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The Revenge of Rita Marsh
Rita Marsh is a good person.
By day, she runs a care home, looking after the elderly and infirm. By night, she's a vigilante, posing online as young girls and snaring the men who prey on them, exposing them for what they are. Rita has successfully kept her two lives separate for years. But when an old classmate returns from her past, her two worlds start to collide. With both of her selves unravelling, Rita will have to choose between justice and revenge.
Is she a force for good - or will she become someone to fear?'
By day, she runs a care home, looking after the elderly and infirm. By night, she's a vigilante, posing online as young girls and snaring the men who prey on them, exposing them for what they are. Rita has successfully kept her two lives separate for years. But when an old classmate returns from her past, her two worlds start to collide. With both of her selves unravelling, Rita will have to choose between justice and revenge.
Is she a force for good - or will she become someone to fear?'
352 pages, Hardcover
Published July 18, 2024
19 people are currently reading
299 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews
August 15, 2024
The Revenge Of Rita Marsh, by Nilesha Chauvet is the revenge thriller of the summer 2024. It takes a lot of time to prepare and write a novel, with an idea that no one has come up with before. I loved the idea of the whole story. For me this story was fresh and different. My name is Rita Marsh now, not Rita Patel. And I’m unstoppable. Rita is half Indian. Her late father, with black hair, and her late mother had blonde hair. Rita has blocked her Asian side out of her life. I liked how Rita was given two jobs, running a care home, with by night having a top secret job. Rita hates men prying on little girls online. She takes into her own hands pretending to be a 12 year old girl named Holly. She is ready to expose any pervert, that contacts her thinking that is 12, wanting to meet up with her. Spider and Spike, are code names are all set and ready to pounce on any one breaking the law, enticing young girls to meet them. When Rita meets up with a man, she leads him to be arrested, she films the whole thing, posting it on Facebook, but she gets backlash from Facebook users. This is Rita’s life that unfolds, one that I will never forget. Rita Marsh is a well like character, leading this debut book The Revenge Of Rita Marsh, a must buy, must read. Whatever the author Nilesha Chauvet, writes next, I will be sure be reading it!
July 17, 2024
I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher in return for an honest review. This review is based entirely on my own thoughts and feelings.
Overall rating : 4*
Writing skill : 4*
Plot: 4*
Pace: 2*
Characters: 3*
This was a quick read, that started off really pacey but the next 60% sort of dwindled until an excellent explosive end.
The characters were great, and unique, and fitted the story. Spike and spider gave me serious lemon and tangerine vibes from bullet train.
The plot itself was exactly what I like in a thriller/mystery, give me a female vigilante any day. That being said I will always compare them to Sweetpea, and I’ve yet to find one that stands up to it in equal form.
For fans of You’d Look Better as a Ghost and How To Kill Your Family.
Overall rating : 4*
Writing skill : 4*
Plot: 4*
Pace: 2*
Characters: 3*
This was a quick read, that started off really pacey but the next 60% sort of dwindled until an excellent explosive end.
The characters were great, and unique, and fitted the story. Spike and spider gave me serious lemon and tangerine vibes from bullet train.
The plot itself was exactly what I like in a thriller/mystery, give me a female vigilante any day. That being said I will always compare them to Sweetpea, and I’ve yet to find one that stands up to it in equal form.
For fans of You’d Look Better as a Ghost and How To Kill Your Family.
July 6, 2024
4.25⭐️ Wow what a wild ride. I can’t believe this is a debut novel!
This tells the story of Rita who is trying to take down pedophiles by posing as children online. But Rita is such a complex character, and things begin to unravel, and things and get dark and weird.
This is not much of a mystery to this book, but it sure was thrilling. I couldn’t put it down. And being inside the mind of Rita really made the book all the more scary and thrilling.
Hard to say much more without spoiling it but if you like dark and twisty characters with a thrilling plot, read this.
So well written and well paced, I will definitely be reading more of this authors work. Thanks to netgalley and publisher for the arc.
This tells the story of Rita who is trying to take down pedophiles by posing as children online. But Rita is such a complex character, and things begin to unravel, and things and get dark and weird.
This is not much of a mystery to this book, but it sure was thrilling. I couldn’t put it down. And being inside the mind of Rita really made the book all the more scary and thrilling.
Hard to say much more without spoiling it but if you like dark and twisty characters with a thrilling plot, read this.
So well written and well paced, I will definitely be reading more of this authors work. Thanks to netgalley and publisher for the arc.
July 24, 2024
This was an intriguing read that didn’t quite deliver.
Rita Marsh is a care worker by day and a vigilante by night, hunting down the child predators of the internet. However, when the suicide of a man that made her viral spirals, she begins to question her own involvement. And when a teacher from her past resurfaces, her morals are truly questioned. She is the good guy, right?
This really piqued my interest as it’s something that is so controversial in today’s society. Should this be left to the police or are the vigilantes doing good? I liked how this book explored this. I do just wish it had explored it more…
The characterisation of Rita Marsh really was intriguing and her development was truly powerful. The secondary characters all brought something new too which was refreshing yet sinister.
However, there were a couple of plot lines that just didn’t develop. Rita started therapy, hints of her past explored and then it came to an abrupt end and didn’t get spoken about again - this should definitely have been explored further. I also think her role of a care worker brought nothing to the table. The death of her residents were just slapped in the middle with no real purpose.
The plot also seemed to go from 0-100 real quick. I remember reading the middle third of this book and just thinking what the f*ck? I don’t feel like her emotions were explored to the depth it should have been to enable the plot to spiral in a way that made sense. It almost felt like the book was trying too hard to be fast-paced but didn’t quite live up to it.
August 6, 2024
I mean the premise of Rita being a pedophile hunter is rogue to begin with. But she just gets more and more unhinged as the book develops. Half of me had the ick and cringed and the other half felt bad for her. Leila was insufferable for most of the book - truly a trash character.
Overall, the book was a fairly engaging read but I felt like it wasn't realistic in parts for the sake of complicating the storyline when in reality who acts like that?? It took me a good day to finish it, so not all bad.
Overall, the book was a fairly engaging read but I felt like it wasn't realistic in parts for the sake of complicating the storyline when in reality who acts like that?? It took me a good day to finish it, so not all bad.
July 1, 2024
While somewhat important to talk about these topics, the characters are laughably shallow, the dialogues are wooden and completely unrealistic, and the writing is so bad it should have been avoided in the first instance.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an early copy in return for a review. DNF 20%.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an early copy in return for a review. DNF 20%.
July 13, 2024
‘The Revenge Of Rita Marsh’ by Nilesha Chauvet tells the story of a woman who runs the care home left to her by her late parents by day, but acts as a vigilante ensnaring pedophiles by night. Just when the consequences of her actions catch up with her and she begins to reflect on how far outside the law she is comfortable working, a case far too close to home comes to her attention and she is torn between inaction and revenge…
I liked the initial characterisation of Rita and the uncomfortable but illuminating scene at her school reunion. I also found the interactions with the police very interesting, and the novel posed some difficult questions. The dark subject matter was generally dealt with very sensitively.
However, I found the tone and pace of the book distractingly variable and thought some of the decisions made by characters were extremely questionable. I suppose the novel reflected real life by depicting the messiness and tragedy of crime but elements were not very satisfying.
Overall this gets three stars from me… the premise was very intriguing but the story didn’t quite grip me as much as I’d hoped.
I received an advance Digital Review Copy of this book from the publisher Faber & Faber via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.
