Chidgey has once again proven herself a master of atmosphere and psychological complexity in The Book of Guilt: a novel that is as chilling as it is exquisitely written. With eerie precision, Chidgey draws readers into the closed world of Vincent, Lawrence, and William, triplets living in Captain Scott House, a place where truth is malleable and control is masked as care.

Set in 1979 England, this haunting tale unfolds within the unnerving structure of the Sycamore Scheme - a dystopian medical experiment shrouded in secrecy, where orphaned children living in group homes across the country are reared to exacting standards, given medications to help them resist “The Bug” and, by and large forgotten by the rest of society.

Our triplets are raised under the constant vigilance of “Mothers”, and their lives are centred around three texts: The Book of Dreams, The Book of Knowledge, and The Book of Guilt. This last one casts the longest shadow, chronicling every perceived moral failure and holding potential sway over the children’s future.

The triplets cling to the hope of recovering from their array of symptoms because that means they’ll move on to the Big House in Margate, a magical place they imagine filled with sun, sea, and fairground rides galore.

Chidgey’s storytelling is hypnotic, measured, taut, and steeped in creeping dread. She reveals the darkness of the boys’ world layer by layer, never rushing, always holding the reader in a state of anxious fascination.

As the boys begin to question the life they’ve grown up in, what unfolds is not just a gripping narrative but a profound meditation on indoctrination, identity, and the human cost of systems that decide who is worthy and who is not. Chidgey doesn’t rely on twists for shock; instead, she weaponises atmosphere and suggestion, allowing the horrors to infuse slowly.

Disturbing, elegant, and deeply affecting, The Book of Guilt is the kind of novel that leaves you changed. Long after you close the cover, you’ll find yourself haunted by its questions and the aching humanity at its core. Don’t let this one pass you by.

Many thanks to the publisher for the opportunity to read via NetGalley. As always, this is an honest review.

Catherine Chidgey has become one of my new favourite authors, having read her novel Pet as part of our rebelreadersbookclub. When Catherine announced that she had a new book being published in 2025, I jumped at the chance to read an #arc of The Book of Guilt. Thank you, John Murray and netgalley. I avoided all reviews and snippets as much as possible as I went into her book Pet completely blind and wanted a similar experience with this one.
Set in the late 70s in England, orphaned children are homed by the government in isolated residential care homes dotted around the country in rural villages. One such home is Scott House, which is part of a hidden and inconceivable government scheme known as the Sycamore Scheme. We meet triplets William, Lawrence, and Vincent, who are dressed in assigned colours of red, green, and yellow and dressed accordingly. It starts off like a quaint post ww2 story set in a decrepit big house near a little village with the boys being cared for by nurses known as Mother Morning, Mother Afternoon, and Mother Night. Their actions are closely monitored by each mother and their behaviour, good and bad, and dreams are all recorded in great detail in the The Book of Guilt. The boys are given medication daily to fight a ‘bug’ , yet as time goes on the boys question why the children are leaving to the place of dreams, the ‘Big House’ in Margate and why are they the last in the home and when will they get to go to Margate.
I really don’t want to delve deeply into the story or characters as I want it to blow your mind as it did mine. The overwhelming sense of foreboding grows at such a slow pace that, at times, you are led into a false sense of security. Catherine’s prowess at creating characters you easily love, hate, fear and pity all in one go is second to none and you never know what secrets will be unearthed or lie ahead, but you can guarantee that you will be shocked (jaw on the floor shocked). This is such a clever and compulsive read, and I’m not usually one that enjoys a book with even slight dystopian themes, yet this book felt so realistic and, in that sense, utterly terrifying Catherine is also incredibly talented at transporting you back to eras gone by with her use of current affair references, music, and toys … the list goes on. I’m really struggling not to go into any more of this incredible tale, but I will say this, The Book of Guilt has been my book of 2025 to date and I feel it will be impossible to beat for originality and characters. A book that will stay with me for years … imagining the ‘what ifs’ . Thank you, John Murray and Netgalley, for the chance to read this arc. #thebookofguilt is due to be published on 22nd May – make sure to read this one, it’s fantastic!!

