Thriller with some unsavoury,unlikable characters who don't improve with age. Plenty of twists and surprises.

I promised myself after reading The Split by Sharon Bolton that I would not hesitate to read her next book and here I am with The Pact and reaffirming my commitment to continue reading her work as a priority. Another outstanding psychological thriller with a devilish plot that is full of tension, mystery, and the ultimate consequences of making a pact that someday needs to be fulfilled.

Six college students sitting top of their class at All Souls School in Oxford, face a future that appears full of possibilities and rewards. Talitha, Felix, Xavier, Daniel, Amber and Megan plan their next step to University and after their A’ Level results the following day, have a summer of friendship and pleasure ahead. That night, however, is Daniel’s turn to undertake the dare they have each completed and drive the wrong direction between two junctions of the motorway. Only on this occasion, it results in the death of a mother and her two young daughters.

The psychological torment they each feel as their future dreams are wiped out before they even started, is brilliantly drawn, never mind the guilt of causing three innocent deaths. The turmoil of each character as they try to concoct a plan is palpable and each of the friends has a different suggestion, fear and finger to point, which is so cleverly weaved together in an unsettling drama, that you can feel the despair. Megan offers a solution – she will take the fall for them ALL and claim that she alone was in the car that night. The price for this is that they all owe her a favour of whatever she asks. She video records their testimony and signed proof of their complicity should she ever need to use it.

Twenty years later Megan is released from prison, having served the full sentence, and having suffered multiple attacks and injuries which have left her physically and mentally damaged with amnesia of the night in question. The last twenty years have been good to the other five with Talitha now a senior partner in a law firm, Felix is a successful entrepreneur and businessman, Xavier is an investment banker, Daniel is head of All Souls School and Amber is a junior minister in the current government and a rising star.

While the plot is fantastic the real brilliance is the character study, in how each deals very differently with Megan, the guilt of never having visited or called her, the shame of wishing she was never released, and the fear of the price to be exacted. As the tension rises and Megan appears shrewd and highly capable, the other five struggle to agree on how to deal with her and their relationships come under significant pressure. The suggestions could not be more extreme, and Megan seems to always be a step ahead and integrating herself into their families.

Sharon Bolton is a master of the psychological thriller, with her devilish plotting and deft use of the emotional turmoil her characters face. It is difficult to put this book down as the pace and tension are so compelling. I would highly recommend this book – really superb, and I would like to thank Orion Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with a free ARC copy in return for an honest review.

What a fabulous thriller! Full of entitled, over privileged characters that see their perfect worlds start to crumble as their past returns to haunt them. This story would make an amazing TV drama!

It has been a while since I have read a book by Sharon Bolton who previously wrote under the name of SJ Bolton. I sure as hell wasn’t disappointed. This book grabs you from the start and doesn’t let you go until the very last page. OMG what a book this is. You guys are in for a treat, I couldn’t read it quick enough.

The story starts off with an OMFG start when a woman and two children are killed. What a scene this is! Megan takes the blame and goes to prison, with the agreement that her friends owe her a favour. The story moves on 20 years and we are taken on an edge of your seat ride when Megan is back and wants her favours.

I loved the fact that this story is a crime thriller, which I found a refreshing change. Each of the characters springs to life with there own personality’s they are all very different and of course they have moved on with their lives. They are all realistic and relatable.

The Pact would make an awesome film. It is a nail-biting story fast paced and easy to follow and very twisty. The suspense and tension is incredible. I cannot recommend this book enough. Giving it all the stars.

I would like to thank Tracy Fenton for the blog tour invite and Trapeze books for a copy

A fantastic read by a new author for me. I am converted as a fan and absolutely cannot wait to read more. This is unique and original. I have been pulled in and unable to put this one down.
I cannot say anything negative about this gorgeous book. it has been a fantastic read.

