5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Summed Up: Truth Seeking Super Thriller

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Jump on to my StoryGraph stats and you’ll quickly spot a clear fave author - JP Pomare. Obsessed much? You bet! I’ve devoured every book he’s written so far.

Big call but here it is… this is my top JP read EVER 🥇 ! It’s also a hot contender for my book of the year!

Describing this book as unputdownable doesn’t even cut it. Imagine starting with a man, 17 years in the clink doing hard time, and then it’s followed with twist after twist after twist. Just when I thought I had it figured out BAM 💥 another jaw dropper would happen.

On a side note, NZ authors are killing it lately! 🇳🇿 This is my third Kiwi based read in the last couple of weeks and they’ve all been packed with cultural gems. Is it a sign I need a New Zealand vacay? Obviously!

If you’re looking for a truly brilliant crime thriller, this needs to be top of your buy list when it releases on 31 July 📅

A big thank you to Hachette Aus and NetGalley for the sneak peek.

Possibly Pomare’s best yet, which is really saying something from this talented author. There were so many twists and red herrings that I was completely blind sided right up to the final reveal. The characters were a fascinating mix of different types of people from all walks of life and every one of them was complete - from the podcaster’s assistant to the taxi driver to the psychologist. The clever shining of a light on casual and not so casual racism was truly eye opening and will, I hope, make reader’s speculate on their own attitudes and behaviours. I loved the Easter Egg reference to the plot of one of Pomare’s other books, too. A satisfying mystery with a modern feel. Just brilliant.

What do you get when you cross Thomas, Koenig, and Pomare?

17 years later is a crime lover's dream. The entire Primrose family were stabbed, and Sloane, an award-winning podcaster, and TK, a troubled forensic psychologist, are set on vindicating the man who was convicted all those years ago—a nice modern spin on an old detective novel. 

This book gave me whiplash. There was twist after twist as each potential culprit was dangled and dismissed. 

If you love true crime podcasts or contemporary novels with subtle social commentary, then this one is for you.

It’s been seventeen years since Bill Kareama was convicted of murdering the Primrose family in the idyllic town of Cambridge. The case was cut-and-dry: The live-in private chef left bloody footprints in the house, and it was his knives used to slay the family.

True-crime podcaster Sloane Abbott is not convinced Bill received a fair trial. As she investigates the crime for herself, she finds that small towns can have big secrets. Cambridge is no exception.

TK, Bill’s prison psychologist, has given up a lot for the man behind bars. When Sloane brings to light new evidence, he’s brought back into the very case that splintered his life. Sometimes things are better left buried, right?

J. P. Pomare weaves a torrid tale of secrets, hatred, and misjustice. He’s an expert at giving morsels of clues for the reader that satisfy their inner detective, before revealing far greater payoffs. As the story travels, it picks up speed until you’re awake at 3am determined to finish the darn thing.

Right from the start, Pomare is unafraid of calling out the inequities that Māori face. There’s an intersectionality throughout 17 Years Later that solidifies this as the new peak for New Zealand crime fiction. It’s refreshing to read a narrative that doesn’t sugarcoat the truth: Aotearoa has lingering issues stemming from colonisation.

The characters Sloane, TK, and Bill provide the necessary push and pull that the pacing needs. There’s a reason why multi-POV works for thrillers. Pomare shows us a masterclass in voice, allowing the reader to feel like they are seated next to the characters in their scenes. Depending on your own biases, you’ll find yourself jumping to certain conclusions, only to be humbled later on in the narrative. And you’ll thank Pomare for it.

I’m excited for others to sink their teeth into 17 Years Later. This is a standout crime fiction novel that I think should be celebrated. It has complexity like a gorgeous red wine, and it unabashedly brings up issues of racism, classism, and broken justice systems. It’ll leave you raw but grateful for the experience.

Thank you NetGalley and Hachette Australia & New Zealand for my advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

JP has given us a thriller to remember. This is a page turning thrill ride that will have you guessing right until the end. This one I didn't pick which is rare for me, that tells me that this is a great thriller. JP is an autobuy author for me and this just proves why I will read anything he writes.
The characters are interesting and I liked following Sloane and TK as the threads were unravelled to find out whether Bill was guilty or not. Be sure to read this asap as it is absolutely brilliant.

Twist after twist, what a brilliant crime thriller 17 Years Later was to read! Pomare will have you turning the pages late into the night, this may be his best novel yet!

