What do you think?
Rate this book
Guilty
It begins with a phone call. It ends with a missing child.
On a warm summer’s morning, thirteen-year-old school girl Constance Lawson is reported missing.
A few days later, Constance’s uncle, Karl Lawson suddenly finds himself swept up in a media frenzy created by journalist Amanda Bowe implying that he is the prime suspect.
Six years later …
Karl’s life is in ruins. His marriage is over, his family destroyed. But the woman who took everything away from him is thriving. With a successful career, husband and a gorgeous baby boy, Amanda’s world is complete. Until the day she receives a phone call and in a heartbeat, she is plunged into every mother’s worst nightmare.
An utterly compelling psychological thriller that will keep you guessing to the very last page. Perfect for fans of Louise Jensen, Claire Douglas and Sarah Denzil’s Silent Child.
On a warm summer’s morning, thirteen-year-old school girl Constance Lawson is reported missing.
A few days later, Constance’s uncle, Karl Lawson suddenly finds himself swept up in a media frenzy created by journalist Amanda Bowe implying that he is the prime suspect.
Six years later …
Karl’s life is in ruins. His marriage is over, his family destroyed. But the woman who took everything away from him is thriving. With a successful career, husband and a gorgeous baby boy, Amanda’s world is complete. Until the day she receives a phone call and in a heartbeat, she is plunged into every mother’s worst nightmare.
An utterly compelling psychological thriller that will keep you guessing to the very last page. Perfect for fans of Louise Jensen, Claire Douglas and Sarah Denzil’s Silent Child.
348 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 22, 2017
6209 people are currently reading
8733 people want to read
About the author
Laura Elliot
25 books530 followersBiography
Laura Elliot, is an internationally known writer of psychological thrillers. She has written ten novels, which are published by Bookouture and Sphere in the UK and Ireland, and by Grand Central Publishing in the US.
Her novels have been widely translated and include The Wife Before Me, The Thorn Girl, Guilty and her latest, After the Wedding.
AKA June Considine has written twelve books for children and young adults, and has collaborated on a number of high-profile, non-fiction books. Her short stories for teenage readers have been published in anthologies and broadcast on radio. She has also worked as a journalist and magazine editor.
She lives in Malahide, Co Dublin, Ireland.
Laura Elliot, is an internationally known writer of psychological thrillers. She has written ten novels, which are published by Bookouture and Sphere in the UK and Ireland, and by Grand Central Publishing in the US.
Her novels have been widely translated and include The Wife Before Me, The Thorn Girl, Guilty and her latest, After the Wedding.
AKA June Considine has written twelve books for children and young adults, and has collaborated on a number of high-profile, non-fiction books. Her short stories for teenage readers have been published in anthologies and broadcast on radio. She has also worked as a journalist and magazine editor.
She lives in Malahide, Co Dublin, Ireland.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 682 reviews
May 13, 2019
Guilty is a psychological thriller about uncovering the secrets behind the disappearance of 13 year old Constance Lawson. After an argument with her parents, Constance sneaks out of her house never to be seen again.
Constance's uncle, Karl Lawson, is under suspicion and their close relationship comes under negative scrutiny. The disappearance causes family turmoil when no one knows what to believe and leaves Karl's life torn apart.
I don't want to give too much away although the "why" to Constance's disappearance is shared early on. The rest of the book focuses on the aftermath. How the disappearance affected the lives of various characters. This was a problem for me as I just never really connected with these characters. I especially disliked the reporter, Amanda and her self serving actions. Having so much of the book focusing on her was a definite negative for me.
I initially felt bad for Karl but his actions during the latter part of the book were pretty vile. That was probably what kept me turning the pages despite my strong dislike for Amanda. I really enjoyed watching him go from misunderstood good guy to bad guy. What does it take for someone to cross that line from good to bad? How much is too much when you have essentially been a wronged victim too?
The beginning of the book which detailed Constance's disappearance was fast paced and definitely kept me turning the pages quickly. It was the best part of the book for me. Then it got decidedly slower and at times I had to really force myself to stick with it. This definitely was not the typical mystery/thriller format I prefer.
Overall Guilty was for me an ok read. The pacing could definitely have been better in my opinion. The twists were interesting at the onset but my failure to connect with the characters made enjoying the last part of the book difficult. I honestly didn't care what happened to Amanda.
Constance's uncle, Karl Lawson, is under suspicion and their close relationship comes under negative scrutiny. The disappearance causes family turmoil when no one knows what to believe and leaves Karl's life torn apart.
I don't want to give too much away although the "why" to Constance's disappearance is shared early on. The rest of the book focuses on the aftermath. How the disappearance affected the lives of various characters. This was a problem for me as I just never really connected with these characters. I especially disliked the reporter, Amanda and her self serving actions. Having so much of the book focusing on her was a definite negative for me.
I initially felt bad for Karl but his actions during the latter part of the book were pretty vile. That was probably what kept me turning the pages despite my strong dislike for Amanda. I really enjoyed watching him go from misunderstood good guy to bad guy. What does it take for someone to cross that line from good to bad? How much is too much when you have essentially been a wronged victim too?
The beginning of the book which detailed Constance's disappearance was fast paced and definitely kept me turning the pages quickly. It was the best part of the book for me. Then it got decidedly slower and at times I had to really force myself to stick with it. This definitely was not the typical mystery/thriller format I prefer.
Overall Guilty was for me an ok read. The pacing could definitely have been better in my opinion. The twists were interesting at the onset but my failure to connect with the characters made enjoying the last part of the book difficult. I honestly didn't care what happened to Amanda.
February 23, 2018
GUILTY by Laura Elliot is a tense psychological thriller/drama that deals with the aftermath of a child missing.
It begins with a phone call. It ends with a missing child.
After a fight with her parents thirteen- year old Constance Lawson decides to sneak out of her house to perform a dare given to her from a secret club she's joined. But after completing the dare, Constance never returns home by the next morning and her desperate parents begin the search for their daughter.
A few days later, Constance’s uncle, Karl Lawson, who was close to his niece suddenly finds himself swept up in a media frenzy created by journalist Amanda Bowe implying that he is the prime suspect.
A week later and Constance's body is found, and the police arrest Karl. No one believes he is innocent…and his life falls apart and he loses everything…his marriage…his family.
Now Six years later … He wants REVENGE!
The characters in this novel are complex, well developed, and relevant. There are many twists and turns in this book that will keep you guessing. Highly recommended for fans of fast-paced psychological thrillers.
Many thanks to Bookouture via Netgalley for my copy.
It begins with a phone call. It ends with a missing child.
After a fight with her parents thirteen- year old Constance Lawson decides to sneak out of her house to perform a dare given to her from a secret club she's joined. But after completing the dare, Constance never returns home by the next morning and her desperate parents begin the search for their daughter.
A few days later, Constance’s uncle, Karl Lawson, who was close to his niece suddenly finds himself swept up in a media frenzy created by journalist Amanda Bowe implying that he is the prime suspect.
A week later and Constance's body is found, and the police arrest Karl. No one believes he is innocent…and his life falls apart and he loses everything…his marriage…his family.
Now Six years later … He wants REVENGE!
The characters in this novel are complex, well developed, and relevant. There are many twists and turns in this book that will keep you guessing. Highly recommended for fans of fast-paced psychological thrillers.
Many thanks to Bookouture via Netgalley for my copy.
