One of the first thrillers I ever fell in love with was Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn. I hung on her every word and swooned with her delicious dark spin on how children are just small spawns of satan.

I have stalked Flynn since that day and was emotionally wrecked when I found out she is no longer writing BUT and there is a big BUT. Gillian Flynn is now a publisher!!!!

Representing new talent, Araminta Hall, I know if Flynn is supporting this author that this book is a shoe in for 5 stars.

One of the Good Guys

Well, I wasn’t wrong! This book is oozing with all the thriller goodness we never knew we needed! Jam packed with pulse pounding suspense, you will be white knuckling your book as you read along!

I loved every last word of this book and I can not wait to see what Hall comes out with next!

Check out this teaser :

Newly separated from his wife and desperate to escape the ghosts of his failed marriage, Cole leaves London for a fresh start in the countryside. He accepts a job as a wildlife ranger and settles into his cozy seaside cottage, relishing the respite from the noise, drama, and relentless careerism that curdled his relationship along with his mental health. Then he meets Leonora, the reclusive artist living next door, and is instantly charmed by her warm and gentle spirit.

But as the two forge a connection on the cliff’s edge they call home, two young women activists raising awareness about gendered violence disappear while passing through. Cole and Leonora find themselves in the middle of a police investigation and resulting media firestorm as the world learns of what happened, and as the tension escalates, they quickly realize that they don’t know each other that well after all.

I wanted to take my time to digest this story as it focuses on quite a heavy topic. While I loved every single part of the book, I found the format a bit daunting. Just when I thought the story ended, began the tweets and the reactions to the plot which I found distractive. Otherwise this was a good book with a deep & thought provoking message I appreciate. The plot was compelling & twisted, the characters were great too. However, almost half of the book was about driving a point home repeatedly. While I considered myself staunchly on Lenny's side of the story I found myself playing devils advocate which was scary. I guess this was the ultimate purpose of the book.
Thank you NetGalley, publishers & Araminta Hall for this arc!

ONE OF THE GOOD GUYS

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐✨

Author: Araminta Hall

Genre: Suspense, psychological thriller, crime

Quote: "History is littered with bad men doing bad things to women. And, the truth is, they've ruined it for the rest of us, who just want to love and nurture. They've created a world in which sometimes the only options left for us are the desperate ones."


Review:
The plot centers on the Cole, a man looking to escape London and the echoes of his recently failed marriage. He winds up in a seaside cottage on a remote cliff working as a ranger, spending most his days warning people not to sit on the crumbling and precarious cliff edge.
Soon after moving in, Cole spots Leonora, an artist who has also recently moved to the area and who Cole is instantly drawn to.

As the book unfolds, Cole continually compares Leonora to his ex wife, telling us the long list of reasons why the marriage failed (and why it was definitely not his fault). Pretty soon we begin to see cracks in his version of events. On the same night Cole complains of a headache so bad he has no memory of how he got home, two girls raising awareness for domestic violence go missing...

This book was exactly what I expected and I read it so fast it felt like a blur! I really enjoyed the exploration into so-called 'good guys' and how dangerous they can be when they don't get their way. Cole's perspective was chilling and some of his quotes were things I've personally heard men say, which was disturbing to say the least.

I also liked how the book pointed out the hypocrisy of the media in it's treatment of female victims of violence. How they twist the narrative, going so far as to use personal pictures from the victim's social media to attempt to sway public opinion against them by portraying them as 'promiscuous'.

The main themes prevalent through the book reminded me a lot of the the Paris Paloma song 'Labour' (if you haven't heard it check it out), with a touch of Gillian Flynn's 'Gone Girl'. All in all this was a fast-paced, grimly enjoyable read.

Please check TWs before reading this as there are some pretty heavy themes which I did find difficult to read in places.

Thank you Zando Projects / Gillian Flynn Books / Netgalley, #partner for the advanced e-copy of One of the Good Guys in exchange for my honest review.

This is the second book I’ve read by Araminta Hall and I am a fan! She is definitely going on my list of must-read authors!

This book totally snuck up on me. It was definitely not what I was expecting and I loved that. Told in three parts, from three different perspectives, I found myself falling for one character and then another…this one will have you switching loyalties like no one’s business. It’s quite amazing how the author is able to get you to do that…but she does and I am in awe!

