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17 Years Later
SHORTLISTED FOR THE NED KELLY AWARD
SHORLISTED FOR THE NGAIO MARSH AWARD
Is the truth sometimes best left buried? A crime masterpiece by bestselling author J. P. Pomare
The violent slaughter of the wealthy Primrose family while they slept shocked the nation of New Zealand and scarred the small idyllic rural town of Cambridge forever.
All of the evidence pointed to their young live-in chef, Bill Kareama, who was swiftly charged with murder and brought to justice. The brutal crime is now infamous, and Bill a figure of contempt who deserves to rot in jail for life.
Seventeen years later, prison psychologist TK Phillips is fighting for an appeal. He is convinced Bill did not receive a fair trial. When celebrity true-crime podcaster Sloane Abbott takes a sudden interest, it's not long before she uncovers new evidence that could set fire to the prosecution's case.
As TK and Sloane dig deeper into the past, they become tangled in a complex web of danger and deceit. With Bill's innocence far from assured and their own lives at stake, will they risk everything to unearth the truth, or leave it buried for good?
SHORLISTED FOR THE NGAIO MARSH AWARD
Is the truth sometimes best left buried? A crime masterpiece by bestselling author J. P. Pomare
The violent slaughter of the wealthy Primrose family while they slept shocked the nation of New Zealand and scarred the small idyllic rural town of Cambridge forever.
All of the evidence pointed to their young live-in chef, Bill Kareama, who was swiftly charged with murder and brought to justice. The brutal crime is now infamous, and Bill a figure of contempt who deserves to rot in jail for life.
Seventeen years later, prison psychologist TK Phillips is fighting for an appeal. He is convinced Bill did not receive a fair trial. When celebrity true-crime podcaster Sloane Abbott takes a sudden interest, it's not long before she uncovers new evidence that could set fire to the prosecution's case.
As TK and Sloane dig deeper into the past, they become tangled in a complex web of danger and deceit. With Bill's innocence far from assured and their own lives at stake, will they risk everything to unearth the truth, or leave it buried for good?
384 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2024
184 people are currently reading
5954 people want to read
About the author
J.P. Pomare
12 books1,462 followersJ. P. Pomare is a New Zealand author who lives in Melbourne, Australia.
He is the author of a number of critically acclaimed and best-selling novels including Seventeen Years Later, Tell Me Lies, and The Wrong Woman.
His novel In The Clearing was adapted for the screen as an eight part miniseries by Disney (The Clearing) and The Last Guests (Watching You) has been adapted as a series by Stan.
He is the author of a number of critically acclaimed and best-selling novels including Seventeen Years Later, Tell Me Lies, and The Wrong Woman.
His novel In The Clearing was adapted for the screen as an eight part miniseries by Disney (The Clearing) and The Last Guests (Watching You) has been adapted as a series by Stan.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 562 reviews
September 18, 2024
When true-crime podcaster, Sloane Abbott, had some bias pointed out to her with regard to her podcast Legacy, she realised they were right. And when the brutal murder of a family in New Zealand came on her radar, she was determined to bring it to air. The man who'd been arrested for the murders was in prison, and had been for 17 years. He continued to claim his innocence - but don't all who are guilty do that? Bill's prison psychologist had tried to get a retrial for him, as there was evidence the police didn't do a full investigation. TK Phillips had eventually given up on Bill, but when Sloane approached him, and they both saw Bill at the prison, TK decided to give it one last shot. With Sloane interviewing all the people that she could find, who'd been connected to the Primrose family, it soon became obvious that there were flaws in the police's original investigation...
Oh my goodness! What a brilliant read 17 Years Later is! Aussie/New Zealand author J.P. Pomare kept me guessing and each time I was sure I was right - but I wasn't! I didn't see it coming, that's for sure! Well written characters (even the bad ones) kept me glued to my seat, turning the pages to find out more. This is my first read by this author, and it definitely won't be my last. A perfect thriller, I highly recommend 17 Years Later to fans of the genre.
With thanks to Hachette AU for my ARC to read and review.
Oh my goodness! What a brilliant read 17 Years Later is! Aussie/New Zealand author J.P. Pomare kept me guessing and each time I was sure I was right - but I wasn't! I didn't see it coming, that's for sure! Well written characters (even the bad ones) kept me glued to my seat, turning the pages to find out more. This is my first read by this author, and it definitely won't be my last. A perfect thriller, I highly recommend 17 Years Later to fans of the genre.
With thanks to Hachette AU for my ARC to read and review.
July 14, 2024
I do believe that I have new favourite book from this author, and all his books are just fabulous. 17 Years Later grabbed me right from the start and I struggle to put to down. I took it to the football with me to sneak a few pages in before and in between quarters! I needed to know how it is was going to all play out. So many times I thought I knew but I never have guessed that ending!!
17 years ago, the Primrose family were murdered in their home, in the quiet little town of Cambridge in New Zealand. The family’s chef was arrested a few hours later and has been in prison ever since. Now, Sloane Abbott, host of the hugely popular podcast, Legacy, is looking into the story, believing that Bill Kareama was not given a fair trial. You will not believe what she uncovers.
This book was just so bingeable!! We hear the story from the present day with Sloane investigating and talking to people involved as well as Bill’s from when he started working for the family. We discover that not everything was as it seemed.
Thank you so much to Hachette Australia for sending me this gorgeous ARC to read.
17 years ago, the Primrose family were murdered in their home, in the quiet little town of Cambridge in New Zealand. The family’s chef was arrested a few hours later and has been in prison ever since. Now, Sloane Abbott, host of the hugely popular podcast, Legacy, is looking into the story, believing that Bill Kareama was not given a fair trial. You will not believe what she uncovers.
This book was just so bingeable!! We hear the story from the present day with Sloane investigating and talking to people involved as well as Bill’s from when he started working for the family. We discover that not everything was as it seemed.
Thank you so much to Hachette Australia for sending me this gorgeous ARC to read.
July 30, 2024
Sometimes you just have to sit back and acknowledge superior storytelling when you read it by an author who can orchestrate misdirection with consummate skill. J.P. Pomare has put together a crime thriller that stands head and shoulders above most that I have come across in recent times with 17 Years Later.
