What do you think?
Rate this book
The Broken Ones
* A SUNDAY TIMES CRIME CLUB PICK *
'Masterfully plotted, incredibly twisted. Put this one on your 2020 list!'
SAMANTHA DOWNING, Sunday Times bestselling author of My Lovely Wife
'Darkly atmospheric and haunting. A brilliant ending that I'm still thinking about...'
VANESSA SAVAGE, author of The Woman in the Dark
'An emotional rollercoaster, I devoured this book'
SHERRI SMITH, author of The Captives
Nell didn't know if she loved her baby... but did she kill her?
A bestselling true crime writer, Nell tells other people's stories. But there is one story she won't tell. Ten years ago, she was a teenage mother with a four-year-old she found desperately hard to love. Then the little girl disappeared.
As Nell begins to interview the subject of her next book, a woman convicted of murdering her twin sister, it becomes clear that someone has uncovered her true identity. And they know that Nell didn't tell the truth about the day her daughter vanished...
Discover this addictive read, perfect for fans of My Perfect Wife and The Woman in Cabin 10
'Atmospheric and dramatic... I loved it'
JULIA BARRETT, author of My Sister is Missing
'Cleverly written, intriguing and twisty'
KAREN HAMILTON, bestselling author of The Perfect Girlfriend
'A spellbinding, beautifully written mystery'
ALICE BLANCHARD, author of The Breathtaker
'Creepy and compelling, a compulsive and very human thriller'
FRAN DORRICOTT, author of After the Eclipse
'Masterfully plotted, incredibly twisted. Put this one on your 2020 list!'
SAMANTHA DOWNING, Sunday Times bestselling author of My Lovely Wife
'Darkly atmospheric and haunting. A brilliant ending that I'm still thinking about...'
VANESSA SAVAGE, author of The Woman in the Dark
'An emotional rollercoaster, I devoured this book'
SHERRI SMITH, author of The Captives
Nell didn't know if she loved her baby... but did she kill her?
A bestselling true crime writer, Nell tells other people's stories. But there is one story she won't tell. Ten years ago, she was a teenage mother with a four-year-old she found desperately hard to love. Then the little girl disappeared.
As Nell begins to interview the subject of her next book, a woman convicted of murdering her twin sister, it becomes clear that someone has uncovered her true identity. And they know that Nell didn't tell the truth about the day her daughter vanished...
Discover this addictive read, perfect for fans of My Perfect Wife and The Woman in Cabin 10
'Atmospheric and dramatic... I loved it'
JULIA BARRETT, author of My Sister is Missing
'Cleverly written, intriguing and twisty'
KAREN HAMILTON, bestselling author of The Perfect Girlfriend
'A spellbinding, beautifully written mystery'
ALICE BLANCHARD, author of The Breathtaker
'Creepy and compelling, a compulsive and very human thriller'
FRAN DORRICOTT, author of After the Eclipse
304 pages, Paperback
First published March 5, 2020
175 people are currently reading
568 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 90 reviews
February 18, 2020
Then - Penelope Wendall was only fourteen when she gave birth to her baby daughter Reina. Because Penelope and her older sister Lindsey had grown up in the care system, Penelope had really wanted to give her daughter all the love that Penelope had never received from her own parents. But from the moment that she was born,all Reina did was scream and Penelope found that she couldn't summon up any love for her chld. In fact, she hated her daughter and she felt that the feeling was mutual. Penelope was convinced that there was something wrong with her daughter,something evil but no one would listen to what she trying to say. Then one morning, Reina mysteriously disappeared and Penelope found herself the number one suspect in a murder investigation.
Now - After changing her name to Nell Way, Penelope is living with her loving boyfriend and is the best selling author of two true crime novels. She hasn't told her partner the truth about her tragic past and never intends too. But when she goes to interview the woman who is going to be the subject of her next book, Nell is shocked when the woman asks her about her missing daughter. Then Nell and Lindsey are the victims of some terrifying incidents. Who would want to hurt the sisters? Could it be Lindsey's violent ex husband? Someone who was upset by one of Nell's controversial books? Or someone who knows the truth about what happened to Reina ten years ago?
The chapters of this utterly enthralling thriller flip back and forth between then and now and is voiced entirely from Penelope/Nell's perspectives. I couldn't help feeling a lot of empathy for Penelope during the chapters that were set in the past. I was eighteen when I gave birth to my oldest son,I brought him up on my own for five years and didn't have any support. Although Penelope and Reina lived with Reina's father and his parents,she also didn't have any real support. The father was able to carry on attending University whilst Penelope was trapped all day,every day with a screaming baby,no friends,no life and nobody listening to a word that she said. Essentially she was a child,who was trying to raise a child whilst going through the hormonal change that we all experience when we are teenagers. It raised the question,was both mother and daughter damaged in some way? Did Reina sustain some type of brain injury during her traumatic birth and no one could see it but Penelope? As for Nell in the chapters that were set in the present day, I had mixed feelings about her character,just like I had mixed feelings about her sympathy towards the mother who murdered her children in the bathtub. As a parent, I was horrified that Nell refused to criticise the woman's abhorrent behaviour but as a fan of crime thrillers,I know that there has been cases where parents have gone into dissociative fugues, have killed their children and then been shocked and upset when they discovered what they had done. There are many grey areas where mental health is concerned, there is a very thin line between sanity and being criminally insane.
The Broken Ones is a extremely well written debut thriller from a obviously very talented new author. I was hooked in from the first page and didn't want to put this brilliant book down. It is a mesmerising story of families, siblings, manipulation, deception, mental health and secrets which has some intense danger scenes, keeps the reader guessing and frantically turning the pages. The swapping between the two time frames is smooth and at no point interferes with the flow of the story. I loved this brilliant thriller and would have given it far more than five stars if I could. This is definitely going to be one of my favourite reads of this year. Very very highly recommended.
