Paula Daly is fast gaining a name in the crime sector genre. Her books are normally set in the laid-back Lake District, but this, her newest novel has moved up a scale, it is more hard hitting and is set in the City of Manchester.

Tess works for the charity Innocence UK, she is the only one paid a salary as everyone else gives up their time for free. The charity’s aim is to re-investigate certain cases where they believe the person has been wrongly convicted.

Carrie, is one such women. Accused of killing her husband’s lover, she has been imprisoned for three of the 15 year sentence she was handed down. Her daughter is pregnant with her first grandchild. She has always protested her innocence and now Tess, and her new sidekick, Avril have to trawl through all the evidence and decide if this case is worth pursuing, but Tess will only take on Carrie’s case if she believes she is innocent.

The characters of Tess, Carrie and Avril come across as very believable, they each have their secrets and I loved how these slowly unfolded as the story moved forward.

The author well and truly whipped me with the ending. Although I half guessed the outcome, I never in a million years would have predicted how it played out, in fact, I don’t think anyone will as it is so extreme! Hats off Paula for even thinking of this!

Tess works hard with Project Innocence U.K. to evaluate and prove prisoners are innocent. Carrie has served several years in prison for killing her husband's girlfriend. Tess and her team accepts Carrie's case when things start adding up to prove her innocence. Tess' story is always in the background to add intrigue. Overall the story was good but felt rushed at the end.

I was looking forward to reading this and liked the blurb. The premise is good and I believe that Paula has a great plot here. That being said, I could not warm to the characters and found myself annoyed by Tess. In particular I found that her relationship with Clive seemed out of place to her passion to her work and sense of justice. Great build throughout but like other such books, it just finished too fast.

This is an engaging character driven psychological mystery.
Tess runs a charity focusing on proving the innocence of those wrongly convicted.
She gets the case of Carrie who is in prison for murdering her husband's mistress.
It's an open and shut case where the evidence are stacked against Carrie who maintains her innocence all the way.

As Tess starts investigating Carrie's case, holes and new suspects emerge. However, what Tess didn't expect was that through taking Carrie's case her own buried past will reemerge when least expected.

I enjoyed the tense-filled atmosphere and the unexpected twists through out the novel. However, I found the ending a bit rushed and didn't really live up to an otherwise gripping plot.

Thanks Netgalley, Grove Atlantic, and author Paula Daly for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

I have read and loved all this author's books but I felt there was something lacking in this one. It just didn't grab me. I liked the idea of Innocent UK, a charity aiming to find evidence to prove the innocence of people wrongly convicted of crimes . I did like Tess. I would like to have seen a bit more regarding the relationship of her and Steph and the book ended a bit too abruptly for my liking
Thanks to the author and publisher for the opportunity to read this early copy

Thanks to Netgalley and Grove Atlantic for a digital galley in exchange for an honest review.

Did you hear? For 2.5 hours today, the Earth stopped moving and it's all Paula Daly's fault. What promises to be an instant bestseller, Clear My Name focuses on Innocence UK employee, Tess Gilroy, and her team's efforts to prove that mother and grandmother, Carrie Kamera was wrongly convicted. As the narrative switches between Tess and Carrie, it's anyone's guess as to how the story will end.

I was completely riveted to this story and it's definitely a contender for favorite book of 2019.

Goodreads review published 07/08/19
Publication Date. 10 /09/19

I really liked the lead character in this book and would 'love' for Tess to feature in a series. In some ways she's kind-of an unlikely narrator... in her 40s and someone who didn't quite achieve all they wanted. And though she's settled into a job she enjoys, there's a sense she's biding time. (And worryingly I could kinda relate!)

So, Tess is a great protagonist. We pretty quickly learn she's far from perfect and is seemingly running from something. I'd initially guessed it was something that led her into the work she's in, but I was wrong. (Gulp, yes wr-wr-wrong!)

I was a tad affronted on behalf of Tess - that she wasn't consulted when someone was brought on (by her advisory board) to work with her... as a sole employee etc you'd think she would have been given some notice or have some say in who was chosen. But nope. Naturally I expected there's be some nefarious purpose to it all.

