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natalier3's review
4.0
This was a very gripping, fast read. Although the twists weren't crazy, it was really enjoyable and cleverly written. I love books that are written from different perspectives and time frames, so this was right up my street!
It was a challenging read too, due to the subject matter but wasn't graphic about it thankfully.
I will definitely look out for this author in the future..
It was a challenging read too, due to the subject matter but wasn't graphic about it thankfully.
I will definitely look out for this author in the future..
lizziesharples's review
4.0
*** ARC provided by Netgalley via the publisher in exchange for an honest review. ***
Great debut novel by Rebecca Kelly, easy to get into and quite a page-turner. Also, very apt at the moment with the Filthy Rich documentary highlighting paedophile rings with influential people pulling all the strings.
I like the way it was written, the flashbacks were done well and avoiding being jarring or confusing. I’ll definitely be looking out for this authors next novel.
Great debut novel by Rebecca Kelly, easy to get into and quite a page-turner. Also, very apt at the moment with the Filthy Rich documentary highlighting paedophile rings with influential people pulling all the strings.
I like the way it was written, the flashbacks were done well and avoiding being jarring or confusing. I’ll definitely be looking out for this authors next novel.
kourtneyalexis's review
3.0
I'm going to remain neutral and go with the unpopular opinion of 3 stars....
I feel like the elements for an amazing thriller are there, but I felt like I've read this story before and that I could predict what was going to happen, so I can understand where the rave reviews are coming from.
Heidi is 13 years old, found attacked and burned, her best friend is found dead next to her, and her 7 year old sister is missing. The story line flashes forward and backward between the time of the attack and 15 years afterward. I feel as though the unraveling of the story would have been more interesting if things slowly started to come back over the course of the 15 years. It's too convenient that she tries to remember and it all comes together because she must have done something different this time than she did over the course trying to remember any other time.
A special thank you to NetGalley, Agora Books, and Rebecca Kelly for providing me with an ARC.
I feel like the elements for an amazing thriller are there, but I felt like I've read this story before and that I could predict what was going to happen, so I can understand where the rave reviews are coming from.
Heidi is 13 years old, found attacked and burned, her best friend is found dead next to her, and her 7 year old sister is missing. The story line flashes forward and backward between the time of the attack and 15 years afterward. I feel as though the unraveling of the story would have been more interesting if things slowly started to come back over the course of the 15 years. It's too convenient that she tries to remember and it all comes together because she must have done something different this time than she did over the course trying to remember any other time.
A special thank you to NetGalley, Agora Books, and Rebecca Kelly for providing me with an ARC.
steph1rothwell's review
3.0
I always enjoy a dual time frame novel and this book is one of the better ones. Most of the narrative is from Heidi, the young woman who was attacked in 2001 which resulted in memory loss and how she handles dealing with the snippets that she has started to remember fifteen years later. And there is also Denise, a police officer who has involved in the initial investigation and the only person who can help Heidi find her answers.
Some of this book is quite difficult to read, especially in 2001. The way Nina had to deal with what was happening to her and how a cry for help resulted in further tragedy. The guilt Heidi feels as more memories resurface. The anger and frustration felt by the police when faced with a historic crime that looks like it could involve one of their own.
What the author does so well is show how the crimes committed affect the different individuals concerned, both at the time they were committed and in the future. How the fear of retribution made many stay silent. It is extremely convincing.
It’s hard to be believe that this is a debut novel, it is very well written with little hint of who could or couldn’t be trusted.
Some of this book is quite difficult to read, especially in 2001. The way Nina had to deal with what was happening to her and how a cry for help resulted in further tragedy. The guilt Heidi feels as more memories resurface. The anger and frustration felt by the police when faced with a historic crime that looks like it could involve one of their own.
What the author does so well is show how the crimes committed affect the different individuals concerned, both at the time they were committed and in the future. How the fear of retribution made many stay silent. It is extremely convincing.
It’s hard to be believe that this is a debut novel, it is very well written with little hint of who could or couldn’t be trusted.
secre's review
4.0
Monstrous Souls is a debut that reads as though it were written by an established author; it's dark and gritty, covering uncomfortable and often taboo topics, yet is written with sensitivity and flair. Fifteen years ago, Heidi was one of the victims of a brutal attack that left her best friend Nina dead and her sister Anna missing. She has been unable to remember anything about that day, or indeed the months preceding it, since. But now that is changing as little by little, fragments of memory are coming back. But some secrets are dangerous and there are people involved who will do anything to keep these particular secrets from coming to light.