May 30, 2017
After a disagreement with her parents thirteen year old Constance Lawson decides to sneak out of her house to perform a dare given to her from a secret club she's joined. After completing the dare however something happens to Constance keeping her from returning home so the next morning her parents are frantic and begin the search for their daughter.
Karl Lawson is Constance's uncle and had been close with his niece so when the search begins he shares that he knew of her being in the secret club but had thought he'd gotten her to give it up. As the days go by with no trace of the missing girl the media runs wild with the story and when her body is found suddenly Karl finds himself the main suspect in the crime.
Guilty by Laura Elliot is going to be one of those psychological thrillers that plenty of people fall in love with but unfortunately I wasn't one of those people leading to my low rating with this one. For myself I found this one a bit on the slow side and hard to connect with while reading. The focus on the media or more specifically the journalist Amanda Bowe left a lot of the book being news articles which to me throws off my pace with connecting with the characters and feeling it becomes more of reading the evening news.
This book is told in four parts and to be honest if the entire story was only the first part dealing with the missing Constance I might have scored this one a bit higher also. Searching for a missing child and wanting to know just what had happened is rather intense and engaging so that part of the book had my attention. After moving on though is when it started to drag for me and I really start to question what is going on and the characters interactions. I can see why others would love it I suppose but just in my own opinion it wasn't anywhere near as engaging a story after a certain point and this one turned out to just not be for me.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....
Karl Lawson is Constance's uncle and had been close with his niece so when the search begins he shares that he knew of her being in the secret club but had thought he'd gotten her to give it up. As the days go by with no trace of the missing girl the media runs wild with the story and when her body is found suddenly Karl finds himself the main suspect in the crime.
Guilty by Laura Elliot is going to be one of those psychological thrillers that plenty of people fall in love with but unfortunately I wasn't one of those people leading to my low rating with this one. For myself I found this one a bit on the slow side and hard to connect with while reading. The focus on the media or more specifically the journalist Amanda Bowe left a lot of the book being news articles which to me throws off my pace with connecting with the characters and feeling it becomes more of reading the evening news.
This book is told in four parts and to be honest if the entire story was only the first part dealing with the missing Constance I might have scored this one a bit higher also. Searching for a missing child and wanting to know just what had happened is rather intense and engaging so that part of the book had my attention. After moving on though is when it started to drag for me and I really start to question what is going on and the characters interactions. I can see why others would love it I suppose but just in my own opinion it wasn't anywhere near as engaging a story after a certain point and this one turned out to just not be for me.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....
June 5, 2017
Constance Lawson is missing. Only 13 years old, she sneaks out of the house late at night ...and is never seen alive again.
Her uncle, Karl Lawson, finds himself the person of interest in her disappearance. It's well known that they were close; he was the one she ran to when she had a problem with her own parents.
Journalist Amanda Bowe is certain that Karl is guilty. Aided by a detective, with whom she's having an affair, she is privileged to information the general public does not have. But Amanda makes sure that everyone knows his history ... and it all looks really bad for Karl.
Seven days later, Constance's body is found .... and the police arrest Karl on circumstantial evidence. He is charged and jailed with no bond. No one seems to believe him ... not his wife, and certainly not his brother and his brother's wife. He loses his wife, his daughter, his home, his job, and his friends.
Six years later ... Karl comes home.
“Beware the fury of a patient man.”
― John Dryden
“...And you, you better run because i'm going to destroy you for what you've taken from me.”
― Samantha Young, Blood Will Tell
This is a very well written psychological thriller. When a man loses everything through no fault of his own, what does he do? This is a sad journey of a man accused of awful crimes and having no one believe him. He goes from a successful life to having absolutely nothing except the clothes on his back.
But he does have one thing .... anger, a deep anger, and a plan for revenge.
Many thanks to the author / Bookouture / Netgalley for the advanced digital copy of GUILTY. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
Her uncle, Karl Lawson, finds himself the person of interest in her disappearance. It's well known that they were close; he was the one she ran to when she had a problem with her own parents.
Journalist Amanda Bowe is certain that Karl is guilty. Aided by a detective, with whom she's having an affair, she is privileged to information the general public does not have. But Amanda makes sure that everyone knows his history ... and it all looks really bad for Karl.
Seven days later, Constance's body is found .... and the police arrest Karl on circumstantial evidence. He is charged and jailed with no bond. No one seems to believe him ... not his wife, and certainly not his brother and his brother's wife. He loses his wife, his daughter, his home, his job, and his friends.
Six years later ... Karl comes home.
“Beware the fury of a patient man.”
― John Dryden
“...And you, you better run because i'm going to destroy you for what you've taken from me.”
― Samantha Young, Blood Will Tell
This is a very well written psychological thriller. When a man loses everything through no fault of his own, what does he do? This is a sad journey of a man accused of awful crimes and having no one believe him. He goes from a successful life to having absolutely nothing except the clothes on his back.
But he does have one thing .... anger, a deep anger, and a plan for revenge.
Many thanks to the author / Bookouture / Netgalley for the advanced digital copy of GUILTY. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
July 4, 2017
What a read! I absolutely loved this book. Laura Elliot can sure tell a tale as she has in her previous books which has also gripped my attention from beginning to end.
Guilty starts off with a gripping narration.
A point where it says "A message to the Fearless.
Then it says that no one can call them chicken again.
Intrigued? I know I was.
Just the cover drew me in, but once I started to read I just honestly couldn't put this down.
Karl Lawson has his own wife and family, nearby lives his brother and his wife and family. Their eldest daughter Constance loves her Uncle Karl and seems to turn to him when she has arguments with her parents as most teens do. This particular argument involves Karl as hes provided a night out for the Constance and the girls but under his supervision.
But her parents isn't agreeable to this.
Karl knows a bit of what Constance has been doing, but sorted it. Justin his brother doesn't know, so imagine when it all comes out.
Except.....
Constance is missing.
There ensues the story of a brilliant plot.
What if everyone had suspicions on you. Karl was under great suspicion with the Journalist outside his home, his wife even not sure about him, so much so she moves out taking his daughter with her.
He looses his job too.
I just really got my teeth into this one big time.
There is a huge twist in this that you won't see coming and not everything is as it seems.
I personally recommend this book.
My thanks to Bookoutour for my copy via Net Galley
Guilty starts off with a gripping narration.
A point where it says "A message to the Fearless.
Then it says that no one can call them chicken again.
Intrigued? I know I was.
Just the cover drew me in, but once I started to read I just honestly couldn't put this down.
Karl Lawson has his own wife and family, nearby lives his brother and his wife and family. Their eldest daughter Constance loves her Uncle Karl and seems to turn to him when she has arguments with her parents as most teens do. This particular argument involves Karl as hes provided a night out for the Constance and the girls but under his supervision.
But her parents isn't agreeable to this.
Karl knows a bit of what Constance has been doing, but sorted it. Justin his brother doesn't know, so imagine when it all comes out.
Except.....
Constance is missing.
There ensues the story of a brilliant plot.
What if everyone had suspicions on you. Karl was under great suspicion with the Journalist outside his home, his wife even not sure about him, so much so she moves out taking his daughter with her.
He looses his job too.
I just really got my teeth into this one big time.
There is a huge twist in this that you won't see coming and not everything is as it seems.
I personally recommend this book.
My thanks to Bookoutour for my copy via Net Galley
May 7, 2019
A teenage girl is missing and everything, and I mean everything, changes forever. The rumors and the free press is not helping anyone. Nice thriller, really nice.
November 7, 2024
Huge thank-you to "my" student who suggested a book-trade. I liked this so much, I bought another book by Laura Elliott and I can't wait to trade more books with "my" kids.
