This book definitely took me for a ride. 😂
It begins with Cole, one of the main characters living in the English countryside following the separation from his wife. We get a description of the relationship with his wife, from his pov, and I couldn’t help but sympathize for his situation. Shortly after his move he starts a new a woman named Lennie - or Lenora as he insists on calling her. You get the sense that he may be able to start moving on from his failed marriage afterall. Then the pov to his wife, and this is when the story gets really interesting, enter plot twist!

I don’t want to say too much more because I’d hate to reveal any spoilers, but I can say that this book surprised me in many ways.
For example, I didn’t think I’d enjoy it as much as I did. I also didn’t expect the story unravelling to where Cole’s truths are not everyone else’s truths - or even real!

There are elements of a thriller, suspense, and feminism that are all weaved together, making this a compelling story that I recommend to all.

❥ A special thank you to @zandoprojects Gillian Flynn books for early access to this amazing book on @netgalley.

While I do understand what this book is trying to do and what it's trying to teach and /or show, I did not enjoy the process of it.

The ending pissed me off while also doing nothing for me.
The male character that we are first introduced to for a good chunk of the book was so aggravating and I did not enjoy being in his pov.
I'm trying to be vague so not to spoil anything for those interested.

Sadly this was a disappointment.

Thanks to the publisher for an advanced copy.

I had no clue what to expect starting this book - I was pleasantly surprised! It gave Gone Girls vibes in the best of ways. I enjoy each twisty turn. Ill be recommending this book to all my thrill lovers. Thank you so much for this ARC.

This book absolutely blew my mind! I know I’ll be thinking about it for quite a while! And definitely be talking about it! I was drawn in by this gorgeous cover and the title sounded intriguing but apart from that I knew very little about the story and I am certain that helped elevate my reading experience.

Araminta Hall took a contentious subject matter and combined it with an interesting format of story delivery to create something that is beyond just a thriller or a mystery. The first two parts are perspectives of 2 different characters and part 3 is a combination of a number of media formats and I absolutely loved the combination. I feel that readers who enjoyed Christina Henry’s Good Girls Don’t Die will love this particular type of “feminist thriller”. Being a woman in today’s society is still a complex and complicated thing and something I think about often.

I am quite certain this one will end up as one of my favorite 2024 reads! (And yes, I do realize it’s only the 2nd week of the year) I also highly recommend this one for book clubs - so much material for discussion!

Grateful to NetGalley & Zando for gifting me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

"It’s very sad for me to see how we’re still only interested in women after they can’t speak for themselves anymore, when they quite literally don’t have a voice.”
You know how they say that the more people have to talk you how great their relationship is, the more it's crap? That's kind of how I felt about Cole's perspective. Cole's story takes up the first half of the book. And while he doesn't say or do anything spectacularly "wrong," I find him continuing to let us know that he's one of the "good guys" extremely uncomfortable and whiny. While I appreciate and fully agree with the overall theme of the book, I did find it to be a slow burn through the first half of the book. Only about two-thirds through when you're itching to know how it's going to end does it really pick up. Thank you Netgalley and Zando for the ARC.

This is my first Araminta Hall book, but it definitely will not be my last. I know that's kind of an overdone saying in reviews, but One of the Good Guys was not only an addictive, compelling suspense, but it also made me think. Who is the "bad guy" in this scenario? Is there a bad guy, or are they only opposing viewpoints? Does the end justify the means? I'm still actually thinking about the ending and how I feel about it -- Not in like a love it/dislike it kind of way, because I definitely liked it, but in a thought-provoking, is this okay kind of way, and that's the sign of a great book.

Since my review would require heavy editing due to Amazon's policy I won't be posting it on Amazon. I will post it on Storygraph when I can (currently in the progress of adding an import so I cannot edit things).

I received this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange of an honest review.


When I saw a review for this book up on Nads Book Nook (check out their review) I just KNEW I had to have this book! I already had seen it on Twitter a few times, but while it did spark an interest that review was what set me running to Netgalley to see if the book was still on there! And then clicking that request button so fast, haha. And a big thank you to the publisher for approving my request.