Now - After changing her name to Nell Way, Penelope is living with her loving boyfriend and is the best selling author of two true crime novels. She hasn't told her partner the truth about her tragic past and never intends too. But when she goes to interview the woman who is going to be the subject of her next book, Nell is shocked when the woman asks her about her missing daughter. Then Nell and Lindsey are the victims of some terrifying incidents. Who would want to hurt the sisters? Could it be Lindsey's violent ex husband? Someone who was upset by one of Nell's controversial books? Or someone who knows the truth about what happened to Reina ten years ago?
The chapters of this utterly enthralling thriller flip back and forth between then and now and is voiced entirely from Penelope/Nell's perspectives. I couldn't help feeling a lot of empathy for Penelope during the chapters that were set in the past. I was eighteen when I gave birth to my oldest son,I brought him up on my own for five years and didn't have any support. Although Penelope and Reina lived with Reina's father and his parents,she also didn't have any real support. The father was able to carry on attending University whilst Penelope was trapped all day,every day with a screaming baby,no friends,no life and nobody listening to a word that she said. Essentially she was a child,who was trying to raise a child whilst going through the hormonal change that we all experience when we are teenagers. It raised the question,was both mother and daughter damaged in some way? Did Reina sustain some type of brain injury during her traumatic birth and no one could see it but Penelope? As for Nell in the chapters that were set in the present day, I had mixed feelings about her character,just like I had mixed feelings about her sympathy towards the mother who murdered her children in the bathtub. As a parent, I was horrified that Nell refused to criticise the woman's abhorrent behaviour but as a fan of crime thrillers,I know that there has been cases where parents have gone into dissociative fugues, have killed their children and then been shocked and upset when they discovered what they had done. There are many grey areas where mental health is concerned, there is a very thin line between sanity and being criminally insane.
The Broken Ones is a extremely well written debut thriller from a obviously very talented new author. I was hooked in from the first page and didn't want to put this brilliant book down. It is a mesmerising story of families, siblings, manipulation, deception, mental health and secrets which has some intense danger scenes, keeps the reader guessing and frantically turning the pages. The swapping between the two time frames is smooth and at no point interferes with the flow of the story. I loved this brilliant thriller and would have given it far more than five stars if I could. This is definitely going to be one of my favourite reads of this year. Very very highly recommended.
June 9, 2020
A story of once conjoined twins and one is convicted of murdering the other. Nell, while researching the story of the twins, gets the feeling someone has been looking into her own past finding her secrets and true identity. Atmospheric, with two storylines running parallel making it a fast and gripping mystery thriller.
June 4, 2020
There were times during my reading of this book when I wondered if I was in fact reading the same book that everyone else read. One of the things that prompted me to buy this one were the 4 and 5 star ratings that this book scored from several readers. Okay, in fairness to myself, only after buying the book did I realise that there were very few reviews and so the popularity of this title may be a little skewed.
So, let me start off with the good. I loved the premise of this book. The idea of a true crime writer who writes books about other people’s sordid pasts, while having one herself. A person whose 4-year-old daughter, Reina, disappears without a trace, and who becomes a suspect in said disappearance. A person who’s known to have had complicated feelings towards her daughter, and who never quite fell in love with her own child. Yes, please, sign me up for all that. And the other thing that I enjoyed was the big reveal at the end of the book when we eventually learn about the day that Reina disappeared, and the circumstances around her disappearance.
But that’s sort of where it ends for me. Man alive, did I battle with the writing style in this book. I don’t know how to explain my feelings other than to say that something just felt “off” about this read, something didn’t gel, and I battled. If I’ve ever read a story where the flow was totally and utterly off, and where the writing made me feel nothing, it was this one. I couldn’t get into this story because it seemed so jerky, and really, there’s no other way for me to describe it. The writing didn’t flow whatsoever. It never gathered momentum, the story never developed at the correct pace, and so it never drew me in. I felt like I was just reading words on a page, and that the author had constructed a story that had been in her head but she had no real passion for it. I felt that the writing genuinely lacked depth and real emotion. And I also battled with the dialogue. It seemed pedestrian and like there was no real emotion between the characters, which meant that I never bonded with the characters as people. On a somewhat positive note, I found that the writing style improved somewhat as the story progressed, or perhaps I just got more used to it, but I felt that the second half of the book was an improvement on the first half. Simply put, this story never came alive for me. It was totally flat. And this was one of the strangest reading experiences that I’ve ever had.
Clearly this just wasn’t the right book for me. We were not a good match.
So, let me start off with the good. I loved the premise of this book. The idea of a true crime writer who writes books about other people’s sordid pasts, while having one herself. A person whose 4-year-old daughter, Reina, disappears without a trace, and who becomes a suspect in said disappearance. A person who’s known to have had complicated feelings towards her daughter, and who never quite fell in love with her own child. Yes, please, sign me up for all that. And the other thing that I enjoyed was the big reveal at the end of the book when we eventually learn about the day that Reina disappeared, and the circumstances around her disappearance.
But that’s sort of where it ends for me. Man alive, did I battle with the writing style in this book. I don’t know how to explain my feelings other than to say that something just felt “off” about this read, something didn’t gel, and I battled. If I’ve ever read a story where the flow was totally and utterly off, and where the writing made me feel nothing, it was this one. I couldn’t get into this story because it seemed so jerky, and really, there’s no other way for me to describe it. The writing didn’t flow whatsoever. It never gathered momentum, the story never developed at the correct pace, and so it never drew me in. I felt like I was just reading words on a page, and that the author had constructed a story that had been in her head but she had no real passion for it. I felt that the writing genuinely lacked depth and real emotion. And I also battled with the dialogue. It seemed pedestrian and like there was no real emotion between the characters, which meant that I never bonded with the characters as people. On a somewhat positive note, I found that the writing style improved somewhat as the story progressed, or perhaps I just got more used to it, but I felt that the second half of the book was an improvement on the first half. Simply put, this story never came alive for me. It was totally flat. And this was one of the strangest reading experiences that I’ve ever had.