Split between two timelines, you have the timeline leading up to the attack in 2001 and the current timeline in 2016 as Heidi comes to terms with the memories she is finally regaining. The dual perspective worked well, as whilst you as the reader often knew slightly more than Heidi actively remembered, it gave the same sense of events being slowly recollected. The narrative was often framed in a way that Heidi's memories were often interwoven with the events narrated to you, so everything tied together well and didn't feel jarring.
This is a dark tale, and the murder of a child is only the beginning of the tangled web of horrors as the memories from her childhood return and she realises that what the police know is only the tip of the iceburg. Except that isn't quite true either, as Nina was certain even at a young age that someone in the police force was actively involved in the atrocities committed against children. As an adult, the more memories Heidi gets back, the more danger she is in, but for her own sake and that of her missing sister, Heidi is determined to get to the truth. The truth isn't as simple as it might appear though.
My main complaint with the novel is that for someone with a history of severe trauma - trauma that left her with long term memory loss and physical injuries - Heidi really can be seriously stupid. There were so many moments where she heads out alone - again - and as a reader I'm just thinking, why oh why!? To begin with, it's understandable. There's no immediate threat. But once she realises that she is being followed and someone is very keen to keep her quiet through any means, her behaviour becomes idiotic rather than naive. It's a pet peeve of mine in books. Any logical, sane adult fearing for their life is not going to run out on a whim to find the next piece of evidence; they would call someone to accompany them at the very least.
It's a minor quibble in the long run, although it did slightly mar my enjoyment of the novel. I found the characterisations of the children in the 'flashback' sections of the novel far more believable in that sense, as children make mistakes because they don't know any better. Adults making the same mistakes again and again is far less forgivable.
All in all though, I enjoyed this. It's a dark and tense thriller that builds up the atmosphere well. The characterisations are strong, particularly those of the children and of the Detective working the case in the present day. I particularly liked how the focus shifted from Heidi to Detective Gizeen, as it means you get to see events from both perspectives. The ramifications of such a horrific act on the children concerned even many years later was portrayed well, and I felt the author did an excellent job at portraying Heidi and Nina's family as fully fleshed out characters, rather than solely as victims.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my free review copy of this novel.
Split between two timelines, you have the timeline leading up to the attack in 2001 and the current timeline in 2016 as Heidi comes to terms with the memories she is finally regaining. The dual perspective worked well, as whilst you as the reader often knew slightly more than Heidi actively remembered, it gave the same sense of events being slowly recollected. The narrative was often framed in a way that Heidi's memories were often interwoven with the events narrated to you, so everything tied together well and didn't feel jarring.
This is a dark tale, and the murder of a child is only the beginning of the tangled web of horrors as the memories from her childhood return and she realises that what the police know is only the tip of the iceburg. Except that isn't quite true either, as Nina was certain even at a young age that someone in the police force was actively involved in the atrocities committed against children. As an adult, the more memories Heidi gets back, the more danger she is in, but for her own sake and that of her missing sister, Heidi is determined to get to the truth. The truth isn't as simple as it might appear though.
My main complaint with the novel is that for someone with a history of severe trauma - trauma that left her with long term memory loss and physical injuries - Heidi really can be seriously stupid. There were so many moments where she heads out alone - again - and as a reader I'm just thinking, why oh why!? To begin with, it's understandable. There's no immediate threat. But once she realises that she is being followed and someone is very keen to keep her quiet through any means, her behaviour becomes idiotic rather than naive. It's a pet peeve of mine in books. Any logical, sane adult fearing for their life is not going to run out on a whim to find the next piece of evidence; they would call someone to accompany them at the very least.
It's a minor quibble in the long run, although it did slightly mar my enjoyment of the novel. I found the characterisations of the children in the 'flashback' sections of the novel far more believable in that sense, as children make mistakes because they don't know any better. Adults making the same mistakes again and again is far less forgivable.
