Published July 20th, 2023 by Orion
Legal Thriller, Crime Fiction, Thriller
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ABOUT THE BOOK:
OUR MOST NOTORIOUS CRIMINALS HAVE HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT.
UNTIL NOW…
‘Emily’ is a devoted single mother.
‘Jack’ starts a new job in a new town.
‘Russell’ may be falling in love.
They all share the same secret:
none of them are who they say they are.
They are among only nine criminals in the UK who have been granted lifelong anonymity, for their own safety, because of their terrible crimes.
But what if someone exposed their true identities to the families of their victims, who are desperate for revenge?
Probation officer Olivia Campbell is caught in the crossfire of this unprecedented crisis – and as the hunt for the mole behind it all intensifies, so too does the search for the vigilante killers let loose by the leaks…
Everyone is a suspect. Anyone could be a killer.
Who deserves justice? And who gets to decide?
#EyeForAnEye
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MY REVIEW:
There are only nine criminals in the UK who have been granted lifelong anonymity. It is for their own safety, because of how terrible their crimes were. But what would happen if someone exposed their true identities to the families of their victims?
As soon as I read that heart-stopping synopsis I knew I had to read this thriller. Of course, I will also read anything that M. J. Arlidge writes. And this standalone thriller is sensational. Malevolent, suspenseful, harrowing, emotive and thought-provoking, I was in Arlidge’s thrall from the start. Terror oozes from the first page, and there is a harrowing sense of foreboding throughout. There’s a huge cast of characters but it never feels confusing, seamlessly moving between them as we are taken on a journey filled with vengeance, danger, fear and fury.
This book will make you question your own moral compass and forces you to confront your own sense of what justice looks like. Should those who commit terrible crimes live safely in secrecy or should the families of their victims be allowed vengeance? It’s not an easy moral dilemma. After all, my instinct is to say they should never be released from prison and if they are, their fate should be up to their victims’ families.
There are two sides to every story and Arlidge explores the shades of grey that exist in every situation, writing with nuance as he dissects the crimes and their repercussions. He also humanises these ‘evil’ children, allowing us to see past their atrocities, connect with them and condemn the vigilante justice. But then he flips the script, showing us the pain, rage and devastation of the victims’ families and how they feel let down by the justice system. In the middle of all this is Probation Officer Olivia Campbell, the woman who is caught in the crossfire between perpetrators and victims. Olivia is racing against the clock in a desperate search to find the mole who leaked the information and hunting down the vigilantes who are hell-bent on revenge.
A twisty thriller that will keep you on your toes until the last page, this is a must-read.
Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
M. J. Arlidge is the international bestselling author of the Detective Helen Grace Thrillers, including Pop Goes the Weasel and his debut, Eeny Meeny, which has been sold in twenty-five countries. He lives in England and works in television.
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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx
Emma's Biblio Treasures 