onathan Coe has an extraordinary ability to take real or certainly could-be real events – in this case Liz Truss’ short-lived tenure as British prime minister and a secretive right-wing Conservative conference in a country house – and work a story in over the top. The Proof of My Innocence is a detective novel of sorts – there is a crime, a policewoman and a pair of young amateur sleuths – but it’s also a literary mystery dating back several decades and, perhaps most of all, a satirical dissection of modern Britain. Although, it’s skilfully written, clever, intriguing and insightful, this may not quite be Coe at the absolute top of his form, but it’s still an immensely interesting and pleasing read, and as always one is left in awe of his abilities.

Rating: 3.2/5

Part socio-political satire and part locked-room style cosy murder mystery, "The Proof of My Innocence" is a cleverly-written novel that is delightfully astute and witty at times - but on other occasions it doesn't quite hit the mark and seems unnecessarily protracted. The novel's highlights are mostly in the form of its political insightfulness which is often cuttingly amusing. However, it is also unashamedly left-leaning, so the further to the right your personal politics are, the less likely you are to appreciate the content. On the whole, this is a good book, but it does have some pacing issues that detract from the overall impact.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for supplying an ARC in return for an honest review.

This is a fun book. Phyll has just finished university and is working in a fast food chain, and living back with her parents. Her mother's friend Chris, a left-wing blogger and his daughter Rashida visit. Phyll and Rashida hit it off so she stays with the family while Chris goes off to a right-wing conference to try and uncover a plot to destroy the NHS.
There's a murder at the conference and the brilliant police detective Prudence Freeborne investigates.
The book is set at the time of the Queen's death when Liz Truss was prime minister, so there are lots of political jokes.
There are so many interwoven characters, multiple plots, and the book is written in different styles, but always with humour and momentum.
It all pulls together and there is a final twist at the end.
Very enjoyable.

If I really have to make a remark about this book, it is that maybe it could have been trimmed a little bit, but then again it could not. Jonathan Coe again confirms himself as a storyteller of his time and of England with all that entails in these “tumultuous” years. Good characters, good plot, meta-romance and detective story as well. What else?

Se proprio devo fare un appunto a questo libro, é che magari si poteva tagliare un pochino, ma anche no. Joathan Coe si conferma di nuovo un narratore del suo tempo e della sua Inghilterra con tutto quello che comporta in questi anni "tumultuosi". Bei personaggi, bella trama, metaromanzo e pure giallo. Che altro?

I received from the Publisher a complimentary digital advanced review copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.

It is comforting that we can now all look forward to a Jonathan Coe-shaped take on current British events and don't have to wait too long either! This one covers the early 2020s with a good story with many twists and turns, which spills into cosy crime - another nod to these times. There is something for everyone to enjoy here, and it covers many genres, but it is ultimately a very satisfying read - a joy.
I look forward to the next

Phyl has finished university and is living back at home with her parents and watching Friends episodes in between working in her zero hours job and commuting. Her entertainment is a visit from an old university friend of her mother’s from Cambridge- Christopher Swann, a lefty blogger. Conversation veers to a discussion on the direction UK politics is taking and a sinister group that started in the 1980s at Cambridge that influenced Thatcher’s government. Swann is on his way to blog about a shady neo-Con group meeting in the Cotswold but regretfully, the event is abandoned due to a murder. ‘The Proof of My Innocence’ is broken into sections and somehow it works seamlessly. In fact, it is so well constructed that other writers will be insanely jealous and begrudgingly admit Coe’s literary ingenuity.
The backdrop of Liz Truss’s short disastrous premiership and the death of the Queen provides the perfect narrative (with some clever humour such as the name of a country pub). Very subtle satire here that will make the reader smile and even laugh out loud in some parts. I know I did. There is no other way of reviewing this, other than to say, it is his best yet.

Jonathan Coe is on form again with this mix of political satire mixed with a classic whodunit. It is also a series of books within a book and running behind the main characters & plot is the short but devastating reign of Liz Truss as Prime Minister, Coe even makes a cameo of sorts when the story goes back to the 1980's and features an author who writes political satires.
The joy of this novel, and indeed his others, is that they are entertaining, thought provoking, genuinely loveable & repulsive characters and always have a keen eye on the current world around us.

Many of the novelists that I like in Coe's generation give the sense that their best work is behind them. Yet Coe seems to be getting better and better, with each of his most recent recent books being his 'best so far' (in my opinion). My main bugbear with some of his novels is the inclusion of magical realism, of which there's none here, and/or satire that is taken too far. Those flaws are avoided in this clever novel that combines a good old fashioned mystery with political satire.