I liked the initial characterisation of Rita and the uncomfortable but illuminating scene at her school reunion. I also found the interactions with the police very interesting, and the novel posed some difficult questions. The dark subject matter was generally dealt with very sensitively.
However, I found the tone and pace of the book distractingly variable and thought some of the decisions made by characters were extremely questionable. I suppose the novel reflected real life by depicting the messiness and tragedy of crime but elements were not very satisfying.
Overall this gets three stars from me… the premise was very intriguing but the story didn’t quite grip me as much as I’d hoped.
I received an advance Digital Review Copy of this book from the publisher Faber & Faber via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.
June 27, 2024
Firstly thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my ARC of this book.
Firstly this is very dark and delicate subject matter which I feel the author handles very well. The plot is current, engaging and well constructed.
The characterisation in the novel is good, the main character Rita being the most well written as you would expect however the cast of supporting characters were not as strongly written.
I did enjoy however was a challenging read due to the difficult subject matter
Firstly this is very dark and delicate subject matter which I feel the author handles very well. The plot is current, engaging and well constructed.
The characterisation in the novel is good, the main character Rita being the most well written as you would expect however the cast of supporting characters were not as strongly written.
I did enjoy however was a challenging read due to the difficult subject matter
July 19, 2024
This book deals with some dark and difficult topics. It started off strong and I thought it was going to be right up my street - but I sadly found myself disappointed by the end.
I personally felt the story got a little muddled and repetitive in the middle, and then the ending felt rather rushed.
I love a good female revenge tale, but sadly this didn't hit the spot for me.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc ebook.
I personally felt the story got a little muddled and repetitive in the middle, and then the ending felt rather rushed.
I love a good female revenge tale, but sadly this didn't hit the spot for me.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc ebook.
December 30, 2024
In The Revenge of Rita Marsh by Nilesha Chauvet, our titular character has a lot on her plate. By day, she runs a small care home, looking after two elderly residents. By night, she arranges to meet men online - but not as herself. She is part of a vigilante group who pose as young children and teenagers in order to catch predators.
She enjoys her work, and usually has the police on her side (though they don't always agree with her methods) - until one night, when things go to far, and there are consequences for Rita.
As her world becomes more and more complicated, a face from the past makes a reappearance. This could be the chance Rita has been waiting for - this could be her fresh start. But which will she choose - justice, or revenge?
I started reading this in a waiting room one evening, and couldn't put it down. The writing is sharp, the story has a great flow to it, and Rita is a truly intriguing character. I did feel for her at times, I could see where she was coming from, trying to fix everything.
However, I also felt that the plot went a little bit daft towards the end and I thought there was so much going on that it became a little bit panto-villain at certain points, especially with Leila.
I really enjoyed the overall ending, and felt that there was room for a sequel or series, which I'd happily read.
If you like fast-paced drama/crime/thriller/mystery books or TV shows, then you might enjoy this one. I haven't seen it mentioned much and I think it's one of those ones that could slip under the radar, which would be a shame. I found it really enjoyable.
Thank you to @faberbooks for granting me approval to read an ARC via @netgalley.
#Netgalley #SharonReadThis24
She enjoys her work, and usually has the police on her side (though they don't always agree with her methods) - until one night, when things go to far, and there are consequences for Rita.
As her world becomes more and more complicated, a face from the past makes a reappearance. This could be the chance Rita has been waiting for - this could be her fresh start. But which will she choose - justice, or revenge?
I started reading this in a waiting room one evening, and couldn't put it down. The writing is sharp, the story has a great flow to it, and Rita is a truly intriguing character. I did feel for her at times, I could see where she was coming from, trying to fix everything.
However, I also felt that the plot went a little bit daft towards the end and I thought there was so much going on that it became a little bit panto-villain at certain points, especially with Leila.
I really enjoyed the overall ending, and felt that there was room for a sequel or series, which I'd happily read.
If you like fast-paced drama/crime/thriller/mystery books or TV shows, then you might enjoy this one. I haven't seen it mentioned much and I think it's one of those ones that could slip under the radar, which would be a shame. I found it really enjoyable.
Thank you to @faberbooks for granting me approval to read an ARC via @netgalley.
#Netgalley #SharonReadThis24
May 24, 2025
Sorry but I thought this was shite. The characters were flat, the dialogue wooden and completely unbelievable. The bones, the ingredients, of the story could be good, but the actual writing is terrible. I wanted to like it, these themes are important and the whole idea of Rita as a character is a unique one. But she did not come alive, none of it did.
April 22, 2025
All my reviews can be found at damppebbles.com
Rita Marsh is a vigilante. She hunts down predators, men who have a penchant for young girls. By day she runs a care home for the elderly. It’s not something she would choose to do but her parents started the business, and they’re not here to run it anymore. Rita’s passion for punishing men, for exposing their sick predilections, is what gets the blood pumping. The police, who have to deal with her exposés, aren’t so sure. After all, evidence is key. These things have to be handled correctly otherwise the case crumbles. When Rita’s friend from school, Leila, unexpectedly comes back into her life, Rita is delighted. But Leila has a story of her own, a confession. The rumours were indeed true. Whilst at school Leila was having an affair with a teacher. A man who should have known better. That man, now a renowned author, is being investigated by the police after a complaint from another young woman that he instigated an inappropriate relationship with her. Rita is furious. Her love for Leila and her desire for revenge far outweigh logical thought. How far will Rita Marsh go to ensure a known abuser is never a threat to young girls again…?
Her Two Lives (previously published as The Revenge of Rita Marsh) is an intriguing revenge thriller with plenty of twists and bucketloads of well-written suspense. I thought I knew what to expect from this one, but the book delivered a lot more and went in a direction I didn’t see coming. The story opens with Rita (aka Raven) and her small team of vigilantes apprehending a man in London. The man was due to meet a fictitious twelve-year-old called Holly, played online by Rita herself. Intentions were very clear. Rita contacted the police and told them what and where the approach was going to happen. It was filmed and against the police’s advice, uploaded to Facebook. Shortly after, the accused committed suicide. All of sudden, ‘Raven Justice’, whose supporters were always vocal and proud, begin to turn. Blame is laid at Rita’s door. From here, her life begins to spiral dangerously out of control…
Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. Her Two Lives starts with a bang which pulls the reader into the story. From here, the pace slows a little whilst Rita and Leila reconnect. Rita’s entire focus, her entire world shifts to Leila once the two are reunited. However, their friendship is very one-sided and made for some uncomfortable reading. Rita is smitten with Leila (and has been for years). But Leila barely tolerates Rita. When Leila confirms her relationship with their ex-teacher, Rita is consumed with rage and loathing towards Mr Stellans. He needs to be punished for what he did to Leila and all of the other young girls he had relationships with. Leila, however, is out to rekindle her relationship with the teacher and sees nothing wrong with what they did when she was younger. They were in love! Rita’s need to be accepted by her ‘friend’ sees a bad situation escalate tenfold. It was interesting to see how Rita dealt with the situation. How completely oblivious she was and what her worrying thought processes were. Things then go from bad to much, much worse. It’s not an easy read due to the emotional subject matter. But I was intrigued about how things would end for this traumatised, unstable woman. I very much enjoyed the well-written suspense. I couldn’t see how Rita was going to dig herself out of the metaphorical hole she found herself in and that kept me turning the pages late into the night when I probably should have been asleep! The characters are wholly unlikeable. Actually no, I liked Javid and having seen a couple of reviews, I think a number of other readers liked Javid too. He brought a little bit of light to what is a dark, intense read. All in all, Her Two Lives is an intriguing, interesting and edgy novel. The ending was absolute perfection and with hindsight, it couldn’t have ended a different way. Overall, I enjoyed this well-written debut and will keep an eye out for what Chauvet publishes next.
