I enjoyed this book, but not as much as I thought I would. There was something missing from it, something that didn't make it as gripping as other mystery/crime novels I have read recently.
It almost felt a little bit too frothy, not enough grit.
There were a few characters that I would have liked to have seen developed further, and a couple that just appeared superfluous to the story.

Didn't stop me enjoying it though, and I would happily read others by the same author.

Thank you to Netgalley for an early review copy.

I loved this book. Plenty of twists and turns. I thought I’d guessed whodunnit but I hadn’t! Fantastic ending. Thoroughly recommend this book

I couldn’t really establish a connection with any of the characters in this story. I also figured out who did it very early on which was rather disappointing. It was an ok read but not one of my favourites.

I’m grateful to be given the opportunity to read an advance copy by Netgalley and Headline in return for my honest review

It’s no secret that I love a good whodunnit and think of myself as an armchair detective. This however is much more than that, as nobody is who they say they are including the victim and nothing is as it seems.

We first meet Izzy as she sits at her dressing table getting ready for a wedding and her husband Tristan Hart a famous tv host. Within hours he will be found by a swimming pool seriously assaulted and left for dead. Who would attack a generous and well loved happy family man? Someone who even at a function makes time to do a video call to soldiers away fighting.

The story is then told from multiple view points so you learn their links to Tristan who has not made it and so it has become a murder enquiry. As more truths are unveiled so are more suspects and the police have their work cut out for them in trying to get to the real truth behind all the secrets and lies.

I can totally see why this is being compared to Broadchurch and Liar as this would also make a terrific television series. I was even casting it as I was reading it and think Lily James would be perfect as Izzy and Dan Stevens as Tristan.

This is a slow building character driven novel which portrays small town life perfectly and the writing is so exquisite it quietly draws you in until it reaches the heart stopping conclusion.

I enjoyed this book
It set at a nice pace
builds up slowly
quite a few red herrings
plenty of twists and turns
and a shocking ending I did not see coming

Thank you netgalley, Erin Kinsley and Headline for allowing me to read and review this book.

As someone enjoys mystery and thrillers, the blurb for Innocent sounded like something right up my street.
But sadly I didn't enjoy this book as much as I expected to.
I found it really difficult to get into and it wasn't a book that I looked forward to picking up again to read. And for that reason, it took me much longer than usual to read this from start to finish.
It was also difficult to invest in any of the characters as there were that many to keep tabs on and none were particularly developed.
The police procedural side was more interesting but even that meant slogging through more pages to get to it.
I can't quite put my finger on it but this book lacked something that stopped me from enjoying it more and in turn, giving it a higher rating.
There are definitely better mystery/thriller books out there at the moment.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

I DNFED this book around 35%.
From the beginning of the book I really enjoyed the setting and how fast paced the story was in regards to the crime and insight on the characters pasts/potential plot points. Erin Kinsley's writing is extremely easy to read and that's something I find important when reading within this genre.
However I found that too many characters were introduced within such a small time frame, that it was impossible to feel connected to any of them and I therefore didn't care about what was happening to them.

Innocent by Erin Kinsley is based on a murder in a small town and is a nice easy lightweight thriller which admittedly it took me time to get into but when I did I enjoyed getting to know the characters and having a guess at who the murder was.
If your after a nice easy read this is for you and highly recommend.

Addictive, clever & unputdownable!

This novel had everything I want from a crime novel. Well built characters, realistic twists, and turns that kept me guessing all the way to that unexpected heartbreaking ending.

I was hooked from the first page and I didn't put it down until I'd frantically turned the last page. I loved it!

A huge thanks to Anne Cater & Headline for gifting me a copy in return for an open & honest review.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A thoroughly enjoyable thriller mystery from Erin Kinsley. This is a character driven read, and I certainly enjoyed puzzling out who was involved in the brutal attack of a celebrity at a wedding. There's a great line-up of suspects, and some decent twists and turns before the final reveal. I enjoyed the village setting, and the characters that are all linked to the victim in some way. It's really well plotted, and clues are slowly uncovered with a good balance.
An addictive, exceptionally plotted and character driven thriller mystery - highly recommended.

