This was gripping from the start and had a lot of tense moments and drama, it was an intriguing thriller and kept my attention from the start

I have read many Kerry Wilkinson books and all of them are 5 stars. His books have a depth of character and back story building that brings the reader into the story. THE BLAME is set in a small town that could easily be any small town you know. The neighbors know who you are and who your parents are, they have no problem keeping track and telling everyone your business. There are few....if any.....secrets.
Three friends whose friendship has been stretched, but not broken, by time and distance, will come together in this small town to support one of their own against a murder allegation. But with time and distance also come changes, they are not the same people they were 20 years ago when they shared so many secrets. This is the backstory upon which this thriller is cast. Wilkinson builds this friendship so solidly that you could see the three adults twenty years before today brought them back to ground. The tension builds as the questions mount, so many questions that they begin to doubt their own memories.
As always, this was an excellent read. If you have never read any of Wilkinson's books, add him to your TBR pile and enjoy.

A good read with some really interesting twists. I didn't expect the ending at all. I wouldn't say it's the best book I've read from the author (I have HIGH standards from her) but it's a good read nonetheless.

Gripping story as usual. Couldn't put the book down. Kept me guessing right until the very end. Would recommend this book to everyone.

This book was so addictive and talks about how your past life can come back to haunt you. When I saw the plot I just knew i had to read this book and I wasnt disappointed.

Having read and enjoyed a fair few of this authors books, it wasn’t a difficult choice to decide to read more by this author.

The story was a good one, well thought out and we’ll written, not too slow or overly fast paced, just right, especially as there is plenty happening within each chapter. I was pretty gripped from start to finish and I literally couldn’t turn the pages fast enough for wanting to see what was going to happen next.

I’m looking forward to Kerry next standalone book already however, I have yet to read his series but they are very much on my to be read list.

This psycho-thriller will have you on the edge of your seat all the way to the end. If you enjoy this genre then don’t pass this one up

I really enjoyed the writing style in this book. The twists and turns kept my attention throughout. I will definitely be checking out other books by this author and I would recommend this book to friends and family.

I have loved all of Kerry's books and when his latest came out I just had to cancel my chores for the day, find a comfy spot, open my kindle and start to read it. Oh my it did not disappoint!
The blame by Kerry Wilkinson was another excellent read. I loved it and was hooked from the second page. This is another book full of twists and turns throughout that will have you gripped!
Kerry, You have done it again! An addictive page turner.

I highly recommend this latest book and then again all of his books. Kerry is just an excellent author!

Big Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author Kerry Wilkinson for my ARC in exchange for an honest review

As I have never read from this author before, I was not sure what to expect. Three friends are brought together after 20 years when one of them is accused of murder. As the lead character tries to prove their innocence, he discovers people really do change and childhood innocence is easily taken away "People change" being the underlying theme of this book. I did not find the characters as being easily relatable, and found not much suspense or excitement in the pages at all. Thank you Netgalley for the free ARC. This is my honest review.

Thank you in advance to Netgalley and the author for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The premise of the story is good but its a definite slow burner and at by the end a bit "forgettable" as far a mystery / suspense thrillers go.

Childhood friends Harry, Paige and Richard thought they'd be friends forever but one day they took a short cut home along the old railway line and stumbled upon the dead body of a school friend in the undergrowth.

Flash forward twenty years and Harry (living in Canada) receives a phone call from Paige telling him that Richard has been accused of murdering a teacher from their old school. This drags up questions about the past and what really happened back then and how the three main characters lives have changed.

Overall, an okay read with some good characters but not one I would necessarily recommend to friends..

Harry returns home from Canada to his school friends whom he hasn’t seen for years. He left their local small town hoping never to return but his friend Paige calls begging him to come home because their friend Richard has been accused of murder.
The three of them share a terrible secret from the past - is this going to mean trouble for all of them now? Can they trust each other and is Harry going to find himself in serious trouble?
Lots of questions need to be answered and most of them are though a few were a bit suspect.
Slow in places though speeds up towards the end.
Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for allowing me to read this book in return for a fair review.
3.5 Stars ⭐️

This is a story about the friendship of three friends. Harry is now living in Canada and receives a call from Paige saying their other friend Richard has been arrested for murder and she is convinced that he is innocent. We learn that twenty years previously, on their way home from school, Harry and Richard found the body of one of their classmates Graham and that Richard has now become a suspect in that murder also. Harry has recently split from his wife so he decides to catch a plane back home and help Paige prove Richard’s innocence. Harry and Paige then have to try to find evidence to prove Richard’s innocence and also to try and finally solve who murdered Graham. But Paige is acting very strange and when they find something in Richard’s flat it makes them wonder what is really going on and is it linked to the past. I found the first part of the book very slow but I was pleased I persevered to the end which was totally unexpected. Another good read from Kerry Wilkinson.
Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for my ARC. The Blame is a slow paced mystery about long buried secrets and the consequences. Childhood friends unite after one has been accused of murder. The shocking conclusion was unexpected. I enjoyed this character driven story full of suspense and surprising twists.

