If you want a book with more twists and turns than Thorpe Park then this is it - truly the definition of a psychological thriller, with an unusual and really original plot that will have you second guessing, never knowing who the bad guy really is. I thought this was so well written and definitely an example of this genre at its finest!

A heart breaking and heart stopping read full or twists and turns that will leave you breathless. This book picked up a quick pace and was unrelenting until the last page. Well written with fantastic characters that bring this story to life. Dark and gritty and full of electric undercurrent leaving you wondering what is going to happen next.
Well done. A great read.

Olivia is coming to the end of her prison sentence for the attempted murder of her husband Dominic- a crime she did not commit. . Dominic had managed to get Olivia convicted with the help of Dani- his mistress & a serving police officer. She agreed to do it to get money from him in order help her drug addict sister. With the help of her ex cell-mate she is determined to expose the truth of how she was set up. That is the only way she be able to get to know her daughter again & eventually get custody of her.
As I have come to expect of C.L.Taylor, this was a fast pace read with great characters & short chapters to keep you on your toes. Although you are instinctively going to dislike Dani for what she did, she comes across as another victim of the dastardly Dominic! I really enjoyed this book. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.

THE GUILTY COUPLE is a psychological thriller by bestselling author of nine gripping standalone psychological thrillers C. L. Taylor.

Her novels include:
Before I Wake (2014)
aka The Accident
The Lie (2015)
The Missing (2016)
The Escape (2017)
The Treatment (2017)
The Fear (2018)
Sleep (2019)
Strangers (2020)
The Island (2021)
Her Last Holiday (2021)
The Guilty Couple (2022)

This is my review of The Guilty Couple.

Five years ago, Olivia Sutherland was wrongfully convicted of plotting to murder her husband.

The Prosecutor had made her out to be a liar and a cheat, a woman filled with hatred and obsessed with money and death, who had attempted unsuccessfully to have her husband, Dominic killed, in order to keep her lifestyle, her daughter Grace and her lover, Jack. Dominic did not defend her in court.

Olivia, a mother and wife, and an art gallery owner felt she had been set up. She was found guilty and sent to prison for five years.

Why would she choose to have her husband murdered, instead of just leaving him?

Now she's finally free, Olivia has three goals: repair her relationship with her teenage daughter, clear her name, and bring down her husband – the man who framed her.

Dominic is on the verge of bankruptcy, his ex-wife is out of prison, and Dani, his ex-lover, a police officer wants money.

A story full of twists and turns with a gripping conclusion.

Many thanks to the author, Avon Books UK and NetGalley for my digital copy.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon Books UK for this ARC.

The Guilty Couple is about Olivia who was framed by her husband of a crime she didn't commit. This was after he found out about Olivia's affair with a guy named Jack. Olivia imprisoned and 5 years later she is determined to get her life back and the justice she deserves.

It was a fast paced book, got me hooked especially around 40% through. It was action-packed and I love the string of revelations. I totally did not see that one particular twist coming though I see some plotholes. I think it was a very good book and I am very satisfied with the ending.

I love books by this author but this one just lacked something for me. It lacked the twists of other books that I have read by this author and those wow moments that I had also come across in previous books.

The storyline is good and it’s a fast read too. There was a big name mistake in one part, which I can understand as I read an ARC copy and mistakes can happen but it did niggle me a bit.

Overall a good read, I just didn’t find it as punchy as previous books.

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

This is one of C.L.Taylor’s best books yet, this is an author just gets better and better with every book. This one had me gripped from the first page until the last page. The story is fast paced told through the points of view of Olivia, Dominic and Dani. How reliable are each of these characters. What would you do if your husband framed you for attempted murder? You spend 5 years in prison, 5 years that you miss of your daughter growing up. The marriage was over, both were being unfaithful. But Olivia had wanted to leave the marriage. But if she left then they would have to share custody of Grace and the one thing that Olivia and Dominic do have in common is the love for their daughter.

When Olivia is released from jail she wants to prove her innocence, but how can she do that? Olivia has no family, the only thing she has is her friends, some may have let her down when she was in prison but can she trust them now she is out to help her to prove she was always innocent of what she was charged with. Because she will always be a criminal unless she proves she isn’t.

