A True Crime

by Charlotte Barnes

Revisiting the past threatens a woman’s future, in a stunning new thriller by the author of The Good Child.

Sally is about to launch her highly anticipated true crime book, which recounts the unsolved, long-ago abduction she survived—and her best friend did not. Despite the risks and the intense publicity she’ll have to deal with, she’s determined to tell her story.

Then Sally receives a note amid a barrage of fan mail—someone knows her true crime book is not the whole truth. Someone knows there’s something she didn’t reveal in those pages. But who are they? What did they witness? And what do they want with her after all these years?

Genres: Thriller

340 pages, Paperback

First published January 16, 2024

Reviews

[Abbie Konnick · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had a really hard time getting into this one..Lots of potential, but the story just never pulled me in like I wanted it to

[Ceecee · Rating 3 out of 5]

The premise is good but the start is slow and as a result I never fully connect with the novel. It improves significantly from about 40% and there are some unexpected twists and turns. Overall, though it can’t gain more than three stars from me because of the beginning. Not sure I’ll read this author again tbh.

[Mrs. Read · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am happy for Charlotte Barnes that so many people liked her book. I am happy for all those people who enjoyed reading A True Crime. Unhappily for me, I was not part of this crowd. As a matter of principle I regard as manipulative books that use what I call SAP - Something Awful in the Past - as a teaser to keep the reader hooked. In these books the protagonist (almost always a woman) who is hiding/has forgotten/dreamt the Awful thing starts getting ominous letters/photographs/fortune cookies from someone who knows much more about the SAP than the reader does. This process goes on and on til the revelation at the book’s end, but I never learn who did what to whom because I stop reading at the first anonymous message - in the case of A True Crime, 30% through. If you like that sort of thing you’re in the majority.

[Zoe Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a bit hit and miss for me, storyline was great, enjoyed the twists and turns but I had some bugbears with the writing, two words were constantly repeated - watercolour and oscillating and it really began to grate on me as the story progressed.

Sally prober was kidnapped with her best friend Emma as a child and only sally made it home, she has wrote a true crime book about her experiences and is embarking on a book tour but it seems someone knows something about what happened when she was taken and is threatening to expose sally.

The ending was really good, I found the first half quite drawn out but things really picked up from halfway through and the character developments were strong too.

[Marija · Rating 4 out of 5]

The premise of the story and the twists and turns in it kept my attention and in a quest to find out more until the end. The writing style of this, for me, new author is good and I will look into her previous and future books too.
Thank you Bloodhound for allowing me to read the Advanced Reading Copy of this book.

[Chelsey Esliger · Rating 2 out of 5]

This storyline had so much potential to be good but it sadly disappointed. A dull “thriller” and an abrupt ending that left me with so many unanswered questions. Also, why does the author like the word watercolour so much?

[Keely · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Aileen Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fantastic writing, but I feel like I've missed something. Have you ever watched a film and snoozed off, but when you wake up, you can follow the plot but feel like you missed an important part. That's how I feel - it's more about me than the book, though. I've read a number of Charlotte's books and love the way she writes. She draws you in with the characters, and she is a great wordsmith. Don't let my blip be a reason for you to not pick up this book.

[Sallie Greenhalgh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sally Prober has just released her first book - a true crime novel telling the story of her kidnap as a teenager with her best friend Emma. Sadly Emma didn’t survive the ordeal. Now Sally is supported by her partner, Lena, dog, Birdy, agent, Duke and her parents as the book is promoted and leaps to the top of the charts. But Sally is struggling with the truth and then she and her parents start to receive notes suggesting the truth of the book will be outed.
I loved the premise of this book and there were a number of unexpected twists and turns along the way which kept me wanting to find out more. It’s not my favourite book by Charlotte Barnes but is still a really good read and I did not expect the plot turn in the last two pages!

I was given an ARC of this book but all views expressed are my own.

[Susan Blissett · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an excellent thriller which kept me entertained throughout. The style of writing is chatty, humourous and uses some interesting descriptions of thoughts and places to make you feel like you are there yourself. I was keen to find out what would happen in this story and even though I guessed something that did emerge, it was still thrilling and exciting to read about. The characters were well-thought out and had interesting personalities too.

I received an ARC from BloodHound Books for an honest review, thank you, and all thoughts are my own.