December 29, 2017
2.5 Stars
I must admit that I ultimately skimmed the entirety of this book, minus the first 6% and the last 20%. After 6%, knowing where the story was going at that point, knowing the other shoe has dropped, but having to wait for the characters to catch up, was just boring to me. I wasn’t invested, and just found everyone to be acting stupid, including the police. At that point, I started skimming through the next 74% to finally get to the point of the book where we get to see Amanda get her comeuppance. I found that I really just wanted to see if she got what she deserved after being a horrible excuse for a human being, that did nothing but ruin the lives of everyone around her, while simultaneously stepping on anyone she needed to in order to get what she wanted. I really didn’t want to see her happy at all.
When it comes right down to it, for me, this book struggled to know what kind of story it was. Revenge plot? Murder mystery? A social statement as to how media, and especially social media confuse and cloud our ideas of reality? I really wish one or 2 of these had been more thoroughly explored, and left the others to a different book. The only thing I felt truly emotionally invested in, was how thoroughly I despised Amanda, and everything she did and stood for. Which did end up leaving me quite satisfied in the end when everything comes around full circle, and the full scope of the plot comes together for the big picture reveal.
I read this as part of the ‘A Book for All Seasons’ group on Goodreads, as part of the Equinox 1 Topic #4 Challenge (Book with a kidnapping).
Copy received via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I must admit that I ultimately skimmed the entirety of this book, minus the first 6% and the last 20%. After 6%, knowing where the story was going at that point, knowing the other shoe has dropped, but having to wait for the characters to catch up, was just boring to me. I wasn’t invested, and just found everyone to be acting stupid, including the police. At that point, I started skimming through the next 74% to finally get to the point of the book where we get to see Amanda get her comeuppance. I found that I really just wanted to see if she got what she deserved after being a horrible excuse for a human being, that did nothing but ruin the lives of everyone around her, while simultaneously stepping on anyone she needed to in order to get what she wanted. I really didn’t want to see her happy at all.
When it comes right down to it, for me, this book struggled to know what kind of story it was. Revenge plot? Murder mystery? A social statement as to how media, and especially social media confuse and cloud our ideas of reality? I really wish one or 2 of these had been more thoroughly explored, and left the others to a different book. The only thing I felt truly emotionally invested in, was how thoroughly I despised Amanda, and everything she did and stood for. Which did end up leaving me quite satisfied in the end when everything comes around full circle, and the full scope of the plot comes together for the big picture reveal.
I read this as part of the ‘A Book for All Seasons’ group on Goodreads, as part of the Equinox 1 Topic #4 Challenge (Book with a kidnapping).
Copy received via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 22, 2017
All of my reviews can be found on www.novelgossip.com
Guilty was a bit different than I had anticipated, it was divided into five separate parts and the first one was very frantic as it focused on the disappearance of a teenaged girl. Her case is resolved during this section, then part two details the aftermath. It mainly follows Karl, Constance’s uncle who was the prime suspect when she went missing and the media storm created by a local reporter named Amanda. Then parts three through five fast forward to years later and follow both families and explore how the case effected so many lives.
Even though the beginning had the most rapid pacing I still found the book as a whole to be quite a page turner. I’m always intrigued by how the media’s influence can shift a criminal investigation and this played a heavy role here. Karl winds up losing everything dear to him and I couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. The rest of the characters were a pretty unlikable bunch, but I was still so curious to see what would happen to them. I know that’s vague, but it’s for your own good!
This was a book with a very complex plot and tons of unexpected moments and surprises. The power of revenge and righting perceived wrongs was another thing that grabbed my attention and held on tight and I really did love how things came together in the end. Elliot is a talented writer and she definitely had me under her spell, just be aware that this is not a nonstop, action packed thriller, rather it’s more moderately paced, but still extremely entertaining.
Guilty was a bit different than I had anticipated, it was divided into five separate parts and the first one was very frantic as it focused on the disappearance of a teenaged girl. Her case is resolved during this section, then part two details the aftermath. It mainly follows Karl, Constance’s uncle who was the prime suspect when she went missing and the media storm created by a local reporter named Amanda. Then parts three through five fast forward to years later and follow both families and explore how the case effected so many lives.
Even though the beginning had the most rapid pacing I still found the book as a whole to be quite a page turner. I’m always intrigued by how the media’s influence can shift a criminal investigation and this played a heavy role here. Karl winds up losing everything dear to him and I couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. The rest of the characters were a pretty unlikable bunch, but I was still so curious to see what would happen to them. I know that’s vague, but it’s for your own good!
This was a book with a very complex plot and tons of unexpected moments and surprises. The power of revenge and righting perceived wrongs was another thing that grabbed my attention and held on tight and I really did love how things came together in the end. Elliot is a talented writer and she definitely had me under her spell, just be aware that this is not a nonstop, action packed thriller, rather it’s more moderately paced, but still extremely entertaining.
June 27, 2017
Before I begin my review, readers may be interested to ascertain that this book is on my 2017 favourites shelf on GoodReads.
My journey with this breathlessly captivating psychological thriller had indeed left me withh literaly not a single moment of boredom to spare. There's something about this book that made me feel connected right from the first word after 'prologue'. I enjoyed the extremely thrilling plot with its freshness and originality; it's immensely refreshing and highly satisfying to have the opportunity to devour such a rare and original psychological thriller and I am greatly indebted to Net Galley and Bookouture for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. I would highly recommend this book to fans of freshly original and fast-paced psychological thrillers and I am definitely considering voting for Guilty as the best psychological thriller of the year if I have the opportunity to do so.
My journey with this breathlessly captivating psychological thriller had indeed left me withh literaly not a single moment of boredom to spare. There's something about this book that made me feel connected right from the first word after 'prologue'. I enjoyed the extremely thrilling plot with its freshness and originality; it's immensely refreshing and highly satisfying to have the opportunity to devour such a rare and original psychological thriller and I am greatly indebted to Net Galley and Bookouture for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. I would highly recommend this book to fans of freshly original and fast-paced psychological thrillers and I am definitely considering voting for Guilty as the best psychological thriller of the year if I have the opportunity to do so.
June 23, 2017
Goodness gracious me, this is one dark read!
I requested this book on Netgalley because of the cover. It was the pretty pink balloon that did it. Never mind reading the description so I didn’t actually know what this book was about. Except someone made a terrible mistake that could ruin their family. Thank you tagline. And so I was pleasantly surprised.
When thirteen year old Constance goes missing, reporter Amanda Bowe zeroes in on Constance’s uncle Karl and absolutely vilifies him in her articles. Six years later, Karl’s life is in ruins. He’s lost his job, his house, his wife and child. As the saying goes, mud sticks. Meanwhile Amanda is thriving. She has a successful career, a husband and a son.
This is a story about revenge but also about how powerless you are when nobody believes you, even when you know it’s the truth. In this day and age of “fake news”, this story is incredibly apt. “Guilty” highlights the power of the media and how quickly and easily they can distort facts and turn them into something they’re not. Yes, they do good but they’re also capable of utter destruction.
You can’t help but feel for Karl. Watching him go from being a valued member in a close-knit family to being completely alone, was heartbreaking to read. Despite his actions, I sympathised with him all the way. A sentiment I couldn’t quite extend to Amanda. I kind of wanted to hurt her. Badly.