Rita Marsh is a vigilante. She hunts down predators, men who have a penchant for young girls. By day she runs a care home for the elderly. It’s not something she would choose to do but her parents started the business, and they’re not here to run it anymore. Rita’s passion for punishing men, for exposing their sick predilections, is what gets the blood pumping. The police, who have to deal with her exposés, aren’t so sure. After all, evidence is key. These things have to be handled correctly otherwise the case crumbles. When Rita’s friend from school, Leila, unexpectedly comes back into her life, Rita is delighted. But Leila has a story of her own, a confession. The rumours were indeed true. Whilst at school Leila was having an affair with a teacher. A man who should have known better. That man, now a renowned author, is being investigated by the police after a complaint from another young woman that he instigated an inappropriate relationship with her. Rita is furious. Her love for Leila and her desire for revenge far outweigh logical thought. How far will Rita Marsh go to ensure a known abuser is never a threat to young girls again…?
Her Two Lives (previously published as The Revenge of Rita Marsh) is an intriguing revenge thriller with plenty of twists and bucketloads of well-written suspense. I thought I knew what to expect from this one, but the book delivered a lot more and went in a direction I didn’t see coming. The story opens with Rita (aka Raven) and her small team of vigilantes apprehending a man in London. The man was due to meet a fictitious twelve-year-old called Holly, played online by Rita herself. Intentions were very clear. Rita contacted the police and told them what and where the approach was going to happen. It was filmed and against the police’s advice, uploaded to Facebook. Shortly after, the accused committed suicide. All of sudden, ‘Raven Justice’, whose supporters were always vocal and proud, begin to turn. Blame is laid at Rita’s door. From here, her life begins to spiral dangerously out of control…
Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. Her Two Lives starts with a bang which pulls the reader into the story. From here, the pace slows a little whilst Rita and Leila reconnect. Rita’s entire focus, her entire world shifts to Leila once the two are reunited. However, their friendship is very one-sided and made for some uncomfortable reading. Rita is smitten with Leila (and has been for years). But Leila barely tolerates Rita. When Leila confirms her relationship with their ex-teacher, Rita is consumed with rage and loathing towards Mr Stellans. He needs to be punished for what he did to Leila and all of the other young girls he had relationships with. Leila, however, is out to rekindle her relationship with the teacher and sees nothing wrong with what they did when she was younger. They were in love! Rita’s need to be accepted by her ‘friend’ sees a bad situation escalate tenfold. It was interesting to see how Rita dealt with the situation. How completely oblivious she was and what her worrying thought processes were. Things then go from bad to much, much worse. It’s not an easy read due to the emotional subject matter. But I was intrigued about how things would end for this traumatised, unstable woman. I very much enjoyed the well-written suspense. I couldn’t see how Rita was going to dig herself out of the metaphorical hole she found herself in and that kept me turning the pages late into the night when I probably should have been asleep! The characters are wholly unlikeable. Actually no, I liked Javid and having seen a couple of reviews, I think a number of other readers liked Javid too. He brought a little bit of light to what is a dark, intense read. All in all, Her Two Lives is an intriguing, interesting and edgy novel. The ending was absolute perfection and with hindsight, it couldn’t have ended a different way. Overall, I enjoyed this well-written debut and will keep an eye out for what Chauvet publishes next.
April 2, 2025
By day, Rita Marsh runs a care home, but by night she poses as a teenager, using fictional personas to lure paedophiles into the open. The ringleader of a vigilante group known as Raven Justice, she strives to help the police apprehend these child abusers and bring them to justice. Okay, so the rage that fuels her sometimes makes her act rashly, but the ends justify the means, right? When a sting ends in tragic consequences, Rita reevaluates her life and decides to walk away from Raven Justice. But then she reconnects with an old friend, and Rita finds herself drawn back into the hunt for a predator.
Author Nilesha Chauvet quickly establishes that Rita herself was preyed upon as a young girl, and she projects her own feelings onto other victims: seeking justice for them instead of confronting her own trauma; being the champion she feels she never had.
The theme of inhabiting dual, overlapping identities has a lot of potential. As well as being both a care home manager and a vigilante, unable to share her whole self with anyone, Rita has long felt unmoored by her mixed heritage: considered too Indian to be white and too white to be Indian. It would have been interesting to understand more of how she feels marooned between disparate cultures, but this is underdeveloped in comparison to the more obvious 'two lives' of the tagline.
The characters feel unrealistic and inconsistent. Although Rita's motivation is clearly established, she often behaves in ways which hugely undermine her intentions. She has spent five years patiently cultivating relationships in order to gather sufficient evidence for charges to be brought, which doesn’t jibe with the Rita we meet now: impulsive, reckless and unable to grasp the basics of police procedure. She also consistently fails to summon an iota of empathy for anyone else, not even her supposed best friend, Leila. She is driven by such a rigid set of morals that she cannot respond with nuance in any situation. Leila herself oscillates regularly between declarations of devotion to Rita and viciously lashing out at her. In another book, I might have inferred that she had an agenda, but here it just feels like uneven characterisation and plotting. Javid has the makings of an interesting character, but we are very much told rather than shown what he is like, dilluting him somewhat. And don't get me started on the author's treatment of queer characters.
On more than one occasion, young Rita is described as having no friends at school, so has she exaggerated her closeness with Leila and Javid or is this a continuity error? On the one hand we are to believe in an all-consuming female friendship (one in which one friend was in love with the other) and then to accept that Rita had no idea Leila was having an affair with their teacher for four years. Flashbacks reveal overhead exchanges and witnessed interactions which would seem suspicious to all but the most naïve teenager. In other places, plot lines are underdeveloped or abandoned, such as Rita's beginning therapy. The care home setting and its residents too are woefully underutilised, to the point where it felt like the author had just given Rita this job because it seemed like a jarring juxtaposition with her nighttime pursuits.
The plot is at times unpredictable, but only because the characters behave in ways that defy logic. I appreciate that Nilesha Chauvet is a first-time author, but when I compare The Revenge of Rita Marsh to some other 2024 debuts (such as Leo Vardiashvili's Hard by a Great Forest and Kaveh Akbar's Martyr!) It comes up short by a long way.
Thank you to NetGalley and Faber and Faber Ltd for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Author Nilesha Chauvet quickly establishes that Rita herself was preyed upon as a young girl, and she projects her own feelings onto other victims: seeking justice for them instead of confronting her own trauma; being the champion she feels she never had.
The theme of inhabiting dual, overlapping identities has a lot of potential. As well as being both a care home manager and a vigilante, unable to share her whole self with anyone, Rita has long felt unmoored by her mixed heritage: considered too Indian to be white and too white to be Indian. It would have been interesting to understand more of how she feels marooned between disparate cultures, but this is underdeveloped in comparison to the more obvious 'two lives' of the tagline.
The characters feel unrealistic and inconsistent. Although Rita's motivation is clearly established, she often behaves in ways which hugely undermine her intentions. She has spent five years patiently cultivating relationships in order to gather sufficient evidence for charges to be brought, which doesn’t jibe with the Rita we meet now: impulsive, reckless and unable to grasp the basics of police procedure. She also consistently fails to summon an iota of empathy for anyone else, not even her supposed best friend, Leila. She is driven by such a rigid set of morals that she cannot respond with nuance in any situation. Leila herself oscillates regularly between declarations of devotion to Rita and viciously lashing out at her. In another book, I might have inferred that she had an agenda, but here it just feels like uneven characterisation and plotting. Javid has the makings of an interesting character, but we are very much told rather than shown what he is like, dilluting him somewhat. And don't get me started on the author's treatment of queer characters.