The Primrose family has been murdered and Bill Kareama, the family chef, has been convicted and imprisoned for the past 17 years for the crime. All the locals are convinced he’s a murderer but Australian podcaster Sloane Abbott isn’t so sure. She’s travelled to New Zealand in the hopes of putting together content for her wildly successful show, the podcast has successfully overturned decisions in the past. The question sits out there…is Bill a murderer?
The story is told from three different viewpoints and across two time periods. Firstly, the investigation into the old crime is told from Sloane Abbott’s point of view in the present day. Secondly, we get an opinionated narrative from Bill’s psychologist and advocate Te Kuru Phillips (TK), which also takes place in the present day and often in response to interaction with Sloane. Finally, we go back 17 years and jump into Bill’s mind as the events leading up to the murders unfold.
Through Bill’s recollection of events we encounter numerous instances of racism, typical of the prejudice that has long blighted New Zealand. Not all of the Primrose family are pleasant people and we’re given potential motives for Bill to have done what he’s been imprisoned for.
TK describes how torn he was when representing Bill: “I had been seeing Bill for about a year when I realised I had become attached to him and emotionally invested in his case. It wasn’t transference, it was something else. I believed him and not just that, I believed in him.”
Sloane manages to convince TK to help her sort through the evidence she has been able to pick up during her brief investigation. She becomes convinced that the slipshod police work has resulted in a wrongful arrest and imprisonment and can see a blockbuster podcast series in the offing as a result.
This cold case investigation conducted by two amateur investigators is wonderfully plotted and whizzes along at a rapid pace. The guilt of Bill Kareama is placed under question very early on and then the list of possible alternative murderers are carefully presented to create an intriguing web of suspects. And Bill’s never discounted among that list too!
As Sloane and TK carefully unpick the knots that the clues are tied up in, the tension builds and there’s an awareness of a growing danger that both are walking into. TK flies out to the UK and France to continue on his part while Sloane works away in New Zealand. Both seem to be walking straight into life-threatening situations.
There are numerous opportunities for misdirection and thrilling cliffhangers here, and J.P. Pomare doesn’t miss any of them. Now, I'm not normally the type of guy to do this, but the further into the story I got, the more necessary it became to set aside what I was doing and read on to find out how this fantastic crime thriller was going to end.
My thanks to Hachette Australia and NZ via NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC to allow me to read, enjoy and review this book.
The Primrose family has been murdered and Bill Kareama, the family chef, has been convicted and imprisoned for the past 17 years for the crime. All the locals are convinced he’s a murderer but Australian podcaster Sloane Abbott isn’t so sure. She’s travelled to New Zealand in the hopes of putting together content for her wildly successful show, the podcast has successfully overturned decisions in the past. The question sits out there…is Bill a murderer?
The story is told from three different viewpoints and across two time periods. Firstly, the investigation into the old crime is told from Sloane Abbott’s point of view in the present day. Secondly, we get an opinionated narrative from Bill’s psychologist and advocate Te Kuru Phillips (TK), which also takes place in the present day and often in response to interaction with Sloane. Finally, we go back 17 years and jump into Bill’s mind as the events leading up to the murders unfold.
Through Bill’s recollection of events we encounter numerous instances of racism, typical of the prejudice that has long blighted New Zealand. Not all of the Primrose family are pleasant people and we’re given potential motives for Bill to have done what he’s been imprisoned for.
TK describes how torn he was when representing Bill: “I had been seeing Bill for about a year when I realised I had become attached to him and emotionally invested in his case. It wasn’t transference, it was something else. I believed him and not just that, I believed in him.”
Sloane manages to convince TK to help her sort through the evidence she has been able to pick up during her brief investigation. She becomes convinced that the slipshod police work has resulted in a wrongful arrest and imprisonment and can see a blockbuster podcast series in the offing as a result.
This cold case investigation conducted by two amateur investigators is wonderfully plotted and whizzes along at a rapid pace. The guilt of Bill Kareama is placed under question very early on and then the list of possible alternative murderers are carefully presented to create an intriguing web of suspects. And Bill’s never discounted among that list too!
As Sloane and TK carefully unpick the knots that the clues are tied up in, the tension builds and there’s an awareness of a growing danger that both are walking into. TK flies out to the UK and France to continue on his part while Sloane works away in New Zealand. Both seem to be walking straight into life-threatening situations.
There are numerous opportunities for misdirection and thrilling cliffhangers here, and J.P. Pomare doesn’t miss any of them. Now, I'm not normally the type of guy to do this, but the further into the story I got, the more necessary it became to set aside what I was doing and read on to find out how this fantastic crime thriller was going to end.
My thanks to Hachette Australia and NZ via NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC to allow me to read, enjoy and review this book.
October 21, 2025
Bill Kareama is only young when he applies to be a live-in chef for the Primrose family. After being accepted for the job, it doesn’t take long for Bill to settle in and get his own routine going. Preparing and cooking the daily meals, doing a weekly menu, and getting the supplies kept Bill busy, but he enjoyed what he did. Everything was going well, and Bill was getting along with the family until one day, there was a misunderstanding, and Bill was told to leave.
Then the unimaginable and most horrific thing happens and the whole neighbourhood is in total shock and Bill’s life will never be the same again.
This book had me up way past my bedtime then as soon as I woke the next morning at 6 am I immediately picked it up as I just needed to know how this story would end. The last hundred pages had my mind spinning and I was left speechless. Absolutely brilliant writing and I now want to read everything this author has written. I think I’ve just found my new favourite thriller author (sorry Michael Robotham) If you are looking for your next page-turner then I highly suggest you read this book.
Then the unimaginable and most horrific thing happens and the whole neighbourhood is in total shock and Bill’s life will never be the same again.
This book had me up way past my bedtime then as soon as I woke the next morning at 6 am I immediately picked it up as I just needed to know how this story would end. The last hundred pages had my mind spinning and I was left speechless. Absolutely brilliant writing and I now want to read everything this author has written. I think I’ve just found my new favourite thriller author (sorry Michael Robotham) If you are looking for your next page-turner then I highly suggest you read this book.
April 15, 2025
This is the first J. P. Pomare book I’ve read. But I’ll definitely be seeking others out. What a treat to listen to a story where each and every twist and red herring caught me off guard.