Clearly this just wasn’t the right book for me. We were not a good match.
November 29, 2019
I loved this, a really addictive read that doesn't take the path of least resistance and has some terrifically dark and intriguing characters, with two mystery elements sewn through the narrative.
A clever sense of past and present, twists and turns that keep you glued to the page and Ren Richards writes and plots beautifully.
Full review to follow nearer publication.
A clever sense of past and present, twists and turns that keep you glued to the page and Ren Richards writes and plots beautifully.
Full review to follow nearer publication.
April 9, 2020
Really engaging! A bit frustrated that we never find out what happened to Reina after she was left behind. The rest of the story was intriguing and definitely worth reading.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 3, 2020
I wasn't able to put this book down.
"The Broken Ones" begins inconspicuously, introducing Nell Way, a true crime writer who is in a happy relationship, and has a knack for humanising the otherwise infamous in her work. However, as she begins interviewing Easter Hamblin, the murdering half of a formerly conjoined pair of twins, her initially perfect life begins to unravel before the reader's eyes, and we quickly learn that she has a past just as tormented and troubled as that of those whom she interviews. A past that resurfaces and culminates into life threatening.
The aptly titled novel, with its rapid twists and unexpected turns, is one that reflects on our imperfect nature. The protagonist, is in her own way, 'broken', as are some of the other characters (who will remained unnamed for spoiler purposes). Richards' writing is one that any thriller fan will appreciate - fast paced, tense and able to create a mood of desperation that envelopes the reader until the last page. I was torn between sympathising with characters, while disliking them at the same time. The strength of the novel ultimately lies in the moral greyness of its lead : Nell is emotionally scarred, which leads her to make questionable decisions, which are easy to judge as the reader, but at the same time, painfully relevant and relatable.
Recommended to thriller lovers.
"The Broken Ones" begins inconspicuously, introducing Nell Way, a true crime writer who is in a happy relationship, and has a knack for humanising the otherwise infamous in her work. However, as she begins interviewing Easter Hamblin, the murdering half of a formerly conjoined pair of twins, her initially perfect life begins to unravel before the reader's eyes, and we quickly learn that she has a past just as tormented and troubled as that of those whom she interviews. A past that resurfaces and culminates into life threatening.
The aptly titled novel, with its rapid twists and unexpected turns, is one that reflects on our imperfect nature. The protagonist, is in her own way, 'broken', as are some of the other characters (who will remained unnamed for spoiler purposes). Richards' writing is one that any thriller fan will appreciate - fast paced, tense and able to create a mood of desperation that envelopes the reader until the last page. I was torn between sympathising with characters, while disliking them at the same time. The strength of the novel ultimately lies in the moral greyness of its lead : Nell is emotionally scarred, which leads her to make questionable decisions, which are easy to judge as the reader, but at the same time, painfully relevant and relatable.
Recommended to thriller lovers.
July 6, 2020
Thrilling
March 9, 2020
Wow wow wow!
I could not put this down. it definitely had me on edge from beginning to end, with a slower pace narrative exactly where it needed it. We are transported from the now to the past filling the gaps of the story along the way but still keeping the tension in both timelines, a difficult task that Ren Richards (or otherwise known as Lauren DeStefano) does beautifully well!
I am quite new still to this genre but I have to admit I loved it, it kept me glued to my Kindle and I was not expecting the twists and turns. And to learn that this novel is a debut for the author in this genre makes it very promising if they decide to delve into it with more books. Such a moody, emotional and gripping writing, I am happy this book made me curious to read more of the author which says a lot about the writer's talent! It makes me so happy when that accidentally happens, in the sense that I was only intrigued by the blurb and had no idea about the rest making an unexpected surprise that kept me awake at night (and a bit terrified of mannequins)
‘Murderers are humans too. That’s the part people forget.’
'You just look at me like I'm a bank page in your book and you haven't decided what story you're going to tell me'.
Thank you to Netgalley, Ren Richards and Serpent's Tail for this free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
#Netgalley #renrichards #serpentstail
Trigger Warning: descriptive dead baby references
I could not put this down. it definitely had me on edge from beginning to end, with a slower pace narrative exactly where it needed it. We are transported from the now to the past filling the gaps of the story along the way but still keeping the tension in both timelines, a difficult task that Ren Richards (or otherwise known as Lauren DeStefano) does beautifully well!
I am quite new still to this genre but I have to admit I loved it, it kept me glued to my Kindle and I was not expecting the twists and turns. And to learn that this novel is a debut for the author in this genre makes it very promising if they decide to delve into it with more books. Such a moody, emotional and gripping writing, I am happy this book made me curious to read more of the author which says a lot about the writer's talent! It makes me so happy when that accidentally happens, in the sense that I was only intrigued by the blurb and had no idea about the rest making an unexpected surprise that kept me awake at night (and a bit terrified of mannequins)
‘Murderers are humans too. That’s the part people forget.’
'You just look at me like I'm a bank page in your book and you haven't decided what story you're going to tell me'.
Thank you to Netgalley, Ren Richards and Serpent's Tail for this free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
#Netgalley #renrichards #serpentstail
Trigger Warning: descriptive dead baby references
June 6, 2020
I enjoyed The Broken Ones by Ren Richards, best known for her YA and middle-grade books (writing as Lauren DeStefano). I wasn't quite sure what to expect but Richards blends two mysteries into this novel seamlessly, giving both equal levels of intrigue.
I really liked some of the relationships on offer as well, particularly the bond between sisters and the extent to which we go to protect and preserve 'family'.
Read my review here: https://www.debbish.com/books-literat...
I really liked some of the relationships on offer as well, particularly the bond between sisters and the extent to which we go to protect and preserve 'family'.
Read my review here: https://www.debbish.com/books-literat...
August 31, 2020
Very interesting premise for the novel and held my interest.
