An interesting initial idea, that I enjoyed quite well, but that I felt was stretched quite thin by the end. There were a couple of twists that had me raising an eyebrow and wondering if they really fit with the rest of the book, but on the whole I’m not sorry I read it.

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.

Golden State by Ben H. Winters is a riveting thriller that will leave you at the edge of your seat. It tells the story of Laz Ratesic, a veteran of the State’s special police who discovers the ultimate truth that is hidden behind a suspicious murder.

The world created by Winters is unique and intricate. Every detail matters and creates a world that is captivating to the reader. It’s a dangerous place in which those in power rely on Laz to uncover the truth. However, when those in control decide to twist the truth, only Laz’s relentless will to fight back makes the difference.

The tension increases throughout the story and its sharp dialogue make it an incredibly thrilling read. Golden State is a page turner that will keep you up at night as Laz Racesic’s world unravels around him. Highly recommended!

This I feel is on me and not the actual book, I don't think I was the target audience unfortunately because it just felt so heavy. I also found that it had some plot holes that just weren't explained/ignored to make the story work which just didn't sit with me. I found that what started out showing series promise turned into a bit of a mess by the end and just didn't line up correctly.

Such a unique and interesting perspective and concept. I was immediately interested in picking this one up as it just sounded excellent and the follow through was just that

Unfortunately I could not get into this book and did not finish it. Other readers may enjoy this more.

This book has been garnering a lot of attention lately, due to the fact that the case the book is about- the East Area Rapist/Original Night Stalker/Golden State Killer– is believed to have been apprehended (via, of all things, those DNA testing kits you can get from Ancestry.com). Michelle McNamara’s book has been credited by some as being the driving force behind the solving of a cold case from the late 70s, early 80s, although the police forces involved have denied this.
Michelle McNamara died in 2016; a true crime blogger, she became obsessed with solving the case in which one man was suspected of committing 12 murders, 50 rapes and over a hundred burglaries between 1974-1986 in California. She sifted through thousands of forum posts, befriended detectives on the police forces involved and read hundreds of documents from the various different cases that made up the vast spider web of one man’s horrific crime spree. This book is as much about her dedication to solving the case as it is to the victims of the crimes, the man who perpetrated them and the police who tried to stop him.
I’d tried to listen to the excellent Casefile podcast on this case. However, it’s about seven hours all in and I bailed after one episode; the matter-of-fact tone and details of the crimes were too much for me (and I like true crime!) However, this book is sensitive and respectful of the victims, never ghoulish or gory. I felt that, unlike some true crime writers, McNamara was truly on their side.

I received an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley, Random House, and the author Ben H. Winters.
An interesting premise, and a promising start with a good amount of mystery and intrigue. However, it veered off towards the end in a messy, tangled, and confusing denouement. The ending felt rushed and unplanned, like the author had begun writing without a finale in mind, and had scrambled to tie up the loose ends.
Disappointing. 2 stars.

What an exciting fast paced original post apocalyptic novel! The lead character, Laszlo Ratesic, is a 54 year old nineteen year veteran of the Speculative Service. He lives in the Golden State a place where the truth is guarded closely and lying (contradicting the truth) is the greatest crime and is punished by exile. This was fast paced and gripping. The only disappointment was the ending that wasn't fully tied up so will have to wait for the next book for that.

This is a dystopian novel, the protagonist comes from a family of Law enforcement and where law is the most valued truth, he resides in The Golden State, a nation resembling California, where like-minded Americans retreated after the erosion of truth and the spread of lies made public life, and governance, increasingly impossible.

Unfortunately I read this book a while ago and seem to have missed it when writing reviews. - sadly I cant remember enough detail to give a full review.
However, thanks to NetGalley for the ARC :-)

I love a good dystopian read and found myself not disappointed with this. I loved Part 1 and honesty could have just read a whole book based on solving truth crimes and would have been very happy. Part 2 was a little wacky and seemed to be off tangent to part 1 but this was fixed with Part 3. Part 3 brought it all together and give me a good solid ending. I would say that Part 3 felt a little rushed and could have been longer with more time spent in the various places but overall this book was very satisfying.

I like dystopian novels but unfortunately despite the promise of an intriguing story I was unable to engage with the book.

I couldn't get very far into this book, unfortunately. I never really got in to it (too quirky for me, which is saing something as I'm normally a sucker for dystopian novels).

This started off very well, with an interesting idea and it was fairly easy to pick up on the world-building. As I read it, I thought it would be really fascinating, and that by the end I would love it. But when I reached that point, I felt that the ending rather let the earlier parts of the book down. There was interest, but it didn't seem to pack any punch.
Most of the book was very good, although sometimes I wasn't sure whether it was a murder mystery or a more complex dystopian novel. It felt like such a great idea, that could have been tweaked a bit and then it would have been an excellent book, which was a bit of a shame.

I’m a society of extreme monitoring and suggestive privacy invasion, this novel plays with the ‘theme’ of 1984 in our modern society. Brilliant pace and an excellent concept

A universe where any lies, even white ones, are against the law. No thanks! Even those lies which protect your loved ones (of course your hair looks great) are illegal. The police know when you're lying as well, so there's no hiding. This dystopian novel does what dystopians do and exposes our protagonist to the truth. This book will keep you confused and in the dark in the best way possible! It can be a bit slow at points but I still really enjoyed it and am grateful to NetGalley for allowing me to read a copy.

A world where all lies, even teensy little fibs are a crime and there are law enforcement agents that KNOW when you are lying. As far as dystopian worlds go I'll take zombies thank you very much!

This novel goes straight to letting us know what a crazy world this is. Even a lie that protects someone is punishable. In this world Lazlo Ratesic has spent 19 years believing in the truth, having total faith in The Golden State. But a new partner and series of events challenge his faith in the system he has dedicated his life to.

I spent the second half of this book scratching my head, wondering what the hell was going on. Fantastic! As long as it's not ridiculous I love stories that are implicit in what is happening and where they are heading. It does slow down a bit too much at times so not quite a five star novel for me, but a very highly rated 4 stars.

This book is about an alternate state that sees that society values truth and law above everything else. I had a feeling it was a bit like 1984 but I didn’t enjoy it as much.

The alternate society really focuses on the truth and there are cameras watching everything that is happening in people’s lives. Lazlo Ratesic is a long-term veteran for the Speculative Service however his life is about to change following what he believes is a cover up of something that runs deep.

It’s quite scary how much closer we are to a 1984 society. This book gives the concept a modern revamp. While it’s far to say that it’s more of a homage than an original work of fiction, it is well written, engaging and something I would recommend alongside 2018’s Vox.