“Someone else must hate him as much as we do.”

As paramedic Megan Lowe loads a patient suffering gunshot wounds into her ambulance she is stunned to realise she recognises the man. Twelve years previously William Newson was the barrister who successfully gained the acquittal of the two men who raped her, by labelling her and her best friend Jess as liars. Homicide Squad detective Bridget Kennedy is suspicious of the coincidence, but she quickly learns that plenty of people thought he had coming, defending sexual predators has won the dead man few fans, including among his family.

You Had It Coming unfolds from the alternating perspectives of Megan, Jess and Bridget. Instinctively on learning of Newson’s death, both Megan and Jess feel that he deserves his fate, still angry about his role in their trial. While the women were victims of the same crime, their reactions in the aftermath have been quite different. Jess has arguably coped better in the intervening years, but then the fall out could be said to have been more dramatic for Megan, regardless both are living quite different lives from what they had planned at 17. I admired Carroll’s portrayal of both women, who come across as complex, authentic characters.

Carroll offers us a glimpse into Bridget’s personal life, and the effect her work as a detective has on her family. With a teenage daughter and son of her own, Bridget can’t help but be affected by Megan and Jess’s experiences.

I also appreciated the authenticity of Bridget’s investigation. She and her colleagues follow up on all the information that comes their way, sifting through evidence, leads and suspects. Carroll provides the reader with a number of potential suspects, and does well to keep many of them in play ensuring suspense is maintained, the stakes rising when the body of another man related to Megan and Jess’s case is discovered in suspicious circumstances.

Carroll explores a number of themes such as trauma, justice, shame, guilt and revenge. She also exposes the flaws of the justice system, particularly when it involves sexual assault, and illustrates how the consequences of the crime is rarely confined to just the perpetrators and victims. I felt her portrayal of all the issues was sensitive and respectful.

A blend of domestic thriller and police procedural, I found You Had It Coming to be a suspenseful and thought-provoking novel.

I'm not typically a big crime/thriller reader but I really enjoyed this! I enjoyed the ways in which it flipped the genre on its head - the three main character perspectives were strong women, including a detective, a paramedic, and a personal trainer (three male-dominated careers). Additionally all the dead bodies in this were men, and the sanity of the female characters wasn't called into question as a plot device (can I get a hallelujah!). Carroll has managed to write a book that approaches controversial topics like sexual assault and consent with care, while still looking at different perspectives and the nuances present in discussion on these subjects.

Definitely a good one for people that don't like their crime too gruesome or scary - this is still suspenseful and page-turning, but it's not going to keep you awake at night - a relaxing murder mystery if you will.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC copy.

A lawyer who defends men accused of sexual offences is fatally shot one night. The paramedic who attends is one of the many woman he marked as a liar in court. Coincidence or something more sinister?

This is the moment that sets into motion a chain of events that can't surely be connected to a twelve year old case. Bridget is the detective assigned to figure out what happened and who is guilty of what. A thought provoking read that makes you question the fine line about who you feel more sorry for.

I wasn't gripped until at least half way through and then I couldn't put it down. Plenty of secrets, lies, twists and red herrings. My only compliant is that some more plausible red herrings never got explained but turned out to be a good read.

4.5 stars
You Had It Coming is a intriguing, tense and very twisty thriller from a new author for me.I was quickly absorbed into the story and found the book hard to put down so it’s perhaps best to not start this last thing at night like I did.

The story is told from the point of view of Megan, Jess and Detective Sergeant Bridget Kennedy which helped show the reader all the different sides to the story. The characters are all great creations which who I enjoyed reading about. I liked that the author spends time developing the characters in the first half of the book so that the reader feels they really know them and understanding what makes them tick. I felt very sorry for the two girls Megan and Jess having to relive everything they went through in their past. This story does cover some difficult subjects but the author does this with great sensitivity so it’s never graphic which might cause upset.

The pace of the book gradually increases as the book goes on and the many twists helped keep me guessing. Just when I thought I had figured out who the killer was something would happen to make the story spin off in a completely different direction. All the characters seemed to have a motive and I think I suspected all of them at one point. I found it very enjoyable to follow the case whilst trying to work out who the killer was. This was the first book I’ve read from this author and I’d definitely be interested in reading more from them in the future.

Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Viper for my copy of this book via netgalley.

