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The Guilty Party
On a night out, four friends witness a stranger in trouble. They decide to do nothing to help.
Later, a body washes up on the banks of the Thames – and the group realises that ignoring the woman has left blood on their hands.
But why did each of them refuse to step in? Why did none of them want to be noticed that night? Who is really responsible?
And is it possible that the victim was not really a stranger at all?384 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 7, 2019
255 people are currently reading
3754 people want to read
About the author
Mel McGrath
9 books111 followersMel McGrath is an award-winning writer of non-fiction and crime novels. She is an experienced journalist, broadcaster, teacher, event organizer and speaker, with particular interests in London, literature, crime, feminism and psychology.
As M.J. McGrath she writes the acclaimed Edie Kiglatuk series of Arctic mysteries, White Heat, The Boy in the Snow and The Boneseeker. As Melanie McGrath she wrote the critically acclaimed and bestselling family memoir Silvertown. McGrath lives in London and on the Kent coast.
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As M.J. McGrath she writes the acclaimed Edie Kiglatuk series of Arctic mysteries, White Heat, The Boy in the Snow and The Boneseeker. As Melanie McGrath she wrote the critically acclaimed and bestselling family memoir Silvertown. McGrath lives in London and on the Kent coast.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 396 reviews
October 10, 2020
This is an elegantly written book, with a clever, intricate plot and well-drawn characters; so why did I give a sigh of relief when I came to the end? Because reading it made me feel utterly depressed.
Four thirtyish Londoners, three of them on very good incomes, attend the Wapping Festival. The fourth member of the Group (which is what they call themselves) is Cassie, the main storyteller. She is in a dead-end job and flat-shares in a tatty apartment overlooking the bus station. However, she is the only one of the four who has any kind of a conscience. The four friends have known each another since university, and were originally two couples – Cassie and Dex, Bo and the beautiful Anna.
Several years ago, Dex decided he was gay and married a rich older man called Gav, who is now dying of cancer. Anna married a wealthy money man and shortly afterwards gave birth to a son. But they all agreed that their group friendship came first, despite their lives progressing onward.
After a festival concert, they get split up and individually take a shortcut through a churchyard and all witness a violent rape. It is very dark and they can't see the two people involved clearly, only that the girl is small, dark and wearing a red dress. Shortly afterwards they all meet up again and Cassie suggests they should immediately report what they saw to the police. She is shouted down by the other three, who point out that they will end up getting involved in some unpleasant experiences with the police. Reluctantly, Cassie allows herself to be persuaded. A few days later they read on the internet that a girl's body has been recovered from the river. There is an identikit portrait, which Dex recognises as the pizza delivery girl who delivered pizzas to his and Gav's luxury apartment early on the evening of the concert. She is the rape victim. Cassie feels more strongly than ever that they should report what they saw, but of course they will be asked why they didn't report it sooner.
A month or two later, in early autumn, the Group rent a slightly spooky holiday cottage for a long weekend overlooking Chesil Beach in Dorset. But the weekend becomes increasingly uneasy for Cassie, despite a new relationship she strikes up with Will, the landlord of the local pub. Bo's degree was in early pre-history, so fossil-hunts are on the agenda, and Will, who has a side-line as a tattooist, gives Cassie a very small ammonite tattoo on her inner wrist.
The action swings between the present, in the cottage, and the events of the past, at the Wapping Festival, as what really happened that night is gradually revealed, leading to a violent, and appalling, conclusion.
Four thirtyish Londoners, three of them on very good incomes, attend the Wapping Festival. The fourth member of the Group (which is what they call themselves) is Cassie, the main storyteller. She is in a dead-end job and flat-shares in a tatty apartment overlooking the bus station. However, she is the only one of the four who has any kind of a conscience. The four friends have known each another since university, and were originally two couples – Cassie and Dex, Bo and the beautiful Anna.
Several years ago, Dex decided he was gay and married a rich older man called Gav, who is now dying of cancer. Anna married a wealthy money man and shortly afterwards gave birth to a son. But they all agreed that their group friendship came first, despite their lives progressing onward.
After a festival concert, they get split up and individually take a shortcut through a churchyard and all witness a violent rape. It is very dark and they can't see the two people involved clearly, only that the girl is small, dark and wearing a red dress. Shortly afterwards they all meet up again and Cassie suggests they should immediately report what they saw to the police. She is shouted down by the other three, who point out that they will end up getting involved in some unpleasant experiences with the police. Reluctantly, Cassie allows herself to be persuaded. A few days later they read on the internet that a girl's body has been recovered from the river. There is an identikit portrait, which Dex recognises as the pizza delivery girl who delivered pizzas to his and Gav's luxury apartment early on the evening of the concert. She is the rape victim. Cassie feels more strongly than ever that they should report what they saw, but of course they will be asked why they didn't report it sooner.
A month or two later, in early autumn, the Group rent a slightly spooky holiday cottage for a long weekend overlooking Chesil Beach in Dorset. But the weekend becomes increasingly uneasy for Cassie, despite a new relationship she strikes up with Will, the landlord of the local pub. Bo's degree was in early pre-history, so fossil-hunts are on the agenda, and Will, who has a side-line as a tattooist, gives Cassie a very small ammonite tattoo on her inner wrist.
The action swings between the present, in the cottage, and the events of the past, at the Wapping Festival, as what really happened that night is gradually revealed, leading to a violent, and appalling, conclusion.
August 14, 2025
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A mystery that left me curious until the very end. A psychological paradise of a thriller that captures people at their very worst, right when they realise their lives are at stake. These people did nothing. But that doesn’t mean they’re innocent…
Four friends are returning from a festival, and they see a woman being raped in the forest. They all decide to do nothing about it. A few days later, her body is found in the river. Are they guilty for not doing anything? If it was you, what would you have done?
The story begins with the event mentioned above. The plot opens straight ahead, and I loved that fact. We witness the story through the eyes of all these four friends. They have always been together and stood for one another, but after so many years, their friendship has turned into a group of frenemies, a group of proving to each other, lying all the time and negative emotions.
Because nothing is straightforward, least of all the human heart. At some point or other, we all become mysteries to ourselves.
Even though we get to see through the lives of Anna, Bo and Dex, Cassie is the one member of this group that gets the most exposure in this book. She is the one that seems to feel the most guilty about not doing anything to intervene that night, and she is the one that keeps bringing this subject to her friends, even though they refuse to listen. Cassie is the most reasonable one, but this seems to bring her into more trouble. The more she pushes the group, the more she realises how capable they are of stopping her from sharing their secret
Anna is the person that leads the group. She seems to control everyone and everything, and they all seem to obey her and be fine with this. She comes out as this controlling and annoying person, the one hard to ignore or say no to. But when she feels threatened and scared, she is prepared to do anything.
Bo and Dex, for me, didn’t have much direct impact to the story, except one of them right at the very end. They seem to have snuck out throughout the book quietly, without any direct noice, but leaving a mess behind them.
We have four characters, all different and unique, all really complicated, with their own thoughts and lives. And we have one evening, and all their actions indirectly result in this girl’s death. None of them killed her, but all of them are guilty. They all have their own secrets, that they don’t tell to anyone, and they all are ready to go until the very end, keeping their secrets safe.
I loved how the plot and what actually happened on the nights slowly reveals itself, where we have two parallels happening – one from the night of the incident, and from everyone’s perspective, and one from around a month later, when they gather around together for a weekend. The chapters were so well made that made you keep going, and right when you think you know something, you get another point of view with a bit more information and another plot twist. Very smart and enjoyable to read.
And even though a mystery, and a thriller, this book was also hilarious and made me laugh out loud at times. Needless to say anything, I will let you read the quote below and judge for yourselves. This quote was so unexpected and I think it highlighted my year so far… Amazing!
Ink Man’s real name is Jake but for the purposes of sex he likes to be called Gandalf. Really. Being Gandalf is what turns him on. That and the ink of Middle Earth on his back.
I really enjoyed this book, and I am looking forward to reading more books from Mel McGrath. A huge thank you to HQ Publishers, and Joe Thomas for sending me a hardback copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
Follew the #AreYouGuilty Blog Tour
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A mystery that left me curious until the very end. A psychological paradise of a thriller that captures people at their very worst, right when they realise their lives are at stake. These people did nothing. But that doesn’t mean they’re innocent…
Four friends are returning from a festival, and they see a woman being raped in the forest. They all decide to do nothing about it. A few days later, her body is found in the river. Are they guilty for not doing anything? If it was you, what would you have done?
