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A review by kba76
Guilty by Laura Elliot
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.