Award-winning author and fellow northerner Eliza Clark takes no time at all to open the sampler with a bang as the harrowing details of a cruel crime are recalled. Just before dawn on 23 June 2016 in the coastal town of Crow-on-Sea, North Yorkshire, sixteen-year-old Joan Wilson was attacked, doused in petrol and then set alight in one of the brightly coloured chalets that line the beach resort from end to end. The three girls who perpetrated the attack thought she was dead and set the fire to dispose of the body not realizing how hot temperatures must be to effectively melt a human body. But Joan didn't die despite her horrific, life-changing injuries. At least not immediately. She managed to disclose the most important piece of information firstly: the names of those three girls before she passed away a few days later.

Where to begin? The first twenty pages of Penance that were given as an excerpt were more than enough to whet my appetite for the rest of the novel and then some. To make such a large impact in so few pages is quite astonishing to me. The book is written in the style of various accounts of the crime, those involved in it and what exactly had led up to it, from the perspective of those with a connection to the case. Here, our snippet is told from the perspective of a tabloid journalist-tuned-true crime writer with a stagnating career who decides to throw himself into extensively researching in order to write a book on Joan's case. What is to follow is Joan's story as told using several different mediums: relevant blog entries archived from Tumblr written by the victim and perpetrators; correspondence with the perpetrators themselves, their relatives, witnesses and townsfolk.

Written in a visceral, hard-hitting and wholly immersive style, I felt myself instantaneously under Clark's spell and found it compulsively readable from the get-go which is highly unusual; it can often take me a little time to warm up to a new book. Dark and disquieting, I found the narrative propulsive, disturbing and intelligent and didn't want it to end, if I'm honest. Clark is adept at luring you in in a record-breaking timeframe; she then leaves you hankering to know more, to read more, and to continue. For these reasons, I can only give this five stars. Based on what I have read so far, I feel this is going to be an unstoppable, explosive tale with superior-quality writing and a real uniqueness about it. I can only hope a full ARC appears!

An intriguing sample from an author who recently made the influential Granta list

Boy Parts had something of a word of mouth cult following and this latest - which appears to blend Gone Girl type true crime podcasting with post Brexit social commentary looks equally intriguing.

I look forward to the full novel.

I'm pretty sure, after having read an excerpt, that Penance will be one of the buzz books of the fall/winter 23/24.

I only read an excerpt of this novel but it's certainly intriguing. Clark is certainly an inventive writer and has used a montage of types of so-called 'non-fiction' extracts to put together this fiction-cum-non-fiction novel. Even with the comparatively short extract, Clark hooks the reader with a kind of meta-fictional theme of the way true crime is perhaps an obsession today. Compelling voice, and controlled narrative in this excerpt have prompted me to get hold of a copy of the novel. Good work, Eliza Clarke, and NetGalley, too.

An interesting start. The premise is gripping & gory in equal parts. I believe the book utilises emails, interviews, blogs etc. but this excerpt didn't contain any of those. I honestly can't say it gripped me enough to want to dash out & buy it, but I'm definitely intrigued & would like to read the rest of the book.

This is going to be one hell of a book. I was totally prepared to sit and read the whole thing. And yeah, I'll admit I'd, I looked up the names because I was just sure it was a true story. Can't wait to dive into the full version!!!

This was so good! I can’t wait to read the full length novel, it’s going to be fantastic. It’s exactly what I was looking for.

This opening of Penance by Clark is tough and scary, and jumps right into the action. In Boy Parts, Clark established her unique narrative style, and I'm excited to see where the story goes in Penance. While Boy Parts explored cultural differences between the North and South, Penance looks to delve into social and economic disparities within a town during the Brexit Referendum. Combined with Clark's interest in true crime, the book promises to be a dark and unsettling read.

A small seaside town turns sinister - this extract of Penance is just a taster but definitely left me wanting to read more. The setting was immediately set, a grey and sleepy town but with a sharp hidden edge. The way Clark weaves different kinds of information sources into the story to build up a strong foundation was brilliant and created a striking narrative style. I'm looking forward to hearing more from this author.

WOW!! this preview has me SO excited for the release!! Only 20 pages in and I am completely drawn in. Can’t wait to read this one in full.

From just a 20 page extract I am already intrigued. A group of 3 girls viscously murder a school mate and are convicted of the crime. I am excited to see why the murder occurs and the events that led up to that night.

I can't wait for the entire novel to be released.

A deliciously sour little taste of what is sure to be the biggest book of 2023. It left me desperate to read more.

Oh. My. What a sampler!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an exclusive extract of one of 2023's most anticipated books: Penance by Eliza Clark.

On the opening lines of this sample, my stomach dropped with dread. These characters live in a Northern seaside resort well past its prime and one day commit a terrible crime, yet they just go on about their day with normalcy.

This, on paper, sounds farfetched, but Clark manages to evoke a macabre sense of reality, albeit disturbing, because she engages the reader with the characters so well. I literally cannot wait to know the backstories of these women and what led to the heinous crime.

Penance, even from these few advance pages, is deservedly bound to be a bestseller! Grab a copy as soon as you can; it is due for publication on July 6th and can be pre-ordered now.

I am yet to read Clark’s debut, Boy Parts, but I'm absolutely going to, and soon(ish).

I love Eliza Clark, I read her book Boy Parts last year and it was my favourite novel I read all year. The way she writes, the words she choises and forms sentences tickles my brain in the perfect way. I pre ordered this book back in November and while I'm waiting for it to come out I saw thisbextract available. Wow. This was just the first chapter I'm assuming and I was hooked from the first few sentences and when I came to the end of it I wanted more. I can't wait for this to come out and I have a very strong feeling it will also be my favourite book of this year. I woukd 100% reccomemend it!

This feels wildly different from Clark’s debut, but equally mired in darkness and horror - I think everyone is going to be obsessed with this.

This extract is absolutely stomach-churning and Joan is already going to live rent free in my head for a while, I can tell.

Clark’s tone is pitch-perfect, painting a grim picture of the lives of three teenage girls who commited a terrible crime (doing murder and going to McDonalds!!! Its so macabre and so real) and of of Crow-on-Sea; a crumbling northern seaside town long past its heyday.

This seems genuinely unlike anything I’ve ever read before. Let's go, girls..

Oh my God. I am HOOKED. 20 pages and already I feel an overwhelming need to read the rest of this novel ASAP!
If you’re a fan of true crime or mystery books then this one will certainly be for you , and I certainly think that this will be the book of the summer.

This was an extremely strong opening sample. I keep thinking about it and want to know the rest of the story. A sure sign of its impact.
I'm not usually a fan of arm's length reportage style but this author managed it in such a way that I also engaged with the characters and want to know their backstories and what led to the heinous crime.
The contemporary setting was also brought to life well.
With thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this short extract in exchange for an independent review.

I cannot wait to read this book. Wow.

Utterly compelling concept, precise and totally immersive writing.

I shouldn't have read that extract.absolutely buzzing to read more now. Cannot wait until this book is released.

Well, now I am WAY more excited for the full book! I loved Boy Parts, and so far reading this, I really like the way it was written/put together!