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Innocent
The pretty market town of Sterndale is a close-knit community where everyone thinks they know everyone else. But at a lavish summer wedding a local celebrity is discovered slumped in the gardens, the victim of a violent assault that leads to a murder investigation.
As the police search for answers, suspicion and paranoia build - and the lives of the locals are turned upside down. Secrets that lurk beneath the pristine façade of Sterndale come to light as detectives close in on the truth...
As the police search for answers, suspicion and paranoia build - and the lives of the locals are turned upside down. Secrets that lurk beneath the pristine façade of Sterndale come to light as detectives close in on the truth...
356 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 15, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 239 reviews
July 16, 2020
Erin Kinsley weaves a character driven compelling crime mystery that immerses the reader in the small town of Sterndale, where everyone knows everyone, and gossip and judgements are rife. It's a town that finds itself caught in the centre of a media storm when the well known celebrity and TV host, Tristran Hart, is seriously assaulted by the side of a swimming pool during wedding celebrations at Sterndale Hall Hotel. An assault that is upgraded to a murder inquiry for the West Mercia police when he dies, an investigation led by DI Gavin Muir and his team that includes DS Kirstie Weld and DS Nate Golding. On the surface, Tristan is a popular, well liked and generous man, with a seemingly perfect life, married to and in love with the stunning Isobel, aka Izzy, his second wife, with a 3 year old daughter, Flora, who could possibly want to harm him?
The author plunges us into the lives of various locals, their friends and families, such as ex-police officer, Aidan Ridley, his wife, Laura, and their children, Gemma and Josh, close friends of the Harts, with Laura doing all that she can to support Izzy in the aftermath of the deadly assault. Izzy is shell shocked and deeply worried, as her days begin to revolve around being at the hospital bedside of an unresponsive Tristran, in a coma in Intensive Care, sharing the vigil with his distressed parents, Steph and Eamon. She struggles to take care of young Flora, relying on reliable young goth nanny, Bridget. Izzy has always been confident in the love Tris and she had for each other, but her confidence becomes increasingly frayed as she discovers Tristran's second phone, and reads an architect's letter that suggests he had another life, his apparent deceptions have her questioning whether she ever knew him at all. A myriad of town secrets are revealed as the police delve into Tristran's troubling personal history in their search for the truth.
Kinsley writes a twisted murder mystery, immersing the reader in small town life and its locals, where little is as it seems, whilst slowly building up the tension and suspense levels. She gives us a murder victim with a suspicious past life that he has kept a closely guarded secret, married previously to Dolly, with whom he had a son, Bailey, that he has been estranged from for years, and a agent who had protected him from numerous scandals. I thought this was a great crime read, it held my attention throughout with ease, ensnaring my interest and curiosity in the small town community and its characters that had me turning the pages as fast as possible. I look forward to what Erin Kinsley writes next! Many thanks to Headline for an ARC.
The author plunges us into the lives of various locals, their friends and families, such as ex-police officer, Aidan Ridley, his wife, Laura, and their children, Gemma and Josh, close friends of the Harts, with Laura doing all that she can to support Izzy in the aftermath of the deadly assault. Izzy is shell shocked and deeply worried, as her days begin to revolve around being at the hospital bedside of an unresponsive Tristran, in a coma in Intensive Care, sharing the vigil with his distressed parents, Steph and Eamon. She struggles to take care of young Flora, relying on reliable young goth nanny, Bridget. Izzy has always been confident in the love Tris and she had for each other, but her confidence becomes increasingly frayed as she discovers Tristran's second phone, and reads an architect's letter that suggests he had another life, his apparent deceptions have her questioning whether she ever knew him at all. A myriad of town secrets are revealed as the police delve into Tristran's troubling personal history in their search for the truth.
Kinsley writes a twisted murder mystery, immersing the reader in small town life and its locals, where little is as it seems, whilst slowly building up the tension and suspense levels. She gives us a murder victim with a suspicious past life that he has kept a closely guarded secret, married previously to Dolly, with whom he had a son, Bailey, that he has been estranged from for years, and a agent who had protected him from numerous scandals. I thought this was a great crime read, it held my attention throughout with ease, ensnaring my interest and curiosity in the small town community and its characters that had me turning the pages as fast as possible. I look forward to what Erin Kinsley writes next! Many thanks to Headline for an ARC.
July 11, 2020
Tristan Hart, his wife Izzy and young daughter Flora attend a wedding at Sterndale Hall Hotel. Later that night and shortly after their nanny Bridget collects a very tired Flora, Tristan is attacked and left with life threatening injuries. Who has attacked the popular TV host? The story is told from several perspectives.
The novel has a good premise and plot as revelations about Tristan are made throughout which makes you reevaluate him as each new piece of evidence emerges which is interesting. The ending is good and unexpected too. However, I find the pace slow and monotone and although there are a lot of twists and turns, because of the pace they are not especially exciting. There are a lot of characters too which means that they lack substance and depth. The most developed character is Laura who is Izzys friend and some of the others are superfluous and add very little to the storyline. The unfolding drama jumps about too as there are so many points of view it can become confusing and halts the flow of the story.
Overall, it’s by no means a bad book as there are some good elements to it but the uneven pacing prevents it from becoming a riveting read.
With thanks to NetGalley and Headline Press for the ARC.
The novel has a good premise and plot as revelations about Tristan are made throughout which makes you reevaluate him as each new piece of evidence emerges which is interesting. The ending is good and unexpected too. However, I find the pace slow and monotone and although there are a lot of twists and turns, because of the pace they are not especially exciting. There are a lot of characters too which means that they lack substance and depth. The most developed character is Laura who is Izzys friend and some of the others are superfluous and add very little to the storyline. The unfolding drama jumps about too as there are so many points of view it can become confusing and halts the flow of the story.