I also loved that while I didn’t necessarily love all the characters here, I still couldn’t put this one down. I needed to see how it would all play out. And again, even when I didn’t like a particular character, I still managed to have feelings for them. I am purposely not saying too much here because you really need to go into this one blind – that’s the best way to experience this one for maximum effect.

This is the type of book that is going to get you thinking. It needs to be talked about, which makes it a good book club pick. There is a lot to unpack here and it’s unsettling and unnerving but one that once you start reading, you can’t help but find yourself completely addicted to what’s going on – at least I did. It’s a story that needs to be told, one that is uncomfortable, which to me is the point.

I am still not entirely sure how I feel about this book, there is no doubt that there were some conflicting emotions.

As it begins the reader may want to side with the man but there is a hard shift in the middle of the book that shows that to every story there are two sides.

Then you may side with the wife.

What a kooky book. I’m still shaking my head over it. It was shocking and crazy and silly and I didn’t even know who I should be rooting for at all, or if there even was anyone to root for cause I kind of didn’t like any of them at the end! And I still loved it.

This was definitely a book full of messages, but in the end I wasn’t sure if I was taking any of it seriously. I was mostly wondering what in the world did I just read and who in the world is this author and what is her brain like to come up with the premise for this book. I think I’d want to meet her.

I’m definitely glad I read it and I’d recommend it to lovers of suspense, and entertaining mysteries, and someone who doesn’t mind an interesting commentary on today’s insane world. This was definitely a good one

Found all of the random social media and news sections to be a little annoying, just not my cup of tea. Like the twist and the connection between characters. Loved Mel's section

Circumstances appear suspicious when a couple of young women go missing near the isolated home of Cole. He is either one of the good guys, or one of the sick bastards that we warn our daughters about. Sensitive introvert or manipulative pervert? Which one you choose to believe depends on who you decide to listen to. And naturally, Twitterverse has plenty of opinions on the matter.
This was an engaging and fun psychological thriller.
Thanks to #netgalley and #gillianflynnbooks for this #arc of #oneofthegoodguys in exchange for an honest review.

<i>I received a copy of this story from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.</i>

*deep breath*

I knew this book was going to be a difficult ride and I wanted to hop on. It starts with a premise so many people are familiar with: "one of the good guys". I'm sure we've all met someone who sees themself that way. It's a hard topic to tackle because some of what self-declared "good guys" do is genuinely good and nice and kind. But too often, it is done with the expectation of getting something in return.

And we see that exact dichotomy beautifully illustrated in Cole. There is no denying that a lot of the things he did for Mel were kind. It was easy to see him as "better" than the men Mel typically met. But his kindness comes with strings, not from a place of love for the other person. He does what he does because he is convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that he knows best. And that's not kindness, that's control.

Without going into too many spoilers, the main characters in this story (Cole, Mel, and Lennie) are extreme versions of people we all know. The lengths these characters each go to in this story have been exaggerated in order to make you think. None of them are perfect, none of them make all the "right" choices.

What I appreciated so much about Hall's work here is that the plot is entirely plausible. I completely believe this could be an event in our lifetime and I would fully expect it to end exactly as it did here. Hall does a fantastic job miring us in the muck that is social media, in the caustic, callous judgement that news platforms spit out with very little information.

It is so hard to change a system that was built to keep you as less than someone else. Especially if you try to change it from within. You'll be met with resistance every step of the way because those with power rarely want to share it. The events of the last third of the book will stay with me for a long time.

Some people may get bogged down in the mystery, in choosing sides and defending a character's innocence or their actions. And if that's you, then you probably won't like this book very much. But if you can accept that extreme actions exist here to make a point, if you can remain objective and look at the issues presented in this story -- violence towards women, gender roles, consent and feminism to name a few -- this is a bold and thought-provoking social commentary.

Please make sure you're in a good headspace before you start but absolutely read it.

Cole is newly separated and needs to escape his failed marriage and London. He takes a job as a ranger in the countryside. Soon after, he meets Leonora, an artist and forms a connection. Things seem to be looking up. But when two female activists pass through town, raising awareness about gendered violence, Cole and Leonora find themselves in the middle of a police investigation and media frenzy. They also begin to realise how little they know each other.