I absolutely loved this book, it was brilliant with a wicked twist at the end. The characters are all relatable and the plot was amazing. A thriller/suspense/mystery that I completely got lost in. It gripped me from the beginning and I didn't stop reading until the end, because I was desperate to find out who the killer was and that's where the shocking twist comes in. I will definitely be putting EK on my favourite author list, her writing style is so clever and her books really make you think about what's important.
A huge Thank You to Netgally and the Publishers for allowing me to read this brilliant novel.

This is my first read of Erin Kinsley and it was an entertaining, well-written book. There is a lavish wedding in a small town where a celebrity is discovered dead.

‘Innocent’ in many ways is a classic ‘who dunnit’ storyline with numerous twists and turns keeping the reader engrossed with the underlying story. However, the characters are well portrayed and I found myself connecting to some of them especially Laura and Izzy.

There was a great balance between plot and characters with a clever twist at the end.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Headline and Erin Kinsley for my ARC in return for my honest review.

Great read. Recommended.

If you want to curl up with a good murder mystery with secrets, deceptions, twists and turns, then this is the one. The story creeps on you and shocks you when you least expect it.

I really loved the concept of this story. The main leads, Laura and Izzy stand both stand out in their own manner. There are many twists and turns with a lot of secrets discovered. What I really liked is the contrast between the two character’s story-lines. Izzy’s story focuses on the murder mystery and learning new secrets of Tristan. However, Laura’s story-line focuses on her own family’s secrets who seem average. I really enjoyed how these two story-lines merged together. Also, the detectives involved add well to the story and I liked how they progress with the case.

Also, with such stories, you need a good twist towards the climax, which this story delivers really well. I really did not guess who was behind the murder, and that made me enjoy the story even more. Moreover, the author also does a wonderful job to cover all the loose ends and nothing unexplained. What I really liked was how the author gave equal important to the plot and the characters. The author balances the murder mystery very well with our perception of the characters and their development.

My only criticism towards the story is that it tends to get over-descriptive at times. There are characters who appear only for one or two scenes, but we get a background information from them. Also, the detectives recap every discovery when they meet, which felt repetitious. On a side note, I really enjoyed Phyllis and wished the author made her prominent in the story.

Overall, “Innocent” turned out to be a delightful read and I really enjoyed reading it.

This tightly plotted, gripping police procedural is narrated from the perspectives of numerous characters including the victims wife Izzy and DI Gavin Muir who was in charge of the investigation into the assault on Tristian Hart. I really liked DI Muir and his team,I loved the banter, camaraderie and how they were all friends as well as work colleagues. One of the many reasons why I enjoyed this book so much was that the story wasn't bogged down by interdepartmental politics and backstabbing. It was a enjoyable tale about a team of detectives following clues, conducting interviews and finally uncovering the shocking truth behind the crime. It was also about the effect that the crime had on Tristian's wife Izzy and the other residents of the small village that they inhabited, the secrets hidden within the lavish houses and pristine lawns.The setting for the crime Sterndale was a typical rural village that was inhabited by a mixed bag of realistic characters. It was the sort of place where everyone knew everyone else's business and gossip spread faster than water flowing from a tap.Everyone had their own opinion on the crime and some of the residents didn't think twice before voicing their thoughts on the matter.But when you don't know all the facts, it is far too easy to jump to conclusions and misjudge a person as more than one character did as this story unfolded. The question was, who was behind the attack on Tristian Hart who by all appearances appeared to be a all round nice guy and what was the motive behind the crime?

This is a extremely well written thriller that had me hooked in from the first page. Actually I was so captivated by the multiple twists and turns, misdirections and red herrings that I would have loved to have read the whole book in one sitting, unfortunately my old eyes had other ideas. The enthralling story keeps the reader guessing and frantically turning the pages. A very enjoyable read, worth far more than five stars and very very highly recommended.

Innocent is a character driven novel about small town lives and how everyone is not who they seem.  It is based around a who dun it? format but delves deeply into the lives of the characters making this a rivetting read beyond solving a crime.

