I Mean You No Harm

Just wow! I Mean You no Harm, by Beth Castrodale is a heart-felt, family drama/thriller that kept me hooked from beginning to end! I found myself really liking the main characters, sisters Layla and Bette. They were likeable characters with interesting backstories.
The narrator, Christine Williams, was wonderful at keeping the story flowing throughout the entire novel. Her cadence was pleasant and she did a great job alternating all the different characters voices.
Layla Shawn never got to know her career criminal father, Vic Doloro, in any discernable way. She’s been estranged from him her entire life, blaming him for the unsolved murder of her Mom. But when he dies, leaving Layla an inheritance of, possibly, dirty money, her sister, Bette, encourages her to accept it. As the sisters travel on a cross country trip, they begin to learn about each other and develop a relationship. Unfortunately, Layla has caught the eye of a dangerous stalker and he has more knowledge than he should about how her Mom died. Soon she'll find herself facing off with a killer.

Oh my goodness - firstly the narration really suited the book I could listen to this for hours. Secondly what a mind the author had to come up with this absolutely fantastic and so engrossing. Just had to listen to this every spare minute that I could. The story just unfolded and went one way then the other and all the loose ends were tied up.

I must investigate more from this author and narrator.

I was given a free copy by the publishers and netgalley but the review is entirely my own.

I feel like listening to this book was a kind of road trip of its own. It starts slow, doesn't really ramp up, just carries on. The tense scenes seemed like an inconvenience, rather than having you at the edge of your seat. Because deep down you know everything will work out in the end. Which it does, of course. It wasn't a bad book or story. However, I do feel it might be forgettable.

Book - I mean you no harm

Author - Beth Castrodale

Suggested reading age according to me- 13+

My rating - 4/5

Review- I mean you no harm is fiction but the honesty, the brutality that the author has in her words is written in the book which feels so refreshing as well as fulfilling. The story begins with a funeral, but then we have that drug/danger mafia, hidden family secrets twists.

But, nature and nurture you see. Here comes the spoiler free twist.

The daughter of the evil person is the opposite and we witness a road trip throughout the book and personally for me I do not like the use of swear words in a book that's the only part which I did not like.

I was so happy personally, that a book, this book, showed the sister-ly bond. It was so amazing to see female siblings representation.

(Mild spoiler ahead)
But then Beth drives a wooden/metal stake through your heart, what I mean to say is that I'm sad that we will forever miss a great character. The money twist was oh so good!.

At times, I was confused as to what was happening but then when it became clear, my my! I mean you no harm is definitely my most refreshing read of 2021. It's a mystery that everyone absolutely needs to read.

The narrator is amazing!

Love this book. Narrator was great. A very interesting story about how bad a father was but what he did helped his family in the end. Even though it cost one of his daughters the chance to have her mother and almost cost her her life after she had grown up.

This was a decent book, but it didn’t keep my attention the way that I hoped it would. It wasn’t boring, but also just didn’t get me as interested as normal.

The enemy of my enemy is my sister

Layla Shawn has been estranged from her career criminal father for most of her life. The loss of her mother haunts her as she is left with questions but now answers. When her father, Vic dies, she learns that he has left her money and her half-sister, Bette, convinces her to go on a cross country road trip where they attempt to mend fences while being followed. Both women have demons, but will they have enough chutzpah to go up against the man who has a lethal score to settle with their father.

The premise for me was much better than the book. I did enjoy the narrator who at times sounded like Kathy Bates. But the plot felt as if something was missing. I really didn't care for either woman and was left feeling a little let down when the book finished.

Again, wonderful narrator but this book missed the mark for me.

Thank you to Thank you to Imbrifex Audio and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

I Mean you No Harm is the story of Layla Shawn, raised by her grandparents after her mother's death. Layla's father was never really in the picture,, but he did have another daughter Betty. after the death of their father, Betty asks Layla to come to pick up something that as he has left to her. The journey begins with road trip as the two sisters begin to get to know each other better and and Layla begins to unravel the mystery of her mother's death.