The story begins with the event mentioned above. The plot opens straight ahead, and I loved that fact. We witness the story through the eyes of all these four friends. They have always been together and stood for one another, but after so many years, their friendship has turned into a group of frenemies, a group of proving to each other, lying all the time and negative emotions.
Because nothing is straightforward, least of all the human heart. At some point or other, we all become mysteries to ourselves.
Even though we get to see through the lives of Anna, Bo and Dex, Cassie is the one member of this group that gets the most exposure in this book. She is the one that seems to feel the most guilty about not doing anything to intervene that night, and she is the one that keeps bringing this subject to her friends, even though they refuse to listen. Cassie is the most reasonable one, but this seems to bring her into more trouble. The more she pushes the group, the more she realises how capable they are of stopping her from sharing their secret
Anna is the person that leads the group. She seems to control everyone and everything, and they all seem to obey her and be fine with this. She comes out as this controlling and annoying person, the one hard to ignore or say no to. But when she feels threatened and scared, she is prepared to do anything.
Bo and Dex, for me, didn’t have much direct impact to the story, except one of them right at the very end. They seem to have snuck out throughout the book quietly, without any direct noice, but leaving a mess behind them.
We have four characters, all different and unique, all really complicated, with their own thoughts and lives. And we have one evening, and all their actions indirectly result in this girl’s death. None of them killed her, but all of them are guilty. They all have their own secrets, that they don’t tell to anyone, and they all are ready to go until the very end, keeping their secrets safe.
I loved how the plot and what actually happened on the nights slowly reveals itself, where we have two parallels happening – one from the night of the incident, and from everyone’s perspective, and one from around a month later, when they gather around together for a weekend. The chapters were so well made that made you keep going, and right when you think you know something, you get another point of view with a bit more information and another plot twist. Very smart and enjoyable to read.
And even though a mystery, and a thriller, this book was also hilarious and made me laugh out loud at times. Needless to say anything, I will let you read the quote below and judge for yourselves. This quote was so unexpected and I think it highlighted my year so far… Amazing!
Ink Man’s real name is Jake but for the purposes of sex he likes to be called Gandalf. Really. Being Gandalf is what turns him on. That and the ink of Middle Earth on his back.
I really enjoyed this book, and I am looking forward to reading more books from Mel McGrath. A huge thank you to HQ Publishers, and Joe Thomas for sending me a hardback copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
Follew the #AreYouGuilty Blog Tour
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest
February 17, 2019
When friends Cassie, Anna, Bo and Rex are at a music festival they witness an assault on a woman and do nothing about it. What motivates them to keep silent?
All 4 friends go away for the weekend to celebrate Bo’s birthday. They are a strange group of friends who had dated one another but then became close friends over the years. Well I say friends but at times are more like frenemies?
Quote “Ties between us had always carried the seeds of rottenness and destruction”
I loved the way this was written. Just when you are about to discovered what really happened at the music festival, the next page is a different timeline so you have to wait until the next chapter. A very clever way to keep the suspense going!!
So many secrets and lies. I loved this book and was totally addicted from page 1. I wouldn’t be friends with any of them in real life, but I was fascinated with how they kept secrets and justified their lies to each other and to themselves.
I wasn’t sure how this book would end and there were plenty of twists that at times had me shouting out loud, wanting to tell anybody in my vicinity what had just happened, whether they wanted to hear it or not!!
A must read book that finishes with the moral question
‘If you had been there what would you have done?”
“And are you sure?”
Well this book definitely had me thinking about it after reading it and I will 100% be reading another by Mel McGrath.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
All 4 friends go away for the weekend to celebrate Bo’s birthday. They are a strange group of friends who had dated one another but then became close friends over the years. Well I say friends but at times are more like frenemies?
Quote “Ties between us had always carried the seeds of rottenness and destruction”
I loved the way this was written. Just when you are about to discovered what really happened at the music festival, the next page is a different timeline so you have to wait until the next chapter. A very clever way to keep the suspense going!!
So many secrets and lies. I loved this book and was totally addicted from page 1. I wouldn’t be friends with any of them in real life, but I was fascinated with how they kept secrets and justified their lies to each other and to themselves.
I wasn’t sure how this book would end and there were plenty of twists that at times had me shouting out loud, wanting to tell anybody in my vicinity what had just happened, whether they wanted to hear it or not!!
A must read book that finishes with the moral question
‘If you had been there what would you have done?”
“And are you sure?”
Well this book definitely had me thinking about it after reading it and I will 100% be reading another by Mel McGrath.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
July 16, 2019
A snap judgment by four friends who’d decided to ignore a sexual assault they had all witnessed after attending a summer music festival in Wapping, reuniting a month later the group learn that the women’s body has been found washed up on the banks of the Thames.
But why did they choose not to help?
The story jumps between the four friends POVs both in the lead up to the festival and the subsequent fallout a month later...
As much as I disliked all the characters in this book, it was quite fitting how awful and selfish they were that this group would quite happily let the assault proceed. Just so they’d not have to answer any uncomfortable questions of their own whereabouts during the festival.
Seeing the various small incidents slowly snowball through the flashbacks highlighted how different the events after the festival could so easily have panned out.
Unfortunately with this awful group an incident like this seemed shamefully inevitably.
The central mystery of what actually happened that fateful night is the driving force of the novel and helped make this a real page turner.
But why did they choose not to help?
The story jumps between the four friends POVs both in the lead up to the festival and the subsequent fallout a month later...
As much as I disliked all the characters in this book, it was quite fitting how awful and selfish they were that this group would quite happily let the assault proceed. Just so they’d not have to answer any uncomfortable questions of their own whereabouts during the festival.
Seeing the various small incidents slowly snowball through the flashbacks highlighted how different the events after the festival could so easily have panned out.
Unfortunately with this awful group an incident like this seemed shamefully inevitably.
The central mystery of what actually happened that fateful night is the driving force of the novel and helped make this a real page turner.
May 2, 2019
This book was a big let down. I’m surprised I actually got to the end of it as it was that rubbish. I couldn’t stand any of the characters, the story didn’t make sense most of the time and it was just so badly written. I don’t recommend this book and I’m so glad I’ve finished it.
February 28, 2019
An unsettling dark book that basically returns again and again to the main theme ‘what would YOU do’?
4 friends are on a night out when they witness a rape....instinctively they all ‘want’ to report it, for various reasons though one by one they dont....this decision then follows them forward and comes to a head when they go for a long weekend away to Portland (!)
The 4 have been friends from uni and the book cleverly uncovers things they are all aware about each other but as they are so close they decide to ignore, put to one side, hope it will go away....those things all erupt together alongside the rape they witnessed and what they didn’t do
Its quite hard to explain the intricate nature of the book as its complex, goes off on tangents and sometimes seem to lose itself....however it then rights itself and gets back on track but it is a book for 100% concentration and attention to each line and who has said what to who etc
3 of the 4 characters are self obsessed basically horrible people but 1 just has that shine of decency that unravels the group and what they have done, however none of the 4 have any morals in most departments it has to be said!
The book moves between the night of the witnessed rape and the weekend away and at times can take a min or so to readjust where you are in the timeline
Its not an easy book, the subject matters guarantee that, there are no breakaway bits to make you smirk, no light relief, however it is a deliberate story to make you question yourself and the 4 characters that will challenge any reader
Bravo to the author on not take any easy routes in the book and for addressing difficult subjects
4 friends are on a night out when they witness a rape....instinctively they all ‘want’ to report it, for various reasons though one by one they dont....this decision then follows them forward and comes to a head when they go for a long weekend away to Portland (!)
The 4 have been friends from uni and the book cleverly uncovers things they are all aware about each other but as they are so close they decide to ignore, put to one side, hope it will go away....those things all erupt together alongside the rape they witnessed and what they didn’t do
Its quite hard to explain the intricate nature of the book as its complex, goes off on tangents and sometimes seem to lose itself....however it then rights itself and gets back on track but it is a book for 100% concentration and attention to each line and who has said what to who etc
3 of the 4 characters are self obsessed basically horrible people but 1 just has that shine of decency that unravels the group and what they have done, however none of the 4 have any morals in most departments it has to be said!