There are two main aspects to the plot.  The first is the crime itself and the investigation - told mainly through the eyes of the detectives on the case.  As they question the inhabitants of Sterndale (a small town with wealthy and seemingly perfect residents), suspicious begin to rise and facades begin to crumble as paranoia and stree kick in.  

The second aspect is the actual lives of the Sterndale residents.  As the narrative is told from multiple perspectives, we begin to uncover snippets of lives behind closed doors and suddenly the people of Sterndale begin to look a little less perfect.  The question is - who attacked Tristan?

As the plot unravels (and so do the characters) we begin to gather small clues about motives for attacking Tristan.  Everyone becomes a suspect and with a variety of motives, it's difficult to figure out who did it. 

I had loads of fun guessing who the attacker was and why and the short chapters teamed with multiple points of view really made it difficult to put this one down. 

A suspenseful book with plenty of fascinating characters, secrets and twists.

‘The pretty market town of Sterndale is a close-knit community where everyone thinks they know everyone else. But at a lavish summer wedding a local celebrity is discovered slumped in the gardens, the victim of a violent assault that leads to a murder investigation. As the police search for answers, suspicion and paranoia build and the lives of the locals are turned upside down. Secrets that lurk beneath the pristine façade of Sterndale come to light as detectives close in on the truth...’

To be perfectly honest, when I started reading this it felt like the poorer cousin of Lucy Foley’s The Guest List and I seriously considered giving up on it. But I’m glad I didn’t. As the story unfolded and I got to know the characters a little better I started to enjoy reading it, but at no point was I ever excited to pick this book up and continue reading.

For me, whilst this storyline was decent and perfectly well-written, there are so many really gritty mystery novels out there and this one just didn’t compete. From beginning to end it just felt like it was lacking something.

If you’re new to the mystery genre and want one that’s easy to read then it’s worth giving this a try. If, like me, you’ve read enough 5 star mystery novels to raise your standards then there’s a chance you’ll find it disappointing.

This was an ok book for me. It took a long time for me to get into it, I found the first half or so pretty boring but when I was about to give up it started to get better. The police side of the story was the best part for me as I didn't really get invested in the other characters. Wouldn't call this book a crime thriller but instead an easy read "whodunnit" glad I did finish it so it's worth a read.

This is an excellent thriller. This ticks all of the boxes and has everything I love in a good thriller; excellent characterisation, fast paced plot, twists, turns, misdirection and unreliable narration. The story is really split into two halves, the first half deals with the police trying to find out who attacked Tris, who is in a coma after being hit over the head with a bottle of champagne. The second half is lot darker as his condition takes a turn for the worse. The characters were well written and I felt very connected to them. I had so many questions as I worked through the book and the author takes her time in joining all of the dots, threads and loose ends together. I had no idea who attacked Tris and what their motivation was so the revelation completely surprised me.

Innocent by Erin Kinsley
I found this book very readable indeed and was immediately immersed in the story. The setting is the picturesque village of Sterndale and we first encounter the main characters as they prepare to attend a wedding at a local hotel. Izzy and Tris, a TV celebrity, are seemingly the ideal couple with their magnificent home and their delightful three year old. Everyone says how devoted they are. During the wedding however Tristan is struck by an unknown assailant. Gradually the peaceful community is disturbed as secrets are revealed and trust between people is destroyed forever.
The police investigating the attack are fully realized characters and the author does not rely too heavily on police procedures and technicalities. The book would be ideal to film as a TV series and the way in which the story is seen from a number of perspectives would make it ideal. I found it a most entertaining read and will be recommending it to all of my book groups. Many thanks to the publishers, the author and Net Galley for the opportunity to read this novel in return for an honest review.

The start of the book was somewhat sugary and I nearly gave up. However,as the story grew and the characters developed and I started feeling empathetic to some of them, particularly Izzy.

Throughout I was coming to my own incorrect conclusions and theories. It was a nice easy but lightweight thriller. It lacked any real depth and left me feeling rather flat when it concluded. I expected and felt it could have more of a storyline which is why I rated it where I did.