Cover Image: You Had It Coming

You Had It Coming

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Member Reviews

This is a well written murder mystery. It is very gripping. The characters were realistic. This is very tense also

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I would firstly like to thank Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Quite a slow burner overall, but I was certainly intrigued by the premise.
I love stories that make you question what you would do if you were in that same situation.

The different point of views certainly added to the tension of the story, as did the short snappy chapters.
Ended up flying through this book in the end!

Will certainly be reading more from this author.

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I would rate this book 3.5 out of 5 stars.

An interesting thriller with great characters that raises really interesting issues - Can victims be villains? Can villains be victims?

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You Had It Coming is a phenomenal thriller from start to finish. Filled to the brim with twists and a captivating plot, this one is sure to keep readers hooked. The characters are well-developed. The story is incredibly fast-paced. This is one not to be missed! Highly recommended! Be sure to check out You Had It Coming asap.

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Exciting murder mystery that had you hooked from the off. The book was very well written. Great plot. Very exciting. Fast paced to get your heart racing. Loved this book

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I did not finish this book as I struggled with some of the topics the book was mainly focused on. This was just personal preference and nothing against the author as I usually love his books.

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A disturbing twist of fate finds once close friends, Jess and Megan, back at the forefront of police investigations for the murder of William Newson, the defense lawyer who got all charges against the girl's rapists dropped several years prior to his death.

It's a dark, twisted, and deeply unsettling read that has your heartbreaking for the girls and their families when the horror of their stories begins to unfold. Their lives were destroyed by taking the case to court. They deserved justice that they never received for the crime we can only assume was committed against them. Carroll has written the girl's narratives in such a way that it's clear something went horribly wrong on the night they were allegedly raped by Thomas Malouf, and his friend Dylan O'Shea, but it's never proven that they were sexually assaulted. It's never proven that they were drugged at the party, they only have their memories pointing towards that being the case.

It's not difficult to understand why the families involved in the cases would seek revenge for what they'd been through. No one could blame them for it, not even the detectives on the case - no matter how objective they tried to be. The twist was fantastic and I really felt it added that last bit of 'oomph' to the story. This Australian-based psychological thriller can easily keep you on your toes. I really enjoyed it and rate it 4/5 stars.

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Well written book about sexual assault it is done respectfully and is the main focus of the whole book. It had me turning the pages to find out what was happening. Although the book is a slow burner it doesnt take that away from a good book.

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Wow, spoiler alert I LOVED THIS BOOK!

A true legal thriller that John Grisham would be proud of. The heart of the story considers the price of aqutting the guilty based on the defence barrister being so damned good. William Newson is a wodnerfully rich and captivating character and I was genuinely upset when he was shot outside his house. You Had It Coming is a tumultuous psychological suspense novel exploring revenge, shattered reputations, and the true nature of consent. We all know that NOT GUILTY, doesn’t necessarily mean that the crime did not occur and William pays the price for this with his life.

A fantastic read that I highly recommend.

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Firstly a big thank you to Viper for a copy to review on netgalley. I loved her other release under Viper so was excited to read.

I raced through this and loved it.

Fresh, fast pacing with great relatable characters.

Unpredictable and cleverly written.

Incredibly tense and twisty this has you hooked from start to finish .

Published 13th May

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You Had It Coming’ is the latest book by B.M. Carroll.

When paramedic Megan Lowe is called to the scene of an attempted murder, all she can do is try to save the victim. But as the man is lifted onto a stretcher, she realises she knows him. She despises him. Why should she save his life when he destroyed hers? Jess Foster is on her way home when she receives a text from Megan. Once best friends, the two women haven’t been close for years, not since the night when they were just the teenage girls whom no-one believed; whose reputations were ruined. All Jess can think is, you had it coming. Now Megan and Jess are at the centre of a murder investigation. But what secrets are they hiding? Can they trust one another? And who really is the victim?

This book is an emotive one, that stirred a reaction in me from almost every page. Megan and Jess were 2 teenage girls when they were both horribly raped and let down by the police when it was decided that it was consensual and not rape. Years later, as they move on in life, Megan as a paramedic and Jess as a boxer trainer, their pasts reappears when they the lawyer that vilified them as well as their attackers are killed. The women plus the detective investigating the murders have to revisit the case, dredging up old memories and pain.

This book is very current in light of the MeToo movement, women being used as pawns in games of power as well as judged as deserving of the treatment because of their behaviour and how they dress. Both Megan and Jess are interesting characters, their strong with big personalities but the attacks have really impacted on their lives. Brigid Kennedy is investigating the case and it interesting to read her thoughts on the cases and her fears for her teenage daughter as she comes out in her own and develops her own independence.

A striking and thought provoking story about karma and justice, ‘You Had it Coming’ is a reactive story that is filled with so many complex characters that everyone is a suspect in this intense thriller.

You can buy ‘You Had It Coming’ from Amazon and is available to buy from good bookshops.