A very effectively told story of a world with a slightly alternate history and the ethical consequences of undefeated and accepted fascism. It might as well be a story of our future, considering the direction things have been going for the last decade. I really enjoyed peeling back the layers of the narrative and at the same time realizing with increasing horror the magnitude and implications of what is happening (I'm trying not to spoil it). It's incredible what Catherine Chidgey has done, and I was hooked from the first page. The only thing I liked less is a short section at the end that explains everything in the novel. It was unnecessary and repetitive. I would have preferred even less telling and much more showing, letting us fish in the dark, or rather sepia, as the novel plays very well with the 1970s nostalgia. I suppose this aspect would work even better with British readers, who are much more familiar with cultural references of the time than I am.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (and then some)

You know that rare reading experience when a book unfurls in your hands like a blood-red rose—beautiful, dangerous, and layered with quiet menace? That’s The Book of Guilt. It doesn’t announce itself loudly. It slips into your consciousness, petal by petal, and before you know it, you’re gripped, unnerved, and whispering what the hell is going on to an empty room.

Set in a chillingly plausible alternative Britain, Catherine Chidgey’s novel operates with all the precision of a scalpel and the emotional weight of a confession. From the opening lines, there’s a sense of something not quite right—Vincent, Lawrence and William are triplets living under the gentle tyranny of three ‘Mothers’ in a government-run home where sins are recorded, dreams are documented, and the ultimate aspiration is to be chosen for Margate. (Yes, that Margate. But not as you know it.)

The writing hums with dread. It’s subtle and sophisticated—no fireworks, no gore, just that creeping sense that the world you're in has slipped a degree off its axis. Chidgey’s slow-reveal mastery is on full display here: the truth arrives like mist off the sea, and by the time you realise the extent of the horror, you're already in too deep to turn back.

The speculative premise—copies, created in labs, grown into children, monitored, medicated, and eventually disposed of if they show “deviance”—is a staggering metaphor, and a gut-punch critique of systems that dehumanise in the name of progress. These are children who “weren’t the same,” who drank their tea differently, wore colour-coded shirts, and were punished for things they never chose. And yet—they dreamed. They loved. They suffered.

I was floored by moments like this:

“We didn’t know the name of our sickness, and its symptoms varied from month to month and boy to boy: we just called it the Bug…”

Or this:

“We knew the basic set-up, but we put it out of our minds, the same way we ignore the origins of our pork sausages.”

You see what she’s doing, right? Chidgey doesn’t preach—she implicates. She turns the reader into a complicit observer. The “copies” become a mirror, and the reflection is uncomfortably human.

Vincent’s narration is beautifully controlled—fragile, intelligent, full of small griefs that bloom into larger ones. Nancy, living an eerily domestic life that slowly intersects with the boys', becomes a second axis of emotional weight. And as for William—cruel, chaotic William—the relationship between him and Vincent wrecked me. It’s about the kind of love that hurts and binds at once.

“And yet, I loved William better. I still can’t explain that, but perhaps you can understand—perhaps you have loved in that way too.”

Yes. I have. That line alone earns this book its stars.

There’s no clean resolution. No sermon. Just this quiet devastation that stays with you. You think you’ve reached the end, and then Chidgey throws in one last quiet horror:

“We were ever so relieved when we found out it wasn’t an actual boy.”

Reader, I stopped breathing.

Fans of Never Let Me Go, The Handmaid’s Tale, or We Are Not Ourselves will find a familiar ache here—but The Book of Guilt is entirely its own creation. And I mean that in every sense.

It’s smart, unsettling, achingly tender in places, and deeply, deeply political. But most of all, it’s necessary. Chidgey is writing at the top of her form. And this book? This book is a classic in the making.