The novel is set during Liz Truss's short, ill fated spell as UK prime minister, although that is only tangential to the plot. A left-wing journalist is murdered during a conference of right-wing thinkers. His daughter and her friend, along with a police detective on the verge of retirement, attempt to find out who killed him and why, with a conclusion that surprised even a jaded mystery reader like me (and it's rare these days that I get a real unexpected solution). It has a 'book within a book within a book' structure that I enjoyed, and that deliberately touches on several genres. Crime, obviously, and satire, but also 'dark academia' and even conspiracy theories.

Coe's satire felt like it hit the right level here, not being overdone to the point it stops being sharp, but also not so subtle it's not recognisable. The writing seems to come from a left wing viewpoint, but you don't have to be a socialist to enjoy it. And whilst the action takes place against the backdrop of politics, it is primarily about solving the crime. The resolution is worthy of Christie - I'd say more about it but I don't want to spoil things for other readers.

I'd highly recommend the novel to those who like literary fiction, crime/mystery fiction, and political satire, as it has elements of them all.

A mix of murder mystery and political satire set in 2022, when Liz Truss was PM. Phyllis feels bored and like a failure going back to live with her parents after university. Then a friend of her parents, a political satirist called Christopher Swann, is murdered at a party conference. A long part of the book is taken up by Phyl’s own book, which doesn’t quite work for me.

A favourite author, Jonathan Coe's latest is a smart and sharp satire, a darkly humorous state of the nation novel. A frustrated English literature graduate, Phyl, is working at Heathrow at the Japanese fast food, Hey Teriyaki, when Chris Swann, who writes a political blog, a long time friend of her vicar mother, Joanne, comes to stay with daughter, Rashida, who she becomes close to, the two of them later becoming sleuths. Harbouring ambitions of becoming a writer, Phyl is considering cosy crime, dark academia, and autofiction, genres adeptly incorporated here with skill, along with a structure shaped by the continuous British Transport mantra of see it, say it, sort it. At the forefront is the short tenure, famously outlasted by a lettuce, of the deranged and divisive PM Liz Truss, and her dangerous policies that bring Britain to its knees, financially ruined, the repercussions of which we are still reeling from.

For almost 40 years Swann had tirelessly pursued conservatism extremism and how it mutated through the years, gaining influence through the years on both sides of the Atlantic. His early 1980s time at Cambridge University, attending the salons of Emeric Coutts, the power of the covert shadow chamber, and the rise of the likes of Roger Wagstaff. The promotion of a nastier, more savage attack on community, connection, and progressive culture and values, a monstrous push for a society based on the survival of the fittest. Chris is set to attend the TrueCon conference, where he observes and listens, inspiring fury and rage in some, only to end up being murdered, his death being investigated by the astute Detective Prue Freeborne.

Pertinent questions are raised, on the politics and culture of division, the conflicts, the differing values and perceptions of truth and realities, leaving people to find their own kinds of meanings and closure (as we see in the conclusion), battling with the storms that follow. Britain changed, consensus appeared to disappear, with the growth of the covert right wing networks, libertarianism, and individualism, at the expense of an inclusive society, culminating in the tragedy, madness, and failure of Truss. A wonderfully captivating meta, entertaining, fun, and engaging comic read that captures the zeitgeist of a nation, an incisive social and political commentary, packaged in a form that is likely to appeal to a wide range of readers. Simply brilliant and highly recommended. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

This is a very readable and clever “state of the nation”metafiction combining elements of murder mystery, dark academe, satire, and auto-fiction, and with a very good ending. I found it extremely difficult to put down. The characterisation is excellent with some engaging characters, some recognisable stereotypes, and a good mix of age, politics, and intellect. It would be a good book club choice, offering lots of scope for lively discussion.

Jonathan Coe’s real strength is political satire and Liz Truss’s thankfully brief premiership and the UK’s economic collapse provides ample opportunity for him to play to his strengths in his latest novel.
The shadowy right wing think tank emerging from 1980s Cambridge is also compelling Coe material.
But for me, the whole forgotten novelist mystery, a ‘cosy’ locked door and secret passage murder is derivative and dull.
There is humour, wit and some vivid characterisation, but overall, this latest work is disappointing; it lacks the integrity and seamless power of his earlier work. It took eleven days to read, whereas his best would be devoured in 3 days max.
Thank you #penguin and #netgalley for my pre-release copy.