The opening of the book pulled me in straight away. There is no time for messing around, and we are immediately confronted with the shocking and violent death of William, told from the point of view of paramedic Megan, but later fleshed out with more detail by the police inspector Bridget.

Therefore, as a reader you are immediately thrown into the story and you can see suspicion all around. Despite being a dead man from the opening pages, William plays a central role in the book and we find that he has more enemies than friends. But who would really want to see him dead?

This is definitely a book of two halves. During the first half, the author works hard to create a sense of place and develop our understanding of the main characters and their lives, both in the present and 12 years ago, which establishes their connection to William Newson.

I had my suspicions about who was involved but I could not say for certain, so I was eager to uncover the true details of this suspicious death. I particularly enjoyed reading Bridget’s point of view and I believe she came across as a hard-working and likeable characrter.

There are some triggering topics dealt with in this book: consent and sexual abuse among them. However, I feel that the author dealt with these in a sensitive and sophisticated way, especially by showing the impact this has had on Jess and Megan after many years, and the way Bridget strives for answers.

Overall, this has been an thought-provoking and compelling read which I have enjoyed.

You Had It Coming is the tenth novel by Australian author Ber Carroll, the third written as B.M. Carroll. When DS Bridget Kennedy is assigned the murder of high-profile barrister, William Newson, finding potential suspects is the least of her problems.

Newson specialised in sexual assault cases, and was skilled at painting alleged victims as liars, gaining favourable verdicts for perpetrators, or getting cases against his clients dropped. Angry victims, family members and friends understandably have plenty of motive; closer to home, a wife who divorced him over ethical differences, and a bullied son are also on the list.

When paramedic Megan Lowe attends a shooting in Killara, she’s shocked, after doing her best to stabilise the victim, to realise she knows him: when she was seventeen, Newson destroyed her reputation and that of her friend Jess Foster during a rape trial.

Twelve years ago, their accusations saw Thomas Malouf and Dylan O’Brien on trial, but by the time Newson had finished with his character assassinations of the girls, their credibility had been destroyed: Malouf and O’Brien were acquitted.

Jess and Megan have iron-clad alibis for the time of the shooting, although some of those close to them do not.

Bridget’s team is kept busy canvassing Newson’s neighbourhood, interviewing family, checking phone records, Newson’s recent court cases, and trying to locate the gun and the killer’s escape motorcycle. And, frustratingly, each piece of information uncovered seems to add to the list of those with motive, means and opportunity.

Then a second death, possibly a murder, connected to Newson, has Bridget wondering if she is on completely the wrong track.

Carroll gives the reader a gripping tale that examines the wide-ranging repercussions and long-lasting consequences on all those involved, that result from this type of crime and the manner in which the law deals with it. It recognises the right of the accused to representation, but also the unethical practice of victim blaming.

Carroll easily conveys her setting and era; her characters, their dialogue and reactions all feel very authentic; and the police procedural aspect is highly credible. Astute readers may fix on the murderer halfway in, but this does not detract from the story: the how and why are compelling enough to keep the pages turning, and there are twists and surprises to keep the reader guessing. This is brilliant Australian crime fiction.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Serpent’s Tail/Viper/Profile Books.

I received a free review copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. I loved this book and became very invested in the characters and their stories. I loved how it all unfolded but I don’t want to say too much because I don’t want to spoil the book for anyone. The book is told from the POV of Megan, Jess and Bridget and grips you from that very first chapter. I kept jumping around on who I thought the suspect would be and was shocked by the ending and how everything tied together. This book was a great read for people who love crime fiction books.
Would you save the man who destroyed your life? When paramedic Megan Lowe is called to the scene of an attempted murder, all she can do is try to save the victim. But as the man is lifted onto a stretcher, she realises she knows him. She despises him. Why should she save his life when he destroyed hers? Jess Foster is on her way home when she receives a text from Megan. Once best friends, the two women haven’t been close for years, not since the night when they were just the teenage girls whom no-one believed, whose reputations were ruined. All Jess can think is, you had it coming. Now Megan and Jess are at the centre of a murder investigation. But what secrets are they hiding? Can they trust one another? And who really is the victim?
Thank you to Viper Books, Serpents Tail, B.M. Carroll and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this amazing book. This book is available now if you want to go get yourself a copy.

This is my first book by this author and just the book blurb above intrigued me, so when Anne Cater of Random Things Tours invited me to join the blogtour it was an immediate “yes, please”.