[Bev · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not sure what I was expecting from this story, but this wasn't it. Sally is having 'issues' dealing with her new book, survivor's guilt? Maybe. But it is her girlfriend that is trying to help her move on with her life and enjoy the fame that the book is bringing. But someone doesn't want that. Someone thinks they know something no one else does. I really was not expecting the way the book ended, and not really sure it ended the way it did. Good job. Definitely messing with my mind. I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book.

[Rosie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel a little mean only giving this two stars because the first 50% or so I really genuinely enjoyed and would give parts of 4 stars or higher, but after the initial plot twist reveal, this book started to go quickly downhill for me. The final 15% or so felt so rushed and cobbled together, with the very ending leaving me with such a bitter taste of disappointment that my gut instinct won out. It’s a shame. The writing is, in a lot of areas, really lovely, though there’s a lot of reuse of the same couple of words. The character work is good. The plot just let this one down for me.

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the onset I felt there was more to Sally. Yes she had been through a lot but I found her a little too needy… annoying at times too. I found it hard to connect to her, though I did feel sorry for her.
Sally has written a book based on her ordeal. My first thought was how brave she must be but then I started thinking what has she missed out. The book starts off slow, but gradually builds up the tension. Once the notes start turning up things start taking a turn. I powered through these parts, eagerly hanging on the turns speeding towards the finale. Towards the end I was starting to get concerned that there wasn’t enough pages to finish the story. For me, the ending finished too abruptly. I was left thinking ‘was that it!’ Yes the ending is fitting but not one I wanted—we don’t always get what we want!

The author has written this exceptionally well. The mix of conversation and Sally’s thoughts work perfectly. Her thoughts pulls the reader from reality, sometimes briefly, other times left drifting deeper in her past, but with a snap someone’s speech pulls you back to the present. The author’s speech is her strong point, it’s lifelike, the back and forth of the speech bounce well, each character has their own unique style.

Yes, I do recommend this psychological thriller. If I had connected to Sally and enjoyed the ending more I most definitely would have given this book 5 stars.

Thanks to Bloodhound Books for the ARC

[Danny Matheson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This author has a knack of drawing the reader in and this book is no different. Sally Pober has written a book about being kidnapped alongside her best friend, Emma, when they were teenagers. Only Sally survived. The kidnapper had never been caught and as a result the police were concerned over her ongoing safety. As publication day nears her agent, Duke, organises a tour to launch the book even although Sally is still traumatised over the event. The book soon soared up the charts and the fan mail started. Whilst most of it was positive there was a person sending messages that purported to knowing what actually happened during the kidnapping which raised Sally's concerns further.
This book flows well and as the story progresses I found myself keen to find out what happens in subsequent chapters as it intensifies.

[Elizabeth Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

So here’s the thing: the ending of a thriller book feeling “predictable” isn’t a bad thing if the reader has a good time finding the pieces throughout the story and the ending feels satisfying. I feel personally like there wasn’t enough of the things we’d need to find the real answer throughout, I was WAY off with my prediction of who did it, simply cause while I had a bad vibe about the actual antagonist I didn’t see enough sprinkled in to make the actual motivation clear.

I also think the “Before the Woods” chapter where you find out what actually happened to our main character , should’ve been sprinkled in throughout the modern day story. I think doing that would’ve given the story much more suspense.

Anyway thrillers are hard so I commend it!

[Jacqueline Moxon · Rating 4 out of 5]

What can I say? This gripping novel certainly keeps the reader’s attention. Sally has written a heartrending book about a true life crime, of which she, and her best friend Emma, were the teenage victims. The book is published and rockets to the top of the bestselling list. Then the fan mail starts to arrive and we realise that things are not quite as they seem. A tangle of lies unravels as the search begins for the mysterious letter writer. A powerful story about teenage obsession with standing out, the complications and responsibilities that accompany fame and, above all, the destructive nature of guilt. Definitely one to keep you awake at night.