This one is described as a 'A propulsive page-turner with razor-sharp sociopolitical insight, One of the Good Guys asks: if most men claim to be good, why are most women still afraid to walk home alone at night?'
Indeed! This novel was just so unexpected! I flew through it, again, in less than a day and as so many other readers have noted, it was thought provoking. I really can't say more, as mine are no-spoiler reviews but I am so glad I read this cleverly plotted, memorable novel.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Zando, Gillian Flynn Books for this gifted copy.

This book started out slow and what seemed like two people who meet that were previously in dysfunctional relationships. the more you read the more it turns into something else that you don't see coming. Definitely an interesting and thought provoking read that can be slightly triggering as far as the way men treat women.
Thank you to Netgalley, Zando, Gillian Flynn Books and the Author, Araminta Hall for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Two female activists disappear, the suspect is the male protagonist who claims he’s “one of the good guys”.
This was a powerful book, about gender, misogyny and power. It was compelling and fast paced.
I loved the twisty ending too.

What a cleverly written book! Absolutely ingenious! I went in blind, as I usually do, so I had no idea what to expect but it sure wasn't that!
I found this book a nice slow burn with just the right amount of information being fed to the reader to keep them engaged throughout. I think this one would be excellent for a book club read as there are so many things up for discussion. Quite frankly, I would suggest book club would go way past midnight after reading this one!

I will definitely be reading the author's other books now. What a beauty!

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Zando Publishing for and eARC of this book. It is out now!

If you want to go on a wild and twisty ride, then this book is for you! Full of unexpected twists and surprising events, I couldn't put it down!

One of the Good Guys by Araminta Hall is definitely the kind of book you need to go into blind. It’s thought-provoking, it’s ambitious (and delivers!), and painfully real.

This book was everything I wanted it to be, I had high expectations and they were definitely met. One thing I would’ve changed is the second part of the book having some less media excerpts and more from Lennie. It pulled me out of the story a little at times.

Araminta Hall holds a mirror up to the “not all men” movement and reflects back to them the sad and ugly truth. It will be shocking to some, but sadly all too real for most of us.

4.5 ⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and GillianFlynnBooks!

I read about 10% and just couldn't get into. The MMC was especially.... whiny? He just seemed like a wet blanket and it was taking too long for anything to happen.

[TW: Language, sexual assault, infertility, toxic relationships, abusive relationship, divorce, miscarriages, animal death (rabbit skinned/gutted), death of parent, gaslighting, misogynistic behavior, use of c-word, domestic abuse, violence, grooming, abusive mother, child sexual abuse]

*****SPOILERS*****
About the book: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.

Then two young female activists raising awareness about gendered violence disappear while passing through. Cole and Leonora suddenly find themselves in the middle of a police investigation--and the resulting media firestorm when the world learns of what happened. And as the tension escalates alongside the search for the missing women, they quickly realize that they don’t know each other that well after all.
Release Date: January 9th, 2024
Genre: Domestic Thriller
Pages: 304
Rating: ⭐

What I Liked:
1. Loved the author's writing style
2. Characters were well developed
3. Shirt chapters
4. Fast read
5. The cover

What I Didn't Like:
1. The ending
2. Part 3 tone

Overall Thoughts:
When I first started reading this book I kept thinking that Cole killed his wife. I kept thinking that he really killed her but kept pretending in his mind she was alive. But then he didn't.

This story is wild. There were so many times when he was saying that Mel was abusing him when she was talking to him and asking him for reasonable things. She wanted him to sign papers to sell the house and wanted to have the embryos destroyed. Very understanding. He continues to act as though he is the victim to her.

Mel is your typical women. She always talks herself down when she isn't being polite to her husband or someone . She doesn't really want kids but then changes her mind. She continues to tell herself to calm down so not to make a scene.

Cole gets her her favorite squash pasta and she doesn't even like that one but the mushroom one instead.

Honestly I tried to read this book less from a female prospective (I am a woman) and more from a human perspective. When Mel works so much it does suck. Cole wants a family that Mel has agreed to have with him but she is always at work. It's hard to maintain a relationship with someone that doesn't listen to you. So in that aspect it's understandable that Cole would be upset because even if roles were reversed and Cole was the one working so much he couldnt be bothered to sit with Mel after a treatment, people would be pissed at that. What makes me mad is the gaslighting that Cole puts into the passive aggressive comments he aims toward Mel. The whole and only focus on having a kid is creepy.