The book moves between the night of the witnessed rape and the weekend away and at times can take a min or so to readjust where you are in the timeline
Its not an easy book, the subject matters guarantee that, there are no breakaway bits to make you smirk, no light relief, however it is a deliberate story to make you question yourself and the 4 characters that will challenge any reader
Bravo to the author on not take any easy routes in the book and for addressing difficult subjects
March 11, 2019
2.5*
This book sounded fabulous and I was positively giddy as I settled in to read it but...
It soon became apparent that this wouldn’t be the book I’d expected. The four main characters are selfish, self-centred and just plain unlikeable. This is obviously deliberately done but it made it a hard read for me. I struggle with any book where I don’t like at least one of the characters.
The writing style takes a bit of getting used to. You have to read the headers. On several occasions I had to skip back to check where I was.
I found it hard going and once the characters had been established I found myself skimming a lot of the early chapters.
It reminded me a lot of the book He Said/She Said.
The book revolves around four “friends” Cassie, Anna, Bo and Dex. They used to be two couples but now they’re four friends.
The story wasn’t strong enough (for me personally) to carry four such horrible characters. I needed something spectacular and this wasn’t that.
Now I read an advanced reader copy which was littered with mistakes. This didn’t help the reading but these I assume will be gone before publication .
I voluntarily read a review copy kindly provided by NetGalley.
This book sounded fabulous and I was positively giddy as I settled in to read it but...
It soon became apparent that this wouldn’t be the book I’d expected. The four main characters are selfish, self-centred and just plain unlikeable. This is obviously deliberately done but it made it a hard read for me. I struggle with any book where I don’t like at least one of the characters.
The writing style takes a bit of getting used to. You have to read the headers. On several occasions I had to skip back to check where I was.
I found it hard going and once the characters had been established I found myself skimming a lot of the early chapters.
It reminded me a lot of the book He Said/She Said.
The book revolves around four “friends” Cassie, Anna, Bo and Dex. They used to be two couples but now they’re four friends.
The story wasn’t strong enough (for me personally) to carry four such horrible characters. I needed something spectacular and this wasn’t that.
Now I read an advanced reader copy which was littered with mistakes. This didn’t help the reading but these I assume will be gone before publication .
I voluntarily read a review copy kindly provided by NetGalley.
March 6, 2019
Book Reviewed by Stacey on www.whisperingstories.com
Sunday 14th August – After leaving a music festival and getting split up from one another, long term friends Cassie, Anna, Bo and Dex all meet up again in the early hours in a church grounds. Not far away they see a woman being assaulted and what looks like being raped. Although Cassie wants to help the other friends all persuade her to do nothing and tell her that it is probably just two people having a ‘good time’. They walk away offering no help.
A few weeks later the four friends go away for the weekend to celebrate Bo’s birthday, staying at a cottage in the Isle of Portland. Whilst there Cassie reads an article in the paper about a woman being pulled out of the River Thames and an image of her earlier in the night. The image of the woman Cassie realises is the same woman she saw being raped.
She speaks to the others but they don’t want to know. They try to convince her it’s not the same woman and that they all have something to lose should they go to the police. With each of them hiding a secret will any of them come clean and admit what they saw and that just maybe they each played a part in the young woman’s death, even if not directly?
From the opening scene I was intrigued and glued to the pages of ‘The Guilty Party’, throughout chapters which move back and forth in time and told from each of the friends but in no particular order, you get to live through the moments leading up to them witnessing the rape and then before and after the event.
The more you read the more you learn how each of them played their own little part in the woman’s death, it would only have taken one of them not to have done what they did or to of helped her when she asked for her death to not of occurred.
You also get to delve into each of their lives a little deeper and see how none of them are leading the perfect life and how each of them has secrets, some they share and some secret they keep from one another – Do they really know each other, even after being friends for all the years they have? Plus they also have their own collective secret ‘The Little Black Book’ which is actually a secret group on Facebook with only the four of them as members. This was really quite weird and creepy.
Whilst I enjoyed the book completely and found it astonishing that four people would witness such an attack and walk away without offering help, not something I could have done. I also did find it weird that four friends who used to be couples and are now in their 30’s, two of them married (to other people) would be as close as they were, going out to festivals together, holidaying together, without their partners or in Anna’s case her child too.
There are plenty of twists and secrets reveals throughout and I did start to wonder where the author could take the ending. This is a book that makes you think about the situation and what you would have done. It also makes you realise how different we all are.
Sunday 14th August – After leaving a music festival and getting split up from one another, long term friends Cassie, Anna, Bo and Dex all meet up again in the early hours in a church grounds. Not far away they see a woman being assaulted and what looks like being raped. Although Cassie wants to help the other friends all persuade her to do nothing and tell her that it is probably just two people having a ‘good time’. They walk away offering no help.
A few weeks later the four friends go away for the weekend to celebrate Bo’s birthday, staying at a cottage in the Isle of Portland. Whilst there Cassie reads an article in the paper about a woman being pulled out of the River Thames and an image of her earlier in the night. The image of the woman Cassie realises is the same woman she saw being raped.
She speaks to the others but they don’t want to know. They try to convince her it’s not the same woman and that they all have something to lose should they go to the police. With each of them hiding a secret will any of them come clean and admit what they saw and that just maybe they each played a part in the young woman’s death, even if not directly?
From the opening scene I was intrigued and glued to the pages of ‘The Guilty Party’, throughout chapters which move back and forth in time and told from each of the friends but in no particular order, you get to live through the moments leading up to them witnessing the rape and then before and after the event.
The more you read the more you learn how each of them played their own little part in the woman’s death, it would only have taken one of them not to have done what they did or to of helped her when she asked for her death to not of occurred.
You also get to delve into each of their lives a little deeper and see how none of them are leading the perfect life and how each of them has secrets, some they share and some secret they keep from one another – Do they really know each other, even after being friends for all the years they have? Plus they also have their own collective secret ‘The Little Black Book’ which is actually a secret group on Facebook with only the four of them as members. This was really quite weird and creepy.
Whilst I enjoyed the book completely and found it astonishing that four people would witness such an attack and walk away without offering help, not something I could have done. I also did find it weird that four friends who used to be couples and are now in their 30’s, two of them married (to other people) would be as close as they were, going out to festivals together, holidaying together, without their partners or in Anna’s case her child too.
There are plenty of twists and secrets reveals throughout and I did start to wonder where the author could take the ending. This is a book that makes you think about the situation and what you would have done. It also makes you realise how different we all are.
March 7, 2019
I'm a real sucker for novels that are both thrilling but also explore loftier themes, and this is a perfect example of that. It follows a group of wealthy Oxford-educated, morally-dubious individuals who befriend a poorer gifted student and she joins their friendship group. The characters are stereotypically what you imagine affluent, upper-class girls to be like - self-absorbed, selfish and rather annoying; I would've really liked McGrath to have reversed this and at least made one of them morally sound.
If you find you need characters to be likeable to engage with them, then this may not be for you; the group of friends are all difficult to support as they have tunnel vision thinking of themselves rather than anyone else. It could also have been edited down a little without damaging the tale it tells. Readers need to be on their toes to keep on top of the changing viewpoints and timeline, and the multiple stunning reveals will leave you shocked to the core.
It paints a rather disturbing picture which mirrors real-life, sadly. It's thought-provoking and makes you question the reasons why those who bear witness to something so horrific would choose to keep it a secret. It almost feels as though people won't report something unless they are getting something out of it themselves. It certainly appears that altruism is dead. A thoroughly enjoyable, chilling read, and the tension constantly rises to create a very atmospheric story. An absolutely riveting exploration of the human mind and the motivation behind keeping quiet or speaking out.
Many thanks to HQ for an ARC.
If you find you need characters to be likeable to engage with them, then this may not be for you; the group of friends are all difficult to support as they have tunnel vision thinking of themselves rather than anyone else. It could also have been edited down a little without damaging the tale it tells. Readers need to be on their toes to keep on top of the changing viewpoints and timeline, and the multiple stunning reveals will leave you shocked to the core.
