Another great read from Jo Spain.. the story of family secrets and how they can destroy everything around them! A page turner !

I really enjoyed Jo Spain's previous book, Dirty Little Secrets, and this one was just as better. It follows the members of a highly dysfunctional family, who after years apart are forced back together by the return of a brother, Adam, who went missing ten years before. This sudden reappearance eventually leads to a murder.
The plot was well done. I was very interested in finding out what happened in the past which caused Adam's disappearance, and the present day mystery was gripping as well and difficult to figure out. The characters were complex, none of them was particularly likeable but it was also easy to understand and sympathize with them.
I also really liked the solution of the mystery. It wasn't clear until near the end, and personally I think it was perfect.
Highly enjoyable, recommended!

I loved this book from the first sentence through to the end! I thought having so many characters would be confusing, but the children of Frazer are so different that it’s easy to separate each one. All of them have secrets, which are gradually revealed in this clever whodunnit. The only problem was, once I finished the book I wanted to read it all over again to see how it all fitted together now I knew everything! Really great book, which I highly recommend.

Six Wicked Reasons by Jo Spain

It is June 2018 and five Lattimer siblings are called back to Spanish Cove, to their family home on the most beautiful and remote section of Ireland’s coast. They reluctantly return from all parts of the globe for a very special reason – to greet the sixth sibling, Adam, who, ten years before, disappeared without trace, presumed dead. The shock of losing Adam destroyed his mother and she died soon afterwards. But now he is back with a story to tell. Their father arranges a party aboard a boat to celebrate the return of the prodigal son. But the following morning,when the boat returned to shore, not everyone was aboard. One of the family was swept overboard, others jumped in to rescue him. But when the body is hauled ashore, local police officer Detective Downes soon learns that the man was dead before he hit the water. Someone on the boat is a murderer. It’s up to Downes to investigate who and why before they strike again.

I loved the premise of Six Wicked Reasons, Jo Spain’s latest stand alone thriller, as soon as I heard about it and read it at once. I adored Dirty Little Secrets, which likewise has an irresistible premise involving a small group of people (aka suspects) in an evocative setting with more secrets than is good for them. It’s a winning formula and Jo Spain excels at it.

The Irish coastal setting of Spanish Cove, with the large house on the cliff, so full of memories, is gorgeous and such a contrast to the other places in which the siblings have found themselves, with the exception of Ellen who stayed behind to keep the house with her father. The others have all grown into very different people from the children they once were but the old alliances that they made are still there. The petty squabbles flare up once more. And then there’s the father. With a family this size, there is bound to be rivalry and envy. It’s fascinating watching this family try to get along, to understand why Adam left them for so long, and knowing that the answers lie in the past.

Moving between the past and the present, this novel immerses the reader in the history of this dysfunctional family. The narrative moves between the family members, while also, and this makes the books especially effective, providing the point of view of the detective who has this mess to untangle. None of the family members are particularly likeable. In fact, I would go so far as to say that I didn’t like any of them. But I really liked Detective Downes and it’s he who, in a strange way, holds it all together.

The story is compelling, twisty and involving. The short chapters and the lively structure make this a very difficult book to put down and I powered through it. All the time we really want to know why Adam left his family ten years before and why he’s come back now. This central mystery is backed up by so many more, including the mystery of the identity of the murderer, but there are far more than that. Six Wicked Reasons is thoroughly entertaining, it certainly kept me guessing and it is all reinforced by such a strong and enticing sense of place. I have yet to read any of Jo Spain’s Inspector Tom Reynolds novels, a state of affairs I shall definitely correct, but I can thoroughly recommend her stand alone thrillers and I can’t wait to read the next.

Other reviews
The Confession
Dirty Little Secrets

In SIX WICKED REASONS, Jo Spain gives us the ultimate dysfunctional family. The Lattimers are ostensibly Wexford gentry - huge mansion, trust funds, business portfolio which promises untold riches to the six grown children when it matures - they have everything and are envied and despised by the villagers of Spanish Cove. Beneath the surface though the family is anything but blessed and when Adam Lattimer, missing ten years and assumed dead, returns to the family home, things fall apart quickly. Frazer Lattimer, a horrible man who gave all of his children a reason to hate him, is dead and was possibly already so when he fell from a yacht in the cove. But, was he murdered, and who killed him?

Jo Spain builds tension slowly jumping in time from before Frazer's death to the investigation following it, an investigation undertaken by a young policeman who grew up with the family. The story evolves through the revolving viewpoints of each of the children, their 'uncle' Danny and Garda Rob Downes. SIX WICKED REASONS is continually surprising and the reveal, when it eventual comes, is totally unexpected; an enjoyable whodunnit which nods strongly to the Agatha Christie model even as it subverts it.