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ou Had It Coming by B.M Carroll is a tense and twisty psychological thriller. A story set in Australia that I couldn't put down from the minute I started it.
Megan Lowe,who is an experienced paramedic, is called to attend the scene of a shooting. As they arrive,the victim, William Newson, is unconscious and bleeding out quickly. Megan and her partner, Lucas, do everything they can for him. It’s only when they’re putting him into the ambulance that Megan gets a really good look at the man who is just hanging on by a thread And recognises him as the one who ruined her life. Megan rings Jess and tells her the shocking news. She’s stunned to hear her ex-friend’s view of the subject. Jess couldn't have been involved, could she? As the investigation unfolds and the two women find themselves slap bang in the middle of it...everyone had motive and he did have it coming...didn't he?
A story told from three viewpoints, Jess, Megan and D.S Bridget Kennedy. We are thrown straight into it from the first chapter with the promise of secrets to be discovered. We discover that 12 years previously something that Jess and Megan never wanted to remember happened.... and William Newsome was connected. Bridget, the investigating officer provides the police viewpoint if the investigation. As she realises both Jess an Megan's involvement the past is back with a vengeance. The character development is so well done, Bridget may be a policewoman but she has empathy towards these two women. She is a mother of two and B.M Carroll has personified her so skillfully. I think she was my favourite although I am a little torn between her and Jess. I admired how Jess had managed to discover a way to move on i n her boxing.
As the story unfolds we see that the murder has much more than possibly two suspects, they are almost lining up for the honour. Showing us the 'victim' wasn't really a nice man. I loved the twists and secrets of this book. As I read I was attempting to discover the killer and I found although I did work it out I still needed to make sure I was right and did not lessen my enjoyment of this story.
An author I have not read before and I so enjoyed this I am going to check out her other work. A great character driven thriller that I would definitely recommend.
Thanks to Random Things Tours, Viper Books and Net Galley for my copy of the book.

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Interesting topic. Clearly written, easy to read. I found it a bit too slow paced for a thriller - too much time in the past or on present day events that don’t relate to the main story but appreciate its building characters / setting the scene.

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Megan and Jess were best friends. At a party one night when they were young, their drinks were spiked and they were sexually assaulted but were let down by the legal system. This story starts with the death of a lawyer and we find out how the girls are linked to it through the work of Bridget, a detective. You think you know who the killer is but then the plot takes another twist. Really enjoyable book that kept me guessing. Loved the writing and character development.

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I wish I could have loved this, but at more than a third of the way through I still felt completely indifferent about every single character. The three POVs combined with regular flashbacks were a bit much, but in the end I was just left feeling bored. Not exactly what you want from a thriller.

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Thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this book for an honest review.

Great police procedural that kept me guessing. I think I suspected everyone at some point!! Will definitely check out other books by this author!

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Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book. Loved it. A gripping engaging read with twists and turns to hold my attention. Would highly recommend it!

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When paramedic Megan Lowe is called to the scene of a shooting, she knows she will do everything she can to keep the victim alive. She is shocked to discover that the victim is a man she knows; it's William Newson. He is a beloved father, a considerate boss and a strong advocate for the rights of the accused, but Megan despises him. When Jess receives a text message from Megan she is surprised as the two former friends haven’t spoken in years. When she hears of the shooting, she thinks the same thing as Megan – you had it coming.

The author addresses several difficult subjects in the story with sensitivity and without being overly sensational. She focuses on the emotion, the long-lasting effects of what happened and how the trauma causes ripples through life long after the event occurred. There is also a sense of malevolence that runs throughout, hinting at possible guilt at intervals here and there. It is cleverly done and I had my suspicions but no clear idea who the culprit might be or what was going to happen next.

B. M. Carroll's cast of fascinating characters were intriguing to read about. The three narrators: Megan, Jess and Bridget (the detective in charge of the murder investigation) all offered a unique perspective and different insights. While Megan and Jess were both victims of the same crime twelve years ago, the ways it has impacted their lives since were poles apart. Bridget also made a great narrator, though for other reasons; she was investigating the murder, but the author also explored Bridget's perspective from her position as a mother of a teenage son and daughter. A great read with a swift pace, I liked the moral dilemmas the novel presented. Gripping, suspenseful and provocative, I recommend You Had It Coming very highly.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel from Serpent's Tail / Viper via NetGalley at my request and this review is my own unbiased opinion.

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I do love a book with a plot that’s a little bit dark, completely addictive and unpredictable. This book definitely hasn’t disappointed and I’m thrilled to be on the blog tour for this one.

The cover has been enough to catch my attention, the synopsis has aroused my curiosity and the book has left me speechless. What a read this one has been! I have been convinced I knew where it was going but been completely unable to work out where the author was taking this one.

Megan and Jess have been interesting characters and it is evident that the author has researched into the subject area this focuses on. We see how the girls lives have been affected following events from the past.

I have adored the way this is written, it flows and really pulls you in as a reader. This is definitely a book that is difficult to put down and this is one I have devoured in just a few hours.

I have found this an addictive read with wonderful characters and twists that make this completely unpredictable. I have loved this one, it’s definitely a book I’ll be recommending.

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A truly brilliant novel which dealt with the challenging subject of rape with sensitivity.

This book is timely, well observed and deals with the moral issue of helping the person that ruined your life.

I found this absolutely gripping, going from the dilemma to the court and narrating the emotions and experiences in between.

A true triumph of a novel.

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