There are authors who know how to keep their foot on the plot pedal, and then there are authors who smash the pedal to the floorboard and don't let up. The latter is definitely the case for Bill Schweigart in The Guilty One. I loved the back and forth timelines, the past informing Cal Farrell's present as he tries to solve murders that appear completely unrelated, yet somehow have a thread through him. I couldn't put it down, highly recommended!

“The Guilty One” is a gripping psychological thriller that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. The story follows Detective Cal Farrell, who is hailed as a hero for stopping an active shooter, even though he can’t remember the event. As he struggles to recover his memories, he becomes entangled in a series of gruesome murders that seem to be targeting him.

One of the strengths of this novel is its clever use of dual timelines. The story shifts between the events leading up to the mass shooting and the present day, creating a sense of suspense and intrigue. However, some readers might find that the transitions between timelines occasionally break the momentum of the story, especially when they are deeply engrossed in one timeline and are suddenly pulled into another. The character of Cal Farrell is well-drawn, and readers will empathize with his struggle to come to terms with his hero status and his memory loss. Schweigart creates a cast of characters with authentic and relatable relationships, making readers root for the underdog and become invested in the story’s outcome.

The mystery at the heart of the novel is expertly crafted. The author skillfully misdirects readers, presenting multiple suspects and keeping them guessing about the identity of the killer. This element of the story is particularly well-executed, as readers will likely think they have it all figured out, only to be surprised by unexpected twists and turns. In summary, “The Guilty One” is a thrilling murder mystery that will keep readers guessing until the very end. While the dual timeline structure can occasionally be disorienting, it serves to build suspense and add complexity to the narrative. If you enjoy psychological thrillers with well-developed characters and unexpected plot twists, this book is worth a read.

Suspense, tension, and twists….this story has it all, with a cleverly crafted plot.
Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Guilty One is a sadistically satisfying psychological thriller, with gruesome murders, deranged killers, and a plot propelled as much by the cast of characters as the chaos they endure. Bill Schweigart’s writing smacks you upside the head and shows us his wordsmithing is, dare I say, even better than his social media game.

They say ‘no guts, no glory’, but Schweigart puts his own unique spin on the age-old saying. Detective Cal Farrell, still coming to terms with his new found fame (or infamy) is on the hunt for a serial killer, following a trail of mutilated bodies throughout Alexandria, Virginia. Months after stopping an active shooter, the newly promoted Farrell finds himself battling professional animosity, personal doubt, and forbidden love. In other words, his day to day life is a hot mess. When he finds himself connected in multiple ways to a murder victim, the lines between right and wrong, legal and criminal, sane and crazy all begin to blur.

With a healthy dose of characteristics you’d find in a police procedural scrambled up with all the action and angst you’d want in a thriller, this is a book for any fan of the thriller and crime genres. While a departure from his “usual” stuff, I really hope this is not the last we see of Det. Farrell.

Loved this one!! So much action and excitement, I couldn’t wait to get back to it when I stopped reading. Loved the twist and can’t wait to read more by this author. I listened to the audio book and the narrator was perfect for this one.

Fast paced from page 1✔️
Likeable but intriguing main protagonist✔️
A twist you won’t see coming✔️
A dual timeline with short sharp chapters is always a winner for me. The pace did not slow and the story was really well written.

When Cal Ferrell stops a shooter in his tracks, he is quickly dubbed the town hero, but he can’t remember what happened in that conference room. Six months later when out on a run, he discovers a body, one that also has ties to that fateful day. When more bodies start to pile up, each having a connection to Cal soon the hometown hero is high on the suspect list. Slowly Cal pieces things together, but is he remembering things correctly or could he in fact be connected to the crimes? Written in dual timelines, this sometimes breaks up the suspense, and in the audio book made it hard to follow at the beginning, but this did not take away from the overall book, which was a fast paced thriller! Thank you to Crooked Lane Books, Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for an ARC and ALC of this book.

Cal was promoted to Detective for his role in stopping a shooter but he's got a problem-he can't remember things. And now. some of his acquaintances are being murdered. This dual time line novel will have you asking whether he's faking it or if he's truly lost his memory. Is he the killer? Shweigart has given him a sense of humor and a snarky approach to life, which works well. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. No spoilers from me- it's a good read.

I enjoyed reading this book. There was no messing about from page one it was straight into the action, I liked the two timelines, and I liked the main character. The pace of the book was great even for an impatient reader like me, and I enjoyed the short chapters. Great read I would recommend it.

This started out really well. I really liked the dual timeline, with Cal’s present day & one day six months ago - the worst day of Cal’s life. Alternating these timelines gave us an insight to Cal’s struggles since that day - survivor’s guilt, repressed memories, the attitudes from other cops. However, once the flashbacks stop, I found the story & characters to be flat and dull. There was plenty of action & twists but it just felt really confusing. It didn’t have me on the edge of my seat - I finished this so I would know the outcome. Ultimately, this book had an interesting premise but it was just not for me.

