I was given this book by NetGalley for an honest review-
David is hurt in an explosion that kills 11 people. David is in a coma. David may not be able to speak but he can hear - and soon he will discover what happened, and why, and who is to blame, and what will become of him. Imagine hearing but not being able to do anything.

TW: racism, homophobia, transphobia, sexism, child abuse, terrorism/hate-crimes

I'm not really sure how to feel about this book honestly. It was unique, and it definitely stood out amongst other thrillers I've read. However, the writing style did throw me off a bit at first. It took a couple chapters to fully catch onto how the author's writing style was. Some of the things in the book made me uncomfortable as well, but that was most definitely his goal.

Some of the things in this book may be triggering, however, so I suggest being careful if you're interested in reading it.

London in the present-day: an explosion amidst a Pride march leaves eleven people dead, hundreds critically injured and one man is left in a permanent vegetative state. He cannot speak, see, move, or feel anything that is going on around him, but he can think & he can hear. As his identity is unknown & no-one comes forward to claim him at first, they call him David & he becomes the figurehead of protests about the violence against the LGBTQ+ community, & the 'right-to-die' argument. David hears the people who come in & out of his room over the weeks & months of his treatment & conversations which are held, & from these he gradually begins to piece together what happened.

I read this book not having read any of the previous books in the series, so it was different to what I was expecting. I thought it was going to be a thriller about who committed the bombing, but it was about more than that. The author covers some weighty subjects: homophobia, historic child abuse, & a person's right to die with dignity. I thought it brought up some intriguing questions, but I found the constant 'doctor said this', 'nurse said that' a bit of a chore to read - I understand it was necessary due to the condition of the main character but it became a bit tedious - which is a shame as the author definitely has writing talent & some good ideas. The ending is also rather abrupt, but overall, I did like the book enough to download one of the earlier books in the series. 3.5 stars (rounded down on sites which do not allow half star ratings).

My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, BooksGoSocial, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

Loved the plot line of this book -I cannot imagine being aware of my surroundings yet totally unable to respond to any stimuli, move, respond in any manner and felt it would make a wonderful story. Unfortunately, I struggled with the author's writing style (at least in this particular novel - I've not read anything else by Burrows) finding it distracting from the story line.

Locked in by Gideon Burrows.
A massive explosion leaves 11 people dead, hundreds critically injured and one man in a deep coma.David cannot speak. He cannot move. He cannot see. But he can hear.
Brilliant read. What a start. Couldn't put it down. This was a gripping read. 5*.

A thought-provoking and gripping read that I really enjoyed. The writing style is original and unlike other styles that I have read, and although it take me a while to get used to, I really liked it. The story was engaging and compelling and I couldn't put the book down. Twisty and unpredictable and kept me guessing right until the very end, and the ending blew me away. I loved it.

"I realised that people want someone to blame. An easy answer. It's not enough that things just happen, is it? That sometimes, occasionally, the world is a shit place, full of shit people, with shit backgrounds, and poor mental health, and bullies, and crap parents."

Locked In is an unconventional novel that will appeal to those who don't crave neat tidy endings in their crime fiction. It's told from the perspective of a man who is dubbed "David" by first responders when he is pulled from a bombing at the London Pride Festival. Told is perhaps a generous term, because after a traumatic brain injury, David can hear but is non-responsive to all other stimuli.

"With nothing else, noise is to be welcomed. I hear noise, therefore I am." The action in the novel comprises of "David" relaying what he hears around him, from talking to television reports, without any visual clues. His brain injury also makes him a bit of an unreliable narrator, as details of the fatal event that killed 11 people and injured hundreds, come back to him slowly.

This means the reader is left to piece together the motivations for the bombing from these disjointed sources of information, and one-sided conversations between "David" and the advocate appointed to him when he is left medically vulnerable after the explosion with no family coming forward to claim him. So reader beware if you like neatly tied up endings, and smooth flowing narratives, this is a very different sort of book, albeit one with a very interesting premise.

As a nurse, this really appealed to me. However, from the very beginning it was difficult to read, due the full pages of quotations. Then immediately after, there would be no quotations where there should be. I’m not sure on whether to blame this on the author or editor. Good storyline, but poorly executed.

The plot was gripping, presented in a unique way that was thought-provoking and original.

What stopped me from giving it the coveted 5-star rating? Unfortunately, I don't believe the ending was good enough and was bitterly disappointed it ended on a flat note.

This, however, was my first read of a Gideon Burrows book, and I'm thrilled to hear that it's part of an independent series. One I will certainly be catching up on.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher BooksGoSocial for an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Locked In is the next in this gripping and very unique series. Each book in this series has been thought provoking and has stayed with me long after I have turned the last page. This book does not disappoint either. A great mystery thriller with an ending that blew me away. Loved it!!!!

It was a great mystery. I couldn’t have judged the murderer at all. The writing style was quite unique and I loved how the story was presented. The ending was one of the most satisfying ones I’ve ever read and it’s one of the best books of 2022 for sure

5 stars!!!