DNF at 20% - just could not get into this no matter how hard I tried. I'll keep it mind to go back to, but it feels like it should be marketed as Christian fiction, in which case, I would have known I wouldn't enjoy it.

This book was quite unexpected for me. I enjoyed it but it was a lot heavier than I anticipated. Perhaps I need to give it another go when I'm in the right mindset!

The Wrong Good Deed
by Caroline B. Cooney
Pub Date 02 May 2023
Poisoned Pen Press
Women's Fiction

Clemmie and Muffin are friends living in a retirement home. As their dangerous past haunts them, the duo must confront dark secrets. Told from alternative POV's these feisty ladies prove that age is not an issue.

Despite the lighthearted moments, the author addresses serious issues of racial inequality during the Civil Rights era. Check the trigger warnings before proceeding. This material may not be suitable for all audiences.

Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for sharing this novel with me. Your kindness is appreciated.

The Wrong Good Deed is a standalone mystery drama by author, Caroline B Cooney. When I was a teenager, Caroline B Cooney was one of my absolute favorite authors, and years later I didn’t realise that she had written other adult books. When I saw this one coming up, I didn’t hesitate to grab a copy and I’ll definitely be going back to check out what else she has written since I was a teenager. The story of this one follows two friends in their 70s living in a retirement village. We learn about Christaphine’s past in which she did a ‘good deed’ for someone which ended up costing her everything. As someone who lives and grew up in a very different part of the world, I found the South Carolina setting in the 60s very eye opening and interesting to read about. I thought having the older characters was a nice change of pace as most thrillers I read are typically people in their 20s-30s. Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for an arc.

Having read Caroline B. Cooney books when I was a tween/teen I was super excited to receive an early copy of The Wrong Good Deed. I did enjoy this book. I liked that the main characters were older adults, but felt that we could have gotten more backstory for one of the them. I received an e-arc.of this books from netgalley and the publisher poisoned pen press in exchange for my honest review.

I've loved Caroline B. Cooney's books since I was a teenager. However this book fell short of the mark for me. The ending was very abrupt and didn't bring enough resolution to the story.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of the book.

As a long time fan and reader of Caroline B. Cooney, I was a little disappointed with this book. The subject matter is compelling and shines a light on an abhorrent time in our country's history.. However, I felt the ending to be abrupt. I was hoping for a more thorough and satisfying conclusion.

2.5⭐

During a Sunday service Clemmie’s friend Muffin, who is also a resident of the senior living village in North Carolina where Clemmie lives, catches a glimpse of someone from her past – a past she left behind almost fifty years ago. Clemmie is bewildered by Muffin’s panicked response. Even after Muffin shares the traumatic events from her past and shares her fears, Clemmie isn’t quite convinced that anybody would harm Muffin over events that occurred so long ago. But over the following week, Clemmie realizes she is wrong. But in trying to help her friend will she be able to protect her own secrets? Not only Clemmie and Muffin, but others in their community carry burdens from their pasts and would want to protect themselves their families and the lives they have made for themselves from falling apart if those secrets ever saw the light of day.

With its fast-paced narrative, sensitive themes and strong characterizations, The Wrong Good Deed by Caroline B. Cooney has a lot of promise but falls short in execution. The author blends both past and present timelines combining social issues and an element of suspense. The author gives is a brief but impactful look at the racism, white supremacy, desegregation and resistance to integration among certain factions during the 1960s. In the present-day narrative, we follow Clemmie and her friends, all seniors, and their lives in their residential community The author touches upon themes of aging, isolation, and loneliness among seniors. I appreciate that the author attempts to address several sensitive topics but I wasn’t quite satisfied with how the story plays out. After a suspenseful build-up, the resolution of the mystery leaves a lot to be desired. I was somewhat disappointed with how the story develops in the present timeline. The significance of past events is diminished largely by how the author chose to end this story. The friendships between the characters came across as forced and/or obligatory rather than fueled by genuine regard for one another or emotional attachment. I also failed to see the point in bringing up Clemmie’s past and her secrets in bits throughout the narrative given that ultimately Clemmie’s storyline is left for the most part, unexplored. While I didn't dislike this book in its totality, I didn't enjoy it as much as I had hoped.

