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edwards890's review against another edition
3.0
The first part was good, but the rest kind of dragged. It became pretty clear early on how things would go, and everything seemed to just kind of be disjointed.
kba76's review against another edition
3.0
A 3.5 stars, and thank you to NetGalley for granting me access to this.
The story is not a grand reveal as we are told what happens and we know who is responsible. However, this was cleverly constructed so the reader can follow-safe in the knowledge that we are getting a layered look at events.
The story opens with the disappearance of 13 year old Constance. After an argument with her parents she sets off to carry out a dare. She never comes back.
Early on we're introduced to her uncle, Karl Lawson, who has always been close to his niece. Something of a wild child himself, Karl has a number so of skeletons in his closet and these become perfect details to set up his guilt in the eyes of the press.
Hounded by journalist Amanda Bowe, still smarting over a failed interview for Lawson, Karl quickly becomes guilty in the eyes of the public. Imprisoned for Constance's murder, Karl is a broken man. Though he is soon released, mud sticks.
The opening parts were tense and set the characters up well. We are bewildered by the way certain characters react and my sympathy was firmly on Karl's side. Watching a man come so low was hard to take.
Sadly, what follows seemed incredible. Karl is a bitter man, and sometimes revenge is a dish best served cold. It just seems rather odd to go to such elaborate lengths...and to inflict the pain that has so broken you on another.
My interest started to falter the further into this scheme we got. I think you could say most things were okay by the end, but I couldn't shake that slightly grubby feel as we become privy to some pretty messed-up behaviour.
The story is not a grand reveal as we are told what happens and we know who is responsible. However, this was cleverly constructed so the reader can follow-safe in the knowledge that we are getting a layered look at events.
The story opens with the disappearance of 13 year old Constance. After an argument with her parents she sets off to carry out a dare. She never comes back.
Early on we're introduced to her uncle, Karl Lawson, who has always been close to his niece. Something of a wild child himself, Karl has a number so of skeletons in his closet and these become perfect details to set up his guilt in the eyes of the press.
Hounded by journalist Amanda Bowe, still smarting over a failed interview for Lawson, Karl quickly becomes guilty in the eyes of the public. Imprisoned for Constance's murder, Karl is a broken man. Though he is soon released, mud sticks.
The opening parts were tense and set the characters up well. We are bewildered by the way certain characters react and my sympathy was firmly on Karl's side. Watching a man come so low was hard to take.
Sadly, what follows seemed incredible. Karl is a bitter man, and sometimes revenge is a dish best served cold. It just seems rather odd to go to such elaborate lengths...and to inflict the pain that has so broken you on another.
My interest started to falter the further into this scheme we got. I think you could say most things were okay by the end, but I couldn't shake that slightly grubby feel as we become privy to some pretty messed-up behaviour.
meloches's review against another edition
2.0
After a fight with her parents, thirteen-year-old Constance is reported missing. Her uncle, Karl, a man with a complicated past, finds himself implicated in her crime when a devious journalist, Amanda, suggests he could be the prime suspect. Karl’s life is essentially ruined. Six years later, Amanda finds herself in a mother’s worst nightmare when her own son goes missing. Could it be a coincidence? Or could it be past sins have come to back to haunt her?
Guilty was completely different than what I was expecting and if left me feeling quite the amount of mixed emotions. Let me explain.
What I Loved:
The characters in this one were awesome. I hated Amanda. HATED HER. It takes quite the penmanship to really make a reader feel that type of blind hatred and make it blatantly jump off the pages. I was expecting the plot to follow the typical abduction narrative, but I was surprised when it chose, instead, to split the novel into several separate sections that focused on the abduction, the aftermath, six years later, etc. It really made the plot stand out. I also liked that this one followed and developed the relationship between the accused and the reporter who essentially led the witch-hunt against him. It isn’t often a relationship like that is explored. Along with this, I loved how the first sections of the novel really drove home the media’s influence on news and how the media can truly manipulate an investigation. I found this to be fascinating and I felt like Elliot did a brilliant job at portraying this notion within the pages.
What I Struggled With:
I did find the pacing of Guilty to be a little slow for my liking. As mentioned above, the novel is split into several sections and I found that some parts of the plot really dragged. There were whole sections that felt like filler to make the story longer. I didn’t necessarily find they added anything to the plot. I also didn’t feel this one read like a psychological thriller; in my thrillers, I expect to be on the edge of my seat and completely confused about the plot and where it is going. This one focused more on the aftermath of an abduction and kind of read like contemporary family drama.
Overall, if you are looking for a fast paced, on the edge of your seat style thriller, I think this one will disappoint. However, if you like a slow burn that deals with relationships and what ifs, then I think you have found your next read!
Guilty was completely different than what I was expecting and if left me feeling quite the amount of mixed emotions. Let me explain.