“Guilty” is one gripping psychological thriller with a well constructed plot and realistic and believable characters. I felt it was quite slow but I was still mesmerised. The addition of newspaper articles was genius as it truly showed the difference between what actually happened and what the reporter wrote. It really added an extra layer and proves you shouldn’t always believe what you read.
Incredibly thought-provoking, it’ll make you question everything.
Many thanks to the publisher for my advanced copy!
I requested this book on Netgalley because of the cover. It was the pretty pink balloon that did it. Never mind reading the description so I didn’t actually know what this book was about. Except someone made a terrible mistake that could ruin their family. Thank you tagline. And so I was pleasantly surprised.
When thirteen year old Constance goes missing, reporter Amanda Bowe zeroes in on Constance’s uncle Karl and absolutely vilifies him in her articles. Six years later, Karl’s life is in ruins. He’s lost his job, his house, his wife and child. As the saying goes, mud sticks. Meanwhile Amanda is thriving. She has a successful career, a husband and a son.
This is a story about revenge but also about how powerless you are when nobody believes you, even when you know it’s the truth. In this day and age of “fake news”, this story is incredibly apt. “Guilty” highlights the power of the media and how quickly and easily they can distort facts and turn them into something they’re not. Yes, they do good but they’re also capable of utter destruction.
You can’t help but feel for Karl. Watching him go from being a valued member in a close-knit family to being completely alone, was heartbreaking to read. Despite his actions, I sympathised with him all the way. A sentiment I couldn’t quite extend to Amanda. I kind of wanted to hurt her. Badly.
“Guilty” is one gripping psychological thriller with a well constructed plot and realistic and believable characters. I felt it was quite slow but I was still mesmerised. The addition of newspaper articles was genius as it truly showed the difference between what actually happened and what the reporter wrote. It really added an extra layer and proves you shouldn’t always believe what you read.
Incredibly thought-provoking, it’ll make you question everything.
Many thanks to the publisher for my advanced copy!
June 11, 2017
I am a big fan of psychological thrillers, and can get on with most, whatever the plot. However, 'Guilty' fell short for me for a number of reasons.
The book is told in four parts, concerning the mystery of a missing school girl. The first part of the book set the scene for missing Constance, planting lots of questions in the reader's mind. The book us fairly fast-paced at this point, leaving you eager to read on to uncover the answers to Constance's disappearance. I am more used to major plot twists coming towards the end of a book, with gradual build-up and suspense throughout, until the twist is finally uncovered in a nice, meaty ending. In 'Guilty' however, the answer missing Constance (and the climax of the main storyline) was revealed in part one, less than halfway through the book. This left me baffled as I couldn't imagine what the rest of the book would address, and my reservations were justified. The remainder of the story concerned other characters in the book and their interconnected stories, but seemed to go off on a tangent, away from the topic of Constance. It felt almost as though I was reading two completely different books that had been joined together, and I didn't feel it worked. If Constance's disappearance had been the sole focus of the book, with more questions and momentum gathered for most of the book, I would have scored this much more highly.
Unfortunately for me, 'Guilty' didn't grab me. After the first part, it took a lot of effort to read through the rest of the book. It dragged, the chapters seemed disjointed, and there wasn't a huge climax to work towards.
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC.
The book is told in four parts, concerning the mystery of a missing school girl. The first part of the book set the scene for missing Constance, planting lots of questions in the reader's mind. The book us fairly fast-paced at this point, leaving you eager to read on to uncover the answers to Constance's disappearance. I am more used to major plot twists coming towards the end of a book, with gradual build-up and suspense throughout, until the twist is finally uncovered in a nice, meaty ending. In 'Guilty' however, the answer missing Constance (and the climax of the main storyline) was revealed in part one, less than halfway through the book. This left me baffled as I couldn't imagine what the rest of the book would address, and my reservations were justified. The remainder of the story concerned other characters in the book and their interconnected stories, but seemed to go off on a tangent, away from the topic of Constance. It felt almost as though I was reading two completely different books that had been joined together, and I didn't feel it worked. If Constance's disappearance had been the sole focus of the book, with more questions and momentum gathered for most of the book, I would have scored this much more highly.
Unfortunately for me, 'Guilty' didn't grab me. After the first part, it took a lot of effort to read through the rest of the book. It dragged, the chapters seemed disjointed, and there wasn't a huge climax to work towards.
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC.
January 5, 2021
3.75 rounded up
I really liked this book until the stuff with the Plinks came in to the story... just all of a sudden the book went really left with hardly any explanation. I felt like I was missing a chunk of the story.
All around, an enjoyable book. And honestly, can you blame him?
I really liked this book until the stuff with the Plinks came in to the story... just all of a sudden the book went really left with hardly any explanation. I felt like I was missing a chunk of the story.
All around, an enjoyable book. And honestly, can you blame him?
June 2, 2017
This book a raw, edge of the seat page turner. The story is told in four parts, all of which lead into each other beautifully.
Part one focuses on Constance Lawson, age 13 she has a fight with her parents and sneaks out that night to take part in a "challenge" set by "The Fearless". She is never seem alive again. Her uncle Karl, with whom she is very close becomes the focus of the media attention and through that becomes the centre of the investigation after Constance's body is found.
Part two centers on a journalist from a local tabloid paper Amanda and her single minded focus on Karl. How she gets her information and why she is so determined to prove Karl is behind the death of his niece.
Part three fast forwards in time again to Amanda, now with an extremely successful career, happy marriage with a baby on the way. Karl on the other hand has lost everything. His hate for Amanda and society in general is palpable. He is jobless and homeless and is sinking further into alcoholism. Because of her he has lost everything.
Part four...well I don't want to ruin the book. But part four is where it all really kicks off. And all four parts of the story come together in an ending that will have you in a spin.
The plot of this book is fantastic, the characters are realistic and believable. This is an easy five stars
Part one focuses on Constance Lawson, age 13 she has a fight with her parents and sneaks out that night to take part in a "challenge" set by "The Fearless". She is never seem alive again. Her uncle Karl, with whom she is very close becomes the focus of the media attention and through that becomes the centre of the investigation after Constance's body is found.
Part two centers on a journalist from a local tabloid paper Amanda and her single minded focus on Karl. How she gets her information and why she is so determined to prove Karl is behind the death of his niece.
Part three fast forwards in time again to Amanda, now with an extremely successful career, happy marriage with a baby on the way. Karl on the other hand has lost everything. His hate for Amanda and society in general is palpable. He is jobless and homeless and is sinking further into alcoholism. Because of her he has lost everything.
Part four...well I don't want to ruin the book. But part four is where it all really kicks off. And all four parts of the story come together in an ending that will have you in a spin.
The plot of this book is fantastic, the characters are realistic and believable. This is an easy five stars
October 5, 2017
Wow.. that was a rollercoaster! So many despicable characters! Great book
May 31, 2020
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm.
https://www.beckiebookworm.com/
So Guilty was the first book I have read by Laura Elliot, I enjoyed it but found the first half of the book much more compelling than the second.
If I could, I would rate the first fifty percent a solid four and the last half a three as I can't do this and to be fair I have settled on a three and a half rating for the whole experience.
So what is guilty about?
Well when Constance Lawson goes missing, it sends everyone into a tailspin of confusion, hysteria and an almost witch-hunt of epic proportions by the press.
In particular, one journalist makes it her mission to personally persecute Constance's uncle, Karl Lawson.
Amanda Bowe a journalist is mainly motivated by a past grievance and also an arrogance of her own self-importance that she is infallible in her assumptions.
she systematically closes the cage that is growing around Karl, So great is her arrogance in his guilt.