The book summary pretty much lays out the first half of the story and introduces the primary storylines: Cal’s involvement in the shooting and his loss of memory as well as the discovery of two dead bodies. However, there is a secondary storyline and that are the feelings and friendship that Cal has with one of the survivors of the shooting six months earlier. The story flips back and forth between the present-day crimes and investigations and the shooting six months ago and the aftermath.

In the second half of the story, there are two more killings and Cal begins to zero in on a theory for the killings with no clue as to who the killer is. At about the 75%-mark, the storylines begin to merge, and Cal discovers who the killer is. This starts a game between Cal and the killer to see who is smarter and who survives. The final chapters are scary and intense with page after page of nail-biting scenes. Another late night finishing the book because I could NOT put it down until I knew how it ended.

I really enjoyed this story. The MC was a likeable guy, the story intriguing and had me hooked pretty quickly; Schweigart is a good writer and storyteller. I will definitely be checking out his other work. I want to thank NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

@NetGalley @CrookedLaneBooks @TheGuiltyOne

Thank you so much to the publishers for this e-galley in exchange for my honest review.

The Guilty One shares a story about a cop on the hunt for a serial killer. Not just any serial killer though. Something about the case feels too close to home for him and he is determined to find and take down whoever is behind the killings. After escaping death six months before, Cal scrambles to remember what happened on what he calls the Very Hot Day.

I wanted to like this book so much but for some really strange reason I just could not stay focused enough or get into it as a whole. It took me a long time to get through it. However, the twist near the end I did not see coming and for that I will give this 4 stars.

This book hooked me from the very beginning. It goes back and forth from past to present with Detective Cal charging ahead. It was action packed and quite the psychological thriller. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early release in exchange for my honest review. To be published March 2023.

The story was very well written. I really enjoyed reading this psychological thriller.

Thank you to crooked lane books and to netgalley for allowing me to read this arc

The Guilty One is a fantastic psychological thriller with secrets, lies, and twists woven throughout that you’ll never see coming! The novel starts out with a dual timeline, the time leading up to the mass shooting and 6 months later. It continues this way until Cal mentally gets into the conference room to remember what happened. Then the story continues into the now. I can almost 100% guarantee that no one will figure out who the killer is! I was in absolutely shock and awe when it was revealed. My ONLY issue with the book, and why I didn’t give it 5 stars, is that the dual timeline broke up the suspense of the “Then” section with the “Now” section. Leading into the active shooter situation was so suspenseful, and then it was lost when the next chapter didn’t carry on that suspense. However, I absolutely would recommend this book to any thriller/psychological thriller reader!

Detective Cal Farrell was hailed as a hero after thwarting a mass shooting six months earlier, but has no memory of events. He has risen in the police ranks and public estimation. He finds himself in the midst of what seems to be a serial killer targeting people with connections to him. Does he know more than he is letting on? Who is responsible? This is twisty and suspenseful and Cal's lack of memory lends an edge of unreliability and unease to the tale.

Bill Schweigart keeps you on the edge of your seat with a riveting story where you can't trust anyone to be who they seem to be, not even the protagonist. The narrative unravels at a fantastic pace, not too rushed, not too dull, as revelations unearth to add a complexity to the story that elevate the reading experience quite a few notches. Detective Cal Farrell is the modern day knight in shining armor with all the chinks in his armor to resonate with all the readers in the best possible way.

Full review will be posted on https://www.bestthrillerbooks.com/kashif-hussain

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, from Crooked Lane Books and #NetGalley. Thank you for the opportunity to preview and review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.


Stellar story with weell drawn charcters.

The Guilty One is a suspenseful, page-turning and thrilling read. The sparring between past and present events kept me on my toes. Detective Cal Farrell is dealing with an unfavourable deck of cards of what truly happened when he was one of the responders to an ill-fated mass shooting. He's enveloped in a thick blanket of an identity crisis, testing his work relationships. Bill Schweigart has made it to my list of memorable suspense and thriller writers who sets the scene with sarcastic humour, pseudonymous murder theories, tension and wonderfully crafted puzzle pieces. Cal Farell is a protagonist that grows on you with relatable struggles in mental health and an unfailing will to decipher the truth. Add a dash of secret pining and awkwardness; this goofball of a character had me cheering for him. In terms of the killer, gravity lured my jaw into dropping and staying there for a while. The crescendo was well executed, full of action, uncertainly and acceptance. I'd love for Cal Farell to have a series, and I'm already volunteering as a reading tribute. A 5-star read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for giving me an ARC. This honest review is left voluntarily.

The story starts out a little slow as the author builds the plot bit by bit. With murders piling up and a protagonist whose memory isn’t all it should be, we even get a bit of romance added to the mix to provide something for everyone.