Bold premise with a psychopath at the prestigious private school. Lots of intriguing characters and mini plot twists, but personally I found the fact that none of the characters were likeable or relatable meant that I couldn’t connect to the book. It was difficult to care what happened next when I didn’t care about any of the characters! However, it was an intriguing book with vivid (albeit unlikeable) characters. Thank you for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

This is so crazy, it’s unputdownable! Teddy Crutcher is so arrogant and psychotic he makes so skin crawl! He is the English teacher at the prestigious Belmont Academy, where he recently won Teacher of the Year. The chapters are short and told in POVs, I only wished there were more development with the other characters. Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin, and author for a gifted copy. This is my honest review.

I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would given it's full of fairly awful, but greatly depicted, characters. The storyline flows making it an easy read keeping the reader captivated with many twists and turns as more happens. It's not guessing the perpetrator or the mystery of the many murders but how convoluted the cover up becomes. Certainly no sympathy for any of the characters except for perhaps Courtney. In parts there were some quite funny passages and scenarios. Worth a read and I shall be looking out for this author again.as she is new to me.

I loved the novel. It's very different in style from My Lovely Wife, but it’s page-turning in its own unique way. The characters are virtually all ghastly, but you become gripped as you follow them throughout the story.

The central character, Teddy Crutcher, teaches at a prestigious private academy in the US, the Belmont Academy, where he was once awarded Teacher of the Year. The emphasis he places upon this honour, and his concern that it should be duly noted and praised, and his achievement recognised, characterises him from the outset of the novel to be pompous and self-obsessed, and the reader soon realises that despite the way he justifies himself by saying that everything he does is for the good of his pupils or colleagues, he despises some of them, and is more focused on what is for his good, not theirs.

Just as Terry Crutcher is concerned about the way he appears to the people around him, so, too, the novel has appearance as a theme, specifically the difference between appearance and reality. The reader knows, through dramatic irony, that beneath Terry Crutcher’s veneer of respectability, resentment simmers and murderous thoughts.

When a member of the school committee dies soon after the opening of the novel, we know that she was a victim of foul play, even though she wasn’t necessarily the intended victim, and the reader knows from the outset the identity of the killer, rather like with some of the televised Scandi Noir novels, such as the Those Who Kill series, which reach the British audience via BBC4. This makes the novel no less gripping, though, and I avidly turned the pages until the very end.

My thanks to NetGalley and Penguin for an advanced copy for review.

I am a bit 'on the fence' with this book, wasn't as much of a page turner that I thought it was going to be. Overall it was well written but I wasn't keen on the characters or the ending so for me personally I wouldn't recommend this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin (Michael Joseph) Publishers for allowing me to read this book.

Belmont Academy is a prestigious private school, attended by the offspring of the wealthy and powerful. Teddy Crutcher has been award Teacher of the Year, an honour he takes very seriously. 

However when a school parent suddenly and unexpectedly dies, the whispers start. Was her tragic and untimely death due to natural causes or is something more sinister afoot?

For Your Own Good is a dark, often witty story and is so different from many other thrillers. This isn’t a whodunnit. We know whodunnit! This is more an exploration of the characters and the nature of a psychopath. I found it to be really cleverly written.

The murderer was cold and calculating and really believed he was doing the right thing. It was a creepy and sinister look into the psyche of murderer who felt his crimes were fully justified. I really enjoyed reading the book from that perspective.

Despite knowing early on who the murderer was, there were still unexpected twists and turns along the way and you’re never quite sure who to trust.

I found the school setting to be really interesting and unique and I loved all the staffroom interactions. The competitiveness and backstabbing amongst the staff was really entertaining to read.

It was a different read from other thrillers, however, I did still really enjoy it.

You can read my full review at https://mmbbookblog.com/for-your-own-good-by-samantha-downing-book-review/

Quite an intriguing story with lots of sub plots, keeping you wondering who is what they say they are and is there more going on

This book takes you on a multiple character story set in a school. I found the descriptions of the teachers hilarious, especially all the coffee drinking. A sinister undertone is set and the story leaves you wanting to know more, hooked into these complex and flawed characters. Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me review this book.

This is a thriller with lots of twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the end. When someone dies in the local school we may have our suspicions about who has killed them but then the events that follow really throw you off the scent never quite knowing who to trust.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved the author's debut novel My Lovely Wife so was excited to read, this , her third novel. For Your Own Good is a gripping, fast paced and hugely enjoyable thriller set in a prestigious American private school. I loved Downing's characterisations and the viewpoints of a variety of characters including the killer. The novel also explores the more serious issue of the pressure faced by many of pupils at such schools. A highly recommended read.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital ARC.

A very easy yet disappointing read.

This is such a strange book to review because whilst I read it all I’m just a bit confused as to what type of book this should be classed as.

Teddy is an unusual character, well read/educated, a bit of a recluse, perfectionist, traditionalist and ultimately a bit of a psychopath! This should’ve been enough to propel the story to exhilarating heights. But I felt that Teddy never really got unleashed. Yes, he did bad things, yes he did odd things too but how did I feel about him? I’m clueless. I wanted to hate him, love him, be scared of him or cheer his corner. But because he was so ‘flat’ I never developed any strong emotion towards him as a lead character.