In New Zealand, Bill Kareama a young Maori man was hastily convicted of the violent murders of the rich Primrose family seventeen years ago, he was their live-in chef. Bill still claims his innocence to this day seventeen years later. Celebrity true-crime podcaster Sloane Abbott is looking into this old case, she feels it’s still a huge story and will search for the truth……what happened to the Primrose family and is Bill innocent?

As Sloane reinvestigates the case it becomes so suspenseful as we are taken back in time to learn about the characters of the Primrose family and their secrets as she uncovers new evidence working alongside the man that was once Bill’s prison psychologist TK Phillips.

This will have you guessing until the conclusion, absolutely brilliant writing, shady characters and expert plotting. I think this book will score the author many new fans.

Thanks to Hatchette Australia and New Zealand and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book!
Another phenomenal story from J P Pomare that I devoured in a day!
Who killed the Primose family? Bill has been in prison for 17 years for killing the family, but podcaster Sloane wonders if received a fair trial and starts digging, and trying to link in with PK who was previously Bills biggest advocate for his innocence.
Podcast investigations featuring in stories are quite a trend now with the rise of true crime fans but 17 Years Later is top of this genre in my opinion! Everytime you think you know where this story is going, there’s a twist. The last few chapters are filled with action, and the ending is very satisfying.
I really enjoyed this story being set in the north island of New Zealand, and the elements of race and prejudice were handled sensitively but in a very impactful way.
Highly recommend reading this when it’s published in July!

This is the best crime thriller I’ve read in a long time! Wow! What a fantastic read!!

This story is set in a small town in New Zealand with a dual timeline, present time and 17 years ago. The Primrose family is killed, but who really killed them? Was it the chef? Will this famous podcaster find out the truth? Incredible!

The family is odd, some of the family members are quite unpleasant and in no time it’s very easy to dislike them. As the podcaster, Sloane, looked into this case, more suspects popped up, the scenarios kept changing and I was always changing my mind too. It was wild!

The tension and plotting is magnificent!! So many twists and turns, I was completely hooked and totally absorbed by this case, I found myself thinking about it when I wasn’t reading it, trying to work it out.

I loved how intense it was, and not just at the end. There were multiple heart racing, can’t breathe moments! It’s everything I love in a crime thriller, fast paced, unputdownable, page turning, crazy thought processes and a wow ending. That epilogue hit me hard too!

Give me more JP! This was the best!

Thank you @netgalley and @hachette for providing me with an early copy.

Okay. J.P Pomare take a bow. This might be my new favourite book you've written.

Who killed the Primrose family? 17 years has passed and Bill has been in jail for murdering the family. But what if he didn't do it? True crime podcaster Sloane Abbott needs a new podcast and decides to look in to the Primrose murders. Thanks to her assistant Tara. She travels to New Zealand in search of answers. She finds that Bill did not get a fair trial and tracks down his psychologist TK Phillips. This is when everything gets interesting. Will the truth finally come out?

The story is told between the two timelines - Seventeen years ago and now. I enjoyed all the insights and how the list of suspects grew and grew. I thought I had the murderer picked but man was I wrong. I found myself turning the pages of my Kindle and wanting more. With so many amazing plot twists this book was so hard to put down. J.P Pomare will continue to be one of my favourite authors.

Thank you Hachette Australian and Netgalley for a gifted copy of the book for my honest book review.

Took me a while to get into this book with its multiple viewpoints but once I did, I ripped through it. Clever plotting and very enjoyable.

Oh J.P. You've done it again!!!!
Reading this book is like driving up a mountain, in the dark. You follow the twists and turns, suddenly, a car is upon you and everything is lit up. Fantastic, you know where the book is going, you can see it, finally. Then the car passes you by and you are in the dark once more trying to work out what is going on. When you finally reach the summit, the truth is revealed. Who's mind even went there? I know mine didn't. This was the only way I could think to describe how twisty this book really is.
17 Years Later jumps between the now and 17 years ago as we try to retrace what happened to the Primrose family. A podcaster starts searching for the truth - is the criminal in prison for the murders innocent? Is he guilty but suffered a miscarriage of justice through the court system? What will it cost our podcaster and her team in their hunt for the truth?

Possibly one of my favourites from JP Pomare and one I will be recommending to everyone. Had me guessing and changing my mind over and over until the very end, where it comes together seamlessy. Brilliant!