First off, it’s a great premise. Sloane Abbott, a true crime podcaster, decides to revisit the murders of a family in New Zealand seventeen years after someone was accused and found guilty of the crime. It appears the man, their chef, wasn’t given a fair trial. Yet, even those closest to him think he was guilty. So, should he get the right to a new trial? She is helped with her research by TK Phillips, Bill’s prison psychologist. This isn’t a fast moving story, but the suspense was palpable throughout. Pomare did a great job of keeping me off balance.
The story is told from the viewpoints of Sloane, TK and Bill with shifting timelines. The characters were equally well defined.
I listened to this and there was a cast of narrators, all of whom did good jobs.
First off, it’s a great premise. Sloane Abbott, a true crime podcaster, decides to revisit the murders of a family in New Zealand seventeen years after someone was accused and found guilty of the crime. It appears the man, their chef, wasn’t given a fair trial. Yet, even those closest to him think he was guilty. So, should he get the right to a new trial? She is helped with her research by TK Phillips, Bill’s prison psychologist. This isn’t a fast moving story, but the suspense was palpable throughout. Pomare did a great job of keeping me off balance.
The story is told from the viewpoints of Sloane, TK and Bill with shifting timelines. The characters were equally well defined.
I listened to this and there was a cast of narrators, all of whom did good jobs.
September 22, 2024
*https://www.instagram.com/mrsb_book_r...
J.P. Pomare has been described as an author who has a high reputation for delivering sophisticated and twist-laden psychological thrillers. I couldn’t agree more, this is exactly how I felt about Pomare’s latest, 17 Years Later. This next release from the New Zealand-born author is by far my most favourite book of his collection. 17 Years Later is also up there in my top five reads of 2024.
J.P. Pomare has been a permanent fixture on my reading agenda since he released his debut in 2018. It is safe to say I was more than looking forward to the publication of 17 Years Later, Pomare’s latest. I loved this book so much, but most of all I found that I connected to the true-crime podcast aspect of 17 Years Later. This added such a great speculative layer to an already fascinating story. It also didn’t detract from the main narrative in any way. The character of Sloane, a true crime podcaster was sensational and I relished my time with her perspective on the situation. Pomare intersects Sloane’s standpoint with the perspectives of Bill Kareama, the charged suspect of the tale, with TK the former prison psychologist of Bill Kareama, along with police transcripts from the case and journal entries from a Primrose family member. These perspectives work in unison, to build a comprehensive and utterly mesmerising read. The suspense level is kept to a taut level, along with the twists, sense of mystery and possible new suspect list. The Primrose family, who are targeted by a violent murderer, are also portrayed extremely well on the page by Pomare. I just love his craft!
The setting of Cambridge New Zealand enhances this story, I valued the touches on local culture, class relations, the economy, travel, the justice system and prejudice. It left me with so much to think about and for once I made sure I read every single word carefully, rather than race ahead!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️5 stars all the way!
J.P. Pomare has been described as an author who has a high reputation for delivering sophisticated and twist-laden psychological thrillers. I couldn’t agree more, this is exactly how I felt about Pomare’s latest, 17 Years Later. This next release from the New Zealand-born author is by far my most favourite book of his collection. 17 Years Later is also up there in my top five reads of 2024.
J.P. Pomare has been a permanent fixture on my reading agenda since he released his debut in 2018. It is safe to say I was more than looking forward to the publication of 17 Years Later, Pomare’s latest. I loved this book so much, but most of all I found that I connected to the true-crime podcast aspect of 17 Years Later. This added such a great speculative layer to an already fascinating story. It also didn’t detract from the main narrative in any way. The character of Sloane, a true crime podcaster was sensational and I relished my time with her perspective on the situation. Pomare intersects Sloane’s standpoint with the perspectives of Bill Kareama, the charged suspect of the tale, with TK the former prison psychologist of Bill Kareama, along with police transcripts from the case and journal entries from a Primrose family member. These perspectives work in unison, to build a comprehensive and utterly mesmerising read. The suspense level is kept to a taut level, along with the twists, sense of mystery and possible new suspect list. The Primrose family, who are targeted by a violent murderer, are also portrayed extremely well on the page by Pomare. I just love his craft!
The setting of Cambridge New Zealand enhances this story, I valued the touches on local culture, class relations, the economy, travel, the justice system and prejudice. It left me with so much to think about and for once I made sure I read every single word carefully, rather than race ahead!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️5 stars all the way!
September 4, 2025
When Aussie journalist and podcaster Sloane Abbott decides to investigate a cold case about the murder of a wealthy family in Cambridge, New Zealand, she is shocked about what she uncovers, Bill Kareama was charged and put in jail seventeen years ago he has never confessed and the more Sloane investigates the more she uncovers, she searches out people who helped over the years and one of them is TK Phillips who started out as Bill’s physiologist who then became his friend and biggest supporter in trying to get Bill a re-trial, together can they find the answers they want and get to the truth of what happened all those years ago?
This is a twisty, fabulous thriller it is a real page turner as Sloane and TK put themselves in danger to get the answers they are searching for, every time I thought I had the answer it changed, who did murder this family if it wasn’t Bill, but was it Bill there are so many flaws in the original investigation it had my spinning, fabulous characters in this one both now and 17 years before, a must read.
This is a story that I would highly recommend to any reader of a great thriller, I loved it from start to finish twisty and awesome.
This is a twisty, fabulous thriller it is a real page turner as Sloane and TK put themselves in danger to get the answers they are searching for, every time I thought I had the answer it changed, who did murder this family if it wasn’t Bill, but was it Bill there are so many flaws in the original investigation it had my spinning, fabulous characters in this one both now and 17 years before, a must read.
This is a story that I would highly recommend to any reader of a great thriller, I loved it from start to finish twisty and awesome.
April 29, 2024
Possibly one of my favourites from JP Pomare and one I will be recommending to everyone. Had me guessing and changing my mind over and over until the very end. Brilliant!
July 31, 2024
⭐️5 Stars⭐️
Twist after twist, what a brilliant crime thriller 17 Years Later was to read! J.P. Pomare will have you turning the pages late into the night, this may be his best novel yet!
