would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this book

its a slow burner and a very deeply disturbing book

a young man is in jail accused of murdering graham catton

a podcast that helps open old cases with the interest in seeing that justice is done and the right person is behind bars starts looking into the case of the murder of graham catton

what follows after this young man is released is mind blowing and disturbing, there are so many keyboard warriors out there its beyond belief and this book highlights many of the issues of today

a thought provoking book

I found this quite slow at the start but by the end could not put it down. There is a feeling of unease and distrust running throughout. This is highlighted by the use of a sensational podcast (who did kill William Catton!) and flashback chapters that tell us all was not well between Graham Catton and his wife. Many unseen twists and turns especially in the final chapters that could not have been foreseen. A good psychological read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for the advance copy.

If anyone saw me reading this book they would have seen a very confused look on my face…and that isn’t a bad thing! This book will completely mess with your head in every way, just when you think you understand what is happening it will throw a curve ball at you and make you question everything you’ve just read.

I especially loved the podcast element to this, even though it wasn’t quite as I was expecting (I thought we’d have full episodes per chapter), instead they were woven into the narrative as Hannah listens to snippets of the podcast here and there. As the podcast asks more questions and comes up with its own theories, Hannah’s life starts to unravel. She reminded me very much of Anna from The Woman in the Window, as she is an unreliable narrator. Her memory as to what happened isn’t clear, she starts hearing her dead husbands voice and due to the podcast she is made to be a villain who no one believes.

Chapters alternate between present day and the past where we discover more about Hannah and her husband Graham. Every chapter was so tense, loaded with this continuous doubt as to what is the truth.

Her patchy memory is needed though to also distort the readers thoughts. I honestly had no clue as to how everything would resolve itself and the final few chapters where answers are unearthed were fantastic and full of so many twists that I could not have predicted.

Overall this was an edge of your seat thriller with a dark and satisfying conclusion.

‘It’s the sound of my husband’s blood on the floorboards that wakes me’
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I just KNEW I’d love this one! I love authors that have used the true crime podcast phenomenon as a plot point, as a fan of both books and true crime podcasts it perfectly aligns everything I enjoy, and this one in particular made me open my eyes to a whole new perspective on them!!
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Everyone says Graham Catton was the perfect husband, professor and father.
Why would someone murder him?
His wife, Hannah Catton, tells the police she remembers nothing from the night of the murder.
Why would she lie to them?
Evidence against the accused, Mike Philips, is minimal and he protests his innocence throughout the trial.
Why would they convict him?
Journalist Anna Byers has overturned numerous prison sentences with her popular podcast CONVICTION and she believes the wrong man is behind bars.
What will she do to help him?
Someone knows more about the murder than they’re telling. It may have been Hannah’s husband who was killed, but listeners are about to become judge, jury and executioner on this season of CONVICTION.
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One of the things I loved about this book is that it gave insight on what it would be like to suddenly find yourself as the topic of a true crime podcast and what some damning accusations from such an outlet can do to your life, career and mental wellbeing. A brilliant read throughout, that kept me on the edge of my seat and dying to know what the next episode would reveal and what was going to happen next in Hannah’s life!
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Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Collins UK for the ARC!

This book starts out feeling quite straightforward but the twists and turns lead you down many dead ends trying to work out who is lying and why.
Hannah is well written as someone who has suffered an abusive relationship in the past and pulled her life together only to have it blown apart again by a true crime podcast.
Most of the other characters were pretty contemptible and I felt sorry for Hannah as she tried to rely on people who were clearly not wholly on her side.

This book got off to a great start and I had really high hopes for it. I was gripped, even though I found it dark and quite disturbing. At the beginning I had so much empathy for the main character, Hannah, but as the story progressed I found her words and actions – and everything else in the book - implausible. There were many twists and turns which kept me intrigued and wanting to read more, but I did find that some of the chapters were very slow-paced. The ending shocked and saddened me and wasn’t what I had hoped for. The book was well-written but I can’t say I enjoyed it. It actually left me feeling very depressed.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in return for an honest review.

The Murder of Graham Catton, Katie Lowe. 🔪 4/5

Ten years ago Hannahs husband was murdered in their family home and Hannah was too traumatised to recall any details. Now a podcast is about to rake back over the details and leave Hannahs life exposed.

When I read Katie Lowe’s stunning debut The Furies i knew i would be prepared to follow her anywhere. I was thrilled to receive a copy of this from #NetGalley and #HarperCollinsUK.
This thriller about a wife who appears to be slowly losing her grip on reality is difficult to put down. Completely on form as it is broken up into “episodes” from the podcast and with a flickering timeline that leaves you walking along a razor edge.
Katie Lowe is exceptional in her craft, particularly her ability to write female protagonists with complex personalities. What she created in both The Furies and here are women you can imagine walking off the page.

A dark, disturbing page turner.

A complex thriller with some good twists along the way. The use of a, seemingly ubiquitous, true crime podcast and the fallout for some of the people exposed in them dealt with a contemporary issue in an interesting way. Not wanting to give spoilers, but I wasn't as convinced by Hannah's work as a psychiatrist as I was by other parts of the book, but over all a very enjoyable read.
Thank you to netgalley and Harper Collins for an advance copy of this book

Enjoyable fast paced thriller. Although the story left a lot of crumbs, I didn’t guess the ending which is always a sign of a good book.

This is a gripping story, with numerous clever twists. However, I felt it was trying a bit too hard to be clever, and the ending seemed rather rushed. I also felt it was similar to a number of other books I have read recently.

