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The Guilty One
Maris used to be a loving, happy mother. Then her daughter was murdered. Who is she now?A man stands on the edge of the Golden Gate Bridge. His son killed Maris's daughter. Now she holds his life in her hands. At one word from her, he'll jump...Should Maris let him live, or die? And will this shocking offer free her, or destroy her?This is a powerful thriller about guilt, retribution and motherhood.
384 pages, Paperback
First published August 11, 2015
14 people are currently reading
821 people want to read
About the author
Sophie Littlefield
37 books801 followersCalled a “writing machine” by the New York Times and a “master storyteller” by the Midwest Book Review, Sophie Littlefield has written dozens of novels for adults and teens. She has won Anthony and RT Book Awards and been shortlisted for Edgar, Barry, Crimespree, Macavity, and Goodreads Choice Awards.
Sophie also writes under the pen name Sofia Grant.
Sophie also writes under the pen name Sofia Grant.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 100 reviews
June 24, 2015
Oh boy....
We still have a water shortage here in California,
And possibly a plot shortage in "The Guilty One".
The 'blurb's highlight's make this book sound very different than it is.
'To Jump' or 'Not' turns out to be a weak plot!! It's a minor 'teaser' scene at the start of the book which soon fizzles....like Tinkerbell's fairy dust.
The rest of the book is a variety of things: Maris's marriage- Ron's marriage- guilty memories as a father...more of Maris's struggles...( and finding her way), etc.
Honestly ... I just didn't care for the writing.... I'm not sure if simplistic is the right word ... or
just my own lack of interest.
Here is a perfect example of writing that made me pause: ("why? How how interesting this dialogue is", was 'my' thinking):
"Pet picked up a stack of books from a TV tray table standing next to a worn red upholsterer wing chair. She moved them to the floor along the wall. The TV tray was decorated with a hunting scene: A buck standing on a hill about a lake, antlers wider than its shoulders."
"I really can't tell you how much I appreciate this, Pet." Maris Felt her voice catch in her throat. The girl was too trusting, by far"
I feel bad...when I rate a book low. I live in the Bay Area. I know the streets mentioned in the book well.... I 'should' have enjoyed this much more.
However,
It lacked authentic richness - purpose- and direction in the storytelling.
From my understanding - Sophie Littlfield has a terrific reputation as an author. - but this was my first book I've read by her.
Other readers may really enjoy this book... It just wasn't my most flavorful cup of tea
My appreciation to Gallery Threshold Books -Netgalley- -and Sophie Littlefield. ( 'always' my hats go off to the author.. .. much respect for their craft... Regardless of how I feel about 'the book at hand')
We still have a water shortage here in California,
And possibly a plot shortage in "The Guilty One".
The 'blurb's highlight's make this book sound very different than it is.
'To Jump' or 'Not' turns out to be a weak plot!! It's a minor 'teaser' scene at the start of the book which soon fizzles....like Tinkerbell's fairy dust.
The rest of the book is a variety of things: Maris's marriage- Ron's marriage- guilty memories as a father...more of Maris's struggles...( and finding her way), etc.
Honestly ... I just didn't care for the writing.... I'm not sure if simplistic is the right word ... or
just my own lack of interest.
Here is a perfect example of writing that made me pause: ("why? How how interesting this dialogue is", was 'my' thinking):
"Pet picked up a stack of books from a TV tray table standing next to a worn red upholsterer wing chair. She moved them to the floor along the wall. The TV tray was decorated with a hunting scene: A buck standing on a hill about a lake, antlers wider than its shoulders."
"I really can't tell you how much I appreciate this, Pet." Maris Felt her voice catch in her throat. The girl was too trusting, by far"
I feel bad...when I rate a book low. I live in the Bay Area. I know the streets mentioned in the book well.... I 'should' have enjoyed this much more.
However,
It lacked authentic richness - purpose- and direction in the storytelling.
From my understanding - Sophie Littlfield has a terrific reputation as an author. - but this was my first book I've read by her.
Other readers may really enjoy this book... It just wasn't my most flavorful cup of tea
My appreciation to Gallery Threshold Books -Netgalley- -and Sophie Littlefield. ( 'always' my hats go off to the author.. .. much respect for their craft... Regardless of how I feel about 'the book at hand')
November 3, 2015
I had to read this book in one sitting.
It starts off in such a way that you just can't put it down and leave it.
A man standing on a bridge ready to jump makes a phone call to a woman. He can't live with his guilt.
She asks where he is.
Its all so intense you just have to stay with it.
As more and more unfolds, you still can't put it down. I found myself carrying my Kindle to the Kitchen table whilst waiting for supper to cook. I couldn't miss a thing.
This book deals with guilt, raw emotions, forgiveness and burdens among a lot of things.
I have really come to love Sophie Littlefields books and only came across them because I am a member of Net Galley, so I am so pleased I joined back in 2013.
May I thank the author and Gallery, Threshold, Pocket Books via Net Galley for my copy
March 28, 2016
CONTENT WARNING: Suicide threat, partner murder, child abuse.
This has been terribly mis-marketed. The UK edition has the word "thriller" TWICE on its back cover: one as a classification, and one in publisher's hype. This wouldn't be a problem, except...this book is not a thriller. I'd call it general/mainstream fiction. Anyway, the mislabelling could explain the middling reviews - people did not get what they expected.
Also? The novel's summary talks about an event as if it takes up the whole story, which was what I expected. Instead, that event is resolved within the first few chapters. That's it.
And entire chapters feature nothing but shopping, cleaning, and inventory. I'm not even exaggerating.
I'm no stranger to Sophie Littlefield's works, having previously read and enjoyed four of her other books. And I like The Guilty One to an extent. It's about life AFTER crime, for parents of the perp and the victim. Can people escape generations of violence, or are they - like their forefathers - doomed to hurt those they love?
Had The Guilty One been more honestly marketed, it would've been received better. Still, it's great to see a positive representation of women being friends.
This has been terribly mis-marketed. The UK edition has the word "thriller" TWICE on its back cover: one as a classification, and one in publisher's hype. This wouldn't be a problem, except...this book is not a thriller. I'd call it general/mainstream fiction. Anyway, the mislabelling could explain the middling reviews - people did not get what they expected.
Also? The novel's summary talks about an event as if it takes up the whole story, which was what I expected. Instead, that event is resolved within the first few chapters. That's it.
And entire chapters feature nothing but shopping, cleaning, and inventory. I'm not even exaggerating.
I'm no stranger to Sophie Littlefield's works, having previously read and enjoyed four of her other books. And I like The Guilty One to an extent. It's about life AFTER crime, for parents of the perp and the victim. Can people escape generations of violence, or are they - like their forefathers - doomed to hurt those they love?
Had The Guilty One been more honestly marketed, it would've been received better. Still, it's great to see a positive representation of women being friends.