Overall, it’s by no means a bad book as there are some good elements to it but the uneven pacing prevents it from becoming a riveting read.
With thanks to NetGalley and Headline Press for the ARC.
September 30, 2020
For my full review, visit me at https://mrsbrownsbooks.wordpress.com/...
Kinsley has been on my radar for a while and I have seen a lot of positive feedback about her previous novel, 'Found'. Therefore, having the opportunity to read this book, I jumped at it. I really enjoyed this crime story and relished in the fast-moving narrative.
For my full review, visit me at https://mrsbrownsbooks.wordpress.com/...
Kinsley has been on my radar for a while and I have seen a lot of positive feedback about her previous novel, 'Found'. Therefore, having the opportunity to read this book, I jumped at it. I really enjoyed this crime story and relished in the fast-moving narrative.
For my full review, visit me at https://mrsbrownsbooks.wordpress.com/...
August 17, 2020
At a lavish summer wedding, a local celebrity is found lying on the ground having been hit with a champagne bottle. Tristan Hart, a tv celebrity, was attending the wedding with his wife and daughter. Who would want to harm Tristan and put his life in danger?
The story is told from several points of view but that lets us get to know the characters and their link to the victim. There's lots of clues and hints dropped for the reader to hold their own investigation. As the investigation begins, Tristan's back story is revealed. As the story unravels, secrets are revealed. The pace flowed along smoothly. I dud guess who the culprit was but that never stops my enjoyment of a good book.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Headline and the author Erin Kinsley for my ARC in exchange for a honest review.
The story is told from several points of view but that lets us get to know the characters and their link to the victim. There's lots of clues and hints dropped for the reader to hold their own investigation. As the investigation begins, Tristan's back story is revealed. As the story unravels, secrets are revealed. The pace flowed along smoothly. I dud guess who the culprit was but that never stops my enjoyment of a good book.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Headline and the author Erin Kinsley for my ARC in exchange for a honest review.
July 31, 2020
In the pretty market town of Sterndale, where everyone knows everyone and their business. TV personality Tristan Hart is attending a lavish wedding at Sterndale Hall hotel with his wife Izzy and young daughter Flora.
The wedding reception is in fall swing, the Champagne is flowing. Tristan Hart is called to meet someone near the swimming pool at the hotel. The next time he is discovered with a life-threatening head injury that will change his life forever. When the Police are called, they wonder why this popular TV personality that everyone loves has been attacked in this way.
The rest of story is told in several POV’s each with their own story and what links them to the victim for the police to discover who the real culprit is and why did they want to hurt Tristan Hart.
Thank you NetGalley and Headline for a copy of Innocent by Erin Kinsley. I Have mixed feelings for this book. Don’t get me wrong this is not a bad book. I liked the premise of this story and I liked how they delved into each character and found the links between them and Tristan Hart and that he is not all that he seems. But I found it a bit slow. It wasn’t gripping enough for me. I expected more but it didn’t deliver.
The wedding reception is in fall swing, the Champagne is flowing. Tristan Hart is called to meet someone near the swimming pool at the hotel. The next time he is discovered with a life-threatening head injury that will change his life forever. When the Police are called, they wonder why this popular TV personality that everyone loves has been attacked in this way.
The rest of story is told in several POV’s each with their own story and what links them to the victim for the police to discover who the real culprit is and why did they want to hurt Tristan Hart.
Thank you NetGalley and Headline for a copy of Innocent by Erin Kinsley. I Have mixed feelings for this book. Don’t get me wrong this is not a bad book. I liked the premise of this story and I liked how they delved into each character and found the links between them and Tristan Hart and that he is not all that he seems. But I found it a bit slow. It wasn’t gripping enough for me. I expected more but it didn’t deliver.
August 17, 2020
At a lavish summer wedding, a local celebrity is found lying on the ground having been hit with a champagne bottle. Tristan Hart, a local celebrity, was attending the wedding with his wife and daughter. Who would want to harm Tristan and put his life in danger?
The story is told from several points of view but that lets us know the characters and their link to the victim. There's lots of clues and hints dropped for the reader to hold their own investigation. As the investigation begins, Tristians backstory is revealed. As the story unravels, secrets are revealed. The pace flowed along smoothly. I did guess who the culprit was but that never stops my enjoyment of a good book.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Headline and the author Erin Kinsley for my ARC in exchange for an honest review. .
The story is told from several points of view but that lets us know the characters and their link to the victim. There's lots of clues and hints dropped for the reader to hold their own investigation. As the investigation begins, Tristians backstory is revealed. As the story unravels, secrets are revealed. The pace flowed along smoothly. I did guess who the culprit was but that never stops my enjoyment of a good book.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Headline and the author Erin Kinsley for my ARC in exchange for an honest review. .
September 8, 2020
I thought Erin Kinsley's début novel was utterly fantastic when I read it last year, so I was hoping for more of the same from Innocent, and was not disappointed.
Local TV celebrity, Tristan Hart is seriously assaulted near the swimming pool during wedding celebrations at Sterndale Hall Hotel. When he dies, the investigation by West Mercia police becomes a murder inquiry, with DI Gavin Muir as the lead detective, and a team that includes DS Kirstie Weld and DS Nate Golding.
Set in the market town of Sterndale where everyone knows one another, this novel was a highly engaging police procedural/ suspense thriller. It was another superb piece of writing by Erin Kinsley who portrayed the lives of folk living in a small town perfectly, with their inclination towards gossiping and judgemental behaviour. The reader is thrust into the personal lives of many of the locals, their families and their friends, and the story is told from different perspectives, including DI Muir and the victim's wife, Izzy.