This book had me hooked from the beginning and I struggled to put it down, keen as I was to find out "whodunnit.". The story of a dysfunctional family in Ireland, when one of the six children, Adam, returns home having been missing, presumed dead, for ten years their father, Frazer, summons the other siblings home for a celebration. But things do not work out as planned and Frazer ends up dead. As the story develops, it is clear that all of the children had the motivation to kill their father, an unpleasant narcissist, and they are all keeping secrets.

The book switches between past and present and this seems to increase the tension as those secrets are revealed - written with great skill, the characters of the children begin to be revealed and the setting adds to the overall tense feel. And unlike so many other books, the ending certainly didn't disappoint, with the twists and turns continuing right to the end. The first book I have read by Jo Spain, if this is anything to go by it certainly won't be my last!

Thank you to Quercus and Netgalley for an advance copy in exchange for my review.

Getting my hands on the latest Jo Spain, is always a cause for excitement. I plan a few hours to myself to hide away (with some decent chocolate) and loose myself in some deep plotting and dramatic scenes.
This time around, I’ve been unwell and it took far longer than usual before I could enjoy my book. However, when I finally got around to reading the opening pages, ‘Six Wicked Reasons’ did not disappoint. Jo Spain has a wonderful ability to catch the attention of the reader within her opening paragraph’s and her newest novel is no different. She begins by telling us of how the old timers know better than to swim in the treacherous sea near the rocks and yet, so did the family at the centre of the tragedy. A family who held o party on a boat out in that same sea, a party to celebrate the return of the prodigal son, but sadly, one family member did not survive the night. By accident, or by design? Well, I was certainly hooked.
‘Six Wicked Reasons’ is one of the stand-alone novels by Spain, and features on the extremely dysfunctional Lattimer family, who are apparently rejoicing over the return of Adam, who has been missing for around 10 years. However, an event that should be full of joy, is overshadowed by lies, fear and buckets of anger. Every member of the family has their own secrets (sometimes layers of secrets) which are revealed slowly through the novel. The story does jump from character to character and back and forth in time. I recall a similar plot device in ‘Dirty Little Secrets’, and while this does require a detailed attention on behalf of the reader, it also means that you never get bored and are always excited for the next secret and revelation.
Spain portrays her characters well, drawing on the typical Irish society and occasional stereotypes. It is this familiarity with the local Irish community and our language that helps the reader to feel at home and draws us into the storyline. (Disclaimer: I mean this in a general manner – I don’t recall having any despots in the community!)
My only disappointment? That the story ended after around, 420 pages or so. I would have read another 100. 😊

I received an ARC of this book from Quercus via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

EXCERPT: Clio let herself hope. She let herself imagine this man her dad planned to hire would find her brother. Or at least tell them what had happened. She couldn't know that by the following spring, he would return with the worst news.

That Adam was probably dead. She couldn't know that her father would convey that to her mother. And that he would badger her to accept it, at exactly the same time Ryan took a turn for the worse. and that her mother's heart, fit to burst with love for them all, would finally burst with sadness. Months later it would only be Clio and Ellen and their father left in Spanish Cove. No Adam, no Ryan. James enjoying his life in Dublin. Kate scarpering up there as fast as she could. Her mother cold in the ground.

From eight to three.

From loud to silent.

From loved to ... nothing.

ABOUT THIS BOOK: It's June 2008 and twenty-one-year-old Adam Lattimer vanishes, presumed dead. The strain of his disappearance breaks his already fragile family.

Ten years later, with his mother deceased and siblings scattered across the globe, Adam turns up unannounced at the family home. His siblings return reluctantly to Spanish Cove, but Adam's reappearance poses more questions than answers. The past is a tangled web of deceit.

And, as tension builds, it's apparent somebody has planned murderous revenge for the events of ten years ago.

MY THOUGHTS: This is the third book I have read by this author, and it falls somewhere between The Confession, which I didn't enjoy, and Dirty Little Secrets, which I adored.

At the centre of this story is a dysfunctional family - extremely dysfunctional. A controlling father, a dead mother, an eldest son who will do anything to succeed, another who is a drug addict, and one who is busy trying to find himself. The girls are no better, Kate has left home as fast as she could for the bright lights of the city, Ellen has ensconced herself in the family home to care for their father, and Clio does a runner to New York.