I think I would have preferred a different ending, only my opinion.
I think I would have preferred a different ending, only my opinion.
January 26, 2021
My antenna would piqued whenever I came across thrillers that revolve twins as I feel that they would be twisty and would lend a dark and sinister element to the narrative. The other reason why I picked this book was because I was intrigued by the bee on the cover and wanted to know how it ties in with the story.
The Broken Ones is told in the past + present and it follows 2 sisters, Lindsay and Nell. The former is a rich socialite, the latter a true crime writer. Nell was the main protagonist in the story and it was only when she started to interview Autumn, who was in prison for the alleged murder of her look-alike twin, for her next true crime book, that weird things started to happen to Nell + Lindsay. Someone is scaring them. When there was a murder attempt on Nell, she then realised that she was no longer safe and her past could have finally caught up with her. Were the threats + attempted murder associated with Autumn or it was due to the dark secret that Nell has been hiding her whole life, or was it something even more twisted?
The story focused primarily on the two sisters, their pasts, the dynamics between them, and Nell's little girl, Reina, who disappeared mysteriously when she was 4 years old and whom Nell deemed was a cruel child. As I flipped the pages I saw the story coming together but that was all that was to it.
Overall, I was disappointed with this book. Though the dynamics between the 2 sisters were well-written, it was an overkill as the bickering between them went on and on and became a monotone like the humming of a fan. There was no twists + turns to the story though the 2nd half of the book was more engrossing than the 1st.
The ending was expected and nothing twisty. And the bee on the cover art was just an illustration and has nothing to do with the story.
The Broken Ones is told in the past + present and it follows 2 sisters, Lindsay and Nell. The former is a rich socialite, the latter a true crime writer. Nell was the main protagonist in the story and it was only when she started to interview Autumn, who was in prison for the alleged murder of her look-alike twin, for her next true crime book, that weird things started to happen to Nell + Lindsay. Someone is scaring them. When there was a murder attempt on Nell, she then realised that she was no longer safe and her past could have finally caught up with her. Were the threats + attempted murder associated with Autumn or it was due to the dark secret that Nell has been hiding her whole life, or was it something even more twisted?
The story focused primarily on the two sisters, their pasts, the dynamics between them, and Nell's little girl, Reina, who disappeared mysteriously when she was 4 years old and whom Nell deemed was a cruel child. As I flipped the pages I saw the story coming together but that was all that was to it.
Overall, I was disappointed with this book. Though the dynamics between the 2 sisters were well-written, it was an overkill as the bickering between them went on and on and became a monotone like the humming of a fan. There was no twists + turns to the story though the 2nd half of the book was more engrossing than the 1st.
The ending was expected and nothing twisty. And the bee on the cover art was just an illustration and has nothing to do with the story.
July 4, 2023
Gripping
I tore through this today and enjoyed the journey! It was mild, and the dangerous encounters are super underplayed. (She gets run off the road into a pond, submerged and breaks through the glass, next chapter...? The dangling mannequins, don't call the police...?) I gave this book three stars because I did like reading it. But I've read so many better books in this genre. And I'm kind of tired of reading about broken people who can't communicate.
This book ends with more questions than answers... Where's Reina? Oleg's other victims? Does Bas forgive? Does Ethan ever have consequences? WHERE'S REINA?!?
I tore through this today and enjoyed the journey! It was mild, and the dangerous encounters are super underplayed. (She gets run off the road into a pond, submerged and breaks through the glass, next chapter...? The dangling mannequins, don't call the police...?) I gave this book three stars because I did like reading it. But I've read so many better books in this genre. And I'm kind of tired of reading about broken people who can't communicate.
This book ends with more questions than answers... Where's Reina? Oleg's other victims? Does Bas forgive? Does Ethan ever have consequences? WHERE'S REINA?!?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 14, 2025
It was okay. Took me a long time to get into it - I felt like I couldn’t really connect to Nell, even though her job is super intriguing.
Then, I wanted to know more about the twins, and wanted to find out more about what happened to Reina (beautiful name, btw).
The book definitely left me with more questions than answers though, which is annoying.
Then, I wanted to know more about the twins, and wanted to find out more about what happened to Reina (beautiful name, btw).
The book definitely left me with more questions than answers though, which is annoying.
April 15, 2020
I really loved this. I didn’t want to put it down!! Great mix of mystery, murder, thriller. I love her YA, but I think I enjoyed this one even more!!! I could easily have finished this in a day, if stupid real-life didn’t keep getting in the way.
January 19, 2023
Evil baby. Weird.
September 26, 2024
7.5 /10
Nell is a true crime writer - she has a knack for telling the stories in their entirety unbiased and as honestly as she can.
Part of the reason she is able to do this is because of her past, and her secret. 10 years ago she was a frazzled young mother to a 4 year old girl who disappeared one day. Did Nell murder her?
Now Nell has begun writing a new book, the surviving conjoined twin Easter is in prison for the murder of her sister Autumn. Did she murder her? Is she dead? What really happened?
Lots of things start happening to Nell & her family, who is behind it all and what connection is there to her past?
A enjoyable read kept me guessing. Lots of twists and turns
Spoilers for my memory below…..
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Loved Nell’s analytical musings about how easy it would be to bury her sisters husband in the back yard.
Nell is a true crime writer - she has a knack for telling the stories in their entirety unbiased and as honestly as she can.
Part of the reason she is able to do this is because of her past, and her secret. 10 years ago she was a frazzled young mother to a 4 year old girl who disappeared one day. Did Nell murder her?
Now Nell has begun writing a new book, the surviving conjoined twin Easter is in prison for the murder of her sister Autumn. Did she murder her? Is she dead? What really happened?
Lots of things start happening to Nell & her family, who is behind it all and what connection is there to her past?
A enjoyable read kept me guessing. Lots of twists and turns
Spoilers for my memory below…..