Innocent was an incredibly engrossing, twisted murder mystery where little was as it seemed. Whilst Erin Kinsley slowly built up the tension and suspense levels, it held my attention throughout, clutching onto my curiosity of the small town community as I flipped the pages as quickly as I could. It will be a long wait for me for the next novel by this fabulous author, and I have no hesitation in recommending Innocent. Well worth five gold stars!
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Headline via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
Local TV celebrity, Tristan Hart is seriously assaulted near the swimming pool during wedding celebrations at Sterndale Hall Hotel. When he dies, the investigation by West Mercia police becomes a murder inquiry, with DI Gavin Muir as the lead detective, and a team that includes DS Kirstie Weld and DS Nate Golding.
Set in the market town of Sterndale where everyone knows one another, this novel was a highly engaging police procedural/ suspense thriller. It was another superb piece of writing by Erin Kinsley who portrayed the lives of folk living in a small town perfectly, with their inclination towards gossiping and judgemental behaviour. The reader is thrust into the personal lives of many of the locals, their families and their friends, and the story is told from different perspectives, including DI Muir and the victim's wife, Izzy.
Innocent was an incredibly engrossing, twisted murder mystery where little was as it seemed. Whilst Erin Kinsley slowly built up the tension and suspense levels, it held my attention throughout, clutching onto my curiosity of the small town community as I flipped the pages as quickly as I could. It will be a long wait for me for the next novel by this fabulous author, and I have no hesitation in recommending Innocent. Well worth five gold stars!
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Headline via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
August 20, 2020
This tightly plotted, gripping police procedural is narrated from the perspectives of numerous characters including the victims wife Izzy and DI Gavin Muir who was in charge of the investigation into the assault on Tristian Hart. I really liked DI Muir and his team,I loved the banter, camaraderie and how they were all friends as well as work colleagues. One of the many reasons why I enjoyed this book so much was that the story wasn't bogged down by interdepartmental politics and backstabbing. It was a enjoyable tale about a team of detectives following clues, conducting interviews and finally uncovering the shocking truth behind the crime. It was also about the effect that the crime had on Tristian's wife Izzy and the other residents of the small village that they inhabited, the secrets hidden within the lavish houses and pristine lawns.The setting for the crime Sterndale was a typical rural village that was inhabited by a mixed bag of realistic characters. It was the sort of place where everyone knew everyone else's business and gossip spread faster than water flowing from a tap.Everyone had their own opinion on the crime and some of the residents didn't think twice before voicing their thoughts on the matter.But when you don't know all the facts, it is far too easy to jump to conclusions and misjudge a person as more than one character did as this story unfolded. The question was, who was behind the attack on Tristian Hart who by all appearances appeared to be a all round nice guy and what was the motive behind the crime?
This is a extremely well written thriller that had me hooked in from the first page. Actually I was so captivated by the multiple twists and turns, misdirections and red herrings that I would have loved to have read the whole book in one sitting, unfortunately my old eyes had other ideas. The enthralling story keeps the reader guessing and frantically turning the pages. A very enjoyable read, worth far more than five stars and very very highly recommended.
This is a extremely well written thriller that had me hooked in from the first page. Actually I was so captivated by the multiple twists and turns, misdirections and red herrings that I would have loved to have read the whole book in one sitting, unfortunately my old eyes had other ideas. The enthralling story keeps the reader guessing and frantically turning the pages. A very enjoyable read, worth far more than five stars and very very highly recommended.
June 26, 2020
Thank you to NetGalley and Headline for the arc of Innocent by Erin Kinsley.
It follows with an perfect wedding day in the sunshine and beautiful people. There is an accident which happens not gonna spoil anything but happens in a tiny community and does the damage that big events do to even the littlest of places..... emerging secrets and trust is lost.....
I Really enjoyed this book it is a great read and was gripping and hooking and read within a day, it had me stuck into from start to finish I loved this so much, thanks Erin Kinsley for an amazing well written book.
4 Star read⭐⭐⭐⭐
recommend highly
It follows with an perfect wedding day in the sunshine and beautiful people. There is an accident which happens not gonna spoil anything but happens in a tiny community and does the damage that big events do to even the littlest of places..... emerging secrets and trust is lost.....
I Really enjoyed this book it is a great read and was gripping and hooking and read within a day, it had me stuck into from start to finish I loved this so much, thanks Erin Kinsley for an amazing well written book.
4 Star read⭐⭐⭐⭐
recommend highly
December 12, 2020
Innocent by Erin Kinsley is a stand alone mystery. Local television celebraty Tristan Hart is fatally struck down while attending a wedding setting off an investigation revealing secrets and tensions in the small town. A nice, slow-paced mystery which I felt was rather drawn out. It took a long time before the crime occurred and most of the book was introducing us to the various characters. There was little suspense and the investigation and secrets rather predictable. I liked the police team who worked well together and were very capable but was expecting a bit more from the book. Although interesting it left me unsatisfied.
March 18, 2021
I wish I could give this book more stars!! I loved it. It was twisty and I kept guessing all the wrong people and didn’t find out until near the end. It was the sort of book high wanted you to keep on reading until the wee small hours to find out who did it but, I need my sleep so I had to wait until daytime to delve into it again. I’ve already bought her next book “Found” which I shall read in due course.
August 19, 2020
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If you want to curl up with a good murder mystery with secrets, deceptions, twists and turns, then this is the one. The story creeps on you and shocks you when you least expect it.