In New Zealand, Bill Kareama a young Maori man was hastily convicted of the violent murders of the rich Primrose family seventeen years ago, he was their live-in chef. Bill still claims his innocence to this day seventeen years later. Celebrity true-crime podcaster Sloane Abbott is looking into this old case, she feels it’s still a huge story and will search for the truth……what happened to the Primrose family and is Bill innocent?
As Sloane reinvestigates the case it becomes so suspenseful as we’re taken back in time to learn about the characters of the Primrose family and their secrets as she uncovers new evidence working alongside the man that was once Bill’s prison psychologist TK Phillips.
This will have you guessing until the conclusion, absolutely brilliant writing, shady characters and expert plotting. I think this book will score the author many new fans.
Publication Date 31 July 2024
Publisher Hachette Australia
Thank you so much to the lovely team Good Reading magazine & Hachette Australia for giving me the opportunity to win an advanced copy of the book.
Twist after twist, what a brilliant crime thriller 17 Years Later was to read! J.P. Pomare will have you turning the pages late into the night, this may be his best novel yet!
In New Zealand, Bill Kareama a young Maori man was hastily convicted of the violent murders of the rich Primrose family seventeen years ago, he was their live-in chef. Bill still claims his innocence to this day seventeen years later. Celebrity true-crime podcaster Sloane Abbott is looking into this old case, she feels it’s still a huge story and will search for the truth……what happened to the Primrose family and is Bill innocent?
As Sloane reinvestigates the case it becomes so suspenseful as we’re taken back in time to learn about the characters of the Primrose family and their secrets as she uncovers new evidence working alongside the man that was once Bill’s prison psychologist TK Phillips.
This will have you guessing until the conclusion, absolutely brilliant writing, shady characters and expert plotting. I think this book will score the author many new fans.
Publication Date 31 July 2024
Publisher Hachette Australia
Thank you so much to the lovely team Good Reading magazine & Hachette Australia for giving me the opportunity to win an advanced copy of the book.
August 4, 2024
The characterisation was pretty good, the timelines were clear, the pacing was a little uneven but mostly okay… 17 Years Later is fine, an adequate choice for a flight or a quiet afternoon on holiday, but it’s far from Pomare’s best.
My full review of 17 Years Later is up now on Keeping Up With The Penguins.
My full review of 17 Years Later is up now on Keeping Up With The Penguins.
February 16, 2026
17 Years Later by J.P. Pomare
Synopsis /
The violent slaughter of the wealthy Primrose family while they slept shocked the nation of New Zealand and scarred the small idyllic rural town of Cambridge forever.
All of the evidence pointed to their young live-in chef, Bill Ruatara, who was swiftly charged with murder and brought to justice. The brutal crime is now infamous, and Bill a figure of contempt who deserves to rot in jail for life.
Seventeen years later, prison psychologist TK Phillips is fighting for an appeal. He is convinced Bill did not receive a fair trial. When celebrity true-crime podcaster Sloane Abbott takes a sudden interest, it's not long before she uncovers new evidence that could set fire to the prosecution's case.
As TK and Sloane dig deeper into the past, they become tangled in a complex web of danger and deceit. With Bill's innocence far from assured and their own lives at stake, will they risk everything to unearth the truth, or leave it buried for good?
My Thoughts /
I quite enjoy spending time watching a good true crime documentary or listening to a well researched true crime podcast. I remember one of my favourites going back as far as 2014 – Serial Productions and The New York Times: 'The Case Against Adnan Syed' by Sarah Koenig. In Baltimore, 1999 - Hae Min Lee, a popular high-school senior, disappears after school one day. Six weeks later detectives arrest her classmate and ex-boyfriend, Adnan Syed, for her murder. He says he's innocent - though he can't exactly remember what he was doing on that January afternoon. But someone can. A classmate at Woodlawn High School says she knows where Adnan was. The trouble is, she’s nowhere to be found. By highlighting flaws in the prosecution’s timeline, weak cell tower evidence, and ineffective defence, Koenig cast doubt on the verdict, driving intense public interest and eventual legal action, including his 2022 release and ongoing, complex appeals.
This is my first read by Pomare, but by no means my last. Another reviewer wrote: J.P. Pomare has fast become our king of the thriller twist - an innately gifted writer who has proven through six previous novels the ability to upend even a canny reader’s expectations in the final chapters. If you think you’ve figured out who did it in a Pomare novel, well sorry, but you’re probably wrong. Oooh – is that a challenge??? Well, yeah guys, I failed that one – I didn't figure it out. My thoughts all went down a certain road, only to have the rug pulled out from under my feet in the final stretch. Did I mind? Not in the least, as the twists and turns in this plot ensured that the ending was unveiled only at the very end – and there was not a cliff-hanger in sight!
In 17 Years Later, author J.P. Pomare has written a story that centres on the violent murder of the wealthy Primrose family in their New Zealand home 17 years prior, a crime for which their young live-in chef, Bill Kareama, was convicted. Kareama never admitted guilt and there was serious evidence to suggest he never received a "fair" trial.
The narrative follows true-crime podcaster Sloane Abbott and former prison psychologist TK Phillips as they reinvestigate the cold case, uncovering new evidence and long-buried secrets that cast doubt on Kareama's guilt.
I spent three years of my life trying to figure out what really happened and concluded that two facts should have created reasonable doubt: One, Bill Kareama has experienced lifelong severe asthma. Two, Bill Kareama did not have an inhaler on the night of the murders.
One of the things I found most engaging about this narrative was reading this story through the eyes of Bill; remembering that Bill is currently serving a prison sentence for killing the entire Primrose family. Yet, the reader is never really 100% sure he killed the family, because that is what is being questioned by true-crime podcaster Sloane Abbott. Using Abbott's perspective, the author has us empathising with Bill, even liking him as a character. The reader comes to understand from what Abbott's research uncovers is that Bill has been treated poorly by the judicial system. We come to see how much he has sacrificed to work for the Primrose family and yet – (as she points out) he could very well be the killer.
The author has crafted well-drawn characters, and their likeability, even when – especially when they are flawed brings about a more relatable and believable realistic aspect to them. Readers just love to hate a flawed character.
As Sloane and TK move closer and closer to discovering exactly what happened on that fateful night seventeen years before, whatever assumptions that you, the reader, has made up to this point can be discarded, because as someone before me said If you think you’ve figured out who did it in a Pomare novel, well sorry, but you’re probably wrong.