Not caring a tall that Karl could be an innocent man.
Over seven days Karl Lawson's life is destroyed in a campaign of mud slinging and half-truths.
finally resulting in him losing everything important to him, his job, his family nothing is off limits.
Loved this half of the book
Watching a world implode and the sheer helplessness and inability to call a cease-fire was a sort of train-wreck visual.
it was soul destroying, but the visuals it beheld were strangely compelling, as poor Karl is thrown to the wolves and ripped apart, to make it worse he seems such a lovely man.
A great father, dad, husband, brother, uncle.
None of this matters when it comes to the judgements imposed by others.
Amanda at the helm leading the madness, almost a figurehead.
In contrast, Amanda Bowes to me wasn't a very likeable person.
I couldn't take to her at all, so to see her thriving years later, well not exactly fair, is it.
Well, Karmas a bitch and it's coming for you AMANDA!!!
Now as I said, I found some parts of this story more enthralling than others, that is not to say I didn't enjoy Guilty, I just felt more of a connection with certain characters so found it easier to connect to these parts of the story.
Karl was easy, Amanda not so much.
I also couldn't get my head around the plinks I found them pointless and a bit bizarre, but I suppose they did serve their purpose they were just a bit weird, they also made me think a bit of lazy town.
don't ask me why they just did.
Also towards the end, I felt things started to drag a bit so I was definitely ready for that finish line.
The end in sight almost.
So, in conclusion, this was a good solid read that kept my attention mostly.
It did drag slightly for me in places, but other instances more than made up for it, keeping my momentum going.
But I'm Still slightly bemused about those bloody plinks!
sorry just saying.
Anyway shaking head slightly,
thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a free readers copy of Guilty By Laura Elliot this is my own personal opinion.
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.beckiebookworm.com/
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
https://www.beckiebookworm.com/
So Guilty was the first book I have read by Laura Elliot, I enjoyed it but found the first half of the book much more compelling than the second.
If I could, I would rate the first fifty percent a solid four and the last half a three as I can't do this and to be fair I have settled on a three and a half rating for the whole experience.
So what is guilty about?
Well when Constance Lawson goes missing, it sends everyone into a tailspin of confusion, hysteria and an almost witch-hunt of epic proportions by the press.
In particular, one journalist makes it her mission to personally persecute Constance's uncle, Karl Lawson.
Amanda Bowe a journalist is mainly motivated by a past grievance and also an arrogance of her own self-importance that she is infallible in her assumptions.
she systematically closes the cage that is growing around Karl, So great is her arrogance in his guilt.
Not caring a tall that Karl could be an innocent man.
Over seven days Karl Lawson's life is destroyed in a campaign of mud slinging and half-truths.
finally resulting in him losing everything important to him, his job, his family nothing is off limits.
Loved this half of the book
Watching a world implode and the sheer helplessness and inability to call a cease-fire was a sort of train-wreck visual.
it was soul destroying, but the visuals it beheld were strangely compelling, as poor Karl is thrown to the wolves and ripped apart, to make it worse he seems such a lovely man.
A great father, dad, husband, brother, uncle.
None of this matters when it comes to the judgements imposed by others.
Amanda at the helm leading the madness, almost a figurehead.
In contrast, Amanda Bowes to me wasn't a very likeable person.
I couldn't take to her at all, so to see her thriving years later, well not exactly fair, is it.
Well, Karmas a bitch and it's coming for you AMANDA!!!
Now as I said, I found some parts of this story more enthralling than others, that is not to say I didn't enjoy Guilty, I just felt more of a connection with certain characters so found it easier to connect to these parts of the story.
Karl was easy, Amanda not so much.
I also couldn't get my head around the plinks I found them pointless and a bit bizarre, but I suppose they did serve their purpose they were just a bit weird, they also made me think a bit of lazy town.
don't ask me why they just did.
Also towards the end, I felt things started to drag a bit so I was definitely ready for that finish line.
The end in sight almost.
So, in conclusion, this was a good solid read that kept my attention mostly.
It did drag slightly for me in places, but other instances more than made up for it, keeping my momentum going.
But I'm Still slightly bemused about those bloody plinks!
sorry just saying.
Anyway shaking head slightly,
thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a free readers copy of Guilty By Laura Elliot this is my own personal opinion.
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.beckiebookworm.com/
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
May 29, 2017
This tense psychological thriller grips you tight from the prologue and adds layers of tension with each page you turn. The overall mood of the book is dark, and it touches on taboo subject matter. Laura Elliot has skillfully crafted an excellent novel. Her writing style keeps you flipping pages at a frantic pace.
The plot of part one revolves around the disappearance of a 13 year old girl, Constance, and her uncle, Karl. The initial investigation is marred by a personal attack and smear campaign against Karl and the magazine he works for. This attack is carried out by a reporter for the local tabloid who always seems to be one step ahead of the story. Ghosts from his past have come back to haunt him.
Part two focuses on the tabloid reporter, Amanda. The author focuses on her background, her motives, and the anonymous source of her information. Then we learn about her relentless pursuit to focus on Karl and attempt to destroy his life. The mighty hand of the media and the public eye can unfortunately paint the picture that best suits their needs and motives. Reporters have a huge influence on public and legal opinions.
Part three flashes forward and finds Amanda in a successful career, married with a baby on the way. Meanwhile, Karl is slowly fading away, finding himself jobless, homeless, and seeking comfort in a bottle. His resentment for Amanda and society in general is palpable. He soon receives help and encouragement from some unlikely sources and gets his life back on track.
Part four begins with an alarming phone call that sends Amanda's world into a tailspin. Karl launches a devious plan to give Amanda a dose of her own medicine.
The characters are complex, well developed, and relatable. There are many twists and turns in this book that will keep you guessing. The multi-layered plot will keep you reading long into the night to figure out what the next chapter holds. I highly recommend this book to fans of thrillers and psychological suspense. I received this as a free ARC from Bookouture on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The plot of part one revolves around the disappearance of a 13 year old girl, Constance, and her uncle, Karl. The initial investigation is marred by a personal attack and smear campaign against Karl and the magazine he works for. This attack is carried out by a reporter for the local tabloid who always seems to be one step ahead of the story. Ghosts from his past have come back to haunt him.
Part two focuses on the tabloid reporter, Amanda. The author focuses on her background, her motives, and the anonymous source of her information. Then we learn about her relentless pursuit to focus on Karl and attempt to destroy his life. The mighty hand of the media and the public eye can unfortunately paint the picture that best suits their needs and motives. Reporters have a huge influence on public and legal opinions.
Part three flashes forward and finds Amanda in a successful career, married with a baby on the way. Meanwhile, Karl is slowly fading away, finding himself jobless, homeless, and seeking comfort in a bottle. His resentment for Amanda and society in general is palpable. He soon receives help and encouragement from some unlikely sources and gets his life back on track.
Part four begins with an alarming phone call that sends Amanda's world into a tailspin. Karl launches a devious plan to give Amanda a dose of her own medicine.
The characters are complex, well developed, and relatable. There are many twists and turns in this book that will keep you guessing. The multi-layered plot will keep you reading long into the night to figure out what the next chapter holds. I highly recommend this book to fans of thrillers and psychological suspense. I received this as a free ARC from Bookouture on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 7, 2017
This book brings home the adage – Loose lips sink ships
It takes a second and few written words to destroy a man’s reputation and years to rebuild it, but the scars of the pain undergone are felt forever. Words are that powerful, this simple fact is brought home by Laura Elliot in this book.
