The synopsis of this one is slightly wild and will be challenging to explain without giving away any spoilers. Twenty years ago, a baby was stolen from a stroller in a supermarket. Fast forward to the present, and there is a murder in a nursing home. Both crimes are connected, but we do not know how.

This was my first novel by Alice Feeney and I think I should have read it instead of listened to it. While I was listening, I kept getting so confused with the characters and how they were connected. It came together in the end but my confusion throughout the book made me think I really should have read it in a physical form instead!

Alice Feeney is the queen of twists!

I got hooked on Alice Feeney's writing when I first read Rock Paper Scissors. I remember thinking that one was good but not too special... until the last 25%. I was absolutely floored and have been recommending it to everyone ever since. This one was no different with the shocking twists, but it was so intriguing the entire time. This book was just what I needed.

Synopsis:
Twenty years after a baby is stolen from a stroller, a woman is murdered in a care home. The two crimes are somehow linked, and a good bad girl may be the key to discovering the truth.
Edith may have been tricked into a nursing home, but at eighty-years-young, she’s planning her escape. Patience works there, cleaning messes and bonding with Edith, a kindred spirit. But Patience is lying to Edith about almost everything.
Edith’s own daughter, Clio, won’t speak to her. And someone new is about to knock on Clio’s door…and their intentions aren’t good.
With every reason to distrust each other, the women must solve a mystery with three suspects, two murders, and one victim. If they do, they might just find out what happened to the baby who disappeared, the mother who lost her, and the connections that bind them.

I was so invested in this one and was always wondering what twist was coming next. I cant even tell you how many times I went back and re-read parts to make sure I was understanding it because a twist just comes up so subtly and so quick.

There were a few moments at the start where it was hard to tell who was who. As simple as I can put it, here is the character descriptions that helped me in the start:
- Edith is in the care home, mother of Cleo, friend of Patience.
- Cleo is the daughters of Edith, psychologist, doesn't have a good relationship with Edith.
- Patience is 18 years old, care home worker, friend of Edith.
- Frankie works at the prison... cant say much else without spoiling parts of the story.

About 60% in I actually grabbed a sticky note and started making a chart to keep up with who is who and all of the things going on because trust me - it gets wild! I haven't felt this invested in a book in a long time.

Overall this book is one you won't want to miss! It will be a great addition t0 your spooky/thriller/fall TBR.

I had to DFN. This has nothing to do with the author, or the book. I can just not focus on audiobooks. I have made multiple attempts, but it's just not for me. I would love to get the hard copy of Good Bad Girl by Alice Feeney. I couldn't wait for this book to come out. It is just a shame that I was introduced to it like this. We will meet again though.

Alice Feeney is an auto-buy author for me. I am shocked at how poor this book turned out. My fiancé and I listened to this on a road trip and our thoughts were: WTF? Feeney was attempting to be clever, but it ended up being a rambling long-winded mess of a story. Many of the chapters did not add anything into the story.

The characters, especially Edith were extremely unlikeable. “Even good people can do bad things.” Honestly all of these characters were bad. I couldn’t sympathize with a single one.

I did like the narrator, I thought she did a good job of differentiating the characters, especially Edith with the Scottish hints.

This pains me to write, since I have loved all Feeney’s other books. But I will not be recommending Good Bad Girl to anyone.

I received an advanced copy of this audiobook from Macmillan Audio via NetGalley.

In this gripping tale, a disturbing connection emerges between a decades-old crime and a recent murder in a care home. The narrative unfolds twenty years after a baby was abducted from a stroller, when an elderly woman named Edith finds herself confined to a nursing home, albeit with plans to escape. Within this facility, Patience works tirelessly, forming a unique bond with Edith, despite harboring numerous secrets.

Patience, however, isn't forthcoming with the truth, even as she forges a connection with Edith, who is grappling with her own estranged daughter, Clio. Meanwhile, a new, ominous presence is about to intrude upon Clio's life, and their intentions appear far from benevolent.

With mutual distrust simmering between the characters, these women are thrust into a perplexing mystery that involves three suspects, two murders, and one victim. As they navigate the treacherous waters of their shared predicament, they must untangle the enigma surrounding the vanished baby, the grief-stricken mother, and the intricate connections that bind them all together.

I typically haven't been one to embrace the world of audiobooks; something about them just never quite clicked with me, often leading to irritation with the narrator's voice. Nevertheless, I've made several attempts over the years to bridge the gap, and I find myself doing so once more. In this particular case, I must admit that the narrator proved to be an exception—clear in articulation and less annoying than some of my previous encounters.