All in all though, I enjoyed this. It's a dark and tense thriller that builds up the atmosphere well. The characterisations are strong, particularly those of the children and of the Detective working the case in the present day. I particularly liked how the focus shifted from Heidi to Detective Gizeen, as it means you get to see events from both perspectives. The ramifications of such a horrific act on the children concerned even many years later was portrayed well, and I felt the author did an excellent job at portraying Heidi and Nina's family as fully fleshed out characters, rather than solely as victims.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my free review copy of this novel.
emmywritess's review against another edition
4.0
In 2001 Heidi was the victim of a terrible attack that left her best friend dead and her sister missing. 15 years later, Heidi has lived her life with no recollection of the attack or much about her past. But then suddenly things began coming back to her, and she is desperate to find out what really happened all those years ago. Only someone doesn’t want her to find out the truth and they’ll do anything to stop her.
I connected with Heidi immediately. I know what it’s like to forget large chunks of your life, however, I couldn’t imagine forgetting absolutely everything and I really felt for her. I admired her determination in getting to the truth and finding out what happened to her best friend and sister, but I also couldn’t help think she was naïve in trusting the people she did.
The plot was so interesting and I couldn’t wait to find out more. I liked the two timelines - 2016 and 2001. It allowed us to discover the truth bit by bit and gave the impression we were putting the pieces together ourselves, rather than just been told. It could get a little confusing as we had the two timelines and then three unique perspectives - Heidi, a police officer working the case, and who I presumed was the antagonist. However, saying that, it was easy to adjust to and as I got further into the book; I didn’t notice the changes anymore.
I didn’t guess the ending, and it was more heartbreaking and tense than I expected. Thoroughly enjoyed this book and I’m excited to read more of the authors fabulous writing.
sarahreads12's review against another edition
4.0
In 2001 Heidi was the victim of a dreadful assault during which her best friend Nina was killed. Through the trauma Heidi lost her memory, but 15 years later it’s starting to return. There is however a paedophile ring who don’t want this to happen. Slowly Heidi’s memories resurface, evidence emerges and the story unfolds. Desperately sad (it felt a bit like watching the docudrama about the girls in Rotherham). A cold case that is solved but it left a nasty feeling. It was well written, I believed in the characters, the story line and it evoked emotion in me as a reader.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review
kaz_loves_books's review
5.0
This was a very dark, intense book but very well written. It gripped me right from the start and wouldn’t let go until I finished. It was worth reading in one sitting, I had to know what had happened!
In 2001, Heidi was the victim of a brutal assault after being left for dead at the scene. Unfortunately, this meant she had suffered long term memory problems and even fifteen years later, her memory still wasn’t there. Her best friend Nina had not survived and no-one had been caught for her murder. Heidi’s sister, Anna, had gone missing at the time as well.
Come 2016, Heidi starts remembering small bits of her memory. She lets the police know and asks them to tell her what happened on the day of the attack which she has never been able to face hearing about before. She remembers her sister being taken! Due to that, Heidi decides she will give her memory a nudge so she visits Nina’s family. They used to live next door to each other. Danielle, Scott and Jason, are more amenable then Nina’s mum and together they start trying to put together what happened to the girls that fateful day. Other memories start surfacing as well. From the bunker Nina and her used to go to and where Nina had stored some stuff behind a brick. Heidi was keen to see if it was still there. Her first attempt was thwarted by someone following her to the bunker but she sensed him, she hid in the brambles all night. When she next went, the bunker hadn’t really changed over the years but more importantly, Nina’s stash was still there! So were the photos and the money…...
The police started looking into things that were brought to their attention but unknownst to some in the police, there was someone who had someone tracking Heidi and was keen to know what she knew as well. Trouble was, she didn’t realise how much danger she was in!
Although there were fifteen years between the initial events and Heidi’s memory starting to return, who killed Nina and attacked Heidi, did they kidnap Anna? Will we learn the truth? Read the book to find out.
This was a really intriguing, nail biting story in places, well thought out and planned to tease the reader. I certainly didn’t foresee the ending.
In 2001, Heidi was the victim of a brutal assault after being left for dead at the scene. Unfortunately, this meant she had suffered long term memory problems and even fifteen years later, her memory still wasn’t there. Her best friend Nina had not survived and no-one had been caught for her murder. Heidi’s sister, Anna, had gone missing at the time as well.