Amanda bowe, the journalist and Karl Lawson, the alleged suspect are the two main protagonists. When Karl’s niece, Constance Lawson, disappears one night, few words of implied guilt written by Amanda and a picture taken in a different context, implicates Karl. The media uproar following it and the police investigation destroy his life, his marriage, his career. Everyone, including his wife and brother, do not believe in his innocence. He is left all alone in this torturous journey, with his pain and sadness over Constance’s death, who was like his surrogate daughter and the loss of his own child Sasha, who is oceans away. The entire story is about the repercussion which follow one media article.
This book is told in 4 parts ;
Part 1 : Constance’s disappearance and the aftermath in which Karl is totally destroyed by Amanda.
Part 2: Amanda Bowe and her career, her flight up the corporate ladder including hooking up with the big boss.
Part 3 : Amanda’s journey as a mother and a wife.
Part 4 : Amanda’s child Marcus’s disappearance and Karl’s well planned revenge.
I enjoyed the first three parts. They were fast and well written. Emotions were felt in each word ; parents’ pain over the disappearance of their daughter, Karl’s disbelief, Amanda’s arrogance and selfishness, the media’s intrusiveness and influence over the public outlook. I felt so much anger against Amanda for the furore she caused by her writings, in her need to prove Karl guilty. She was ruthless. She does help him get free later but it’s too little, too late.
Its the 4th part of the book that i have a problem with. It’s a bit scattered, slow and too short. It does connect the various points but Amanda’s pain of being on the other side of media and its vicious attacks were not felt. I needed more from the fourth part, the downfall of Amanda and the consequences of her actions. But that’s my personal opinion. (I am a little blood thirsty…)
I have loved all of Laura Elliot’s books, she writes beautifully, her words bring out all the emotions especially Karl’s pain and his disbelief at the way his world turned upside down, his reaching the end of the barrel and his slow and gradual rise. It was an entertaining, well thought of page-turner with a compelling story. It deals with passion, ambition, deception, revenge, everything which makes it a potboiler of a read.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Bookouture, for this entertaining read. This is my honest and unbiased opinion.
It takes a second and few written words to destroy a man’s reputation and years to rebuild it, but the scars of the pain undergone are felt forever. Words are that powerful, this simple fact is brought home by Laura Elliot in this book.
Amanda bowe, the journalist and Karl Lawson, the alleged suspect are the two main protagonists. When Karl’s niece, Constance Lawson, disappears one night, few words of implied guilt written by Amanda and a picture taken in a different context, implicates Karl. The media uproar following it and the police investigation destroy his life, his marriage, his career. Everyone, including his wife and brother, do not believe in his innocence. He is left all alone in this torturous journey, with his pain and sadness over Constance’s death, who was like his surrogate daughter and the loss of his own child Sasha, who is oceans away. The entire story is about the repercussion which follow one media article.
This book is told in 4 parts ;
Part 1 : Constance’s disappearance and the aftermath in which Karl is totally destroyed by Amanda.
Part 2: Amanda Bowe and her career, her flight up the corporate ladder including hooking up with the big boss.
Part 3 : Amanda’s journey as a mother and a wife.
Part 4 : Amanda’s child Marcus’s disappearance and Karl’s well planned revenge.
I enjoyed the first three parts. They were fast and well written. Emotions were felt in each word ; parents’ pain over the disappearance of their daughter, Karl’s disbelief, Amanda’s arrogance and selfishness, the media’s intrusiveness and influence over the public outlook. I felt so much anger against Amanda for the furore she caused by her writings, in her need to prove Karl guilty. She was ruthless. She does help him get free later but it’s too little, too late.
Its the 4th part of the book that i have a problem with. It’s a bit scattered, slow and too short. It does connect the various points but Amanda’s pain of being on the other side of media and its vicious attacks were not felt. I needed more from the fourth part, the downfall of Amanda and the consequences of her actions. But that’s my personal opinion. (I am a little blood thirsty…)
I have loved all of Laura Elliot’s books, she writes beautifully, her words bring out all the emotions especially Karl’s pain and his disbelief at the way his world turned upside down, his reaching the end of the barrel and his slow and gradual rise. It was an entertaining, well thought of page-turner with a compelling story. It deals with passion, ambition, deception, revenge, everything which makes it a potboiler of a read.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Bookouture, for this entertaining read. This is my honest and unbiased opinion.
June 14, 2017
I was provided an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Fair warning, the official synopsis is FILLED with spoilers...
Karl Lawson, 32, is the editor of the famous music magazine Hitch, he has a four year old daughter and a wife he adores when his 13 year old niece disappears. They were very close and she even confided in him about the secret group she was in but made him promise not to tell anyone.
Enters Amanda Bowe. She’s a journalist for a tabloid and was rejected by Karl when she went to interview for a position at Hitch years before. She focuses her investigation on him which ends up giving doubts to the police but also to Karl’s family.
This was deeply unsettling but in the best way?
What most disturbed me is that I couldn’t figure out if Karl a reliable narrator or not and so if I was right to root for him…
The other thing was that I could not stand Amanda. I seriously hate her with the strength of a thousand suns. Her point of view was pure torture, yet still captivating.
There are three points of views in this book. Karl’s in Part One, Karl’s and Angela’s in Part Two and Three and in Part Four, Karl’s, Angela’s and another I can’t name because spoiler.
The repartition between the points of views was, in my opinion, perfect.
The characters were deep and layered, even if I couldn’t stand Angela, I could have tried to relate with some parts of her. The many secondary characters were all connected all throughout the four parts and that was really cool to figure out.
In Part Four, we can see a character being deeply sexist and she is being called out by another one and that was great. However, there were many times where I could see sexism and it wasn’t shamed or anything. For example, throughout the book there are several moments where wives are expected to feed the men and children while the men do nothing and just put their feet under the table when the women call out. That’s not ok with me and it bothered me but most times the characters called out the sexism.
Finally, I’ve seen this book being called a psychological thriller everywhere and though I definitely agree with the psychological part, I’m not sure I agree with the thriller one… I mean the missing teenage girl thing is resolved fairly quickly and we then see mostly how it affected the main characters’ lives….
Anywaaaay… All in all, I would definitely recommend this book and I’m gonna go check out other books by this author.
Fair warning, the official synopsis is FILLED with spoilers...
Karl Lawson, 32, is the editor of the famous music magazine Hitch, he has a four year old daughter and a wife he adores when his 13 year old niece disappears. They were very close and she even confided in him about the secret group she was in but made him promise not to tell anyone.
Enters Amanda Bowe. She’s a journalist for a tabloid and was rejected by Karl when she went to interview for a position at Hitch years before. She focuses her investigation on him which ends up giving doubts to the police but also to Karl’s family.
This was deeply unsettling but in the best way?
What most disturbed me is that I couldn’t figure out if Karl a reliable narrator or not and so if I was right to root for him…
The other thing was that I could not stand Amanda. I seriously hate her with the strength of a thousand suns. Her point of view was pure torture, yet still captivating.
There are three points of views in this book. Karl’s in Part One, Karl’s and Angela’s in Part Two and Three and in Part Four, Karl’s, Angela’s and another I can’t name because spoiler.
The repartition between the points of views was, in my opinion, perfect.
The characters were deep and layered, even if I couldn’t stand Angela, I could have tried to relate with some parts of her. The many secondary characters were all connected all throughout the four parts and that was really cool to figure out.