July 29, 2015
First, I want to say that I understand how hard it is to write a book and how amazing it is when it is actually published. Congrats to the author for that accomplishment. That said, The book blurb is very misleading and I was expecting a very different book. I could not find a plot and I had no empathy for either of the main characters. This was just not a book that I found interesting or entertaining.
April 13, 2018
Beautiful, moving and profound. A story of love, loss and moving on despite the odds.
August 15, 2015
It is amazing what the mind can do for you when you are faced with such damaging loss such as the death of a child. This book contains a difficult subject for certain, but the storyline is unique and fresh.
When picking up a book like this, you expect the heavy hearts. The depressing subject matter. The emotional toll on the reader. But the author created a book that also brings healing, a fresh outlook, and even some forgiveness.
I have to admit, I has hesitant to review this title. After all the subject matter is tough. But I am so glad that I read this book. The author offers an amazing, gripping, emotional, story about a parents worst nightmare that is so worth the read. The characters are damaged for sure. How do you even move on from a tragedy like this – especially when it impacts several families? While you are expecting the crushing feelings, you also get some of the light at the end of the tunnel.
People are strong and resilient. The author’s depth into a human emotional field and actions is amazing. This book is refreshing in so many ways. The beginning is crushing and very deep. It sucked me in completely. There are twists and turns and some surprises up until the end. While it is not a thriller or a suspense read, the author sprinkled in plenty of lighthearted moments, good feelings, and created an complex read on how these characters came back to life that I could not put down. I read this in one afternoon!
This quote keeps popping into my head when thinking about this book, as it fits so perfectly:
“We are all broken. That’s how the light gets in.” Ernest Hemingway
This is an impactful read for sure and one that you have to check out! Sophie Littlefield is a very talented writer and one to watch!
Read more at http://twoclassychics.com/?p=106001#v...
When picking up a book like this, you expect the heavy hearts. The depressing subject matter. The emotional toll on the reader. But the author created a book that also brings healing, a fresh outlook, and even some forgiveness.
I have to admit, I has hesitant to review this title. After all the subject matter is tough. But I am so glad that I read this book. The author offers an amazing, gripping, emotional, story about a parents worst nightmare that is so worth the read. The characters are damaged for sure. How do you even move on from a tragedy like this – especially when it impacts several families? While you are expecting the crushing feelings, you also get some of the light at the end of the tunnel.
People are strong and resilient. The author’s depth into a human emotional field and actions is amazing. This book is refreshing in so many ways. The beginning is crushing and very deep. It sucked me in completely. There are twists and turns and some surprises up until the end. While it is not a thriller or a suspense read, the author sprinkled in plenty of lighthearted moments, good feelings, and created an complex read on how these characters came back to life that I could not put down. I read this in one afternoon!
This quote keeps popping into my head when thinking about this book, as it fits so perfectly:
“We are all broken. That’s how the light gets in.” Ernest Hemingway
This is an impactful read for sure and one that you have to check out! Sophie Littlefield is a very talented writer and one to watch!
Read more at http://twoclassychics.com/?p=106001#v...
June 20, 2015
After reading The Missing Place by Sophie Littlefield, I was looking forward to reading her new novel The Guilty One. Sadly, I was disappointed.
I wanted to like this book but I just never connected with the story line. Honestly, I would love to be an editor and take my big red pen to most of it. The synopsis of the novel is completely misleading and that was where the disappointment started. The characters were stagnate, the story line was sluggish and most of the novel was extraneous.
What I thought was going to be a novel about the mother of a murdered child wrestling with the opportunity to take revenge on the family of her daughters killer was really chapter upon chapter of the main characters whining about their lives and their own childhoods.
The actual murder, the deceased child and the killer were third string plot points. The event that the jacket copy exploits as the sum of the entire novel is a passing moment in the story.
Maris, the mother of the murdered daughter is a flat character who is uppity housewife turned pile of pitiful grief. Ron, the father of the murderer is a whining, self-loathing man who's part of the story was difficult to get through at all. We barely meet Kyle "the murderer" or Calla, our victim, which seems such a waste of good story potential.
The writing itself was simplistic and did not spark any imagination or feeling toward the story or characters. The text was full of misplaced and unnecessary three dollar words that make the book choppy to read.
All in all, I can't say I liked this book at all. The story was so disconnected from what the jacket copy touts as the story line and I feel the reader is just never given a quality storyline.
I wanted to like this book but I just never connected with the story line. Honestly, I would love to be an editor and take my big red pen to most of it. The synopsis of the novel is completely misleading and that was where the disappointment started. The characters were stagnate, the story line was sluggish and most of the novel was extraneous.
What I thought was going to be a novel about the mother of a murdered child wrestling with the opportunity to take revenge on the family of her daughters killer was really chapter upon chapter of the main characters whining about their lives and their own childhoods.
The actual murder, the deceased child and the killer were third string plot points. The event that the jacket copy exploits as the sum of the entire novel is a passing moment in the story.
Maris, the mother of the murdered daughter is a flat character who is uppity housewife turned pile of pitiful grief. Ron, the father of the murderer is a whining, self-loathing man who's part of the story was difficult to get through at all. We barely meet Kyle "the murderer" or Calla, our victim, which seems such a waste of good story potential.
The writing itself was simplistic and did not spark any imagination or feeling toward the story or characters. The text was full of misplaced and unnecessary three dollar words that make the book choppy to read.
All in all, I can't say I liked this book at all. The story was so disconnected from what the jacket copy touts as the story line and I feel the reader is just never given a quality storyline.
July 24, 2015
I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, Gallery Books!
This book was listed as a mystery and a thriller, which is very misleading even if it's the reason I read it. Had I known it is about the feelings of those left behind, I wouldn't have been interested - and I would have missed out. The murder is just the back-story. The Guilty One is about two of the people most affected by the crime: the victim's mom and the presumed guilty one's dad. It is about starting over when the worst has happened - Maris is at rock bottom after her daughter is murdered. Ron is trying, and failing, to support his son, in prison for the crime. Maris accidentally starts a new life far away from the suburbs, and the people she meets, so different from her wealthy friends, help her get a new outlook in life. I would normally groan at this because it sounds like a cliché, but the book is so well-written and the characters so real, that I was dying to know what was going to happen next, honestly rooting for them. There was also a twist I didn't see coming, and the evolution of Maris, Ron and their loved ones, is truly heartwarming. This may not be a crime novel, but it would be a crime to miss it.
