This was an enjoyable, topical and well written and plotted standalone thriller by an excellent author.

The premise was clever and original whereby released prisoners guilty of heinous crimes yet promised lifetime anonymity have their identities leaked with grisly consequences.

This gripped me from the start and was a rollercoaster of a read.

This was a long read at around 550 pages but it was worth every page!

In the UK, 9 criminals have been given lifelong anonymity on release from prison. Their crimes so horrific that they couldn't possibly re-enter society with the same name and life as they had pre-prison.

The job of the probation service is to ensure that these ex-convicts are closely monitored on release and adhering to their strict licence conditions, leaving behind their past and focusing on their new identities.

However, details of these new identities begin to leak, and not to the media or the general public....the new names and addresses of these criminals are passed solely to the victim's families to allow them to pursue justice of their own, after all, isn't it the bible that says....An Eye For An Eye.

The initial few chapters of this book had me struggling. Not in the writing style or story, both of these were on point throughout, but with the sheer number of characters I had to keep track of. However, after a while the story settled and I got to know them all, criminals, victims and their families.

The story follows a number of ex-convicts who were released after serving time for the most brutal of crimes. Knowing this you go into the book knowing that the main characters are not going to be people who you are rooting for. Animals, beasts, vermin, you've heard all the names they are given but can people change? Can those who have previously committed unspeakable acts ever be forgiven and live normal lives as fully functioning members of society?

And what about revenge? Is this solely for the courts? Or do families have the right to seek justice where they feel the courts have been too lenient?

These are all the questions, and more, which are asked in this book? The other question to ask is....if it happened to a member of your family and you were given the chance for personal retribution, what would you do?

Be prepared for a book which will ask more questions than it answers (in a good way!)

Thanks to Netgalley and Orion for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

This felt a bit slower than the authors other books but I guess it's because it's such a complex topic for the book and one which she wanted to put across very clearly. It does feel a lot more "real" and the questions posed and the dilemmas the characters face are thought provoking to say the least. It's quite an honest take on all sides of the issue and does plant a seed about reform and the justice system etc. Its well written and very cleverly written. I do prefer my fiction books to be based more in fiction and escapism but this is perfect for thriller fans and true crime fans alike

A small number of criminals are given life time anonymity due to the severity of their crimes. If someone exposes these individuals and inflicts their own punishment against them, is an eye for an eye justified?

I wanted to read this as the content sounded like a fascinating read and something a bit different from the usual crime thriller. This definitely made me think and really provokes a moral dilemma. Can someone who has committed the worst crimes imaginable be reformed after a few years and able to carry on living a normal life?

This was a well written, engaging book. Most characters are unlikeable but there are a few that leave you unsure whether to root for them or not. Although I did enjoy the storyline I found that at times I wasn’t completely gripped by the story and some parts were very disturbing! This is definitely an interesting story and will make for great discussion. I look forward to seeing what the author writes next. 3.5 stars. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this early copy in return for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

This was a great stand alone thriller by this author.

There are criminals around the country who have been given a second chance. They’re living under witness protection with new names and new lives. And they largely remain hidden and unknown, until someone starts to expose them. The result is absolute carnage, but some people believe that it should be an eye for an eye.

This was a real thought provoking read, I’m not sure how I’d feel in the position of the victims in this book. It certainly raised questions, and would be a brilliant book club read. The writing was excellent, as always from this author, I’m a huge fan. The characters were well written, and I was quite conflicted on my feelings for them. Which made the book even better.

3.5 stars


This one gave me a lot to think about, so it's going to be a great book for your bookclub.
Is justice actually served by a 5 year sentence? Can people become someone new? Does everyone deserve a second chance?
This book plays both angles well, and has the probation service in chaos.
It's an interesting look at how some things might work, and how some people might truly believe an eye for an eye.

At times, I felt the most likeable people in the book were the criminals...
It's a good one for sure.