The Proof of My Innocence by Jonathan Coe
A new book by Jonathan Coe is always something to look forward to. As always this is a satire on the state of the nation but it is also so much more it is partly a cosy murder mystery and part ‘auto-fiction’. The story centres around Phyl, who has returned to her parents’ home from university and is wondering what to do with her life whilst working at a sushi restaurant in Heathrow airport.
She becomes involved in the life of Christopher Swann, a friend of her mother’s from her days at Cambridge. He writes a blog in which he shares his fears that a Right Wing group are wielding undue influence over government. The fact that this book is set at the time of the ill-fated Truss government and he weaves into the story the havoc caused by the few weeks of the Truss regme that even the lettuce outlived.
Parts of the novel are laugh out loud funny but there is always the suggestion that sinister forces are at work. The characters are entertaining and original. The plot twists and turns and there is a fiction within the fiction but the questions are resolved at the end. It is sorted, or is it? I will be recommending it to my various book groups - an interesting and thought provoking read. Many thanks to the author, the publishers and Net Galley for the opportunity to read the book in return for an honest review.

The Proof of My Innocence masterfully weaves multiple genres—cosy crime and dark academia into a clever and engaging story, as is typical of Jonathan Coe’s work.

Each genre brings its own flavour to the book, allowing for seamless flashbacks to the 1980s, when many of the key characters first crossed paths. This layering of genres adds depth while keeping readers on their toes, as it shifts between different tones and styles.

The cast of characters is eclectic, and the plot demands attention to keep track of their complex interactions. However, this diversity also makes the story more immersive and rewarding. The book doesn’t shy away from commentary on contemporary UK far-right politics, adding a sharp and insightful layer to the unfolding events, making it not just a mystery, but also a timely political exploration.

What truly stands out is how the book keeps you hooked, drawing you deeper into the intrigue. The resolution of the murder mystery is particularly satisfying—brilliantly executed, with a twist that feels earned and unexpected.

Coe's ability to balance clever plot mechanics with humour, warmth, and social critique makes this book both thought-provoking and highly enjoyable.

Read more at The Secret Bookreview.

An indictment of recent Tory rule, this also pokes fun at contemporary publishing trends with its metafictional skewering of the cosy crime and dark academia subgenres. It is funny, angry and compelling. I raced through it and wished there was more.

The author is excellent at understanding British mentality and culture. His observations are excellent and this a great cosy crime thriller.

This is my second book by this author I loved Bournville thanks to NetGalley.
This time the author combines the madness of 2022 and Prime Ministers limited time in office and a murder sound like this could not work by it does really well.
The background actually starts around twenty years earlier when a clandestine group of Cambridge dons, began to reframe the Conservative party.
I do think the author enjoyed writing about the drama between Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak.

A well written book

Due fr Publication November 7th 2024

I enjoyed this book in parts but it was just too twisty for me with too many layers rather than sticking to a main narrative. I enjoyed the development of the think thank from its origins at Cambridge University in the 1980s to being in a position to influence government with its extreme ideas but the book as a whole didn't quite work for me.

I thoroughly enjoyed Jonathan Coe’s previous book, Bournville, and so was delighted to be offered an advance review copy for his new book.

The book starts with Phyl at home after university, a very similar age to my oldest child, and so easy to identify with. Her parents’ friend Chris and his daughter Rashida come to visit the family. The book is then set over the time period of Liz Truss’s prime ministership (so yes, quite a concise timeline) and ends up being a book within a book within a book. It’s all a bit of a head f*ck – but in a good way – and the ending makes you question everything you’ve previously read, but I’m getting ahead of myself.

Each book element is a different genre – from cosy crime, to dark academia, with some autofiction thrown in for good measure. This is all clever – as Jonathan Coe’s books always are! It also enables there to be flashbacks to the 1980s when a lot of the main characters first met.

Another similarity with Coe’s previous books is that the locations are close to where I live! Who knew Fish Hill outside Broadway would be such a feature (I spent my 50th birthday with friends in a hotel a short walk from that particular stretch of road).

There is an eclectic mix of characters – and you do have to concentrate not to get confused (although that might just be me?!) The commentary on the current state of UK far right politics is also ‘interesting’.

Overall the book is very good at drawing you in and you wanting to find out more – and I absolutely adored the way the murder ended up being solved (no spoilers here).

A big thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for my advance review copy in exchange for an honest review. The book is out in November 2024 and available for pre order now.

The Proof of My Innocence by Jonathan Coe is a gripping and suspenseful novel that delves into the complexities of truth, memory, and justice. Coe masterfully unravels the narrative, blending tension with introspective moments as the protagonist fights to clear their name. The story is layered with twists and emotional depth, exploring themes of guilt, redemption, and the lengths one will go to prove their innocence. Coe’s sharp prose and compelling characters keep readers on edge, making this a thought-provoking and immersive read that challenges perceptions of morality and the often ambiguous nature of truth.