Synopsis /
The violent slaughter of the wealthy Primrose family while they slept shocked the nation of New Zealand and scarred the small idyllic rural town of Cambridge forever.
All of the evidence pointed to their young live-in chef, Bill Ruatara, who was swiftly charged with murder and brought to justice. The brutal crime is now infamous, and Bill a figure of contempt who deserves to rot in jail for life.
Seventeen years later, prison psychologist TK Phillips is fighting for an appeal. He is convinced Bill did not receive a fair trial. When celebrity true-crime podcaster Sloane Abbott takes a sudden interest, it's not long before she uncovers new evidence that could set fire to the prosecution's case.
As TK and Sloane dig deeper into the past, they become tangled in a complex web of danger and deceit. With Bill's innocence far from assured and their own lives at stake, will they risk everything to unearth the truth, or leave it buried for good?
My Thoughts /
I quite enjoy spending time watching a good true crime documentary or listening to a well researched true crime podcast. I remember one of my favourites going back as far as 2014 – Serial Productions and The New York Times: 'The Case Against Adnan Syed' by Sarah Koenig. In Baltimore, 1999 - Hae Min Lee, a popular high-school senior, disappears after school one day. Six weeks later detectives arrest her classmate and ex-boyfriend, Adnan Syed, for her murder. He says he's innocent - though he can't exactly remember what he was doing on that January afternoon. But someone can. A classmate at Woodlawn High School says she knows where Adnan was. The trouble is, she’s nowhere to be found. By highlighting flaws in the prosecution’s timeline, weak cell tower evidence, and ineffective defence, Koenig cast doubt on the verdict, driving intense public interest and eventual legal action, including his 2022 release and ongoing, complex appeals.
This is my first read by Pomare, but by no means my last. Another reviewer wrote: J.P. Pomare has fast become our king of the thriller twist - an innately gifted writer who has proven through six previous novels the ability to upend even a canny reader’s expectations in the final chapters. If you think you’ve figured out who did it in a Pomare novel, well sorry, but you’re probably wrong. Oooh – is that a challenge??? Well, yeah guys, I failed that one – I didn't figure it out. My thoughts all went down a certain road, only to have the rug pulled out from under my feet in the final stretch. Did I mind? Not in the least, as the twists and turns in this plot ensured that the ending was unveiled only at the very end – and there was not a cliff-hanger in sight!
In 17 Years Later, author J.P. Pomare has written a story that centres on the violent murder of the wealthy Primrose family in their New Zealand home 17 years prior, a crime for which their young live-in chef, Bill Kareama, was convicted. Kareama never admitted guilt and there was serious evidence to suggest he never received a "fair" trial.
The narrative follows true-crime podcaster Sloane Abbott and former prison psychologist TK Phillips as they reinvestigate the cold case, uncovering new evidence and long-buried secrets that cast doubt on Kareama's guilt.
I spent three years of my life trying to figure out what really happened and concluded that two facts should have created reasonable doubt: One, Bill Kareama has experienced lifelong severe asthma. Two, Bill Kareama did not have an inhaler on the night of the murders.
One of the things I found most engaging about this narrative was reading this story through the eyes of Bill; remembering that Bill is currently serving a prison sentence for killing the entire Primrose family. Yet, the reader is never really 100% sure he killed the family, because that is what is being questioned by true-crime podcaster Sloane Abbott. Using Abbott's perspective, the author has us empathising with Bill, even liking him as a character. The reader comes to understand from what Abbott's research uncovers is that Bill has been treated poorly by the judicial system. We come to see how much he has sacrificed to work for the Primrose family and yet – (as she points out) he could very well be the killer.
The author has crafted well-drawn characters, and their likeability, even when – especially when they are flawed brings about a more relatable and believable realistic aspect to them. Readers just love to hate a flawed character.
As Sloane and TK move closer and closer to discovering exactly what happened on that fateful night seventeen years before, whatever assumptions that you, the reader, has made up to this point can be discarded, because as someone before me said If you think you’ve figured out who did it in a Pomare novel, well sorry, but you’re probably wrong.
February 13, 2025
This author is always a go-to for me as I've enjoyed all of his books. This one is another great and entertaining read. The storyline features true-crime podcast presenter Sloane who is looking into the murders of the Primrose family 17 years prior. Their private chef Bill was convicted of the crime but has never admitted guilt and some felt he never got a fair trial. With the support of Bill's previous prison psychologist TK, Sloane digs into the past and uncovers things are not what they seem. I enjoyed that the timeline switched between the present and the events leading up to the murders from Bill's perspective; it made for a tension-filled read. The slight criticism I would have, and it is slight, is that I thought the ending felt a bit rushed and there was a couple of things that weren't fully clarified or explained.
Overall: a gripping crime thriller that was highly entertaining, I recommend to binge read it if you can.
Overall: a gripping crime thriller that was highly entertaining, I recommend to binge read it if you can.
August 5, 2024
17 Years Later is the seventh novel by award-winning, best-selling New Zealand-born Australian-resident author, J P Pomare. The audio version is narrated by Eva Seymour, Gareth Reeves and Tyrone Ngatai. While, up to now, the podcast subjects of Gold Walkley award-winning Melbourne podcaster Sloane Abbott have been white females, a critical online comment has her considering, for their next podcast, a mass killing in Cambridge, New Zealand. Seventeen years earlier, all four members of the Primrose family were brutally stabbed, and their recently-dismissed private chef, Bill Kareama was sentenced to twenty-five years in prison for the murders.
But did he get a fair trial?
Bill was seen by neighbours, fleeing from the Primrose mansion with dark stains on his clothing, but he claimed to have discovered the bodies and panicked when he heard sirens. A discrepancy in the timing caught on CCTV, and the absence of an asthma inhaler should have put some doubt on his guilt but was dismissed during the trial. And while several of his actions immediately afterwards seem incriminating, his arrest and conviction following coercive interview techniques and without further investigation raise questions that Sloane would like to explore.
Sloane’s assistant manages to get the current owners to let her see the mansion, which leads to some new information, and she is able to speak to others with some personal knowledge of Bill or the Primrose family, but she faces setbacks: several of those she speaks to refuse to be recorded for the podcast, and her hire car is stolen.