Their father, Vic, was not exactly on the straight and narrow. Many of his associates will be drawn into their story as they make their drive. The story does get a bit far fetched,, however. I never felt totally engaged with the characters,, but I did find the sister relationship to be the most interesting part of the book..

My thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Christine Williams does a good job with the narration.

The book is okay. The name and cover will spark a memory, unfortunately the story not so much. There are high areas of interest, however, there are too many mundane pages. I was ready for this to end.

I would recommend this as a crowd book. There is no need to concentrate, and if your bookmark falls out, you can easily settle back into the story.

Thank you NetGalley for accepting my request to read and review I mean You No Harm.

#NetGalley
#ImbrifexAudio
#NarratorChristineWilliams
#BethCastrodale
#Audiobook
#Mystery

I completed the audiobook review of this novel.

The narrator was excellent and kept readers engaged the whole way through. I actually listened to the entire thing in one setting.

I highly enjoyed the story, however I found that certain parts towards the end, such as the end of the road trip, the mystery reveal of the person sending letters, etc. Was hurried and could have had more pages to describe how all of these things happened. The last 30% or so felt very rushed.

In this mystery thriller by Beth Castrodale, two half sisters go on a trip they may not return from alive.  Layla and Bette share the same father whose life of crime may be the reason for the death of Layla's mother.  Now at their father's funeral, Layla learns just how sketchy their father really was. Both siblings decide to go on a road trip they don't realize could cost them their lives.  On the way, Layla learns more than she bargained for about the sister she never got to know and the death of her mother. 

I loved the pace of this book.  It's a short novel that quickly gets you into the action and keeps you guessing until the end.  I listened to the audio book and the narrator did a wonderful job with the various character voices and personalities.  I highly recommend this.

A good mystery book with multiple timelines and perspectives. The author manages to capture the story in simple snapshots like the Polaroid artist’s exhibit featured in this novel. A great read for a holiday trip (maybe not a road-trip though). Narrator reads quite slowly but has a pleasant voice and adds to story with different characters’ intonations.

Thank you for letting me read this book in return for an honest review.

This was a 3 star read for me. The storyline was believable - a thriller, suspense, mystery - and the characters were fleshed out. I figured out who the culprit was at the beginning of Chapter 16, but it didn’t deter me from finishing the book.

I would read other books from this author.

Despite the somewhat amateurish writing and lots of cliches in the plot, I found myself anxiously awaiting the culmination of the action. Not a bad thriller!

Following the death of her estranged father, Vic, Layla and Bette, Vic’s other daughter, go on a cross-country road trip. With Vic’s history of being a career criminal, travelling doesn’t come easy and the two soon find themselves in the middle of some unsettled business between Vic and someone who might know the truth behind the death of Layla’s mom, years ago.

I thought the premise of this was fascinating and I was easily pulled into the story. Though it would’ve been nice for Layla to have a bit more context on Vic, it was still nice to see her befriend and learn more through Bette. The family aspect was endearing, but I did find myself confused at times regarding the past. It felt like something was missing, though I’m not sure what. I did also enjoy the narration and overall adventure.

Thank you NetGalley for my arc!

First, I need to thank Netgalley for the opportunity to review this audiobook. I thought the narrator, Christine Williams, had a nice voice to listen to. I have to admit, I did not find the story all that believable. No depth to the characters.

This book is one of those that sounds like one thing in the description and is really something else. It sounded more mysterious and thrilling but turned out to be pretty slow. Not that the story itself didn’t turn out to be a good one. I just had to push myself through it to get to the point that I said to myself, “That was alright.” The characters come off really flat and hard to connect with in a meaningful way. I found I didn’t much care to find out anything.