It paints a rather disturbing picture which mirrors real-life, sadly. It's thought-provoking and makes you question the reasons why those who bear witness to something so horrific would choose to keep it a secret. It almost feels as though people won't report something unless they are getting something out of it themselves. It certainly appears that altruism is dead. A thoroughly enjoyable, chilling read, and the tension constantly rises to create a very atmospheric story. An absolutely riveting exploration of the human mind and the motivation behind keeping quiet or speaking out.
Many thanks to HQ for an ARC.
June 28, 2019
Thank you Mel; all your hard work paid off this is a wonderful book.
At a time when the latest trend in bookshops seems to be about lies, deceitful relationships and prompting questions about our family, neighbours, a book emerges, to eclipse them all.
Mel McGrath does not even have to introduce Lying into her title, yet her novel is riddled with falsehoods and half truths. She is a first class writer who takes her time crafting her storytelling. This latest book is rooted in her beloved London but has a trip away to the ‘Isle of Portland’ to enable the web of lies to unravel.
The Guilty Party is a clever title. It concerns events of four friends meeting up to celebrate together and attend a music festival. In the confusion and rowdiness following the event each looks on and does nothing to help a young woman being violently assaulted. Each has a personal reason not be get involved, to come to her aid or contact the Police.
Most traumatised by her inaction is Cassie who when they get to Dorset learns that the woman they witnessed being attacked, was later found drowned in the river Thames.
The book then, balances the four people in the group with their on-going loyalty to each other, against their prior involvement with the dead woman. Cassie makes herself unpopular by her need to understand, acknowledge her guilt and find justice for the woman.
The more she bleats on the more isolated she becomes within the group. Their relationships have endured over 15 years but Cassie’s pulling on the thread threatens not just their friendships but to unravel secrets and lies, Cassie never knew existed among them. A follower it seems she was a pleaser and always happy to fit in with the collective decisions. Yet she learns very quickly, in the few days away with them that she perhaps has never really been part of the group. For their own survival instincts the other three would quickly gang up against her and happily allow her to walk away.
I loved the multi-layered aspect of this murder mystery and the completely fresh and stimulating way it addressed crimes against women.
So often in other books, authors allow the violence to become central and readers almost ‘get off on it’ in a voyeuristic way. Here Mel challenges such attitudes and in her characters poses the question about being a witness and doing nothing. While the violence is not vicariously described, the aftermath, injuries and photographic images imply the brutality the author wishes to convey.
In addition the Jurassic Coast is instrumental in carrying another theme used throughout the book. Fossils, Chesil Beach and the isolation of Portland are recurring elements which add to drama and tie things in cleverly.
A great one to read for any book club.
Unquestionably a reader’s delight as it is a journey of discovery and pure reading enjoyment. The language used is modern, addressing topical issues and current trends like dating apps. Each word and sentence carefully chosen, combines to leave you both breathless and challenged.
I like a book that is a joy to read and makes me think.
The Guilty Party is just that and makes me think that Mel McGrath is a great writer at the top of her art.
At a time when the latest trend in bookshops seems to be about lies, deceitful relationships and prompting questions about our family, neighbours, a book emerges, to eclipse them all.
Mel McGrath does not even have to introduce Lying into her title, yet her novel is riddled with falsehoods and half truths. She is a first class writer who takes her time crafting her storytelling. This latest book is rooted in her beloved London but has a trip away to the ‘Isle of Portland’ to enable the web of lies to unravel.
The Guilty Party is a clever title. It concerns events of four friends meeting up to celebrate together and attend a music festival. In the confusion and rowdiness following the event each looks on and does nothing to help a young woman being violently assaulted. Each has a personal reason not be get involved, to come to her aid or contact the Police.
Most traumatised by her inaction is Cassie who when they get to Dorset learns that the woman they witnessed being attacked, was later found drowned in the river Thames.
The book then, balances the four people in the group with their on-going loyalty to each other, against their prior involvement with the dead woman. Cassie makes herself unpopular by her need to understand, acknowledge her guilt and find justice for the woman.
The more she bleats on the more isolated she becomes within the group. Their relationships have endured over 15 years but Cassie’s pulling on the thread threatens not just their friendships but to unravel secrets and lies, Cassie never knew existed among them. A follower it seems she was a pleaser and always happy to fit in with the collective decisions. Yet she learns very quickly, in the few days away with them that she perhaps has never really been part of the group. For their own survival instincts the other three would quickly gang up against her and happily allow her to walk away.
I loved the multi-layered aspect of this murder mystery and the completely fresh and stimulating way it addressed crimes against women.
So often in other books, authors allow the violence to become central and readers almost ‘get off on it’ in a voyeuristic way. Here Mel challenges such attitudes and in her characters poses the question about being a witness and doing nothing. While the violence is not vicariously described, the aftermath, injuries and photographic images imply the brutality the author wishes to convey.
In addition the Jurassic Coast is instrumental in carrying another theme used throughout the book. Fossils, Chesil Beach and the isolation of Portland are recurring elements which add to drama and tie things in cleverly.
A great one to read for any book club.
Unquestionably a reader’s delight as it is a journey of discovery and pure reading enjoyment. The language used is modern, addressing topical issues and current trends like dating apps. Each word and sentence carefully chosen, combines to leave you both breathless and challenged.
I like a book that is a joy to read and makes me think.
The Guilty Party is just that and makes me think that Mel McGrath is a great writer at the top of her art.
July 6, 2019
DNF ! It’s so very rare that I don’t see a book through to the end BUT I’m on holidays and could not waste time when there are so many books that await . The concept had promise but this book had no flow, was jerkily written and it’s sequence messy . Unlikeable 2 dimensional characters added to my disappointment. It is good to see that others enjoyed this book but it wasn’t for me.
April 13, 2019
On a night out, four friends witness a stranger in trouble. They decide to do nothing to help. Later, a body washes up on the banks of the Thames – and the group realises that ignoring the woman has left blood on their hands. But why did each of them refuse to step in? Why did none of them want to be noticed that night? Who is really responsible?
I cannot remember the last time I gave a book one star but there was absolutely nothing that I liked or enjoyed about this book. The premise sounded promising and I was intrigued by what would happen. However I could not get into it. The book started and there was nothing that gripped me, I started off in a jumbled heap of confusion which did not help and this set the tone for the rest of the book. I could not get into the plot, I was not gripped, I did not find it intense and I was so incredibly bored the whole way through. I fought my way through to finish this book and I wish I had not.
Not only was the plot hard to enjoy but the characters were terrible as well. They were the most unlikeable. selfish, self-centred bunch of characters I have ever had the displeasure to meet. Not one of them had a good streak in them and I could not get behind any of them. I did not root for any of them, I did not understand any of them and I could not wait to finish the book and be done with them. What was a shame is they were intriguing and there was the potential for exploring their character traits but McGrath made them so unlikeable that I lost any appeal they once held.
'The Guilty Party' was an extremely disappointing read and one that I really did not enjoy. There is not a single aspect of this book that I liked and I would not recommend this read to anybody.
October 28, 2019
What would you do? That is a «topic» of the book. Well I would surely take a lot less stupid decision that is for sure! The characters are dumb, very superficial, jealous of each others and just not interesting. The story start with a situation where the characters decision just didn't make any sense at all an it continue on with that all the way in. Just in case you didn't notice yet, I didn't like it at all! Still give it a fair two stars because the writing is alright for this kind of book, nothing fancy, but not poorly written either!
March 27, 2019
There aren’t words strong enough to describe how much I loathed this story and its characters.
April 13, 2021
This is a twisty and fast-paced read, centered on 4 30-somethings who witnessed a terrible crime one night and did nothing about it. As you get further into the story, you learn more about the motivation of each one of them as the backstories are revealed. The story is narrated primarily by Cassie, with other POVs interwoven, and goes back and forth between the night of the event and the current timeframe, a couple months later.
The constant change between narrators and timeframes is a little bit confusion. Cassie's chapters are told primarily in the 1st person while the others are told from the 3rd person, and the back-and -forth between timeframes is a tad confusing since they are only a couple months apart (and the former one works backwards from the end of the night). It's not exactly confusing but does break up the flow a bit.