This is a fast paced, page turner of a book that kept me sitting on the edge of the chair throughout, full of suspense and many twists. The characters are all not nice people and Sharon has described them all so well. The premise is that 6 high flying, privilgede teenagers made a pact that would only in their eyes affect the one person. In truth it affects them all in different ways. The time moves on 20 years and this pact is about to be claimed with disturbing consequences to the other 5 people.This is what appears to be a simple story that is so well written and covers guilt, friendship, punishment and altered lives.
The ending was unexpected and the true killer was not as I expected. Great book that I highly recommend

I picked this one up as a bit of a mood read. I'd never read anything by Sharon Bolton before but when I read the blurb it just sounded like a really interesting and exciting read and my god, I was NOT disappointed.

I literally finished this entire (nearly 400 pages) book in less than 24 hours. I couldn't put it down and when I did put it down I was thinking about it and wondering what on earth was going to happen next. 

So the basic idea with this one is you have a group of 6 privileged kids who attend a private school and are about to get their final exam results and start their future at university. Like typical teens though these kids dabble in a bit of drinking, parties etc and they come up with a very stupid and dangerous dare that they eventually all take part in.

Only the last time it results in a fatal accident.

Now this part of the book had my heart absolutely pounding. I was completely absorbed, shocked and then heartbroken by the turn of events and that all happened in about the first 15% so needless to say the pace is quite fast and you can consider yourself gripped pretty much from the very start! 

Megan (the outsider of the group) offers to take the blame for what happened in exchange for a favour from each of her friends upon her release from prison (expecting to be inside for a relatively short amount of time on a drink driving charge/death by dangerous driving charge). It seems fair to expect this of her friends considering everything she is about to sacrifice for them right?

Jumping forward in the story Megan is released from prison after a much longer stretch than anticipated and she wants payback from the friends who she considers to have abandoned her.

They never visited her and all went on to carve very successful careers for themselves. All of the others have been living with fear, guilt and shame hanging over them for their entire lives. Always looking over their shoulders and wondering if Megan is going to tell the police how they were involved and so they are not at all happy to have Megan walk back into their lives and they work together to try to find the "proof" that Megan took and concealed of their involvement so that they can carry on living without the fear of losing everything.

Things just get absolutely crazy though. I mean this book was so full of twists and turns and literally keeps you guessing all the way through.

I actually did not suspect the ending at all and was completely enthralled. The plot is fantastic, maybe not perfect or entirely believable but sometimes that's okay isn't it? I felt that it really was with this one.

The suspense was driving me crazy and I couldn't stop reading until I knew how it all  worked out.

This certainly won't be my last Sharon Bolton book!

Thank you to NetGalley, Orion Publishing and Sharon Bolton for the arc of The Pact.

Oh my goodness, what an absolute rollercoaster of a read. I LOVED The Pact and quite literally could not stop reading (at one point waking up for a wee in the middle of the night and finding myself unable to resist grabbing for the kindle after returning to my bed!)

6 educationally gifted friends have just finished their exams at an Oxford school and are destined for great things. After celebrating the end of school together they decide to do their dare one last time - for old time's sake. The dare involves driving down the motorway the wrong way just for the thrill. They've all taken their turn except Daniel, so this time he reluctantly takes the drivers seat. Its always been a bit of a thrill and it's never hurt any one - only this time - it goes wrong. During the challenge, his car collides with another and leaves a woman and her two children dead.

If they all admit they were in the car that night, they will all go to prison and their lives will be over. If one person takes the blame however, the rest of their lives can be saved.

Megan agrees to take responsibility - on one condition. When she gets released from prison they will all owe her one favour - anything she asks. They sign a pact and she takes a photo as evidence; before Megan hands herself in to the police.

Unfortunately for Megan, there was a witness on the motorway that night and they say it looked like it was intentional. Megan gets sentenced to murder and faces life in prison. When she's finally released 20 years later, she is keen to track down her friends and claim the favours she's rightly earned.

What follows is an intense, gripping and heart racing ride which keeps you guessing all the way through. The tension builds up so well, with lots of sharp intakes of breath and nail biting moments throughout.

The characters are all fairly unlikeable and entitled, but the impact that night has on all of them is lear to see - you begin to care about what happens to them and feel truly immersed and absorbed in what happens next.

The ultimate tale of payback, revenge and manipulation, the ending truly took me by surprise, which for me is the mark of a great thriller.