NOTE: Writing this on 11-1, I am tired (read this one before sleeping, tried to sleep, ended up reading the book until around 2-3 am) + this book was A RIDE. Not just in twists but also in feels. So be prepared for vagueness + chaos.

See that blurb for the book? Ain’t it a nice one? It promises all the mystery, a relationship that isn’t what it seems, and more. Well. In a way the blurb is correct. grins But in other ways it is also TOTALLY WRONG. Yes. Be prepared. Because this book will fuck you up. At least, it fucked me up. In a good way. Get ready, strap in, grab some chocolate, and let’s go.

This book is set in three parts. First up we have the first part with Cole. Yes, the guy that is talked about so much in the blurb. A guy who, at first glance, seems to be a pretty OK guy. But as his parts continued I got more and more unsettled by him. More and more wondering if what he said was the truth or not. Wondering if he was really that abused/badly treated by his wife. Or if there was more to it. There were little hints that grew bigger and bigger and had me wondering if I should punch Cole or just yeet him of the nearest cliff, run away hard, or give him a hug. Eventually, when certain things happen in his POV and things escalate or got more and more strange, well, by then I knew definitely which I would pick. <spoiler> And no, it wasn’t the hug, haha.</spoiler> I do have to say that at times it felt like the author just blended a guy character with several psychology + social commentary books because he felt weird/off at times, talking in a way that felt very unnatural, strange, odd. More like he was just reciting things he heard in a book rather than being an actual person. Maybe that was the plan, maybe not. But it just stood out for me. I did love reading more and more about Cole, about Mel, about Lennie (his nearby neighbour in this desolate place). We see the stage being set in his POV, we read about the female activists. We read about what they have gone through. And then the disappearance.

Cue part 2 which features Lennie (for bits) and Mel (for most). We get a whole different turn-around and see what happened with Mel and how in the end she went away from him. I won’t spoil it, but HOT DANG. Be prepared. Be so prepared to dive into the relationwreck that was Cole x Mel. Not to mention some other things that were just seriously WHUUUUTTT *throws chair*

Part 3 is about the aftermath and features 2 twists that had me going OMGGGGGG. This part partially written with Lennie’s POV and goes deeper in what happened in her past, but also shows us the aftermath and all that happens after the girls disappeared on that cliff/bluff, the whole media circus + more. This was definitely the hardest part out of the 3 to read. Because there are things said, social commentary, there are newspapers and opinions on social media, interviews, there is a podcast (at least it felt like that), things are fucked. And Lennie’s past, if you thought it was fucked up already because of THAT, strap yourselves in. This last part definitely made me gasp so many times. Plus, what happened to her when she was with Cole, we get some parts.. but oh boy.

There are two big twists in this book, well OK, there are several OMG revelations, but two twists that will have you gasp! At least I was.

The social commentary in form of what people said in the normal story parts, but then later through the social media/articles/etc., it was unsettling, uncomfortable, it made me want to yeet things, and OK, it also made my eyes roll just a bit (there were points that I wasn’t sure if I was agreeing, sorry but I don’t see my husband protecting me or saying he loves me more than anything is violence, but maybe I am just a bad woman or something). I guess the uncomfortable/unsettling feelings are warranted and that the author was going for that, in that case, well done.

Plus, I am not entirely still sure on where to stand with the twists. On the one hand: YAS but on the other hand That is some really fucked up crap.

So as you can see, conflicted. But it was a good twist. All of the twists were.

Oh, and I just LOVE it when a title of the book is either mentioned or everything comes together as the title (hope that makes sense, haha).

Well, I could probably go an about this book a bit more, but I will just say read this darn book. It will stick with me for a while, I can tell you that. I was thinking of maybe reading something light after this one (yes, despite it being 2-3 am), but my mind was just too full with this one and wouldn’t allow anything else to be read. It is just there. Sticking around. Eating cookies. Sipping some tea. Hot dang. Good job to the author! Small update on the 16th just before the review goes live. I have been able to read… but the book is still on my darn mind, haha.