A strange story about a death of a criminal brings together two half sisters who may or may not known of each other. The inheritance enforced Layla to take to her half sister Bette; their trip helped bring them together emotionally. A book for readers who like to read mysteries and thrillers. For an audiobook it’s a great listen. As I go to sleep listening to audiobooks which helps me to keep a calm mind from wool gathering, listening to negative thoughts and emotions including childhood traumatic memories which can lead to nightmares. So if I wake during the night I can hear the book and it’s very important for the times of sleeplessness. So listening to one audiobook is something that takes a number of nights until I understand and have knowledge of the entire story. It’s certainly a audiobook to keep on hand for when I have trouble sleeping.
#IMeanYouNoHarm #NetGalley.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Imbrifex Audio via NetGalley for my honest review of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own thoughts, feelings and viewpoints of the book

This book I Mean You No Harm is written by Beth Castrodale, an author who I’ve never heard of previously to said book. I’ve never read any of her previous work.

I liked the sound of this book before starting so I put in for an arc of this one and was pleased when the publisher allowed me this copy.

This book is fiction though I believe it can easily be related to crime families and the like. It is not a crime book however there is a lot of reference to crime in this book.

After a difficult childhood Layla has found a way to escape her life in submersing herself in her artwork. She has a fractured relationship with her father and her sister Bet.

Further down the lines Layla is now an adult and after attending her father’s funeral she starts to work at her relationship with her sister Bet and they open up to each other, over time.

Finding out some home truths is difficult for Layla and it is explored in the book.
She finds they both share a lot in common.

After the funeral Bet asks Layla to go on a trip with her, it’s here she tells her of life changing news. Both figuratively and literally. More than one type of news also.

Where will Layla go from here? How will she handle this?

I felt this book was a good read. I may check out the author again.

Thanks to @netgalley, Beth Castrodale and the publishers for an arc copy of this audiobook.

#NetGalley #IMeanYouNoHarm

I mean You No Harm tells the story of Layla and her half-sister Bette. Layla’s mother had caught the eye of what may have been a ruthless stalker. Not soon after her mother passed away, under questionable circumstances, it was left for Layla to be raised by her maternal grandparents.

Layla’s sister, Bette, grew up with both of her parents Vic and her mother. Although, Vic had served prison time, he was mildly invested in his daughters getting to know one another. Some years later when Bette contacted Layla to tell her Vic was dying, Layla learns that her father left her an inheritance. For good reason, Layla was not particularly keen on accepting an inheritance that most probably emanated from illegal activities.

Following Vic’s passing Layla and Bette embark on a road trip. Traveling together just the two of them, the sisters get to know each other better. Unfortunately, it appears danger may be imminent along their cross-country trip.

I Mean You No Harm is an interesting journey into the lives of two sisters and how they deal with the circumstances of their separate, yet connected lives. As the reader, I became engrossed in Layla’s journey. I was invested in Layla finding out the true details of her mother’s death all those years ago.

I am a big fan of mysteries and the premise of this story seemed interested.

Story starts when Layla Shawn who has been raised by her grandparents attends their father’s funeral.
Both her parents have been out of the picture.
Her mother apparently committed suicide and her father Vic Doloro is a criminal.
Layla finds out that her father has left her a great deal of money. Hmmm. Since Layla is sure the money was probably not his to give, Layla doesn’t want to accept it. Her half-sister Betty, Vic’s other daughter urges Layla to take the money.
The two go on a road trip and find out things about the past; someone seems to have good reason to believe her mother’s death wasn’t suicide.

Story wasn’t a big Wow for me ~ doesn’t mean someone else will think differently and just love it!
.
Want to thank NetGalley and Imbrefex Audio ~ for this audio eGalley. This file has been made available to me for an honest professional review.
Publishing Date was August 21, 2021

This book was an interesting tale of families, crime, and right and wrong. Found it engrossing to listen to and enjoyed the narration. Would read/listen to another book by the author for sure.

