Another book from my TBR pile that I couldn't wait to get into was this one, The Confession by Jo Spain. Having seen some wonderful early reviews this was one of my most anticipated reads over Christmas and it definitely lived up to expectations for me! What a brilliantly twisted and atmospheric psychological thriller! Classy and disturbing, this is a book everyone should be reading and talking about!

It was the tagline that attracted me to this one in the first place, in that you know from the start who did it but it's not till the end that you find out why! And I have to admit that those dramatic few pages when J.P enters a house with a golf club to beat a man to a bloody, pulpy mess were hardhitting and incredibly difficult to read. The sheer scale of the violence against a supposedly unknown man was described with such sickening detail that my stomach turned and I felt like Julie, the wife who was so shocked she was unable to do anything to prevent this terrible crime from occuring.

After J.P goes into the local police station to confess, the story is told from three viewpoints by J.P, Julie and Alice the detective in charge of finding out exactly why Harry McNamara was attacked. I was completely gripped by the complex and perfectly plotted storyline, turning the pages with a morbid fascination as I watched these desperately unfulfilled characters all fall apart. It made for uncomfortable reading at times but still I was unable to read my eyes away from the addictive narrative.

After the final page, I actually had to sit quietly for a few moments to contemplate what had just occured! This was definitely out of my comfort zone at times but what a brilliant and original idea for a book. This was my first experience of Jo Spain but I'm now going to put her crime series on my wishlist so that I can catch up on her other books too.

Highly recommended by me!

This was a brilliant book, I couldn't put it down. A proper psychological thriller, a definite must read.

Good book kept me guessing and was quite different to anything I have read recently.I liked the main character, and had sympathy for him he had a pretty rotten childhood and had tried to do his best, I liked the contrast between the rich couple and the life they had and him.I really didn't know what had led to the situation ,it kept me guessing and then threw in a few more surprises.I felt it could have been slightly shorter but I am an impatient reader, and it is only a very slight criticism,and I did enjoy reading this book and thought it was very original. I liked the writing style, very easy to read.I would definitely look out for another book by this author and am grateful to the publishers and netgalley for this ARC.

I enjoyed this book. The story swapped narrators frequently and I occasionally failed to notice as I was in the story" which was confusing but it was a good read. The twists at the end kept on changing which kept the interest until the finish. I can recommend it.

I can’t recommend this book enough. It’s such a good read. I like the author’s Tom Reynolds series which I’d describe as “thumping goods reads” but this is in a class of its own. It starts with you knowing ‘who done it’ he hands himself into the police, and finishes with the why. This upside down thriller is one you really don’t want to put down. I loved the writing, the plot and the rawness and warts and all honesty of the characters. And as an expat Dubliner the setting too
#theconfession#netgalley

I was hooked on the book from the first page and devoured the full thing in almost one go.
I normally find this genre of book slow and a tad predictable, however I loved it and found it intriguing and engaging throughout.
I’ve not read any of Jo Spain’s other books, however will definitely read more after enjoying “The Confession” so much.
I would definitely recommend.

‘A mystery wrapped in a conundrum tied up in a riddle’. This is how Detective Sergeant Alice Moody describes the crime investigation in this well-crafted psychological thriller. It's a WHY done it rather than a WHO done it, and also a devastating account of how an idyllic-seeming marriage descends into a deadly co-dependancy. Set during the Celtic Tiger boom years and its aftermath, the twists and turns will keep you intrigued and gripped till the very end.

This is an excellent book that I really enjoyed. You are never quite certain how the story line will develop given the attack occurs in the first few pages. The book is split into chapters for 3 of the main characters some with flashbacks to years before. This is necessary for you to understand why the attack happened. As the story unfolds you wonder if Julie is innocently involved or if she was part of the planned attack. The ending is very clever and you sit back and think how good the book has been.

Late one night a man walks into the house owned by the McNamaras, a rich banker and his wife, and bludgeons to death the husband while the wife watches in shock. The potential murderer then walks into the local police station and confesses to the crime.

Why did he do it and is Mrs McNamara involved? As the investigation proceeds, DS Alice Moody struggles to find a connection between those involved. What she does know is JP Carney, the murderer didn’t just walk into an unknown house and kill for no reason - it must go much deeper.

