This is a very enjoyable read, told from three different viewpoints, which works really well. It is a compelling read from the start but slowed down a bit towards the middle. The characters are very unlikeable and I failed to empathise with any of them! There are plenty of twists, it's a bit dark but definitely worth reading. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

I could not get into this book, sorry. Trying to clean up my netgalley. Didn’t realize that I was forgetting to leave reviews on netgalley itself, My apologies.

Unfortunately this book was not for me, it was a bit slower than I would like and it just didn't hold my attention. I am sure other people will love it!

I struggled to get through this book overall. Part way through my mind was wondering and I could not focus. Though I finished this book, I was not overtly impressed by it; I loved the idea and the synopsis, but it fell short. There was so much characterization that every single character was unlikable. So much focus was on back stories that there was time when confusion set in. The back stories of the characters were the standard mental instability, taking care of family, and alcohol. The book was slow and there were no shocking twists, making the ending predictable. This book had so much potential and I wanted to like it, but it was a letdown.

I want to thank NetGalley, Jo Spain, and Crooked Lane Books for an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I really liked the setup, but ultimately this didn't work for me. I was looking for more thriller and less character study. The story starts off with a memorable bang, but then splits into different points of view with too much character background and not enough connection to the main mystery.

You know a book is good when, as a reader, you stop halfway through and try to order more books by the author, which is exactly what happened to me in the midst ofnreading Jo Spain's The Confession. I loved the multiple narrators, flawed characters, and the character development throughout this novel. Perhaps the most interesting characters were JP and Julia, and Spain does an excellent job of revealing important pieces of their back stories in order to keep me guessing. Overall, a fantastic read!

This is the first Jo Spain book I've read and it's one heck a read. The story is simple but superbly written, the characters are so well done they feel like real people and the setting is so well described I felt like I was in Dublin too. I appreciated the multi layered story and the twists and turns that I didn't predict. While this is the first Jo Spain book I've read, it's definitely not the last.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to review this book and to be an early reader via NetGalley! However, I will not be writing a review for this title at this time, as my reading preferences have since changed somewhat. In the event that I decide to review the book in the future, I will make sure to purchase a copy for myself or borrow it from a library. Once again, thank you so much for providing me with early access to this title. I truly appreciate it. Please feel free to contact me with any follow-up questions or concerns.

Crazy book, Just in the begining a woman watches her husband be brutally murdered in their home. I love that we dont know why they did it until the last page. Nice twist!

Oooh! An Irish thriller! I loved this book and it kept me on the edge of my seat throughout. Finally, a fresh take on thrillers!

Ohhh lots of secrets and darkness. I was able to get lost in this one because dark is good :-)
Really well written.
Love the over too!
Thank you for my free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

LOVE LOVE LOVE! This one kept me on my toes! Don't read if you get scared easily! It will keep you up at night!

I found this book difficult to enter into. I kept starting and stopping, then restarting again. The opener was interesting but had a sense of being detached. I couldn't access it.

This was a pretty good drama/mystery that kept me guessing until almost the very end!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review!

was a gripping thriller that took you to every aspect of trying to figure out what was really going on and what was going to happen next! This was such an amazing book and I can’t wait to see what else is released from this author!

I really didn’t know what to expect from this book, but the plot sounded interesting so I though I would give it a try. It was great!! Like, I couldn’t put it down great. I love that the story is told from differing points of view and how the plot lines are interwoven. This would be a great book club book...lots to discuss!

The story opens up with a violent crime and immediately — like, within the next 2 pages — tells us who did it. So you go into the book knowing what happened. You just don’t know WHY. It’s not exactly a thriller, since the big scary event already happened, but it does make you curious about the situation.

Told from all sides of the issue, the mystery is laid bare page by page. We get to watch as detectives unveil corruption and hidden secrets. We’re told Julie’s story through painful narrative, and most of JP’s version is based in the past. Author Jo Spain brings the characters to their knees while making the reader care about them, even when they’re so deep in doo-doo.

What really stuck with me from beginning to end was Julie’s matchless love for Harry. Even after he broke her heart and betrayed her, Julie stuck by his side. I didn’t like the ending, but I appreciated that Julie still loved Harry despite their history.

I received an Advanced Reader Copy. I am voluntarily leaving a review. JP Carney has just waltzed into the home of Notorious banker Harry McNamara and beat him to death in front of his wife, who did nothing to try and stop it. This we know. The why, that comes later, in flashback, told by both JP and Julie McNamara. Did Harry deserve this violent end? Did Julie have her husband killed? You will be left speechless at the end. There were some moments that dragged, but overall a great mystery.

YOU FIND OUT WHO DID IT ON THE VERY FIRST PAGE. ON THE LAST PAGE, YOU’LL FIND OUT WHY…

From the very get go this is a book that will grab hold of your imagination and not let go until you turn that last page.

This is the first book of Jo Spain’s that I have read and I now have her next book ‘Dirty Little Secrets’ on pre-order and if this book is anything to go by I can’t wait.

It is quite hard to review this one without giving anything away and I would hate to ruin it for anyone, it is one of those books that you need to read and discover for yourselves and let the twists and turns make your head spin with no outside influence!

With an opening like this –

“It’s the first spray of my husband’s blood hitting the television screen that will haunt me in the weeks to come – a perfect diagonal splash, each droplet descending like a vivid red tear.

That, and the sound of his skull cracking as the blows from the golf club rain down”

It makes sure it has your attention straight off the bat, or should that be club? 😂

Some brilliantly crafted characters and some wonderfully written intrigue this is one for any fan of this psychological thriller genre. I just wish I had read this one sooner and Jo Spain’s other books will now be heading to my ever-increasing tbr pile!

A big thank you to the author Jo Spain, publishers Quercus Books, Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for my copy of this book in exchange for an honest and independent review.

https://debbiesbookreviews.wordpress.com/2019/01/09/the-confession-by-jo-spain/

I will admit, I struggled with Jo Spain’s The Confession at first. I read the first quarter of the book, and it wasn’t for another month that I picked it back up to continue. I thought about quitting and starting a new one, but I read a few reviews and saw that others said to “stick with it” so that’s what I decided to do. And am I glad I did!

The Confession centers on business-tycoon Harry- who in the prologue of the book is beaten into a coma. The story’s told in three voices: Harry’s wife Julie, JP (who quickly confesses) and Alice Moody (detective on the case).

The story focused on Harry and Julie’s relationship, JP’s background, and Moody’s insistence on solving the case- even when it doesn’t seem as though there is much to solve- because of JP’s quick confession!

There are times you’ll feel empathy for JP and Julie, and times where you’ll be so mad and frustrated by their characters you’ll want to scream at them to “get a grip.” But in the end, even if you predict some of the twists and turns, you won’t see what happens coming.

Make it through the first 1/3 of this book and you won’t want to put down the last 2/3. I’d like to see more books featuring Moody as well, given that we got some good background info into her character- but enough to leave us as a reader hanging!

Thanks, Netgalley, for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I would give 3 1/2 out of 5 stars.