Not a book for me, Did not get into the story or connect with the characters, although the writing style was fine.

4.5 rounded up to 5

Sarah Barrie shows what happens when a once victim becomes the vigilante:

Lexi has dedicated her life in just trying to survive, she drinks to much and sleeps with whomever she likes as long as they pay her. But Lexi's true passion is as a Hacker. Tracking down pedophiles, gathering information about them to put them away. Lexi was the last victim of the notorious pedophile known has the Spider, oh so she thought as a new individual has come forward claiming to be the real Spider as they emulate the murderous acts. Now everything from before is being called into question, even the innocence of the man convicted of being the spider. Did they get it wrong all those years ago?

This is the first book that I have read by Barrie and I can tell you this will not be the last. This book is a dark, gritty thriller that you will not want to put down as you get caught up in the search for "copycat" serial killer. This book will seem darker than other thriller books and that is because the victims are children. I will say that Barrie does not go into detail of what happens to the victims but does give enough detail that you KNOW what has happened to them and it is heartbreaking and sick. So if you have triggers of child abuse then this book will not be for you, as I said not a lot of detail of what is happening but enough to know as a reader what is happening.

Lexi is a straightforward but also complex character at the same time. I love that Barrie did not sugar coat her past or make it seem like what she lived though has not affected her, it has and Barrie does not shy away from this. Lexi is trying to recover from her past and help those who cannot help themselves yet at the same time she is unable to forgive herself for what happened and what almost happened to her sister. Lexi has chosen to be an escort as she believes that is really all she is good for, but Lexi is nothing but a survivor and she always will be. I appreciate that Barrie does take time to explain Lexi's history as well as the link between her and DI Rachel as their history brings some of tension that is felt throughout the book.

This book had quite a few twists and turns along the way and I like that all the evidence is not just handed to the police or Lexi. Lexi does a lot of digging on the internet so that type of information can take time to dig through, especially the type of groups that Lexi has had to infiltrate over times. I will also totally admit that I did not see that final twist coming.

In the real world would the let Lexi be as involved as was probably not but I’m okay with how Barrie dealt with it in the plot, I mean this is a work of fiction so you need to dispel things a bit. And how Barrie presents it in the story works.

This was a terrific read, Highly recommend this book if you like thriller books and be prepared to read this one in one sitting. I can’t wait to read the next book in this series, Lexi is the type of character I am drawn to in these types of books.

Enjoy!!!

Sarah Barrie is a new author to me and one that I will be looking for all of her backlist. This is a new series called Unforgiven, Lexi Winter, and I’m so excited that there will be more books coming out about her. Sarah held my attention every second I listened to this book. The narration by Cecilia Ramsdale was phenomenal brought so much more to the book and the characters, adding the audio really makes the emotions come alive. You can hear the fear and the discussed in their voice, which I love that element.

Lexi Winter is a bad ass who has been through so much in her life and was once a victim and now a vigilante!! She’s gonna protect those who are dear to her and I can’t wait to see what laws she’s going to break to protect those She loves.

in this first book, she was a victim of child abuse and she saved her younger sister from a similar fate. Now she’s coming back into her sister‘s life, but living on her own terms she’s a vigilante and she is after each and every pedophile she can find whether it’s legally or illegally. It doesn’t matter to her. She has no time for the cops cause they let her down.

Unforgiven is a fast paced thriller, set in Australia. Lexi is a great character, so tough on the surface, but fragile underneath and not far from running if she gets spooked. As a result of her childhood, she does not trust the police and must overcome her dislike of them to help them trap the new “Spider” a threat from her past!

There are some side characters I think will be played out in the series. I like her interactions with them, but I don’t trust them. I feel like Lexi is hiding a lot more secrets and I can’t wait to see how the next couple books unfold.

Thank you to NetGalley and BOLINDA audio for my audiobook!

Don't feel like I got much from this audiobook, and thankfully I am clearly in the minority.
Took me several attempts to get into this book, I found I was getting too distracted from the audio and had to keep rewinding. I just think the narrator made it a more difficult listen for me.