Bill Kareama, an inmate of Waikeria Prison, will only talk to her if the former prison psychologist, Te Kuru Phillips accompanies her. TK gave up his job to spend years advocating for Bill, but his attitude has since changed. He reluctantly facilitates the meeting, and finds himself agreeing to one last favour for Bill.
The story is told over two timelines, with Bill’s (perhaps not entirely reliable) narrative relating what happened in the weeks leading up to the stabbings, while Sloane details events in the present day, and TK’s contribution is set in the present day but refers back to the aftermath of the murders. Pomare keeps the reader guessing about certain details, throws in a bunch of red herrings, twist and turns that will keep even the most astute reader guessing. Excellent Kiwi crime fiction.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Hachette Australia Audio.
But did he get a fair trial?
Bill was seen by neighbours, fleeing from the Primrose mansion with dark stains on his clothing, but he claimed to have discovered the bodies and panicked when he heard sirens. A discrepancy in the timing caught on CCTV, and the absence of an asthma inhaler should have put some doubt on his guilt but was dismissed during the trial. And while several of his actions immediately afterwards seem incriminating, his arrest and conviction following coercive interview techniques and without further investigation raise questions that Sloane would like to explore.
Sloane’s assistant manages to get the current owners to let her see the mansion, which leads to some new information, and she is able to speak to others with some personal knowledge of Bill or the Primrose family, but she faces setbacks: several of those she speaks to refuse to be recorded for the podcast, and her hire car is stolen.
Bill Kareama, an inmate of Waikeria Prison, will only talk to her if the former prison psychologist, Te Kuru Phillips accompanies her. TK gave up his job to spend years advocating for Bill, but his attitude has since changed. He reluctantly facilitates the meeting, and finds himself agreeing to one last favour for Bill.
The story is told over two timelines, with Bill’s (perhaps not entirely reliable) narrative relating what happened in the weeks leading up to the stabbings, while Sloane details events in the present day, and TK’s contribution is set in the present day but refers back to the aftermath of the murders. Pomare keeps the reader guessing about certain details, throws in a bunch of red herrings, twist and turns that will keep even the most astute reader guessing. Excellent Kiwi crime fiction.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Hachette Australia Audio.
January 18, 2025
I thought I was so smug for guessing the twist early - turns out I had no idea what was going on lol
July 31, 2024
Small town affluent Cambridge, NZ. Beautiful leafy street, known for thoroughbred horse studs.
In this close knit community everyone knows what happened 17 years ago the Primrose Family where brutally murdered in their home.
Within hours the family chef Bill was arrested and has been locked in prison ever since.
Enter Sloane Abbott, she runs a popular True-crime podcast. Shes looked into the Primrose murders , convinced Bill Kareama wasn't given a fair trial. She reaches out to help with an appeal.
We follow along, as Sloane uncovers new evidence .. with the help of TK the Prison Psychologist they get closer to finding out what really happened that fateful night. What they uncover, I was gobsmacked. Im not saying anymore, its best to go in blind.... the character development was on point, I was invested on the journey to uncover the truth. By far his best book IMO.
Thanks so much to the lovely team at Hachette Australia for my copy of this book. Its published today across Australia. Do yourself a favour, thriller/mystery lovers.... go pick this gem up
In this close knit community everyone knows what happened 17 years ago the Primrose Family where brutally murdered in their home.
Within hours the family chef Bill was arrested and has been locked in prison ever since.
Enter Sloane Abbott, she runs a popular True-crime podcast. Shes looked into the Primrose murders , convinced Bill Kareama wasn't given a fair trial. She reaches out to help with an appeal.
We follow along, as Sloane uncovers new evidence .. with the help of TK the Prison Psychologist they get closer to finding out what really happened that fateful night. What they uncover, I was gobsmacked. Im not saying anymore, its best to go in blind.... the character development was on point, I was invested on the journey to uncover the truth. By far his best book IMO.
Thanks so much to the lovely team at Hachette Australia for my copy of this book. Its published today across Australia. Do yourself a favour, thriller/mystery lovers.... go pick this gem up
August 29, 2024
As the title suggests this book is about murders that happened 17 years earlier. Sloane hosts a true crime podcast and is investigating the Primrose murders, where a posh English family that had moved to Cambridge, NZ were found stabbed to death in their beds and their Maori chef, Bill who protested his innocence was sent to jail for the crimes. The story shifts point of view between the characters in the present and Bills account of what happened. Like many books from this genre, I found the characters to be the least convincing part of the book and it’s not till the last third or so where all the threads of the plot come together and the red herrings fall away, and the book becomes difficult to put down.
June 22, 2024
This is the best crime thriller I’ve read in a long time! Wow! What a fantastic read!!
This story is set in a small town in New Zealand with a dual timeline, present time and 17 years ago. The Primrose family is killed, but who really killed them? Was it the chef? Will this famous podcaster find out the truth? Incredible!
The family is odd, some of the family members are quite unpleasant and in no time it’s very easy to dislike them. As the podcaster, Sloane, looked into this case, more suspects popped up, the scenarios kept changing and I was always changing my mind too. It was wild!
The tension and plotting is magnificent!! So many twists and turns, I was completely hooked and totally absorbed by this case, I found myself thinking about it when I wasn’t reading it, trying to work it out.
I loved how intense it was, and not just at the end. There were multiple heart racing, can’t breathe moments! It’s everything I love in a crime thriller, fast paced, unputdownable, page turning, crazy thought processes and a wow ending. That epilogue hit me hard too!
Give me more JP! This was the best!
Thank you @netgalley and @hachette for providing me with an early copy.
This story is set in a small town in New Zealand with a dual timeline, present time and 17 years ago. The Primrose family is killed, but who really killed them? Was it the chef? Will this famous podcaster find out the truth? Incredible!
The family is odd, some of the family members are quite unpleasant and in no time it’s very easy to dislike them. As the podcaster, Sloane, looked into this case, more suspects popped up, the scenarios kept changing and I was always changing my mind too. It was wild!
The tension and plotting is magnificent!! So many twists and turns, I was completely hooked and totally absorbed by this case, I found myself thinking about it when I wasn’t reading it, trying to work it out.
I loved how intense it was, and not just at the end. There were multiple heart racing, can’t breathe moments! It’s everything I love in a crime thriller, fast paced, unputdownable, page turning, crazy thought processes and a wow ending. That epilogue hit me hard too!