On more than one occasion, young Rita is described as having no friends at school, so has she exaggerated her closeness with Leila and Javid or is this a continuity error? On the one hand we are to believe in an all-consuming female friendship (one in which one friend was in love with the other) and then to accept that Rita had no idea Leila was having an affair with their teacher for four years. Flashbacks reveal overhead exchanges and witnessed interactions which would seem suspicious to all but the most naïve teenager. In other places, plot lines are underdeveloped or abandoned, such as Rita's beginning therapy. The care home setting and its residents too are woefully underutilised, to the point where it felt like the author had just given Rita this job because it seemed like a jarring juxtaposition with her nighttime pursuits.
The plot is at times unpredictable, but only because the characters behave in ways that defy logic. I appreciate that Nilesha Chauvet is a first-time author, but when I compare The Revenge of Rita Marsh to some other 2024 debuts (such as Leo Vardiashvili's Hard by a Great Forest and Kaveh Akbar's Martyr!) It comes up short by a long way.
Thank you to NetGalley and Faber and Faber Ltd for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
April 30, 2024
Rita Marsh runs an aged care centre during the day, that was left to her after the demise of her parents. Rita cares about her those she has a responsibility for and tries to make their lives better. However, everyone has a side hustle these days and for Rita well she tracks down, ensnares, and exposes pedophiles. Leading a double life can take its toll, especially when you are engaging with men who want to perform depraved acts. When a takedown goes wrong, Rita rethinks the personal toll, decides to back away and heal. Yet, the school reunion brings back bad memories and accusations of a former teacher, now famous novelist abusing girls at the school pushes Rita back into action. Especially when one of the victims is her best friend and romantic interest, Leila.
The difficulty with the book is that you always feel uncomfortable, never at ease as you read. Don’t be thinking this a cosy read for a rainy Sunday. From the opening pages you are hurled into a world of child sex grooming. We witness firsthand the lengths Rita and her friends will undertake to arrive at this moment where they are about to unmask and shame an alleged pedophile.
Being told from Rita’s point of view, means you are reliant on her telling of the story and suffice to say, she is not overly reliable. As Rita’s observations and interpretations of what is occurring is at times tainted due to her wanting facts to fit into her engineered scenarios. Don’t get me wrong Rita, is a good person, she wants to do the right thing but you are left questioning is she really? At times you wonder if Rita is no better than those she tries to expose, who manipulate and cajole people into compromising situations. For there are times when Rita appears to be taking the same trajectory, whilst she can argue that it is in the pursuit of justice, it certainly is a very grey area. This is what makes Rita such a hard character to get to know, as she is so multi-faceted, so that as a reader you alternate between loathing and supporting.
The supporting characters, especially that of Javid and Leila are well crafted, each with their own extensive backgrounds and motivations. They also add further complexities to the moral and ethical situations that are posed. The police officer’s motives are also ambiguous in his pursuit of justice and how much harm he is willing to cause to achieve an outcome.
It took me a couple of days to come to page and craft my thoughts, as Chauvet has created a dense, heavily layered story that that explores the darkest recesses of human behaviour. Having a lead character who acts as a vigilante creates several ethical quandaries for the reader to mull over. Chauvet has handled the material well, treating the situations with respect, not casting any judgements and allowing us the reader to form their own views and opinions. It is a bold undertaking to tackle the topics in this book. The Revenge of Rita Marsh will create many a discussion on so many different levels about the administration of justice.
Take a risk, read the book and be prepared to be uncomfortable, confronted but come out the other side with a raft of questions.
The difficulty with the book is that you always feel uncomfortable, never at ease as you read. Don’t be thinking this a cosy read for a rainy Sunday. From the opening pages you are hurled into a world of child sex grooming. We witness firsthand the lengths Rita and her friends will undertake to arrive at this moment where they are about to unmask and shame an alleged pedophile.
Being told from Rita’s point of view, means you are reliant on her telling of the story and suffice to say, she is not overly reliable. As Rita’s observations and interpretations of what is occurring is at times tainted due to her wanting facts to fit into her engineered scenarios. Don’t get me wrong Rita, is a good person, she wants to do the right thing but you are left questioning is she really? At times you wonder if Rita is no better than those she tries to expose, who manipulate and cajole people into compromising situations. For there are times when Rita appears to be taking the same trajectory, whilst she can argue that it is in the pursuit of justice, it certainly is a very grey area. This is what makes Rita such a hard character to get to know, as she is so multi-faceted, so that as a reader you alternate between loathing and supporting.
The supporting characters, especially that of Javid and Leila are well crafted, each with their own extensive backgrounds and motivations. They also add further complexities to the moral and ethical situations that are posed. The police officer’s motives are also ambiguous in his pursuit of justice and how much harm he is willing to cause to achieve an outcome.
It took me a couple of days to come to page and craft my thoughts, as Chauvet has created a dense, heavily layered story that that explores the darkest recesses of human behaviour. Having a lead character who acts as a vigilante creates several ethical quandaries for the reader to mull over. Chauvet has handled the material well, treating the situations with respect, not casting any judgements and allowing us the reader to form their own views and opinions. It is a bold undertaking to tackle the topics in this book. The Revenge of Rita Marsh will create many a discussion on so many different levels about the administration of justice.
Take a risk, read the book and be prepared to be uncomfortable, confronted but come out the other side with a raft of questions.
August 25, 2024
What a wonderful debut this book is. Rita Marsh has a double life, by day she runs a care home and then at night she is part of a group that tracks down paedophiles. I was not sure how I would get on with a story that involves paedophiles, but the author has tackled the subject sensitively and made mentions of general things rather than going into more detail. This book is more about Rita's understanding of who she is and how the edges of her life have blurred.
Rita has never been one of those girls with lots of friends, so her friend Javid, convinces her to go to the school reunion. When she leaves she bumps into another old friend, Leila. When they were at school there was a rumour going around about a teacher having a relationship with Leila. A recent update about the teacher sets Rita on a path that she believes will help her friend and also gives her a chance to get close to her again.
Rita is a character that has a troubled past, it is mentioned during the story and gives a sense of purpose to why she does what she believes is the right thing. She has been approached by the police to work with them to help increase the convictions rather than just gathering evidence and setting up the perpetrator. This is more important as her previous case did not end well.
When Rita and Leila reconnect there is something there that hints at things not being quite what it seems. While the author brings more to her characters then you learn more. The story gradually gets more tense and the suspicions rise and then suddenly things are unravelling at a fast rate for Rita. There is conflict, drama, and manipulation with some lines being crossed.
The storyline for this story starts as one thing, but the focus changes to being about Rita, those she knows and also how she sees herself. She has become accustomed to seeing herself in a certain way but when she is using different names to catch criminals then things are not as clear as they once were.
This is a story for those who want a dramatic and suspense-riddled story. There is a mystery that runs through this and then there are several moments of drama and tension. This is more of a crime and mystery story it does have a thriller element as well. Fabulous debut and I look forward to seeing what else the author has in the future. It is a book that I would happily recommend to readers.
Rita has never been one of those girls with lots of friends, so her friend Javid, convinces her to go to the school reunion. When she leaves she bumps into another old friend, Leila. When they were at school there was a rumour going around about a teacher having a relationship with Leila. A recent update about the teacher sets Rita on a path that she believes will help her friend and also gives her a chance to get close to her again.