In Part Four, we can see a character being deeply sexist and she is being called out by another one and that was great. However, there were many times where I could see sexism and it wasn’t shamed or anything. For example, throughout the book there are several moments where wives are expected to feed the men and children while the men do nothing and just put their feet under the table when the women call out. That’s not ok with me and it bothered me but most times the characters called out the sexism.
Finally, I’ve seen this book being called a psychological thriller everywhere and though I definitely agree with the psychological part, I’m not sure I agree with the thriller one… I mean the missing teenage girl thing is resolved fairly quickly and we then see mostly how it affected the main characters’ lives….
Anywaaaay… All in all, I would definitely recommend this book and I’m gonna go check out other books by this author.
October 8, 2017
I bought this book mainly on the basis of the basis of number of positive reviews it had received. I am struggling to see how so many people can have enjoyed it so much.
None of the characters were likeable or empathetic. The storyline was completely unbelievable and in my view frankly rather dull.
It was the first book I had read by Laura Elliot and very sadly it does not make me want to read another as there was nothing about her style of writing or her storylines that grabbed me to make me think she is an author I would add to my list of favourites.
I am absolutely in the minority here and as I say I probably did read a different book to everyone else, but I had no interest whatsoever in the tale of Karl Larson, Amanda and the Plinks 🙄
None of the characters were likeable or empathetic. The storyline was completely unbelievable and in my view frankly rather dull.
It was the first book I had read by Laura Elliot and very sadly it does not make me want to read another as there was nothing about her style of writing or her storylines that grabbed me to make me think she is an author I would add to my list of favourites.
I am absolutely in the minority here and as I say I probably did read a different book to everyone else, but I had no interest whatsoever in the tale of Karl Larson, Amanda and the Plinks 🙄
June 1, 2017
This was a stunner of a story! I loved it! Starting with a missing child it then takes you into the dark side of journalism, corruption, adultery, broken families and the ultimate revenge. A breathtaking ending. Highly recommended. Read it!
June 9, 2017
Guilty is a tense psychological thriller by Laura Elliott focusing on how media can build or destroy a person’s reputation by a few words.
Constance Lawson , a 13 year old disappears one night and the suspicion falls on her uncle Karl .
Innocent gestures are cast in a disturbing light and Karl's life, career, family and finally freedom was destroyed in the process . Leading the media frenzy is local journalist Amanda trying to further her career with this story.
The book is divided in four parts. The first deals with Constance’s disappearance, the next two with how this story effects Amanda and her life . The final part deals with Karl’s fight for justice and revenge
The first part was a quick read, the 2nd and 3rd dragged for me and the 4th felt a little rushed. Overall an interesting concept which proves the age old saying “Pen is mightier than a sword.”
Many thanks to the publisher Bookouture & NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest and fair review.
This and more reviews at https://chloesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
Constance Lawson , a 13 year old disappears one night and the suspicion falls on her uncle Karl .
Innocent gestures are cast in a disturbing light and Karl's life, career, family and finally freedom was destroyed in the process . Leading the media frenzy is local journalist Amanda trying to further her career with this story.
The book is divided in four parts. The first deals with Constance’s disappearance, the next two with how this story effects Amanda and her life . The final part deals with Karl’s fight for justice and revenge
The first part was a quick read, the 2nd and 3rd dragged for me and the 4th felt a little rushed. Overall an interesting concept which proves the age old saying “Pen is mightier than a sword.”
Many thanks to the publisher Bookouture & NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest and fair review.
This and more reviews at https://chloesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
August 28, 2017
I was really surprised to discover this ISN'T a debut for that was the impression I got throughout. I've read many debuts in my quest to find new & exciting authors to add to my ever-growing TBR list and Guilty had that debut vibe.
An awful lot going on yet at the same time not much happening...
Character development was sorely lacking...
It was over before it begun. Quite literally at 35%!! Weird.
For me, this was far from being a psychological thriller and I was really disappointed.
Thanks to Bookouture for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
An awful lot going on yet at the same time not much happening...
Character development was sorely lacking...
It was over before it begun. Quite literally at 35%!! Weird.
For me, this was far from being a psychological thriller and I was really disappointed.
Thanks to Bookouture for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
January 17, 2025
Colpevole parte con una narrazione molto avvincente. Constance, un'adolescente alle prese con i classici conflitti con i genitori tipici dell'età, scompare nel nulla e, fino al ritrovamento del suo cadavere, c'è una vera e propria persecuzione da parte dei mass-media nei confronti dello zio della ragazza con il quale, la vittima, aveva un rapporto di complicità. In casi del genere è come se si volesse subito trovare il mostro da accusare e una giornalista in particolare si accanisce nei confronti di quest'uomo fino a stravolgere completamente la sua vita, anzi, tante vite verranno stravolte. Tutta questa vicenda però termina al 30% più o meno del romanzo e pur essendo molto coinvolgente non è l'elemento che mi ha fatto apprezzare tanto questo psico-thriller. Dopo inizia tutta un'altra narrazione, tutta un'altra storia, chiaramente collegata ai fatti iniziali, che mi ha tenuta ancor di più incollata alle pagine. Cosa resta a un uomo che ha perso tutto, a cui degli scoop giornalistici hanno letteralmente rovinato la vita? La rabbia certo, ma anche sete di vendetta!
La vendetta ha un sapore strano, non è dolce, non è piccante. Fa schifo e basta, come il cibo che servono in prigione.
Bel thriller, trama ben congegnata, ritmo serrato.
La vendetta ha un sapore strano, non è dolce, non è piccante. Fa schifo e basta, come il cibo che servono in prigione.
Bel thriller, trama ben congegnata, ritmo serrato.
June 16, 2017
I have read a few of this author's previous books and enjoyed them. As a fan of psychological thrillers I was looking forward to reading this, and it didn't disappoint. However I'm not totally sure about the thriller part of it as it came across as something else to me.
The initial part of the story involves a missing girl, Constance, and the hunt to find her. During the investigation journalist Amanda Bowe becomes increasingly involved in finding out what happened to the young girl. She starts to form her own opinions as to what happened and, in doing so, helps to destroy a mans life. The way the press stories are written shows just how intrusive they can be, and that is so true even now in real life. I have watched news programmes a lot in recent weeks, and it pains me when journalists on live television are pushing witnesses to some horrific scenes far more than they should, all to get a good story. This book is so relevant right now due to what has occurred recently.
The main thing I got from this book is just how far journalists will go in order to do their jobs, and the consequences those caught up in the news stories have to suffer as a result. I actually enjoyed the latter part of the story a lot more as, if I'm being honest, I actually felt far more empathy toward the main male character rather than the journalist.
This is written well, it kept me gripped throughout, and is a good story for fans of psychological stuff. Thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for providing a copy.
The initial part of the story involves a missing girl, Constance, and the hunt to find her. During the investigation journalist Amanda Bowe becomes increasingly involved in finding out what happened to the young girl. She starts to form her own opinions as to what happened and, in doing so, helps to destroy a mans life. The way the press stories are written shows just how intrusive they can be, and that is so true even now in real life. I have watched news programmes a lot in recent weeks, and it pains me when journalists on live television are pushing witnesses to some horrific scenes far more than they should, all to get a good story. This book is so relevant right now due to what has occurred recently.
The main thing I got from this book is just how far journalists will go in order to do their jobs, and the consequences those caught up in the news stories have to suffer as a result. I actually enjoyed the latter part of the story a lot more as, if I'm being honest, I actually felt far more empathy toward the main male character rather than the journalist.