This is the story of a high profile murder, 2 women whose lives have been destroyed and a police detective who wants to catch the killer.

Based in Australia, our first main character is Megan. She’s a paramedic, lives at home with her widowed mother and from all initial accounts appears to be a professional and dedicated first-responder.

When she is called to a shooting and assesses the scene she knows that this incident will probably end in a fatality, but this doesn’t stop her attending to the victim and attempting to save his life. It’s only when she helps put the victim in the ambulance does she see who it is and realises that this man is responsible for ruining her life 12 years ago.

The second main character is Jess. Megan and Jess were best friends when 12 years ago they both went through a horrific attack aged 16/17. Jess is now working at a boxing club as a trainer and still living under the shadow of her traumatic past.

The third character is Bridget who is the police detective in charge with capturing the killer and looking closely at the victim there are several potential suspects who might have wanted this man dead.

You Had It Coming is a fast paced thriller with lots of interesting characters, several red herrings and a couple of twists thrown in. Overall I enjoyed this story and it kept my interest throughout.

Megan is a paramedic who is called to the scene of a shooting. Megan recognises the victim as a lawyer who acted for a man that was accused of raping her and her friend Jess.
The Police are investigating the murder and more people are becoming "people of interest" in the murder when another murder occurs. This time it is the man that was tried for the rape.
Narrowing down who could have committed the murder as it appears to be attached to this one case, the Police investigation continues but rekindles the friendship of Megan & Jess.
Good read.

Megan is a paramedic and with her partner is called out to a shooting. When they get there she realises she knows this guy. He's a barrister who ruined her and her friend Jess's lives and reputations all those years ago after the party which saw their attackers get off scot free.

She finds it weird that she was the one to attend to him and she contacts Jess, whom she's lost contact with. Jess an ex-boxer and boxing coach finds it equally weird The story jumps between the two girls and Bridget, the cop, whom I thought was a good character..

One of their attackers tries to contact both girls in order to meet up. They both think this is weird Why would Dylan want to see them now, and what can he say which will make things right?

I did guess from the earlier narrative who the killer was but regardless of this I found the story fast paced, with interesting characters and gripping storylines.

Taut, tense and twisty, You Had It Coming is a story of injustice, murder and vengeance. At the epicentre of it all is what really happened to two teenage girls on the night of a party twelve years ago. Two girls whose worlds were destroyed when they weren’t believed. Were Megan and Jess telling the truth? Did William Newton build his reputation at their cost? Or did he save two innocent young men from injustice? These questions and more are examined in this readable page-turner.

The author addresses several difficult subjects in the story. She does this with honesty, but also sensitivity, never being graphic or sensational. She focuses instead on the emotion, the long-lasting effects of what happened that night and how trauma ripples through your life long after the event has occurred, seeping into every facet of your world. There is also a tempo of malevolence and foreboding that runs through the pages as she sprinkles crumbs of suggestion that hints at their possible guilt at random intervals in the story. It is cleverly done, and the effect is that even when I was 80% of the way through the book, I had lots of suspicions but no clear idea who the culprit was or what was going to happen next. Carroll had me on the edge of my seat, my heart racing as I quickly turned the pages to reach the finale and unveil the truth.

She filled the book with a cast of fractured, troubled, but compelling, characters. The three narrators: Megan, Jess and Bridget - the detective in charge of the murder investigation - are great choices that each offer a unique perspective and insights. While Megan and Jess were both victims of the same crime twelve years ago, their backgrounds and the way it has impacted their lives since, are very different. Just as their reactions to Newton’s death and the murder investigation are different. I liked the uncertainty that having two of them added to the story and found it interesting to read as they get to know each other again all these years later.

The narrator I liked best was Bridget. This wasn’t because she was the one investigating the murder, but because of the perspectives the author explored through her character. Bridget has a teenage son and daughter, and through her family and perspective as a mother rather than a police officer, the author explores the nuances of consent, rape and sexual assault. I particularly liked how the author had her address these issues directly with her children. As the mother of two teenage boys myself, I am keenly aware of how vital it is to have these conversations and make sure they understand consent and the dangers of those blurred lines for both men and women.

Gripping, suspenseful, thought-provoking and emotionally-charged, I highly recommend this fantastic thriller.

