This book!!! I thought it started a little slow and was worried I maybe wouldn’t like it but about a quarter of the way through it picks up and then you can’t stop. It’s so good. It’s quick paced. The characters all Jive well! Highly recommend this thriller.

I read a lot of thrillers. A lot. And this one absolutely stands out and is one that will stay with me for a long time. I recommend this for a book club pick or a buddy read because you are going to want to talk about it with someone else.

At the start of the book, Cole has recently moved to the country after the end of his marriage. He’s starting over as a ranger and ready to try out a different kind of life - while trying to figure out what went wrong in his relationship. He meets Lennie, an artist staying at a cottage near his and they strike up a friendship. Then one day Lennie comes across an abandoned tent - they know two women had been staying there but where are they now?

I really can’t figure out how to talk about this book without giving spoilers but I recommend picking it up. Check content warnings first if needed because there is a lot. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the free ebook to review.

Special thanks to Zando , Gillian Flynn Books and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

Really good book. It had a lot of twists and turns that I couldn't see coming. I liked the way they had 2 narrators. Leonora and Cole. Cole just had a bad divorce and wants some peace, rest and relaxation from the city, so he packs up and moves from London to the coast. He meets a woman Leonara who also had a similar situation like his and lives a short way from his beach house.

I don't want to say anything, but they form a bond with each other and young females come around talking and making people aware of violence against females. Soon these 2 girls disappear and the last half of the book is told from Leonora's POV. Soon, nothing is what it seems, we have to unreliable characters.

What a really good book. I loved and give a high recommendation. 4 stars, if I could I'd rate it 4 1/2 stars that really rounds up to 5..

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced digital copy of this book.

I have to admit, I almost quit reading this book, I just couldn't figure it out. In fact, I did abandon it and read another book. But then, when I went back, at the 36% point, the first posting appeared from The West Gallery. After that, I had trouble putting it down and read the rest in just two days.

Whichever side you take after reading this, you are right. Both sides have valid points, and both sides are completely wrong. But you will think about it for a while!!

Cole and his wife Mel have completely different views of each other and of their marriage. As we usually do, we make ourselves the heroes of our own story, and each of them does that. But the stories are SO DIFFERENT that it is almost impossible to find the truth. But you will try, and you will be shocked and surprised at your own reactions. I know I was. I STILL don't know whose side I am on, but it was a heck of a ride to get to the end. Just stick it out through that first 36% and you will be rewarded.

This is a social commentary with a lot of psychological suspense.

Cole Simmonds, newly separated from his wife, Mel Connelly, leaves London and moves to a seaside cottage on the south coast of England where he takes a job as a wildlife ranger. He meets Lennie Baxter, an artist living nearby, and the two become friends. Then two young women activists raising awareness about violence against women disappear, and both Cole and Lennie find themselves in the midst of a police investigation and a media firestorm. Both have secrets that emerge.

The book is narrated from multiple viewpoints: Cole, Mel, and Lennie. Also included are samples from media such as blog postings, social media threads, op-ed pieces, and interview transcripts. Cole begins the novel. He spends a great deal of time reflecting on the failure of his marriage, concluding Mel’s relentless careerism and her unwillingness to undergo another round of IVF caused the break. He feels wronged and unappreciated because he believes he is one of the good guys since he is always caring and supportive. He even claims to understand the pressures women face.

From the beginning, I suspected Cole to be an unreliable narrator. He constantly repeats his good qualities in a rather prideful fashion and seems to take no responsibility for the marriage breakdown. He blames only Mel. I started to think he is not being entirely truthful. He comes across as rather whiny and that grates after a while. There was something about him that just made me feel icky. When we are given Mel and Lennie’s perspectives, we see a different Cole, someone manipulative and controlling. Which version is closer to the truth?

Of course, as we get to know Mel and Lennie we realize that they are not genuinely good either. They devise a scheme that pushes moral and legal boundaries. Their motivation is understandable but their methods are undoubtedly questionable. But, of course, as Lennie states, “none of us is just one thing. Especially not women, who so often contain the burden of multitudes.” And there’s certainly truth to her observation that “women aren’t meant to be strategic or cunning. Which seems unfair considering that gangsters and cowboys and superheroes are not only allowed vendettas but applauded for them. Men are allowed to act, but women, it seems, should only react.” The lines between right and wrong are blurred so who is the greatest victim and who the most blameworthy?

