I LOVED this read I read it without stopping.
It is a gut wrenching real feel storyline. Rare is it that you get a ‘feeling” from the first page, that you have a proper guttural tale ahead of you. And I soon found I did.
No spoilers but at some points I felt sick and breathless , others I felt sad and low. There were times I was elated so I went through the whole circle of emotions .
Fantastic characters well established and an AMAZING book to be released on World book day

This is a brilliant, gripping psychological thriller following Jenna who we meet just after she has been charged with the murder of her stepdaughter. Considering the story is set over a few months, the story and the pace does not let up and the prison scenes are so well written, I felt claustrophobic! Also, I usually pride myself on at least working out a vague inkling as to what happened before reveals, but this one got me good! Loved it.

There is often a lot of rubbish in the tabloids about the easy life prisoners lead. Anyone believing that rubbish ought to read this book. The author draws on her interviews with prisoners and also academic research to give a convincing background to this novel.

Jenna is in prison accused of murdering her stepdaughter and fiance. She was found cradling her dead stepdaughter and with her fiance's blood on her. He has disappeared. At first she believes that it is all a mistake and that she will be released but soon realises that she is being set up. But who is behind it and why. With very few allies in prison and a deadly enemy she is in for a rough time.

I can't say I enjoyed this book. It was well written and gritty but the prison scenes are often violent and it is quite a depressing read. Having said that though I would recommend it as this is such an important subject. The treatment of prisoners is not always as it should be in our society and that is a reflection on us all. Undoubtedly there are too many people in prison and with the poor rehabilitation rates that they have we have to ask ourselves if they are an effective means of justice. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

This is a cracking read! I was intrigued and desperate to find out exactly what had happened that led to Jenna being accused of killing her stepdaughter. The disappearance of her fiancé, blood everywhere,, Jenna at the scene. Jenna claims she is innocent. Yet how is she going to prove it while she is in prison.. The tension throughout this book was unrelenting. A first rate thriller from beginning to end. his is a cracking read! I was intrigued and desperate to find out exactly what had happened that led to Jenna being accused of killing her stepdaughter. The disappearance of her fiancé, blood everywhere,, Jenna at the scene. Jenna claims she is innocent. Yet how is she going to prove it while she is in prison.. The tension throughout this book was unrelenting. A first rate thriller from beginning to end.

“I don’t know what happened.
I only know one thing.
I didn’t do this.”
(On My Life, p. 1).
Jenna Burns doesn’t know who killed her step-daughter Emily - she only knows that it wasn’t her. Yet she finds herself being transported to HMP Fallenbrook to await trial for a crime she did not commit.
Nicknamed the ‘Blonde Slayer’ and accused of murdering a child earns Jenna no favours in prison, something Jenna learns quickly after an altercation with a violent inmate upon her arrival to Fallenbrook. As the harsh realities of prison set in, Jenna receives news from the doctor - she’s pregnant.
“I have to work out what happened in our house, work out who did this. I have to make the police believe me. I have to find Robert. I have to tell him he’s going to be a father.
I’ve been framed. I’m in prison. I’m pregnant.” (On My Life, p. 90).
The news of her pregnancy spurs Jenna on in her fight to prove her innocence and find out who framed her - not only to save herself, but her unborn child as well.
Could it be David, her fiancée’s controlling father? Or someone from their past with a motive to harm the family? And where is Robert? The police found his blood at the crime scene, but surely he didn’t have anything to do with Emily’s murder?
With minimal resources in prison, Jenna spends most of her time in her cell avoiding the violent inmate who first assaulted her. Will Jenna be able to prove her innocence before her baby is born?
Angela Clarke has meticulously researched what prison life is like for female inmates and those details make the setting in On My Life come alive. Readers everywhere will feel as if they are in a cell on the third floor of HMP Fallenbrook with dangers lurking around every corner. On My Life is a fast-paced read with a twist you won’t see coming.
Look for On My Life by Angela Clarke coming soon to GPPL. Place your hold now!

Underneath somewhere there is a good murder story here but most of the drama in the book is about conditions in the women's prison that the lead character is locked up in. The murder take does unfold gradually with a probably unexpected conclusion but it deserves a stronger place in the book. There are elements of the prison experience which take a bit of believing.

On My Life is the first book i have read from Angela Clarke and it is a good thriller with a great twisty ending i never saw coming.Jenna meets Robert and she thinks all is going well in their relationship but on returning home one day Jenna finds her step daughter Emily dead and Robert no where to be found and the kitchen covered in blood,Jenna is the prime suspect and finds herself on remand in Fallenbrook prison until her trial date is fixed despite strongly protesting her innocence,once inside she makes friends and enemies in equal measure and trying desperately to hide just why she is inside.She is frustrated at every turn as she tries to clear her name and find the killer from her cell and when she discovers she is pregnant that only adds to Jenna's problems.it is a well written thriller with plenty of twists and turns with a killer ending ! I would recommend On My Life if you enjoy this genre i will look out for Angela Clarke's next book without a doubt,a very good 4 star thriller.