You Had It Coming is a well written thriller with three women as the lead characters. We begin by meeting Megan – she is a paramedic on shift and gets called to a trauma where someone has been shot. Nothing too unusual there, until she sees the face of her patient and realises they have a shared past. She loathes this man but professional ethics dictate that she must try and save his life despite him playing a large role in ruining hers. We then meet Jess, she coaches boxing and uses this as an outlet for her emotions. She and Megan have also a shared history and hearing that this man has been critically injured brings her a sense of justice and the feeling that karma is finally catching up. Bridget is the detective who investigates the case. Initially there isn’t a huge amount to go on but when she hears that Megan and the victim had history her instincts tell her that coincidences are just so unlikely that she needs to dig into this past a little more to try and move forward in the present.

I loved how this book was written – we skip between different character points of view with overlaps here and there which makes the teasing out of the story so enjoyable. It is quite a dark book in many ways and may be upsetting for certain readers given he subject that it covers but I think it is written in a very matter of fact and non gratuitous way. I think the blurb gives a reasonable idea as to what has happened in the past, it is revealed fairly early on in the book but I will not explicitly state here in case of spoiling things for someone who wants to go in with no additional information. I found it quite a timely story given some of the more depressing, non-covid, news stories over the past few months and discusses an issue which is sadly all too prevalent in society. As a mother of a daughter, whilst I enjoy reading thrillers across a broad range of themes, they do increase my anxiety about the safety of the world in which our children are expected to navigate and thrive in.

This is a book you can easily read in one sitting because the storyline is pacy and compelling. There is enough backstory about the characters and members of their family to keep you interested and guessing without being overwhelmed with extra details and random filler. It appealed to me and I would probably pick it for a book club read as there is a lot to discuss aside from the main storyline. I’d sum this up as a gripping, relevant and clever read.

Would you save the man who destroyed your life...?

A suspenseful psychological thriller - told from the three viewpoints of Megan, Jess, and Bridget - this book starts with a gripping first chapter, indicating revelations are surely set to unravel.

The first half is of a slower pace than I am used to, but this is due to placing a lot of emphasis on establishing good character development through the first half. The characters are well written, and there are many! So many that once you reach the second half of the book, the pace picks up several gears and off it soars! Just when you think the killer could be one character, the storyline pirouettes and suddenly everyone has a motive and could be a suspect! Twists and red herrings are fired in at every opportunity.

I correctly guessed (eventually) who the killer was, however I certainly didn’t guess why.

The chapters are short, which I like (as I just can’t bring myself to stop reading mid-chapter - anyone else struggle with this? 🤷🏼‍♀️) There are flashbacks to an incident from 12 years previously, but Carroll’s writing style ensured the story flowed well.

This book does involve topics of consent, abuse, and grief so please do be aware of this, however Carroll does so sensitively and respectfully.

Overall, a suspenseful thriller with police procedural elements - a page turner which I would happily recommend.

B.M. Carroll is a new author to me, but I was very intrigued by the blurb of this book.

When paramedic Megan arrives at the scene of a shooting, she gets on with treating the patient, but when transferring him to the ambulance she realises she recognises him as being the man partially responsible for almost ruining her life.
Her old best friend Jess is her first phone call and seeing as the girls haven't really spoken since the events all those years ago, it is a pretty awkward conversation.

The novel is told from the perspectives of Megan, Jess and the detective investigating the case, Bridget who when she realises their connection to the victim, brings up memories that Jess and Megan had been hoping to never have to relive.

All three main characters are well-rounded and believable with a cast of extra characters that flesh out the story well.

This was a very good thriller/crime procedural that fans of that kind of genre will enjoy.

You Had It Coming is a tumultuous psychological suspense novel exploring revenge, shattered reputations, and the true nature of consent. We are introduced to a barrister, who has made a name for himself defending sexual assault cases, and who is shot outside his home. William Newson is a beloved father, a considerate boss and a strong advocate for the rights of the accused. He is also responsible for the acquittal of defendants who are guilty of their crimes and enabling at least one repeat offender. His profession leads to irreconcilable differences with his wife, who divorces him because ‘all those girls can’t be lying, William’. His profession causes numerous threats to his personal safety by angry complainants and their distraught families. His profession ultimately costs him his life. 