Character development is wonderful. Each of the characters has backstories which add depth to the narrative. The reader learns their struggles and secrets and motivations. What is not so great is the coincidence that brings two characters together. And the planning involved in their scheme may be ingenious and magnificent, as Lennie claims, but it seems far-fetched to me.

What also bothered me is that the resolution is too drawn-out. A plot almost ceases to exist so that the theme of misogyny can be emphasized. The heavy-handedness at the end weakens the novel in my opinion.

Nonetheless, I highly recommend the book. The women in the novel speak of the importance of conversations around topics like male violence, pornography, and society’s double standards for women, and this book encourages those conversations. It would be a great choice for book clubs. It is entertaining and thought-provoking – an intelligent book that stimulates discussion.

Very interesting book.

Cole and Leonora aka Lennie befriend each other after they both relocate to a remote coast in London. Cole is struggling with why his marriage to Mel failed, he of course sees himself as such a good guy.

Once police get involved after a few women go missing there is a question of how well they really know each other. Very dark and entertaining read in which I thoroughly enjoyed.

I always say, "always be aware of your surroundings."

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced ARC in exchange for my honest review.

If most men claim to be good, why are most women still afraid to walk home alone at night? Cole has moved to a remote village away from the noise of the city and is recovering after his divorce. It is there where he meets Leonora, who is an artist working on her next exhibit. While the two hit it off initially, when two missing female activists raising awareness about gendered violence disappear in the area, things start to take a turn.

I’m absolutely loving novels from Zando/Gillian Flynn. This one was deliciously uncomfortable. The first half of the book is spent being in Cole’s head and while initially he seems “good”, much like Sonora Jha’s The Laughter, I absolutely hated being in his mind. The novel then takes a twist with a different writing style and different POVs where you hear from a lot of women and it’s like a breath of fresh air but is still full of so many gray areas and discomfort. I really loved how layered this one is and I think it’ll make for a great discussion.

Thank you so much to Zando for the ARC of this one!

I found this premise to be a fresh take on a mysterious, domestic thriller with a did he/didn't he approach.

I loved this from the beginning - I was completely consumed and all in. I couldn't take breaks, didn't want to put it down and absolutely recommend this for anyone in a mystery/thriller rut!

What a thriller! Cole moves to become a wildlife ranger and heal from a disintegration of his marriage it is there that meets an artist. From there, the novel takes many twists and turns and the ending is.done so well that you will never see it coming. The story is told in different formats. Loved it.

Real Rating: 2.5 / 5 Stars

I enjoyed this book for the entire first act, and then it just went downhill from there. By the end I was so relieved it was finally over.

I know this is an unlikely and probably unpopular opinion, especially coming from me, considering how much I enjoy just about every book that throws punches at the patriarchy and advocates for feminine rage. The fact is: The first act of this book was impeccably written and had me looking forward to an intense thriller told from the POV of a narcissistic and unreliable narrator, and then the second and third acts were a hot mess when it comes to writing.

When I got to the beginning of the second act and realized we were switching from Cole’s POV to another POV altogether, I was wary, but willing to try. It didn’t take me too long to realize Hall had moved from what I was beginning to consider a fantastic, creepy, charismatic novel about a smarmy incel that might build and build in tension and violence to a disorganized format consisting of flashbacks, social media posts, blog posts, newspaper articles, newscast transcripts, an art installation information pamphlet, press releases, and present-day POV. In my opinion, this switch ruined the novel. There was no more thrill, no more suspense, and no more mystery. It was just chaos, and I no longer really cared.

The aims, messages, and goals of the story were good. I’m sure this book will be a hit with a lot of people and it will resonate with many. I just didn’t jive with it. I wanted a thriller, and this wasn’t one.

I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.

File Under: Political Thriller/Psychological Thriller/Suspense Thriller/Vigilante Justice

This was definitely a page-turner! I felt super unsettled at the beginning reading from Cole's perspective, as a self-proclaimed "good guy" who maybe isn't exactly that....... <spoiler>is DEFINITELY NOT THAT</spoiler>, then a third of the way through having perspective shift in a really interesting way. The social commentary is stellar and I think this would be a good book club pick, in that I want (need) to discuss it with other people asap because the ending!!! I mean!!

This book was full of unlikeable characters. It really felt flat for me and I had no connection, Please make your own opinion as you may very well like it more than i did.

One of the Good Guys
by Araminta Hall
Pub Date: 09 Jan 2024

One of the Good Guys is a story about how women are treated by some men in today's modern world. The book is marked as a Mystery - Thriller. I can't say I see as much a thriller as a mystery. Although it is fiction, it's very informative and gave me something to think about. I found it very interesting, I liked the story and the main characters in the story.