Mel and Cole are complete opposites. Mel really doesn't want kids and is more focused on having her business succeed. There is a stigma that is put on women that don't want kids but want a life that is about themselves. People label them as selfish and none caring.

Cole wants kids and he wants his wife and child to live off the land with no connection to work. He wants to isolate his wife and children to almost control them to what he believes and away from society.

Cole hates it when Mel cries but he has no problem with crying. What a master manipulater. Always trying to control her feelings.

We learn that Cole can only have sex with Mel if he is pretending to sexually assault while dressed in black clothing and "breaking" into the house.

God this book has such good commentary. Mel finally leaves Cole but then when she thinks about why Cole is the way he is she concludes that it must all be his mother's fault for the way he is. Speaks volumes about what Mel said earlier that society always blame women for what men do. We are just a society of people saying it's the woman's fault.

Men like Cole believe they’re right because society has told them that they are their whole lives. And, as a result, they find it difficult to be told "no."

Yesssssssssss!

"But the truth is, men who want to protect women should never be trusted because we only feel the impulse to protect the things we think of as weaker than ourselves."

I don't agree with that at all. You can be protective of people but not think of them as weaker. I'm protective of my family but I don't think they are below me - I just love them and hate anyone who hurts them.

Towards the end of the book it becomes this mixed media format that I just did not care for. Because the whole part of the book in the beginning was actual story and then we jump into how media dictates to how things are. I just feel like it was very jumbled when it got to that point. Also it just keeps repeating the details we already read and know about.

The moment that Leonora mentions that her next art piece needed Mel I figured they were going to hide the girls. Then when Leonora is the one that finds the tent it sealed it in what she was doing it.

Leonora making tons of money on her show of exploiting domestic abused women pretty ties up how much sense this book ended up meaning.

Final Thoughts:
I was enjoying this book immensely so much so that I finished it in a day (in 6 hours). The story was fascinating. The writing was fantastic. The characters were interesting. Then we got to part three and all I felt about the book quickly took a nosedive. I get having an idea for a book but lately it feels as though authors are adding so many want to be twists to amount to little in their stories.

This book uses mixed media to almost blind you and disorient you from a predictable and mediocre ending.

A lot of this book is just the same details and actions of our characters from different perspectives, which makes the story come off dull and boring. Hearing the news and social media reports repeating the same facts about the case wore on my nerves. It all comes off pointless because they give us zero information to advance the plot other than to showcase how judgemental and horrible people can be. I feel like some of it could have really added to the story but there was just too much of it to make the story better. Endless recounts just dragged this story down making me want to skim some parts.

The revival was just not good. I'm not sure how girls disappearing and then them being found alive had much meaning. How would them lying about what happened to them give the cause to women being believed give women any credibility? It wouldn't. It would prove to all the misogynistic men that women are trash. To the people worried about them they would lose faith in them for lying.

I also wish that this book could have also focused on males that are also sexually assaulted because this story makes out that all males are dangerous. That no men can be a victim to abuse either. 1 in 4 men have experienced rape and physical violence.

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Thanks to Netgalley and Gillian Flynn Books for this advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I went into this one not really knowing what to expect and ended up really enjoying it. It does start off a bit slow, I thought but becomes quite engaging. I did not really connect with any of the characters but that didn't really bother like it normally would, as it seemed to fit along with the storyline. I don't want to ruin anything for anyone, so just give it a chance. It gets more fast-paced as things start happening and I will just leave it at that!

Thank you to #NetGalley, Araminta Hall and Zando, Gillian Flynn Books for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

I will post my review to Amazon, Instagram and other retail and social media sites upon publication.

I had to sit with One of the Good Guys before I could rate or review it. How the book started, I thought it was going to be a meh one for me. Then it all changed. For some reason I didn’t see it coming and how things ended up going honestly shook me a little bit. I was left with a lot to think about after this one!

Not my favorite book , that’s for sure. The book started really well and it held up throughout. I loved all the different parts to the book and the changes in narrative., however there was a lot more I didn’t like. Lots of triggers. Thank you NetGalley for this ARC