3.5* The Book of Guilt by Catherine Chidgey will leave you entertained but entirely discombobulated.

Vincent, Lawrence and William are triplets and the last remaining residents living in a secluded home, looked after by their 3 mothers in rotating shifts. Each morning their dreams are written down and each day they follow a set routine; learning from the Book of Knowledge and any transgressions are recorded in the Book of Guilt.

As the shackles around their lives are loosened, they are allowed to venture to the local village and to have visits from other children. Yet they could not imagine how this will change their lives as their interactions with others unravel a decades all government scheme, put in place following a second world war which no side won.

Utterly chilling, this dystopian world has been explored by other authors (sets of 'children' in learning environments and a different reality if the allies had not won the war) but bringing the two together makes for a fascinating story. Beautifully told and hard to second guess, this is a moral maze of a book getting under the skin of many issues. In places a little repetitive (it took me quite a while to get into it) but much of the prose dazzles and it is difficult not to brim with empathy for the main characters.

Thanks to John Murray Press and Netgalley for an ARC

I’ve been so looking forward to reading The Book of Guilt by Catherine Chidgey and it absolutely didn’t disappoint - it’s a really haunting and thought-provoking book with lots going on that will keep you reading late into the night.

It’s hard to review without giving too much away and I’d definitely say it’s best to read it without knowing too much! It centres around triplets who are cared for by ‘mothers’ - we know immediately that there’s something sinister going on but we only discover the truth as they do so it is a slow unravelling of what is going on. There’s also the mysterious ‘Nancy’ who has her own very short chapters as glimpses into her life and there seems to be something strange about the behaviour of her parents too.

It unfolds slowly and you very gradually find out the truth. It’s cleverly written with a really ominous atmosphere throughout. There were times where I felt the plot slowed a little or it got a bit repetitive but I think that this was reflective of the triplets being the central viewpoints so we had to work at their pace.

A very good book that I enjoyed immensely!

This book was phenomenal. It's also one of those books where it is better if you go in as blind as you can. Which makes it hard for me to say much about it. I will try and talk round it though.
It's one of those books where it appears to be slow initially but when things start to become clear you really how far you have come and how much you have actually learned during the initial stages of the book. It's deceptive like that!
We start in 1979 and follow the last three residents of a boys home - triplets Vincent, Lawrence, and William - who are carefully cared for in the Captain Scott Sycamore Home by three female caregivers - Mothers Morning, Afternoon, and Night - who record their lives in three books - The Books of Dreams, Knowledge, and Guilt.
They are the last boys there as the scheme has long ended meaning that no new boys arrive and those who have left have managed to attain the desired outcome - going to live in Margate.
But, as you will eventually discover for yourself, things are not as they seem, as the boys start to find out as their lives start to open up to more people than just their caregivers...
Oh My Days - I really had no idea where we would end up with this book. And it was everything emotional along the way as I started to find out and then descended into something rather shocking. And also rather food for thought as you will understand when you too get there.
As well as following the boys, told by Vincent, we also hear from the Minister of Loneliness who is tasked with the fallout from the scheme ending. And then there's Nancy who you also have to meet cold.
Oh My Days this book ripped at me. Totally had me in all the feels and questioning morals and ethics and all that stuff. It's also rather chilling and scary in parts. I'd love to bang on forever about this book but time and spoilers prevent me. Suffice to say that this would make a brilliant book club book as there is a LOT to discuss and unpack.
I understand that there is quite a lot of hype and build up surrounding this book. Now I am not usually a fan of hyped books, but, and you'll have to trust me on this. The hype is real, believe it!
Finally, this is a new author to me but I am definitely going to be checking out her back catalogue to add to my already stuffed TBR. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Wow what a book! From the very first there is a real sense of unease and of something being not quite right as we meet the dear triplets, living their lives in a home for boys in the New Forest. There is an inevitability and a creeping unease as you gradually realise that all is not what it seems. You are completely swept away by discovery after discovery and the contrast between the telling and the tale is wonderfully done and the author has you in her complete control. Genius storytelling, no spoilers here, trust me you will love this book.