I'm giving this 4 Stars only because it did get a bit slow in some places.

Synopsis: Desperate to escape the ghosts of his failed marriage, Cole upends his life. He leaves London behind for a remote stretch of coast, relishing the respite from the noise, drama, and relentless careerism that curdled his relationship and mental health. Leonora has made the same move for similar reasons. She’s living a short walk from Cole’s seaside cottage, preparing for her latest art exhibition. Although Cole still can’t figure out what went wrong with his marriage, and Leonora is having trouble acclimating to the hostile landscape, the pair forges a connection on the eroding bluff they call home.

A massive thanks to #OneoftheGoodGuys, #Zando, #GillianFlynnBooks and #NetGalley for the E-ARC. All opinions are strictly my own.

Thank you Netgalley, Araminta Hall, and Zando Gillian Flynn Books for the advanced reader ebook. This was quite a heavy read with a pretty triggering subject. It really put into perspective the world views we have to deal with as woman.

Gaaaaahhhh! This book is so maddening! The characters are brilliantly devious and inspire both compassion and hate from all sides. This thriller sheds quite a bit of light on what it means to be a woman in today's world but also what it means to be a man in a changing word. So many thoughts, many of which are conflicting. Ultimately, that makes this a perfect Book Club pick because there is so much to discuss and debate. It won't be a happy discussion though, so expect the nails to come out, emotions to run high, and blood pressure to spike!

4.5 stars!

Many have wondered over recent years just what happened to Gillian Flynn. We loved her first 3 books and yearn for more! Well, she is giving back by publishing others' works under her imprint Gillian Flynn Books. If you are a lover of her works, definitely check this book out. It won't disappoint and will introduce you to another amazing author.

Thank you to NetGalley and Zando, Gillian Flynn Books for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

This social commentary and thriller was such a delight! Newly separated from his wife, Cole has left London for a fresh start as a wildlife ranger. Soon after arriving he meets Leonora. She’s the antithesis of his first wife. Lenora is gentle, thoughtful, works a relaxed job as an artist. Cole’s new beginning starts as he and Lenora form a relationship. Is she the wife he’s dreamed of? There are multiple perspectives but not until we first get a good chunk of story from one. The first narrator is the definition of unreliable and perfectly done. Enthusiastically recommend!

This book is a wild ride! It’s a fast paced one that had me hooked- I started it Friday evening and finished it this morning. Its central theme is how women are treated in society today and whilst it IS a wild ride, it’s very believable.

When Cole moves to a remote coastal area following the breakdown of his marriage and meets artist Leonora, he starts to feel hopeful about his future. However when two girls on a coastal walk for a women’s charity go missing, it seems his life won’t be as ideal as he had thought it might be.

I really enjoyed that the story was told from multiple perspectives, as it shows (sometimes worryingly) how different people can interpret the same set of events. It was one of those books where you start almost believing the events are real due to how the author has chosen to frame them through social media comments, podcasts and news reports. I don’t want to give too much away about this one because I feel you don’t see the twists coming (even when you think you might have guessed them!) - but this book is like a work of art, Lennie B would be proud 😉. If you’re a fan of Lisa Jewell’s more recent books, you’ll probably enjoy this one.

This is a tough one for me to review. The beginning was slow for me. I was getting annoyed with how often Cole was using the word “cozy” to describe everything. It just seemed like a very fake set up. Come to find out, that’s kind of the point. Not everyone is what they seem. This turned out to be a page turner at the end.

Wow, in both a good and bad way! This novel took me a while to get into but it finally started to have a decent flow. If nothing else, the topic and characters bring out a myriad of strong emotions. You are basically taken on a ride to uncover the impact of innate male aggressions and misogyny in our society and how females are the ongoing reciprocates of it. I had a bit of a problem with the way the females set up the male character to illustrate their point but also understand they felt they had to go to extremes to be heard. A topic of much importance that brought up a lot of emotions on both sides, told in story form. I received this novel as an advanced copy. All views are my own.

While this book was quite uniquely written, it just wasn’t one I overly enjoyed. I understand the points Hall was trying to make, but found them over the top. Women do face fear every day, but this story was a bit on the preachy side. There wasn’t a single character I liked or connected with. The writing style was by far what I liked the most, but my feelings remain mixed. Thank you to Macmillan and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.