Exploring topics that as a law graduate fascinating me, the author addresses many thought-provoking legal themes throughout. It’s true that every defendant, no matter how heinous the crime, is entitled to the presumption of innocence and a strong legal defence. Without these basic standards, our legal system would be neither just nor fair and innocent people could be wrongly accused and convicted of crimes they did not commit. However, it is a mistake to believe that the verdict in a trial is always just and fair. A miscarriage of justice seems more likely in sexual assault cases, because most of the time only two people know what actually happened and their perceptions of reality can be very different. ‘Reasonable doubt’ can flourish and all too often there is simply not enough evidence to return a guilty verdict.

But just because there is not enough evidence and the final verdict is NOT GUILTY, doesn’t necessarily mean that the crime did not occur. Carroll takes these truths and applies them to the case of William Newson and posits that there is always more to a case than initially meets the eye. You Had It Coming explores the murky matters of consent, admissible evidence, reasonable doubt, the rights of the accused, victim-blaming, and the appalling reality that some offenders are not convicted for their crimes. Our legal system is imperfect, lawyers on both sides are endeavouring to do their jobs to the highest standard, and what can really be done if it’s one person’s word against another’s? It stings that the justice system is ultimately a work in progress and always will be, which often means that perpetrators go unpunished, and as aforementioned, it frequently boils down to He said vs. She said, but no justice system is 100% foolproof, unfortunately. Highly recommended.

Full of suspense and lots of plot twists, this is a decent crime thriller based round the question - would you - could you- save the person who almost ruined your life? and what would you do with life changing information? Jess is a paramedic who is called to a job - she realises that the man she has to save is someone who nearly ruined her life, The repercussions from her decision echo further than she could imagine.
worth a read

B.M. Carroll is a new to me author and after reading this intriguing book I can’t wait to read more form this author. I love the fact that this book was set in Australia and I was shocked to even see that a character was from Orange which I thought was interesting because that’s where I used to live.

There is such a huge variety of different characters and personalities which I liked. There was definitely some characters that I liked and then of course the ones that weren’t meant to be liked. I liked that there were multiple perspectives and you even get to see what is happening from the detectives perspective which kind of made me feel like I was being let in on a secret that I shouldn’t know.

I definitely didn’t see any of the twists coming and I had my theories about who the killer was but I didn’t guess correctly. I can’t wait to see what this author does next.

I recieved an advanced copy for free, and this is my honest opinion

Megan and her colleague are called to the scene of an attempted murder, Megan does her job and treats the man to the best of her ability only to realise when he’s being put onto the stretcher that she knows the man laying there barely alive and suddenly questions why she’s saving his life.

Jess gets a text from Megan asking to catch up. They were best friends and inseparable once upon a time but they are now strangers. Their lives changed that day and they are still living in the shadows of their ruined reputations.

Everyone has secrets but when thrown in front of another Murder investigation can they trust each other like they did so long ago and will the truth finally come to light and set them free.

Ohhh this page turner has me guessing until the end. It made me so freaking mad at one point, Carroll does such a great job of depicting the imbalance of power and money and a woman’s word against a mans.

A Dilemma....
A dilemma, secrets, lies and murder in this compelling, fast moving psychological suspense. Well drawn, credible characters and plot line with some surprises along the way. A gripping, edge of seat, page turning read.

When paramedic Megan Lowe is called to the scene of an attempted murder, all she can do is try to save the victim. But as the man is lifted onto a stretcher, she realises she knows him. She despises him. Why should she save his life when he destroyed hers? Jess Foster is on her way home when she receives a text from Megan. Once best friends, the two women haven't been close for years, not since the night when they were just the teenage girls whom no-one believed; whose reputations were ruined. All Jess can think is, you had it coming. Now Megan and Jess are at the centre of a murder investigation. But what secrets are they hiding? Can they trust one another? And who really is the victim?

Thank you to the publishers and to Anne for sending me a copy of this book and letting me be part of the tour

B M Carroll is now one of my auto buy authors. I’ve loved all of their books that I’ve read so far

This book does centre around grief, rape sexual assault - so a trigger warning there if anyone needs it.

This book is described by Katie Lowe as a page Turner and she is so right.

The book is told through different perspectives, the lawyer, the police investigator, Jess and Megan

I found all three characters to be likeable and routed for them all.

The book is very character driven with short chapters that leave you eager to read more

Without giving too much away, I thought someone’s boyfriend was responsible for what was going on - however the author delivered a twist!

Thank you for another great book