However, my struggle with this audiobook primarily stemmed from its plot, which felt like a tangled web of confusion throughout. While the storyline remained somewhat decipherable, the intricate interconnections among its elements left my head spinning. It seemed that the author didn't provide a clear and tactful roadmap for readers to navigate this narrative landscape. While I wouldn't categorize the overall story as unpleasant, it leaned more toward the uneventful and, at times, bordered on the mundane.

3.45 stars

It is best going into this one blind. All I will say about the plot is that it focused on a series of colorful characters who were fairly well carved out. None were super likeable, but they were all relatable. The plot itself was cryptic for the first part as the characters were all introduced. It was difficult to know where the storyline was heading, which built a healthy dose of suspense. The ending wrapped everything up nicely.

I struggled to rate this book in that it was cleverly written and had some unforeseen twists that made my jaw drop. However, overall, it was too slow paced for much of the book, and many aspects were predictable or came together without much fanfare, which detracted from the suspense. I love this author and have tremendously enjoyed all of her other books. This one just missed the "whole" mark for me. I still would recommend this psychological thriller to other readers who are okay with a slow burn.

As with all of Feeney's audiobooks, one was the same narrator who delivered a solid and entertaining performance as always and the other was just as impressive.

A gracious thank you to #NetGalley and #MacMillanAudio for an advanced audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Good Bad Girl had a lot of twists that kept me guessing. As with most mysteries without a straightforward villain, at the beginning, I had to patiently map out who was who.

One of the most appealing aspects of this book was figuring out the complex family dynamic and trying to piece together who committed the murder.

The concept of a good person being pushed to a point to make a bad decision is one the reader has to contemplate. This moral dilemma adds depth to each character as their stories unfold. Having multiple narrators enhanced this connection to the character.

Readers who appreciate complex and unconventional characters and those who enjoy Alice Feeney’s previous books or perhaps books by Sally Hepworth will find this story captivating.

Good Bad Girl is a bit complex which takes some patience in the beginning to get all the characters straight! When it finally comes together it will all be worth it! You will be picking you me jaw off the floor when the twist was revealed, This domestic suspense thriller will keep you wanting more each chapter!
The book is narrated by Frankie, Patience, Edith, and Clio who each alternate chapters. How are their stories connected?
Thanks to Macmillan Audio, NetGalley and author Alice Feeney for this ALC to honestly review. It's out on August 29, 2023!

I absolutely love this story. I gave it a 4.5 stars. I did see one of the things happening in this thriller. Both Stephanie Racine and Katherine Press narrated this story wonderfully. I enjoyed the crazy ride from beginning to end.

3.5 ⭐️


This was not what I expected when I started listening to this and it took me a while to get through the story
✔️ great writing and characters
✔️ unexpected twists and I love the way they are slowly revealed through the story telling
🤷🏼‍♀️ I expected a #mysterythriller and although yes there is a murder and all , this is more of a family drama IMO . A well written one but not what I was expecting .
🎧 I would have preferred a full call narrating this one instead of the two ( amazing though they were ) narrators . I think it would have made it easier to follow through on who’s who

Overall, while this book has its engaging moments and a certain mystery to it, I found it lacking the normal thrills I expect from Feeney’s works.

Alice Feeney has done it again, leaving me guessing at every turn.
4 points of view so beautifully interwoven that each character was a complete person. It was so well done, that each story broke my heart in the end. The End which she somehow manages to tie up with a perfect bow.
"Sometimes bad things happen to good people, so good people have to do bad things."
I thought I knew what to expect when requesting this audiobook, but I was glad to be wrong.

Sometimes bad things happen to good people, so good people have to do bad things. A twisty tale of motherhood and the lengths one will go to for…maybe…love of their child. It’s all a very muddy resolution. I don’t know if I’m upset at the different character actions, or if I understand. In typical Feeney form, the reader doesn’t wholly know what is going on until the very end. I even audibly gasped at one point.

The audiobook was a little difficult to follow with the various POV and timelines. Probably better to physically read this one.

Thank you NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and author Alice Feeney for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Good Bad Girl by Alice Feeney was a ride! A slow burn of a beginning but Feeney never disappoints. I love her writing and sequencing as well as the plot points in each story she writes. You never know where you'll land with an Alice Feeney book but are always happy to go along for the ride and Good Bad Girl does not disappoint.

I received a review copy of this book from the author/publisher through NetGalley for my honest review. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Twenty years after a baby is stolen from a stroller, a woman is murdered in a care facility. As odd as it sounds, the crimes are linked… and a good bad girl may be the key to learning the truth. Edith currently resides in a nursing home but she’s planning her escape and Patience, an employee, is the perfect person to help her. But Patience is lying to Edith about almost everything. Edith’s own daughter won’t speak to her, but when someone knocks on Clio’s door, their intentions may not be good. With every reason to distrust each other, the women must solve a mystery and if they do they may just figure out the connection that binds them.