My thanks to Hodder & Stoughton/Mulholland Books for an eARC via NetGalley of Angela Clarke’s thriller ‘On My Life’.

The novel opens with Jenna under arrest for the murder of Emily, her partner’s 14-year old daughter, after being found covered in blood cradling her dead body. Her partner, Robert, is missing, presumed also murdered and shocking images have been found on her laptop.

She is placed on remand and locked up in HMP Fallenbrook surrounded by prisoners who would certainly harm her if they learn of the crimes that she is accused of. Fearing that she has been framed by someone close to her, she then discovers that she is pregnant. Jenna is determined to clear her name and find the killer. An almost impossible task from inside prison with almost no resources. The cards certainly seem stacked against her.

Novels and films/tv series set in prisons are something I tend to avoid. So my heart sank a little when I realised that a great deal of this novel was about Jenna’s experiences in prison. Still last year I had read and appreciated Rachel Kushner’s ‘The Mars Room’ when it was short-listed for the Man Booker Prize. That novel highlighted the USA penal system so maybe it was time for me to read something about prisons closer to home.

Despite my hesitation I was soon swept up in this gripping thriller, which was as advertised pretty much impossible to put down. Along with Jenna’s harrowing experiences in the prison, there are also flashbacks to her developing relationship with Robert and Emily. (I wonder what is it with wealthy men in many thrillers seeking to mould their partners into 21st Century Stepford girlfriends?)

What distinguishes ‘On My Life’ from other novels in the thriller genre is the engagement with social issues associated with inmates, including new and expectant mothers, incarcerated in the U.K. prison system. In her Author’s Note Clarke cites her sources and influences. In addition, she visits and teaches in prisons and was provided with firsthand accounts so that she can depict authentically the day-to-day life in a U.K. prison.

This proved an amazing read and I am pleased that I overcame my prison-setting aversion. Highly recommended.

Jenna has worked hard to get where she is, from a lowly start in life she ends up meeting the man of her dreams, who is also extremely wealthy with a beautiful 14 year old daughter, and a controlling father and weak mother. Within a year Jenna is planning her wedding but she comes home one day to find her step-daughter murdered and her finance, Robert, missing. When all the evidence points to her, she finds herself locked up in prison awaiting trial. And pregnant!

Angela writes with first-hand knowledge of the prison system and its inmates. We meet some wonderful characters like Kelly, who Jenna shares a cell with and who is also pregnant, to the repugnant Gould who is the gang leader.

The story is fast paced and I was covering my eyes at times. The ending when it comes is very unexpected and shocking!

I was quite apprehensive about picking this up due to the hype surrounding it but it actually deserves the noise it's generating. I was riveted after the first few pages and the short, snappy chapters created a momentum which propelled me through. The tension builds and builds with each turn of the page but the story is actually more profound and thought-provoking than just a simple thriller.

At its heart, this is novel about the state of the justice system and the fact that it is fallible. You are so expertly placed in the prison beside the women that the claustrophobia creeps off the pages and seeps into your mind, and you experience what the characters are thinking and feeling. The situation is really rather heartbreaking and a sense of utter dread underpins the entirety of the narrative. It's well worth your time if you enjoy dark, disturbing fiction/nonfiction hybrids.

Many thanks to Mulholland Books for an ARC.

4.5 stars .. gripped from the beginning on Jenna’s journey from an ecstatically happy woman with the prefect man , stepdaughter and life, to the woman whose life is in tatters and in prison . I felt I was living Jenna’s life in prison through the descriptive writing of the author . I could practically smell the fear and sense the danger . Although I had an inkling as to what had happened it never spoiled from the book which I totally loved . My thanks to netgalley and the publishers for my opportunity to read

I wasn't sure I could love Angela's work much more - but then this arrived!!!! What a story....what a book....everyone should read this! I was hooked from the start, I fell for all of the characters and was desperate to know what happened with each of them....and the twist?!😱 I never saw that coming at all...wowsers!! I don't want to say too much more as I don't want to give away any spoilers but if you like reading books that hook you in, surprise and shock you and leave you wanting more - then this is for you 💕 Angela Clarke always writes so that you want more and this is no exception, can't wait to see what you come out with next @theangelaclarke 😍

Once again I would like to thank NetGalley for providing me with a Kindle copy of this book to read and impartially review, and introducing me to another new Author and an excellent book.
Framed. Imprisoned. Pregnant.
Jenna thought she had the perfect life: a loving fiancé, a great job, a beautiful home. Then she finds her stepdaughter murdered; her partner missing.
And the police think she did it...
Locked up to await trial, surrounded by prisoners who'd hurt her if they knew what she's accused of, certain someone close to her has framed her, Jenna knows what she needs to do:
Clear her name
Save her baby
Find the killer
But can she do it in time?
So states the blurb associated with this book which initially aroused my interest, and i am glad it did, this is a quality read, the majority of which is set in the claustrophobic confines of a prison cell.
Atmospheric tense and with a real sense of menace, the reader cannot help but sympathise and worry for our heroine and her fellow pregnant cellmate. Gripping from the first page and a real page turner, with a surprising amount of twists and turns, as Jenna tries to unravel the mystery of whodunnit. The characters are so real and well drawn they almost leap off the page, and there are some set pieces which draw you in and make you feel a part of the scene. Authentic gritty and with a feeling of menace, but also at times funny, this is a terrific read which i heartily recommend.