This was my first book by Sharon Bolton, but most certainly won't be my last. A must read for your TBR pile! x

Reading a Sharon Bolton book is always exciting and twisted, you don’t need to know the plot beforehand, only to let the story flow; because it will be great!
“The Pact” will not be different; from the beginning you can feel that something tumultuous and dark is preparing, and it will not disappoint you.
This is the story of six friends, fate makes that one night a woman and a child are killed; one of the friends carries the guilt and stays in prison for 20 years, now, Megan, wants to remember their pact.
As you can imagine, this story will be about guilt and friendship; one person carried the sole sentence without any remorse from the other ones. Who would not want payback, let’s be honest?
I firmly believe that any crime should be punished, it doesn’t really matter the time but a sentence should be agreed, because if not, two things could happen; a guilt that will not let you live in peace or thinking that you are better than justice and try it again…
As you can imagine, we’ll see how these 5 friends have continued their lives, sometimes thinking about the past, but never really thinking about the consequences of their acts. Lucky for them, Megan will return to remind them of their pact and how she wants it returned…
Don’t expect to like the characters, they are not here to make you feel pity but to find their conscience and pay the price they should have paid 20 years ago….
Are you ready to discover “The Pact”?

Definitely one of the best books I've read so far this year. Sharon Bolton grabs you by the scruff of the neck if the first few pages and doesn't let go until the very end. I was quickly absorbed in this story of Megan, Dan, Felix, Xav, Amber and Talitha. Their band of friendship from college that spilled over during a summer before their A-level results came in. The things they got up to in privileged boredom they all felt, all except Megan, who took the fall for something that wasn't her fault and ended up with a twenty year prison sentence.

Megan is back in Oxford, and ready to collect what they all promised her, a single favour they couldn't deny.

A simple idea excellently executed and written fantastically. It was a real page-turner and I flew through it at breakneck speed. Easily a five star read.

irstly a big thank you to the publishers for my copy to review on netgalley. I’m a big fan of Sharon’s books so was very excited !

I Inhaled this at a great speed racing through to find out what Megan had in store for her friends. This hooks you in instantly and is incredibly thrilling.

Cleverly written with fast pace,excellent plotting and a sense of trepidation to what the future holds for the characters.

A fantastic book about past mistakes, secrets, lies ,friends and foes . Unpredictable and twisty.

Highly recommend this thought provoking spell bounding read.

Published 1st May

I'm a huge fan of Sharon Bolton so I'm always excited when I hear she has a new novel out, especially after her last novel, The Split, was one of my top reads last year.

The story starts off with six friends, all about to get their A-level results and go off to university. That night they decide to do a dare, drive the wrong way down a motorway. Tragedy strikes and a family is killed. Megan agrees to take the blame but for a price, a favour when she gets released. They agree to the pact but once Megan is released she's not going to leave them alone until she gets what she wants.

What I liked about this book is I went in expecting something very different but the author surprised me and took me in a much darker and devious direction.

None of the characters were likeable, they're privileged, spoiled and more than a little selfish, but there was just something about them all that drew me in and made me want to carry on reading.

I don't want to say too much about the story line because this is one of these novels that I think you have to go into knowing as little as possible to really appreciate it but all I will say was it was a little slow burn to begin with, the tension slowly going up and up until it all culminated in a nail biting ending.

The Pact is a well crafted psychological thriller that was compelling and cleverly plotted.

Oh my, I really did enjoy this. A story featuring some very arrogant and entitled young people from a privileged background, that just for the fun of it, carry out a dare that goes tragically wrong. Whilst they argue about who should take responsibility with no-one prepared to, one of the group steps up to take the blame and the others readily agree to the condition imposed. Anything that gets them off the hook.

These unlikeable teenagers grew up to be mostly unlikeable adults – all had made a success of their life except for one. The one who took the wrap. But now she’s back and its payback time.