This book was listed as a mystery and a thriller, which is very misleading even if it's the reason I read it. Had I known it is about the feelings of those left behind, I wouldn't have been interested - and I would have missed out. The murder is just the back-story. The Guilty One is about two of the people most affected by the crime: the victim's mom and the presumed guilty one's dad. It is about starting over when the worst has happened - Maris is at rock bottom after her daughter is murdered. Ron is trying, and failing, to support his son, in prison for the crime. Maris accidentally starts a new life far away from the suburbs, and the people she meets, so different from her wealthy friends, help her get a new outlook in life. I would normally groan at this because it sounds like a cliché, but the book is so well-written and the characters so real, that I was dying to know what was going to happen next, honestly rooting for them. There was also a twist I didn't see coming, and the evolution of Maris, Ron and their loved ones, is truly heartwarming. This may not be a crime novel, but it would be a crime to miss it.
August 28, 2015
I really hate rating a book under 3 stars! It's rare that I feel the need to but this book was anything but what I expected. The blurb held promise of grief, heartache, suspense and healing. The book delivered some but all in all, it fell flat. The Guilty One was bleak and may I say, kind of boring.
Instead of feeling bad for the characters, I just felt annoyed. I really wanted to love this book--maybe if I re-read it down the road I'll be able to connect with the characters. This time I felt such a disconnect that it was hard to finish the book. I know Sophie does some great work, this just wasn't one of them, in my opinion! ~ Kelly, 2.5 stars
Instead of feeling bad for the characters, I just felt annoyed. I really wanted to love this book--maybe if I re-read it down the road I'll be able to connect with the characters. This time I felt such a disconnect that it was hard to finish the book. I know Sophie does some great work, this just wasn't one of them, in my opinion! ~ Kelly, 2.5 stars
November 1, 2015
First thanks to Oneida Public Library for sending this book to my local library to read! I have been waiting to read this book for 2 months! This was a very gripping powerful tale! Makes me wonder as a parent what I would do. (we all hope we would do right thing, but its our kid, who we want to protect)This is sad but a little uplifting that the new reality of life is liveable!
October 20, 2016
I just didn't enjoy this book.
A marriage is breaking up and the wife is just agreeing to the sale of the home when she gets a phone call from a man standing on the Golden Gate Bridge ready to jump. The rest of the tale is a string of minutiae about broken glass, packing, the price of wings and fries, courtroom issues, who gets the barbecue stuff, someone being glad he didn't do anything really stupid when he was younger. There are descriptions of setting, hearing the horns on the freeway, but I don't love being there. And in the background there is an ongoing issue of whether someone killed someone and dumped the body.
This isn't a standard crime story. The woman tries to vanish and go under another name rather than turn amateur sleuth. I am not even sure I could call this women's fiction so I'll just leave it at contemporary fiction; there is some strong language, drinking and references to sex and violence. There's an interesting tweak at the end. Some readers might enjoy the story more than I did, maybe if they know the area of the setting.
I was sent an ARC and this is an unbiased review.
A marriage is breaking up and the wife is just agreeing to the sale of the home when she gets a phone call from a man standing on the Golden Gate Bridge ready to jump. The rest of the tale is a string of minutiae about broken glass, packing, the price of wings and fries, courtroom issues, who gets the barbecue stuff, someone being glad he didn't do anything really stupid when he was younger. There are descriptions of setting, hearing the horns on the freeway, but I don't love being there. And in the background there is an ongoing issue of whether someone killed someone and dumped the body.
This isn't a standard crime story. The woman tries to vanish and go under another name rather than turn amateur sleuth. I am not even sure I could call this women's fiction so I'll just leave it at contemporary fiction; there is some strong language, drinking and references to sex and violence. There's an interesting tweak at the end. Some readers might enjoy the story more than I did, maybe if they know the area of the setting.
I was sent an ARC and this is an unbiased review.
December 18, 2016
The Guilty One
By
Sophie Littlefield
What it's all about...
Let's just call this book what it is...another book that I thought I would love but that was just not that interesting. A young girl is killed and it looks as though her boyfriend is the murderer. His father wants to jump off of a bridge but calls the girl's mother and the police stop him just in time. The murdered girl's mom sort of goes AWOL on the way to her sister's house...enjoys a plain and simple fried egg sandwich on the way...and then just stays away after meeting new people and buying tons of stuff she really didn't need.
Why I wanted to read it...
I thought this book would be intense and meaningful but it missed its audience with me. I just could not really get involved.
Why as a reader you should make up your own mind about this one...
I just checked Goodreads and readers seemed to love it or not love it...the reviews are all over the place. I just didn't love it...it wasn't that appealing to me.
By
Sophie Littlefield
What it's all about...
Let's just call this book what it is...another book that I thought I would love but that was just not that interesting. A young girl is killed and it looks as though her boyfriend is the murderer. His father wants to jump off of a bridge but calls the girl's mother and the police stop him just in time. The murdered girl's mom sort of goes AWOL on the way to her sister's house...enjoys a plain and simple fried egg sandwich on the way...and then just stays away after meeting new people and buying tons of stuff she really didn't need.
Why I wanted to read it...
I thought this book would be intense and meaningful but it missed its audience with me. I just could not really get involved.
Why as a reader you should make up your own mind about this one...
I just checked Goodreads and readers seemed to love it or not love it...the reviews are all over the place. I just didn't love it...it wasn't that appealing to me.
Read
September 24, 2018In this story a teenage girl is murdered by her ex-boyfriend. He’s found guilty and is serving a sentence in jail. The book delves into how the lives of the two sets of parents are changed by this event and the suffering that they all go through in different ways. It is a powerful testimonial to the human spirit to be able to survive such losses and start over. At the same time it examines how the parents’ views of themselves are changed as they survive and adapt to the terrible losses they’ve suffered. This is the first book I have read by Sophie Littlefield. I found it a very interesting and easy summer read, and I plan to look at her other books. —Kusum (excerpted from Bookish's Staff Reads)
June 18, 2015
Sophie Littlefield, author of the Bad Day series (A Bad Day for Sorry, etc) has hit a new level of excellence with The Guilty One. Many thanks to Net Galley and Gallery Books for the DRC! This book goes up for sale on August 11, and if you love a good novel, this one is for you.
Our chief protagonists are Maris and Ron. Maris is Calla’s mother…or she was. Calla is dead now. The court has convicted Karl of her murder, a heartbroken, enraged loss of control over a bad teenage breakup. Ron is Karl’s father, and as we open our first setting, he is considering jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge. At the last minute he decides to phone Maris, and ask her whether to jump or not.
It shows a good deal about Ron’s character, weak and lacking in integrity, that he not only phones Karl’s victim’s mother to dump the responsibility on her, but also wears a windbreaker to the bridge because his travel guide mentions that it is cool and windy there, even in warm weather.
The last time I read Littlefield’s work, it was the Bad Day series. The first book won multiple awards and was deeply satisfying, a savvy, witty dig at domestic abuse. The same topic enters this discussion in a more oblique fashion. In her earlier series, she seemed to lose momentum as the series unfolded, and it appeared to me that she couldn’t decide whether she wanted to write a series that was mostly of the detective fiction genre, or mostly romance. Here, she has taken a giant step away from mystery and detective fiction, and this straight-up fictional story is told with grace, maturity, and authority. It’s obvious right there in the first few pages. I was reading a handful of galleys at the time, and my first note to myself was “See now, this is good writing.”