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Loved Nell’s analytical musings about how easy it would be to bury her sisters husband in the back yard.
January 27, 2020
What an incredibly good read this book turned out to be and while it took me a few chapters to get into it once I did I was gripped in the clever and intriguing story. Nell is an successful author of true crime books and she starts to research her latest one a story of once conjoined twins in which one is convicted of murdering the other but while this is a very strange case Nell has secrets of her own and while researching the story of the twins she soon gets the feeling someone has been looking into her own past and her true identity and from there on in we are thrust into a dark and gripping story that races along.
This is a book that’s exceptionally well written, fabulous characters and full of atmosphere with two storylines running parallel making it one hell of a great read and what more do you ask from a mystery thriller.
So very well recommended and I look forward to reading more from Ren Richards in the future and many thanks for an excellent book.
My thanks also to NetGalley and Serpent’s Tail / Profile Books, Viper for giving me the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
This is a book that’s exceptionally well written, fabulous characters and full of atmosphere with two storylines running parallel making it one hell of a great read and what more do you ask from a mystery thriller.
So very well recommended and I look forward to reading more from Ren Richards in the future and many thanks for an excellent book.
My thanks also to NetGalley and Serpent’s Tail / Profile Books, Viper for giving me the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
March 16, 2020
What an amazing book! Thank you so much Serpent’s Tail for sending me this early copy of The Broken Ones in exchange for my honest, unedited feedback.
Everyone has a past. Some are forever haunted by theirs. This is the case for Nell Way, previously known as Penelope Wendall.
This book has 2 storylines:
1. Then: Nell's past. Her daughter disappeared 10 years ago and Nell was charged with her murder. What really happened?
2. Now: Nell is a True Crime writer and is working on her latest book. Creepy things start happening. Nell and her sister Lindsay are being threatened. Is this related to the book or to their past?
I was totally hooked on this mystery. Couldn’t rest until I found out what happened all those years ago. This was the first book I’ve read from Ren Richards, and from now on, I’ll keep an eye on her. I read that this is her debut in the mystery/thriller scene and boy was I surprised! I see a bright future for her in this genre. Great style, completely unpretentious and cool. Great character writing: I could relate to the MC, for a change, and the way the author described each character’s traits was incredibly clear. I loved how she wrote Lindsay. Great female characters!
One line I highlighted from straightforward Lindsay: There is no “love him enough”. You love someone or you don’t. Love is an emotion, not a unit of measurement.
I highly recommend this to everyone. You will not be disappointed. I wish I could say more about the plot, but I don’t want to give too much away and ruin your experience.
This will for sure be on my top books of the year.
Everyone has a past. Some are forever haunted by theirs. This is the case for Nell Way, previously known as Penelope Wendall.
This book has 2 storylines:
1. Then: Nell's past. Her daughter disappeared 10 years ago and Nell was charged with her murder. What really happened?
2. Now: Nell is a True Crime writer and is working on her latest book. Creepy things start happening. Nell and her sister Lindsay are being threatened. Is this related to the book or to their past?
I was totally hooked on this mystery. Couldn’t rest until I found out what happened all those years ago. This was the first book I’ve read from Ren Richards, and from now on, I’ll keep an eye on her. I read that this is her debut in the mystery/thriller scene and boy was I surprised! I see a bright future for her in this genre. Great style, completely unpretentious and cool. Great character writing: I could relate to the MC, for a change, and the way the author described each character’s traits was incredibly clear. I loved how she wrote Lindsay. Great female characters!
One line I highlighted from straightforward Lindsay: There is no “love him enough”. You love someone or you don’t. Love is an emotion, not a unit of measurement.
I highly recommend this to everyone. You will not be disappointed. I wish I could say more about the plot, but I don’t want to give too much away and ruin your experience.
This will for sure be on my top books of the year.
December 12, 2020
This was such an incredible book!! I was holding my breath for the entire read, the cliff-hanger chapters and twists and turns keeping me on edge. The characters are all incredibly well-developed, whether they are a main character or only in the book for a page. The killers are eerie and ominous and the victims’ accounts harrowing. I loved Nell and it is heart-breaking how she can’t help but view her life as temporary after being placed in numerous foster homes. I also loved Nell’s true crime books and would love to read these in full! The controversial humanising of the killer in her true crime book sounds fascinating and adds another layer to Nell’s own story. Overall, this is well worth the read.
November 8, 2020
I honestly don't know whose story kept me turning the pages long into the night but it doesn't really matter. It is enough to say that I absolutely devoured this book,that I read it in one sitting. Why then am I unable to give it 5 stars? It is difficult to explain this without giving away the end of the book. Suffice to say that after such a rollercoaster ride I was left seriously underwhelmed by the ending. It was a total anticlimax.
May 24, 2020
I couldn't put this book down as I wanted to finish it quickly, it wasnt very gripping at all. I liked the idea of it but it got confusing going back and forth with the main characters past and future.
May 11, 2020
‘She would like to take little sips of this morning throughout the rest of her life and remember this feeling, because she knew too well that it wouldn’t last, that everything good in the world must eventually be traded for something sour. That was the bargain.’
29 years ago, Nell was born on the floor of Royal King’s State Penitentiary, just two weeks after her mother was jailed for the attempted murder of her father. Her unique start in life has left her with an almost romantic obsession with criminal mysteries, and inspired her career as a true crime writer. But the one story she won't share is that of her daughter, whose disappearance she's kept a secret for nearly 10 years. But as Nell embarks on her latest project, it seems that her past may be about to catch up with her...
'The Broken Ones' makes use of a dual narrative structure, alternating between 10 years ago, and now. The storyline in the past focuses on Nell's previous life as struggling teenage mother Penelope, and slowly reveals the mystery of what happened the day her daughter disappeared. Flash forward 10 years, and you have our present day chapters, in which Nell is a successful true crime author whose just begun her latest novel (I won't go into too much detail, but this storyline involves conjoined Russian twins and a sinister murder. In short, it's completely bonkers, and absolutely fantastic). Using the dual narrative structure meant you got not one but two mysteries to consider throughout the novel, both of which I found to be equally gripping. That being said, I did particularly look forward to Penelope's chapters, as her portrayal of a young mother struggling with a child she doesn't know if she loves made for especially compulsive reading.