Past coming back and dragging you by the tiny threads of childhood friendship

Harry got a call from Paige that their other friend had been arrested. And he was back to the place he wanted to escape forever. This time place had changed, mindsets had not. His friends had changed, their attitude had not.

The twist in the blurb written was Richard had been arrested for murder and years ago, Harry and he had found another dead body, that remained unsolved till date.

Author Kerry Wilkinson was a hit or miss author. Sometimes his thrillers had an off-the-seat edge to it and then there were those that slowly build it up. This was the latter. The first two thirds was extremely slow. I couldn’t seem to get into the story.

Then it found its pace and came with a few twists. The characters were unlikable but that was expected. The ending still managed to surprise me.

This is an enjoyable stand alone suspense thriller from the writer of the Jessica Daniel police procedurals. I changed my mind many times about who had killed all those years ago and how far they would go to keep their secret but I was stunned when the murderer was exposed, I hadn't considered that person at all.

I’m a fan of this author and have read several of his books. One of my all-time favorites is still After the Accident. I always look forward to his new releases, because it seems as if he likes to challenge himself to approach stories in different ways. This is no exception. The author does a fine job of keeping the lines between main characters murky. It was difficult to determine who was telling the truth to each other (and to themselves). I also thought the author captured the bleakness of small-town life accurately – it’s similar anywhere in the world. Current topics such as addiction, organized crime, and family dynamics are all addressed with a deft hand in the natural course of the plot. It did meander a bit, as a means of building tension, but wrapped up efficiently. For a detailed review, please visit Fireflies and Free Kicks. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for a digital ARC of the book.

Paige, Richard, and Harry were the best of friends in high school and then Harry went away to college and never came back. When Paige gets a message to Harry that Richard has been arrested for murder, Harry goes back to help. Then the police start asking questions about a dead body that Harry and Richard found in the woods back when they were in high school. Could Richard have killed before? I enjoyed this as a good slow burn mystery.

The Blame by Kerry Wilkinson is one of them books that will leave you feeling a bit creeped out. He always writes an addictive and creepy bokk but, be warnes this is his scariest up till now.
A trio of schoolfriends, Harry, Richard and Paige make a decision that will return to haunt them many years later. They decide to take a short cut walking home from school one day and come across the dead body of a school friend. They all decide to never say anything and make a pact never to speak of what they saw. This works until twenty years later when their secret comes back in ways they wouldn't ever expect.
The three friends have got on with their lives and have done their utmost to put that terrible secret away and try to forget it. When Richard finds himself arrested in connection with that same body, Harry and Paige realise they have to face the very thing they have spent trying to escape. They all three come to the realisation that the truth is the best way to go, but in clearing one friend another one may be incriminated. The friends find out that someone else knows what happened and they are just waiting in the wings for the right moment to make them all pay.
Wow! A tense and very creepy read. Kerry Wilkinson really has excelled with 'The Blame'. Although I must say every book he publishes is an excellent read it just seems that with this one he has created such an excellently plottes story. The menace and danger runs through this book and it has the power to scare you silly. There are twists on almost every page. He never lets up, just ramping the tension up so much you just cannot put this book away! No! Not even to sleep! Well that may be me but you need to find that out for yourself!
What a read! Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for my copy of this fabulous scary read for my review.

2.5 bumped up for writing

I slogged through this. It took me forever to finish and now that I did I’m a bit underwhelmed. I have read other things by this author and enjoyed them. I like the characters and writing style but this one was slow.

The beginning seemed to offer good promise but after Harry arrived home nothing happens for way too long. There is a lot of walking around in very cold weather. There are a lot of homeless addicts on these streets. There is a very strange relationship detailed between Harry and his sister Evie. And Paige makes multiple meet ups with her drug dealers (local thugs that graduated from grade school bullies to full blown criminals).

Still I persevered because I had to know the connection between Grahams death and Wilson, if there was one. This is where it becomes pretty depressing for me. I hated the ending. One additional death, the reason behind the reveal for Grahams death, and the tentative connection between the two murders are realistic, I suppose, but no less tragic and unfulfilling.

I would suggest trying this if you have the patience for a real slow burn and sad story. The writing is good and the characters are interesting. I would try more by this author. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and Bookouture for a copy in exchange for a review.