3.5/5 stars!
Summary: Told from multiple men POV’s, we learn about Katie. How Katie grew up, how she lusted for attention, how she stole hearts and crushed others. We are angry at and sad for Katie at the same. We know that Katie is being dragged into court and facing murder chargers? So what happened and what is the outcome.
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Review: This is a long winded suspenseful thriller. Topping out at almost 400 pages, it takes some serious dedication to the story. It bounces pretty fast with everyone’s POV switching back-and-forth. You don’t really get bored, which is nice. There is a lot of content and lot of chapters but with so many moving parts inside the plot it’s moving quick anyway. What I find interesting is that I never really liked any of the characters. Almost all of the main characters were hard to like, and some of them we just downright hated, but I think that was the point. This book makes you question your morals, who are we rooting for? Why are we rooting for them? Makes you think about why you would be supporting a characters actions at times.
I honestly genuinely did not think that I was going to stick this out, but I was pleasantly surprised with the writing and story I was given. The fact that I didn’t like the characters, but was so compelled by the story in and of itself that I kept reading is good. I really thought I had the ending pegged and then I still didn’t have it right so that was nice surprise.
I think it’s also worth it to note that this book kind of breaks down how women wear many faces, hence the title, how we shape shift and mold ourselves into whatever we need to be to fit someone else’s narrative or to enter and or escape a situation. Whether or not you find yourself liking or disliking our female main character, Katie, I think that as a woman reader, I appreciate the acknowledgment of how we are perceived differently in varying situations.
Overall, I would recommend this read if you are into court drama and trial / jury crime novels with an aspect of thriller and suspense.

➡️ Crime fiction
➡️ Hidden Secrets & lies
➡️ Dangerous Men
➡️ Conspiracy theories

~~*~~*Thank you to the Harper Collins and NetGalley for an early advance digital copy of this book!~~*~~

I found this story absolutely fascinating. What really stood out to me was the way it was told—through multiple POVs, all from different men recalling who Katie was… or is. That alone added such a unique layer to the narrative. It really makes you think about how we all present different versions of ourselves depending on who's watching.

The writing style fits the title perfectly, and as I kept reading, I found myself less focused on the actual murder and more intrigued by the mystery of Katie herself. Each perspective revealed a different side of her, and it made me constantly question: who is the real Kate?

Honestly, the murder plot became secondary. Yes, four people died. Yes, the mystery gets solved—and trust me, the reveal is a good one—but by the time I got there, I was so wrapped up in Kate’s backstory that the resolution felt like a bonus.

Is Kate guilty? You’ll have to read and decide for yourself. Nicci Cloke’s use of multiple male perspectives to explore a female protagonist is bold, different, and completely refreshing. It’s not your typical thriller—and that’s exactly why I think it’s a must-read.

I would like to express my deep gratitude to William Morrow and NetGalley for their generosity in allowing me to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Four members of an exclusive club are poisoned and a young waitress is arrested. Her personal life is being exposed in great detail and her obsession with conspiracy theories comes to light. Five men begin to question how well they knew her because to each of them she is an entirely different person, which is the real Katherine Cole and did she commit the murder?

I have never read anything like this book and I thought it was super interesting. I enjoyed that you never really knew what the full truth was and you were getting snippets from each of the perspectives. The structure of the book was super interesting and unique.

Her Many Faces is an addictive, twisty puzzle that keeps you guessing until the very end. Katherine Cox is on trial for poisoning four men at an elite club, but the real intrigue lies in how the story unfolds—told through the eyes of five men in her life who each think they know her. Spoiler: they don’t. The way this story dissects perception, bias, and the male gaze is so well done. It has a bit of everything— murder, courtroom drama, conspiracy, family dysfunction— making it perfect for book clubs and anyone who loves a good mystery that messes with your head.

Lost one star for me because the timeline was a bit hard to follow at times when jumping POVs. Also the ending felt a bit rushed. But overall, a must-read!

Thank you to NetGalley, and William Morrow Books for letting me preview this ARC.

You can read an exclusive author interview here - https://beccahughes96.wixsite.com/beccareviewsbooks/post/nicci-cloke-her-many-faces-author-interview

Thank you to HarperCollins and Nicci Cloke for the ARC physical copy of this book!

I was hooked from the blurb alone, 'a thriller about a woman on trial for murder, as told through the eyes of the most important men in her life'.

Katherine, or Kate, or whichever name sticks with you, is a young girl figuring out her life. Unfortunately, she gets stuck in a very sticky situation. She is accused of, and on trial for, murdering four powerful men in a London club. Not a dance club, more a high powered, only allowed in if you know the right rich white man, kind of club.

The novel follows Katherine's trial from the perspective of the men in her life: her father, a school friend, a lover, a reporter, and her lawyer. The plot is vaguely in line with that of a coming-of-age storyline, but Katherine's formative years are a little more dramatic than most.