The story is narrated over different time frames, and by the voices of the different children and Detective Rob Downes, investigating the suspicious death of their father, Frazer Lattimer. Yet despite the multiple narrators and different time frames, it never gets confusing. Jo Spain has choreographed a beautiful ballet of shifting times and views, while keeping the story flowing, and the mystery of the perpetrator intact. I honestly didn't have any idea 'whodunnit' despite some really wild guesses. Reminiscent of Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None, this is even better!

****

#SixWickedReasons #Netgalley

THE AUTHOR: Jo Spain is the author of the Inspector Tom Reynolds series. Her first book, top ten bestseller With Our Blessing, was a finalist in the 2015 Richard and Judy Search for a Bestseller. The Confession her first standalone thriller, was a number one bestseller and translated all over the world.
Jo is a graduate of Trinity College Dublin, a former political advisor in the Irish parliament and former vice-chair of InterTrade Ireland business body.
She now writes novels and screenplays full-time. Her first co-written TV show TAKEN DOWN was broadcast in Ireland in 2018 and bought by international distributors Fremantle.
Jo lives in Dublin with her husband and four young children. In her spare time (she has four children, there is no spare time really) she likes to read. Her favourite authors include Pierre Lemaitre, Jo Nesbo, Liane Moriarty, Fred Vargas and Louise Penny. She also watches TV detective series and was slightly obsessed with The Bridge, Trapped and The Missing.
Jo thinks up her plots on long runs in the woods. Her husband sleeps with one eye open and all her friends have looked at her strangely since she won her publishing deal.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Quercus Books via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of Six wicked reasons by Jo Spain for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon and my webpage.

This novel is about a dysfunctional family of six estranged siblings and their widowed father. When the family is reunited after a long lost brother returns, old tensions and secrets rise to the surface and a murder is committed. I struggled to like the characters but it is an interesting story about family dynamics and the darkness within.

All about a dysfunctional family. Secrets, lies etc. Very well written. Money cant buy you happiness !!! Couldn't put it down and very unpredictable.

Oh my word Jo Spain has done it again and written another absolutely fantastic book. This was an amazing read and I was glued to the story from the very first page. Despite the story going from past to present day and there being a lot of characters I had no problem following the story line. At times it was slow paced but this actually suited the storyline. A massive 5⭐️ read for me.

With thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for the arc, which I thoroughly enjoyed.
An Irish dysfunctional family and a dead father, the storyline was highly entertaining and thoroughly enjoyable. All six adult children all had their own reasons to hate their father. When the opportunity arose for murder to be committed , three of them were ready to act.
It was a riotous book to read and I really enjoyed reading this book.
Highly recommended.

Utterly gripping. You read the blurb and you think "oh another locked room mystery yawn" then you read the first chapter and you're hooked until the end. The only thing you need to make sure of before you start this book is a clear diary as you won't want to stop. Each characters backstory is laid out but by bit laying the foundations of the mystery but the foundations rapidly shift as the plot twists. Five star genius!

Jo Spain is one of my favourite crime authors and she always delivers a cracker of a thriller.

This book is set in Wrexford and Spanish Cove Island.

It follows the lives of the Lattimer family, six children, a narcissist father and a deceased mother.

Adam, one of the sons, went missing 10 years ago, and he turns up, asking his brothers and sisters, all who have left home, except one, to return to Spanish Cove to offer an explanation for his disppearance.

At the welcome home part, the head of the family, Mr Lattimer, is struck on the head and is murdered by one of his children?

But which one is it - they all have reason!!

This book was a slow burner, but a good slow burner. It had me on the edge of my seat throughout. I hated the father and in a way, I wanted his children to not be punished after what he had put them through!

The ending was superb and I really enjoyed this novel.

Tension Ridden, Suspenseful Tale...
Tension ridden, suspenseful tale centered around members of the Lattimer family -dysfunctional and diverse. Events from the past are re-visited when Adam Lattimer -presumed dead- unexpectedly returns to what is left of the family unit. One of six siblings, his appearance reluctantly prompts - at the bequest of appalling patriarch, Frazer - the others to return to the family home. Someone, however, is harbouring a murderous intent, possibly revenge. So begins a descent into chaos for the Lattimers. Cleverly narrated from different perspectives, well drawn characterisation, a tangled web of secrets and lies, twists and turns aplenty, an edge of seat plot line and, of course, six wicked reasons for murder this was a hugely entertaining read.

With its Agatha Christie-esque setting in a countryside house in Ireland, this is a classic revenge novel brimming with family secrets, stand out characters, originality and a stellar twist turning the story upside down!

This is my first Jo Spain book and I really enjoyed it! Centred around a dysfunctional and fraught Lattimer family, Adam aged 21 disappears in 2008. Now 2018, the siblings are called back home by their father as Adam has returned. Their father Frazer hires a boat as part of a celebration but tragedy strikes when he is found floating dead in the water. It’s apparent somebody has planned murderous revenge for the events of ten years ago.