I really loved the concept of this story. The main leads, Laura and Izzy stand both stand out in their own manner. There are many twists and turns with a lot of secrets discovered. What I really liked is the contrast between the two character’s story-lines. Izzy’s story focuses on the murder mystery and learning new secrets of Tristan. However, Laura’s story-line focuses on her own family’s secrets who seem average. I really enjoyed how these two story-lines merged together. Also, the detectives involved add well to the story and I liked how they progress with the case.
Also, with such stories, you need a good twist towards the climax, which this story delivers really well. I really did not guess who was behind the murder, and that made me enjoy the story even more. Moreover, the author also does a wonderful job to cover all the loose ends and nothing unexplained. What I really liked was how the author gave equal important to the plot and the characters. The author balances the murder mystery very well with our perception of the characters and their development.
My only criticism towards the story is that it tends to get over-descriptive at times. There are characters who appear only for one or two scenes, but we get a background information from them. Also, the detectives recap every discovery when they meet, which felt repetitious. On a side note, I really enjoyed Phyllis and wished the author made her prominent in the story.
Overall, “Innocent” turned out to be a delightful read and I really enjoyed reading it.
August 25, 2020
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.
I DNFED this book around 35%.
From the beginning of the book I really enjoyed the setting and how fast paced the story was in regards to the crime and insight on the characters pasts/potential plot points. Erin Kinsley's writing is extremely easy to read and that's something I find important when reading within this genre.
However I found that too many characters were introduced within such a small time frame, that it was impossible to feel connected to any of them and I therefore didn't care about what was happening to them.
I DNFED this book around 35%.
From the beginning of the book I really enjoyed the setting and how fast paced the story was in regards to the crime and insight on the characters pasts/potential plot points. Erin Kinsley's writing is extremely easy to read and that's something I find important when reading within this genre.
However I found that too many characters were introduced within such a small time frame, that it was impossible to feel connected to any of them and I therefore didn't care about what was happening to them.
August 31, 2020
A book with so many shades of grey it really was hard to know where this was going to end.
Our story begins at a lavish summer wedding celebration. Our focus is on the guests, one of whom is a well-known celebrity. Tris Hart is the presenter of some familiar shows, and something of a local hero in Sterndale, the quiet town he lives in with his second wife, Izzy, and their young daughter. We see Tris playing his role well during the evening celebrations, and there is a little concern when he is accosted by someone he knows who wants to discuss their past. Next thing we know Tris is found injured near the hotel pool and is rushed to hospital where he’s taken to intensive care.
From the outset we know we’re dealing with a story that is about finding out who tried to kill Tris. During the course of the investigation we learn some of the secrets that the people of Sterndale have been hiding. It seems there are many with something they would rather people didn’t find out, and as the police dig deeper we start to build our own picture.
We do get our answers, but there’s a lot of misdirection and extra detail to burrow through in order to learn our truth. The sheer size of the cast, and the number of strands involved, did lessen the impact slightly for me but I enjoyed the fact that we built up a fuller picture of our flawed main character and came to understand them better as details were revealed.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this prior to publication in exchange for my honest opinion.
Our story begins at a lavish summer wedding celebration. Our focus is on the guests, one of whom is a well-known celebrity. Tris Hart is the presenter of some familiar shows, and something of a local hero in Sterndale, the quiet town he lives in with his second wife, Izzy, and their young daughter. We see Tris playing his role well during the evening celebrations, and there is a little concern when he is accosted by someone he knows who wants to discuss their past. Next thing we know Tris is found injured near the hotel pool and is rushed to hospital where he’s taken to intensive care.
From the outset we know we’re dealing with a story that is about finding out who tried to kill Tris. During the course of the investigation we learn some of the secrets that the people of Sterndale have been hiding. It seems there are many with something they would rather people didn’t find out, and as the police dig deeper we start to build our own picture.
We do get our answers, but there’s a lot of misdirection and extra detail to burrow through in order to learn our truth. The sheer size of the cast, and the number of strands involved, did lessen the impact slightly for me but I enjoyed the fact that we built up a fuller picture of our flawed main character and came to understand them better as details were revealed.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this prior to publication in exchange for my honest opinion.
July 17, 2020
Erin Kinsley has come up with another addictive read with Innocent, her second book
We have the TV Personality Tristan Hart, his beautiful wife Izzy and young daughter Flora. They have a well-ordered life complete with Nanny. They attend a wedding held at a hotel in their small town, and Tristan is found with serious injuries next to the swimming pool.
For a small town setting there is a fair number of suspects and the police have their hands full as the secrets keep emerging.
The characters were brilliantly drawn and the book quickly became a page turner if for nothing else than to find out what else was hiding in the shadows.
This is almost a chatty styled police procedural and so I felt more immersed in the story than perhaps I do with one that uses plenty of police jargon as Erin Kinsley truly manages to take a personal look and yet not tip over into the more unrealistic approach of an outsider to the police running the investigation.
As a result this book had a fresh and personal feel that means it fully deserves the five stars I award it.
We have the TV Personality Tristan Hart, his beautiful wife Izzy and young daughter Flora. They have a well-ordered life complete with Nanny. They attend a wedding held at a hotel in their small town, and Tristan is found with serious injuries next to the swimming pool.
For a small town setting there is a fair number of suspects and the police have their hands full as the secrets keep emerging.
The characters were brilliantly drawn and the book quickly became a page turner if for nothing else than to find out what else was hiding in the shadows.
This is almost a chatty styled police procedural and so I felt more immersed in the story than perhaps I do with one that uses plenty of police jargon as Erin Kinsley truly manages to take a personal look and yet not tip over into the more unrealistic approach of an outsider to the police running the investigation.