Thank you to John Murray and NetGalley for the ARC—I will be thinking about this one for a long, long time.

This was a brilliant read - suspenseful, eerie, philosophical, and completely unexpected. This is a masterclass in world-building and nostalgia - I was completely bowled over by Catherine Chidgey's skill for storytelling. I'm hesitant to reveal any spoilers, so will simply say: this is already one of the strongest publications of 2025. A captivating work that reminds you why you first fell in love with reading.

The Book of Guilt is one of those novels that appears all innocent on the surface. Following the dynamics of a group of triplets in a boarding house sounds wholesome until a menacing vibe slowly unfolds. The book is set in a post WWII society where the ethics of scientific research have taken a different turn to what we recognise today. The psychological intrigue, the dystopian vibes and the sinister undertones had me reaching for this at every opportunity. Deeply disturbing but also heartfelt at the same time, this one was an emotional rollercoaster.

Catherine Chidgey’s The Book of Guilt is a masterclass in controlled dread—elegantly structured, disturbingly precise. It peels back its layers with agonising care, letting the full horror surface only when you’re too deep to look away.

This book doesn’t just unnerve; it indicts—unflinching in its portrayal of institutional cruelty and the quiet machinery of dehumanisation. A scathing, timely echo of past transgressions which still have unnerving resonance today.

It hums authentically with the cold, clinical paranoia of ‘70s British TV—the kind of story that might have slotted beside a Nigel Kneale Play for Today—where the real terror is the state, and the monsters are bureaucratic, banal, and entirely human.

The trajectory may feel inevitable, but Chidgey never plays all her cards at once. There are moments here—sharp, awful, unforgettable—that hit like electric shocks.

One or twice I found myself putting this book down, taking a couple of breaths, looking into the middle distance for a moment, and letting the enormity settle…

It’s hard to describe this novel without giving spoilers. A few hints…a house, triplets, mothers, trust, care, institutions, nature vs nurture, dreams and the greater good.
This is an atmospheric and eerie book, perfectly judged – the circumstances are not so far from the familiar that it seems absurd but close enough to cause alarm at how off-key things are.

You will sense that things are not right but the subtlety, timing and assurance of Chidgey’s writing is impressive and you may find yourself on the wrong path or not being able to see the bigger picture. The realisation of what is happening begins but there is no resolution as just when your instincts are alerted, Chidgey effortlessly moves the goalposts, your perpective and the fortunes of those within the story.

It is very much a story of outsiders and there is a lot of mystery. The characters, however feel very real and fully fleshed out. It is certainly compelling and there are some really chilling moments. Everything will be revealed at the end but there is such a lot to think about afterwards. A powerful read, this is the first of Chidgey’s books that I have read, but I am very keen to read her back catalogue now. She is definitely an author to watch. A superb novel with aspects of Handmaid’s Tale, Coraline & Never Let me Go. You will also never be able to think of Margate in the same way again!!

This is the first Catherine Chidgey I’ve read, but it certainly won’t be the last. Vincent is the main narrator in The Book of Guilt, and his 13yo voice is convincing and compelling throughout. We gradually gather additional knowledge from Nancy, and through their interactions with various adults; some trustworthy, some much less so. At first, I thought this was another iteration of Never Let Me Go, but before long it became clear that it was a much darker exploration of man’s heedless pursuit of power and knowledge, regardless of the price paid by the innocent. A book on two levels, looking hard at the ethics of medical progress and how society so easily rationalises the most heinous acts as long as the majority benefit; but also a clever mystery that gallops along, gathering pace, keeping the reader guessing. Astonishing, beautiful, heartbreaking, and admonitory - I’ll be pressing this into the hands of everyone I know. It is certainly going to be our book club read later this year!