Give me more JP! This was the best!
Thank you @netgalley and @hachette for providing me with an early copy.
November 5, 2024
3.5 Stars
A pod caster named Sloan is working on a case.
A young man was imprisoned for a crime he may not of committed.
The story goes from the events leading up to the murders in the past.
Bill worked as a chef for a family in New Zealand. He was blamed for the murders.
Not a bad thriller
A pod caster named Sloan is working on a case.
A young man was imprisoned for a crime he may not of committed.
The story goes from the events leading up to the murders in the past.
Bill worked as a chef for a family in New Zealand. He was blamed for the murders.
Not a bad thriller
August 5, 2024
Thank you Hachette for sending us a copy to read and review.
Melbourne based thriller author J.P. Pomare explodes back into your reading pile with a clever, well written and sharp tale.
A book you will read way past your bedtime just to get answers to your probing questions.
The wealthy Primrose family were murdered seventeen years ago in the peaceful town of Cambridge in New Zealand.
Bill, the private chef was arrested not long after and sentenced to life imprisonment.
He has always claimed to be innocent but all the evidence points to him.
Legacy podcaster host, Sloane Abbott entices former prison psychologist TK Philips back to get answers she believes have been missed in the original investigation.
But what she uncovers is shocking, dangerous and ultimately terrifying…….
J.P has executed, delighted, thrilled, polished and succeeded with his current work.
With an inviting premise, a strong storyline, a cast of complex characters and an eerie setting, this latest blockbuster will become an instant hit.
Let’s pray to the TV gods and we get another adaptation of his books.
Pay attention to the clues, get your detective hat on and solve the mystery of the Primrose family, I’m guessing you will get it wrong and then be surprised with the actual plot twist.
Melbourne based thriller author J.P. Pomare explodes back into your reading pile with a clever, well written and sharp tale.
A book you will read way past your bedtime just to get answers to your probing questions.
The wealthy Primrose family were murdered seventeen years ago in the peaceful town of Cambridge in New Zealand.
Bill, the private chef was arrested not long after and sentenced to life imprisonment.
He has always claimed to be innocent but all the evidence points to him.
Legacy podcaster host, Sloane Abbott entices former prison psychologist TK Philips back to get answers she believes have been missed in the original investigation.
But what she uncovers is shocking, dangerous and ultimately terrifying…….
J.P has executed, delighted, thrilled, polished and succeeded with his current work.
With an inviting premise, a strong storyline, a cast of complex characters and an eerie setting, this latest blockbuster will become an instant hit.
Let’s pray to the TV gods and we get another adaptation of his books.
Pay attention to the clues, get your detective hat on and solve the mystery of the Primrose family, I’m guessing you will get it wrong and then be surprised with the actual plot twist.
June 14, 2024
Oh J.P. You've done it again!!!!
Reading this book is like driving up a mountain, in the dark. You follow the twists and turns, suddenly, a car is upon you and everything is lit up. Fantastic, you know where the book is going, you can see it, finally. Then the car passes you by and you are in the dark once more trying to work out what is going on. When you finally reach the summit, the truth is revealed. Who's mind even went there? I know mine didn't. This was the only way I could think to describe how twisty this book really is.
17 Years Later jumps between the now and 17 years ago as we try to retrace what happened to the Primrose family. A podcaster starts searching for the truth - is the criminal in prison for the murders innocent? Is he guilty but suffered a miscarriage of justice through the court system? What will it cost our podcaster and her team in their hunt for the truth?
Reading this book is like driving up a mountain, in the dark. You follow the twists and turns, suddenly, a car is upon you and everything is lit up. Fantastic, you know where the book is going, you can see it, finally. Then the car passes you by and you are in the dark once more trying to work out what is going on. When you finally reach the summit, the truth is revealed. Who's mind even went there? I know mine didn't. This was the only way I could think to describe how twisty this book really is.
17 Years Later jumps between the now and 17 years ago as we try to retrace what happened to the Primrose family. A podcaster starts searching for the truth - is the criminal in prison for the murders innocent? Is he guilty but suffered a miscarriage of justice through the court system? What will it cost our podcaster and her team in their hunt for the truth?
September 27, 2024
Did Bill Kareama, the young live-in chef of the wealthy Primrose family, kill his employees in cold blood?
The resounding answer is yes, sending Bill to his incarceration.
Yet, to this day, Bill maintains his innocence. But who's going to believe a convicted criminal? Prison psychologist, TK Phillips attempted a retrial with no success. Something came up in his investigation to prove Bill's guilt, now TK doesn't want anything to do with him.
Recently, award winning journalist and podcaster Sloane Abbott has been called out on bias. And she agrees. The infamous Primrose case has been on her radar for awhile and a further look concludes that there were inconsistencies with the original police investigation.
So, off to Cambridge, New Zealand Sloane goes, immediately hitting the ground running. If there's something she's brilliant at, it's digging out the truth. But is she actually prepared for the cover ups, lies and secrets that come out of the woodwork?
To say that this was twisted would be an understatement. 17 Years Later is crazy, compelling, gripping, intense and absolutely unhinged. It's one heck of a wild ride. Those involved could ALL have a motive, not just Bill, as you'll soon learn from the account of events.
I just couldn't figure it out, so it was a shock when everything unravelled...
What struck me the most was how quiescently Kiwi this was. The culture. The food. The setting ... Mwah.
Move over In The Clearing, as I now have a new favourite J.P novel!
5 🌟
The resounding answer is yes, sending Bill to his incarceration.
Yet, to this day, Bill maintains his innocence. But who's going to believe a convicted criminal? Prison psychologist, TK Phillips attempted a retrial with no success. Something came up in his investigation to prove Bill's guilt, now TK doesn't want anything to do with him.
Recently, award winning journalist and podcaster Sloane Abbott has been called out on bias. And she agrees. The infamous Primrose case has been on her radar for awhile and a further look concludes that there were inconsistencies with the original police investigation.
So, off to Cambridge, New Zealand Sloane goes, immediately hitting the ground running. If there's something she's brilliant at, it's digging out the truth. But is she actually prepared for the cover ups, lies and secrets that come out of the woodwork?
