I am obsessed. It's like an even darker version of "Never Let Me Go", but with even more plot (while still maintaining beautiful imagery and prose). I'm a new fan of Chidgey and will be picking up all of her books. I just wish I had been made aware of her talent sooner!

Also... I cannot WAIT for this to be turned into a movie! Someone get on that ASAP.

After 2 DNFs in a row, I was wary of books which get effusive praise- but I needn’t have been. This is an excellent story, well written, thought-provoking and engrossing.
It’s obvious from the book description and the first few pages that all is not as it seems.
Set in an alternate 1979, where WW2 had a different outcome, we are introduced to identical boy triplets living a strange, secluded life. They are ‘Sycamore’ boys - very special, they’ve always been told.
The basic concept of the story is not new, I realised very early on, but it is a very interesting take. The truth is gradually revealed in layers, but not too cryptically, and it kept me guessing with surprises (and some shocks). The pace is good, picking up nicely and building tension.
The ‘Book of Guilt’ is where the boys’ misdemeanours are recorded - but there are many different types of guilt visited in this tale. Well worth a read.

This is a book that will stay with you. It's dystopian but doesn't seem too far-fetched to actually happen, if the political will was there.

There are two narratives in this book: the orphaned triplets, and a girl named Nancy. The orphaned triplets looked after by 3 women, Mother Morning, Mother Afternoon and Mother Night. Nancy lives with her adoring yet controlling parents.

The story unfolds slowly, and you start to feel uneasy when you realise things are not what they seem. The two narratives come together near the end and reaches a shocking climax, from which the rest of the story and the explanations of what is really going on, finishes with a conclusion which leaves you feeling satisfied yet slightly disturbed.

4.75 ⭐

The Book of Guilt is set in a post-war Britain of some alternate universe where WW2 ended with Hitler being killed by someone else and the country has a Minister of Loneliness. Three boys -triplets- live in a strange house with three "Mothers". A girl isn't allowed to go farther than her garden. The Minister of Loneliness needs good publicity. The story slowly unravels who these boys are, why they're in this house, why the girl can't leave home, and how all their paths intersect.
The concept of this book is inherently interesting and you can't help but want to solve the mystery of the characters' lives along with them. It was quite well-paced and held my attention all the way through. While the characterization and continuity of narrative voice weren't flawless, this is overall an excellent read. I also like the cover and would be quite happy to own this book when it is published.

Just vibes 5 ⭐
Plot 4.75 ⭐
Characters 4.5 ⭐
Writing style 4.5 ⭐
Readability 5 ⭐
Likelihood to recommend 4.75 ⭐

Catherine Chidgey, in my opinion, is New Zealand's best novelist. Every one of her novels is different, unique, thought-provoking, from the horrors of Nazi Germany to a magpie telling the tale of the family he lives with and then this, the story of identical boys, Vincent, Lawrence and William as they live their closeted lives in the 1070s with their three mothers (one each for morning, noon and night) and gradually come to understand who they really are. It is impossible to give details without spoiling the story, but it harks back to the themes of her Nazi German books, would be loved by readers who loved 'The Midwich Cuckoos', and will make every reader stop and think (numerous times) about what makes us human, what makes us evil, what are morals and could this happen today... and along the way enjoying a masterclass in how to conceive of and write a unique and very complex and perfectly structured story.
Thank you to Catherine Chidgey (again!) and NetGalley and the publishers for kindly providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. #TheBookOfGuilt #NetGalley.

a brilliant thought provoking dystopian about the human condition and identity.

this works as both a recommendation for people who DID enjoy Never Let Me Go and for people who DIDN’T (as it’s a much more readable story overall in regards to plot pace & writing) !

Many thanks to the author, Catherine Chidgey, Netgalley, and the publisher, John Murray Press for an ARC of The Book of Guilt, which will be published on 22 May. It's one of the most brilliant books I've read in a long while, but also one of the most disturbing, and I think it will linger in my mind. It's a book that you really should consider reading for the questions that it poses.

We're in the south of England (Exmoor) in 1979. It's an England very similar to how ours was in the seventies: people watch The Generation Game, and play Spot-the-Ball and eat fondant fancies – but there are also subtle differences (the Second World War ended in the early 1940's with a rapprochement between the Allies and Germany, and the British government has ministries in Berlin and Bonn).

Triplets Vincent, William and Laurence are the sole remaining children in a Sycamore care home England where they're looked after by Mother Morning, Mother Afternoon and Mother Night. Care is lavished on them, and the boys feel loved. Their dreams are recorded by Mother Morning in the Book of Dreams; she teaches them from the Book of Knowledge; and their misdemeanors are recorded in the Book of Guilt.

An unnamed female Conservative politician wins the 1979 election, and embarks on a series of cost-cutting measures to stimulate the economy. Among the targets of the cuts is the network of Sycamore Homes. The newly-appointed Minister for Loneliness is charged with shutting down the homes and integrating the boys into the community.

The boys slowly discover the horrifying truth about their life in a way that parallels how prepubescents gradually come to reassess the decisions of adults around them as they reach adolescence. It's a perfect example of how to pace the gradual reveal of information. The first revelation comes about a third of the way through, and from then on, nuggets of information are dropped regularly (some of which you may guess, but not all, I think). There's just enough detail to keep you wanting to know what happens next: I read the final 70% in one sitting, staying up until 3am to finish it.

The writing is superb, and it made me think about the many people in our world who are dehumanised for our collective convenience, and how we largely ignore or don't know what happens to them. I don't normally think of any novels as essential reading, but I think that this one might be for the way it encourages the reader to open their heart and develop empathy for others.

