A Face in the Crowd is my first Kerry Wilkinson novel but absolutely not my last.

From the offset you feel the tension build as Lucy’s life begins to change due to the incredible and shocking discovery of an envelope of money someone has secretly put in her handbag while she was travelling on the bus home .

Some great characters, an unusual plot and storyline and it's many twists make this a very enjoyable and engrossing read.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for an advanced copy for my honest review,

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.

2.5* rounded up.

I seem to be stuck in a rut at the moment where I read books that could be summed up 'this could all have been avoided if she had just read her bank statements every month'. Lucy's boyfriend Ben died in a train crash five years ago, leaving her with debts arising from loans he had fraudulently taken out in her name. (This sub-genre I am currently stuck in could also be summarized 'why don't people ever seek legal advice, or at the very least go to Citizens' Advice?') Lucy is living hand to mouth, still making repayments. For inexplicable reasons Ben's mother blames Lucy for his death. One day someone puts an envelope of cash in Lucy's handbag.

There isn't much plot here, and some of what there is turns out to be utterly irrelevant red herrings. Lucy's dog Billy is the main character, and his trip to the vet's in a baby stroller was an episode of light relief. Lucy never really came alive for me and the ending was full of holes.

SPOILERS

I don't understand how Ben got declared dead when there can have been no evidence of his body and it was unbelievable that he should murder the woman in the flat opposite to Lucy's solely so that he could go in there and play music occasionally.

I have enjoyed books by this author in the past, but this was thin and disappointing.

A Face in the Crowd by Kerry Wilkinson
Thanks @netgalley @kerry.wilkinson and @bookouture for my ARC
Publication date 6th June 2019
‘Lucy gets the same bus home every day. This Friday her life will change forever’.
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Oh this was amazing!! This was my third stand-alone novel by this incredibly talented author. I literally couldn’t put this down. Like the other two books I’ve read by this author, you are completely drawn in from the first chapter, actually the first few sentences. It grips on and does not let go!
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The main character of Lucy was so well written, I really liked her and sympathised with her. The situation she had found herself in and her struggles. The premise of the story was really unique and I don’t want to give too much away. I went in blind and it was the best way. In a split second Lucy’s life is thrown into turmoil and she has no idea how or why this has happened. A very intense and gripping read. Highly recommended xx