I received this book in an Audio form from Net Galley, I said I would give my honest opinion in a review. The story is well written with good characters, It starts out with Layla, the main character, going to her estranged fathers funeral, She doesn't care much for the man at all, he led a life a crime, was never in her life, her mother died when she was 3, that left her to be raised by her Grandmother. After the funeral she stays with her half sister, Bette, who has a son with Downs Syndrome, who loves Art, Layla has a drawing that she found that her mother had drawn, something about the Man just didn't set well with her. Layla finally agrees to go on a road trip with Bette, to pick up Art supplies, for Bette's son, What the encounter on this road trip will keep you turning pages. I don't want to give any spoilers to the story so I'll end there. I liked the story a lot, I didn't really care for the person reading the story, It didn't give enough variety with tones for me, but I still loved the story

I mean you no harm by Beth castrodale. This book is a great book if you enjoy a story of dealing with family. As in mobsters and the fallout of being one’s daughter. Come a long on a journey to find out the secrets and to see if there is any good guys

I Mean You No Harm
By Beth Castrodale

Layla & Bette are two sisters who have only met a handful of times, until their father, a criminal, dies and Layla comes for the funeral. The two sisters venture on a trip to Arizona to pick up something for Bette. This story tells of a life neither of them knew and opened their eyes to each other’s struggles & life experiences. What they find in Az is not entirely what Layla was expecting.

Thank you to NetGalley and Imbrifex Books for the advanced copy of this audiobook for my honest review.

#IMeanYouNoHarm #NetGalley

It was fun listening to this audiobook.. I'm always in the mood for a bit of a mystery and this novel delivered more than one!

When the two estranged sisters Layla and Bette meet again at their father's funeral many feelings.. memories and confessions were uncovered and along the way the were critical decesions had to be made by the two sisters.

Though i like the plot itself unfortunately, I felt the novel was very fast paced, some parts were rushed from the beginning in how Layla promptly decided to go with Bette.. like hmmm HOW.. and how the author revealed a character identity way too early in the book.

Thank you Imbrifex Audio and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review. This seemed to be a typical thriller, There weren't any surprising turns in the story, and it seemed like it needed to be a little longer.

Brief Synopsis: Layla’s father Vic is a career criminal. She’s been estranged from him for over thirty years. Her mother committed suicide years earlier, but circumstances around the death were odd. When Vic dies and leaves a generous inheritance to Layla, she finds herself in the middle of an unsettled score that her dad was apart of. With the help of her sister, she quickly starts to unravel the truths of her family’s past.

Thoughts: This was somewhat of a slow build, but a suspenseful/thrilling read none the less. The characters are realistic, which help bring the narrative alive. Though the cover is simple, I really love it especially after reading the story.

Thank you to Beth Castrodale, Imbrifex Audio, and NetGalley for an advanced audio copy of this book. The narrator (and author) did a fantastic job with this one.

What a riveting story. The way the author was able to reel through past and present created a concrete plot that seemed to weave with each other. The narration was perfect. The use of variations in speaking when others were talking helped me to keep track of who was talk. I could have done without all the swearing but otherwise it was brilliantly done!

I Mean You No Harm was the first book I have read by Beth Castrodale. It was fast paced, well written, engaging and suspenseful. The characters were both strong and believable but some were more likable than others. The audiobook was narrated by Christine Williams. She did a good job distinguishing between the various characters and kept my attention throughout her performance.

Half sisters, Bette and Layla, saw little of each other while they grew up. Their lives would have remained that way if not for the death of Vic Doloro. Layla was brought up by her grandparents. Her mother had died when Layla was three years old. Layla’s mother, Sara, was found hanging from a tree. It was determined that Sara had committed suicide. Layla’s grandparents never believed that theory. Until the day they died they never gave up hope of finding their daughter’s killer. Layla was not sure what to believe and was offered little information growing up about what had happened to her mother. Bette, on the other hand, had lived with Vic. Her father and Layla’s father. Vic Doloro, was a criminal and even served time in prison for his masterminding planned burglaries all over the country. His friends and business associates were questionable, to say the least. Bette was subjected to more of Vic’s world than she should have probably been allowed to witness.