Now, you'll note that I distinguished between Nell and Penelope's chapters as though they are two people, and while they are the same character you do genuinely feel as though you're reading from the POV of two very different individuals. I felt that this showed how strong Richards' writing is, as she exemplifies very clearly how Penelope grew from her experiences and became Nell. It's rare to see such confident depictions of character growth, especially in a debut, and in this sense you can really see how strong and assured of a writer Richards' is.
If you take nothing else from this review, please take this - this is truly a standout read in the rather overcrowded psychological thriller genre. The plot is completely unique, managing to combine two radically different mysteries to create a plot that is genuinely gripping, with characters who feel incredibly realistic and who you really connect with and root for, especially Nell. All in all, I thought that this was an incredible read that I would recommend to anyone and everyone.
Disclaimer - I was fortunate enough to receive an advance reading copy from NetGalley. This has not affected my review in any way, and all opinions are my own.
29 years ago, Nell was born on the floor of Royal King’s State Penitentiary, just two weeks after her mother was jailed for the attempted murder of her father. Her unique start in life has left her with an almost romantic obsession with criminal mysteries, and inspired her career as a true crime writer. But the one story she won't share is that of her daughter, whose disappearance she's kept a secret for nearly 10 years. But as Nell embarks on her latest project, it seems that her past may be about to catch up with her...
'The Broken Ones' makes use of a dual narrative structure, alternating between 10 years ago, and now. The storyline in the past focuses on Nell's previous life as struggling teenage mother Penelope, and slowly reveals the mystery of what happened the day her daughter disappeared. Flash forward 10 years, and you have our present day chapters, in which Nell is a successful true crime author whose just begun her latest novel (I won't go into too much detail, but this storyline involves conjoined Russian twins and a sinister murder. In short, it's completely bonkers, and absolutely fantastic). Using the dual narrative structure meant you got not one but two mysteries to consider throughout the novel, both of which I found to be equally gripping. That being said, I did particularly look forward to Penelope's chapters, as her portrayal of a young mother struggling with a child she doesn't know if she loves made for especially compulsive reading.
Now, you'll note that I distinguished between Nell and Penelope's chapters as though they are two people, and while they are the same character you do genuinely feel as though you're reading from the POV of two very different individuals. I felt that this showed how strong Richards' writing is, as she exemplifies very clearly how Penelope grew from her experiences and became Nell. It's rare to see such confident depictions of character growth, especially in a debut, and in this sense you can really see how strong and assured of a writer Richards' is.
If you take nothing else from this review, please take this - this is truly a standout read in the rather overcrowded psychological thriller genre. The plot is completely unique, managing to combine two radically different mysteries to create a plot that is genuinely gripping, with characters who feel incredibly realistic and who you really connect with and root for, especially Nell. All in all, I thought that this was an incredible read that I would recommend to anyone and everyone.
Disclaimer - I was fortunate enough to receive an advance reading copy from NetGalley. This has not affected my review in any way, and all opinions are my own.
April 18, 2020
😊
The Broken Ones
is Ren Richards' début psychological thriller and an awesome and exhilarating read. The novel features true crime writer, Nell Way, (aka Penelope Wendall) who is about to interview the subject of her next book, Easter Hamblin, a woman convicted of murdering her twin sister. Nell is all about telling other people's stories through her writing... but Nell has secrets of her own, one in particular that she would prefer remained hidden, whatever the circumstances.
Thrillers are one of my favorite genres and this one was a remarkably entertaining and suspenseful read. Told in chapters that flip back and forth between then and now, the story is voiced from Penelope/Nell's perspectives and this approach worked marvellously. The characters were adeptly constructed and believable in their roles, whether intended to be inherently good or bad. The clarity of Ren Richards' writing made it an easy story-line to follow, and the fast paced, tense, and twisty plot went down a treat as it zigzagged along. The author's writing is of a variety that any thriller fan can appreciate -first class, and she was able to create a tone of desperation that continues until the very last page. The Broken Ones is a mesmerising story of families, siblings, manipulation, deception, mental health and secrets which keeps the reader guessing and completely attached to their e-reader. I loved this brilliant thriller and would have given it far more than five stars if I could. Would I read more from Ren Richards? Yes... the author is obviously a very good writer. My thanks must go to Ren Richards for writing such an awesome book! 😊
I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel at my request from Serpent's Tail / Profile Books / Viper via NetGalley and this review is my unbiased opinion.
Thrillers are one of my favorite genres and this one was a remarkably entertaining and suspenseful read. Told in chapters that flip back and forth between then and now, the story is voiced from Penelope/Nell's perspectives and this approach worked marvellously. The characters were adeptly constructed and believable in their roles, whether intended to be inherently good or bad. The clarity of Ren Richards' writing made it an easy story-line to follow, and the fast paced, tense, and twisty plot went down a treat as it zigzagged along. The author's writing is of a variety that any thriller fan can appreciate -first class, and she was able to create a tone of desperation that continues until the very last page. The Broken Ones is a mesmerising story of families, siblings, manipulation, deception, mental health and secrets which keeps the reader guessing and completely attached to their e-reader. I loved this brilliant thriller and would have given it far more than five stars if I could. Would I read more from Ren Richards? Yes... the author is obviously a very good writer. My thanks must go to Ren Richards for writing such an awesome book! 😊
I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel at my request from Serpent's Tail / Profile Books / Viper via NetGalley and this review is my unbiased opinion.
March 1, 2020
WOW. I didn’t expect that.
This is a great start for Ren Richards’ dream of breaking into the adult suspense/thriller genre. I’ve not read any of her YA novels.