Easily one of my top reads of 2025. The story was captivating from start to finish and I could not put it down.

Set in an alternate 1979 that doesn’t feel so far from our own reality, a set of triplets, Vincent, William and Lawrence live in one of the last few Sycamore Homes in the country. As the new government seeks to close the homes to save money and appease the British taxpayer, an ethical dilemma of good vs evil and nature vs nurture as the boys’ lives change forever.

It is so hard to write a spoiler-free review of this one, it simply needs to be read. There are so many good twists and revelations throughout. The most difficult part of finishing the book is the realisation that it could easily happen with the direction the world is heading in, I definitely needed a moment to take a breath. Pick up The Book of Guilt for your next dystopian fix!

Thank you to John Murray and Netgalley for my arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and John Murray Press for this eCopy to review

Reading The Book of Guilt felt like stepping into a time capsule of 1979 England, where the lives of three triplets and a secluded girl named Nancy intertwine in the most unexpected ways. The novel is set against the eerie backdrop of the Captain Scott Home for Boys, where Vincent, Lawrence, and William are the last remaining residents. Their existence is bleak, and their future uncertain, until Nancy, a 13-year-old girl living a sheltered life in Exeter, enters their world.

Nancy's parents are overprotective, never allowing her to leave the house, which adds to the sense of isolation and mystery. As the story unfolds, the children uncover dark secrets about their origins and the sinister plans that might be in store for them. The references to Jim'll Fix It add a chilling layer, contrasting the show's innocent facade with the dark truths it later revealed.

Chidgey's writing is atmospheric and haunting, capturing the essence of the era while delving deep into themes of innocence, manipulation, and survival. The characters are well-developed, and their interactions are both heart warming and heart breaking whilst exploring the themes of belonging and the value of life.

The Book of Guilt has one of those premises that hooks you in straight away. Three brothers, who live in a home, isolated from everyone other than their ‘mothers’’ — mother mornings, mother afternoon and mother night. But why are they ostracised from everyone else and what is this ‘bug’ they apparently have…?

In this novel, you’re thrown into the lives of these boys living in very strange circumstances, but the why is a mystery — and that mystery keeps you turning the pages fast. We also get chapters from other people: the ‘Minister for Loneliness’ and Nancy, a young girl with a very strange home life. How are they connected to these three boys and the three ‘mothers’?

Chidgey gives just enough away bit by bit, building the tension and pulling you deeper into the story. I flew through it because the writing is incredibly engaging. You really feel like you’re inside the boys’ heads, which is equal parts fascinating and unsettling. It makes you see the world through their eyes, even when one of them clearly has a darker side — which leaves you with all sorts of mixed feelings.

What I found especially powerful was how the book explores the nature vs. nurture debate. It touches on some heavy issues, but does it in a way that feels real and grounded… scarily so, actually. Some of the situations felt just close enough to reality to be a bit haunting.

None of the characters in this story are black and white ‘good’ or ‘bad’ (well, perhaps one notable other character!), and that’s what makes it so thought-provoking. You’re constantly questioning what you’d do if you were in that world, faced with those choices. It’s not an easy read emotionally, but it’s a brilliant one.

If you like books that mess with your head a bit and make you think long after you’ve finished, I’d definitely recommend The Book of Guilt.

A slow burn that is incredibly captivating. This is my first novel by this author and I’m sure it won’t be my last.

The writing sparks emotions that are both shocking and conflicting.

Unlike anything I’ve read before.

This book had such a creepy feel to it for me as it deals with control and the how the isolation of memory and experiences can lead to be manipulated / brainwashed. A very intense and atmospheric read overall.

