this didn’t disappoint. I devoured the whole book in the same day as I just needed to know what happened.
The Blame is brilliantly written and keeps the reader so engaged. It’s fast paced and full of many unexpected twists. I had my suspicions of various characters but it just kept changing as those twists kept coming. Definitely a ‘just one more chapter’ type of book and before you know it you’ve read the final page.
Great characters, loved DI Crane - thought she was a great detective 👮🏻♀️!
Very descriptive and I could picture the scenes perfectly. The atmosphere was brill! I just absolutely loved it and would 100% recommend.
I hope to read more by this author, maybe this could turn into a series and I hope to see more of DI Crane 🤞🏻
I’m a massive fan of a police procedural and this didn’t disappoint. I devoured the whole book in the same day as I just needed to know what happened.
The Blame is brilliantly written and keeps the reader so engaged. It’s fast paced and full of many unexpected twists. I had my suspicions of various characters but it just kept changing as those twists kept coming. Definitely a ‘just one more chapter’ type of book and before you know it you’ve read the final page.
Great characters, loved DI Crane - thought she was a great detective 👮🏻♀️!
Very descriptive and I could picture the scenes perfectly. The atmosphere was brill! I just absolutely loved it and would 100% recommend.
I hope to read more by this author, maybe this could turn into a series and I hope to see more of DI Crane 🤞🏻
September 16, 2024
Although fairly compelling, by the end, this story was too far-fetched and contrived for my liking. I didn't warm to any of the characters and therefore couldn't get completely invested in their stories. It was an ok read but not one I'd recommend.
The copy editing was very poor, which just made the reading experience frustrating. From a net in a squash court to grammatical errors and typos, there were just too many mistakes that weren't picked up on.
The copy editing was very poor, which just made the reading experience frustrating. From a net in a squash court to grammatical errors and typos, there were just too many mistakes that weren't picked up on.
November 26, 2025
Couldnt put in down
A police woman is trying to track down a murderer and one of the suspects is a partner she is involved with who delayed telling he knew the victim, yet it could be just him protecting himself, or could it actually be someone higher up in the force who is the killer, it does seem she put the wrong man behind bars for a previously connected murder and she needs to be looking at her collagues
A police woman is trying to track down a murderer and one of the suspects is a partner she is involved with who delayed telling he knew the victim, yet it could be just him protecting himself, or could it actually be someone higher up in the force who is the killer, it does seem she put the wrong man behind bars for a previously connected murder and she needs to be looking at her collagues
January 9, 2026
There were so many twists and turns that it practically ends up where it started. ESH (everyone sucks here) with all the self-preservation and framing going on. The Epilogue tried to give us a little light but even that has her mother confessing to her “crimes”.
The proofreading could have used an extra set of eyes also.
Overall, I didn’t think it was a waste of my time to read, but that’s mostly because it was a quick 2-day-er.
The proofreading could have used an extra set of eyes also.
Overall, I didn’t think it was a waste of my time to read, but that’s mostly because it was a quick 2-day-er.
September 24, 2023
Fast paced,exciting, lots of diverse characters and plenty of twists and turns. As the story unravelled I was surprised that it didn’t go where I was expecting. This debut police procedural book was a great read which kept me hooked. Highly recommended if this is your genre. I look forward to the next book from this author
October 7, 2023
I would like to thank the author, the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of this book. It was a fabulous read drawing you in at the beginning and keeping you hooked until the end. It had so many twists and is difficult to believe it is a debut, I look forward to reading more from this author.
December 29, 2023
Cleverly plotted, with compelling and believable characters, and so many gripping - and dark - themes. It's hard to find nuanced crime writing which retains pace and grit. The combination of light touch/heavy criticism of sexism within the police forces was especially excellent and never caricatured or patronising.
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