"Unforgiven" by Sarah Barrie, as an audiobook, immerses listeners in a gripping and emotionally charged romantic suspense story, keeping them on the edge of their seats with its twists and turns.

Thank you to the publishers, author and NetGalley for the free copy of this audio book.

Good, intense read (beware of the trigger warnings!) with all the right pacing and twists to keep your attention. Somewhat confusing when the flashbacks happen but not too bad over. I would read more in this series, and the narrator did a good job.

The first book in the Lexi Winter series and what a great read ! A Great storyline, with a little bit of humour thrown in ! All of the main characters are really likeable and I can’t wait to see how the author develops them along the way. Really looking forward to the next book in the series!

The narrator was great, a really easy voice to listen to and she did different voices for each characters which really bought them to life !

Unfortunately this audio title disappeared from my library when I had to do an update on my NetGalley app, or it has been archived and I no longer have access to it.

I have a physical copy of the book and look forward to reading it some time in the future.

Took me a while to get into this Audio book but I am glad I stuck it out as it had some good twists and turns

With dark undertones and lots of triggers this could be a hard listen for some. However if you can get beyond that the story has some humorous parts and there are some great characters that make this a great listen

I still like to believe I'm new to loving thrillers, but honestly, this was an amazing thriller. And it kept me on the edge most of the time.

The main character is portrayed as amazing in the book, considering her past and it makes you really want to stick to see what's going on and what will happen.

Overall, in my opinion, the book only gets better the more you dig into it and it deserves a chance if you are into thrillers.

Last, I would like to thank Sarah Barrie, the publisher (Belinda Audio) and NetGalley for offering me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* This was a really great book as soon as i read the description i knew i had to read it asap! Looking forward to reading more books in this series! 5 stars overall

Out of all the female main characters I've read about this year, Lexi Winter has easily become my favorite. She's got sass and humor and does not take crap from anyone. Unforgiven was an incredible book, though it had some difficult parts. It delves into sensitive topics, giving an unflinching look at the horrors sometimes inflicted upon children. It made my stomach churn.

Lexi's character was portrayed perfectly—a complex mix of vulnerability and toughness stemming from her traumatic past. From the very beginning, I was drawn to her story and couldn't put the book down.

Dawny is another standout character for me - quirky and funny in equal measure.
The plot was engaging, but many characters were introduced at once, making it hard to keep track of everyone at first.

However, as I continued reading, things became clearer and more exciting with each new twist revealed. Unforgiven is a fast-paced ride that only gets better as secrets are uncovered.

Thanks to NetGalley, Bolinda Audio, and the author for my free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the review copy.

Unforgiven by Sarah Barrie is a gripping thriller. It is the story of a victim of child abuse, who when grown up is confronted by the shock that the same predator is back. But this can't be since he was put behind bars years back. That's when she decides to gather evidence to help the police. And the story proceeds from there.

I enjoyed listening to this one. It has all the elements to keep you hooked. I didn't want to stop listening to it when I had to get to work. So, that must tell you that it is worth a listen.

Loved this book! The author kept you on your toes and interested in what was going to happen next. Very much not a “predictable” mystery book! Characters were created very well with realistic qualities and personalities. Narrator read very well and aided in my enjoyment of this book.