Maris has lost her marriage, and at first it appears to be a consequence of Calla’s death—so few couples can experience the death of a child and stay together—but as the story progresses, it becomes clear that a split was in the works long before this. And Maris makes a decision that resonates with me. She drops everything and everyone, more or less, and without thinking, going purely on instinct, starts over in a new place, with a greatly reduced standard of living. At first I wonder whether Maris is merely slumming, seeing how the other half lives, but deep down, I have to trust Littlefield not to do anything so shabby, and she doesn’t. Maris is the one we root for, the one that drives the plot forward and pulls us in.
Ron and Deb have stayed together as Karl has gone through the trial and been found guilty, but the strain is there. Ron starts out entirely believable and not very likeable. He never becomes the stand-up individual that Maris is, but he is a dynamic character, complicated and interesting. He undergoes a lot of change as the story progresses.
Throughout this riveting novel, there was never a moment when the veil lifted and I remembered that these characters weren’t real. I raced toward the end with a sense that I had to see how it came out, and then when it was over, I felt a sense of loss, wanting to turn another page and find Maris still there so I could check in with her, like a good friend. And that is ultimately the hallmark of great writing.
Get online. Take a bus. Get in the car. Hijack a plane—okay, maybe not—but do what you need to do in order to get a copy of this accessible, compelling new fiction. Littlefield rocks it. You can pre-order it now, so you will be able to read it right away. If you do, you too will want to stand up and cheer!
Our chief protagonists are Maris and Ron. Maris is Calla’s mother…or she was. Calla is dead now. The court has convicted Karl of her murder, a heartbroken, enraged loss of control over a bad teenage breakup. Ron is Karl’s father, and as we open our first setting, he is considering jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge. At the last minute he decides to phone Maris, and ask her whether to jump or not.
It shows a good deal about Ron’s character, weak and lacking in integrity, that he not only phones Karl’s victim’s mother to dump the responsibility on her, but also wears a windbreaker to the bridge because his travel guide mentions that it is cool and windy there, even in warm weather.
The last time I read Littlefield’s work, it was the Bad Day series. The first book won multiple awards and was deeply satisfying, a savvy, witty dig at domestic abuse. The same topic enters this discussion in a more oblique fashion. In her earlier series, she seemed to lose momentum as the series unfolded, and it appeared to me that she couldn’t decide whether she wanted to write a series that was mostly of the detective fiction genre, or mostly romance. Here, she has taken a giant step away from mystery and detective fiction, and this straight-up fictional story is told with grace, maturity, and authority. It’s obvious right there in the first few pages. I was reading a handful of galleys at the time, and my first note to myself was “See now, this is good writing.”
Maris has lost her marriage, and at first it appears to be a consequence of Calla’s death—so few couples can experience the death of a child and stay together—but as the story progresses, it becomes clear that a split was in the works long before this. And Maris makes a decision that resonates with me. She drops everything and everyone, more or less, and without thinking, going purely on instinct, starts over in a new place, with a greatly reduced standard of living. At first I wonder whether Maris is merely slumming, seeing how the other half lives, but deep down, I have to trust Littlefield not to do anything so shabby, and she doesn’t. Maris is the one we root for, the one that drives the plot forward and pulls us in.
Ron and Deb have stayed together as Karl has gone through the trial and been found guilty, but the strain is there. Ron starts out entirely believable and not very likeable. He never becomes the stand-up individual that Maris is, but he is a dynamic character, complicated and interesting. He undergoes a lot of change as the story progresses.
Throughout this riveting novel, there was never a moment when the veil lifted and I remembered that these characters weren’t real. I raced toward the end with a sense that I had to see how it came out, and then when it was over, I felt a sense of loss, wanting to turn another page and find Maris still there so I could check in with her, like a good friend. And that is ultimately the hallmark of great writing.
Get online. Take a bus. Get in the car. Hijack a plane—okay, maybe not—but do what you need to do in order to get a copy of this accessible, compelling new fiction. Littlefield rocks it. You can pre-order it now, so you will be able to read it right away. If you do, you too will want to stand up and cheer!
January 8, 2016
When I rate a book, I do it based on the blurb on the back cover and what the book claims to be and then I rate it based on how it meets the expectations of what was promised. This is not the fault of Sophie Littlefield the author; it is the fault of the publishers and promotors.
Based off the back cover, the reader expects it to be a thriller of some sorts, or for it to be more action-filled. In reality it was more of a Jodi Picoult read. There is nothing wrong with that but it should be advertised as such. I actually liked the book overall, but it was far from what I was expecting.
*slight spoiler* it was no surprise to me that Karl actually killed Calla, but I'm glad he was portrayed realistically and not just as the "evil jealous possessive boyfriend". He was a teenager who was really hurt and upset and vented his feelings in a way that took someone's life and altered many others including his own. (Not justifying murder here!) Littlefield did a great job of having Karl explain how he did it and how he felt separated from himself in the time afterwards. He had a good lawyer, but I didn't think five years with good behavior was enough of a prison sentence.
*Spoiler* one plot element that felt contrived to me and I really wish hadn't been included was that Jeff, Maris husband turned out to be gay. It was revealed in the end almost for shock factor and I don't think it did anything to develop the characters of Maris and Ron whose minds we were inside. While Jeff being gay explained why he was always so distant, I felt the grief of losing his only child and not being the most expressive person in the first place were enough reasons to justify his behavior in the novel.
Earlier in the review I mentioned that this book reminded me of Jodi Picoult. Her books are longer and usually have more than two characters points of view. Littlefield could've benefited from a longer page length, so the reveal of Jeff being gay wouldn't have felt so out of place.
For the emotional renewal Maris goes through by the end, I feel readers weren't with her long enough to believe the changes she had made internally. We were with her during the couple of weeks and while a couple of weeks can certainly have an impact on ones life, I was put off by how she had distanced herself from Calla almost entirely. It almost read like "hey my daughter is dead and my douche of an ex husband is gay and gone and I have a new life".
The ending felt too happy for the events and emotional journey the characters went on. I was satisfied with how Ron handled his situation. His character was handled well.
Based off the back cover, the reader expects it to be a thriller of some sorts, or for it to be more action-filled. In reality it was more of a Jodi Picoult read. There is nothing wrong with that but it should be advertised as such. I actually liked the book overall, but it was far from what I was expecting.
*slight spoiler* it was no surprise to me that Karl actually killed Calla, but I'm glad he was portrayed realistically and not just as the "evil jealous possessive boyfriend". He was a teenager who was really hurt and upset and vented his feelings in a way that took someone's life and altered many others including his own. (Not justifying murder here!) Littlefield did a great job of having Karl explain how he did it and how he felt separated from himself in the time afterwards. He had a good lawyer, but I didn't think five years with good behavior was enough of a prison sentence.