I read this in 24 hours.... got lots of things to do however I couldn’t put this down. Nell Way and her sister Lindsay are great characters, in fact all of the characters are believable. However, the plot is built around Nell Way and Lindsay.
The first two sentences draw you in straight away.
‘Murderers are human too. That’s the part people forget.’
Born to a mother in jail, who tried to murder her alcoholic father, Nell was brought up by her sister during their time in foster care homes.
Both girls ended up quite wealthy, one through marriage, Lindsay and Nell through being a crime writer. However Nell has a dark secret which you don’t get to find out what happened until the very end.
After getting pregnant at 14 and giving birth to a daughter, Reina, who was a little devil 😈 the father, Ethan and his wealthy family took over her life.
The plot thickens and it takes you from Now to Then, two timelines and explores the lives of the two women. What happened then and what is happening now.
It starts to get personal when Nell takes on a new female criminal who found out about her past which she brought up when Nell interviewed her for her next book.
It makes you think who and why are Nell and Lindsay being targeted? Is it something to do with Lindsay’s past or the new jailbird, Easter, Nell has staggered to research? Easter is a Russian psychopath, or is she? Ren keeps you guessing until the end.
Sebastian, Nell’s boyfriend, is the stable pin throughout, sounds like my kind of guy, Nell’s rock, however he doesn’t know about her past and is about to learn, does he stay?
Loved this book, easy to read, a poetic style of writing and Ren keeps the suspense going until the end.
Would definitively recommend. 5*
There’s quite a few typos and grammatical errors in my manuscript which will naturally be rectified before it is published.....
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free review copy of this book in exchange for my honest unedited feedback.
This is a great start for Ren Richards’ dream of breaking into the adult suspense/thriller genre. I’ve not read any of her YA novels.
I read this in 24 hours.... got lots of things to do however I couldn’t put this down. Nell Way and her sister Lindsay are great characters, in fact all of the characters are believable. However, the plot is built around Nell Way and Lindsay.
The first two sentences draw you in straight away.
‘Murderers are human too. That’s the part people forget.’
Born to a mother in jail, who tried to murder her alcoholic father, Nell was brought up by her sister during their time in foster care homes.
Both girls ended up quite wealthy, one through marriage, Lindsay and Nell through being a crime writer. However Nell has a dark secret which you don’t get to find out what happened until the very end.
After getting pregnant at 14 and giving birth to a daughter, Reina, who was a little devil 😈 the father, Ethan and his wealthy family took over her life.
The plot thickens and it takes you from Now to Then, two timelines and explores the lives of the two women. What happened then and what is happening now.
It starts to get personal when Nell takes on a new female criminal who found out about her past which she brought up when Nell interviewed her for her next book.
It makes you think who and why are Nell and Lindsay being targeted? Is it something to do with Lindsay’s past or the new jailbird, Easter, Nell has staggered to research? Easter is a Russian psychopath, or is she? Ren keeps you guessing until the end.
Sebastian, Nell’s boyfriend, is the stable pin throughout, sounds like my kind of guy, Nell’s rock, however he doesn’t know about her past and is about to learn, does he stay?
Loved this book, easy to read, a poetic style of writing and Ren keeps the suspense going until the end.
Would definitively recommend. 5*
There’s quite a few typos and grammatical errors in my manuscript which will naturally be rectified before it is published.....
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free review copy of this book in exchange for my honest unedited feedback.
March 4, 2020
Nell writes True Crime novels and is living with her boyfriend Sebastian. But will she ever be able to tell him the truth about the darkest part of her past in order to have a real relationship with him? Or will telling him mean she looses everything anyway?
When things start turning hairy, is Nells past about to catch up with her or is a violent ex of her sister Lindsay back?
I did enjoy this and I am pleased to say that there were some pretty cool twists I did not see coming. That being said, I feel like the end is incomplete. Perhaps there is a sequal in the works.
On another note there are a lot of editing errors. I did get this book as a pre-release so I can only hope that these have been corrected for the books release tomorrow. Otherwise the absence of capital letters for names and the starts of sentences is going to get very annoying and possibly off-putting for a lot of readers.
Overall, for me this story is a solid 3 stars. I like the story line, the twists, the range of characters and how well developed those characters are. The plot was convincing and well paced , easy to read and compelling. It just needed an extra chapter or two to wrap everything up properly.
I received #TheBrokenOnes for free from #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
When things start turning hairy, is Nells past about to catch up with her or is a violent ex of her sister Lindsay back?
I did enjoy this and I am pleased to say that there were some pretty cool twists I did not see coming. That being said, I feel like the end is incomplete. Perhaps there is a sequal in the works.
On another note there are a lot of editing errors. I did get this book as a pre-release so I can only hope that these have been corrected for the books release tomorrow. Otherwise the absence of capital letters for names and the starts of sentences is going to get very annoying and possibly off-putting for a lot of readers.
Overall, for me this story is a solid 3 stars. I like the story line, the twists, the range of characters and how well developed those characters are. The plot was convincing and well paced , easy to read and compelling. It just needed an extra chapter or two to wrap everything up properly.
I received #TheBrokenOnes for free from #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
February 26, 2020
I love a book that switches narratives between the current day and the past - it is a great way of revealing more and more about the characters but in a subtle and effective way. This book uses this narrative to great effect by switching between the successful crime writer Nell and her as a teenager, when she was called Penelope. The very fact that she has changed her name instantly made me want to know more.
In the current day, Nell and her sister are being harassed and it becomes more and more dangerous, and even threatens their lives. There are many options as to who may be behind it; from one of the subjects of Nell's books to her sister's ex husbands. However, I found that I guessed the outcome of that plot as it seemed obvious to me.