This book is set in Ireland, so the police procedure was very different and a nice change. The book is written from the perspective of three people - the wife, the murderer and the detective. The author has written the book to show how three people can have very different lives. Two are very rich and live the high life and Carney, born and brought up with nothing, become entwined in a deadly situation where money cannot solve the problem.

I really enjoyed the book as it had a little of everything, money murder and revenge. It chugs along nicely and it is not until the last quarter of the book that it starts to give you clues about the reason for the murder.

Professional and well-written that will not break any boundaries but is still a good story.

Shesat

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.

Judith is sat at home with her Husband Harry relaxing and watching TV when suddenly a man walks in. The man starts beating Harry with a golf club whilst Judith sits shocked. The man walks out and then hands himself into the local police station. DS Moody is put in charge of the case.
Each chapter is in the first person of the perpetrator JP, Judith and DS Moody. As the story unravels all are looking into why JP attacked Harry, was Harry known to him or was it random.
I loved how the story started with the attack and then you followed the story to find out why? Every time I thought I had figured out what was going on something else was revealed to change my mind. This was excellently written and definately worth reading.
Thanks to Jo Spain, Quercus books and Net Galley for an advance reading copy in exchange for an honest review.

'Wow, just wow!' was my reaction on finishing this brilliant thriller.  If you are regular blog reader, you will know that I am a big fan of the DI Tom Reynolds books by the same author and that they have appeared on my Top Reads list for the past two years. It's only the second week of January and already I had two books on my top reads for 2018. The Confession is a more than worthy addition so, Joanne Spain, looks like you will have a hat trick!

This book is billed as 'the most addictive psychological thriller of 2018'. Addictive? I'd say so - I was reading it walking along the prom to my exercise class as I didn't want to wait till I got home again! From the vivid and rather violent opening scene, I was totally enthralled by this story. Unusually for a crime novel, you know almost from the very beginning who has committed the crime but what this book is about is the 'why?'.

Julie and Harry McNamara are watching a thriller tv programme in their luxurious house in an affluent suburb of Dublin when JP Carney walks in and calmly sets about beating Harry violently with a golf club. Horrified, Julie can do nothing but watch. When he is finished, JP just as calmly walks into the local police station and confesses to the attack. He claims not to have known what he was doing or who Harry was, that it was a completely random attack. But Harry is a very well known banker who has recently been cleared of financial misconduct related to his investment bank's activities at the height of the Celtic Tiger boom in Ireland. Investigating officer Alice Moodie is convinced that this was no random attack and is determined to prove it. Julie also believes it can't be random but how is Carney linked to Harry?

From that dramatic prologue, narrated by Julie, the story moves back in time as we hear variously from Julie, JP and Alice.  Jo Spain adeptly relates the story of Julie and Harry's relationship which is not as perfect as it may have appeared from the outside, despite or perhaps because of their wealth. In fact, this book is as much a dissection of their marriage as it is it a crime novel. As more and more about their relationship was gradually revealed, I couldn't decide whether to be sympathetic towards Julie or annoyed at her for sticking with Harry for so long. However, with more details emerging, it became clear that the two were dependent on each other to keep each others' secrets. As we read about JP's childhood and more recent life, it becomes obvious that this was definitely not a random attack but exactly why is not apparent for a long time. And then we have Alice, still working away at trying to find a connection between Harry and Carney, despite the opinions of the medics and prosecutors. She also provides a little light relief throughout the book with her interactions with her fellow detectives. Through the viewpoints of these three characters, Jo Spain tells the story in a just-one-more-chapter-oh-is-it-midnight-already? book.

Well-drawn, believable characters all with their good points and their flaws will have you feeling sympathetic towards them at times yet also feeling angry or despairing at their actions. Julie and Harry's marriage in particular is fascinating to read about proving that old adage that nobody knows what goes on behind closed doors. Jo Spain takes you right into her characters' heads and captures perfectly what makes them tick.