This is a book with some great characters, some you will like, some you really won’t. Olivia promised Smithy that when she came out of prison she would help her. They had struck up a good friendship, but can Smithy be trusted when she is out? Dani is the bent detective who helped send Olivia down, but despite that side of her there is a whole other side where she was trying to get money to get her heroin addicted sister into rehab, that softened your reaction to her a little.

But gradually twists start to come out, things you don’t see coming because they are so cleverly written, at one stage I thought I had an idea about one of the characters but I was completely wrong. The story will have you on the edge of your seat at times, as Olivia tries to get evidence to prove she is innocent. But will she be able to clear her name?

If you like a psychological thriller then grab a copy of this you will not be disappointed. You may find yourself reading into the middle of the night.

I would like to thank #netgalley and #Avonpublishers for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest, fair and unbiased review.

A clever plot that had me gripped and enthralled from the start of this book. I found this story fast paced and exciting with a host of different relatable characters that fitted in perfectly.
When Olivia is released from prison after long five years, she is determined to reconnect with her now teenage daughter whilst also taking revenge on her ex-husband who framed her for attempted murder. Prison has changed Liv as she is a much stronger and wise woman now and is ready to do almost anything in her plight. There is mystery when someone is not who they say they are and I was completely wrong when I tried to work out the ending. This made for a fabulous twisty tale that I thoroughly enjoyed.
My thanks to Net Galley and Avon for the ARC of this book.

I honestly feel that this book was great, the storyline was catchy and the plot had you going for a while. The second half of the book could have been a bit more twisty.

Olivia has just been released from prison for attempted murder of her husband. She is innocent of this crime, so sets about to prove she was set up.
This was a reasonably enjoyable story with some twists along the way, however there was nothing special about it.

EXCERPT: The usher turns to address the court and a wave of fear crashes over me. It doesn't feel real, this, me in a courtroom, waiting for a verdict. If they find me guilty, I'll get between seven and ten years. Grace is only seven. She'll be a teenager before I am free.

The usher turns to the jury. 'Would the foreman please stand.'

Sarah-Helen rises from her seat and smooths the crumpled skirt of her floral cotton dress. She's nervous. That makes me feel worse.

'Madam Foreman,' the usher's voice rings out through the wood-panelled courtroom. 'On this indictment have the jury reached a verdict upon which you are all agreed'

Sarah-Helen clears her throat lightly. All eyes are on her and the stress of the spotlight pinkens her cheeks. 'Yes, we have.'

'On count one,' the usher says, 'do you find the defendant guilty or not guilty?'

Time slows as Sarah-Helen's lips part. Please, I silently pray. Please, please. I didn't conspire to have Dominic murdered. I don't know who did, but it wasn't me.

'Guilty.'

ABOUT 'THE GUILTY COUPLE': Five years ago, Olivia Sutherland was wrongfully convicted of plotting to murder her husband.

Now she's finally free, Olivia has three goals: repair her relationship with her teenage daughter, clear her name, and bring down her husband – the man who framed her.

Just how far is she willing to go to get what she wants? And how far will her husband go to stop her? Because his lies run deeper than Olivia could ever have imagined – and this time it’s not her freedom that’s in jeopardy, but her life…

MY THOUGHTS: The Guilty Couple was a quick, but not a satisfying read for me. I have always enjoyed this author's books in the past, but this lacks the subtlety and finesse I have come to expect from her writing. Her wry sense of humour was also missing.

There's not one character, except for the guilty couple's daughter Grace, that I felt any empathy for. As far as I'm concerned, her parents deserved each other. I don't require that a story has likeable characters for me to appreciate the book, I love characters I love to hate, but I really couldn't have cared less about what happened to Olivia, Dominic, Dani or Jack.

The characters are unrealistic - let's take Dani as an example. She's a cop, a personal trainer, and yet she doesn't seem to work at all! She spends all her time either following Olivia around or trying to rescue her sister from her drug addiction.