The book is written in the first person and told from multiple characters perspectives. Its writing is styled in a way that you know what the ‘plan is’, you read about ‘the plan’ being set in motion and then you witness the repercussions. But the author simply forgot to leave anything out. So there are no twists, there’s nothing shocking or thought provoking - the book simply travels along its neat little road that’s clearly labelled from start to finish.

To add ‘interest’ the chapters are full of irrelevant detail. It’s fun to read but don’t be duped into thinking any of it is plot centric.

Not one for me. Thanks to NetGalley for my advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

To begin, I’d like to thank Michael Joseph for sending me an ARC of this book, and to NetGalley for facilitating. And (as always) a huge thank you to Samantha Downing for yet another thrilling read!

No spoilers as usual in this review.

Wow. I have read Samantha Downing’s previous titles and really enjoyed them (My Lovely Wife was my favourite), and this book was no exception! It’s such a refreshing take to have most of the narrative from the killers perspective - something that I loved about My Lovely Wife.

This book was gripping, funny, strange, interesting and thrilling. I loved the character development within the book and although Teddy isn’t “likeable”, I found myself almost liking him! Lol! That’s some talent there!

I would definitely recommend this book - especially to those who love this genre but are getting a little bored of the tired old “troubled cop tries to hunt serial killer by going off-book” scenario. This is refreshing! I loved it!

3.5/5
I was really pleased to be approved for this book after loving 'My Lovely Wife' I think its fair to say enjoyed this latest offering from Samantha Downing, however I wasn't blown away. I felt like I wanted more depth and substance throughout, although the story arc in general terms was great. Teddy was intended as an extremely unlikeable character, although I found myself without an opinion towards him either way. I still rate Samantha's work and would definitely pick something up by her in the future.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book on exchange for an honest review.

I loved this.

One prestigious school, one entitled teacher, death, accusations, also refreshingly not a whodunnit but more a story of consequences..and you spend the read wondering exactly what those consequences may be.

Samantha Dowling does characters so so well, you get caught up in their world, dark twisted tales of things that sit just beneath the surface.

Full review for August publication but I highly recommend this.

I’m so glad I loved this book! My first Samantha Downing book was ‘My lovely wife’ and I absolutely loved it. But recently read ‘He started it’ and really couldn’t get onboard. ‘For your own good’ keeps you hooked from the start and makes you want to know more so you’re always saying to yourself “just one more chapter”. Highly recommend!!

Teddy is teacher of the year at Belmont, but is he really all he seems. When a parent dies what is the truth, is it murder? Then others die too. Who is the killer? What is their motive?
As a teacher myself the premise of this book intrigued but it didn't quite deliver. Its not really a thriller as we know who is poisoning people and why, more it's a nicely ironic tale of wrongful arrest etc. Teddy is not enough of a rounded character for me take a connection and tue end disappointed

Teddy Crutcher teaches at the prestigious Belmont Academy. But Teddy isn't just any teacher - he's recently been awarded the prestigious accolade, "Teacher of the Year." Teddy pushes his students hard - all he wants is for them to achieve their potential, and he'll do anything to make that happen. After all, it's for their own good.

I liked the original premise for this novel, and I was intrigued by the character of Teddy. I did like the overall story and found it an enjoyable and engaging read - however, I wish it had been fleshed out a little more. Some of the deaths and other plot events were so abrupt that I wondered if I'd turned over too many pages and missed a bit of the narrative. I did love that the central character was such an anti-hero, and there were some interesting ideas here.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher, who granted me a free ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

A private school filled with secrets, lies, interfering parents and narcissistic teachers.

This was okay. I am an absolute fan of Samantha and her books but I did not love this one.

I did like the school setting. I thought that was an interesting premise for the story.

However, I wouldn't call this a thriller. Dramatic irony is quite prevalent in this story so the reader knows a lot of the secrets and we're just waiting for the other characters to find out. This is not my personal preference when it comes to this genre.

This book is full of unlikeable characters and we are meant to dislike them but I didn't dislike them enough to care about what happens to them thus, not really caring about the story.

All in all, this was okay but I am left feeling underwhelmed.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for this arc. I adored Downing’s debut novel, so was excited to be approved with this, and what a ride For Your Own Good is.

This follows a high school English teacher called Teddy, who teaches in a private school. It’s full of affluent and privileged students. There’s a host of other characters, including a teacher called Sonia and Frank, who have their own issues. Then we have a student called Zach, who is on Teddy’s shit-list due to his entitled, smug nature. Things kick into gear when a parents gets poisoned at a school do...

There’s a lot of plot here. Things happen fast. Chapters end on cliffhangers and it makes you want to read one more. The characters themselves are all relatable and delicious. Imagine all those things that annoy you daily dialled up to a hundred. The best thing about Downing’s writing is her voice, which is spiky yet gripping. My only gripe is that I did find the second half drags on, and I found the murder element got predictable. There just wasn’t enough surprises for my taste, and I found the ending disappointing. Nonetheless these flaws aside this is still a sucker punch of a novel with a satirical critique of the American schooling system, and class privileges. I was completely hooked through and through 4/5.

Wow well this has put me off private school for life if it’s so cut throat and dangerous as this one lol. These teachers and students are all really ruthless and I struggled to find anyone I really liked but I love the story and think this would be great as a drama on tv as it’s full of twists and turns on every page.