Many thanks to author Caroline B. Cooney, Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the digital review copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This book is due to be released on May 02, 2023.

I was pulled into this book because of the synopsis and how well the characters were established from the very beginning. I loved how they were introduced and the roles they played in each part. I definitely recommend this book to all readers

I have to say that I'm a fan of the face on the milk carton series and the few other books I had read from Ms. Clooney in the past, so I may have gone into this with too high of expectations. It wasn't terrible but it was definitely my least favorite that I've read of hers. First the good, I actually didn't guess whodunnit though I probably should have. The world building and atmosphere were great, if wordy at times. Now for the bad. I didn't like the ending. I felt it was abrupt compared to the rest of the story. I really am bothered by all the loose endings though. She does tie up the major ones but none of the minor ones. Why include so many details if you're not going to do something with them? It really bothers me. Because of all of this, I'm going with 3 stars but really it's more like 2.5, I'm just rounding up.

I'd like to thank the publisher, author, and Netgalley for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to the publisher for an ARC of this novel. I love a book where people assume an old woman is dotty and daft merely because of her age, and then she's able to outwit them. For that, this story was good.

I also love stories where people have secret pasts, but in this case, the secret past was tough to swallow. The character who comes off as good at first is actually pretty terrible, and that's usually interesting to see. However, I found myself liking her less than I usually like an unlikeable character. I had no real reason to root for her once I realized she was very complacent with racism, and her "courageous act" was not as brave as it seemed.

Finally, the ending was surprising, which should be great, but it felt unearned.

I saw a lot of rave reviews for this author's other works so when an ARC version opened up for this book, I requested for it to find out what the thrill was all about. After reading this one, I had to go back few chapters cause I can't believe the story ended that way - which is both good and bad.

Set 50 years after unfortunate events in 1964, we met the FMC already in her seventies. Sweet little grandma she is not, but time honed her to harbor secrets and truth be told she is not the only one in her retirement little community hiding one.

Plot wise, the author touched on sensitive subjects like experience of two different races during the height of the segregation era - the slurs, the white supremacists, the talks of lynching. One can't help but feel myriad of emotions goint through the motion of the harrowing experiences of those who went through with it. While this concept was really going well all throughout the story, plot holes were also observed.

1. The entire blurb was written towards an idea that FMC and her friends harbor dark secrets however, we only got to see one back story that went on and on until the end BUT eventually, has nothing to do at all with the story! I was so bummed with the twist at the end that the catharsis I was expecting suddenly came into a halt 🙃

2.The backstory of the actual FMC, while super intriguing was left unexplored- this could've been more interesting honestly. The impact of where the entire plot was based on also started off strong but eventually dried up fast.

3. Characterization was great. We got to see the day to day life of a senior citizen but it served as unnecessary fillers. It took half of the story to situate the characters in the book - something that could have been done in 3 chapters

All in all I like some of the concepts introduced but how these concepts were tallied together, there lies the issue.

I've read a lot of Cooney's books with each adding a unique trait to question. This one stands alone with the main characters as 70 year old ladies living in a retirement community. Muffin and Clemmie have become good friends and think they know everything about one another, but they both have secrets. While sitting in church, Muffin becomes anxious when she observes someone from her past that may shed light she doesn't want.

Switching from the 60's and now, Muffin in her 20's was happy to settle into marriage and start a family with her husband Tommy, but she reveals to Clemmie her husband and friends were going to commit a horrible crime 50 years ago in South Carolina, but she stopped it and disappeared forever. A news reporter is a threat to reveal who she is.

It is a shocking revelation released. That time period dealt with desegregation, racism and a lot of anger. It is a mystery to solve when it comes down to whodunit. The book is only 288 pages but a quick read with episodes of hate. A quick eyeopener to a pair of 70 year old ladies with dark secrets that have tried to forget.
Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this copy in exchange for my honest review.

