Thank you Harper Perennial and NetGalley for this wonderful ARC. I have enjoyed Caz Frears previous series books. This one is a stand alone and is just as good, possibly even better than her others. The story is told from multiple POV's. . Ellen is our protagonist and she's having a run of bad luck.. She's stopped for suspected drunk driving. Visited by a social worker over concerns for her sons safety and she is questioned in the disappearance of a teenage boy she's been tutoring. The story moves like a literary bullet with many shocking twists. Overall an excellent and unputdownable read. I am taking off half a star because I did guess who the villain was and I found some of Ellen's decisions a little hard to believe. 4.5 stars

This is my first book from Caz Frear and all the great things I have heard did not disappoint. This was absolutely a fantastic read.

I loved reading all of the character's perspectives, the story was so intriguing, and there were just enough hints without being too obvious or the end coming out of nowhere. Every time I picked up the book I was always so hooked. I loved stepping into this story.

Ellen was highly likable to me and getting the others' opinions of her was really interesting. I liked that the end did not just bring everything to light and there were still some issues that were left hidden from Ellen. There was just enough justice served at the end, which made the story really realistic. Everyone is written to be pretty realistic with both good and bad sides to them.

I would really recommend this book to anyone and am looking forward to checking out more from Caz Frear

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper for the ARC. This book kept me guessing, for sure. My first by this author and I really liked the writing style. Easy yet well done. Solid domestic suspense.

I admit I was a little disappointed it wasn’t part of the series she writes. I did enjoy it and learned a lot about the bizarre British world of home buying. I thought the twist was interesting and opened up some questions—what would you do if it was your family member who was like this?

I also liked how the main character harmed other people she knew but didn’t realize it because no one actually ever talked to her about anything.

I thought it raised a lot of interesting points about interpersonal relationships for a mystery/thriller!

Five Bad Deeds…

Here we go…

When this showstopper appeared available on NetGalley it not only didn’t have a cover, it didn’t have a synopsis. I requested this book solely on the author and the title.

When it comes to Caz Frear, you don’t need to know what the book is about, you just know you need to read it.

I have zero regrets. Five Bad Deeds has my vote for book of the year. It already climbed right on up to my number one spot as my most favored book of this year.

Frear, has natural born talent and it emulates on every page . Five Bad Deeds must be pre-ordered and read by all.

Anything less than 5 stars would be criminal. Here’s a bit of a teaser :

Acclaimed, internationally bestselling author Caz Frear ratchets up the suspense in this outstanding standalone psychological thriller—a gripping tale of revenge, loyalty, and the secrets hidden between the walls of the most beautiful home in town.

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 nonstop 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:

People have to learn there are consequences, Ellen.

And I’m going to teach you that lesson.

Right under your nose.

Why would someone send her this? Ellen has no clue. She’s no angel—a white lie here, an occasional sharp tongue there—but nothing to incur the wrath of an anonymous enemy. She’d never intentionally hurt anyone.

But intention doesn’t matter to someone. Someone blames this supposed “good person” for all the bad they’ve experienced. And maybe they have reason to? Because few of us get through life without leaving a black mark on someone else’s. 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 reputation and her future, Ellen continues to receive increasingly threatening messages . . . each one hitting closer to everything she cherishes.

Finally a standalone from Caz Frear! -Bringing her signature style to the behind the scenes in suburbia trope.
You can love to hate Ellen, or just kind of hate her like I did, always fun to see the perfect mom get her due.
4 1/2 beachy read stars rounded up .