To say that this was twisted would be an understatement. 17 Years Later is crazy, compelling, gripping, intense and absolutely unhinged. It's one heck of a wild ride. Those involved could ALL have a motive, not just Bill, as you'll soon learn from the account of events.
I just couldn't figure it out, so it was a shock when everything unravelled...
What struck me the most was how quiescently Kiwi this was. The culture. The food. The setting ... Mwah.
Move over In The Clearing, as I now have a new favourite J.P novel!
5 🌟
December 10, 2024
Was a Māori man not given a fair trial for the murders of the white people that employed him? Interesting story about morals & ethics. Seventeen years after his trial a podcaster investigates.
Would have been a solid 5 stars if not for the bait & switch of the killer reveal. That was disappointing. (Especially if you’ve read Jane Harper’s The Dry!)
I just didn’t buy into the ending conclusion, after so many other more credible conclusions had been examined. It felt like a cheap trick.
I enjoyed the book until it became unbelievable at the end. I’m supposed to believe the school principal (barely in the story) slaughtered an entire family in cold blood?
The Ngaio Marsh novel reference also didn’t make sense when the killer is revealed. I assumed that was there because Elle was the killer. Giving how much her character was examined, that could have been believable.
The Principal being the killer in The Dry makes sense because he’s ALWAYS present in the story. He keeps coming back and yet he seems so innocent. The reveal works because of the classic mystery question: Why is he in the story?
The principal reveal doesn’t work here, because he wasn’t in the story. And a very weak motive for killing an entire family.
Would have been a solid 5 stars if not for the bait & switch of the killer reveal. That was disappointing. (Especially if you’ve read Jane Harper’s The Dry!)
I just didn’t buy into the ending conclusion, after so many other more credible conclusions had been examined. It felt like a cheap trick.
I enjoyed the book until it became unbelievable at the end. I’m supposed to believe the school principal (barely in the story) slaughtered an entire family in cold blood?
The Ngaio Marsh novel reference also didn’t make sense when the killer is revealed. I assumed that was there because Elle was the killer. Giving how much her character was examined, that could have been believable.
The Principal being the killer in The Dry makes sense because he’s ALWAYS present in the story. He keeps coming back and yet he seems so innocent. The reveal works because of the classic mystery question: Why is he in the story?
The principal reveal doesn’t work here, because he wasn’t in the story. And a very weak motive for killing an entire family.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 12, 2024
Superb transcontinental mystery that left so many red herrings I feel like I’ve just feasted at a seafood buffet.
The tone of this book was set pretty early on. From just the blurb the reader knows they’re getting a gruesome murder, a true crime podcaster, and a doozy of a case with more holes in it than Swiss cheese.
I liked the narrative structure - 2 present and one written account of the past - and I liked how widespread the story was. Nothing, not even vicious crimes - happen in a vacuum. There are many moving parts and though some of those parts seemed a little eye-rolling, it worked as a whole.
Chalk up yet another fantastic book from a guy who’s become an auto-read for me.
Thank you to J.P. Pomare, Hachette Australia & New Zealand and NetGalley for an arc of this book.
The tone of this book was set pretty early on. From just the blurb the reader knows they’re getting a gruesome murder, a true crime podcaster, and a doozy of a case with more holes in it than Swiss cheese.
I liked the narrative structure - 2 present and one written account of the past - and I liked how widespread the story was. Nothing, not even vicious crimes - happen in a vacuum. There are many moving parts and though some of those parts seemed a little eye-rolling, it worked as a whole.
Chalk up yet another fantastic book from a guy who’s become an auto-read for me.
Thank you to J.P. Pomare, Hachette Australia & New Zealand and NetGalley for an arc of this book.
August 23, 2024
Edit: A year later and I have finally read it! Well worth the wait and is a solid 5 stars!
Bill is a young Maori Private chef in New Zealand working for an ex-pat British family.
Each member of the family is found stabbed just a day after he is fired and he is immediately arrested and sent to prison.
After 17 years, time in which he has been consistent in protesting his innocence, his prison physiologist and an Australian podcaster team up with the hopes of possibly getting a retrial or having him released.
They believe there were inconsistencies in the case; all the while acknowledging it's possible Bill is in fact guilty
First 100 pages featured in Home Before Night and it's got me hooked (longest sneak peek I've ever read hence the rating).
Understandably a bit of a wait for this one (2024) but I hope it's worth it. Will adjust review (if needed) post reading.
Bill is a young Maori Private chef in New Zealand working for an ex-pat British family.
Each member of the family is found stabbed just a day after he is fired and he is immediately arrested and sent to prison.
After 17 years, time in which he has been consistent in protesting his innocence, his prison physiologist and an Australian podcaster team up with the hopes of possibly getting a retrial or having him released.
They believe there were inconsistencies in the case; all the while acknowledging it's possible Bill is in fact guilty
First 100 pages featured in Home Before Night and it's got me hooked (longest sneak peek I've ever read hence the rating).
Understandably a bit of a wait for this one (2024) but I hope it's worth it. Will adjust review (if needed) post reading.
August 3, 2024
My favourite yet. Kept me guessing until the very end. Every little detail was so carefully chosen, he wrote his characters with such heart and depth. Absolutely ate this up! I want to read it again right now to pick up on even more clues and details.
December 31, 2024
That epilogue 😭😭
September 7, 2024
this well written story has
enough skill, creativity and
brilliant social commentary
to make its violence sound
as adrenalinic as bleak. ♡
enough skill, creativity and
brilliant social commentary
to make its violence sound
as adrenalinic as bleak. ♡
August 23, 2024
Excellent whodunnit. It's written from 3 perspectives (two present day and one 17 years earlier) but mainly from the perspective of a true crime podcaster making a new series.
September 26, 2024
Bloody loved this! I’ve read all of JP Pomare’s books and I think he’s such a great mystery/thriller writer! This one is crime fiction where a famous podcaster revisits a closed case of NZ family murders. The case was open and shut (and unfairly trialled) 17 years ago but towards the end of Sloane’s investigation literally everyone was a suspect and I was totally bought in. So much tension towards the end it was fantastic
May 30, 2024
Oh my GOD, this book is incredible!! Kept me guessing until the very end! If I could give it more stars I would! Wow wow wow, a MUST read!
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