Didn’t realize I had already read this book under a different title. POSSESSION. So here’s my review for it!
A bit dark, a lot disturbing and graphic, if like me this is something you love in books, grab now; if not walk away! Well written, chilling, thrilling, shocking, and gruesome as heck! Very well developed in character and plot! Read two books with similar underlying themes, but was able to enjoy both greatly, because they were so unique! I love how authors are taking plots that’s been done many times, and creating their own unique spin, making it fun and original to read! If you too enjoy this, I highly recommend this book, as by starting you’ll see it’s not a completely uncommon plot, but I promise the author surely makes it stand out! Lots of graphic scenes, so if not your thing, again I’m warning choose another, if it is, it’s a must read! Clear your schedule, it’s hard to put down!
Will make sure to buzz it around platforms and use low Amazon reviewer number on release date!

This is my first book by Katie Lowe and it won't be the last!

I devoured this book in two days and LOVED IT! There is no spoilers in my review, that's for you to find out by reading this wonderful book of lies, more lies, secrets, love, revenge, coercion, betrayal and much more. Some chapters could have been shorter but did not detract from the story which moves along nicely throughout the book. I loved the atmosphere throughout the book. A modern, up-to-date story with snappy writing.

I would recommend this novel.

I give a 4 start rating

I WANT TO THANK NETGALLEY FOR THE OPPORTUNITY OF READING AN ADVANCED COPY OF THIS BOOK FOR AN HONEST REVIEW.

This is a powerful and scary book. Coercive control and gaslighting dominate the story of poor, desperate, Hannah.
At the start of the story, Hannah's husband Graham is murdered. Hannah is able to start a new life, but not without a cloud of suspicion hanging over her.
It soon becomes clear that Hannah lives with permanent self-doubt. Flashbacks show how much Graham and other men controlled her. It is as if she had a sign on her head: abuse me.
Two elements arrive to disturb Hannah's life. One is an old colleague, Darcy, who is now what she seems. Another is Conviction: a true crime podcast that is very zeitgeisty. The podcast sets out to prove that the man convicted of Graham's murder is innocent.
Suddenly, old faces come out of the darkness. Her relationships deteriorate, and Hannah thinks she is losing her mind. Did she really kill her husband? The only way to find out is to read The Murder of Graham Catton. You'll be glad to did.

Hannah Catton’s husband, Graham (perfect in every way), was murdered ten years ago, and Mike Philips has been imprisoned for the crime. Hannah has moved on, she’s now with partner Dan, and they’re living in Hawkwood with Hannah’s daughter Evie. Hannah is a psychiatrist working in a clinic for eating disorders and understands the psychology of the mind.

Journalist Anna Byers runs a popular podcast “Conviction” where she investigates cases where the perpetrator might be innocent, and has helped overturn guilty verdicts. Mike Philips has always protested his innocence, so Anna is planning to look into the case. And she has Hannah in her sights as the guilty party.

Unfortunately, Hannah can remember nothing of the night of the murder but she goes through trial by social media, and her life starts to spiral out of control.

A gripping thriller.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for an advance reader copy in return for an honest review.

This is a book that makes you think. It turns typical crime fiction/psychological thriller on its head by showing no justice at the end of the book. Unfortunately, as a reader who had invested time into the main character of the book, this felt like a cop out. It may be that in real life there is no retribution, but this is fiction! I really enjoyed the social media aspect of victimisation, but surely this crossed the line of believable? The main character could/would have sued for defamation of character at the very least. I’m afraid I cannot suspend belief when I’m shouting at my kindle!!! As a true fan fan of the puzzle element of crime fiction, I would have liked a few more pointers towards the perpetrator before the final couple of chapters. Very rushed ending in my opinion, with no real tying up of the ends.

#TheMurderOfGrahamCatton #NetGalley
Darkest read of 2021.
Graham Catton was the perfect husband, professor and father. Why would someone murder him? His wife, Hannah Catton, tells the police she remembers nothing from the night of the murder. Why would she lie to them? Evidence against the accused, Mike Philips, is minimal and he protests his innocence throughout the trial.Why would they convict him?Journalist Anna Byers has overturned numerous prison sentences with her popular podcast CONVICTION and she believes the wrong man is behind bars.What will she do to help him?Someone knows more about the murder than they’re telling.
Who? Find out in the book.
I loved it and finished it in two days. It was really a dark read.
Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK Harper Fiction for giving me an advanced copy of this book.

I loved this book!!
The Murder of Graham Catton follows Hannah Catton as the murder of her late husband is dug up on a crime podcast.
This book has a gothic feel throughout, it's dark and menacing and twisty. Perfect. And that ending!!!!

With thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins for the chance to read and review.

I never repeat the blurb. This could have been good, but even as a survivor of abusive and coercive control, it didn't do it for me. It was too rambling, too contrived. Just not my cup of tea.

The kind of twisty mind bending psychological thriller that I love with an unreliable narrator (tick) a podcast theme (double tick) plus great writing and an unpredictable if sometimes convoluted plot that keeps you hooked throughout the story.

Fuller review nearer publication.
Comment

The Murder of Graham Catton intrigued me at the start but didn’t fulfil the promise. I usually enjoy books with unreliable narrators and the character of Hannah was well developed. However, the rest of the story was disjointed, with too much going on, predictable and full of usual platitudes - mental health issues, domestic abuse, loss of memory, which later conveniently comes back, best friend that is sleeping with the husband etc. I listened to this on audio and narrator was very irritating, talking in unnatural voices that all sounded the same.