Trigger Warnings: child sexual and physical abuse, pedophilia, rape, murder, dark humor surrounding disposal of a body, child murder victims
This book is DARK, but also has it's lighter moments to even out the darkness. I really enjoyed this story, which is apparently the first in a series. I will be picking up the second book in the series.
First, I listened to the audio of this book. It was narrated by an Australian narrator which helped set the scene in Queensland. I found her voice suitable and soothing even when talking about the darker themes. The story is split into chapters in 3rd person (from the police -specifically Rachel's POV) and 1st person (Lexi's POV). Lexi's chapters were a bit quiet at times. I was listening in my car and had to constantly adjust the volume. It evened out after a while.
The two different perspectives was nice. It was part police procedural and part amateur hacker/sleuth. I liked Lexi's less than angelic backstory and her gray morals. It was nice to see a more nuanced character. I am excited to see how she continues to grow and change in future books in the series. The pieces of the story all came together nicely at the end without seeming to be completely out of left field. All the clues were there and I was mislead by some, which is nice since I tend to guess the endings. Although I guessed parts of the twists, there were some that were satisfying. Barrie does a nice job with red herrings.
I loved the elderly neighbor and her beau who help Lexi out of a pretty serious jam. They added the comic relief the book so desperately needed. Between them and Lexi's dry, sarcastic sense of humor, the book was able to tackle the dark themes but give the reader some breathing space between descriptions of child abuse.
Through the audio, the flashbacks were a little hard to decipher at times. We seem to dip into and out of them without much segue. I got used to it after a while, but I'm wondering if they are in a different font or even set apart in some way in the physical copy of the book.
Overall, I really enjoyed the characters, the writing, and the thriller aspect. It certainly didn't feel like 12 hours worth of audio since it was a quickly moving piece. The only reason I didn't give it full marks was because of the disgruntled cop character. I'm not a fan of the over-the-top, "I've got a vendetta because I didn't get a raise" and yet no one says anything about his egregious behavior cop trope/character. It was too much and unnecessary in my opinion. I hope he isn't in future books.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 Stars

Spider, a notorious pedophile and murderer, had been incarcerated for 18 long years due to the relentless efforts of Detective Rachael Langley. However, a new twist emerges as another individual is asserting to be the real Spider, thrusting the police's credibility into question. Not only is this imposter imitating Spider's reprehensible actions, but also poses the vexing question: Did the authorities apprehend the wrong man? Detective Langley, alongside Lexi, one of Spider's victims, embarks on a relentless pursuit of the truth.

I enjoyed the concept of the book, but unfortunately, I didn't feel a strong connection with the characters. As a result, the reading experience wasn't as immersive as I had hoped. Overall, a decent crime novel with a thrilling mystery.

***Thank you to NetGalley, Sarah Barrie, and Bolinda Audio for graciously sending me the audiobook to review. As always, all thoughts are my own.***

The two main characters in the book are Lexi and Rachael. Levi is a prostitute, and is an excellent hacker. Rachael is a private detective. These 2 eventually work on a crime, a murder that resembles one of a serial killer's. Only this serial killer is already behind bars.
Many thanks to Net Galley for an audio copy of this book for an honest review.

Lexi Winter is totally badass! I would say I want to be her when I grow up, except that Lexi has been shaped by a horrific childhood, which is why she struggles to trust anyone and very much does things her way.

Switching timelines throughout the book, we learn of Lexi’s childhood, how she was abused by “The Spider” and let down by the police, how he was finally brought to justice by DI Rachel Langley and then the present day, where The Spider seems to be back… except that he’s behind bars, isn’t he?

Listening to the audiobook, I found the timeline switches a little confusing, but that aside, this is a gripping and suspenseful story with great character development and plenty of twists.

Lexi is a master hacker who tracks down paedophiles on the dark web and deals with them in her own way. Her neighbour, Dawny, had me in stitches and she had plenty of her own secrets too. Rachel Langley is carrying a lot of guilt over letting Lexi down all those years ago and the relationship between the two women was really interesting as they are pushed together to try and catch a dangerous criminal and find out whether they jailed the wrong man, or if there’s a copycat.

I hope there is a sequel coming soon!

4 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Sarah Barrie and Bolinda for an ARC in return for an honest review.

A great start to this series! A fast paced hard hitting story with wonderful twists and turns! Lexi Winter is a damaged yet determined protagonist who keeps on digging for the truth regardless of the cost to herself and her friends and family. She is a courageous, driven, and complicated woman fighting to overcome the affects of sexual abuse as a child. The book kept you on the edge of your seat with its unexpected twists and turns. The fast pace and gritty characters continually keep you off guard. This fast paced, hard-hitting story will keep you turning pages! A must read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bolinda Audio who provided me with a copy of this book. I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.