On to the storyline, these characters are NOT LIKEABLE. You learn the reasons for doing the things they are doing but those don't really endear you to them. As long as you are good with that piece, the story itself moves at a fast clip and there are a few twists and turns throughout.
Overall, I thought it was a good story and kept turning pages to see what would happen. This is the 2nd Mel McGrath book that I read in a row and I plan on looking to see if there are more that I have missed.
The constant change between narrators and timeframes is a little bit confusion. Cassie's chapters are told primarily in the 1st person while the others are told from the 3rd person, and the back-and -forth between timeframes is a tad confusing since they are only a couple months apart (and the former one works backwards from the end of the night). It's not exactly confusing but does break up the flow a bit.
On to the storyline, these characters are NOT LIKEABLE. You learn the reasons for doing the things they are doing but those don't really endear you to them. As long as you are good with that piece, the story itself moves at a fast clip and there are a few twists and turns throughout.
Overall, I thought it was a good story and kept turning pages to see what would happen. This is the 2nd Mel McGrath book that I read in a row and I plan on looking to see if there are more that I have missed.
February 19, 2019
2.5*
This book sounded fabulous and I was positively giddy as I settled in to read it but...
It soon became apparent that this wouldn’t be the book I’d expected. The four main characters are selfish, self-centred and just plain unlikeable. This is obviously deliberately done but it made it a hard read for me. I struggle with any book where I don’t like at least one of the characters.
The writing style takes a bit of getting used to. You have to read the headers. On several occasions I had to skip back to check where I was.
I found it hard going and once the characters had been established I found myself skimming a lot of the early chapters.
It reminded me a lot of the book He Said/She Said.
The book revolves around four “friends” Cassie, Anna, Bo and Dex. They used to be two couples but now they’re four friends.
The story wasn’t strong enough (for me personally) to carry four such horrible characters. I needed something spectacular and this wasn’t that.
Now I read an advanced reader copy which was littered with mistakes. This didn’t help the reading but these I assume will be gone before publication .
I voluntarily read a review copy kindly provided by NetGalley.
This book sounded fabulous and I was positively giddy as I settled in to read it but...
It soon became apparent that this wouldn’t be the book I’d expected. The four main characters are selfish, self-centred and just plain unlikeable. This is obviously deliberately done but it made it a hard read for me. I struggle with any book where I don’t like at least one of the characters.
The writing style takes a bit of getting used to. You have to read the headers. On several occasions I had to skip back to check where I was.
I found it hard going and once the characters had been established I found myself skimming a lot of the early chapters.
It reminded me a lot of the book He Said/She Said.
The book revolves around four “friends” Cassie, Anna, Bo and Dex. They used to be two couples but now they’re four friends.
The story wasn’t strong enough (for me personally) to carry four such horrible characters. I needed something spectacular and this wasn’t that.
Now I read an advanced reader copy which was littered with mistakes. This didn’t help the reading but these I assume will be gone before publication .
I voluntarily read a review copy kindly provided by NetGalley.
April 8, 2019
I really wanted to like this book. The premise was interesting and suspense/thriller books are probably my Number 1 genre. Unfortunately, The Guilty Party has become one of a very few books in that genre to leave me absolutely cold.
I can't really speak too much on the plot as it all intertwines as the story progresses. Cassie, who I suppose is our main character, and her 3 friends witness a violent rape and do nothing to stop it.
That happens at the very beginning of the book and sets up what I can now confirm to be 4 of the most unlikeable characters I have read in a very long time. Of course, they're meant to be that way, but it's rather draining to read page after page of characters with no redeeming qualities nor any characterisation beyond them being vile.
I was going to give this book 2 stars because the writing was actually very good itself and I would actually like to read other books by this author. However, the ending managed to confirm to me that I just thoroughly disliked this book and so I can only give it 1 star.
I'm not often shocked by subject matter or sensitive to issues that can be triggering but this book was just full of moments that, instead of leaving me shocked and desparate to know what happened next, left me disgusted and honestly wishing I hadn't picked it up at all.
Needless to say, I wouldn't recommend this.
Thanks to HQ and NetGalley for providing me with a copy for review.
I can't really speak too much on the plot as it all intertwines as the story progresses. Cassie, who I suppose is our main character, and her 3 friends witness a violent rape and do nothing to stop it.
That happens at the very beginning of the book and sets up what I can now confirm to be 4 of the most unlikeable characters I have read in a very long time. Of course, they're meant to be that way, but it's rather draining to read page after page of characters with no redeeming qualities nor any characterisation beyond them being vile.
I was going to give this book 2 stars because the writing was actually very good itself and I would actually like to read other books by this author. However, the ending managed to confirm to me that I just thoroughly disliked this book and so I can only give it 1 star.
I'm not often shocked by subject matter or sensitive to issues that can be triggering but this book was just full of moments that, instead of leaving me shocked and desparate to know what happened next, left me disgusted and honestly wishing I hadn't picked it up at all.
Needless to say, I wouldn't recommend this.
Thanks to HQ and NetGalley for providing me with a copy for review.
April 21, 2019
**** I received an Advanced Reader Copy by Harper Collins and in exchange I am writing my honest review. *****
Ok. Firstly, I was very excited to read an actual physical ARC. On top of that, it’s a thriller so I was stoked! I jumped right into it and I was so sure I would enjoy it. Unfortunately, that was not the case.
Here’s the plot:
Four friends each witness a stranger in trouble and decide not to help. Then, they find out that a body has been washed up and they know they habe blood on their hands. Why didn’t they help? Why didn’t they want to be noticed? Who is really responsible?
I’m really disappointed and maybe this is just me. I just could not get into it. I could not invest in any of the characters nor the story itself. The characters were all a$$holes to be honest. Also, I had the feeling that new characters kept popping out of nowhere and that kind of confused me. And Cassie was just kind of annoying. It seemed like ALL she did throughout the entire book was ask questions and doubt everything, which I kind of understand considering what happened, but still. It was bothering me.
Then, there was the flow of the story. I don’t think think it was very fluid. It was very rocky and messy, as if there were a lot of ideas that weren’t filtered and just thrown into the book with no particular order or organization. I really liked the idea of the plot though. It was promising and had potential. But it did not quite deliver that. The timelines were confusing and I didn’t particularly care for it. This book left me with more questions than answers and it’s really bothering me.
All in all, the writing was just not for me. I could not engage or follow properly. I could not relate or get attached to any of the characters. Sometimes I read passages and thought “um...ok? Why is this relevant?”.
Once again, these opinions are my very own and receiving a free advanced copy for review did not in any way affect my opinion about this book. I would like to thank Harper Collins for sending me an early copy, giving me the opportunity to read this book and share my thoughts about it.
Ok. Firstly, I was very excited to read an actual physical ARC. On top of that, it’s a thriller so I was stoked! I jumped right into it and I was so sure I would enjoy it. Unfortunately, that was not the case.
Here’s the plot:
Four friends each witness a stranger in trouble and decide not to help. Then, they find out that a body has been washed up and they know they habe blood on their hands. Why didn’t they help? Why didn’t they want to be noticed? Who is really responsible?
I’m really disappointed and maybe this is just me. I just could not get into it. I could not invest in any of the characters nor the story itself. The characters were all a$$holes to be honest. Also, I had the feeling that new characters kept popping out of nowhere and that kind of confused me. And Cassie was just kind of annoying. It seemed like ALL she did throughout the entire book was ask questions and doubt everything, which I kind of understand considering what happened, but still. It was bothering me.
Then, there was the flow of the story. I don’t think think it was very fluid. It was very rocky and messy, as if there were a lot of ideas that weren’t filtered and just thrown into the book with no particular order or organization. I really liked the idea of the plot though. It was promising and had potential. But it did not quite deliver that. The timelines were confusing and I didn’t particularly care for it. This book left me with more questions than answers and it’s really bothering me.
All in all, the writing was just not for me. I could not engage or follow properly. I could not relate or get attached to any of the characters. Sometimes I read passages and thought “um...ok? Why is this relevant?”.
Once again, these opinions are my very own and receiving a free advanced copy for review did not in any way affect my opinion about this book. I would like to thank Harper Collins for sending me an early copy, giving me the opportunity to read this book and share my thoughts about it.