I’m finding it difficult to say what I feel about this book. Parts of me wanted to stop reading but I needed to see where it was going. The story is excellent , very unique and ideal for a book club. Plenty to talk about. It definitely gave me the chills. There has been a lot of hype around this book including trailers and quizzes. Early readers are calling it the book of 2025. I agree it is good but I have read other books this year that I, personally, have enjoyed more. I do think The Book of Guilt is destined to become very popular.
Thank you to Netgalley and the author for the opportunity to read and review this book.

What an intriguing and unusual book, the Book of Guilt is. Set in the New Forest (much mention of the ponies) in the 1970s, but after a very different outcome of the war in 1945. In describing the life of triplets Vincent, Lawrence and William, who are identified by their carers by the colours they wear. As the story unfold, it becomes apparent that the children are different. I found it a hard read, as I am sure was planned, as I was so worried about the children (especially lovely Vincent, who was the voice of much of the book) and what would become of them. Parallel to the boy’s story, we find Nancy, living an isolated life with her parents. As the links are revealed, there are many questions and shocking answers.
If you like chilling and dark - this is for you. It is clever, well written and haunting. It will stay with you.
(Personal note - I was a residential social worker in my twenties and was slightly disturbed by the Mothers. At the time (1980s) the kids called us 'aunt' - so you can imagine how the book made me feel!)

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for an arc of this incredible book. 'The Book of Guilt' is a story that will haunt you long after the final page. It took me a few chapters to get into but Lawrence, William and Vincent's story captured me as it slowly unfolds and the truth dawns. I loved how it loosely sets the scene for the 197o's with fact and fiction melding. It's well written, often disturbing and dark, and one that will be perfect for discussion in book groups. This may well be among my top rated reads for 2025 and its definitely one I will recommend.

Vincent, Lawrence and Williams are triplets living with their 3 mothers. They are not allowed to watch TV, every morning their dreams are being noted down and medicine has to be taken. Everything bad is written down in the "book of guilt". And all the villagers hate them. But why?
A brilliant novel that had me reading till the early morning. Wonderful eerie atmosphere. Unfortunately the tagline mentioning Ishiguro and "never let me go" takes away from discovering the big twist for yourself and I would have wished not knowing this before. The topics of Nature vs Nurture, what makes humanity and how far should we go for science are really thrillingly embedded here. The characters are memorable and I found myself shocked more than once. This was my first book by this writer, but definitely not the last.

Such a stand out read - hugely intelligent, thought provoking and mind blowingly unique. I was privileged enough to be allowed to read an advance copy of this very talented author's last novel, Pet, which was, as predicted, an instant success. This new novel far exceeded all my expections and will surely be an even bigger best seller. Can't wait to see what comes next!

Wow! Why have I never come across Catherine Chidgey before? This book was amazing. A slightly alternative view of the world after WW2 but it takes a little while to realise this. Then the slightly creepy, horrific truth is revealed slowly and you're hooked. I enjoyed every word and couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen next. I will definitely be looking up the author's other books. Recommended++
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy. All opinions are my own.

Identical triplets lead a sort of Enid Blyton type childhood in a big house with devoted mothers but they have to take medicine and never see any other children. Vince is our narrator and he notices things and tells us but he accepts his life. Nancy lives an equally cozy life with elderly parents but if someone calls she is hidden in the wardrobe. Told through innocent eyes we gradually see a wider picture revealed. A really good read.

Electric, disturbing, alternative historical thriller : no spoiler review

Its almost impossible to be able to do justice to this one, as its crucial, I think, to read this without any guidance on plot, character – or even ‘what is this about’

The product blurb writers have done splendidly in avoiding those pitfalls. So, I was happily available, offered this as an ARC, to request this. I read no other ARC reviews, only took a gamble on the fact other advance reviewers (including those I respect) were 5 starring. And of course, the cover and the title looked an unsettling combination, and the clever blurb snagged my interest. And I discovered that Chidgey has written other books, and praise seems to be showered on her.