Told from the perspectives of the six siblings, I loved how this story unfolded. We find out about each characters past and their relationship with their father. You can really connect with the characters and the author puts across their feelings and emotions well.

I found the book to be fast paced and there was tension and suspense throughout. So many twists and turns along the way and some shocking surprises too! This book is full of anger and revenge, secrets and lies which makes it a very compelling read. Jo Spain writes well and really creates clear images of characters and setting in your mind.

This author is a firm favourite of mine. While I do enjoy her Tom Reynolds series, I love that she does standalone novels too.....
In her latest book Six Wicked Reasons, we see a dysfunctional family at its best in The Lattimer's. They have class and wealth but certainly not happiness.
In this family we meet the father Frazer, sons James, Ryan & Adam and daughters Kate, Ellen & Clio. Their mother Kathleen passed away a number of years ago..
A devastating event being the disappearance of Adam Lattimer happened some years ago.
His family had to assume he was dead and in doing so it impacted each and everyone of them in different ways..
Fast forward ten years and Adam has returned.
How does this effect his already fragile family?
Will they get the answers they crave or will it be the catalyst that pushes one of them over the edge.
I loved that each member of the family had their own voice in this story giving us great insight into their lives.
I just couldn't take to the dad Frazer though. What a selfish and controlling person at times doing more harm to his children than good.
While I found this story to be quite a slow burner, Jo had such a good storyline that I found I was saying to myself just one more chapter.
No one character stood out as wanting to harm their father more than the other if I'm honest.
Each felt guilty, told plenty of lies and had more secrets that I've had hot dinners.
They were all suspects in my eyes for so long throughout the book.
Jo Spain certainly had me intrigued.
Highly recommend this one and worth taking the time to read....

Jo Spain is an author I have been following and reading for a few years now and I always enjoy reading her books. Her stories are always thrilling and full of suspense, but this new novel really exceeded my expectations and it quickly became my favourite book from this author. I devoured it, staying up late to finish reading it.

Meet the Lattimer family, wealthy, envied, and pretty dysfunctional. The parents are Frazer and his wife Kathleen and then there are the six siblings, three brothers and three sister: Ellen, James, Kate, Adam, Ryan, and Clio. One of them disappears and turns up at the door ten years later. Where has he been for the last ten years?

To celebrate the reappearance of his son, Frazer calls all his children to the family home not only to celebrate the return of the prodigal son, but for some revelations of his own. As secrets, resentments, and jealousies surface, it is clear that this won’t be an happy family reunion.

First of all, the characters. Jo Spain created a cast of amazing characters: they are multi-layered, very well-developed and well-portrayed, but I can’t say I really liked any of them, at least at the beginning of the story. I found them selfish and entitled and some of them really got under my skin. However, the more I read, the more the truth about their past came to light, and the more I came to appreciate and like some of them (the villains never improve). Some of their stories broke my heart, some infuriated me, but they felt real and well-built.

The plot is brilliant. I would describe it as Liane Moriarty meets Agatha Christie: everyone is hiding something, there are flashbacks, police interviews, multiple suspects, weak alibis and strong motives, there are twists that will make your head spin, there is a police officer keen to find out the truth, all coming together under the beautiful pen of Jo Spain.

Six Wicked Reasons is a remarkable and unputdownable story of revenge, lies, secrets, and guilt, full of mystery and with a fantastic and unexpected ending. If you are already a fan of Jo Spain you will adore it, if this is your first novel, than you are off to a great start…

When 21 year old Adam disappears from his dysfunctional family he is presumed dead but no-one understands the reason for his disappearance. His mother dies of a broken heart while his five brothers and sisters mourn him. When Adam reappears ten years later his father Frazer invites them to celebrate his return but, during the celebration on a boat, Frazer is killed. The novel explores who the murderer is while telling the back story of the six children and why they all hated their father.

I don't like to give poor reviews but Six Wicked Reasons just didn't do it for me at all. I read a lot of psychological thrillers and although this one had a good plot, it was confusing to read as it switches back and forth between characters and timelines and I lost interest. Even the so-called twist was obvious to me. Thanks to Netgalley and Quercus for the opportunity to read and review Six Wicked Reasons.

Secrets and lies and a complex weaving of the two in this large and dysfunctional adult family. So hard to work out what the truth is and the surprising truth isn't revealed until the very end leaving all your own theories by the wayside. Believable and sensitively depicted characters with all their faults and foibles but with sympathetic glimpses of how they came to be the way they are.