December 21, 2018
The Guilty Party is a twisted psychological thriller and tense character driven drama focusing on a group of four friends, who one night witness a brutal attack yet choose to do nothing. But what motivates their silence?
This is a devilishly clever novel in it’s construction as the history and toxic friendship, reliance and turning a blind eye that haunts this seemingly tight knit group starts coming to light. Mel McGrath plays beautifully with hindsight, memory and the ties that bind as one by one the true colours of each of the friends starts to emerge.
Secrets abound and at the core of this story sits those secrets we keep from ourselves- about how we hide from the truth to hold onto a belief in the status quo. How we forgive and often quite literally forget in order to hold onto people who may not be as they seem.
It is utterly addictive, hugely fascinating on a very human level as the group disintegrates into separate self interest and all the realities of that night emerge in shocking and unpredictable ways.
I was riveted. I had no idea where it would go and in the end it is melancholy and thought provoking, a true “what if ” narrative that will play on your mind.
The main question is- What would YOU do?
Are you sure?
Brilliant. Highly Recommended.
This is a devilishly clever novel in it’s construction as the history and toxic friendship, reliance and turning a blind eye that haunts this seemingly tight knit group starts coming to light. Mel McGrath plays beautifully with hindsight, memory and the ties that bind as one by one the true colours of each of the friends starts to emerge.
Secrets abound and at the core of this story sits those secrets we keep from ourselves- about how we hide from the truth to hold onto a belief in the status quo. How we forgive and often quite literally forget in order to hold onto people who may not be as they seem.
It is utterly addictive, hugely fascinating on a very human level as the group disintegrates into separate self interest and all the realities of that night emerge in shocking and unpredictable ways.
I was riveted. I had no idea where it would go and in the end it is melancholy and thought provoking, a true “what if ” narrative that will play on your mind.
The main question is- What would YOU do?
Are you sure?
Brilliant. Highly Recommended.
July 26, 2019
Not even 1 star.
A story about 4 friends who are actually not friends at all and are all linked by a series of extremely unrealistic coincidences to one disturbing event.
The timeline jumps to such variable degrees you find yourself furrowing your brow in confusion.
The scenery is well described but almost to the point where you don’t care. It’s too much. It doesn’t lend anything better to the story. You could cut out whole paragraphs (maybe even whole chapters) simply because it feels like filler. The conversations between characters are repetitive, incomplete and dull.
The characters themselves are all extremely unlikeable. I couldn’t wait for one persons narrative to end only to be assaulted by the next. They are all whiney, selfish, arrogant, insecure. The constant questioning in their thoughts becomes tedious and draining. The book is packed with useless and mundane queries. What if? How? Why? When?
I wanted to scream at them to shut up!
And did the author have a bet to see how many times she could put the word ‘Mer-chicken’ in the book?
This book was, I’m sorry to say, utter tripe.
A story about 4 friends who are actually not friends at all and are all linked by a series of extremely unrealistic coincidences to one disturbing event.
The timeline jumps to such variable degrees you find yourself furrowing your brow in confusion.
The scenery is well described but almost to the point where you don’t care. It’s too much. It doesn’t lend anything better to the story. You could cut out whole paragraphs (maybe even whole chapters) simply because it feels like filler. The conversations between characters are repetitive, incomplete and dull.
The characters themselves are all extremely unlikeable. I couldn’t wait for one persons narrative to end only to be assaulted by the next. They are all whiney, selfish, arrogant, insecure. The constant questioning in their thoughts becomes tedious and draining. The book is packed with useless and mundane queries. What if? How? Why? When?
I wanted to scream at them to shut up!
And did the author have a bet to see how many times she could put the word ‘Mer-chicken’ in the book?
This book was, I’m sorry to say, utter tripe.
July 31, 2019
It is one thing to dislike a book based on an author’s style of writing, which admittedly, is the case here. However, the fundamental reason why I have given this book one star is due to the embarrassing amount of typos and grammatical errors. I honestly cannot understand how this book was published with this many mistakes. That alone is alarming.
With that said, I found the style of writing extremely cheesy and the plot unnecessarily complicated with very ‘flat’ characters. I am afraid I cannot say I enjoyed this book, and found myself rolling my eyes far too much.
PS: Until today, I have only known 1 person use the word “heave”. I never thought I would read it *this* many times in 370 pages... I lost count eventually.
With that said, I found the style of writing extremely cheesy and the plot unnecessarily complicated with very ‘flat’ characters. I am afraid I cannot say I enjoyed this book, and found myself rolling my eyes far too much.
PS: Until today, I have only known 1 person use the word “heave”. I never thought I would read it *this* many times in 370 pages... I lost count eventually.
August 18, 2022
For my full review, visit me at https://mrsbrownsbooks.wordpress.com/...
This was not a good read. It was dark, despicable and had characters that I just wanted to erase from the book. There was nothing I liked about the story and I felt sickened by the character’s actions.
This was not a good read. It was dark, despicable and had characters that I just wanted to erase from the book. There was nothing I liked about the story and I felt sickened by the character’s actions.
April 28, 2019
*https://mrsbbookreviews.wordpress.com
3.5 stars
‘I read somewhere that a body turns up every week in the Thames and if every one of the drowned appeared in the news there would be stories all the time. All the same, it hardly seems possible that a young woman can exit this twenty-first century world without leaving any virtual ghost of her former self.’
Toxic friendships, chances are we have been touched by these at some point in our lives. Mel McGrath’s psychological thriller, The Guilty Party takes on unfavourable friendships, moral complexities and the bystander effect. Combined with plenty of secrets from the past, along with some plot twists and turns, The Guilty Party is a book that will leave you reeling from the first to the final page.
Four friends who cemented their friendship during their university years make up The Guilty Party. The friendship group are out one night together celebrating a birthday when they are separated and they witness an awful crime. A decision is made not to report the crime, or help the victim. Instead, the group decides to ignore what happened, hoping that it will go away. Unfortunately, it doesn’t go away, and before they know it, a body surfaces. The body is identified as the victim they all chose not to help that fateful night. The Guilty Party is a book that looks at social responsibility, our moral compass and it leads us to the question as to why all four of these people chose to stand back and let a woman lose her life.
The Guilty Party is the first book I have read by Mel McGrath, who is perhaps best known for her previous work, writing under the name of MJ McGrath. McGrath’s popular crime and mystery series featuring Edie Kiglatuk has seen her earn awards, television rights and worldwide recognition. The Guilty Party is a standalone psychological thriller that poses more questions than it answers. There are plenty of grey areas in this novel. There were also moments where McGrath made me consider quite deeply how I would feel if I was placed in the same shoes as the characters in the book. A situation that I wasn’t comfortable with at all! The Guilty Party was a difficult one to pin down, it did send me in a spin, it compelled me, but it also disappointed me that people could behave in the way the characters do in this novel.
The Guilty Party is one of those novels where I feel I cannot go into any great depth to discuss, otherwise I would ruin the experience for prospective readers. I will say it is carefully plotted, it contains some well observed characters and it offers a plethora of themes to consider. The writing is slick and filled with tension, but I did tend to dip in and out of this one attention wise. I think at the end of the day this boils down to my pure dislike and disgust at the actions of the characters. Even alternating the points of view of the protagonists did not work in their favour, I disliked them all!
McGrath is quite the master manipulator, her previous work as a crime and mystery based novelist definitely feeds into this novel. There were plenty of plot diversions and unexpected reactions, that all culminate into a thrilling conclusion that I wasn’t able to predict at all. So hats off to Mel McGrath for devising characters I detested, but ultimately I came to appreciate how the whole sordid plot untangled!
At the close of my reading of The Guilty Party, I immediately reached for Give Me the Child, last year’s psychological thriller release from Mel McGrath. I’m keen to get started on this novel after reading The Guilty Party!
*Please note that a free copy of this book was provided to me for review purposes through Beauty & Lace and HQ Fiction. .
3.5 stars
‘I read somewhere that a body turns up every week in the Thames and if every one of the drowned appeared in the news there would be stories all the time. All the same, it hardly seems possible that a young woman can exit this twenty-first century world without leaving any virtual ghost of her former self.’