With Vic’s death, unemployed Layla, decided to attend his funeral. It had been thirty-two years since she had last seen her estranged father and step sister. The lure of an inheritance and mere curiosity led Layla to the funeral. Layla had recently discovered a portrait her mother had drawn long ago of a man she called “the wolf”. She hoped that Bette might recognize the man her mother had drawn. Layla believed that the man in the portrait was her mother’s killer. She was determined to unravel and solve the mystery of her mother’s death. She was hoping Bette might be able to help her.

Bette focused on making a road trip after the funeral. She needed to get to Phoenix to sell some of Vic’s expensive golf equipment and garden tools in exchange for high tech art supplies for her young special needs son. Layla decided to join Bette on this excursion. It gave the half sisters ample time to reveal lots of things about their separate lives to each other. They really started to bond and acquire real sisterly feelings by the end of the trip. However, Layla discovered soon enough, though, that Bette’s initial intentions for the road trip were not what Bette had led Layla to believe. As Bette and Layla made their way toward Phoenix, Bette had an eye out for a mysterious white car. Were they being followed and if so by who? Why was Bette so nervous and scared of seeing that white car? With Bette’s disclosures about her father’s business associates and dealings, would Layla begin to fit the pieces together and discover the truth about her mother’s death?

I Mean You No Harm by Beth Castrodale was about murder, revenge, sisterly bonding and complicated family dynamics. It was character driven with a suspenseful and very engaging plot. I really enjoyed listening to this audiobook and recommend it.

Thank you to Imbrifex Books for allowing me to listen to this audiobook through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I Mean You No Harm by Ruth Castrodale, had an interesting plot, but unfortunately for me, fell short of great execution.

This review is for the audiobook version. The narrator for this story, Christine Williams, did a good job with reading and delivery, even though I found there was little to no change for different character voice. Her voice pleasant, easily understood, reading with proper emphasis.

The MC’s background deals with the art world, (hence the interesting cover), bur there was little in the way of suspense. The book read more like mystery, mixed with some family drama, with a grain of suspense. It dragged and felt dull being a slow burn to where I was losing some interest, I skimmed and fast-forwarded (never a good sign). Also, I’m not a fan of unnecessary and excessive f*bombs especially in an audio version in which the listener has no idea it’s coming, therefore, it’s forced upon the ear like a slap. More and more authors rely on what some still feel as an offensive word to show anger, aggression or surprise, and this story was peppered liberally with them.

Sadly, this one didn’t work for me on many levels - unanswered questions, too many holes, it felt incomplete, the swearing.. However, it may appeal to others. Perhaps, I was just the wrong audience.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the providing an AAC in exchange for my honest opinion. All opinions are my own.

A spell binding book that takes you into the life of a career criminal and the agony of decisions you make when you stand to gain from it. Is being able to help a special needs newly orphaned child worth the risks? How far do you go to help a sister you have never gotten along with? Suspenseful and enlightening this story keeps you on alert and makes you question your own value system.

Beth Castrodale's 'I Mean You No Harm' is a smart, creative and engrossing novel. The plot centers around lead character Layla Shawn (32-years-old) who finds herself at her father's (Vic Doloro) funeral after not having any meaningful contact with him for a good portion of her life. The main reason for this is that she holds him responsible for her mother's unexplained death which occurred when she was a young girl.

Vic has left Layla a significant amount of money in his will and she is hesitant to accept due to her ill and unresolved feelings towards him. Her half sister Bette (Vic's other daughter from a different mother) encourages her to take the money. Layla also has unresolved issues with her but agrees to join her on a trip across the country. This proves to be therapeutic for both as they talk about their lives, gaining understanding and appreciation for how the other developed and for who they are as individuals now.