*Spoiler* one plot element that felt contrived to me and I really wish hadn't been included was that Jeff, Maris husband turned out to be gay. It was revealed in the end almost for shock factor and I don't think it did anything to develop the characters of Maris and Ron whose minds we were inside. While Jeff being gay explained why he was always so distant, I felt the grief of losing his only child and not being the most expressive person in the first place were enough reasons to justify his behavior in the novel.
Earlier in the review I mentioned that this book reminded me of Jodi Picoult. Her books are longer and usually have more than two characters points of view. Littlefield could've benefited from a longer page length, so the reveal of Jeff being gay wouldn't have felt so out of place.
For the emotional renewal Maris goes through by the end, I feel readers weren't with her long enough to believe the changes she had made internally. We were with her during the couple of weeks and while a couple of weeks can certainly have an impact on ones life, I was put off by how she had distanced herself from Calla almost entirely. It almost read like "hey my daughter is dead and my douche of an ex husband is gay and gone and I have a new life".
The ending felt too happy for the events and emotional journey the characters went on. I was satisfied with how Ron handled his situation. His character was handled well.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 13, 2015
As a parent, facing the horror of your precious child being murdered is one thing, confronting the truth that your child is a murderer is another. In The Guilty One, Sophie Littlefield's 15th novel, Maris Vacanti and Ron Isherwood wrestle with the loss of their only children under very different circumstances.
A year ago, Maris's teenage daughter, Calla, was murdered, and shortly after Maris's husband left her, declaring their marriage a sham. Too emotionally depleted to even feign normalcy, Maris has let her suburban life lapse but is at a loss as to how to move on when a random encounter offers her the chance to escape and start anew.
Ron was horrified when his son Karl, Calla's ex boyfriend, was charged and later convicted for Calla's murder. Though his son, and wife, maintain a plea of innocence, Ron is racked with guilt because he believes his son is responsible and worries that it is his legacy of explosive violence, and the mistakes he made as a father, that contributed to Karl's actions.
An emotionally wrenching novel, The Guilty One is a character driven story that explores the themes of grief, guilt, forgiveness and redemption as Maris and Ron struggle to reconcile themselves to all they have lost, and find a way to move forward.
While the perspective of a bereaved parent of a murdered child has been examined often in fiction, the aftermath for the parents of the murderer have rarely been examined. To the best of my recollection, in most cases the killer's parents are absent or highly dysfunctional. Ron and Deb are ordinary middle class people and I appreciated the author's decision to humanise them, and acknowledge their grief and loss.
The pacing is measured, the writing and dialogue of a good standard. Though there is little in the way of overt action, Littlefield maintains a low hum of suspense, as Karl's culpability is in question.
I found The Guilty One to be a touching and thought-provoking novel, with a bittersweet but satisfying conclusion.
August 11, 2015
I received a copy of this book from a Giveaway listed on Goodreads.
I do have to agree with a certain review on here. I wish that the 'To jump or not to jump' teaser mentioned in the synopsis would have stayed through the book longer than it had. Since that fell flat, I feel the book suffered a little as well; especially since most were hooked on the teaser alone. When that scene fizzed away, the rest of the story was more homey and more of just mere storytelling of someone's life. I think if I weren't disappointed about the whole teaser thing disappearing, that I would have rated this book higher, because now that I look back at it, the story afterwards wasn't bad at all. It was actually the light and pleasant side of the story, but the mood I was in when I was reading probably caused me to be more impatient with the slow-paced feel to it and didn't really feel up to reading it. On the good side, the author's writing style is quite nice, I love her vocabulary and ability to describe certain things in this book, and of course my hat goes off to the author for her talent and craft.
I feel bad about writing a bad review, I always do of course - I just know the casual exchange in giveaways are normally 'give free book = get HONEST reviews'. The author really does have talent, and I appreciate her work, it's just that this book wasn't for me. It may be for you, though!
Thank you, Sophie Littlefield!
I do have to agree with a certain review on here. I wish that the 'To jump or not to jump' teaser mentioned in the synopsis would have stayed through the book longer than it had. Since that fell flat, I feel the book suffered a little as well; especially since most were hooked on the teaser alone. When that scene fizzed away, the rest of the story was more homey and more of just mere storytelling of someone's life. I think if I weren't disappointed about the whole teaser thing disappearing, that I would have rated this book higher, because now that I look back at it, the story afterwards wasn't bad at all. It was actually the light and pleasant side of the story, but the mood I was in when I was reading probably caused me to be more impatient with the slow-paced feel to it and didn't really feel up to reading it. On the good side, the author's writing style is quite nice, I love her vocabulary and ability to describe certain things in this book, and of course my hat goes off to the author for her talent and craft.
I feel bad about writing a bad review, I always do of course - I just know the casual exchange in giveaways are normally 'give free book = get HONEST reviews'. The author really does have talent, and I appreciate her work, it's just that this book wasn't for me. It may be for you, though!
Thank you, Sophie Littlefield!
July 1, 2015
This book begins with Ron standing on the Golden Gate Bridge ready to jump…if when he calls Maris she tells him to jump!
Maris Vacanti’s daughter, Calla, was found murdered by Ron’s son, Karl, who was her boyfriend. Maris marriage was falling apart, so with her life in shambles she walks away from her pampered life in the Bay area the day Ron calls her…With this phone call she has the power to exact revenge on the man whose son is responsible for her daughter’s death. What will her decision be?
This book is filled with hurt, loss, the physical and emotional damage done by mistakes of others. As Maris tries to put her daughter’s death in perspective and get her own life back on track she finds out some unsettling revelations about her husband, Jeff. On her journey to healing she ends up in the seedy side of Oakland far removed from her pampered life and is befriended by Petra, a young Czech girl with tattoos and a butch who is dealing with her own demons. The unlikely duo forms a bond that leads to forgiveness, acceptance and healing.
I highly recommend this book. It is truly inspirational.
Disclosure: I was given a copy of this eBook by the publisher, Gallery, Threshold, Pocket Books, through NetGalley blogger program for review. I was not required to write a favorable review nor was I compensated for my review. The opinions in this review are my own.
Maris Vacanti’s daughter, Calla, was found murdered by Ron’s son, Karl, who was her boyfriend. Maris marriage was falling apart, so with her life in shambles she walks away from her pampered life in the Bay area the day Ron calls her…With this phone call she has the power to exact revenge on the man whose son is responsible for her daughter’s death. What will her decision be?
This book is filled with hurt, loss, the physical and emotional damage done by mistakes of others. As Maris tries to put her daughter’s death in perspective and get her own life back on track she finds out some unsettling revelations about her husband, Jeff. On her journey to healing she ends up in the seedy side of Oakland far removed from her pampered life and is befriended by Petra, a young Czech girl with tattoos and a butch who is dealing with her own demons. The unlikely duo forms a bond that leads to forgiveness, acceptance and healing.