The Confession is such a brilliant written, expertly plotted book with lots of revelations carefully revealed at just the right moment to catch you unawares and keep you reading. It's a book that's crying out to be made into a tv series and it would keep you on the edge of your seat as you watched.  But don't wait - read it now and be on the edge of your seat as you read! It definitely could be, as mentioned above, 'the most addictive psychological thriller of 2018' so don't miss out.

Gripping! From the very first page you know you are in for a twisty turny thrill ride! I could not work out the motive, or the meaning behind the initial incident, and then you find out! Way too good to only be read once!

Having devoured Jo Spain’s Inspector Tom Reynolds series so far (and looking forward to more of these), I begun ‘The Confession’, a standalone thriller set in Ireland, with high expectations. In some respects, I was not disappointed. The opening chapter throws us straight into the graphic murder of Harry McNamara, battered with a golf club by a stranger whilst his terrified wife looks on, after which the assailant hands himself in at the local police station covered in Harry’s blood. The rest of the novel focuses on events leading up to the attack and its aftermath.
The story is told through three narrative voices: Julie, Harry’s wife, JP Carney, the attacker, and Alice Moody, the robust DS heading up the case. As demonstrated in her previous novels, Spain is very good at conjuring up the collegiate spirit and dark humour engendered by the police team. She also manages to persuade the reader why JP might seek revenge in the way that he does. Her portrayal of his early life and his subsequent desire to protect his sister is very plausible. The relationship between Harry and Julie is not so convincing, perhaps because it’s always told through the predisposed filter of Julie’s voice. We gradually learn of the price that Julie has to pay for marrying such a wealthy, arrogant man and why she becomes a bitter alcoholic. However, the confession at the end of the novel is not a big reveal but rather the appropriate decision of someone who was once a decent girl.
This novel is worth reading. It has pace, plausible characters and a decent plot. However, the circumstances did not convince me in the way that her past novels have done. Let’s see another Reynolds novel soon!

This standalone Irish thriller is the first book by Jo Spain that I have read but it made such an impact on me I have now added her Inspector Tom Reynolds series to my never-ending tbr list, and I hope to see a lot more from her. The Confession is the author’s first psychological thriller, and it’s jaw-droppingly brilliant. I found the concept intriguing, the reader knows straight away “who” committed the crime and “how” but has to wait for the “why” as the story becomes curiouser and curiouser… The killer prologue had me hooked immediately and from that point on I was barely able to drag my eyes away. This is beautiful writing, it lures you in seductively, and fans of domestic noir are in for a treat.

Set in Ireland in the aftermath of the boom of the Celtic Tiger; Not only is The Confession a murder mystery but and insightful, voyeuristic view into how finding yourself in the sudden excess of wealth, then the even quicker demise of financial industry affected certain people in the country. What on the surface appears to be an open and shut case soon reveals to be a much more complicated and deeply rewarding account of the lives of three individuals ensuring a course of action that will destroy everything they hold to be honest and true.

This multi-stranded story is told from three perspectives: Julie, the victim’s wife; JP, the attacker; and DC Alice Moody, the investigating officer. Told in alternating chapters along two different timelines the author takes the reader back as Julie remembers the sparkling champagne and shining diamonds of the fateful night she and Harry first met, and this enables her to give a detailed insight into Harry’s character.

“That was us at the beginning of our fairytale. But here’s the thing about fairytales. Sometimes they’re darker than you can ever imagine.”

JP Carney, the accused was by far my favourite character. Dark and soulful, he is a multi-layered character who cleverly hides his thoughts and emotions behind a wall of silence, yet has the most detailed and fascinating back story. He’s faced so many hardships throughout his life, it’s no wonder one night he just snaps as the red mist descends over him. There are plenty of twists, turns and surprises along the way though, and I found myself doubting almost every character at some point. None of the characters are portrayed as typically “good” or “bad” making them more convincing and believable. There was not much to like in any character, but The Confession shows that even terrible people are not terrible all of the time, and that you never know for sure what goes on behind closed doors.

Totally absorbing, The Confession is like a little thread on your jumper you can’t leave alone, you keep picking at it, and pulling at it, until the whole thing unravels in the most unexpected and spectacular of way.

“You’ll find out who did it on the very first page. On the last page you’ll find out why…”

Here's a refreshing way to tackle a psychological thriller! Never mind wracking your brain about the who, as that's revealed from the start. It's the why that will keep you utterly enthralled until the last page. And if you think that ruins half the suspense, you'd be awfully wrong.