Layla learned more about her father than she ever thought possible and even begins to perceive him with some compassion and sensitivity. Through hearing Bette's explanation for why he appeared to be callous, unloving and self-serving she comes to realize that there is more than one side to every story - and person.

While Layla is coming to terms with accepting a whole new reality of what happened within her family and having to face her own unresolved inner-turmoils she also discovers she is suddenly confronting a murderer. This unfolds with bullet speed and is exceptionally suspenseful and thrilling. I wish this part was more extensive because it was definitely the most action-packed and fun for me as a listener.

Narrator Christine Williams does a fabulous job as the solo voice for all of the characters throughout. Each is autonomous - both male and female - and easily distinguishable.

With much thanks to NetGalley, Imbrifex Audio, and Beth Castrodale for the free audio download in exchange for honest review. All opinions are my own. #IMeanYouNoHarm, #NetGalley, #ImbrifexAudio

First off there is career criminal Vic Doloro. Not a nice guy as you may guess. But, he is a father and his daughter’s name is Layla Shawn. And not surprisingly, she has spent most of her thirty-two years estranged from her father and haunted by the mysterious death of her mother.

Well, one day Vic dies. His death leaves Layla who is a currently unemployed artist, a wad of ill-gotten money in inheritance. Big dilemma… Vic’s other daughter, Bette, is telling her sister with whom Layla shares a troubled past that she should just take the money. The two embark on a cross-country road trip. Along the way, two women decide to let bygones be just that. That is good but then, Layla finds herself caught in the middle of an unsettled and lethal score between her father and a man who knows more than he should about her mother’s death.

Enjoy the enjoyable narration as Layla digs for truth, all the while, wrestling with her own demons as she finds herself face to face with a killer.

This is a pretty solid mystery with a few loose ends towards the end.

I really wanted to like this one more than what I did, but I really just could not get into it. I just felt this was a little slower paced than what I wanted, but just because it's not for me doesn't mean that is not for anyone else.

This book is categorized as Mystery / Thriller, which puzzles me. I did not find the book to be thrilling at all, with only a little mystery. It was really a story about sisters getting to know each other while on a road trip. They do come across some distractions along the way, and their family history is quite sketchy, but I did not feel that was the story.
The sisters are complete opposites, but from the same father. His death brings them together and opens old wounds. It was an emotional journey watching them connect and hash out old fueds.
I couldn’t get into the other branches of the story, which should have been what hooked me. The gangster father, murder of Layla’s mom, and who the Wolf really was didn’t interest me like the sisters reconnecting. I felt like so much of the book went into them, that everything else was an after thought.
I’m not sure I would have finished the book if it hadn’t been an audiobook. The narrator did a great job bringing the story to life where it got dull at times.

Layla and Bette are half-sisters who get to know each other on a road trip after their father passes. Layla grew up sheltered from their father's shady dealings until she finds out the true purpose of the road trip and gets sucked into the illicit business herself.

I listened to the audiobook recording and it took me a while to get into it, but once I did I ended up really enjoying how we learn a little bit at a time. The author moves through different points of view to reveal a little bit more of the story until the truth finally comes out at the end.

A review copy of this audiobook was provided by the publisher through NetGalley.

This listen was a bit hit and miss with me I found I had stopped listening on a number of occasions but even so when I went back I found I hadn't missed anything
The storyline was dragged out and the ending too fast . I must admit I didn't realise who the baddy was until nearly the end but I think that was down to the build up not being as good as it could have been rather than my losing interest this is no thriller or page turner

Thank you NetGalley for accepting my request to listen and review I mean You No Harm.

This is a fast paced story. Two sisters re-connect after the loss of their father. I liked getting to know the sisters as they reconnect. The story flow was easy to follow as it flipped back and forth from current to the past. I was a little bummed we find out the twist well before the MC does but I enjoyed how it all played out. Fast read, very entertaining.

