Wasn't expecting the twists and turns in this murder thriller, bit far fetched at times as we are talking small town neighbourhoods however it was gripping and was intrigued to see how this ended. So the main plot is to see revenge after a murder however the revenge spiralled out of control. Thank you #NetGalley for the audiobook to review.

I just couldn't get into this book - the premise was good but I think it may have been one of those novels that is better read rather than listened to.

So I tried to start this book 3/4 times before fully committing to it and I must say... after around 30-40% I was close to DNFing... I felt the story was so farfetched that it slightly ruined it for me, I know it's fiction but it still has to be slightly believable for me to fully enjoy it. I persevered, and did finally finish it. I will say that listening to it on audiobook definitely helped, as I think I would've given up if I was reading it myself. It started to turn more toward an adolescent storyline rather than the adult thriller it's marketed as, which isn't quite my vibe. And I really didn't like the fact that the main character Elizabeth stopped calling people by their names so I found that confusing...

I will say that I did not expect some of the turns so it does have that going for it... but I'm struggling to give it more than 2★ sadly...

Thank you NetGalley and Bonnier UK Audio for the AAC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a unique crime story. I loved the narrator, and in all honesty I may not have stuck with the book until the end if it weren’t for her voice. However, the uncertainties I had in the first few chapters quickly fizzled out as I realised what exactly was going on. Unique. Clever. Upsetting and disturbing. A well deserved 4 star 🌟 review!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bonnier UK audio for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook in return for an honest review.

Real rating: 4.5

A really unique novel focusing on our main character, Ella, whose brother Joe dies on a bridge in Middlesborough one evening. On a journey to avenge his death, she finds that people keep confessing to the murders she has committed.

Having a book set in the North East of England and going through certain familiar places was an interesting experience, and I realise the NE is not often the setting for novels, really need to try and read more in this area!

This book really kept me listening, and I found myself rooting for the protagonist despite her doing terrible things. This is a "we believe in women's rights and also believe in women's wrongs" type of book, and I loved that. It was messy and chaotic but incredibly fast-paced in a way that kept me guessing what was going on.

The LGBT+ representation was subtle and creating an interesting aspect to the story (no spoilers of course).

Would definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves a mystery, a revenge story, a story that follows someone doing bad things and being directly in her head. Excellent. The narrator also did an incredible job with the regional accent, so would highly recommend the audiobook version! I will certainly be hoping to read more books by Charlotte Bigland, her writing style is addictive.

<i>I was provided with a complimentary copy of this audiobook by Bonnier UK Audio, Embla Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, which I leave voluntarily. This has not impacted by review or rating in any way :) </i>

This book it's not what I expected it to be.

It's great, but at some point, it got too dark and weird for me as I don't normally enjoy books with multiple murders in it, but it was ok-ish.

The storyline it's very interesting and people who enjoy thrillers with murders would love this one.

Lastly, I want to thank NetGalley, the author and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The novel is about a woman who accidentally kills her friend and tries to cover up her crime, but then learns that someone else has confessed to the murder. The novel is a suspenseful and addictive read that will keep you guessing until the end.

I really enjoyed this book. It was really different from what I expected it was going to be. It started with a young woman and her grief for her recently deceased brother, and I thought it was going to be a sad book about his death. I was wrong! It's much better than that. It was a gripping run of her psychopathy and her reckless reign of revenge. Great narration, four stars.

Elizabeth watches her brother Joe plunge to his death and sets out to avenge those involved. However she’s not the best killer. Luckily someone has her back and is not only tidying up the loose ends she leaves behind each time, but also providing a stooge to take the fall.
Honestly not sure what I make of this book. It was an interesting premise and listening to the audible was enjoyable due to the narrator. But I was frustrated by the way the story was sprinkled with little clues which seemed to lead one way but were snapped up and dismissed before they could be properly considered. Additionally, I found it completely unbelievable that the people she took into her confidence were so relaxed about her murder spree. And finally, whilst the death of her beloved brother made sense when explained, it meant the story fizzled out rather than ended with a ‘wow!’ moment.
With thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and author for this advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest, personal opinion.

I found tbis book very depressing.
It's quite unexpected and has plenty of twists and turns.
Elizabeth is devastated by the death of her brother. It seems to cause a change of personality for her. Transforming from a dedicated student at uni to something quite different,resulting in a very dark tale.
I did like the final section where completing her meal takes precidence!
I was one of the lucky ones, given an audio version so am unsure how the dialect is written. I was so impressed by the ability to make it clear when characters are speaking, that they are from different areas of Northumberland. I have no experience of the area, so it must be good if I can hear the difference. I'm just unsure if it was all the reader's skill or if it was combined with written clues.

I enjoyed the ending and the twisted outcome of the story but it wasn't, unfortunately, an audiobook which made me desperately want to keep listening to hear what the next chapter was to unveil.
The story became more and more unrealistic with the back to back events happening all because of revenge and that the police were never the wiser.
I suppose the lack of interest by Elizabeth was made so blatantly clear not just because she kept repeating it but that lack of name (too old for this flat mate/ fake boyfriend/ ex friend no 1) which I have not seen in other books before.
And I felt that the ending is something that happens all the time, only seeing what someone wants to see, denying events/feelings because it does not suit them.
I did enjoy the ending and that did leave with a "No Way".