There was so much to enjoy about this story. Mainly set in Oxford, with some vivid imagery of the location for a real sense of place, it has a gripping and twisted storyline with excellent plotting. Characters that it was easy to dislike for their selfishness – mostly they had not given a second thought to Megan over the years, despite their promises to keep in touch and just had carried on with their lives and doing very well for themselves – their careers ranging from being a junior minister to a millionaire industrialist, although it was clear that one person in particular was still haunted by events. No-one thought to ask why she took the blame that night, they were so young and self-absorbed.

It probably says a lot about me that I quite enjoyed seeing some of them under pressure after the way they had behaved, although I have to admit some of Megan’s demands did seem rather shocking and at times I thought she went too far. I veered between feeling sorry for her and thinking her deranged. It’s Part 2 of the story that has the real psychological thriller vibe and it turns into a game of cat and mouse with the reader wondering who will be the victor.

A brilliant read, with a dramatic conclusion that was anything but predictable. Definitely recommended.

A group of 6 friends have just finished school, just the small matter of getting their exam results and then they are all going off into the world with bright futures ahead of them. The evening before they are due to pick up their A level results, a dare, that they have done several times before, takes a very dramatic turn and one of the group offers to take the blame so as to limit the effect on all their lives. But she has conditions. When she is released from prison she will be coming back to ask them all for one favour, and they can't say no or she will reveal all.
Twenty years pass and it's time for Megan's release. The rest of the group have all moved on with their lives, but Megan starts to call in her favours and it threatens to ruin their lives in the process.

This was a gripping read that had me guessing till the end.

"That summer was a time of neither hope nor promise but of certainty: they were the chosen ones, to whom the world belonged, and their lives, only just beginning, would be long and golden.
How very wrong they were."

Wow. Just, wow. What a ride! Breathtaking and compulsive, this book literally had my heart racing. It could even be her best book yet. Totally unputdownable, I even missed the Friend’s reunion I’ve been excited about for years as I couldn’t stop reading.

A story of friendship, secrets, sacrifice, betrayal and vengeance, The Pact focuses on a group of six teenage friends whose lives are changed forever when a dare goes tragically wrong. One of the group, Megan, offers to take the blame for what happened, but only on the condition that at any point she can ask any favour of each of the five others. Twenty years later she is released from prison and back to call in the favours. And that is when things start to go terribly wrong.

This book was everything I wanted and more. A nail-biting psychological thriller that was cleverly written, razor-sharp, pacy and twisty. A sinister sense of dread pervades the whole story, particularly after Megan’s return in part two. She is brilliantly written; an enigma whose memories and motivations are unclear, adding to the sense of foreboding that looms. This is an author who knows how to hook her reader, and she held me hostage, unable to turn away or stop reading as the cat and mouse games began and the horrors unfold.

The characters are compelling, flawed and often unlikeable. They make some terrible decisions that have devastating repercussions, but at the start they are young and entitled, so you give them some allowances for that. When we meet them again as adults we find that in their desperation and fear they make yet more terrible decisions and treat Megan atrociously. Especially after all she sacrificed for them to continue their lives untarnished. But despite all of this the author managed to make them enjoyable to read and I even liked them or felt sorry for them at times.

This book is an absolute tour-de-force. A rollercoaster ride full of so many twists and turns you’ll get book whiplash, it left me reeling with my jaw on the floor.

READ THIS BOOK.

The Pact wasn’t my cup of tea but that doesn’t mean it’s not yours!
3 stars for fairness since I dnf.

Sharon Bolton is an author whose books I have enjoyed for many years. The Pact is her latest standalone novel that features some thoroughly unlikeable characters. But there are also a few where my opinion changed as I read and who I actually started to have sympathy for.

When a group of friends have a party the night before they receive their A Level results they have no idea that their antics will have an impact on them for many years to come. I won’t go into detail about what occurred apart from to say that lives were lost through a foolish and irresponsible act and Megan for reasons known only to herself decided to take the responsibility and eventually serve a long a long stretch in prison. But before she did she let her friends know that one day she would need and expect them to help her or face consequences. And now the time has come when they find out what she wants. They soon realise that they could have possibly been in a better situation if they had come forward at the time. Megan’s demands are eye watering!