Rita is a character that has a troubled past, it is mentioned during the story and gives a sense of purpose to why she does what she believes is the right thing. She has been approached by the police to work with them to help increase the convictions rather than just gathering evidence and setting up the perpetrator. This is more important as her previous case did not end well.
When Rita and Leila reconnect there is something there that hints at things not being quite what it seems. While the author brings more to her characters then you learn more. The story gradually gets more tense and the suspicions rise and then suddenly things are unravelling at a fast rate for Rita. There is conflict, drama, and manipulation with some lines being crossed.
The storyline for this story starts as one thing, but the focus changes to being about Rita, those she knows and also how she sees herself. She has become accustomed to seeing herself in a certain way but when she is using different names to catch criminals then things are not as clear as they once were.
This is a story for those who want a dramatic and suspense-riddled story. There is a mystery that runs through this and then there are several moments of drama and tension. This is more of a crime and mystery story it does have a thriller element as well. Fabulous debut and I look forward to seeing what else the author has in the future. It is a book that I would happily recommend to readers.
July 18, 2024
The WWW has brought many advantages and benefits, both to honest people and to criminals. Paedophiles have been especially facilitated because children are approachable via social media in a covert way, and can be groomed and persuaded into meeting their new ‘friend’. Rita Marsh, mid-thirties, is a London based paedophile hunter, creating fake profiles and waiting for someone to take the bait. Her aim, together with her associates, is to get evidence on the suspect, agree to a meeting, trap him (it’s always men she hooks) and hand him and the evidence over to the Police. They call themselves Raven Justice, partly because she owns and operates Raven Court, a care home set up by her late parents. She used to be Rita Patel but switched to Marsh her mother’s maiden name, for obscure reasons possibly connected with abuse she had experienced as a child.
Unfortunately, their latest success goes disastrously wrong when the accused, released on bail, kills himself. Conflicted about her motives and the consequences of her actions, she is reluctantly persuaded to go a school reunion, where she meets up with Leila, her former best friend and possible love interest. Their friendship blossoms again, although Leila is always a bit tense and somewhat erratic. Could this due to that ‘love interest’, or is it connected to the rumours flying around the internet that say their former English teacher has been accused of having a sexual relationship with an underage pupil? And what has any of this got to do with the fact, which we know from the start, that Rita left someone for dead in a nearby wood?
This murder mystery, with psychological overtones, is related by Rita in the present tense, which works quite well. The writing is good and reflects her personality quite well, as far as I can tell. The plot is fairly logical, given her background, but the ending is a bit OTT and the post dénouement outcome seems unlikely (although it is sort of flagged early on). I think it is being set up for a possible sequel! There isn’t anything wildly wrong with it, just feels a bit irritating for no obvious reason.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.
Unfortunately, their latest success goes disastrously wrong when the accused, released on bail, kills himself. Conflicted about her motives and the consequences of her actions, she is reluctantly persuaded to go a school reunion, where she meets up with Leila, her former best friend and possible love interest. Their friendship blossoms again, although Leila is always a bit tense and somewhat erratic. Could this due to that ‘love interest’, or is it connected to the rumours flying around the internet that say their former English teacher has been accused of having a sexual relationship with an underage pupil? And what has any of this got to do with the fact, which we know from the start, that Rita left someone for dead in a nearby wood?
This murder mystery, with psychological overtones, is related by Rita in the present tense, which works quite well. The writing is good and reflects her personality quite well, as far as I can tell. The plot is fairly logical, given her background, but the ending is a bit OTT and the post dénouement outcome seems unlikely (although it is sort of flagged early on). I think it is being set up for a possible sequel! There isn’t anything wildly wrong with it, just feels a bit irritating for no obvious reason.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.
August 5, 2024
This is a very dark book, populated by characters who are difficult to rely upon. Rita is a complex woman who is intent on getting rid of those that prey on the young and vulnerable. Not trusting the police, she and her small gang have their own way of dealing with these problems. Rita poses online as a young girl, snaring the men that want to harm and abuse and luring them into meeting her. They then dish out their own form of justice. Despite the fact that Rita is known to the police and what she does is illegal, she does have a tentative agreement with one policeman in particular. Until the day that one of her snare takes his own life. Rita is told in no uncertain terms that she must stop.
By day, Rita runs a care home. Left to her by her parents, there are just two residents, and we see Rita's caring side when she attends to them.
Rita is persuaded to attend a school reunion by her only friend Javid, and it is there that she meets up with Leila again. They were best friends years ago, yet their meeting is awkward, with many questions to answer about the past. Despite this, and to Javid's amazement, Rita and Leila become close again.
When a famous author is accused of historical sexual abuse, Rita cannot help but get involved, despite the warnings from her police contact. This is not just a well known writer, but one of their teachers from school, and it soon becomes clear that Leila knows far more than she wants to tell about him.
This is such a well written thriller that deals with issues rarely touched upon in fiction. Rita is a complex, mixed up character whose own past has such an impact on her adult life. The author expertly deals with themes that are disturbing, yet very relevant, showing how some people try to re-write their own history, to make themselves believe that they are not victims. It's thought provoking and so very well done.
With revenge and friendships at the heart of the novel, this is a well paced thriller that kept me reading well into the night. Recommended.
By day, Rita runs a care home. Left to her by her parents, there are just two residents, and we see Rita's caring side when she attends to them.
Rita is persuaded to attend a school reunion by her only friend Javid, and it is there that she meets up with Leila again. They were best friends years ago, yet their meeting is awkward, with many questions to answer about the past. Despite this, and to Javid's amazement, Rita and Leila become close again.
When a famous author is accused of historical sexual abuse, Rita cannot help but get involved, despite the warnings from her police contact. This is not just a well known writer, but one of their teachers from school, and it soon becomes clear that Leila knows far more than she wants to tell about him.
This is such a well written thriller that deals with issues rarely touched upon in fiction. Rita is a complex, mixed up character whose own past has such an impact on her adult life. The author expertly deals with themes that are disturbing, yet very relevant, showing how some people try to re-write their own history, to make themselves believe that they are not victims. It's thought provoking and so very well done.
With revenge and friendships at the heart of the novel, this is a well paced thriller that kept me reading well into the night. Recommended.
September 21, 2024
This is Rita‘s story told from her point of view and it opens with a prologue; an unnamed woman is pondering how she has come to be in the dark situation she is in. Back to the story and Rita and two male friends are waiting for a man they have tricked into thinking that Rita is a 12 year old girl, Holly. Holly and the man have been chatting online for five weeks and they have now arranged to meet up. They make a citizens arrest then the police arrive and take the man away. But they can’t hold him and he is released. He commits suicide. After five years of hunting predators of young girls, Rita decides it’s time to stop and go back to her day job of running the nursing home her parents started before their deaths. Well written and with a compelling storyline this is a good debut novel.
Briefly, Rita has just one friend she is still in contact with from her schooldays. Javid always had her back and against her better judgment he persuaded her to attend the school reunion. School days were not happy days for Rita and she soon leaves, however, she bumps into Leila who had been her friend for much of her school life. Matters take a turn for the worse when one of their old school teachers is accused of having a relationship with an underage girl. Rita always believed that the same teacher had been having an affair with Leila.
In all the time Rita had been a vigilante she had a strained, and rather strange, relationship with a police officer. It was clear from early on that Rita was damaged, it was only as the book progress that we realise just how much and why. I did think her attempt at therapy was a bit open ended and left hanging. Rita isn’t a particularly likable character, at first you see the caring side to her but then the dark and twisted side creeps it’s way into her actions, but i couldn’t help but feel some sympathy for her as her life hadn’t been a happy one. An intriguing and interesting read.