I am typically a big Alice Feeney fan, but I did not *love* this one and I think it may be in part because of the audio. It was really hard to decipher the different characters and the different timelines with only one narrator. I found it to be very confusing, but this may not have been the case had I physically read it? Feeney is typically known for her standout twists but I didn’t find the one in this book to be very shocking. This felt more of a slow burn with little character development. Not my favorite Feeney book, but I will still read anything she writes!!

𝑮𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝑩𝒂𝒅 𝑮𝒊𝒓𝒍
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: Aug 29, 2023

𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬, 𝐭𝐰𝐨 𝐦𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐦…

𝐌𝐚𝐲𝐛𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐦𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐝…

𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐛𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞, 𝐬𝐨 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐨 𝐛𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬.

So friends, one of my worst nightmares materialized today. I missed my 1AM flight today thinking that I needed to be at the airport tonight instead of last night and had to pay a BIG fee to rebook my flight. Buuut I haven’t seen my family in 7 years so I have to accept this very expensive mistake. 😂 What’s the point of me sharing this? Booksta and blogging is part of my stress therapy 😂 Also, I wish I have a photo of my boyfriend watering all my plants when I was stressing to help me out - he even watered the dead ones but it was so cute 😂

I know you’re here for the book review so here we go:
A baby was stolen twenty years ago. A body was found inside an elevator in a nursing home.
How are they connected? You have to read this book!
Yup, that’s all I’m going to say about this. 😂

Alice Feeney is one of my favorite thriller authors and I am sooo excited when I received this copy in the mail! Thank you so much @flatiron_books for sending this to me!

As with any Alice Feeney book, I flew through this one so quickly. Now be warned, it is a slow burn and told in different POVs and honestly, sometimes it did get me lost a little bit. Buuuut when I got to the main twist, it was so worth it!!! Alice Feeney proves with every book she writes that she really is the queen of plot twists!!

GOOD BAD GIRL by @alicewriterland was yet another banger thriller from this author! I read SOMETIMES I LIE by Feeney many moons ago and found her style to be riveting. She has a very compelling way of revealing tiny sprinkles of info through multiple character POVs and is a master class in developing unreliable narrators so you never really know who to trust. I find this kind of thriller absolutely delightful!

Thank you to the author, @netgalley and the publisher, @macmillan.audio for the audio-ARC. This one just came out a couple of weeks ago and is on shelves now!

There are so many entangled characters in this book and I don't think I can do any further justice to the synopsis on Goodreads. There is so much intrigue, so many lies and reveals in this book, it will absolutely keep you guessing. There is family drama, old wounds, trickery and some straight up bonafide kidnapping.

Even when I did figure a couple things out, other reveals hit me in the face. If you like a quick, thrilling read where you don't know who to trust with lots of complex storylines, this thriller is for you!

Even though this background today is pouring down rain, it is actually really lovely in Seattle today. I plan on finishing STARTER VILLAIN this evening while sitting in the sun ☀️☀️☀️!

Do you have any weekend plans? Any book reading you hope to crush?

💚SMASHBOT💚

#bibliophile #booknerd #bookreview #thrillerbooks #alicefeeney #netgalley #netgalleyreviewer #booklover #booksta #bookstagram #bookworm #macmillan

I love Alice and was so excited to get an arc of her work. However this is probably my least favorite of hers. And it breaks my heart.

Good Bad Girl is the newest thriller by Alice Feeney. I listened to this as an audiobook. Edith works in a nursing home and has become quite close to a resident named Edith. Edith is having some difficulties with her daughter, Clio, and this prompts Patience to help Edith escape from the home. Clio struggles to connect with her mom and now her disappearance has turned Clio's life upside down. Meanwhile, the manager of the home Edith escaped from was discovered murdered on the home's property. Many mysteries abound in this novel. The narration was very well done with excellent personalization of each character's voice. Read and enjoy!

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC.

Story: 🌟🌟🌟
Narration: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Overall: 🌟🌟🌟💫

Good Bad Girl is the newest book by one of my favorite thriller authors, Alice Feeney. Twenty years after a baby is stolen, a woman is murdered in a care home. Somehow, these two crimes are linked and impact the lives of multiple women.

This one was a “read it at the wrong time” situation. It was good, but never full grabbed me. It leans more towards domestic drama, when I was expecting more suspense and thrills. It is definitely a slow burn, but the characters are well-rounded and interesting. Overall, not my favorite Feeney novel, but not my least favorite!

ALC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.