But whilst Megan obviously suffered during her time in prison they also did. None of this group have coped well or are as happy and settled with their lives as they could have been. So her reappearance and demands tip them over the edge and it doesn’t take long for them to fall apart. I found it fascinating to see how they reacted and also to see who showed any amount of genuine remorse.

Often jaw dropping as the group’s personalities are revealed, especially when they are told what is expected of them and I loved every page. I couldn’t wait to watch them self destruct and who, if any, would become a better person. There will probably be differing views on who deserves a second chance, there were two who I felt worthy.

Another great book from an outstanding author.

Dark, morally thought-provoking thriller with gut-wrenching suspense!

This was my first Sharon Bolton novel and I can confidently say that it won’t be my last! I was completely absorbed in this thriller and it’s breakneck pace, exciting mystery and continually building tension. Split into two parts - when the characters are teenagers and the accident happens and then 20 years later, after Megan is released from prison - the novel is a masterclass in layering atmosphere and suspense. As the narrative unfolds, the plot builds to a devastating crescendo and a closing sequence that genuinely had my heart in my throat and my breath held.

What I also found refreshing in The Pact was the fact that the lead characters are rather morally corrupt and not entirely likeable. The friends - Felix, Talitha, Xav, Amber, Dan and Meg - are not always likeable. They are vivid symbols of privilege, entitlement and a general sense of their own importance. Their immature decision making and reckless driving has far-reaching consequences. The different reactions to what they have done explores the full spectrum of self-entitlement and grandiose ego, creating a moral conundrum for the reader that is really interesting to explore. Despite the questionable principles and self-importance, I still found myself invested in these characters and as events unfolded, I found I cared about what happened to them. This is testament to Bolton’s skill as a writer, as despite finding various actions the group takes to be reprehensible, I still rooted for them. This was mainly down to the emotional crisis each character endured and the varying degrees of guilt and remorse they felt. Mixed with the lengths they would go to to retain their lifestyle, family and social standing, made this a grippingly taut read.

I highly recommend this fast-paced and highly enjoyable thriller, which will keep you on the edge of your seat and wondering how you’d react in this situation!

Six very intelligent teenagers have just finished school, exams are over and they all have very bright futures ahead of them, until one night when a game of dare goes drastically wrong, killing a woman and her two children. 18 year old Megan steps forward and takes the blame, ensuring the others are able to follow their dreams, all she asks is that, on her release from prison, they each agree to a favour in return. Twenty years have passed, they're all settled with high flying jobs, but Megan is back and ready to call in those favours, they all have so much to lose but a promise is a promise isn't it?

The story is told across two timelines, alternating between the present day and twenty years ago, it highlights the depths that one person will go to, to help their friends, although everything has its price and Megan was only too happy to name hers on her release from prison, but how willing were the others to pay for the sacrifice she made all those years ago? The Pact is a highly explosive read which had me hooked from page one, there are many twists within this story that kept me second guessing till the end, the concept is authentic and fresh, stretching the boundaries of friendship to its limit, with earth shattering consequences for everyone involved, that would change their lives forever. An intense, nailbiting thriller that you won't want to put down.

I'd like to thank Orion and Netgalley for the auto approval, I will post my review on Goodreads now and Amazon on publication day.

The book started with a bang and kept me reading into the small hours so that I could finish it in one setting. This book grabbed hold of me by my collar, shock me senseless and left me desperately exhausted yet strangely exhilarated. It's an amazing read.

I experienced a gamut of human emotions reading this book; shock, anger, sadness and disgust. After all, this book does involve the death of a young mother and her children caused simply because a group of over privileged teenagers were bored.

The tension in the book is expertly manipulated by an author at the peak of her game as she allows it to ebb and flow. The conflict that starts between the friendship group as each determines to save their own skin and maintain their privileged status is both shocking and deliciously entertaining. The power dynamics constantly shift and there are so many twists and revelations as the book progresses that I felt wonderfully off balance as I turned the pages.

If you like dark psychological thrillers with extra edge then I would urge you to pick up this book.

My thanks go to the publishers and NetGalley for the advance copy in return for an honest review.