So i just could not get on with the narrator on this one, really irritating so i DNF'ed this at 15%. But when the book comes out i may very well go back to it

Loved this unique thriller. Amazing narration which really made the book. I’d highly recommend this audio book

Firstly the narrator was excellent and really made this book! This book was cleverly written and sometimes slow in parts but overall full of twists and turns and I enjoyed following the main character. I would give this 3.75 stars. Thanks to Netgalley for sending me this audio arc in exchange for my honest review, i enjoyed listening to this one!

🎧Audio Book Review🎧

The Confession
Charlotte Bigland

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

I could have listened to this forever!
The combination of the brilliant, exciting and unusual storyline and the perfect narrator made this one of my favourite reads this year!

We start the story in the throes of action as Elizabeth drags her brother, Joe from the water and tries to save his life - he dies!
Deemed an accident, Elizabeth is determined to prove that their older brother Callum pushed Joe - but things don't quite work out that way and soon take a macabre turn.

I thought Elizabeth was so relatable (barring the obvious) and really felt for her more and more as we learn about her upbringing, recent events and how the grief of losing her brother is affecting her.

The secondary characters were all well presented and developed but kept fairly apart from us for quite a while. I liked this as it allowed full focus on our MC and the events taking place.

The story flowed perfectly moving from one crazy event to the next - but as things got more and more complicated, I just got more and more intrigued and I literally could not stop listening to this.

I can't say any more without giving away spoilers - but suffice to say that this hooked me right from page 1 and completely immersed me in its quirkiness throughout. There were so many shocks and twists and a fabulous ending!

I have to say that the cover gives nothing away and as such meant that I left this on the shelf for some time - but it's definitely one I'll be recommending to everyone and reading again!
My first read by this author and I loved it! I'll be checking out their other books very soon.



💕Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my ARC copy - this is my honest review 💕

Full of twists and turns, this book had me listening to the end. Great pace and quite a unique story line. I didn’t pay like any of the characters, but really enjoyed the story line and the ending. I’ll definitely look out for more by this author. Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers.

This is a gritty thriller set in the North of England - the book description is enticing - a young woman witnesses the death of her brother, in a murderous push from a bridge. The police write it off as misadventure. She notices a local busybody video this own her phone. she visits this busybody in her search to uncover the truth and oops.... accidentally kills her (!) - imagine her surprise when someone else confesses to this crime! This is the situation protagonist, Elizabeth finds herself in. You might think the body count ends there... you would be grossly underestimating this book if you were to assume this were the case!!

As an audiobook this works well, being narrated in an authentic voice. This is a book that is contemporary, gritty and entertaining, overall I would recommend it to readers/listeners of contemporary fiction who don't shy away from a murder or 10!

My thanks to NetGalley, author and publisher for the opportunity to review this audiobook in exchange for an advance copy,

Following the death of her brother, Elizabeth is consumed by grief and is on a quest for revenge.

The Confession is a gripping rollercoaster of suspense and psychological twists that kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. Despite the dark nature of the book, the FMC was quirky and hilarious, and that lightened some otherwise heavy scenes.

Elizabeth is a compelling and complex character whose life takes a dark turn when an accidental murder occurs. Bodies are piling up; the lies get more elaborate, and it leaves the reader wondering whether Elizabeth is revealing more than she knows.

The pacing of the novel is expertly done, with each chapter revealing new layers of the mystery, making it nearly impossible to put the book down. The author skillfully plays with the reader's expectations, keeping them guessing until the very end.

The twist at the end unfolded quite beautifully!

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for my free copy of the book.

Thank you Netgally and Charlotte Bigland for letting me read this ARC of The confession.

This is the first book Ive read?listened to by Charlotte and I wasn't disappointed. The narrative is told in first person which really gave the feel of being right inside Ella/Elizabeth's head. The narrator, Freya Parker kept a great pace throughout the book. I have heard her narrate a few other books from audible and recognised her immediately.

The whole narrative of the story has a great medium pace. Some slow bits but I feel are great to build the tension up with the twists and turns as Ella's mental health deteriorates. It's also interesting to see Ella dehumanise the people around her. I did find it a little disorienting at first but it really does show how low Ella was.

On the whole, a great book!

4.5 stars if half stars were allowed.

This is a great book to contemplate in relation to the question of whether characters have to be likeable for us to truly love a story. Like several other recent novels, this one explores the developing psychopathy of the main character, Elizabeth / Ella and despite her humour in places, she is not someone with whom I could say I have been glad to spend time.

It really *does* feel like being inside her head, since the whole narrative is in the first person, which allows the author to explore Elizabeth’s puzzlement when others confess to crimes she has confessed to us she has committed. It also gives an opportunity to convey the faulty logic she develops as her mental health deteriorates.

Apart from her two brothers, Elizabeth doesn’t have access to empathy for the people she describes. Often they are reduced to descriptors, their names stripped away: Step Dad, Step Nan, Friend Number 1, Friend Number 2, The Ex, The Fake Boyfriend … you get the idea.

It seems logical that someone with psychopathy would dehumanise their targets, but it means that as well as being hard for readers to relate to Elizabeth, we don’t have much of a choice of other characters to whom we can become attached - in dehumanising them in her own head our narrator has dehumanised them for us as readers.

It’s extremely clever, and allows for clever twists. But I suspect the distance is also why I can’t wholeheartedly call this a five-star read. I’m really glad I read it, and grateful to NetGalley and the publisher for the AudioARC which I downloaded. But I can’t fall in love with it.

On the other hand, I’m more than a little in love with Charlotte Bigland’s writing and am off to download her earlier novel on Audible.

Three Word Review: clever but cold.