Tess feels a lot of antipathy about taking Carrie's case initially, though mostly because it involves returning to the childhood home town she left decades before (never to return).

But, the advisory board for Innocence UK are coping some flak because they've never taken a woman's case before so Tess has no choice.

I liked that Tess's role is kinda investigative. I assumed (initially) she'd be a lawyer and arguing some boring point of law or something, but instead Tess (and now her offsider Avril) are responsible for doing the groundwork required by her board of advisors - all of whom bring some expertise to the case at hand. In fact, as Daly was quite specific about their expertise it made me wonder if the series would continue, with each given some time in the spotlight. (And you're more than welcome to that idea if you'd like Paula! :-) )

Daly offers up Carrie's story from her point of view, though we never get to the actual murder for which she's accused. Rather there are some flashbacks to events in the lead-up... giving us a sense I suspect, of what was at stake. It doesn't necessarily bode well for Carrie who also admits that she's been less-than-honest. 

Because I'm such an avid reader of mysteries and thrillers - not to mention smug - I assumed I'd worked out who it was. In fact... my notes say something like, "Please don't let it be as obvious as....." And thankfully it wasn't. Phew.

I enjoyed the complexity Daly offers readers through the murder of Ella (Carrie's husband's lover). It's always easy to bastardise the victim when we like the potential perpetrator so we feel better about their demise, but Daly doesn't do that here and there's a lot more to Ella's story than initially expected.

Of course there's also Tess's own secrets and whatever it is that motivates her to keep everyone at arm's length. Despite having made it to her mid 40s as a fully functioning human, she feels very unworthy and unlovable... and we eventually learn why.

There's some interesting insights from Tess (well, Daly) about the criminal justice system and how some people (perhaps innocent) are eventually rewarded for admitting guilt and remorse in order to be released on parole and a reminder that sometimes accepting 'defeat' is easier than continuing to fight, if it seems unlikely you'll ever win. So... there's some ethical fodder to ponder here as well. 

Clear My Name by Paula Daly was published in UK by Bantam Press (Penguin Random House UK) and will be published in the US by Grove Atlantic in early September.

I have read and enjoyed all of Paula Daly's books and was really excited for this one. Clear My Name totally lived up to my expectations. I loved Daly's complex female characters and tense plotting,. This story of an innocent woman behind bars and the Innocence UK project's attempt to free her from prison was tightly plotted and twisty. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC.

This was a really heart pounding and intense read but it was fantastic and I wish I could read it all
Over again. Amazing. Five stars xx

I've read a number of Paula Daly's books and was excited for the chance to join the book tour for Clear My Name. Daly's books tend to focus on ordinary people, confronted with extraordinary - usually disturbing - circumstances that throw their world into disarray. Her characters are very real and this makes the stories all the more engaging and unsettling, because you inevitably contemplate how you might handle such a situation.

Clear My Name was a little different, because there is the question of whether or not someone is guilty of a serious crime. The story centers around Carrie, accused or murder, and Tess, a woman who runs a charity focusing on wrongful convictions.

The many holes in the story surrounding Carrie's guilt lead Tess to question what the truth is and determined to uncover it. The story isn't as fast paced as I expected, but there is a perpetual atmosphere of tension that continues to steadily build right until the end.

I found this to be an engaging book by an author whose work I am always excited to read. I would recommend Clear My Name to fans of clever plotting, strong characters and gripping psychological thrillers!

I have read a few by Paula Daly so I was looking forward to this . It's quick to get going so I was hooked early .Tess works for the innocence project , they look into what they believe are wrongful convictions . Carrie is in prison for killing her husbands girlfriend , its pretty open and shut as her blood is found at the scene even though she denies even being there . As Tess and her colleagues go back over the evidence and start their own investigation a lot of questions are raised . With a couple of other suspects appearing and Tess's own murky past haunting her and the investigation this was an exciting , thrilling read . 5 stars

Read this in one sitting. WOW!!!! This has all the traits a fantastic physiological thriller should have. Keeps you on the edge of your seat until the very last page. Enjoyed the well written narrative between all the characters and how they all fitted within each other to make an explosive read.
Highly recommended

I've read all of this author's books and always look out for them and this one is just as good as her others. Excellent read.