Briefly, Rita has just one friend she is still in contact with from her schooldays. Javid always had her back and against her better judgment he persuaded her to attend the school reunion. School days were not happy days for Rita and she soon leaves, however, she bumps into Leila who had been her friend for much of her school life. Matters take a turn for the worse when one of their old school teachers is accused of having a relationship with an underage girl. Rita always believed that the same teacher had been having an affair with Leila.
In all the time Rita had been a vigilante she had a strained, and rather strange, relationship with a police officer. It was clear from early on that Rita was damaged, it was only as the book progress that we realise just how much and why. I did think her attempt at therapy was a bit open ended and left hanging. Rita isn’t a particularly likable character, at first you see the caring side to her but then the dark and twisted side creeps it’s way into her actions, but i couldn’t help but feel some sympathy for her as her life hadn’t been a happy one. An intriguing and interesting read.
April 18, 2024
Where to start with this. First I should say there are trigger warnings associated with this book. It tells of the story of child grooming gangs and child sexual abuse within the family.
The plot centres around Rita Marsh, a young woman who heads up Raven Justice: a group of three who set up traps to capture paedophiles in the hope of bringing them to justice. By day however she runs a nursing home and attempts to lead a normal life. Things take a drastic change when she meets up with an old friend Leila at a school reunion and before the evening is over realises that her friend may have been a victim of grooming by her school teacher Mr Stellans, Rita's life has already began to spiral out of control due to her double life, but this revelation sets her on a path she can not return from. Her need to bring about justice for Leila forces her to cross the line where she becomes the criminal.
The story develops into predator meets "Misery" as she kidnaps, chains and tortures her old teacher in the hope of obtaining his confession.
As events evolve we find out that Rita herself was a victim of sexual abuse within the family and perhaps sympathise with her and her need to protect others. That said her treatment of Leila was very close to what she was fighting against. It is clear that Rita is damaged with an uncontrollable temper and a tendency to live outside the realms of the law. There were times when you felt more sorry for the abuser.
Overall this is a well executed thriller which is definitely worth a read.
Thank you NetGalley and Nilesha Chauvet for the opportunity to read this.
The plot centres around Rita Marsh, a young woman who heads up Raven Justice: a group of three who set up traps to capture paedophiles in the hope of bringing them to justice. By day however she runs a nursing home and attempts to lead a normal life. Things take a drastic change when she meets up with an old friend Leila at a school reunion and before the evening is over realises that her friend may have been a victim of grooming by her school teacher Mr Stellans, Rita's life has already began to spiral out of control due to her double life, but this revelation sets her on a path she can not return from. Her need to bring about justice for Leila forces her to cross the line where she becomes the criminal.
The story develops into predator meets "Misery" as she kidnaps, chains and tortures her old teacher in the hope of obtaining his confession.
As events evolve we find out that Rita herself was a victim of sexual abuse within the family and perhaps sympathise with her and her need to protect others. That said her treatment of Leila was very close to what she was fighting against. It is clear that Rita is damaged with an uncontrollable temper and a tendency to live outside the realms of the law. There were times when you felt more sorry for the abuser.
Overall this is a well executed thriller which is definitely worth a read.
Thank you NetGalley and Nilesha Chauvet for the opportunity to read this.
July 4, 2024
Rita Marsh is a complex woman trying to help the most vulnerable people in society. By day she looks after elderly people in the care home her late parents left her,by night she's part of a small team of online predator hunters, posing as a young girl online to ensnare and expose men who prey on children.
When one of these operations goes badly wrong and ends in tragedy Rita's team splits acrimoniously,there's public outrage and pressure from the police who have already aired their disquiet about the the team's tactics.
Mulling her future Rita reluctantly goes to a school reunion and is reminded of rumours of an illicit relationship between her former best friend and a teacher when she hears that another former classmate has reported the same man to the police for historical abuse.
This time it's personal and Rita is determined to make sure the teacher answers for his crimes against her friend.
The Revenge of Rita Marsh is a powerful book that adds a touch of gothic horror to a first class thriller as the strain of events at the care home and the chaos Rita's investigations unleash lead her to become increasingly unhinged.
To call Rita "complicated" is a massive understatement and author Nilesha Chauvet does an outstanding job of bringing such a multi-faceted character to life sympathetically and believably.
There are some delicate subjects forming a big part of the story but it's never exploitative ,it's often a tough read,often very moving but most of all it's very,very good.
An excellent psychological thriller ,and not least an outstanding debut from Nilesa Chauvet.
When one of these operations goes badly wrong and ends in tragedy Rita's team splits acrimoniously,there's public outrage and pressure from the police who have already aired their disquiet about the the team's tactics.
Mulling her future Rita reluctantly goes to a school reunion and is reminded of rumours of an illicit relationship between her former best friend and a teacher when she hears that another former classmate has reported the same man to the police for historical abuse.
This time it's personal and Rita is determined to make sure the teacher answers for his crimes against her friend.
The Revenge of Rita Marsh is a powerful book that adds a touch of gothic horror to a first class thriller as the strain of events at the care home and the chaos Rita's investigations unleash lead her to become increasingly unhinged.
To call Rita "complicated" is a massive understatement and author Nilesha Chauvet does an outstanding job of bringing such a multi-faceted character to life sympathetically and believably.
There are some delicate subjects forming a big part of the story but it's never exploitative ,it's often a tough read,often very moving but most of all it's very,very good.
An excellent psychological thriller ,and not least an outstanding debut from Nilesa Chauvet.
July 31, 2024
Rita Marsh is inherently a good person, she is part of Raven justice, she poses as girls on the internet and then her team tracks down paedophiles and gangs who target children and young girls.
She is essentially doing amazing work trying to keep the streets and kids safe, but sadly being a vigilante justice group her ethics and methods are not always strictly within the law.
After a sting goes wrong and the target ends up committing suicide her and her team have majorly attracted the notice of the local police.
She is now wary but still insists on trying to help out an old school friend who she believes was groomed into an underage relationship with her teacher.
After a meeting at Rita's home between the said friend, Leila and the disgraced teacher now author.
The situation is very charged and things go disastrously wrong when she loses her temper and things get out of hand.
Now Rita has to fix the situation in a VERY unorthodox manner.
This is her story of what happens next on that night...
Wow this was mind blowing, it grabbed me from the first page and I actually really liked Rita, yes by law she did some very wrong things but I think the reader can empathise where her motives come from, childhood trauma, and abuse in the past and she felt she had to champion kids / girls like her.
Sadly her ideals took her off the lawful path and that's where things came undone.
This was one of the best novels I've read in a while, I also think it has legs to go further and I HOPE we see Rita again in the future in a sequel novel.
Fantastic read.
She is essentially doing amazing work trying to keep the streets and kids safe, but sadly being a vigilante justice group her ethics and methods are not always strictly within the law.
After a sting goes wrong and the target ends up committing suicide her and her team have majorly attracted the notice of the local police.
She is now wary but still insists on trying to help out an old school friend who she believes was groomed into an underage relationship with her teacher.
After a meeting at Rita's home between the said friend, Leila and the disgraced teacher now author.
The situation is very charged and things go disastrously wrong when she loses her temper and things get out of hand.
Now Rita has to fix the situation in a VERY unorthodox manner.
This is her story of what happens next on that night...
Wow this was mind blowing, it grabbed me from the first page and I actually really liked Rita, yes by law she did some very wrong things but I think the reader can empathise where her motives come from, childhood trauma, and abuse in the past and she felt she had to champion kids / girls like her.