[Livia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sally has written a true crime story that began after a visit to her therapist who told her to write it all down ..As the book soars up the Amazon charts ...everyone wants to read Sally's story ....but inside Sally is crumbling..Someone is taunting her ..Told through the eyes of Sally , as the story snakes between the present to the past...we see it all in black and white...but what really happened to the girls in the woods ...? ..And when does a lie become a truth or a truth become a lie ...? My fourth read from Charlotte Barnes ..for me the best Phychological thriller she has ever written ..5 stars A Cold ..Stunning Chilling read....Riveting

[Christine Ostby · Rating 2 out of 5]

DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVEN'T FINISHED BOOK: The author is a good writer, BUT the story was confusing at times. The premise was interesting and the writing was clever, so I slogged through til the end because I wanted to know what happened. However, this book is written in the first person, so she's telling the story all the way through (I did this, I did that, etc.) until last chapter. In the last chapter, we learn she was killed. How on earth does a dead person write in the first person?? This just spoiled the entire book for me and thus the two star rating.

[Caroline 'relaxing with my rescue dogs' · Rating 5 out of 5]

This author is one of my go to authors and I know when I read her books it will be an exciting ride and I will need to cancel everything and just read it this was no exception.
This was a take on someone reliving the crime that happened to them - but it is not as simple as that.

This was a one session read for me.

I was given an advance copy by bloodhound books but the review is entirely my own.

[Reaghan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great twist!

A gripping story with well-drawn characters, A True Crime is an easy read. The writer's style flows and the chapters are short with enough cliff-hanging to make it a page-turner. As I read, I could feel the other shoe about to drop but didn't expect the final twist. I didn't want it to end that way, but that doesn't mean it isn't a great ending. Well played, Charlotte Barnes.

Thanks, Bloodhound Books, for the ARC.

[Bobbi Wagner · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not my first book by this author which I have enjoyed reading. This is one of my favorite books by this author. This is a suspenseful story about determination to survive. I enjoyed how the characters pulled me into the story from the start. They are engaging and made the story hard to put down. This is a fast paced story with twists and turns you don't want to miss. I enjoyed what the characters brought to the story as well as their growth. I highly recommend this book

[Vivian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charlotte Barnes is such a good writer that her books grab you from beginning to end, this one will keep you reading until you get to the last pages and realized that everything you have been reading is the opposite of what you thought happened in the story.
There are lots of twists and turns and nobody is as straightforward as you are made to believe when you start reading the book, nor is the narrative of the story.

[Alison Bryant · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book in less than 24 hours as I always needed to start the next chapter… to see what happened next. The kidnapping was something I felt I needed more details about but never got and it soon became clear why. Not 100% sure the ending was the one I wanted. I liked Sally despite what happened in her life; Lena never stirred that in me. Well worth reading.

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Sally publishes her story of a childhood abduction she doesn’t expect to unleash a backlash from somebody who knows the truth. She survived the horror but her best friend wasn’t quite so lucky. She starts to receive random letters hinting that she hasn’t told the truth in her new book but she has no idea who they are coming from. A great plot and a real page turner.

[Rhian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sally Prover is a survivor - surviving a kidnapping but her friend Emma did not survive. Not Sally has written a book about what happened - but is she telling the whole truth? Somebody knows that she isn't - may be threatening not only Sally but also her partner Lena. A gripping thriller - with a real twist in the tail. Highly recommended.

[Eleanor Jordan O'Farrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another brilliant book from Charlotte Barnes. Her characters are so well written that you identify with them immediately. Sally has written a bestseller, but someone from the past is trying to ruin her future.

[Lynn Mccarthy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sally publishes a book about her kidnapping about her and her friend that was kidnapped but her friend never came back she starts to get letters from somebody telling her she is not telling the truth about what happened.
A good plot it had a great twist. Highly recommended.

[Nanci · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining with well thought out and developed characters and twists and turns that had me thinking I had it figured out when in fact I didn’t. Another great book by Charlotte Barnes that is a definite must read ! A different story line that was intriguing and intense!

[Nicola Richardson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A more interesting take on the usual kidnap story, with a twist to make you rethink the story.
I liked all of the insight in to Sally's personality, which fitted well with the story, especially how she pushes away those closest to her and finds trust difficult, apart from Birdy her dog. As the story unfolds, you understand her reasons even more.
The repetitive over-use of the word watercolour was very annoying.
The ending made a lot of sense too.

[Isabelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely full of crafty, artistic twists which require a skilled writer to pull off! Loved the book tour idea within a crime novel, so meta, and didn't see that ending coming... Great to see a lesbian romance at the forefront and I'll never look at gnomes in the same way again!