What I Loved:
The characters in this one were awesome. I hated Amanda. HATED HER. It takes quite the penmanship to really make a reader feel that type of blind hatred and make it blatantly jump off the pages. I was expecting the plot to follow the typical abduction narrative, but I was surprised when it chose, instead, to split the novel into several separate sections that focused on the abduction, the aftermath, six years later, etc. It really made the plot stand out. I also liked that this one followed and developed the relationship between the accused and the reporter who essentially led the witch-hunt against him. It isn’t often a relationship like that is explored. Along with this, I loved how the first sections of the novel really drove home the media’s influence on news and how the media can truly manipulate an investigation. I found this to be fascinating and I felt like Elliot did a brilliant job at portraying this notion within the pages.
What I Struggled With:
I did find the pacing of Guilty to be a little slow for my liking. As mentioned above, the novel is split into several sections and I found that some parts of the plot really dragged. There were whole sections that felt like filler to make the story longer. I didn’t necessarily find they added anything to the plot. I also didn’t feel this one read like a psychological thriller; in my thrillers, I expect to be on the edge of my seat and completely confused about the plot and where it is going. This one focused more on the aftermath of an abduction and kind of read like contemporary family drama.
Overall, if you are looking for a fast paced, on the edge of your seat style thriller, I think this one will disappoint. However, if you like a slow burn that deals with relationships and what ifs, then I think you have found your next read!
beckiebookworm1974's review against another edition
2.0
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm.
https://www.beckiebookworm.com/
So Guilty was the first book I have read by Laura Elliot, I enjoyed it but found the first half of the book much more compelling than the second.
If I could, I would rate the first fifty percent a solid four and the last half a three as I can't do this and to be fair I have settled on a three and a half rating for the whole experience.
So what is guilty about?
Well when Constance Lawson goes missing, it sends everyone into a tailspin of confusion, hysteria and an almost witch-hunt of epic proportions by the press.
In particular, one journalist makes it her mission to personally persecute Constance's uncle, Karl Lawson.
Amanda Bowe a journalist is mainly motivated by a past grievance and also an arrogance of her own self-importance that she is infallible in her assumptions.
she systematically closes the cage that is growing around Karl, So great is her arrogance in his guilt.
Not caring a tall that Karl could be an innocent man.
Over seven days Karl Lawson's life is destroyed in a campaign of mud slinging and half-truths.
finally resulting in him losing everything important to him, his job, his family nothing is off limits.
Loved this half of the book
Watching a world implode and the sheer helplessness and inability to call a cease-fire was a sort of train-wreck visual.
it was soul destroying, but the visuals it beheld were strangely compelling, as poor Karl is thrown to the wolves and ripped apart, to make it worse he seems such a lovely man.
A great father, dad, husband, brother, uncle.
None of this matters when it comes to the judgements imposed by others.
Amanda at the helm leading the madness, almost a figurehead.
In contrast, Amanda Bowes to me wasn't a very likeable person.
I couldn't take to her at all, so to see her thriving years later, well not exactly fair, is it.
Well, Karmas a bitch and it's coming for you AMANDA!!!
Now as I said, I found some parts of this story more enthralling than others, that is not to say I didn't enjoy Guilty, I just felt more of a connection with certain characters so found it easier to connect to these parts of the story.
Karl was easy, Amanda not so much.
I also couldn't get my head around the plinks I found them pointless and a bit bizarre, but I suppose they did serve their purpose they were just a bit weird, they also made me think a bit of lazy town.
don't ask me why they just did.
Also towards the end, I felt things started to drag a bit so I was definitely ready for that finish line.
The end in sight almost.
So, in conclusion, this was a good solid read that kept my attention mostly.
It did drag slightly for me in places, but other instances more than made up for it, keeping my momentum going.
But I'm Still slightly bemused about those bloody plinks!
sorry just saying.
Anyway shaking head slightly,
thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a free readers copy of Guilty By Laura Elliot this is my own personal opinion.
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.beckiebookworm.com/
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
https://www.beckiebookworm.com/
So Guilty was the first book I have read by Laura Elliot, I enjoyed it but found the first half of the book much more compelling than the second.
If I could, I would rate the first fifty percent a solid four and the last half a three as I can't do this and to be fair I have settled on a three and a half rating for the whole experience.
So what is guilty about?
Well when Constance Lawson goes missing, it sends everyone into a tailspin of confusion, hysteria and an almost witch-hunt of epic proportions by the press.
In particular, one journalist makes it her mission to personally persecute Constance's uncle, Karl Lawson.
Amanda Bowe a journalist is mainly motivated by a past grievance and also an arrogance of her own self-importance that she is infallible in her assumptions.
she systematically closes the cage that is growing around Karl, So great is her arrogance in his guilt.