This book tells the story of a charity who support jail victims who feel their conviction was wrong.
Tess, used to working alone, is assigned Avril, a new recruit. They are asked to investigate the case of Carrie who was jailed for supposedly murdering her husband's lover. The story is told in real time as well as going back four years to the conviction. The reader is led to believe one theory however this book is full of fantastic twists right up to the last chapter with an unexpected ending.
We also learn a little about Tess s private life, although if I'm honest I'm not sure what this thread gave to the overall plot.
Absolutely loved this book and thoroughly recommend.d
Thank you Net galley for this advanced book.

Read this book in two days, but could've read it in one go if I didn't have to go out!

Tess is a lawyer who works for a charity who helps convicted criminals overturn their sentence , if Tess can prove their innocence.

Carrie finds herself incarcerated for a crime she says she didn't commit. As far as the police are concerned, it was an open and shut case

Tess only takes these cases if she believes the client, Carrie case is the most complex one she has ever come across and.it will test her in ways she couldn't have imagined.

This story really pulled me in, great book. Thanks to Netalley for the opportunity to review, this is my honest opinion

a solid 4 star read!

Clear My Name was fast-paced and intriguing, with a strong and complex female lead in Tess, an investigator for Innocence UK working to free an innocent woman from prison. I really enjoyed the true crime aspect of the novel and felt it was very realistically done. The secondary characters were also well developed; I especially enjoyed Astrid, Tess's intern, and seeing their relationship unfold. My one complaint is that the ending felt a bit rushed and there were certain elements of the storyline that could have been wrapped up, such as Tess and Clive's relationship.

I will definitely be looking into more of Paula Daly's books and would recommend Clear My Name to anyone looking for a unique psychological thriller.

This had a unique and interesting plot and excellent character development. I loved how multi-faceted and multi-layered Tess’ personality was and how her own personal struggle was interwoven with that of Carrie, the woman whose innocence she was trying to prove. I did figure out one of the twists but enjoyed this thoroughly nonetheless.

Many thanks to Netgalley, Atlantic Monthly Press and Paula Daly for my complimentary e-copy ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

3.75 stars

Intriguing Game of Cat and Mouse

A psychological thriller about a woman accused of killing her husband’s mistress.

Clear My Name has a fascinating premise. Former parole officer, Tess, now runs a charity called Innocence UK that helps wrongly convicted criminals reverse their sentences and ultimately clear their names. She takes on the case of Carrie, who has served four years for killing her husband’s mistress. The evidence against Carrie is damning, but many holes leave Tess questioning Carrie’s innocence. At the same time, Tessa has dark secrets that are slowly revealed. Tess’s fight for Carrie’s innocence could result in her setting a guilty woman free.

Clear My Name is not action-packed--but it is fast-paced. It is chock full of tension and had me constantly questioning whether or not Carrie committed murder. Every chapter provides clues about Tess’s and Carrie’s pasts. Each little clue messed with my head and I was riveted until I reached around the 80% mark. At this point, the narrative lost its steam.

This book was so tightly wound, but then it fizzled out in the end. The ending felt rushed and almost incomplete. I had loved it up to this point, so for me, it ended on a disappointing note. However, I would still recommend it, especially for those who love a good game of cat and mouse!

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I liked the idea and the plot of the book, but I had a hard time liking the characters and getting into the book. It's about a suburban type wife who's husbands mistress gets murdered and she is charged for the murder and she tries to prove her innoncence. There is a group called Innocence UK that takes on the case and they must prove she is innocent as well.

I give the book 3/5 stars

Another good one by Paula Daly. CLEAR MY NAME shows the complicated life of Tess Gilroy, investigator for the Innocence Project UK as she tries to free a woman she usually believes is innocent. But as she investigates, ghosts (more alive than ever) of Tess's past confuse matters and her own personal behaviour begins to trouble her. And to make things more upsetting, Tess is tasked with training a new investigator, the young, wide-eyed Avril, when everyone knows Tess likes to work alone. Good book, good characters, good plot - solid read.