Toxic friendships, chances are we have been touched by these at some point in our lives. Mel McGrath’s psychological thriller, The Guilty Party takes on unfavourable friendships, moral complexities and the bystander effect. Combined with plenty of secrets from the past, along with some plot twists and turns, The Guilty Party is a book that will leave you reeling from the first to the final page.
Four friends who cemented their friendship during their university years make up The Guilty Party. The friendship group are out one night together celebrating a birthday when they are separated and they witness an awful crime. A decision is made not to report the crime, or help the victim. Instead, the group decides to ignore what happened, hoping that it will go away. Unfortunately, it doesn’t go away, and before they know it, a body surfaces. The body is identified as the victim they all chose not to help that fateful night. The Guilty Party is a book that looks at social responsibility, our moral compass and it leads us to the question as to why all four of these people chose to stand back and let a woman lose her life.
The Guilty Party is the first book I have read by Mel McGrath, who is perhaps best known for her previous work, writing under the name of MJ McGrath. McGrath’s popular crime and mystery series featuring Edie Kiglatuk has seen her earn awards, television rights and worldwide recognition. The Guilty Party is a standalone psychological thriller that poses more questions than it answers. There are plenty of grey areas in this novel. There were also moments where McGrath made me consider quite deeply how I would feel if I was placed in the same shoes as the characters in the book. A situation that I wasn’t comfortable with at all! The Guilty Party was a difficult one to pin down, it did send me in a spin, it compelled me, but it also disappointed me that people could behave in the way the characters do in this novel.
The Guilty Party is one of those novels where I feel I cannot go into any great depth to discuss, otherwise I would ruin the experience for prospective readers. I will say it is carefully plotted, it contains some well observed characters and it offers a plethora of themes to consider. The writing is slick and filled with tension, but I did tend to dip in and out of this one attention wise. I think at the end of the day this boils down to my pure dislike and disgust at the actions of the characters. Even alternating the points of view of the protagonists did not work in their favour, I disliked them all!
McGrath is quite the master manipulator, her previous work as a crime and mystery based novelist definitely feeds into this novel. There were plenty of plot diversions and unexpected reactions, that all culminate into a thrilling conclusion that I wasn’t able to predict at all. So hats off to Mel McGrath for devising characters I detested, but ultimately I came to appreciate how the whole sordid plot untangled!
At the close of my reading of The Guilty Party, I immediately reached for Give Me the Child, last year’s psychological thriller release from Mel McGrath. I’m keen to get started on this novel after reading The Guilty Party!
*Please note that a free copy of this book was provided to me for review purposes through Beauty & Lace and HQ Fiction. .
March 10, 2019
The question you will be asking yourself throughout this book from the moment the key occurrence happened is - what would I do in the same situation?
Cassandra and her 3 three friends all witnessed something horrible, but none of them stepped in and tried to help, or even rung the police. They all stood back and were party to it.
The book is told from the four viewpoints, with Cassie's voice being the main one. We see the happenings of that fateful night, play back in reverse, from all the friends, each time revealing just a little bit more, and keeping you even more hooked.
And we also have the present story which is the friends on a weekend away where the happenings of that night are the elephant in the room.
I'm not really sure that I liked any of the characters but I was very interested to see how their moral compass was effected. And whether anyone would admit to anything.
I'm being deliberately vague, so you have no preconceptions going into this, as it really does work best with no prior knowledge.
I'm not even 100% sure I had read the blurb, rather come across the book in a showcase event, figured it looked like I may be interested in it, and promptly read it once I had a copy!
This was certainly an interesting look at the human psyche, and how people cope when they feel the need to hide other more minor wrongdoings, thus causing a much bigger problem.
Thank you to Netgalley and HQ for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
Cassandra and her 3 three friends all witnessed something horrible, but none of them stepped in and tried to help, or even rung the police. They all stood back and were party to it.
The book is told from the four viewpoints, with Cassie's voice being the main one. We see the happenings of that fateful night, play back in reverse, from all the friends, each time revealing just a little bit more, and keeping you even more hooked.
And we also have the present story which is the friends on a weekend away where the happenings of that night are the elephant in the room.
I'm not really sure that I liked any of the characters but I was very interested to see how their moral compass was effected. And whether anyone would admit to anything.
I'm being deliberately vague, so you have no preconceptions going into this, as it really does work best with no prior knowledge.
I'm not even 100% sure I had read the blurb, rather come across the book in a showcase event, figured it looked like I may be interested in it, and promptly read it once I had a copy!
This was certainly an interesting look at the human psyche, and how people cope when they feel the need to hide other more minor wrongdoings, thus causing a much bigger problem.
Thank you to Netgalley and HQ for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
March 4, 2019
This was quite an addictive book as I just had to know what really happened.
Four friends witness a shocking crime one evening, but all decide to turn a blind eye.
You find out gradually through the book why each person did nothing, and so the story is told from different narratives.
None of the characters are particularly likeable but you still want to know why!
There are some real breath taking moments as the stories are told but you need to pay attention to the different time periods being talked about.
I can’t say too much more as I don’t want to spoil it for you but this was a really good read.
Thanks to HQ and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
Four friends witness a shocking crime one evening, but all decide to turn a blind eye.
You find out gradually through the book why each person did nothing, and so the story is told from different narratives.
None of the characters are particularly likeable but you still want to know why!
There are some real breath taking moments as the stories are told but you need to pay attention to the different time periods being talked about.
I can’t say too much more as I don’t want to spoil it for you but this was a really good read.
Thanks to HQ and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
February 22, 2019
I absolutely loved this cleverly plotted novel which kept me guessing throughout and featured some memorable – if not hugely likeable - characters! Bound tightly by ‘friendship’ (though author Mel McGrath definitely makes the reader start to wonder quite how much they really care about eachother.
I love the premise – that four friends witness a shocking crime one evening, but all – for reasons yet to be unearthed – unspeakingly decide to turn a blind eye. What follows is an excellently absorbing unpicking of the reasons why each person might not have wanted to draw attention to this occurrence by trying to intervene, or by calling the police. The story switches between characters, letting us delve into their lives and find out just how awful a person they are. And I have to say, these are some really unlikable characters. McGrath doesn’t even try to create much of a likable edge to them, to encourage the reader to warm to them. I’m glad about this – I like an imperfect character much more than someone who is strongly painted as ‘good’ or ‘bad’. Main narrator Cassie definitely has more of a softer edge to her, and she at least seems to care in some way about what’s happened, but she herself is not perfect, and I’m glad about this. Her three friends – Anna, Bo and Rex – well, I’ll leave you to draw your own opinions about them but none of them are people I’d want to admit are my friends! For some, the lack of likability in the main characters might put them off, but I felt it just made the plot more believable than it would be if they were all nicer characters.
The plot is so much fun to work through; it ebbs and flows at times, going from fast paced and shocking as things ‘happen’, to a bit of a slower pace whilst it focuses more on character development. It hops back and forwards in time a lot, so I found that I really needed to pay attention to the date and also the time at the beginning of each chapter (something I usually skim past), and by doing this I didn't get too confused! If you're not a fan of books that do this... well, read this anyway as it's worth it! I was hooked throughout every page!
The different threads that The Guilty Party weaves together as the story continues slowly come together to build a better picture of what really happened in the lead up to the night in question, and left me wishing this novel could go on far longer! Brilliant reading - Mel McGrath is definitely an author I will be closely following, excitedly waiting for any new releases!
I love the premise – that four friends witness a shocking crime one evening, but all – for reasons yet to be unearthed – unspeakingly decide to turn a blind eye. What follows is an excellently absorbing unpicking of the reasons why each person might not have wanted to draw attention to this occurrence by trying to intervene, or by calling the police. The story switches between characters, letting us delve into their lives and find out just how awful a person they are. And I have to say, these are some really unlikable characters. McGrath doesn’t even try to create much of a likable edge to them, to encourage the reader to warm to them. I’m glad about this – I like an imperfect character much more than someone who is strongly painted as ‘good’ or ‘bad’. Main narrator Cassie definitely has more of a softer edge to her, and she at least seems to care in some way about what’s happened, but she herself is not perfect, and I’m glad about this. Her three friends – Anna, Bo and Rex – well, I’ll leave you to draw your own opinions about them but none of them are people I’d want to admit are my friends! For some, the lack of likability in the main characters might put them off, but I felt it just made the plot more believable than it would be if they were all nicer characters.