The plot didn't hold together for me. It bordered on ridiculous and far-fetched. To be honest, if I hadn't read and enjoyed this author's previous books, this would have been a dnf for me. I kept reading hoping that Taylor would redeem herself, pull a rabbit out of her hat and stun me with The edge-of-your-seat, gasp-out-loud crime thriller for 2022 that I was promised. It didn't happen.

⭐⭐ very dejected stars

#TheGuiltyCouple #NetGalley

I: @cltaylorauthor @avonbooksuk

T: @callytaylor @AvonBooksUK

THE AUTHOR: Cally Taylor was born in Worcester and spent her early years living in various army camps in the UK and Germany. She studied Psychology at the University of Northumbria and went on forge a career in instructional design and e-Learning before leaving to write full time in 2014. She lives in Bristol with her partner and son.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Avon Books UK via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Guilty Couple by C.L. Taylor for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review and is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage

Olivia Sutherland has just been released from prison after serving five years for plotting to have her husband murdered. She knows it was a wrongful conviction and that she was framed by someone she knew well – the husband she was accused of trying to kill. Now free, she has a few things she needs to do: clear her name, repair the relationship between herself and her daughter and exact revenge on her husband. With her husband’s lies running deeper than she realised, just how far will he go to stop Olivia from revealing the truth?

The Guilty Couple is a twisty tale of deceit and a lesson in whether we can really trust those closest to us. We know from the outset that Olivia has been framed and that her husband is the one who has done it, but what we don’t realise is just how deep these lies go. As the book progresses, and the lies start to unravel due to Olivia’s doggedness, there is a sense of foreboding as we discover that there are even secrets among her closest allies. Will Olivia manage to clear her name or is she putting herself in even more danger?

There is some great characterization, my favourite character being Smithy, someone who was in prison with Olivia. While some of her methods of help are far from legal, I liked how she helped Olivia to toughen up, giving her the strength to continue with her mission.

While it is fair to say that you do have to suspend belief on several occasions, C L Taylor has written another book that will keep you gripped until the last page, willing Olivia to clear her name and start a new life without any guilt hanging over her.

A woman wrongfully convicted of attempting to murder her husband gets released from jail and plots revenge on the husband who allegedly framed her.

With revenge at the forefront, the premise is interesting for sure. Even the pace is rapid and consistent with multiple PoVs. The twists kept coming in though a few failed to floor me. The characters were slightly annoying but I guess that's become the norm for thrillers these days.

Overall this was a fun and enjoyable read and I was satisfied with the way the story was wrapped up in the final chapters. This is the second book I have read from this author and I will definitely check out her backlist books.

Thank you @netgalley and @avonbooksuk for providing me with a digital ARC in return for my honest review.

This book is out now.

C L Taylor has produced another read which had me gripped from the start. She has a wonderful ability to create a layered, dimensional character you can get behind, flaws and all. Her character writing is probably her strongest suit as there are plenty characters in the books you cant help but hate too.
This story was something quite different, but I found it engrossing from start to finish. Another fantastic book that I can only recommend to anyone who enjoys a crime/thriller

Thanks so much for the chance to read The Guilty Couple. Cally Taylor does not disappoint!

So many twists and secrets!
Tense, gripping

Great ending

I have no idea how she does it by C. L. Taylor has ever let me down and each book just gets better and better.

I was hooked from the first page and it didn't let me go until the last, and I read this over the course of an evening while on holiday.

It's spectacular and keeps you guessing throughout. I didn't even get a chance to come up with any theories, as I was drawn to just reading the next page, the next chapter, mainly oblivious to the music being played in the bar at the same time!

It's twisted, it's clever, and it's completely outstanding. The characters all felt very realistic, and I certainly was rooting for Olivia the entire time.

It's fast paced, and there are quite a number of characters to get your head around, but they are all distinct and it's very hard to know who to trust, especially once some revelations are revealed.

This is an author that can do no wrong in my eyes and this book is testament to the fact that her storytelling and imagination are growing from strength to strength.

Utterly brilliant.