Sadly her ideals took her off the lawful path and that's where things came undone.
This was one of the best novels I've read in a while, I also think it has legs to go further and I HOPE we see Rita again in the future in a sequel novel.
Fantastic read.
February 12, 2024
Jumping ahead to a July read now as part of a Tandem Collective #Readalong for an upcoming title released in July, ‘The Revenge of Rita Marsh’ by Nilesha Chauvet.
Rita Marsh is a good person. By day, she runs a care home, looking after the elderly and infirm. By night, she's a vigilante, posing online as young girls and snaring the men who prey on them, exposing them for what they are. Rita has successfully kept her two lives separate for years. But when an old classmate returns from her past, her two worlds start to collide. With both of her selves unravelling, Rita will have to choose between justice and revenge. Is she a force for good - or will she become someone to fear?
This is an interesting one, it covers some very serious topics and the main character’s mission for justice becomes clearer when the story delves into her past. There is no denying that Rita is a character that you will remember, however the reliance on just her through the whole book, flipping back to the past for clarity, can lose a bit of impact at times. The writing style is clever, you feel as if you do embrace Rita’s emotions through the book, the ups and downs, the descriptive prose is very clear and, although heavy with the content at times, the flow is kept consistent throughout.
It was hard-going at times due to the subject matter but that is to be expected, it’s clear from the outset this is a serious book with a strong female lead and you will want to know more.
3.5⭐️
Rita Marsh is a good person. By day, she runs a care home, looking after the elderly and infirm. By night, she's a vigilante, posing online as young girls and snaring the men who prey on them, exposing them for what they are. Rita has successfully kept her two lives separate for years. But when an old classmate returns from her past, her two worlds start to collide. With both of her selves unravelling, Rita will have to choose between justice and revenge. Is she a force for good - or will she become someone to fear?
This is an interesting one, it covers some very serious topics and the main character’s mission for justice becomes clearer when the story delves into her past. There is no denying that Rita is a character that you will remember, however the reliance on just her through the whole book, flipping back to the past for clarity, can lose a bit of impact at times. The writing style is clever, you feel as if you do embrace Rita’s emotions through the book, the ups and downs, the descriptive prose is very clear and, although heavy with the content at times, the flow is kept consistent throughout.
It was hard-going at times due to the subject matter but that is to be expected, it’s clear from the outset this is a serious book with a strong female lead and you will want to know more.
3.5⭐️
July 25, 2024
I was on the fence as for the rating for quite a while and decided to tip forward to a 4 ⭐️ rating in the end for a few reasons.
The book went straight in with an action in which we got to know first hand what Rita does as a side ‘hobby’. The book was quite fast paced and although sometimes a bit frantic with how things were happening I think it was very representative of the character’s state of mind! Secrets from the past and ones from the present kept me intrigued and eager to read on. Descriptions of scenes and things were kept to necessities only which is something that is always taken positively by me (as you already know by my other reviews).
However, there were a few plot lines which I think should have been explored further in the book, for example the therapy sessions (I think we’d get to know the character more deeply that way), as some questions were left a bit unanswered at the end of the book about Rita’s past. Secondly, the care home storyline almost seemed forgotten at times and only jumped to quickly in an ‘update’ way.
Nonetheless, it made for an intriguing read as it was one of not many books that I have read from a morally grey character’s POV. I would however advise the readers to check TW for this read - especially if you’re sensitive about events involving children.
The book went straight in with an action in which we got to know first hand what Rita does as a side ‘hobby’. The book was quite fast paced and although sometimes a bit frantic with how things were happening I think it was very representative of the character’s state of mind! Secrets from the past and ones from the present kept me intrigued and eager to read on. Descriptions of scenes and things were kept to necessities only which is something that is always taken positively by me (as you already know by my other reviews).
However, there were a few plot lines which I think should have been explored further in the book, for example the therapy sessions (I think we’d get to know the character more deeply that way), as some questions were left a bit unanswered at the end of the book about Rita’s past. Secondly, the care home storyline almost seemed forgotten at times and only jumped to quickly in an ‘update’ way.
Nonetheless, it made for an intriguing read as it was one of not many books that I have read from a morally grey character’s POV. I would however advise the readers to check TW for this read - especially if you’re sensitive about events involving children.
April 13, 2024
This is an unusual story about a complex character who has two decidedly different sides to her personality.
Rita Marsh is a conscientious carer to the elderly in the daytime, and a hunter of predators at night. She works alongside a small team of like minded individuals, posing as a young girl online and luring sexual deviants to their comeuppance as a form of vigilante justice.
When an operation goes wrong, the team members disband with bad blood between them, to the satisfaction of the police and mixed feelings from the public.
Unfortunately, when Rita discovers as the result of a school reunion that one of her teachers may be guilty of serial offences towards those to whom there was a duty of care, the siren song of revenge becomes too loud for her to ignore - with disastrous consequences for her mental health and general equilibrium.
This is a story that deals with some controversial topics, but attempts to do so in a reasonably balanced manner. Rita's need for action, as well as her growing instability, are portrayed with honesty as well as a modicum of sympathy. Worth a read, but comes with a trigger warning for some of the content. It gets 3.5 stars.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
Rita Marsh is a conscientious carer to the elderly in the daytime, and a hunter of predators at night. She works alongside a small team of like minded individuals, posing as a young girl online and luring sexual deviants to their comeuppance as a form of vigilante justice.
When an operation goes wrong, the team members disband with bad blood between them, to the satisfaction of the police and mixed feelings from the public.
Unfortunately, when Rita discovers as the result of a school reunion that one of her teachers may be guilty of serial offences towards those to whom there was a duty of care, the siren song of revenge becomes too loud for her to ignore - with disastrous consequences for her mental health and general equilibrium.
This is a story that deals with some controversial topics, but attempts to do so in a reasonably balanced manner. Rita's need for action, as well as her growing instability, are portrayed with honesty as well as a modicum of sympathy. Worth a read, but comes with a trigger warning for some of the content. It gets 3.5 stars.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
July 5, 2024
This is a book with very complex characters and very dark subjects which may well need trigger warnings for some people.
The writing is very emotional, deep, about people and the characters we become and how, despite the best of intentions, things do not always work out as we imagine.
My only criticisms of the book is that I felt it sometimes dragged on a little, however this may have been intentional by the author as it builds tension and gives the reader the opportunity to process the situation. I also feel that the cover comes over as a cosy crime type of book which it definitely isn't. This is a complex, thought provoking psychological thriller.
For a debut novel the author has done a brilliant job with her style of writing, the progression of the characters and building of tension within the story, and her direct way of dealing with quite controversial subjects. I look forward to seeing what comes next for her.
Many thanks to Faber and Faber, NetGalley, and the author for providing me with an advanced review copy of the book, in electronic format, in return for an honest and unbiased review.
The book is currently available in e-book and audiobook formats, with the hardback available from 18th July.
The writing is very emotional, deep, about people and the characters we become and how, despite the best of intentions, things do not always work out as we imagine.
My only criticisms of the book is that I felt it sometimes dragged on a little, however this may have been intentional by the author as it builds tension and gives the reader the opportunity to process the situation. I also feel that the cover comes over as a cosy crime type of book which it definitely isn't. This is a complex, thought provoking psychological thriller.
For a debut novel the author has done a brilliant job with her style of writing, the progression of the characters and building of tension within the story, and her direct way of dealing with quite controversial subjects. I look forward to seeing what comes next for her.
Many thanks to Faber and Faber, NetGalley, and the author for providing me with an advanced review copy of the book, in electronic format, in return for an honest and unbiased review.