Come 2016, Heidi starts remembering small bits of her memory. She lets the police know and asks them to tell her what happened on the day of the attack which she has never been able to face hearing about before. She remembers her sister being taken! Due to that, Heidi decides she will give her memory a nudge so she visits Nina’s family. They used to live next door to each other. Danielle, Scott and Jason, are more amenable then Nina’s mum and together they start trying to put together what happened to the girls that fateful day. Other memories start surfacing as well. From the bunker Nina and her used to go to and where Nina had stored some stuff behind a brick. Heidi was keen to see if it was still there. Her first attempt was thwarted by someone following her to the bunker but she sensed him, she hid in the brambles all night. When she next went, the bunker hadn’t really changed over the years but more importantly, Nina’s stash was still there! So were the photos and the money…...
The police started looking into things that were brought to their attention but unknownst to some in the police, there was someone who had someone tracking Heidi and was keen to know what she knew as well. Trouble was, she didn’t realise how much danger she was in!
Although there were fifteen years between the initial events and Heidi’s memory starting to return, who killed Nina and attacked Heidi, did they kidnap Anna? Will we learn the truth? Read the book to find out.
This was a really intriguing, nail biting story in places, well thought out and planned to tease the reader. I certainly didn’t foresee the ending.
tbhonest_uk's review
5.0
Monstrous Souls is a fast-paced, gritty and captivating read with an ending many will not predict. If you like to be constantly surprised as you read, then this is one to add to your reading list.
bookwormd's review
4.0
Murderous Souls is a haunting, heartbreaking story of a woman whose memory slowly starts to return over a decade after a fatal attack that left her fighting for her life, her own younger sister Anna missing and her best friend Nina dead.
Over the years, Heidi has developed an understanding relationship with the police officer who tried to help her in the immediate days and weeks after the attack. And when Heidi starts to get flashes of suspected memories, she turns to Denise as her confidante, desperate to remember anything that might help her fix together the missing pieces of the jigsaw puzzle. But Heidi is unaware that while she is desperate to get her memory back, there are those out there who are desperate to keep her quiet.
What develops from here is a plot of sickening, devastating and evil acts committed by unidentified people who will do anything to keep the truth hidden.
The plot is very well developed and the timing is perfect, with each chapter giving the reader just enough detail to keep them reading but not enough to make the truth obvious or even guessable. The acts in this book are so despicable that the reader is unable to comprehend the truth of what could've happened and so it's left to Heidi's reforming memory, the assistance of the police and the account of someone desperate to keep her quiet to sew it all together and show is what truly happened.
Murderous Souls is obviously a difficult subject which may be uncomfortable reading for some but it didn't feel overly heavy or too graphic. It is a very well-written book with a devastating ending which shows how not all stories have a happy ending. Sometimes we just have the heartbreaking truth.
As tough a subject as this book covers, I would definitely recommend Murderous Souls. Rebecca Kelly is obviously a very talented writer and I'll definitely be looking forward to reading more of her work.
Thank you to NetGalley, Rebecca Kelly and Agora Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Over the years, Heidi has developed an understanding relationship with the police officer who tried to help her in the immediate days and weeks after the attack. And when Heidi starts to get flashes of suspected memories, she turns to Denise as her confidante, desperate to remember anything that might help her fix together the missing pieces of the jigsaw puzzle. But Heidi is unaware that while she is desperate to get her memory back, there are those out there who are desperate to keep her quiet.
What develops from here is a plot of sickening, devastating and evil acts committed by unidentified people who will do anything to keep the truth hidden.
The plot is very well developed and the timing is perfect, with each chapter giving the reader just enough detail to keep them reading but not enough to make the truth obvious or even guessable. The acts in this book are so despicable that the reader is unable to comprehend the truth of what could've happened and so it's left to Heidi's reforming memory, the assistance of the police and the account of someone desperate to keep her quiet to sew it all together and show is what truly happened.
Murderous Souls is obviously a difficult subject which may be uncomfortable reading for some but it didn't feel overly heavy or too graphic. It is a very well-written book with a devastating ending which shows how not all stories have a happy ending. Sometimes we just have the heartbreaking truth.
As tough a subject as this book covers, I would definitely recommend Murderous Souls. Rebecca Kelly is obviously a very talented writer and I'll definitely be looking forward to reading more of her work.
Thank you to NetGalley, Rebecca Kelly and Agora Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.