A great read! This was my first book by Alice Hunter, and it will not be my last as I love her writing style! Bad Apple is addicting until the bitter end! It’s a story of Becky vs John and righting the wrongs of “bad apples” which could be ripped from today’s news headlines. Highly recommend! Thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own. Publication Date: May 9, 2024

First off, thank you NetGalley, Alice Hunter and Avon Books UK for granting me access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

*3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars*

“How can you live with yourself when you find out the man you love is rotten to the core?"

Becky's world crumbled when she uncovered the dark truth about her once-trusted husband, John, a policeman. Despite her bravery in reporting him, justice eluded her, leaving John to roam freely with a new partner and child, while Becky grappled with guilt over missing warning signs. Driven by a thirst for justice, Becky confronts John, only to find herself targeted by his relentless pursuit to silence her. As she fights for survival, Becky realizes that John is just one of many lurking dangers in the shadows, making her battle for justice all the more urgent!

The synopsis of this book immediately drew me in with its promise of a captivating psychological thriller, and I must say, it did not disappoint in delivering a gripping and suspenseful narrative that kept me eagerly turning pages. The tension and intrigue woven throughout the story made it impossible to put down, and I found myself completely immersed in Becky's harrowing journey. However, as much as I was engrossed in the plot, I did encounter some challenges with certain aspects of the book. One issue I found was the receptiveness of words, which at times detracted from the overall momentum of the story. Additionally, while I was invested in Becky's quest for justice, I couldn't help but feel let down by the ending, which fell short of my expectations and left me feeling unsatisfied.

In conclusion, despite the mixed feelings I harbored about certain aspects of the book, I am intrigued enough to give this author another chance. With her undeniable talent for crafting compelling narratives, I have no doubt that her future works will continue to captivate and enthrall readers like myself. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Content warnings: rape and abuse

"Bad Apple" by Alice Hunter tells a captivating story of psychological suspense, centered around themes of betrayal and deception.

It follows the journey of the protagonist, Becky Lawson, who discovers shocking truths about the man she once loved. The novel explores the devastating impact of discovering that someone you trust is not who they appear to be, leaving Becky burdened with guilt for not recognizing the signs earlier.

Determined to seek justice, Becky embarks on a relentless pursuit of her ex-husband, knowing that only one of them can come out alive. However, she soon realizes that other dangerous individuals are lurking in the shadows, compounding her sense of paranoia and distrust.

The narrative alternates between the present and the past, gradually revealing the extent of John's heinous crimes.

While the book had an intriguing premise, some readers may find the pacing to be slow.

Nevertheless, the story delves into profound themes of betrayal, courage, and the dark side concealed behind seemingly trustworthy facades.

Though lacking in complete closure, "Bad Apple" remains a gripping psychological suspense that humanizes the characters and speaks to the complexities of human nature.

Intriguing but slightly difficult to follow. Becky marries a man that is a manipulative piece of work. He has spent so long covering up his bad deeds that he believes he will never get caught. But after learning the truth about him, Becky is determined to take him down. Some ends are tied up a little too neatly and I wish the beginning of their marriage was fleeced out a little more to see how her husband was able to cover his tracks.

Becky’s ex husband is definitely one #BadApple in the Manchester police force, but are there more?

Becky reports her husband for rape after finding evidence in her home, unfortunately no one listens to her claims & she ends up losing her job as a police officer as well as her marriage. Now, reeling from finding that out he has been promoted, she is desperate to prove his guilt & prevent further rapes. With help from two of her ex colleagues the cat and mouse game begins.

A twisty, intriguing read. I have enjoyed this & previous books by Alice Hunter & would recommend!

The fantastic cover art and great title of Bad Apple grabbed this reviewer's attention like few other book covers have done. The cover compelled me to read the story description. After that, I had to find out what happens between the pages. I enjoy reading books by authors in the UK, and this novel gave me the entertainment hours I hoped for. Becky, the protagonist, is an empathetic character who takes readers on a dangerous journey to right the wrongs of her ex-husband, a man with power in a community where she has none. That power imbalance is at the core of this story. There are twists and turns in this perilous tale that ultimately lead to a satisfying ending.

Many thanks to NetGalley and AvonUK for providing an advance copy of this book to read and review. This review will post to Bayside Book Reviews at https://baysidebookreviews.com and its Instagram page on release day. Follow us! *NetGalley Top Reviewer*

I loved the premise of this book but unfortunately the execution was rather slow. However, the book is well written and the characters are authentic.

Loved this! A scorned woman seeking justice. I was hooked!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Becky is happy to be done with her marriage. Because her ex was a cop, her reports fell in deaf ears. She us scared and knows no one will believe her. This book was a great read.