The book is currently available in e-book and audiobook formats, with the hardback available from 18th July.
February 5, 2024
📖S Y N O P S I S📖
Rita Marsh, a compassionate caregiver by day, transforms into a vigilant online persona at night, exposing predators targeting young girls. Her dual lives unravel when an old classmate resurfaces, forcing Rita to choose between justice and revenge.
Another one to add to my *dazzling debuts pile*, I drank this one UP. The premise is centered around the main character Rita who is part of a vigilante group catching online predators. Events UNFOLD, leading Rita to unravel and become somewhat unhinged, oh I was absolutely here for it💃. The gem of this book has to be Rita, what a CHARACTER. As Shrek says about onions and layers, Rita would be the biggest onion ever grown 🧅. She is so complex and interesting, I won’t forget her anytime soon. I also have such a soft spot for characters with good intentions but somehow find themselves on the “wrong” path and Rita is a PERFECT example of this.
I enjoyed the relationship between Rita and Leila. The irony of how Rita ended up treating Leila in a way which went against her core values was exceptionally clever 👏. The story was multidimensional, and the characters were built up well. The writing was easy and binge-worthy quality, I can see this one being a booksta fave this summer ⛱️. If I had to be a super fussy cat, I’d have liked more of Rita’s other side caring for the elderly people living at Raven Court. I wanted a bit more of a balance between her different lives but again that’s just me being fussy 🤭.
*thank you to @faberbooks and @tandemcollectiveuk for my gifted copy. The revenge of rita marsh is out is out 24th of July!
Rita Marsh, a compassionate caregiver by day, transforms into a vigilant online persona at night, exposing predators targeting young girls. Her dual lives unravel when an old classmate resurfaces, forcing Rita to choose between justice and revenge.
Another one to add to my *dazzling debuts pile*, I drank this one UP. The premise is centered around the main character Rita who is part of a vigilante group catching online predators. Events UNFOLD, leading Rita to unravel and become somewhat unhinged, oh I was absolutely here for it💃. The gem of this book has to be Rita, what a CHARACTER. As Shrek says about onions and layers, Rita would be the biggest onion ever grown 🧅. She is so complex and interesting, I won’t forget her anytime soon. I also have such a soft spot for characters with good intentions but somehow find themselves on the “wrong” path and Rita is a PERFECT example of this.
I enjoyed the relationship between Rita and Leila. The irony of how Rita ended up treating Leila in a way which went against her core values was exceptionally clever 👏. The story was multidimensional, and the characters were built up well. The writing was easy and binge-worthy quality, I can see this one being a booksta fave this summer ⛱️. If I had to be a super fussy cat, I’d have liked more of Rita’s other side caring for the elderly people living at Raven Court. I wanted a bit more of a balance between her different lives but again that’s just me being fussy 🤭.
*thank you to @faberbooks and @tandemcollectiveuk for my gifted copy. The revenge of rita marsh is out is out 24th of July!
July 19, 2024
3.5 stars rounded up to 4
This is a debut novel by Nilesha Chauvet that I think will go down well, but it is a tough read and deals with some very sensitive subjects.
The start of the book introduces Rita, who has taken over the care home her parents ran, prior to their death. by day and hunts paedophiles by night.
When a case close to home is brough to Rita's awareness she starts to reflect how far is she willing to go.
This was a slow paced book for me, on the whole, but the tone and pacing does change throughout.
I think this has a great premise, and is well written.
Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC.
Reviews also published on:
Instagram || Coffee and Kindle Blog || The StoryGraph || Amazon
Happy to make friends on all socials
This is a debut novel by Nilesha Chauvet that I think will go down well, but it is a tough read and deals with some very sensitive subjects.
The start of the book introduces Rita, who has taken over the care home her parents ran, prior to their death. by day and hunts paedophiles by night.
When a case close to home is brough to Rita's awareness she starts to reflect how far is she willing to go.
This was a slow paced book for me, on the whole, but the tone and pacing does change throughout.
I think this has a great premise, and is well written.
Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC.
Reviews also published on:
Instagram || Coffee and Kindle Blog || The StoryGraph || Amazon
Happy to make friends on all socials
April 20, 2025
I really, really, really wanted to love this one. The premise sounded so interesting and in the first 30 pages, I was really interested into where this story was going. But then the high school reunion came along and it all went downhill from there... The blurb was very intriguing but it did not take the story in a direction I was expecting and it was in a bad way. Granted this is the authors debut novel and it was pretty well written for it being her first, but the storyline was so boring and repetitive. I think over the space of five days, the a character came over, had one drink, an argument and then left at least once per day. So it could have easily been 100 pages shorter. The ending was quite satisfying given super unrealistic given what Rita had done, but it sounds like it might be setting up for a sequel which would be more like the book I thought I was actually going to read. In all honesty, I really should have DNF'ed this one.
Thank you to Allen and Unwin NZ for sending me a copy of this one for my honest review, but me and this one didn't hit it off.
Thank you to Allen and Unwin NZ for sending me a copy of this one for my honest review, but me and this one didn't hit it off.
July 9, 2024
The Prologue tells us immediately that Rita Marsh has killed a man - not intentionally and not premeditated but nevertheless she has killed a man!
So this is not technically a mystery, but an explanation of why such an obviously 'good' and kind person has committed this crime.
Rita's character is so well portrayed in this story. I felt nothing but sympathy for her and her predicament. Her methods to do good are criticised by the police on the one hand but they want to use her for their own purposes on the other.
Leila is a damaged character, but also a very selfish one.
Javid is her only true and loyal friend, the only one who supports her regardless of what she has done in life.
Not the easiest read, many issues addressed.
A good debut and I look forward to reading more by this author.
Many thanks to Netgalley/Nilesha Chauvet/Faber & Faber for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.
So this is not technically a mystery, but an explanation of why such an obviously 'good' and kind person has committed this crime.
Rita's character is so well portrayed in this story. I felt nothing but sympathy for her and her predicament. Her methods to do good are criticised by the police on the one hand but they want to use her for their own purposes on the other.
Leila is a damaged character, but also a very selfish one.
Javid is her only true and loyal friend, the only one who supports her regardless of what she has done in life.
Not the easiest read, many issues addressed.
A good debut and I look forward to reading more by this author.
Many thanks to Netgalley/Nilesha Chauvet/Faber & Faber for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.
July 17, 2024
An unusual and dark book dealing with the difficult subject of child abuse and grooming. Rita is a vigilante, with her team she sets up traps for men wanting sex with young girls. However, their scheme goes awry when a man commits suicide after being trapped and the police want to shut them down, or work with them on their own terms.
Rita attends a class reunion (at which for some reason she stands up and gives a very odd speech), she meets an old classmate who meant a lot to her and still does, but who carries her own hurts and scars. The result is a traumatic, if slightly unbelievable, series of events as we are drawn in to Rita's world and try to understand why she reacts as she does.
Overall its a gripping read, far from easy, and very tense, although in parts I felt it wandered a little. The ending felt a little too contrived. Thank you to NetGalley and Faber & Faber Ltd for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Rita attends a class reunion (at which for some reason she stands up and gives a very odd speech), she meets an old classmate who meant a lot to her and still does, but who carries her own hurts and scars. The result is a traumatic, if slightly unbelievable, series of events as we are drawn in to Rita's world and try to understand why she reacts as she does.
Overall its a gripping read, far from easy, and very tense, although in parts I felt it wandered a little. The ending felt a little too contrived. Thank you to NetGalley and Faber & Faber Ltd for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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