I highly recommend this book. It is truly inspirational.
Disclosure: I was given a copy of this eBook by the publisher, Gallery, Threshold, Pocket Books, through NetGalley blogger program for review. I was not required to write a favorable review nor was I compensated for my review. The opinions in this review are my own.
August 26, 2015
She did it again...and I fell for it. Author Sophie Littlefield has, once again, taken a really good story and turned it into a great one; I can't even pinpoint the moment it happened. Just as with my experience of The Missing Place, it took me a bit of time to become completely invested in this one but, once I did, there was no turning back.
I'll go ahead and tell you that the marketing blurb really is deceiving; the question of whether Ron will jump is answered early on and this really has little to do with the rest of the novel. The best thing about this one is what happens afterward; this whole world opens up with additional characters and an entirely different direction emerges, but it doesn't detract from the value of the novel in any way.
As she did in her last novel, Littlefield beautifully writes characters who are broken and end up finding their way via the help of others who are from completely different socioeconomic backgrounds; she takes the obvious choice and turns into something much deeper and more meaningful.
A great selection for those who enjoy stories of parents with teens, difficult family dynamics, grief and creating a new life after a tragic loss, this one has something for just about everyone with some humor thrown in for good measure.
I'll go ahead and tell you that the marketing blurb really is deceiving; the question of whether Ron will jump is answered early on and this really has little to do with the rest of the novel. The best thing about this one is what happens afterward; this whole world opens up with additional characters and an entirely different direction emerges, but it doesn't detract from the value of the novel in any way.
As she did in her last novel, Littlefield beautifully writes characters who are broken and end up finding their way via the help of others who are from completely different socioeconomic backgrounds; she takes the obvious choice and turns into something much deeper and more meaningful.
A great selection for those who enjoy stories of parents with teens, difficult family dynamics, grief and creating a new life after a tragic loss, this one has something for just about everyone with some humor thrown in for good measure.
August 16, 2015
I can understand why other reviewers were upset. When Ron, the father of a convicted murderer, calls Maris, the mother of the murdered girl, as he contemplates whether or not to jump off of the Golden Gate Bridge, you expect the book to be about THIS event, since the synopsis teases that it is. It isn't and yet it is. This event is what pushes these "broken people" to realize that they have reached rock bottom and that they have to find a way to crawl back up and yet it is just a short opening scene in a book which examines how each parent reacts to being the parent of a child involved in a murder. With the exception of Jeff, Calla's father, who does not seem traumatized at all by the event, the characters are likable and easy to sympathize with and root for. 3.5 stars!
July 1, 2015
I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The book starts with a man on a bridge, but that's not really what its about. The bridge scene sets off a chain of reactions in one of the main characters, Maris, in which she basically runs away from her past, her life, and who she once was. The book follows the lives of two families who have both been touched (crushed?) by a guilty verdict in a murder trial.
I wanted to read the book all in one day. Pesky life gets in the way, but I was eager to get back to reading every evening. Its not often that I give a book 5 stars, but this one really connected with me.
The book starts with a man on a bridge, but that's not really what its about. The bridge scene sets off a chain of reactions in one of the main characters, Maris, in which she basically runs away from her past, her life, and who she once was. The book follows the lives of two families who have both been touched (crushed?) by a guilty verdict in a murder trial.
I wanted to read the book all in one day. Pesky life gets in the way, but I was eager to get back to reading every evening. Its not often that I give a book 5 stars, but this one really connected with me.
August 27, 2020
This book makes you think about who is the guilty one? the one who murdered? the mother who didn't think she was good enough for her daughter? the father of the the murderer? the husband of the mother of the girl who was killed?
The book starts with a man calling a woman to say he is going to jump off the Golden Gate bridge. then is moves over to a trial of a young man who killed a girl because she broke up with him. Then it goes to the parents of the children who 1) was a murderer and 2) the murdered victim. Neither set of parents are doing very well. One couple is not speaking to each other because they blame each other for the fact their son is in jail for killing his ex-girlfriend. the other couple is getting a divorce because they can not get past the fact their daughter is dead and the father is now living with someone else.
And so it goes. I was more interested in the girl's mother taking a break from society and running away to Oakland trying to start over on her own than I was for any of the other characters. The one surprise (not tell you here) at the end regarding her husband's fling felt like someone needed to put something in it and said, let's try this. I really didn't think that it worked in the story.
I guess my overall impression was that the author took story lines from a bunch of places and tried to make them fit into a cohesive storyline. it didn't work for me.
I would recommend it if you want a fast read.
The book starts with a man calling a woman to say he is going to jump off the Golden Gate bridge. then is moves over to a trial of a young man who killed a girl because she broke up with him. Then it goes to the parents of the children who 1) was a murderer and 2) the murdered victim. Neither set of parents are doing very well. One couple is not speaking to each other because they blame each other for the fact their son is in jail for killing his ex-girlfriend. the other couple is getting a divorce because they can not get past the fact their daughter is dead and the father is now living with someone else.
And so it goes. I was more interested in the girl's mother taking a break from society and running away to Oakland trying to start over on her own than I was for any of the other characters. The one surprise (not tell you here) at the end regarding her husband's fling felt like someone needed to put something in it and said, let's try this. I really didn't think that it worked in the story.
I guess my overall impression was that the author took story lines from a bunch of places and tried to make them fit into a cohesive storyline. it didn't work for me.
I would recommend it if you want a fast read.
August 11, 2015
A special thank you to Gallery Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Following Sophie Littlefield’s The Missing Place, landing on my Top Booklist of 2014, she returns with a riveting psychological suspense THE GUILTY ONE, delving into the aftermath of tragedy, grief, and hope for rediscovery.
As the novel opens, we meet Maris, main protagonist, 49-year-old mother, married to a man who barely speaks to her, who has suffered a horrible tragedy. She wants only to just live. Her teenage daughter Calla has been murdered. Calla’s former boyfriend, Karl was found guilty and is serving time in prison. Maris’s life is falling apart. Her marriage to Jeff, has been long gone. He has not been there for her, and even more so now since the loss of their daughter and their money. Their days of private schools, luxury homes, possessions, social events, and the finer things of life are long gone, as are their friends in these circles.
Maris is trying to find her way. How can she go on? What does she have left? Can she force herself to live with her successful sister? What is her purpose? She cannot go back to teaching and cannot bear to see reminders of her daughter and that life. Can she live again and move beyond her grief, rage, and depression?
