A review by babewithabookandabeer
One of the Good Guys by Araminta Hall

dark funny mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Thank you Zando Books and Netgalley for my copy of ONE OF THE GOOD GUYS by Araminta Hall, out 1/9/24!

I love a book marketed as a feminist thriller and this was no exception. OOTGG follows Cole, newly separated from his wife. He considers himself “one of the good guys.” He leaves London for a fresh start out in the countryside as a wildlife ranger. He meets Leonora, a reclusive artist living in the cottage next door and is instantly charmed by her as he is navigating his mental health from the ghosts of his failed marriage.

As the two form a new connection, two women activists raising awareness about gendered violence go missing on a cliff nearby. Cole and Leonora find themselves in the middle of the police investigation and media firestorm. Do they know each other that well after all? This book works to answer the question, “If most men claim to be so good, why are most women still afraid to walk home alone at night?”

This book was a PAGE TURNER. Full of gendered cultural insights and sociopolitical themes, I couldn’t put this book down. I love the way Hall incorporated different media formats and perspectives to give us the full, messy story. This was so well written and well researched and I didn’t want the story to end. But when it did, I was amazed at how it all wrapped up. The writing is smart, the characters are fully fleshed out and the plot is unique and explosive. This book is both entertaining and deeply reflective and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a thriller that gives that lil something extra.