I was a fan of Our Kind of Cruelty, but could not connect to Araminta Hall's new novel. I believe it lacked nuance and subtlety. After a while, it became evident that I might not be the right reader, and as a result, I am not going to provide feedback on other platforms. I wish the author and publisher a successful launch.

Just by the title, I already knew this was going to be a provocative read. The book covers some hot topics, including violence against women, modern day feminism, and the challenges it has brought to the relationship between the 2 genders over the years.

The book is divided into 3 parts - it starts with 2 character perspectives & ends with a few chapters of mixed media (interviews, online posts, news coverage). I thought all 3 parts were equally needed in this story. In the ongoing discussion of feminism, there are always 3 players - men, women, and the media/online world. The author clearly wanted to give all 3 perspectives, which truly brings the story to life.

The mystery part was also intriguing. I would categorise it as a slow burn, but still bingeworthy. The writing style & constant tension made me flip through the pages. The twists are not too unexpected if you’ve read a lot of thrillers, but they fit the story perfectly.

This is a roller coaster of a book. I LOVED how the story was told from different perspectives - it allowed us to see the psychology of the characters, and see how every incident was perceived by various characters. This technique really enhanced Araminta Hall's theme of how women and men are viewed by society, how violence towards women is often time explained away, and how the voice of women is often times silenced. The ending was a little underwhelming for me and not the direction I had hoped the book would take, but I still really enjoyed it from beginning to end.

Thanks to NetGalley and Zando Books for this advance readers copy, in exchange for an honest review. One of the Good Guys picks up with Cole, newly separated from his wife and now living in a reclusive country setting, befriending and becoming quickly charmed by his neighbor, Leonora. We spend some time learning about the events in his life leading up to this change and also simultaneously learn of a few members of a women’s activist organization raising awareness about violence against women, who are causing quite a storm within the community nearby. A disappearance, a shift in point of view, and lots of raised questions propel this thriller onward and forward!

I have some mixed feelings about this book but, on the overall I did enjoy it. I want to say that regardless of my feelings on the book structure or actual plot line, I did really appreciate the message that the author was trying to drive home about gendered violence against women. Throughout the entire book, the author shows how easy it is to rationalize unintentionally harmful actions (let alone those done intentionally) against women, especially if perpetrated by “good guys”, because these actions conform to societal norms and standards. I appreciated the take home from this book that emphasized how there is still so much work to do to address these issues and the deep-seated, life long effects that this type of violence can cause.

In terms of the book structure itself, it did take me a little bit to get into the story but, once I did, I finished straight through to the end in one sitting. Throughout the entire first section, the reader is left with an unsettled feeling, that there’s something key we are missing from the untrustworthy narrator. When the book shifted points of view, I appreciated filling in some of the missing details and I felt satisfied by the shift in storyline and reader sympathy. Over halfway through the book, going into the final section of the book, everything was poised for a literary bomb to drop and the thriller to have a satisfying twist but, ultimately I felt a bit let down. As I mentioned above, I appreciated the take home messages from this book and appreciated the way that the author concluded the story. But, ultimately it did feel like a bit of a let down.

Overall, I am glad I read this book and am interested to read other books from this publisher! I’d recommend this book to Gillian Flynn fans and fans of a slow-ish burn thriller!!


Round up to a solid 3.5 stars!

I found this book to be confusing and uncomfortable. Alternating narrators and points of view can be interesting, but the abrupt switch here did not work. It all felt too contrived, and ultimately there were no likable characters to care about. The conclusion was not satisfying. There were no good guys. Or gals.

One of the Good Guys by Araminta Hall follows Cole, a man who thinks he’s one of the good guys. After splitting from his wife, he leaves London to start over in the country. He meets a woman named Lennie and the two become close. Of course we can trust him, can’t we?

But the two women disappear close to where Cole lives. He and his new friend find themselves involved. The story gets to the point where you cannot stop reading to see what is happening and who is it that you can trust?

The plot:

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 the 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.

Highly recommended and if you haven’t read the author’s other book, Our Kind of Cruelty- get it now! This is out now.

Sadly, this missed the mark for me - personally. I think this was a bit over the top, the character was horrendously unlikeable, even with the final “verdict” of perhaps an unreliable narrative.