Karl’s parents, Ron and Deb are hanging on by a thread, trying to deal with the aftermath of their son, being convicted of a horrific crime. Did they miss the signs of their violent son? Was the breakup too much for him to handle. Where did they go wrong? Do they continue fighting for appeals and drag Calla’s family through the stress again? Ron and Deb’s marriage is also suffering. Deb is determined to support her son, and Ron, has all but given up-- he cannot stand to visit his son. He feels guilt and thinks if he can end his own life, maybe he can help ease Maris’ loss for redemption. He thinks possibly jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge may settle the score. He will let Maris decide.
Maris wants to escape. She does not want to be the mother of the girl who was murdered. She is tired of the media, the sympathy, everyone feeling sorry for her, the guilt, and the sadness. She wants to go somewhere where no one knows her. She wants to start over without anyone knowing the past tragedy connected to her life.
Feeling numb and distraught, she drives to a bad area of town, with a few things in her car and stops to get coffee, where no one will recognize her, on her way to her sister, Alana’s house. While at the coffee shop, her car is broken into, and an eccentric young woman (Pet) with a backpack, and tattoos, and piercings, comes into the shop and sits next to her.
After she gets sick, Pet stays by her side. Pet has her own secrets; however on the exterior, she seems happy and content. However, Maris soon learns there are caring people out there who lead simple lives without all the money, and material possessions, who care. Everyone has their own burdens to bear and past to deal with.
When she decides to rent a small low-end inexpensive apartment next to Pet for a few weeks until she decides what she is going to do, her world opens to others with open hearts, those with their own burdens and tragedies. She uses another name, so no one will know her past-she is not forthcoming or honest.
We meet Pet’s landlord- Norris, her boss-George, and her mother. Each of the characters will come to hold special meaning to Maris on her road to acceptance and rediscovery. Was her marriage really in trouble before Calla’s murder? Can she go from elaborate galas to backyard BBQs? Can she love again? For the first time, she feels needed and accomplishing something. Can she be there for Pet in her time of need, as she was for her?
Flashing back and forth from Maris to Ron, we learn about Ron’s past, and his abusive relationship with his own father, and how this has carried over with his own relationship between him and his own son. Will he have to face his own past violence, and be honest, in order to continue a relationship with his wife and his own son? Will Maris be able to move on and come to terms with the fallout of this tragedy and live again?
How can you ever make up for the loss of an innocent life? In The Guilty One, a father struggles for redemption—and a mother wonders if she can ever find the strength to start over.
Wow, Littlefield delves into the emotional ties which bind us from grief, tragedy, loss, and love. Especially, when the parents know one another, adding to the intensity. A daughter and son dating; what went wrong? When teenage emotions become powerful and obsessive, and crosses the line into violence.
What I particularly enjoy about Sophie’s powerful writing with her last two books, is how she uses well-developed characters, strong women and mothers, of teens-- who can be broken from life’s complications—from the rich, well to do, to the poor and needy.
From both perspectives, she demonstrates how people can connect with our lives—some from the wrong side of the track, from different walks of life---which teach us important life lessons. Her characters seek a higher purpose and more meaningful life--triumph over tragedy.
I loved Pet’s character, and how she accepted Maris without asking questions. How she invited her into her life, introduced her to her friends. We all want to meet a simple fun-loving George!
A highly emotional, gripping page-turner psychological suspense, and a gifted powerhouse author not to be missed. After reading these two 5 star winners, may have to go back and read her back list! An ideal choice for book clubs and discussions, with a wide variety of personalities and perspectives. In fact enjoyed these characters so much, would love to see a continuation.
Highly Recommend!
JDCMustReadBooks
Following Sophie Littlefield’s The Missing Place, landing on my Top Booklist of 2014, she returns with a riveting psychological suspense THE GUILTY ONE, delving into the aftermath of tragedy, grief, and hope for rediscovery.
As the novel opens, we meet Maris, main protagonist, 49-year-old mother, married to a man who barely speaks to her, who has suffered a horrible tragedy. She wants only to just live. Her teenage daughter Calla has been murdered. Calla’s former boyfriend, Karl was found guilty and is serving time in prison. Maris’s life is falling apart. Her marriage to Jeff, has been long gone. He has not been there for her, and even more so now since the loss of their daughter and their money. Their days of private schools, luxury homes, possessions, social events, and the finer things of life are long gone, as are their friends in these circles.
Maris is trying to find her way. How can she go on? What does she have left? Can she force herself to live with her successful sister? What is her purpose? She cannot go back to teaching and cannot bear to see reminders of her daughter and that life. Can she live again and move beyond her grief, rage, and depression?
Karl’s parents, Ron and Deb are hanging on by a thread, trying to deal with the aftermath of their son, being convicted of a horrific crime. Did they miss the signs of their violent son? Was the breakup too much for him to handle. Where did they go wrong? Do they continue fighting for appeals and drag Calla’s family through the stress again? Ron and Deb’s marriage is also suffering. Deb is determined to support her son, and Ron, has all but given up-- he cannot stand to visit his son. He feels guilt and thinks if he can end his own life, maybe he can help ease Maris’ loss for redemption. He thinks possibly jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge may settle the score. He will let Maris decide.
Maris wants to escape. She does not want to be the mother of the girl who was murdered. She is tired of the media, the sympathy, everyone feeling sorry for her, the guilt, and the sadness. She wants to go somewhere where no one knows her. She wants to start over without anyone knowing the past tragedy connected to her life.
Feeling numb and distraught, she drives to a bad area of town, with a few things in her car and stops to get coffee, where no one will recognize her, on her way to her sister, Alana’s house. While at the coffee shop, her car is broken into, and an eccentric young woman (Pet) with a backpack, and tattoos, and piercings, comes into the shop and sits next to her.
After she gets sick, Pet stays by her side. Pet has her own secrets; however on the exterior, she seems happy and content. However, Maris soon learns there are caring people out there who lead simple lives without all the money, and material possessions, who care. Everyone has their own burdens to bear and past to deal with.
When she decides to rent a small low-end inexpensive apartment next to Pet for a few weeks until she decides what she is going to do, her world opens to others with open hearts, those with their own burdens and tragedies. She uses another name, so no one will know her past-she is not forthcoming or honest.
We meet Pet’s landlord- Norris, her boss-George, and her mother. Each of the characters will come to hold special meaning to Maris on her road to acceptance and rediscovery. Was her marriage really in trouble before Calla’s murder? Can she go from elaborate galas to backyard BBQs? Can she love again? For the first time, she feels needed and accomplishing something. Can she be there for Pet in her time of need, as she was for her?
Flashing back and forth from Maris to Ron, we learn about Ron’s past, and his abusive relationship with his own father, and how this has carried over with his own relationship between him and his own son. Will he have to face his own past violence, and be honest, in order to continue a relationship with his wife and his own son? Will Maris be able to move on and come to terms with the fallout of this tragedy and live again?
How can you ever make up for the loss of an innocent life? In The Guilty One, a father struggles for redemption—and a mother wonders if she can ever find the strength to start over.