This is written well, it kept me gripped throughout, and is a good story for fans of psychological stuff. Thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for providing a copy.
January 19, 2018
This is a brilliant read. I’ll definitely have to go and read her previous books if they are even half as good as this one.
Thirteen year old Constance Lawson sneaks out one night and disappears. Her uncle Karl is accused of the murder of his niece.
Amanda Bowe has a grudge against Karl, so much so that she starts a media campaign against him.
Karl is on his own when even his family don’t believe his innocence.
A fantastic read that had me gripped from start to finish. I’m looking forward to reading more from this author.
Thirteen year old Constance Lawson sneaks out one night and disappears. Her uncle Karl is accused of the murder of his niece.
Amanda Bowe has a grudge against Karl, so much so that she starts a media campaign against him.
Karl is on his own when even his family don’t believe his innocence.
A fantastic read that had me gripped from start to finish. I’m looking forward to reading more from this author.
June 12, 2017
[image error]
Finished reading: June 10th 2017
*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Netgalley and Bookouture in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***
P.S. Find more of my reviews here.
Finished reading: June 10th 2017
"Does she not realise the past never goes away? It can swing a fist and knock us out with one blow."
*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Netgalley and Bookouture in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***
P.S. Find more of my reviews here.
June 22, 2017
After a blazing row with her parents 13 year old Constance Lawson sneaks out of her home in the middle of the night and vanishes without a trace.
A few days later Constance`s uncle Karl Lawson finds that he is the prime suspect in her disappearance thanks to a media frenzy created by journalist Amanda No we.
Six Years Later
Karl's life is in ruins but the woman who took everything away from him now has a successful chat show,a husband and a baby boy.Amanda has the perfect life until the day she receives a phone call and finds herself plunged into every parents living nightmare.
I think Guilty is going to be one of those books that will divide readers opinions.Some will love it,some will hate it and some like me will find their opinion falling somewhere in the middle.I enjoyed certain elements of the story but I also felt that it dragged in places,at one point I was uncertain wether I was going to finish the book or not.
The search for Constance was gripping and intreguing and had a surprising and unexpected conclusion.Amanda's systematic and cold hearted destruction of Karl`s life was scarily realistic,we all know the media don't care what damage they cause to people's lives as long as the story makes headlines,who cares if the facts are true or not.I would have liked there to have been more background information on Karl and Nicole`s marriage,that might have explained why Nicole reacted the way that she did to what was happening to Karl.
The characters where complex,believable and mostly not very likeable.I felt a lot of sympathy for Karl,I mean you would have to have a heart of stone not to feel some sympathy for the poor man.It's not a fast paced story but there is the odd twist or two and it does have a satisfactory ending.Unfortunately I thought parts of the story where a bit too slow but that's just my opinion,I'm sure other readers will love this book.
BTW - I LOVED the Plinks.....lol
A few days later Constance`s uncle Karl Lawson finds that he is the prime suspect in her disappearance thanks to a media frenzy created by journalist Amanda No we.
Six Years Later
Karl's life is in ruins but the woman who took everything away from him now has a successful chat show,a husband and a baby boy.Amanda has the perfect life until the day she receives a phone call and finds herself plunged into every parents living nightmare.
I think Guilty is going to be one of those books that will divide readers opinions.Some will love it,some will hate it and some like me will find their opinion falling somewhere in the middle.I enjoyed certain elements of the story but I also felt that it dragged in places,at one point I was uncertain wether I was going to finish the book or not.
The search for Constance was gripping and intreguing and had a surprising and unexpected conclusion.Amanda's systematic and cold hearted destruction of Karl`s life was scarily realistic,we all know the media don't care what damage they cause to people's lives as long as the story makes headlines,who cares if the facts are true or not.I would have liked there to have been more background information on Karl and Nicole`s marriage,that might have explained why Nicole reacted the way that she did to what was happening to Karl.
The characters where complex,believable and mostly not very likeable.I felt a lot of sympathy for Karl,I mean you would have to have a heart of stone not to feel some sympathy for the poor man.It's not a fast paced story but there is the odd twist or two and it does have a satisfactory ending.Unfortunately I thought parts of the story where a bit too slow but that's just my opinion,I'm sure other readers will love this book.
BTW - I LOVED the Plinks.....lol
September 3, 2017
Constance found her parents boring and thought they were trying to stop her growing up.She felt she had much more in common with her hip Uncle Karl who wrote for a music magazine & could get tickets and backstage passes to the latest bands. She was thirteen when she went missing after her parents refused to let her go to a concert where he had supplied the tickets.
Karl suddenly finds himself in the middle of the investigation as prime suspect. Crime reported Amanda Bowe has her own axe to grind with Karl and with special information she makes sure the finger is pointed enough to get him jailed on suspicion of Constance's murder.
In a short while Karl has lost everything. His family, his job and his self respect. How can he reclaim his life and get his own back on the woman who destroyed him? Revenge is a dish best served cold and Karl is a patient man.
Although I found the first part of this book a bit slow going it developed into a real page turner. I had a great deal of sympathy for Karl, but really dreaded what he would do.
Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for this nail biting story- definitely five stars!
Karl suddenly finds himself in the middle of the investigation as prime suspect. Crime reported Amanda Bowe has her own axe to grind with Karl and with special information she makes sure the finger is pointed enough to get him jailed on suspicion of Constance's murder.
In a short while Karl has lost everything. His family, his job and his self respect. How can he reclaim his life and get his own back on the woman who destroyed him? Revenge is a dish best served cold and Karl is a patient man.
Although I found the first part of this book a bit slow going it developed into a real page turner. I had a great deal of sympathy for Karl, but really dreaded what he would do.
Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for this nail biting story- definitely five stars!
![[image error]](https://melovebooks.files.wordpress.com/2017/06/brguilty.jpg){kind=link}
June 21, 2017
I'm of two minds on this book.
You see, I loved the first part of the book. Oh, I read it at a feverish pace, feeling absolutely sick for our characters and completely loathing one in particular. Had the book stayed with these characters in this time (and this point of view), I likely would be giving this five stars right now.
But I hated, part two. In it, we completely change our focus and characters seem to flip personalities. It makes sense and I could see what the author was doing and why, but it wasn't enjoyable at all. I got the impression that the author was trying to give the reader an ethical quandary - and it is very unsettling as you start to worry about characters you once hated - and hate characters you once worried about. You also have a more personal quandary as you question the difference between revenge and punishment.
The problem is that it became like a different book. The pacing was different and I went from worrying about some characters to hating the lot of them.
As for the ending? It was find, but by then I was simply unhappy.
I appreciate what the author tried to do, but for me it was not a success.
*ARC Provided via Net Galley
You see, I loved the first part of the book. Oh, I read it at a feverish pace, feeling absolutely sick for our characters and completely loathing one in particular. Had the book stayed with these characters in this time (and this point of view), I likely would be giving this five stars right now.
But I hated, part two. In it, we completely change our focus and characters seem to flip personalities. It makes sense and I could see what the author was doing and why, but it wasn't enjoyable at all. I got the impression that the author was trying to give the reader an ethical quandary - and it is very unsettling as you start to worry about characters you once hated - and hate characters you once worried about. You also have a more personal quandary as you question the difference between revenge and punishment.
The problem is that it became like a different book. The pacing was different and I went from worrying about some characters to hating the lot of them.
As for the ending? It was find, but by then I was simply unhappy.
I appreciate what the author tried to do, but for me it was not a success.
*ARC Provided via Net Galley
Displaying 1 - 30 of 682 reviews