One of her brothers was killed in action in Afghanistan, which understandably hugely impacts the whole family. This is the spark that started Katherine's obsession with wanting to understand the situation in Afghanistan, leading her to go down the rabbit hole of 9/11 conspiracies. She introduces a school friend to these conspiracies and he quickly becomes obsessed also. They both scroll endlessly through online forums where anonymous members can add fuel to the conspiracy fire.

Not only is Katherine now focused on online theories, she is also noticing a bigger and bigger wedge being driven between her family. Tensions run particularly high between her and her mother, and later an incident with her brother leads Katherine to move out to her Uncle's farm.

At the farm, Katherine is introduced to a man who will become 'the lover' point of view, but their relationship is far from healthy and effectively leads to both their downfalls.

This is a really interesting commentary by Cloke on the male gaze and the assumptions that the men in Katherine's life have of her. Before reading this story from a feminist point of view, it is also a gripping novel with many twists and questions. You'll see in the Interview with Cloke that I ask about her use of the male gaze, and her answers are very insightful. In one of her answers Cloke mentions the new Netflix series Adolescence (which I have seen and thought was very thought-provoking, it has already led to debates at the pub!). She further mentions a fascinating interview with a youth worker about radicalised young men - read more here!

I think the threads of the plot were neatly and very satisfyingly tied up in the end. The themes of grief, family relations, and self-discovery are relatable to many people. At its crux, this is a story of a young woman attempting to find her place in the world. Although we don't hear from Katherine (until the very end), we gain such a layered insight into her and her actions—you just have to judge which point of view you trust! Notably, as Cloke also mentions in her Interview answers, although we see many sides of Katherine, she is always put into a neat box by these different men (a box that suits them each respectively). By definition, she is viewed through various lenses, and she is never allowed to be her multi-faceted self. This speaks to how women are often forced into the box of: mother, housemaid, cook, support system, employee, etc. They can never just be Katherine.

The characters are convincing and three-dimensional, and no big reveal feels forced. It is a pet peeve of mine when the story comes to a climax or you discover 'who dunnit' and the author has just crowbarred another character or plot point into the story to fit their vision. If there are no bread crumbs towards the murderer (whether I can see them or not) then I struggle to accept that murderer! However, here Cloke has perfectly set that scene so that once the truth is revealed to readers, they are able to look back and understand how everything unfolded - ah hindsight!

I have recommended this book to everyone at my bookclub and I will continue to recommend it!
It was also refreshing to read a book set in Devon, as I am on the Devon/Dorset border! I look forward to reading more Cloke!

Her Many Faces is a sharp, fast-paced thriller that pulls you in from page one and doesn’t let go. I really enjoyed the structure—short, punchy chapters kept the momentum high and made it easy to binge in just a couple of sittings.

The story unfolds through five male perspectives, each giving their version of Katherine Cole, a woman accused of poisoning four powerful men at an elite London club. Daughter, lover, friend, monster… victim? Each man paints a different picture of who she was to them, and it becomes clear that the truth is far more complicated than any one version.

What really worked for me was how the novel explored the danger of perception—how easily a woman can be torn apart and reshaped by the opinions of the men around her. Cloke does a brilliant job highlighting the insidious nature of the male gaze, especially in the courtroom and media circus that forms around Katherine.

Everyone has a story. But not all of them are true.
If you’re hooked on courtroom thrillers with multiple POVs and jaw-dropping twists, Her Many Faces will keep you up all night guessing who’s guilty—and who’s lying.

This is a good story! The book features Katie, accused of murdering four men at the posh private club in London where she worked as a waitress. The story is told in short chapters, from several perspectives, by men who each had a very different relationship with Katie. This is a very clever and compelling story. Recommended.

The premise that interesting, but I struggled with this one. In general, I enjoy short chapters, as I think it helps keep the pace active in this genre. But for this book, I don't think that works for me. Some parts were confusing, particularly in the first half of the book. The ending and the outcome of the trial were anti-climatic.

This book was not what I expected at all. It was entertaining and a really good and twisted story. The characters were all over the place, but it was overall a really good story.

An interesting take on a young woman arrested for murder of four wealthy men. Told in multiple timelines with multiple speakers, all describing their perceptions and experiences of her. A lawyer, unsure of his abilities, a vulnerable childhood friend, a reporter, hot on the story having to look at his ethics her father are some of the people who tell her story. A lot to think about with the presumption of guilt and how we judge others, conspiracy websites and who is believed. It was a little slow at times but overall a good book.

The synopsis was better than what I read. I think the idea was phenomenal but when it came to execution, this is where the book suffered the most.

🐝 Early Book Buzz 🐝

Her Many Faces by @niccicloke
Publisher- @williammorrowbooks
Pub date - 7/15/2025

OMG GUYS!!!!!! I URGE you to save this to your TBR!!! Pre- order your copy! PLEASE READ THIS BOOK!!!