The narrative does a good job of gradually introducing different threads to the overall story. I began to wonder how the author was going to keep the reader interested as it felt initially quite narrow in scope but the chapters on the Ministry of Loneliness and Nancy intrigued and built to a tense finale, where it got pretty dark.
Themes of nature or nurture, scientific ethics, sins of the father and revenge or forgiveness were explored.
The coda set in Margate at the end was a nice touch and provided a bit of emotional closure.

Vincent, Lawrence and William. Triplets. The last remaining Scott boys: orphans who are part of the government-funded Sycamore Scheme. Every day they are woken by Mother Morning who records what they dreamed of in the Book of Dreams. They are assigned chores, and given daily medicine. Occasionally, Dr Roach comes to examine them. If they are naughty their misdemeanours are written up in the Book of Guilt.
We get to see the boys as they go about their daily lives, each dreaming of they day they will get to leave the home to go to Margate.
From the suspicious reactions of the villagers they occasionally encounter it is clear that there is more to this situation. We don’t learn much, but we watch as the boys are offered Socialisation Days to meet young women and a government Minister takes an interest in their lives, though she is clearly unsettled by the boys.
Though it takes some time we do get answers. This was an eerie read, which drew me in and held my attention throughout. I’m grateful to NetGalley for giving me the chance to read and review this prior to publication.

Catherine Chidgey has created something truly unforgettable with The Book of Guilt. It’s eerie, elegant, and quietly devastating. The prose is razor-sharp, the world-building unnerving in its precision, and the emotional impact creeps up on you. A haunting exploration of control and identity that lingers long after you close the book. Easily one of the most original and affecting novels I’ve read this year.

I found this a really uncomfortable read and did not enjoy it. I'm sure it's just a personal preference as I know others who loved it but it was just not for me.

I read my first book by Catherine Chidgey earlier this year and on the basis of reading Axman’s Carnival I went out and bought her back catalogue. I’ll be honest, however, and say that I had reservations about reading The Book of Guilt because of the comparisons to Never Let me Go as that book made me feel ill.

I would advise prospective readers to go in with as little knowledge of the plot as possible and will therefore only sketch out the basics. 1970s in the New Forest three boys - triplets - live in a home, cared for by three Mothers - Mother Night, Mother Morning, Mother Afternoon. They learn from the Book of Knowledge. are carefully observed by the mothers and their dreams are recorded in The Book of Guilt. They dream of going to Margate where children go if they are good..

Unique, incredible, terrifying and challenging, this is a book I will never forget. I would like to read it again as I don’t think it is possible to appreciate the art of the writing or the trail of clues the author has woven into the text, but at the same time this is a book which leaves you bruised and shaken, questioning what you have just witnessed. This book challenged my assumptions about what I wanted from a reading experience. A bit like going on a fairground ride - do you want to head for the tea cups or go for the roller coaster. I usually look for the merry go rounds and found myself on the big dipper! A wild and fabulous ride. In an increasingly dystopian world I have often avoided dystopian texts.

This is a compulsive and tense read. I couldn’t let go but at the same time I was nervous about what might be revealed. Chidgey conjured up the individual personalities of the triplets so powerfully, establishing their uniqueness and that they not simply ‘copies’ of each other. Whilst I was horrified at the boys’ situation, I didn’t find these boys likeable - is it possible for them to be so given the extreme circumstances of their lives?

I am sure that there are many messages to take from this book. Messages about the abuse of science, acceptance, belonging, forgiveness. Personally I couldn’t help relating this to all the sentient animals who are shut away in laboratories.

A unique and totally unforgettable read. Thank you to John Murray and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

Three identical triplets are living in a children’s home in the late 1970s, watched over by three ‘mothers’ by morning, afternoon and night shift. The boys were orphaned when very young and have lived here all their lives, treated for the ‘bug’ that is making them ill. It’s clear there have been many more children there in the past but now only the triplets remain and the future of the school is in doubt. Having been kept separated from the world for most of their lives, the boys are now allowed some visits to the outside world and socialisation practice with three girls from another of these homes which is also about to close. As they grow older and meet more people, including the government minister charged with finding homes for them after the school closes, they start to question the truth of their situation.