Late one night, banker Harry McNamara is the victim of an incredibly brutal attack. Oddly enough, hours later, his attacker Joe simply walks into the police station and confesses although he claims not to know his victim and that the assault wasn't premeditated. But surely there's more to the story? Well, yes, of course there is or this would be one short book. But I'm not going to tell you anything about it.

Obviously I'm not in favour of violence but I must admit that I would quite happily have clobbered Harry to pulp myself. I found him to be highly unlikeable and I also had a hard time mustering up any kind of sympathy for his wife, Julie. We do get an incredible insight into a remarkably flawed marriage which I found every bit as compelling as the investigation into the actual attack.

The Confession has a brilliantly executed and well-paced plot. Full of intrigue, it had me absolutely gripped until the end, not having an inkling what the likely outcome would be. Numerous times I thought I had it all figured out when Jo Spain whacked me in the face with another curveball that left me spinning. This is a complex and thoroughly entertaining psychological thriller with a truly satisfying conclusion. I understand this is Jo Spain's first foray into this genre and that sounds most promising for the future. I look forward to more!

This was a gripping psychological thriller that had me hooked from the first page. It was told from alternating character viewpoints with alternating timelines but was very easy to follow. I couldn't put it down and just had to keep on reading one more chapter. I loved the whole idea behind the story and definitely expect it to be one to watch this year. Would highly recommend this book.

Great book. A real page turner which had me hooked from the start. An unusual thriller., very enjoyable. Highly recommended

Many thanks to Netgalley and Jo Spain for the copy of this book. I agreed to give my unbiased opinion voluntarily.

It’s actually kind of funny but one of the reasons I was attracted to this novel was because I thought it was a very orginal starting point for a novel, giving up the person responsible right from the start, and yet I was still kind of waiting for the twist. Deep down I wouldn’t have been surprised if he – the killer who came forward – retracted his story or that he didn’t do it at all. It’s so silly that I’m conditioned like that when it comes to reading thrillers. Another thought I had was that it would have been some kind of a hesaid/shesaid story, where you have to find out who’s telling the truth about what happened but it was not like this, it’s actually pretty straightforward from the beginning.

The Confession is told through 3 POV’s: the detective, the victim’s wife Julie and the attacker JP. The main goal is to find out WHY. JP confessed but he told the detective he didn’t know the man, so what could possibly be his motive then?

To know this we go back to the very beginning, to when Julie met her husband in college and to JP’s miserable childhood. His mother was an alcoholic who always fell for the wrong guys, there was abuse and neglect and JP had to take care of his sister and see he could feed them both. It was very easy to start sympathizing with him, even after I read a really gruesome and violent opening chapter where he just bashed someone with a golf club. On the other side I found it harder to sympathize with Julie and her enigmatic husband. Julie’s weak and they are both money-grabbing people.

I was still interested in the why of it all but it was becoming harder to care for the victims. Slowly the net tightens and this is where the really good part started for me, when it finally becomes clear what made them cross paths. It’s even getting better when Julie has a confrontation with JP to find out for herself. That conversation between the two of them was highly entertaining and absolutely gripping! It really ends on a high note and I did feel oddly satisfied with the way the story went and was concluded.

If you like this one, I recommend you read The Widow too!

Very different murder/mystery, with the murder and perpetrator revealed in the first chapter. Follows three different characters, with two particularly strongly written. I perhaps expected more of a twist at the end but enjoyable nonetheless.

WOW what a book! It has an unusual start as from the first two chapters we are introduced to the victim, the crime and also the man guilty of the crime.

However who is the real victim? Who really is to blame for what happens? Nothing is as clearcut as the beginning of the book suggests....

This is a real page turner - just as I thought I knew what had happened... WHAM... some new information which made me think again!

The character development is excellent. Jo Spain has managed to create believable characters who are a realistic blend of good and bad - at different parts of the journey I found myself cheering for or against different characters. No action stands alone... everything can have a far reaching consequence.

Clever, chilling, heartbreaking... this is on my list of MUST READ books for 2018.