Thank you to Avon and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

Another cracking read from Cally Taylor. I raced through this brilliant story that sees Olivia released from prison after five years having been found guilty for plotting to murder her husband, Dom. Determined to prove her innocence she enlists the help of her closest friends to prove she was framed by Dom. Desperate also to repair the damage to her daughter Grace and make up for the missing years when Dom brainwashed her into believing her mother was evil. Olivia doesn’t relax once released from prison and immediately launches into trying to put everything right. However, without thinking things through properly she is in danger of making things far worse. With many twists this book will have you on the edge of your seat as long buried secrets threaten many lives. I thoroughly recommend this clever and well constructed book that questions who exactly is most guilty.

I absolutely loved The Guilty Couple - I could not put it down. It was fast paced and full of tension, twists and turns. I highly recommend this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for my ARC.

I really wish that publishers would STOP adding buzz words like "nail-biting", "full of twists and turns, "unputdownable", "totally gripping", and "edge of your seat" to the end of their titles. It always (for me at least), ends in a letdown.

Sadly, this one was no different. It started off strong, with Olivia first being sentenced to jail for a crime she claims she didn't commit, and then giving us a glimpse of how she handled those five years (being smart and strong). But then she gets out and she just goes... stupid.

Time and again she takes risks to try "and prove her innocence", but each time she only ends up proving why she should be in jail. She violates the terms of her probation on a monumental scale (more than once), but no one cares. That might be because the only cop we ever see in this novel is not only doing everything but actual police work (honesty name me one cop who has the time to moonlight as a personal trainer or spend hours spying on people). Of course, Dani is also more corrupt than Olivia, not only sleeping with Olivia's ex-husband, but helping him to frame her in the first place.

The story itself moves on at a fast pace. but any reader with half a brain could see the twists. turns and surprises a mile away (including the reason why Jack went so long without contacting Olivia, and who was actually responsible for certain things). Added to that, none of the characters were even remotely likable except maybe Smithy, but even she was so one-dimensional that I didn't really care what happened to her.

I tried to like this story, but my lord. Between the glaring plot holes, and all of the characters acting completely OUT OF CHARACTER (Dani and Olivia I'm looking at you two specifically), this one just wasn't for me.

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

What would you do if your husband framed you for murder?

Five years ago, Olivia Sutherland was convicted of plotting to murder her husband. Now she’s finally free, Olivia has three goals. Repair her relationship with her daughter. Clear her name. And bring down her husband – the man who framed her. Just how far is she willing to go to get what she wants? And how far will her husband go to stop her?

C. L. Taylor's books are always full of mystery, twists and interesting characters so I couldn't wait to read her latest release. At the beginning of the novel, we meet the novel's protagonist, Olivia. She is out of prison after serving a five year sentence. Her new life as an ex-con is a far cry from her previous life as a middle-class mother and art gallery owner. She is desperate to rebuild the relationship with her now teenaged daughter, Grace, and prove her innocence after being framed for conspiracy to murder by her husband, Dominic.

The story is told from multiple points of view and keeps the reader guessing throughout. Each character seems to have their own agenda and it's difficult to know who is telling the truth. Aside from Olivia, we hear from Dominic, her estranged ex-husband and Dani, a corrupt police officer who will go to any lengths to raise money to put her sister into rehab.

I particularly liked the exploration of life after prison. Olivia’s experiences convey the culture shock of someone who has spent years locked up, only to be released and thrust into a world that has changed in the time she’s been away. Her daughter is five years older and finds it difficult to trust her. Olivia struggles to find a place to live and a job. She has to rebuild her life with the help of the friends that stood by her, as well as some new acquaintances she met inside. Add the emotional impact from the injustice of being framed, and you can see why she desires revenge.

I think the novel would have been even better with more scenes based on the past. I was interested in Olivia’s life with Dominic before she went to prison and it would have been good to see some flashbacks of this, especially as there were some key events that happened during this period that led to her imprisonment.

C. L. Taylor has been very open with her process about writing this book. You can find information about how she plotted the story on her website - it's definitely worth a read if you're interested in the writing process. It’s interesting to see how the seed of an idea transformed into a full novel.

I would recommend this book for anyone who enjoys twisty thrillers with themes of women fighting injustice, betrayal, social issues, unlikeable characters, motherhood and secrets.