Not caring a tall that Karl could be an innocent man.
Over seven days Karl Lawson's life is destroyed in a campaign of mud slinging and half-truths.
finally resulting in him losing everything important to him, his job, his family nothing is off limits.
Loved this half of the book
Watching a world implode and the sheer helplessness and inability to call a cease-fire was a sort of train-wreck visual.
it was soul destroying, but the visuals it beheld were strangely compelling, as poor Karl is thrown to the wolves and ripped apart, to make it worse he seems such a lovely man.
A great father, dad, husband, brother, uncle.
None of this matters when it comes to the judgements imposed by others.
Amanda at the helm leading the madness, almost a figurehead.
In contrast, Amanda Bowes to me wasn't a very likeable person.
I couldn't take to her at all, so to see her thriving years later, well not exactly fair, is it.
Well, Karmas a bitch and it's coming for you AMANDA!!!
Now as I said, I found some parts of this story more enthralling than others, that is not to say I didn't enjoy Guilty, I just felt more of a connection with certain characters so found it easier to connect to these parts of the story.
Karl was easy, Amanda not so much.
I also couldn't get my head around the plinks I found them pointless and a bit bizarre, but I suppose they did serve their purpose they were just a bit weird, they also made me think a bit of lazy town.
don't ask me why they just did.
Also towards the end, I felt things started to drag a bit so I was definitely ready for that finish line.
The end in sight almost.
So, in conclusion, this was a good solid read that kept my attention mostly.
It did drag slightly for me in places, but other instances more than made up for it, keeping my momentum going.
But I'm Still slightly bemused about those bloody plinks!
sorry just saying.
Anyway shaking head slightly,
thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a free readers copy of Guilty By Laura Elliot this is my own personal opinion.
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.beckiebookworm.com/
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
leona_omahony's review against another edition
3.0
This book started out brilliant for me and I was practically glued to the pages . Unfortunately however it faded a bit in the second half and at times I was struggling through it . I know others will love this book but it dragged a it for me .
vittoriaa's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
hainyh's review against another edition
1.0
I am a big fan of psychological thrillers, and can get on with most, whatever the plot. However, 'Guilty' fell short for me for a number of reasons.
The book is told in four parts, concerning the mystery of a missing school girl. The first part of the book set the scene for missing Constance, planting lots of questions in the reader's mind. The book us fairly fast-paced at this point, leaving you eager to read on to uncover the answers to Constance's disappearance. I am more used to major plot twists coming towards the end of a book, with gradual build-up and suspense throughout, until the twist is finally uncovered in a nice, meaty ending. In 'Guilty' however, the answer missing Constance (and the climax of the main storyline) was revealed in part one, less than halfway through the book. This left me baffled as I couldn't imagine what the rest of the book would address, and my reservations were justified. The remainder of the story concerned other characters in the book and their interconnected stories, but seemed to go off on a tangent, away from the topic of Constance. It felt almost as though I was reading two completely different books that had been joined together, and I didn't feel it worked. If Constance's disappearance had been the sole focus of the book, with more questions and momentum gathered for most of the book, I would have scored this much more highly.
Unfortunately for me, 'Guilty' didn't grab me. After the first part, it took a lot of effort to read through the rest of the book. It dragged, the chapters seemed disjointed, and there wasn't a huge climax to work towards.
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC.
The book is told in four parts, concerning the mystery of a missing school girl. The first part of the book set the scene for missing Constance, planting lots of questions in the reader's mind. The book us fairly fast-paced at this point, leaving you eager to read on to uncover the answers to Constance's disappearance. I am more used to major plot twists coming towards the end of a book, with gradual build-up and suspense throughout, until the twist is finally uncovered in a nice, meaty ending. In 'Guilty' however, the answer missing Constance (and the climax of the main storyline) was revealed in part one, less than halfway through the book. This left me baffled as I couldn't imagine what the rest of the book would address, and my reservations were justified. The remainder of the story concerned other characters in the book and their interconnected stories, but seemed to go off on a tangent, away from the topic of Constance. It felt almost as though I was reading two completely different books that had been joined together, and I didn't feel it worked. If Constance's disappearance had been the sole focus of the book, with more questions and momentum gathered for most of the book, I would have scored this much more highly.
Unfortunately for me, 'Guilty' didn't grab me. After the first part, it took a lot of effort to read through the rest of the book. It dragged, the chapters seemed disjointed, and there wasn't a huge climax to work towards.
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC.
rainafyre's review
2.0
2.5 stars
This was SO long and drawn out. I was fighting to finish it.... It was ok. Nothing mind-blowing. *shrug*
This was SO long and drawn out. I was fighting to finish it.... It was ok. Nothing mind-blowing. *shrug*