The plot is so much fun to work through; it ebbs and flows at times, going from fast paced and shocking as things ‘happen’, to a bit of a slower pace whilst it focuses more on character development. It hops back and forwards in time a lot, so I found that I really needed to pay attention to the date and also the time at the beginning of each chapter (something I usually skim past), and by doing this I didn't get too confused! If you're not a fan of books that do this... well, read this anyway as it's worth it! I was hooked throughout every page!
The different threads that The Guilty Party weaves together as the story continues slowly come together to build a better picture of what really happened in the lead up to the night in question, and left me wishing this novel could go on far longer! Brilliant reading - Mel McGrath is definitely an author I will be closely following, excitedly waiting for any new releases!
March 5, 2019
I absolutely love books that are full of characters who fill you with emotions. It doesn’t matter if I love them or hate them as long as I find them utterly intriguing! The Guilty Party featured a group of friends that I’m glad were no friends of mine as they were the most awful bunch of people! This self obsessed and narcissistic group of friends are out at a festival when they all witness a deplorable act of violence but not one of them steps forward to help the victim. And as the answers to my many questions started to become clear, I think I disliked each of them a little more with every revelation! Honestly, with friends like these…!
One of the main reasons I loved this book was the way in with Mel McGrath set out her narrative. We meet the friends on the night of the festival and then also several weeks later when they are all together for a birthday getaway in a remote location. Since that fateful night when they ignored a woman in peril, they have since found out that she was found dead shortly after. But as the narrative flicks between then and now, it was the “then” that took a very interesting twist! It worked back from that moment of violence to points throughout the evening where we suddenly come to realise that each one of the group has come into contact of some kind with the victim. It reminded me of An Inspector Calls and gave me the same feeling of goosebumps as things gradually started to make a little bit more sense.
I loved Mel McGraths writing style here just as I did with her previous book, Give Me The Child. She managed to make me care about what happened to these people even though I disliked them intensely! I think Cassie was the one character I felt more of an attachment to, mainly because I wondered why on earth she was still friends with Anna, Bo and Rex as she seemed to have more of a conscience, be it guilty or not!! But what I loved most how I was made to question my own ethics as I have always thought I would jump straight in to help anyone in trouble but without knowing the full picture here, it made me very aware that we never know the full story. Should that make a difference? Well, no, but this book twisted my moral compass enough to maybe think twice in the future! Wait till you get to the very last line in this book as I guarantee you won’t stop thinking about it even though you’ve closed that final page.
Highly recommended if you love unlikeable characters that make you want to punch them in the face at times! And I’m the least violent person I know!
One of the main reasons I loved this book was the way in with Mel McGrath set out her narrative. We meet the friends on the night of the festival and then also several weeks later when they are all together for a birthday getaway in a remote location. Since that fateful night when they ignored a woman in peril, they have since found out that she was found dead shortly after. But as the narrative flicks between then and now, it was the “then” that took a very interesting twist! It worked back from that moment of violence to points throughout the evening where we suddenly come to realise that each one of the group has come into contact of some kind with the victim. It reminded me of An Inspector Calls and gave me the same feeling of goosebumps as things gradually started to make a little bit more sense.
I loved Mel McGraths writing style here just as I did with her previous book, Give Me The Child. She managed to make me care about what happened to these people even though I disliked them intensely! I think Cassie was the one character I felt more of an attachment to, mainly because I wondered why on earth she was still friends with Anna, Bo and Rex as she seemed to have more of a conscience, be it guilty or not!! But what I loved most how I was made to question my own ethics as I have always thought I would jump straight in to help anyone in trouble but without knowing the full picture here, it made me very aware that we never know the full story. Should that make a difference? Well, no, but this book twisted my moral compass enough to maybe think twice in the future! Wait till you get to the very last line in this book as I guarantee you won’t stop thinking about it even though you’ve closed that final page.
Highly recommended if you love unlikeable characters that make you want to punch them in the face at times! And I’m the least violent person I know!
February 20, 2019
Do you enjoy hating on the characters you are reading about, secretly hoping they will fail? Well, look no further, because this book was written for you!
Reading this book was like watching those TV series that have every episode end with a nail biting cliffhanger. I could not stop reading! The more I read, the more questions I had.
Cassie, Bo, Anna and Dex have known each other since uni, and always considered themselves close friends, even though frenemies would be a way better term to describe the dynamics between these four wankers. Their relationship is nothing short of complicated and somewhat inbred, and oh boy, it was delicious.
The story moves back and forth between “the night of the terrible thing” in August, and the weekend at the end of September when the four friends are confronted with the consequences of what they’ve actually done. Or hadn’t done.
“And when I am done with the story, when everything has been explained and the secrets are finally out, I will ask you what would you have done. Because that’s what I really want to know. What would you have done?
Are you sure?”
Great question, but the answer is quite simple, really. As long as you are not a complete tosser like our dear Cassie, Bo, Dex and Anna, that is.
If you don’t like reading stories about unlikeable characters, this will certainly not appeal to you, because all four of these jerks deserved a good slapping for various reasons.
Mind you, nobody will ever accuse this book for being high literature, but I personally am an absolute sucker for stories like this, so please don’t mind me while I cackle here like a maniac, rubbing my hands surreptitiously.
Reading this book was like watching those TV series that have every episode end with a nail biting cliffhanger. I could not stop reading! The more I read, the more questions I had.
Cassie, Bo, Anna and Dex have known each other since uni, and always considered themselves close friends, even though frenemies would be a way better term to describe the dynamics between these four wankers. Their relationship is nothing short of complicated and somewhat inbred, and oh boy, it was delicious.
The story moves back and forth between “the night of the terrible thing” in August, and the weekend at the end of September when the four friends are confronted with the consequences of what they’ve actually done. Or hadn’t done.
“And when I am done with the story, when everything has been explained and the secrets are finally out, I will ask you what would you have done. Because that’s what I really want to know. What would you have done?
Are you sure?”
Great question, but the answer is quite simple, really. As long as you are not a complete tosser like our dear Cassie, Bo, Dex and Anna, that is.
If you don’t like reading stories about unlikeable characters, this will certainly not appeal to you, because all four of these jerks deserved a good slapping for various reasons.
Mind you, nobody will ever accuse this book for being high literature, but I personally am an absolute sucker for stories like this, so please don’t mind me while I cackle here like a maniac, rubbing my hands surreptitiously.
March 5, 2019
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The Guilty Party is a character driven novel, that revolves around four friends Cassie, Anna, Bo and Dex. They were inseparable but the ties between them had always carried “the seeds of rottenness and destruction”.
When the four friends go away for the weekend to celebrate Bo’s birthday, they witness an assault on a woman, but do nothing about it. But why do they refuse to step in?
The story starts with Cassie’s pov and then alters with third person povs for the rest of the characters. The book aims to challenge the morals of the readers and make them question themselves.
The story is narrated in an alternative timeline between “the night of the terrible thing” in August, and the weekend at the end of September when the four friends are confronted with the consequences of what they have or actually hadn’t done.
All the characters are unlikable (and they are meant to be so). Their relationships were toxic and they lived in a sham to maintain the status quo.
The book is twisted, unsettling and dark. It’s dense and hooks in from the very first with the vibe.
The Guilty Party is a character driven novel, that revolves around four friends Cassie, Anna, Bo and Dex. They were inseparable but the ties between them had always carried “the seeds of rottenness and destruction”.
When the four friends go away for the weekend to celebrate Bo’s birthday, they witness an assault on a woman, but do nothing about it. But why do they refuse to step in?
The story starts with Cassie’s pov and then alters with third person povs for the rest of the characters. The book aims to challenge the morals of the readers and make them question themselves.
The story is narrated in an alternative timeline between “the night of the terrible thing” in August, and the weekend at the end of September when the four friends are confronted with the consequences of what they have or actually hadn’t done.
All the characters are unlikable (and they are meant to be so). Their relationships were toxic and they lived in a sham to maintain the status quo.
The book is twisted, unsettling and dark. It’s dense and hooks in from the very first with the vibe.
July 16, 2019
This is easily one of the worst plots I've ever read. It's downright silly. I finished it because it was making me laugh and I wanted to see what insanity would close it out.
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