Sometimes you start reading a book and you just know it is going to be a fantastic read, this is one of those books. Right from the very first page you can tell it’s going to get you hooked !!

We first meet Jenna as she is being loaded into a prison van on her way to spending time in prison on remand. She is accused of killing her soon to be step daughter and also her fiancé, who is missing presumed dead. Jenna pleads her innocence but no-one believes her. After some routine tests in prison her life becomes even more complicated when she discovers she is pregnant. How can she be pregnant in prison ? What will happen to her if her fellow inmates discover her true identity and alleged crimes ? Can Jenna find out who framed her before it’s too late ?

This is a fantastic book and the best I have read in a long long time. It gets you hooked right from the start and I love the way we have little insights into the past here and there between the day to day of Jenna’s prison life. It is a very harrowing story in places and you get a real sense of prison life. If you are thinking of reading this book then just do it, you just need to read the first few pages to see how brilliant the book is going to be !!

Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for a digital copy of this book.

This story was so realistic that I didn't think I would be able to finish it. The implications of he story were horrendous and the descriptions of the prison and prisoners was terrifying. I am pleased I managed to finish the book, as there was some justice and closure at the end but the experience will haunt her for the rest of her life.

Jenna had it all, wonderful fiancé and stepdaughter. Wedding planned at his parents country estate house until she is charged with the murder of her stepdaughter. In prison protesting her innocence she discovers she is pregnant and with her fiancé missing how can she prove she isn’t guilty.

I really enjoyed this and didn’t work out the twist so that was a pleasant surprise! Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

A brilliant book that illustrates the nightmare of being imprisoned when innocent. The prison regime is graphically described bringing chills to my bones. A great story full of twists and suspense.

In On My Life the sights, sounds and smells of prison life are vividly realised.
Jenna has been falsely accused of a brutal murder. She is locked up on remand and everyone believes her to be guilty. A child-killer gets short shrift in prison so Jenna has to keep her head down and try to solve the murder from her cell.
This book is impossibly gripping and wonderfully entertaining. Five stars.

A stand –alone novel, On My Life grabs you from the beginning and never lets go. Tense, exhausting, gripping it’s all of those thriller staples, but it is so much more. Angela Clarke has so vividly recreated the women’s prison in which her protagonist, Jenna Burns is incarcerated awaiting trial, that you feel as if you are in there with her.

This is not just excellent research; it is living breathing jail time. I got scared, then I got angry as all of the injustices, large and small were meted out on Jenna and her poor cellmate, Kelly, just because they could. Compassion and empathy were hard to come by, regarded by prisoners and guards alike as a weakness that could never be shown.

The story is told in a dual time frame, then and now. Jenna’s incarceration takes up the now timeslot and we travel back in time to understand what led her to her present location and the charge of murder she faces.

Jenna’s life was good and she was on course to it becoming even better with a new love, and a whole new future in front of her. Angela Clarke drip feeds these sections with tiny drops of doubt and suspicion, leading us to wonder whether everything in Jenna’s garden is as rosy as she wants to believe, but nothing prepares us for the brutal murder and other horrible crimes with which Jenna is charged and which no-one seems to be in any doubt that she committed.

From the opening scene, where Jenna faces a media onslaught whilst being led into the prison van, the tension, noises, smells, the smells, all the visceral emotions that crowd her, grab the reader’s attention and make you feel as if you are there with her, all hope gone, still wondering how you could possibly have ended up here?

Whilst Clarke does a brilliant job of conveying the very real emotions of incarceration and the sense of isolation and hopelessness that a new inmate faces, I thought she also did an excellent job of showing real character development as Jenna realises how much she can learn from the women she makes friends with, once she has stopped thinking of them all as potential enemies.

Where the anger really surfaces, though, is when you understand that the utterly compelling picture that she paints about women in prison; pregnancy amongst inmates and the sheer lack of institutional capability to deal with pregnant women is all real.

Yes, this is a brilliant, breath-taking thriller that completely devours your time as you find yourself completely unable to put it down and I commend it to everyone for that alone. But it is also a searing indictment of the state of the justice system when it comes to understanding and dealing with women and the statistics and information that she details in the afterword are as shocking as the story the book has to tell.

Verdict: Riveting, nail-bitingly good, utterly compelling and beautifully plotted.

This story is told by Jenna, who appears to have the perfect life with Richard until she is wrongly accused of murdering her stepdaughter Emily and the possible murder of Richard who has disappeared.
Has she been set up???
Where is Richard???
It gives an in-depth insight into the conditions in women’s prisons today and keeps you in suspense right to the end.
Fantastic, intriguing thriller.
Highly recommend.
Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the opportunity to read and review.