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

I really enjoyed this book. It wasn't my favorite book I have ever read but definitely worth the read/listen. I was not a huge fan of the narrator but it wasn't so bad that I couldn't listen.

This was my first book by this author. I liked it and would read another book by her in the future. It had murder, mystery, and deceit going on which are all things I love in my books! My favorite part of the book is the bond she develops with her nephew via their mutual love of art. You can see how hard it was for her to open herself up to that bond but how much she gained from doing so.

I am not sure if it was the NetGalley app or the actual audio recording but there was an annoying echo going on for the entirety of the book. Hopefully, they can get that worked out in the future.

#IMeanYouNoHarm
#NetGalley

A good mystery book! This is my first book by this author and I really enjoyed it. I found it fast paced and entertaining.

I Mean You No Harm is a novel that centers around half sisters Bette and Layla who reconnect at the funeral of their father, Vic Doloro who was a career criminal. Bette grew up with Vic and Layla grew up with her grandparents after her mother died. Together these sisters set out on a road trip where they get to know each other and try to solve some family mysteries along the way. There is action, revenge, art, and money that all makes for a nice balance of thrills, mystery, and character development.


The audiobook is narrated by Christine Williams. She did a fairly good job distinguishing between the various characters - aside from the voice for Bette which seemed like a weird combination of Jersey, Chicago, and a default "southern" accent that pulled me from the story many times.


ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This was an entertaining read! The main character, Layla, an artist, carries complicated baggage from her mother’s death—suspiciously labeled a suicide—and her father Vic’s abandonment. His funeral is an occasion to see her half-sister Bette and learn that he’s left her a gift: cash that she doesn’t want, because she suspects the source is unsavory. Bette and she embark on a road trip to pick up some of dad’s stuff. Most of the novel takes place on this road trip, with flashbacks and stories exchanged between the sisters. Mysteries abound: the unknown facts around the mother’s death, the nature of Vic’s work, a stalker-by-mail who sends packages to Layla, a drawing their mother made of an unknown man. Because the flashbacks impede forward motion of the story, what kept me turning pages was the unfolding of these mysteries and the character of Bette, who has a brash streak, wears cowboy boots, and keeps her secret close. Full disclosure: I was given a review copy of I Mean You No Harm.

3.75 ish stars

Fast-paced, fun, tense, and a bit cliché, but also including a few interesting characters and plot elements, even if I did find my thoughts wandering off a bit at times. It kept my interest pretty much from the very beginning. I wasn’t familiar with the author’s work before now, but I’ll have to consider other books in the future.

This book felt a little all over the place. The timeline felt a bit out of sorts, which made it hard to get into. If you're able to move past that the story is unique and interesting.

This was a good book with an interesting story line.  I listened to the audiobook and loved the narrator.  She really made the book come to life. Unfortunately I kept losing concentration while listening.  This rarely happens to me. It's a slow build up book and is more of a mystery book than the thrillers that I am more into. I enjoyed the story-line with the main character learning about herself while trying to discover her fathers past. The story just failed to capture my imagination.  This book will be brilliant for those who love a good mystery book. You could always try a sample of the book before you buy it to see if it is more your type of book or better still get it from your local library.  Please remember my point of view is personal and the book although not the best for me might be just what you love. I just didn't really connect with the characters. Let's hope it is perfect for you.
The above review has already been placed on goodreads, waterstones, Google books, Barnes&noble, kobo, amazon UK and my blog https://ladyreading365.wixsite.com/website/post/i-mean-you-no-harm-by-beth-castrodale-imbrifex-audio-3-stars
Under either name ladyreading365 or lady Reading365

Truly, I was very confused during the first few chapters of this book. I trusted the process and just kept listening, trying to make the connections, and overall felt the story did come together.