As a result this book had a fresh and personal feel that means it fully deserves the five stars I award it.
July 7, 2020
Local tv celebrity Tris and his wife Izzy have a model marriage and a beautiful 3 year old daughter Flora. However during a lavish wedding reception for friends, Tris is found by the swimming pool with a massive head injury. Police begin to investigate this vicious attack which soon turns into a murder investigation as Tris dies from his injury.
An investigation soon has many questions being asked not only of family friends but also the honesty and integrity of Tris himself. It appears not only has he been leading a life of lies but also the possibility of multiple affairs. This book takes many twists and turns, questioning loyalties and hidden secrets.
Absolutely love this book, fast paced and kept me guessing to the very end. A new author for me but look forward to future books.
An investigation soon has many questions being asked not only of family friends but also the honesty and integrity of Tris himself. It appears not only has he been leading a life of lies but also the possibility of multiple affairs. This book takes many twists and turns, questioning loyalties and hidden secrets.
Absolutely love this book, fast paced and kept me guessing to the very end. A new author for me but look forward to future books.
July 3, 2020
Innocent, to my mind started as a setting to a plot for Midsummer Murders and I felt unsure about where it would take me.
However, slowly but surely Erin Kingsley lured me in and I was caught, I didn't want to put the book down. All of the characters were interesting and fully believable. The storyline was full of twists, turns and surprises with an ending that no-one could have wanted, although it had been hinted at for a while, and which was heart breaking and tissues were required. A great book overall .
However, slowly but surely Erin Kingsley lured me in and I was caught, I didn't want to put the book down. All of the characters were interesting and fully believable. The storyline was full of twists, turns and surprises with an ending that no-one could have wanted, although it had been hinted at for a while, and which was heart breaking and tissues were required. A great book overall .
July 25, 2020
There are quite a few things I really didn’t enjoy about this book. Firstly, for a thriller, in my opinion it just wasn’t enthralling in the slightest and there was no suspenseful build-up to find out ‘who dunnit’ - and worst of all, I realised at about 30% in that I actually didn’t care. When we finally got around to it, I thought the perpetrator was glaringly obvious and there were no real twists; the plot being centred around twee village gossip and a couple of side-stories that were never fully explored or closed out.
The dialogue between all of the awfully unlikeable characters felt stilted and forced and I also didn’t enjoy the author’s cringeworthy cliché attempts at highlighting wealth by name dropping Farrow and Ball paint or Fortnum and Mason tea bags at regular intervals; it just didn’t feel necessary. I did enjoy the rapid writing style and the constant switching between character perspectives but I think, without this element, it would have just been unreadable and I would have struggled to finish it. I’m sure this book will have its place, but I prefer a thriller to pack more of a punch.
Thank you to Net Galley for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
The dialogue between all of the awfully unlikeable characters felt stilted and forced and I also didn’t enjoy the author’s cringeworthy cliché attempts at highlighting wealth by name dropping Farrow and Ball paint or Fortnum and Mason tea bags at regular intervals; it just didn’t feel necessary. I did enjoy the rapid writing style and the constant switching between character perspectives but I think, without this element, it would have just been unreadable and I would have struggled to finish it. I’m sure this book will have its place, but I prefer a thriller to pack more of a punch.
Thank you to Net Galley for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
June 26, 2020
I think I was expecting more from this book based on the tag line, it certainly wasn’t as gripping as I thought, it’s a slow burner really with no real twists and turns.
The characters lacked depth, we dipped in and out of each of their lives, I liked Laura, and the relationship between Izzy, Steph & Eamon that was it really and I still can’t work out what relevance Philly and Jeremy had to the story... during the epilogue I thought something was going to happen and we get our juicy twist but we didn’t!
Throughout the book I would say there were 4 potential suspects, when the truth comes out it went really quickly and the book ended... it wasn’t a bad book and in no way is this a negative review, I will definitely be reading the authors other book ‘Found’
I saw another reviewer saying it would make a good tv show like Broadchurch, I would definitely agree with that, I think it would transfer better to the television.
Thank you to netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book
The characters lacked depth, we dipped in and out of each of their lives, I liked Laura, and the relationship between Izzy, Steph & Eamon that was it really and I still can’t work out what relevance Philly and Jeremy had to the story... during the epilogue I thought something was going to happen and we get our juicy twist but we didn’t!
Throughout the book I would say there were 4 potential suspects, when the truth comes out it went really quickly and the book ended... it wasn’t a bad book and in no way is this a negative review, I will definitely be reading the authors other book ‘Found’
I saw another reviewer saying it would make a good tv show like Broadchurch, I would definitely agree with that, I think it would transfer better to the television.
Thank you to netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book
December 22, 2020
Inhalt
Sterndale ist eine kleine Stadt, in der jeder jeden kennt. Auf einer Hochzeit wird ein in Sterndale lebender Promi schwer verletzt aufgefunden - offenbar wurde er mit einer Champagnerflasche niedergeschlagen. Während der Ermittlungen kommen einige wohlgehütete Geheimnisse zutage, die kein gutes Licht auf das Opfer und manche Bewohner Sterndales werfen...
Schreibstil
Ich habe das Buch auf englisch gelesen. Wie auch "Found" von Erin Kinsley, ist "Innocent" leicht zu lesen und gleichzeitig sehr spannend. Die einzelnen Kapitel sind nicht allzu lang, enden aber jedes Mal mit einem Cliffhanger, der einen antreibt, weiter zu lesen. Erin Kinsley schafft es, den Spannungsbogen in die Höhe schnellen zu lassen und präsentiert so einige Protagonisten mit einem möglichen Motiv - ich bin bis zur Auflösung nicht dahintergekommen, wer es war.