I do think it was a quick read, and it was a thriller and a bit dark- which may resonate with some as it wasn’t a typical thriller I feel.

As always, nothing personal to the author.- maybe the writing was just that good to the point I couldn’t stand the main character? However, I just didn’t resonate or care much.

That being said- I won’t yuck ones yum, it just wasn’t my yum.


Thanh you NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read in exchange for a review!

Thanks to NetGalley for the free advance copy of One of the Good Guys by Araminta Hall in exchange for an honest review.

This is one weird book. If I’m honest (a filler phrase that is exceedingly overused in this novel), it took me about 1/3 of the book to figure out what was going on and then I stuck with it to see how the author would tie up the threads.

Cole, recently separated from his wife, Mel, meets Lennie, an artist who lives on the remote coastal road where Cole has relocated following the separation; the two form a relationship. Then, two young women go missing on the same stretch of coastland while conducting a highly publicized trek to raise awareness about violence against women.

To quote the book jacket, this is an “urgent psychological thriller about gender, power, and how both are captured in our contemporary media environment.” The novel hits the reader over the head with this message until we feel like Cole struggling with one of his migraines.

Didn’t love this one. Two stars.

I eagerly read the beginning of the book, and felt that Cole seemed to be totally clueless about his role in the end of his own marriage. His attraction to the cottage and then Lennie was somewhat predictable. His fascination with the Walk for Women girls foreshadowed the rest of the story. Such a dichotomy of the difference between the male and female genders was the clear impetus in this read. In my mind the story changed from somewhat of a mystery to a diatribe of gender differences highlighted especially in the eyes of social media. It seemed to become somewhat chaotic at times and the story left the tracks a bit but then the train connected with the rails again and I enjoyed the ending. An interesting ride for sure.
Many thanks to Araminta Hall, Macmillan, and NetGalley for affording me the opportunity to read an arc of this just published read.

Thank you Zando, Gillian Flynn Books for accepting my request to read One of the Good Guys on NetGalley.

Stars: 2.

The filthy language as well as the multiple derogatory uses of female genitalia by the female author is frustrating.

Now I would like to stop here. -- enough said. What I should have done was stop at the first F- and absolutely at the first C-. However, I didn't. I fought the inner gremlins -- how many can you turn back into NetGalley before they stop approving you and do my opinions matter gremlins.

For the record, if you are keeping score -- this is the last book I read with language that is unacceptable and inexcusable. While I enjoy Netgalley, I have loved and will never stop loving my public library. Reading is my favorite pasttime and calling it a hobby is an understatement.

Clearly, I won't recommend the book. Given the premise and subsequent story, the author's vulgarity lends itself to the problems ladies find themselves in. Not all women are ladies. Through the story, it is clear the author understands societal battles.

I had high hopes for this one and thought it sounded so interesting, but it left me feeling unsettled/uncomfortable. I found this story to be thought provoking and there is a lot to unpack here, but it took a very wrong turn for me somewhere. I understood the points the author was trying to make, but the actions of the characters were really off putting.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC of "One of the Good Guys' by Araminta Hall. I was attracted to the story and as I read it, a different story emerged. I always appreciate it when a book delievers more than I was expecting. Multiple narrators, and adding the 'wife" was a good pivot. I don't mind the violence, but sometimes the social commentary overroad the storyline. Twisty and turning and leaving the reader to question what the read are all pluses to me. Curious to see what this author writes next.

An excellent story line that challenges the reader to examine closely the story of what makes a "good guy" told from three highly different perspectives. Araminta Hall has done a great job of building the characters into realistic examples of today's acceptance of violence against women. After a recent divorce, Cole is reviewing the failure of his marriage. He doesn't understand how a "good guy" like him could be left with nothing. ONE OF THE GOOD GUYS is told from three POVs. Cole's, who may not see how his actions affect others. His ex-wife's, who has a different opinion of a "good guy". And Cole's current girlfriend, whose opinion leans closer to his ex-wife's than his. The book moves through several genre to arrive at a point where the readers are asked to judge Cole's actions through a clear eyed look at all sides. A great read skillfully written from the author's heart.