So : all I will say is that this is set from a time in English history dating from mid-world war 2, but primarily covering the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s, although not exactly as they happened. This has disturbing elements of the kind of subversive, speculative, dysfunctional approach to ‘real history’, ‘real events’ that a writer like Margaret Attwood explores. And Chidgey manages this in as unsettling, thought provoking way as Atwood, so that the reader looks at our present time, and will for sure see what Chidgey explores, far too close for comfort. Yes. I know, I’ve explained nothing, only burbling dark hints.

All I can really say is that the layers and twists Chidgey carefully reveals are shocking, credible, sometimes will have been signalled by Chidgey so that you know what’s coming, and sometimes happen like bombshells – you are taking a journey at times which mirror what certain characters in the novel are finding out alongside you, but sometimes you will know more than the characters do. There is a first person voice, there are third person voices, some of whom are trying to find ‘the truth’ and some of whom are trying to hide the truth.

Utterly brilliant, horrific, disturbing, sweet and also, affirmative. Me, I’m scurrying towards Chidgey’s earlier books

Catherine Chidgey is such a talented writer - incredible world building, engaging characters and a thought provoking and suspenseful story. Centred around 3 brothers who live in a care home, it's a modern day creation story with layer upon layer peeling back to reveal the awful truth about the origins of the triplets. It's the kind of provocative and chilling novel that stays with you long after you have finished reading.

I really enjoy speculative fiction as a genre and it’s something that I don’t come across particularly regularly in my reading, so I was excited to request The Book of Guilt.

William, Lawrence and Vincent live in one of the last remaining Sycamore Houses: they record their dreams in the Book of Dreams and report their sins into the Book of Guilt. They are watched over by Mother Morning, Mother Afternoon and Mother Night. They aspire to be deemed good enough to be taken to Margate, a fate that all their friends have met before them. However, a new government has different ideas for the Sycamore Houses and the world as they know it is about to change forever.

The writing of The Book of Guilt is in my favourite type of style, where everything is slowly drip-fed to the reader. There’s a lot to unpack here with the routines and regimes of the boys inside the house and the politics of what is happening outside. The story is told from three perspectives – Vincent; one of the triplets, the Minister of Loneliness; who is newly responsible for the Sycamore scheme and Nancy; who we initially are unsure of how her narrative fits into the story. We find out early on that we are running at a slightly different timeline to our current day, and this is done in a really simple way that all readers will understand without needing to spell it out too hard and ruin the realism of the piece.
I don’t want to say much more, for fear of ruining the story and giving away spoilers. It kept me guessing throughout though and is paced well to ensure that you are hooked. I also really felt for the boys, and it genuinely is quite moving in places. It has a lot of twists and turns, provokes a lot of psychological questions, and it has left an impression on me long after I turned the final page.

Overall, The Book of Guilt is speculative fiction at its finest and kept me hooked throughout. Thank you to NetGalley & John Murray Press for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed reading this, but ended up a bit on the fence about it. There’s a huge amount there for fans of high-concept alternate histories and dystopian fiction, and Catherine Chidgey has created a world that is chilling both in the parts of it we don’t recognise and the parts that we do. The stylised, allegorical-seeming elements of the triplets’ life in the Sycamore Home are vivid and compelling, and the masterly control with which she gradually reveals the dark truths they conceal only heightens the sense of disorientation and unease. However, tonally the book felt a bit uneven to me, as though as it wasn't entirely sure whether to be a literary thought experiment or a more commercial thriller. Structuring the narrative through the various characters’ points of view necessarily limits the context, and it ends up touching on its central themes of bodily autonomy, social ethics and determinism only lightly. The time-skip of the ending felt a bit abrupt, and left me wanting more - in particular, I didn’t feel like I had a good sense of what Vincent wanted or his own view of himself or his place in the world, although that ambiguity may have been the point. All in all, I was fascinated by the story on the page, but I wanted to love it more than I did, and I think not connecting more strongly with the characters throughout was maybe the missing piece for me.
Thanks to John Murray Press and NetGalley for the ARC.