Deals with dark themes that will be unsettling and difficult to read for some, though needed for the story and not sensationalist. A good spread of story over two timelines, but the characters were distinctly unlikable and I felt the book was rushed towards the end.

Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

I went back and read this book after reading their newer book which i have read and really enjoyed.

This story is engrossing and fast to read and I finished it in a day the story was intense and really gripping with lots of twists and turns.

I can now say this author has kept up with the great stories and gets better each time.

Thank you to Netgalley for a copy for a honest review.

This was a brilliant read. As soon as I started reading this book I just knew I was going to love it. Highly recommended

A trigger warning for those who wish to read this: mentions of pedophilia, rape, and porn. It is definitely a bit heavy. With that being said, I enjoyed this story for the most part, although I did feel it was a little slow to start. I could not connect with the characters. Julianne must confront her husband James after their son Stephen finds some questionable material on an iPad. What follows is told between the past and present, with the events of the past leading up to now.

TW: Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Trafficking

I thought this was going to be a typical mystery/thriller read due to the cover, but the cover was totally misleading and has absolutely no relation to the book (I think the cover might have changed now). I would consider this book as more general fiction with a tiny hint of a psychological thriller.

I do admit that the writing was excellent! This book is told in different POVs and different timelines. At first, I was confused as to why I was reading the background character development of a random character, but it eventually made sense and I loved how those two storylines intertwined. Speaking of POVs, the story was mostly character development (especially Holly’s character) and contained not much action. I would consider this a medium-paced book.

In addition, most of the characters were despicable, as they were part of an elite group of spoil rich brats. The book contained a lot of discussions around social issues and sex. It definitely gave me Jeffrey Epstein Vibes. The storyline is very dark and disturbing, with graphic descriptions.

The book didn’t conclude how I would have wanted it to, I don’t understand why there were so many backstories, but the conclusion to those storylines and backstories was missing.

I was initially thinking of rating this book at 3.5, but I was actually entertained at a certain point and even ended up reading from 30% to 65% in one sitting. So that to me, signifies I didn’t completely hate this novel.

I might pick up another B.P. Walter book at some point! It wasn’t terrible, just not my typical mystery/thriller book.

I am not leaving a review due to the fact that this book did not interest me enough to finish the story.

This vook had a very interesting premise and was well-written despite being a very dark, sometimes uncomfortable read. With no characyers to get behind as they were all pretty unlikeable, it was a bit of a slog.

Thank you so much for this ARC but I will not be providing feedback on this title. I did not read this book and cannot give a fair review!

The book features a topic that might not be to everyone's liking, but it was a very well-written read, and I will definitely read some more by this author in future.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for this arc.
I recently read The Dinner Guest by BP Walter, which I loved. Definitely one of the best reads of the year so far, so I was eager to check out his backlist and realised I was approved for A Version of Truth ages ago. I brought this on my kindle immediately and came here to post my review 🤗
This is narrated from two POVS:
* Knightsbridge 2019. We follow Julianne, an American married to the wealthy James. Her university sweetheart. Then one morning her son shows her the family Dropbox where her husband has downloaded work files, which involves women and their profile. What is her husband up to? Julianne’s world is going to come crashing down.
* Oxford 1990. We follow Holly, a working class girl who managed to get into Oxford. She feels like an outsider, until she meets Ally, her brother Ernest and his friend James...
How will these two storylines connect?

This was an intriguing read albeit a slow-paced one. I did feel that suspense wise this was lacking and I connected the dots early on. I felt like the ending was too rushed and felt like that was the most compelling part and I would’ve loved it had the documentary been more of a focus. I preferred Holly’s arc more. She was more relatable, whereas Julianne was a bit blind-sided by things that were obvious. Nonetheless this was a gripping read with themes that remain topical even in 2021.

WOW! This book was certainly not what I expected. Let me say that the blurb does not even touch on what this story is really about. It jumps between college years and adulthood and finds a married woman who will give it all up to bring her husband down. There is sex, rape, porn, websites for gang rape and so much more. Things that you would never expect to read about much less have a hard time putting it down as I did. I was drawn in by the wife’s strength and ability to stand firm on her beliefs. Though it was not all about just her husband. Many others were involved. Could she stop this before it happens again?

Thank you to netgalley as well as the author/publisher for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

This book is great! Would definitely recommend. Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Was a real slog to finish. Felt contrived with some very dubious decisions being made. I never felt like I was really there at university and it fell into lazy stereotypes for me.

A tantalising premise and a well-structured but dark, disturbing, uncomfortable read full of unlikeable and unsympathetic people doing unpleasant things.

Very dark and twisted, I'm not sure I realised what I was getting into from the blurb. Thought it would be a bit more psychological, not so graphic. However, a gripping read if I kept my eyes shut in parts. Not quite me but I can see it will appeal.

This one contains dark subject matter that will not be for everyone. The characters were unlikeable. If you can get past those two rather huge factors then this is a decent domestic thriller.

I started reading this book when I received a copy via NetGalley and couldn't get into it. I had just finished The Last Mrs. Parish and was looking for another book along those lines. I wasn't a big fan of any of the characters in this book and had difficulty finishing it. While grueling and graphic, I still wanted to finish the book.

A version of the truth

2019: Julianne is preparing for a dinner when her son shows her something he found on his iPad that will turn her world upside down.

1990: Holly is a freshman at oxford university, when she falls into a friendship that live a different lifestyle than what Holly is used to.

This is a very dark and sinister story and reminded me a lot of the films ‘Hostel’. Many of the characters are meant to be unlike able and I think that worked well with the story.
I enjoyed this debut and will definitely read more from this author!

Trigger warnings for rape, gang rape, sexual abuse.

Dark, twisted and totally absorbing. Well drawn-out characters, good plot plenty of suspense. A recommended read.