Handlung
Die Handlung ist in sich schlüssig und es blieben keine Fragezeichen übrig. Erin Kinsley lässt keine losen Fäden übrig, was ich sehr mag. Nach der Einführung der Protagonisten baut Erin Kinsley durchweg Spannung auf, sodass ich das Buch kaum weglegen wollte. Die einzelnen Kapitel beschreiben dabei immer, was bei den jeweiligen Protagonisten geschieht - den Ermittlern, Izzy, den Ridley's und hin und wieder auch von einigen Nebenfiguren. So ergibt sich ein roter Faden, der aus mehreren Handlungssträngen besteht, die am Ende zusammenlaufen.
Erin Kinsley hat auch einige überraschende Wendungen eingebaut, die ich nicht habe kommen sehen. Außerdem versteht sie es, das Augenmerk des Lesers gekonnt auf all die möglichen Motive und Hintergründe für die Tat zu lenken, sodass es theoretisch jeder hätte gewesen sein können.
Protagonisten
Izzy, Tristan und ihre Tochter Fiona waren mir anfangs nicht so sympathisch, da sie zu perfekt wirkten. Im Laufe der Geschichte ändert sich das Bild etwas, sodass ich sogar Mitgefühl mit Izzy hatte, die wirklich in einer furchtbaren Situation steckte. Tristan bleibt - bis auf den Anfang - etwas außen vor, auch wenn sich natürlich irgendwie doch alles um ihn dreht.
Laura und Aidan Ridley waren mir von Anfang an sympathisch - zusammen mit ihren zwei Kindern wirken sie wie eine typische Familie mit den typischen Problemen. Aidan ist ein Ex-Polizist und hat ein ruhiges Wesen, während Laura eine liebevolle Mutter ist, die sich kümmert und sorgt. Gleichzeitig ist sie eine sehr gute Freundin von Izzy, für die sie immer da ist. Sehr sympathisch finde ich, dass sie nicht - wie die übrigen Bewohner Sterndales - in den Tratsch über Tristan eingestimmt hat.
Die Ermittler Weld und Muir waren mir ebenfalls sehr sympathisch, auch wenn Muir auf mich erst sehr arrogant wirkte. Das verlief sich aber im Laufe des Buches.
Insgesamt hat Erin Kinsley allen Personen die nötige Tiefe verliehen - manchen mehr, manchen weniger, je nach Wichtigkeit für die Geschichte. Ich konnte mich in alle Personen einfühlen, da ich immer genug erfahren habe, um sie und ihre Rolle und Hintergründe ein wenig einschätzen zu können.
Fazit
"Innocent" war ein wirklich gelungener Thriller, der für mich zum Pageturner wurde. Die Cliffhanger-Enden der Kapitel ließen mich immer weiterlesen. Auch die verschiedenen möglichen Täter und Motive wurden so präsentiert, dass es plausibel klingt, aber immer noch genügend Raum für Zweifel ließ. Auch wenn die Handlung an sich nichts unbedingt Neues darstellt, ist das Buch wirklich empfehlenswert für Thriller-Fans.
Sterndale ist eine kleine Stadt, in der jeder jeden kennt. Auf einer Hochzeit wird ein in Sterndale lebender Promi schwer verletzt aufgefunden - offenbar wurde er mit einer Champagnerflasche niedergeschlagen. Während der Ermittlungen kommen einige wohlgehütete Geheimnisse zutage, die kein gutes Licht auf das Opfer und manche Bewohner Sterndales werfen...
Schreibstil
Ich habe das Buch auf englisch gelesen. Wie auch "Found" von Erin Kinsley, ist "Innocent" leicht zu lesen und gleichzeitig sehr spannend. Die einzelnen Kapitel sind nicht allzu lang, enden aber jedes Mal mit einem Cliffhanger, der einen antreibt, weiter zu lesen. Erin Kinsley schafft es, den Spannungsbogen in die Höhe schnellen zu lassen und präsentiert so einige Protagonisten mit einem möglichen Motiv - ich bin bis zur Auflösung nicht dahintergekommen, wer es war.
Handlung
Die Handlung ist in sich schlüssig und es blieben keine Fragezeichen übrig. Erin Kinsley lässt keine losen Fäden übrig, was ich sehr mag. Nach der Einführung der Protagonisten baut Erin Kinsley durchweg Spannung auf, sodass ich das Buch kaum weglegen wollte. Die einzelnen Kapitel beschreiben dabei immer, was bei den jeweiligen Protagonisten geschieht - den Ermittlern, Izzy, den Ridley's und hin und wieder auch von einigen Nebenfiguren. So ergibt sich ein roter Faden, der aus mehreren Handlungssträngen besteht, die am Ende zusammenlaufen.
Erin Kinsley hat auch einige überraschende Wendungen eingebaut, die ich nicht habe kommen sehen. Außerdem versteht sie es, das Augenmerk des Lesers gekonnt auf all die möglichen Motive und Hintergründe für die Tat zu lenken, sodass es theoretisch jeder hätte gewesen sein können.
Protagonisten
Izzy, Tristan und ihre Tochter Fiona waren mir anfangs nicht so sympathisch, da sie zu perfekt wirkten. Im Laufe der Geschichte ändert sich das Bild etwas, sodass ich sogar Mitgefühl mit Izzy hatte, die wirklich in einer furchtbaren Situation steckte. Tristan bleibt - bis auf den Anfang - etwas außen vor, auch wenn sich natürlich irgendwie doch alles um ihn dreht.