Just being retirement age doesn’t make a person the cliché sweet grandma type. In fact, you’ve had more time to become adept at burying secrets, create your persona, forget unpleasant memories, build a different identity. Never underestimate their cunningness or adaptability
In the North Carolina retirement complex Clemmie and Muffin became friends, enjoy activities and church functions together. They have a circle of ladies who share committee and snack making duties. There is a generous amount of varied people in the story. No spoilers but, keeping up with a few of the personalities was challenging, multiple names and nicknames. Muffin and Clemmie are two women with pasts in the South during the sixties desegregation with all it’s painful dirty secrets. The layers of deception go deep as MacBurton Ward, a reporter claiming he was nearly lynched, has reappeared in the news headlines. Carefully hidden pasts bubble up threatening to expose the carefully constructed veneer Clemmie and Muffin have built.
The story is packed full of mystery while some parts of the ladies history remains vague. Many ‘What would I have done? “ situations. The story deals with an atrocious era in history, not all participants are likable characters. A useful book club guide addressing many of the questions I had is included.
This story is reminiscent of the author’s earlier book “Before She Was Helen”, which I really enjoyed. My thanks go to NetGalley for the digital advance reader copy of “The wrong Good Deed” by Caroline B. Cooney and to the publisher Sourcebooks. These are all my own honest personal thoughts and opinions given voluntarily without compensation.

Caroline Cooney is a local gem and still a bit legendary to me, I thrilled at her poignant suspense fiction as a youth and I do so again now as an adult. The Wrong Good Deed caught me at just the right time, coming off the heels of being disappointed after *finally* reading Where the Crawdads Sing. A southern slow burn mystery that didn't overstay its welcome or sell out.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced digital copy.

Thank you NetGalley for this early review copy.

Caroline B Cooney's books are what originally got me into the mystery/thriller genre back when I was in middle school.. I was very excited to revisit her writing with a new story. However, I'm really not sure how I feel after reading this book. It was basically a bunch of old racist white people trying to justify their past and actions or inactions during the Civil Rights Movement. Are you really a hero for saving a white man when you stayed silent at the suffering and murders of black people? The characters spend a lot of time acting like the good guys for standing by and doing nothing. What this book does do is help you realize just how recent these events of the past really are, a whole generation of these racist white people are still among us that lived events like the ones experienced by the characters in this book. How many of them think and feel the same way as these characters?

Story wise, I did enjoy the small world feeling of learning these stories, and discovering the characters involved and the connections they had among each other without them initially being aware of it. The end seemed kind of fast paced and slightly out of left field. It made sense based on details throughout the rest of the book, but also kind of made the rest of book, which was a very important topic, almost insignificant. Also, is this a series? I'm very confused by Clemmie's story, it's never really explained and I'm assuming there must more to her story explained somewhere.

Such a great book! Highly recommend it to anyone and I look forward to reading more by this author! A must read!

Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press. I had no idea a favorite author of my childhood was writing adult novels! I loved Out of Time and The Face on the Milk Carton. I was so excited to discover this.

I really struggled to get into this book. I'm happy to see that others loved this, so maybe it is just me. It didn't grab me from the beginning and it was a slow ride to the end. It was still an interesting story - a writing trait that will be familiar to those who are fans.

Caroline B. Cooney was one of my favorite authors growing up, so I was excited to get an ARC of this novel and the synopsis sounded intriguing. This one started off strong and plodded along in the middle. I felt like the wrap-up at the end was really fast and not super satisfying. I read from someone else's review that Helen was featured in another book, which makes sense because I kept wondering why there were comments made here and there about her past but I felt like it was never fully addressed. Overall this one was okay but I was hoping for better.

Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Wrong Good Deed focuses on dual protagonists, Clemmie/Helen and Muffin. They are both elder women in their seventies, who live in a retirement community. The plot follows them as they think back through Muffin's past intolerance and intolerant family members, and they attempt to address racial integration in South Carolina in the 1960s. I wish the story would have given more of a resolution to the past indignities that occurred, because I agree with the other reviewers. It ended quite abruptly, and felt like justice was not served.