by Caz Frear
SYNOPSIS
Ellen Walsh has done something very, very bad. If only she knew what it was . . .
Teacher, mother, wife, and all-around good citizen Ellen is juggling non-stop commitments, from raising a teen and two toddlers to job-hunting, to finally renovating her dream home, the Meadowhouse. Amidst the chaos, an ominous note arrives in the mail declaring:
SOONER OR LATER EVERYONE SITS DOWN TO A BANQUET OF CONSEQUENCES.
Why would someone send her this note? Ellen has no clue. She's no angel - a white lie here and there, an occasional sharp tongue - but nothing to incur the wrath of an anonymous enemy.
Everyone around Ellen - her husband, her teenage daughter, her sister, her best friend, her neighbours - can guess why, though. They all know from bitter experience that while Ellen’s intentions are always good, this ultimately counts for very little when you’ve (unintentionally?) blown up someone’s life. Could the five bad deeds that come to haunt Ellen explain why things have gone so horribly wrong?
As she races to discover who’s set on destroying her life, Ellen receives more anonymous messages, each one more threatening than the last . . . and each hitting closer and closer to home and everything she cherishes.
REVIEW
Wow, this book didn't turn out the way I had expected AT ALL and that is what made it so exciting to read. Honestly, every time I thought I had figured out what was going on, or why, the story took another turn, and with so many possible culprits and so many possible motives, I had no chance of getting it right! The thing that really stood out to me wasn't actually about the crime, but the representation of motherhood in the story. The descriptions were raw, unapologetic and very relatable. At most points throughout the book, it is unclear as to whether Ellen is guilty or responsible in any way for the things that are happening to her. However, it doesn't matter if you hate Ellen and think she deserves everything that is coming to her, or if you feel sorry for her and believe she is being set up. Either way, her love–hate relationship and struggles with bringing up a teenage girl and toddler twin boys will jump out and grab you - any readers with children will be able to empathise in some way.
Five Bad Deeds is one of those books that makes you think about and question what you truly know about the people in your life - relationships are not always what they seem, friendships are not always what they seem and will your family have your back when you really need them to? This is a thriller which fully revolves around the connections between people, there are elements of nature v. nurture and also the lengths a mother will go to protect her family. An entertaining and unpredictable thriller!
Thanks to Anne Cater - @RandomTTours, Caz Frear @CazziF and Simon & Schuster UK - @SimonSchusterUK for the opportunity to read and review.
Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK Genre: Psychological Thriller / Crime Thriller
ISBN: 978-1398524910
Pages: 416pp