Laura und Aidan Ridley waren mir von Anfang an sympathisch - zusammen mit ihren zwei Kindern wirken sie wie eine typische Familie mit den typischen Problemen. Aidan ist ein Ex-Polizist und hat ein ruhiges Wesen, während Laura eine liebevolle Mutter ist, die sich kümmert und sorgt. Gleichzeitig ist sie eine sehr gute Freundin von Izzy, für die sie immer da ist. Sehr sympathisch finde ich, dass sie nicht - wie die übrigen Bewohner Sterndales - in den Tratsch über Tristan eingestimmt hat.
Die Ermittler Weld und Muir waren mir ebenfalls sehr sympathisch, auch wenn Muir auf mich erst sehr arrogant wirkte. Das verlief sich aber im Laufe des Buches.
Insgesamt hat Erin Kinsley allen Personen die nötige Tiefe verliehen - manchen mehr, manchen weniger, je nach Wichtigkeit für die Geschichte. Ich konnte mich in alle Personen einfühlen, da ich immer genug erfahren habe, um sie und ihre Rolle und Hintergründe ein wenig einschätzen zu können.
Fazit
"Innocent" war ein wirklich gelungener Thriller, der für mich zum Pageturner wurde. Die Cliffhanger-Enden der Kapitel ließen mich immer weiterlesen. Auch die verschiedenen möglichen Täter und Motive wurden so präsentiert, dass es plausibel klingt, aber immer noch genügend Raum für Zweifel ließ. Auch wenn die Handlung an sich nichts unbedingt Neues darstellt, ist das Buch wirklich empfehlenswert für Thriller-Fans.
September 2, 2020
Local celebrity Tris Hart and his family are attending a wedding. He’s well-liked by everyone who knows him and nobody would imagine that he was anything less than an ideal husband. When he’s found lying on the floor by a swimming pool unconscious with shards of glass around him, everybody is confused. After all, who would want to hurt the small town’s celebrity treasure?
This was a gripping read from start to finish and provides plenty of red herrings, twists and turns to make you suspect just about everyone at some point! The story is told from multiple viewpoints and this really added to the mystery of the book. It also made me empathise with the characters as they all felt so real.
It felt as though I was reading a Midsomer Murder style of book. It’s fairly lighthearted with plenty of good characters who add heart to the story. There are many secrets that are uncovered as the story progresses and seeing how the characters respond added so much to the plot and helped the protagonists, Izzy and Laura, develop and feel that much more believable.
I hate guessing whodunnit before I reach the end of a book and I am very happy to say that I was left completely stumped and had no idea what had happened until the end. I was very satisfied by how Kinsley managed to ensure there were no loose ends left and tied the story up neatly.
My only very minor criticism is that it felt a bit too descriptive at times. That’s the only reason it didn’t quite get five stars from me.
This is a very well written thriller that will keep you guessing. It had everything I love about a good murder mystery and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this. I will definitely be looking out for Erin Kinsley’s books in the future!
I have been kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for my participation in the blog tour but all opinions remain honest and my own.
This was a gripping read from start to finish and provides plenty of red herrings, twists and turns to make you suspect just about everyone at some point! The story is told from multiple viewpoints and this really added to the mystery of the book. It also made me empathise with the characters as they all felt so real.
It felt as though I was reading a Midsomer Murder style of book. It’s fairly lighthearted with plenty of good characters who add heart to the story. There are many secrets that are uncovered as the story progresses and seeing how the characters respond added so much to the plot and helped the protagonists, Izzy and Laura, develop and feel that much more believable.
I hate guessing whodunnit before I reach the end of a book and I am very happy to say that I was left completely stumped and had no idea what had happened until the end. I was very satisfied by how Kinsley managed to ensure there were no loose ends left and tied the story up neatly.
My only very minor criticism is that it felt a bit too descriptive at times. That’s the only reason it didn’t quite get five stars from me.
This is a very well written thriller that will keep you guessing. It had everything I love about a good murder mystery and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this. I will definitely be looking out for Erin Kinsley’s books in the future!
I have been kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for my participation in the blog tour but all opinions remain honest and my own.
August 25, 2020
Innocent is a clever, character led thriller, set in a small town, Sterndale.
During a wedding a celebrity, Tristan, is assaulted and later dies. DI Gavin Muir, DS Weld and DS Golding begin their investigation.
We then find out about the lives and secrets of the residents of Sterndale, as they search for the killer it appears not everyone is who they seem to be….
The excellent writing by Erin Kinsley really captures the almost claustrophobic atmosphere of a small town. The twisty plot builds a slow tension and is gripping from start to finish.
Thank you to Random Things Tours for the opportunity to be part of this blog tour, for the promotional material and ARC of Innocent. This is my honest and unbiased review.
During a wedding a celebrity, Tristan, is assaulted and later dies. DI Gavin Muir, DS Weld and DS Golding begin their investigation.
We then find out about the lives and secrets of the residents of Sterndale, as they search for the killer it appears not everyone is who they seem to be….
The excellent writing by Erin Kinsley really captures the almost claustrophobic atmosphere of a small town. The twisty plot builds a slow tension and is gripping from start to finish.
Thank you to Random Things Tours for the opportunity to be part of this blog tour, for the promotional material and ARC of Innocent. This is my honest and unbiased review.
November 15, 2025
A British "Who Done It" set in the present. Kept me guessing throughout.
"The pretty market town of Sterndale is a close-knit and caring community; the perfect place for friends Izzy and Laura to raise their children. But their lives are suddenly shattered following a brutal murder at a summer wedding...and everyone is terrified knowing a killer lives amongst them.