Loved that someone was trying to get revenge for others. Frustrated it turned out how it did. But that being said this was such a great book to dig yourself deep into. The story held my attention from the very beginning.

Thanks to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an early release of this book.

Police wife finds out police husband is a rapist, does her duty, and has the table flipped back on her. But Becky doesn’t give up; i admired her tenacity and it was fun spending time in her head. Four stars

This was an absolute joy to read. A very modern up-to date storyline which had me enthralled from start to end, never envisioning what was coming next. Thanks to Avon Books uk, Netgalley and the talented author for giving me the opportunity to read this brilliant book.

Having loved The Serial Killer’s Wife, I jumped at the chance to read the latest offering by Alice Hunter and it hit all the right notes: faced paced, gripping and with an excellent protagonist.

Becky was a well respected police officer but when she discovered her husband John was abusing his police powers by coercing and assaulting women, she reported him.

The resulting investigation lost Becky her home, job, reputation and mental health but John’s not done with her yet.

Refusing to give up, Becky continues to pursue justice and what follows is a tense game of cat and mouse with secondary characters woven in. It’s a tense and often uncomfortable read as you feel Becky’s fear and vulnerability. You know that she can’t trust some of those around her but you don’t know who.

Told from the point of view of Becky and victims, I raced through this novel. My only downside is that there wasn’t quite enough closure for me at the end - particularly with John’s new partner and with the purpose of the upstairs couple. However, this is just my personal preference.

Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review.

Becky used to be a respected police officer. Now, she has lost her job, her home, her life and even her marriage to the man she loved. Becky reported her husband, John, for a a heinous crime. Did it matter? No, he’s still on the police force.

Becky will stop at nothing to find more incriminating evidence to bring John to Justice. She is disgusted with what she has discovered. She can’t even believe she was clueless for five whole years. She loved this man.

She asks her old coworkers and friends to help her seek justice. Hannah and Charlie are a little reluctant. However, with their assistance, they just might get somewhere.

I found this suspenseful but also a bit repetitive. I found myself skimming through Becky’s thoughts and actions. Not as fast paced as I wished.

I’d like to thank Avon books for the opportunity. There are other raving reviews so please read those as well. All opinions are my own. Publication date May 9, 2024

A good concept, which made it very readable. However I'm not sure the pacing was right. It was intriguing (will justice prevail?) but not exciting. No major shocks but well written, so I will read others by this author.

'Bad Apple' is not the first book I have read by this author, so I had high expectations. I was not left disappointed!

The plot is full of twists and dramatic suspense and focuses on disloyalty, deceit, and redemption. It had me gripped from the first few chapters. This storyline has some very hard-to-read scenes. However, the author has displayed her masterful writing skills by handling these topics sensitively.

Becky is a flawless protagonist. Her bravery, courage, and determination to do the right thing thoroughly entertained me. The secondary characters within the plot weave everything together, and all prove necessary for their part in the story.

My only criticism of this new release is that the conclusion fell a little flat for me. I thought there was still more to explore, but this is my personal preference and didn't decrease the enjoyment.

Overall, this is an excellent read for book clubs, fans of police procedurals and anyone new to this author.

Becky Lawson’s life has been shattered! When she discovered her husband, John, a trusted policeman was a monster, she reported him. But her faith in the system was crushed when it didn't lead to any charges or consequences. Now, John lives freely with a new girlfriend and her young daughter, while Becky battles guilt over missing the obvious signs.
Determined for justice, Becky hunts him down. But John wants her silenced, at any cost! Becky knows only one of them can survive, and she’ll do anything to make sure it’s her. Becky must tread carefully though, because John isn’t the only bad apple lurking in the shadows! Great read! This book had suspense, intrigue, action, murder, mystery, serial rapist, bad cops, and some crazy twists and turns! The storyline was very interesting and kept me glued to my kindle! I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

Interesting characters and several twists along the way. A very good read!

Thank you to Alice Hunter, NetGalley and Avon Books UK for the arc of this book.

Really enjoyed this book. Full of twist and turns in it. Thank you Net galley as I totally couldn’t put it down!

As a big fan of The Serial Killer's Wife, I was so excited for this new story, but it didn't live up to what I was expecting.

Becky could be very repetitive at times, like we know you were a detective, you don't have to keep reminding us every 3 pages.

The story itself had a lot of potential and I love Alice Hunters writing style, it does keep you gripped. But this seemed a little all over the place. The sub plot of Tasmin and Vince didn't really add anything or increase the stakes, and the twist at the end wasn't as dramatic as I'd hoped it would be.

I'll still continue to read any book Alice Hunter puts out, but this wasn't my favourite.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for allowing me to read this advanced copy.