In the past, young Penelope has had a tough upbringing and she has a child at 14. She moves in with the overbearing and wealthy family of the baby's father and her life is not pleasant. She does not bond with her child and it is uncomfortable to read her negative thoughts about her own child. However, it is so well written to evoke such strong feelings in the reader. We know quite quickly that Penelope's child goes missing but we don't know the circumstances until the very end. I was hooked to find out what happened and spent hours rushing through the book. However, I was left a little unsatisfied and frustrated with the reveal.
It felt like the two timelines did not quite tie in together and could have been two separate books in their own right. That said, it was a page turning read and enjoyable - I just didn't feel satisfied with the outcomes in either timeline.
Thanks to Serpent's Tail / Profile Books, Viper and Netgalley for the chance to read this ARC - I'll definitely check out more from this author.
In the current day, Nell and her sister are being harassed and it becomes more and more dangerous, and even threatens their lives. There are many options as to who may be behind it; from one of the subjects of Nell's books to her sister's ex husbands. However, I found that I guessed the outcome of that plot as it seemed obvious to me.
In the past, young Penelope has had a tough upbringing and she has a child at 14. She moves in with the overbearing and wealthy family of the baby's father and her life is not pleasant. She does not bond with her child and it is uncomfortable to read her negative thoughts about her own child. However, it is so well written to evoke such strong feelings in the reader. We know quite quickly that Penelope's child goes missing but we don't know the circumstances until the very end. I was hooked to find out what happened and spent hours rushing through the book. However, I was left a little unsatisfied and frustrated with the reveal.
It felt like the two timelines did not quite tie in together and could have been two separate books in their own right. That said, it was a page turning read and enjoyable - I just didn't feel satisfied with the outcomes in either timeline.
Thanks to Serpent's Tail / Profile Books, Viper and Netgalley for the chance to read this ARC - I'll definitely check out more from this author.
March 10, 2020
She didn't know if she loved her baby... but did she kill her?
A bestselling true crime writer, Nell tells other people's stories. But there is one story she won't tell. Ten years ago, she was a teenage mother with a four-year-old she found desperately hard to love. Then the little girl disappeared.
As Nell begins to interview the subject of her next book, a woman convicted of murdering her twin sister, it becomes clear that someone has uncovered her true identity. And they know that Nell didn't tell the truth about the day her daughter vanished...
This is a brilliant read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believeable.
Great suspense and found myself second guessing every thought I had continuousluy.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.
I was provided an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. This is my own honest voluntary review.
A bestselling true crime writer, Nell tells other people's stories. But there is one story she won't tell. Ten years ago, she was a teenage mother with a four-year-old she found desperately hard to love. Then the little girl disappeared.
As Nell begins to interview the subject of her next book, a woman convicted of murdering her twin sister, it becomes clear that someone has uncovered her true identity. And they know that Nell didn't tell the truth about the day her daughter vanished...
This is a brilliant read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believeable.
Great suspense and found myself second guessing every thought I had continuousluy.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.
I was provided an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. This is my own honest voluntary review.
August 17, 2024
Nell Way is a true crime novelist. Her latest project is Easter Hamblin who is incarceratef for killing her twin sister and pretending to be her. But Nell has her own secret. Years ago her own four year old daughter had disappeared. There were conspiracy theories including one implicating Nell, who was then a teenager, of killing her child.
The main highlight of the story, for me is the bond between Nell and her sister Lindsay. Both with very contrasting personalities, constant bickering and troubled pasts but through it all their love for each other shone through.
The novel keeps readers engrossed as there are 2 main mysteries to unravel. However I am disappointed with the reveal for the Hamblin twins case. What happened to Nell’s daughter is given a credible explanation but I had hoped for a darker and more twisted ending to keep with theme of true crime (protagonist’s career).
I am rating this a 4 star.
April 15, 2021
Nell Way is a true crime writer who has just begun the interviews for her latest book detailing the murder of one of a set of conjoined twins. However, Easter, Nell's interviewee knows some things that she shouldn't, she knows that Nell has a criminal history of her own.
After having a child when she was a teenager, Penelope (who has since changed her name to Nell), became the number one suspect in her daughter Reina's disappearance. Just a child herself, Penelope was tasked with the impossible job of caring for a baby nearly completely on her own, without the help of the Reina's father, Ethan. But did that drive her to murder?
Overall, a twisty, exciting murder mystery novel. I enjoyed the two subplots of Reina's disappearance and Easter's murder trial. My one gripe here would be that there was definitely a few loose ends I would have liked to wrap up.
After having a child when she was a teenager, Penelope (who has since changed her name to Nell), became the number one suspect in her daughter Reina's disappearance. Just a child herself, Penelope was tasked with the impossible job of caring for a baby nearly completely on her own, without the help of the Reina's father, Ethan. But did that drive her to murder?
Overall, a twisty, exciting murder mystery novel. I enjoyed the two subplots of Reina's disappearance and Easter's murder trial. My one gripe here would be that there was definitely a few loose ends I would have liked to wrap up.
May 25, 2023
What an interesting story. It intrigued me from the start and I was keen to find the link between Nell's present and her past.
This is a cleverly written book and the then and now storyline worked well.
We meet Nell, a successful true crime author, as she is interviewing an inmate, the subject for her next book.
She is planning to write a book on identical twins, that were conjoined when they were younger, and one is in jail for murdering the other. Yet when she is interviewing Easter she is surprised by being asked about her daughter.
The daughter that no-one knows about. The daughter that went missing. The daughter she was acquitted of murdering.
What follows is tense and foreboding, and the feeling was quite sinister at times.
This is a cleverly written book and the then and now storyline worked well.
We meet Nell, a successful true crime author, as she is interviewing an inmate, the subject for her next book.
She is planning to write a book on identical twins, that were conjoined when they were younger, and one is in jail for murdering the other. Yet when she is interviewing Easter she is surprised by being asked about her daughter.
The daughter that no-one knows about. The daughter that went missing. The daughter she was acquitted of murdering.
What follows is tense and foreboding, and the feeling was quite sinister at times.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 90 reviews