This is such a uniquely written psychological legal thriller! Told from five points of view! —- THIS IS A BANGER!!!!

A twenty two-year-old waitress, Katie, is accused of killing four men who are high members of society. They have been poisoned during a secret meeting at an exclusive club.

This is probably the best character development I’ve ever seen! You are going to take a deep dive into each person’s account. You will get to know them and the main character, Katy, inside and out!

I COULD NOT PUT THIS DOWN!
Phenomenal job, Nicci Cloke!!! I will FOREVER READ whatever you put to paper!

5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Out 7/15/2025

*Her Many Faces* by Nicci Cloke is a gripping psychological thriller that keeps readers on edge with its twisting narrative and unsettling exploration of identity and online scrutiny. With sharp writing and deeply layered characters, Cloke crafts a suspenseful and thought-provoking read that lingers long after the final page.

I experienced some initial confusion with "Her Many Faces" during the first third of the book. While I typically enjoy short chapters, the numerous characters combined with the brevity of the chapters made it challenging for me to connect with the narrative. However, I eventually found my footing and was pleasantly surprised by the intricate conspiracy theories interwoven throughout the story. I felt that the conclusion was somewhat hurried, especially in contrast to the slower pacing of the earlier sections. Katherine, the protagonist, indeed exhibited various facets, and the plot contained many twists right up to the final moments.

I would like to extend my gratitude to NetGalley and William Morrow Publishing for providing the ARC for my review.

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: Her Many Faces Nicci Cloke
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: Thriller
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: July 15, 2025

✨️ Multiple POV
✨️ Conspiracy Theories
✨️ Vigilante Justice
✨️ Dark Secrets

We get to see Katie from many points of view: the sweet, misunderstood child (as remembered by her father), the journalist's point of view where she is believed to be a murderer, her lawyer's point of view where he must fight to prove her innocence, an older man who she fell for, and a jealous friend obsessed with conspiracies.

Most of this book takes place in the courtroom where we ultimately learn Katie's fate. Judging from earlier chapters, I thought this would be cut and dry, but I was pleasantly surprised by the twists throughout the case. While Katie is quite unstable, she isn't the only one with secrets to hide! I truly enjoyed watching everyone's stories unravel and seeing how each POV connected. The conspiracy theories were an interesting addition, and I was pleased that we find out who Mr. E was, as well as their motivations.

If you're looking for a thriller that will keep you at the edge of your seat, trying to guess who's telling the truth and who's guilty, you will love 𝘏𝘦𝘳 𝘔𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘍𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘴.

Thank you so much, Harper Collins and NetGalley, for the digital review copy!

⚠️ mentions of pandemic, peeping Tom, murder, mentions of SA + p3do

At the beginning, I was a little confused because it started off with different character perspectives, but then from there on out it was very fast paced! This book was thrilling, intense, and so very interesting!

I would highly recommend this book & cannot wait to read more by this author!

Thank you Nicci Cloke, William Morrow and NetGalley for allowing me to read this amazing Arc!

Her Many Faces is an addictive, twisty puzzle that keeps you guessing until the very end. Katherine Cox is on trial for poisoning four men at an elite club, but the real intrigue lies in how the story unfolds—told through the eyes of five men in her life who each think they know her. Spoiler: they don’t. The way this story dissects perception, bias, and the male gaze is *chef’s kiss* brilliant. It has a bit of everything— murder, courtroom drama, conspiracy, family dysfunction— making it perfect for book clubs and anyone who loves a good mystery that messes with your head.

Lost one star for me because the timeline was a bit hard to follow when jumping POVs. Also, the ending felt a bit rushed. But overall, a must-read!

Thank you to #NetGalley and @williammorrowbooks for letting me preview this ARC.

This was a unique read! Seeing the same character through different eyes and perspectives! Thank you NetGalley and publisher for early arc of this book! I really enjoyed it!

thank you so much to NetGalley for sending me an ARC of this book!

her many faces is such an intrepid yet interesting story that I couldn’t avoid being captivated by it from the start.

the story is written in 5 povs, being each one of them a man in the life of our female protagonist, and they all speak to her. this was really new to me and I really enjoyed it.

also, the tension and mystery is really well-driven!!!

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!
- The chapter titles were confusing for me for a bit in the beginning.
- Ahh I see what the author did. Maybe the chapter titles were meant to be confusing or maybe I’m just slow. 18% in and I finally got it lol. The name in quotes is what that person of the chapter knows her as. Sigh…duh.
- Ok, the book def got more interesting once I figured out the characters and their relation. Usually when each chapter is a character’s POV, there’s always one character who I don’t really care for reading their POV, but in this book each one had me intrigued. I always liked how short each chapter was.
- The ending and outcome of the trial was a bit anticlimactic for my taste.