Suddenly, Izzy doesn't know who she can trust while Laura sees suspicion and paranoia spreading through the town. As the police search for answers - and relationships begin to unravel - the secrets lurking beneath the pristine surface of Sterndale come to light...and the shocking truth will finally be revealed." synopsis copied
"The pretty market town of Sterndale is a close-knit and caring community; the perfect place for friends Izzy and Laura to raise their children. But their lives are suddenly shattered following a brutal murder at a summer wedding...and everyone is terrified knowing a killer lives amongst them.
Suddenly, Izzy doesn't know who she can trust while Laura sees suspicion and paranoia spreading through the town. As the police search for answers - and relationships begin to unravel - the secrets lurking beneath the pristine surface of Sterndale come to light...and the shocking truth will finally be revealed." synopsis copied
June 23, 2020
With thanks to Netgalley and Headline for a digital copy of this title. A completely new author to me and I just loved this! I was immersed from beginning to end. The story starts with a perfect wedding day, sunshine, beautiful people..and the underlying tension of knowing from the blurb that something bad is going to happen. The accident happens in a tiny community and does the damage that big events do to little places. Families are thrown apart by emerging secrets and trust is irretrievably lost. The investigating police are fully rounded characters and their investigations carefully observed. This has been compared to Broadchurch but I felt it was less sinister and more sensitive. The sense of utter loss and devastation for the families is powerful. Like Broadchurch it would make excellent tv. I enjoyed this so much I have already purchased kinsley’s earlier book.
August 20, 2020
Innocent is a character driven novel about small town lives and how everyone is not who they seem. It is based around a who dun it? format but delves deeply into the lives of the characters making this a rivetting read beyond solving a crime.
There are two main aspects to the plot. The first is the crime itself and the investigation - told mainly through the eyes of the detectives on the case. As they question the inhabitants of Sterndale (a small town with wealthy and seemingly perfect residents), suspicious begin to rise and facades begin to crumble as paranoia and stree kick in.
The second aspect is the actual lives of the Sterndale residents. As the narrative is told from multiple perspectives, we begin to uncover snippets of lives behind closed doors and suddenly the people of Sterndale begin to look a little less perfect. The question is - who attacked Tristan?
As the plot unravels (and so do the characters) we begin to gather small clues about motives for attacking Tristan. Everyone becomes a suspect and with a variety of motives, it's difficult to figure out who did it.
I had loads of fun guessing who the attacker was and why and the short chapters teamed with multiple points of view really made it difficult to put this one down.
A suspenseful book with plenty of fascinating characters, secrets and twists.
There are two main aspects to the plot. The first is the crime itself and the investigation - told mainly through the eyes of the detectives on the case. As they question the inhabitants of Sterndale (a small town with wealthy and seemingly perfect residents), suspicious begin to rise and facades begin to crumble as paranoia and stree kick in.
The second aspect is the actual lives of the Sterndale residents. As the narrative is told from multiple perspectives, we begin to uncover snippets of lives behind closed doors and suddenly the people of Sterndale begin to look a little less perfect. The question is - who attacked Tristan?
As the plot unravels (and so do the characters) we begin to gather small clues about motives for attacking Tristan. Everyone becomes a suspect and with a variety of motives, it's difficult to figure out who did it.
I had loads of fun guessing who the attacker was and why and the short chapters teamed with multiple points of view really made it difficult to put this one down.
A suspenseful book with plenty of fascinating characters, secrets and twists.
November 23, 2020
I think there were 17 characters named in the first sixteen or so pages - and I really only liked Simon Fisher who is not at all involved . Add some obvious ‘ hand that rocks the cradle’ plot and signpost twists so that no reader is lost or has to think very much and that’s it. Oh and the tense is so irritating I almost lost the will to carry on .
If you liked watching ‘Death in Paradise’ because the plots were so surprising you’ll love this.
If you liked watching ‘Death in Paradise’ because the plots were so surprising you’ll love this.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 3, 2020
Thank you to netgalley here's my review.
Erin Kilnsey get you sucked in by the descriptive writing style. It's starts out with an innocent wedding and then a tragic accident occurs. World's are torn apart. This book had its ups and downs some bits were fasted paced and some slow. Overall a good read.
Erin Kilnsey get you sucked in by the descriptive writing style. It's starts out with an innocent wedding and then a tragic accident occurs. World's are torn apart. This book had its ups and downs some bits were fasted paced and some slow. Overall a good read.
August 24, 2020
Addictive, clever & unputdownable!
This novel had everything I want from a crime novel. Well built characters, realistic twists, and turns that kept me guessing all the way to that unexpected heartbreaking ending.
I was hooked from the first page and I didn't put it down until I'd frantically turned the last page. I loved it!
A huge thanks to Anne Cater & Headline for gifting me a copy in return for an open & honest review.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This novel had everything I want from a crime novel. Well built characters, realistic twists, and turns that kept me guessing all the way to that unexpected heartbreaking ending.
I was hooked from the first page and I didn't put it down until I'd frantically turned the last page. I loved it!
A huge thanks to Anne Cater & Headline for gifting me a copy in return for an open & honest review.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
August 29, 2020
I couldn’t really establish a connection with any of the characters in this story. I also figured out who did it very early on which was rather disappointing. It was an ok read but not one of my favourites.
I’m grateful to be given the opportunity to read an advance copy by Netgalley and Headline in return for my honest review
I’m grateful to be given the opportunity to read an advance copy by Netgalley and Headline in return for my honest review
October 10, 2020
This is the second book I’ve read by this author, it was An enjoyable read with lots of twists and turns that keep you guessing to the end but I didn’t find it as gripping as her other book. Saying that it was a good read .
Thank you to NetGalley and Headline for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review
Thank you to NetGalley and Headline for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review
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