Member Review
Review by
MoMo C, Reviewer
A story that completely took over my thoughts
Nick Guthrie's storytelling is so compelling that I was unable to put my Kindle down, even when I knew I really should be going to bed. In the end, the only thing that managed to interrupt my reading was sheer exhaustion! I was so completely immersed in this story from the prologue that I wasn't watching it unfold between the pages, or even through a window. I was right there with them every step of the way. Everything outside the book seemed to disappear.
The Custodian is a fascinating, intricately constructed novel, filled with unexpected connections that gradually reveal themselves as the story progresses. The relationships between the characters add another layer of complexity to the investigation, and I particularly admired how naturally everything was woven together.
And what a mystery! For much of the book, I genuinely had no idea who was behind everything. Even with information the investigating team didn't have, I sometimes felt just as puzzled as they were, but I was completely absorbed in discovering the truth. Little details stayed in my mind, sometimes for chapters at a time, and I loved how the story kept me questioning what I thought I knew.
I felt a genuine connection with so many of the characters, but DI Bolam was particularly memorable. In crime fiction, detectives often have complicated personal lives, but there was something different about Bolam. His story was revealed gradually, with each new detail deepening my understanding of him and strengthening my emotional connection. His experiences felt believable and deeply human, rather than simply created to fit the plot.
By the time I reached the final pages, I was completely invested in the outcome, and I finished feeling thoroughly satisfied with how everything came together. This is not a straightforward crime fiction novel. There is so much more beneath the surface, with emotional depth, believable characters and an intricately woven plot that rewards the reader's attention without ever losing sight of the human stories at its heart.
The Custodian was exactly the book I needed, exactly when I needed it. It reminded me of that wonderful feeling of becoming so completely lost in a story that the outside world simply has to wait. I needed to know the ending, but I didn't want to stop reading, and when a book leaves me feeling like that, I know I've discovered something special.
An absolutely brilliant read, and one I won't forget in a hurry!
MoMoBookDiary (2026)
Nick Guthrie's storytelling is so compelling that I was unable to put my Kindle down, even when I knew I really should be going to bed. In the end, the only thing that managed to interrupt my reading was sheer exhaustion! I was so completely immersed in this story from the prologue that I wasn't watching it unfold between the pages, or even through a window. I was right there with them every step of the way. Everything outside the book seemed to disappear.
The Custodian is a fascinating, intricately constructed novel, filled with unexpected connections that gradually reveal themselves as the story progresses. The relationships between the characters add another layer of complexity to the investigation, and I particularly admired how naturally everything was woven together.
And what a mystery! For much of the book, I genuinely had no idea who was behind everything. Even with information the investigating team didn't have, I sometimes felt just as puzzled as they were, but I was completely absorbed in discovering the truth. Little details stayed in my mind, sometimes for chapters at a time, and I loved how the story kept me questioning what I thought I knew.
I felt a genuine connection with so many of the characters, but DI Bolam was particularly memorable. In crime fiction, detectives often have complicated personal lives, but there was something different about Bolam. His story was revealed gradually, with each new detail deepening my understanding of him and strengthening my emotional connection. His experiences felt believable and deeply human, rather than simply created to fit the plot.
By the time I reached the final pages, I was completely invested in the outcome, and I finished feeling thoroughly satisfied with how everything came together. This is not a straightforward crime fiction novel. There is so much more beneath the surface, with emotional depth, believable characters and an intricately woven plot that rewards the reader's attention without ever losing sight of the human stories at its heart.
The Custodian was exactly the book I needed, exactly when I needed it. It reminded me of that wonderful feeling of becoming so completely lost in a story that the outside world simply has to wait. I needed to know the ending, but I didn't want to stop reading, and when a book leaves me feeling like that, I know I've discovered something special.
An absolutely brilliant read, and one I won't forget in a hurry!
MoMoBookDiary (2026)
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