Nancy has also led a secluded life, although she lives with her parents. Her world, as well as that of the triplets and the government minister, are all set to collide as the truth reveals itself.

And that’s all I’ll say since I really don’t want to give spoilers. It’s beautifully written with clues throughout to what is happening, yet the reveal and twist are still a surprise. The characters are all so well written - the boys have very different personalities and complicated relationships, and Chidgey really manages to show how normal extreme situations can feel for those who are in them. The setting feels part of our world and yet somehow different, leaving a slightly unsettling atmosphere throughout.

I really enjoyed this read, it’s one of those that leaves you thinking about it long after you’ve finished and going over all the clues, and I’ll definitely be reading more by the author.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy in return for an honest review

I spent a lot of this book desperately trying to anticipate what would happen next. I LOVED how sucked into the setting I got. I could imagine everything so perfectly and I was fully invested in the characters. I knew going into this that it probably wasn't going to be a super upbeat book but when I got to the end I still felt that same discomfort that had gripped me the entire book.

“The Book of Guilt” was the first book I read from Catherine Chidgey. I know for certain it will not be my last by any means. The story is about the triplets William, Vincent and Lawrence, always dressed in yellow, red and green. They live in the Captain Scott Home for Boys and Mother Morning, Mother Afternoon and Mother Night look after them.
There used to be more children in the home, but now they are the only ones left.

They are often poorly and the mothers give them medications and injections. The doctor also comes often to check on their health. Every morning, when they wake up, their dreams are recorded in the Book of Dreams. They take lessons from the mothers from the Book of Knowledge. And if they are naughty, it’s all reported in the Book of Guilt.

One day, they overhear the locals talk about them in the village, and learn something that turns their lives upside down. All of a sudden, they start questioning everything they’ve known.

The more I was reading, the deeper the rabbit hole was starting to get. We find things out through the boys, and the book highlights on some intriguing psychological and sociological topics – on the border of what is deemed morally and ethically wrong if done for the right reasons.

“But sometimes we love those who are not kind to us.”

It’s certainly a book that opens the floor up for discussions.

Somehow, I know it will be a hit with book clubs. I also personally enjoyed the relationship between the triplets and how their personalities came together and at times clashed. I quite enjoyed this book and will be looking for the next one that Catherine writes!

A deeply unique, and quite haunting, novel which reminded me in places of works by Iain Banks - a subtle, unsettling undercurrent of not-right-ness permeates every page.

This is one you should go into as blind as possible, so at risk of giving things away, I will only say that The Book of Guilt is compellingly readable, and stacked with memorable, rounded characters.

There is not much I can say about this because I don't want to give away the slightest of spoilers. I went into this book knowing very little and felt all the better for it.

This dystopian/speculative fiction story is a slow burn, complex and captivating, that questions everything. I found myself deeply unsettled and left feeling uncomfortable at times.

It questions the whole nature vs nurture debate, ethics and morals. If we could, should we?
I found myself lost in thought throughout this book asking myself these questions. Weighing up the answers. I feel like if I were to read it again I would get something different from it each time.

It's a story that plays with your emotions, it's cruel and shocking but makes you feel a deep sorrow and sympathy for these characters and then takes it quickly away from you. So well written, unlike anything in this genre I have read before, I didn't want to put it down.

This one will stay with me for a while.

Thank you John Murray Press for my advanced copy of this book.
My thoughts are my own.

Wow! It's going to be hard to do this book justice in a no spoilers review but right from the first page there is an underlying feeling of menace lurking. Set in the 70s, we know the world was a different place, but the world the boys live in is different again. In a home for boys,many of whom are from multiple births, looked after by 'mothers' they live in a closed environment, reading only encyclopedias and are feared by locals.
We don't find out why until the clues have layered up throughout the book.
It's chilling. Really sad and quite hard to think about at times, yet you won't be able to put it down.
Absolutely amazing.