Wow, Littlefield delves into the emotional ties which bind us from grief, tragedy, loss, and love. Especially, when the parents know one another, adding to the intensity. A daughter and son dating; what went wrong? When teenage emotions become powerful and obsessive, and crosses the line into violence.
What I particularly enjoy about Sophie’s powerful writing with her last two books, is how she uses well-developed characters, strong women and mothers, of teens-- who can be broken from life’s complications—from the rich, well to do, to the poor and needy.
From both perspectives, she demonstrates how people can connect with our lives—some from the wrong side of the track, from different walks of life---which teach us important life lessons. Her characters seek a higher purpose and more meaningful life--triumph over tragedy.
I loved Pet’s character, and how she accepted Maris without asking questions. How she invited her into her life, introduced her to her friends. We all want to meet a simple fun-loving George!
A highly emotional, gripping page-turner psychological suspense, and a gifted powerhouse author not to be missed. After reading these two 5 star winners, may have to go back and read her back list! An ideal choice for book clubs and discussions, with a wide variety of personalities and perspectives. In fact enjoyed these characters so much, would love to see a continuation.
Highly Recommend!
JDCMustReadBooks
March 5, 2021
1.5 STAR REVIEW...
Honestly, I can’t even process this book. 75% of the story I was searching for the plot. The summary or “blurb” is really misleading, initially I thought it would be like the film ‘Man on a Ledge’ where you’re talking the person down from jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge. No. What I did like about this book was how easy to read it was, the authors writing style I enjoyed. I can see what it’s categorised as “crime” but there wasn’t any grit, injustice or question of who was the murderer. Maris or ‘Mary’ was a very frustrating character, I can sympathise that grief is different for everyone but was confused by her “embarrassment” towards her true identity and thought her quite immature with handling some situations.
My favourite quote was at the end “after a while, all the pieces began to feel like they might actually add up to a life. A real one, with ups and downs and good days and bad ones... when you think you’ve seen it all and done it all, everything you could possibly get any joy out of, and then suddenly there’s something new”
Don’t take my word for it, another reader might enjoy this books. And from some of the reviews I’m one of a few who didn’t rate it!
Honestly, I can’t even process this book. 75% of the story I was searching for the plot. The summary or “blurb” is really misleading, initially I thought it would be like the film ‘Man on a Ledge’ where you’re talking the person down from jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge. No. What I did like about this book was how easy to read it was, the authors writing style I enjoyed. I can see what it’s categorised as “crime” but there wasn’t any grit, injustice or question of who was the murderer. Maris or ‘Mary’ was a very frustrating character, I can sympathise that grief is different for everyone but was confused by her “embarrassment” towards her true identity and thought her quite immature with handling some situations.
My favourite quote was at the end “after a while, all the pieces began to feel like they might actually add up to a life. A real one, with ups and downs and good days and bad ones... when you think you’ve seen it all and done it all, everything you could possibly get any joy out of, and then suddenly there’s something new”
Don’t take my word for it, another reader might enjoy this books. And from some of the reviews I’m one of a few who didn’t rate it!
February 17, 2019
For me this was very much a novel of two halves.
I loved reading Maris/Mary's tale, and her relationship with Pet, George and Norris. Whereas I found reading the sections about Ron, his wife Deb and son Karl like wading through treacle.
Is that the way it is supposed to be...? This novel is charting the aftermath of a crime. It is Maris' daughter who had been killed, and Karl is the accused. There is an element of "did he / didn't he" with a nice reveal towards the end. But I just didn't warm to this family.
Whereas Maris' story is told with real empathy and understand. I might even say the writing is affectionate.
Other reviewers have noted the mis-selling of this book's genre. It is not a thriller. But it's a good read. I stopped half way through to read another novel as part of a "buddy read". But I wanted to know what happens, and happily resumed afterwards. I'm glad I did as it has a cathartic ending.
I loved reading Maris/Mary's tale, and her relationship with Pet, George and Norris. Whereas I found reading the sections about Ron, his wife Deb and son Karl like wading through treacle.
Is that the way it is supposed to be...? This novel is charting the aftermath of a crime. It is Maris' daughter who had been killed, and Karl is the accused. There is an element of "did he / didn't he" with a nice reveal towards the end. But I just didn't warm to this family.
Whereas Maris' story is told with real empathy and understand. I might even say the writing is affectionate.
Other reviewers have noted the mis-selling of this book's genre. It is not a thriller. But it's a good read. I stopped half way through to read another novel as part of a "buddy read". But I wanted to know what happens, and happily resumed afterwards. I'm glad I did as it has a cathartic ending.
November 25, 2017
I'm sorry, Sophie Littlefield. I'm sorry that I don't remember your book. I'm doing these reviews retroactively. What I did was make a near illegible list of books as I finished them with the idea of coming back to review them at a later date. I came to your book, looked up the title and...nothing. I am The Guilty One, Sophie Littlefield. Guilty of forgetting your book. I read some reviews to jog my memory. I read some more reviews. The conclusion I drew from these reviews is that what people thought was the main plot thrust really isn't and the book is actually about relationships in the aftermath of a tragedy. This sounds like the sort of book I would like, Sophie Littlefield. Apparently the writing is good. Apparently the writing in your other books is better. I will try one of your other books and write a proper review.
June 1, 2018
A good story. A lot of reviewers griped about it, based on the blurb, expecting a tense thriller perhaps.
The phone call mentioned in the blurb is pretty much at the beginning and isn’t really a central point.
The book is more about what life is like a year later for these two people after an unthinkable event; one parent’s child dead, another parent’s child in prison. For one, it’s more about who am I now that this whole focus of my adult life is gone, for the other a lot of introspection about how his child could have that moment..is it something he’s done, a legacy from his own father?
If you go into the book expecting suspense and drama, you’ll be quite disappointed.
If you enjoy a compelling story, one that will spur thinking (what would I do? was that a factor? etc) then you’ll appreciate it.
The phone call mentioned in the blurb is pretty much at the beginning and isn’t really a central point.
The book is more about what life is like a year later for these two people after an unthinkable event; one parent’s child dead, another parent’s child in prison. For one, it’s more about who am I now that this whole focus of my adult life is gone, for the other a lot of introspection about how his child could have that moment..is it something he’s done, a legacy from his own father?
If you go into the book expecting suspense and drama, you’ll be quite disappointed.
If you enjoy a compelling story, one that will spur thinking (what would I do? was that a factor? etc) then you’ll appreciate it.
August 25, 2021
This is the second book I’ve read by Sophie Littlefield and I found it incredibly underwhelming (though not as much as the other novel I read by her, “The Missing Place”). I like the idea behind the novel, and I like a couple of the characters, but it all feels surface level and poorly developed. Something is just missing on every page. Still, I finished it and it didn’t feel like a chore to do so.
August 22, 2017
Review on its way.
September 11, 2017
This was a great book. The characters were so well developed and I could hardly put it down.
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