I LOVE Catherine Chidgey - one of my absolute favourite authors, I’ll read anything she writes. If there’s a Chidgey authored shopping list out there, send it my way! Something I’m coming to admire beyond the books themselves is the sheer variety and scope of Chidgey’s writing. She’s written compellingly about the widest and wildest subject areas but I’m always in safe hands.

The Book of Guilt is completely different again, and sort of defies categorisation. Set in an alternate reality of 1970s England we predominantly follow the stories of triplet boys growing up in a care home. It is somehow concurrently a country pastoral coming of age story AND a dystopian parallel universe.

As I read an early review copy I went into this book knowing nothing and not having seen any other reviews. I think this probably provided the optimum reading experience as I was allowed to get swept along in Chidgey’s writing as the truth is gradually revealed. Super compelling! As such I won’t provide much more plot detail but themes include the ethics of progress, what it means to be human and if 1970’s Margate’s Dreamland was really as good as the book’s children imagined it to be!

A novel set in an alternative 70s Britain with a nature-versus-nurture theme.
This is quite a weird and disturbing story with the unreliable narrators knowing as little as the reader and the truth revealing itself only reluctantly.
The protagonists, triplet boys, live with their three carers in a dilapidated big house as the last occupants in a boys’ home about to be shut down. That is all I will reveal of the content since any more would spoil the cat-and-mouse game of information that makes this novel so engrossing.
Suffice it to say, this disturbingly plausible plotline will tickle your unease bone.

Thanks to Chidgey’s craft, an otherwise difficult to handle dystopian concept works well.
Three boys (triplets) live in a strange way minded by morning, afternoon and night mothers.
One of the boys and a girl called Nancy, who is crucial to the story, narrate it and we gradually understand what is happening.
This was a fresh breeze in the vast but mixed quality dystopian literature.
I highly recommend it. It has exceeded my expectations with its world-building, concept, and plot.

Set in England in 1979, Catherine Chidgey’s The Book of Guilt is a haunting exploration of control, identity, and belonging. Through the lens of three isolated brothers—Vincent, Lawrence, and William—Chidgey crafts a dark and unsettling narrative that lingers long after the final page.

The triplets reside in a secluded New Forest home, part of the government’s enigmatic Sycamore Scheme. Their lives are rigidly controlled by the ever-present “Mothers”—Morning, Afternoon, and Night—who enforce the rules of their existence. The boys’ nightmares, knowledge, and sins are meticulously documented in three eerie tomes: The Book of Dreams, The Book of Knowledge, and The Book of Guilt. These books form the backbone of their regimented lives, guiding their behaviour and shaping their understanding of the world.

Yearning for escape, the boys dream of a better life at the “Big House” in Margate—a place they envision as a haven of freedom, filled with sunshine, sea, and joy. Yet as the Sycamore Homes face closure, the brothers begin to unravel the web of lies and secrets surrounding their upbringing. What emerges is a chilling revelation of a system that values some lives over others, questioning the ethics of societal structures and the manipulation of innocence.

Chidgey masterfully builds tension, revealing the story’s dark secrets in a slow, deliberate manner. The claustrophobic setting, combined with the oppressive presence of the Mothers, creates an atmosphere of dread and unease. The triplets’ perspectives are poignant and heart-wrenching, capturing both their childlike hope and the growing awareness of their grim reality.

The Book of Guilt is an intricately woven tale that challenges readers to confront uncomfortable truths about control, dehumanisation, and the concept of worth. With its evocative prose and profound themes, this book is both a deeply disturbing and thought-provoking read. Fans of literary fiction that delves into moral ambiguity and psychological depth will find this a compelling addition to their shelves.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

This is a tense book. I could guess the secret from about 50% of the way in. I enjoyed my experience. The atmosphere of this story kept me gripped.

A dark story which explores many questions about humanity.
Victor, Lawrence and William are triplets, living in what we perceive to be a children’s home. Nancy lives with her parents. All the children are shielded from society but why?? Are they in danger or a danger to others??
The story builds to a heart stopping climax and will stay with the reader long after the book is finished.

I have to admit that I have only read one previous book by Catherine Chidgey, but – on looking back – found I gave that five stars, so I have no idea why I have not read more by her. Like, ‘Remote Sympathy,’ the other novel by her which I have read, I received a review copy via NetGalley and, having also loved this novel, I feel I really must explore her other books as she is a very special author.

It is 1979 in an alternate England, where the war had a different ending and the world has taken a similar, but slightly changed, turn. Vincent, William and Laurence are identical triplets living in Scott House, part of the Sycamore project, a government funded scheme, overseen by Dr Roach. The triplets have three carers, Morning, Afternoon and Night Mother, who care for them and administer their medicine. For the boys suffer from minor ailments and only by becoming healthy do they have any hope of following their fellow residents to Margate, a seaside resort where children visit the funfair and have undreamed of freedom. Having visited Margate myself as a child, I feel their enthusiasm was misplaced but the triplets are currently the only children left at Scott House and long for change.

Before long, the reader realises things are not quite as they seem. The boy’s dreams are recorded, as are minor misdemeanors in the titled, ‘Book of Guilt.’ The boys all begin to dream of a girl running through the wood and we learn of her life, as her story is gradually revealed alongside the boys. For change is coming to Scott House. The Minister of Loneliness has been charged with closing down the Sycamore project.

It is difficult to write too much without giving away plot spoilers and I do not wish to do that. It is enough to say that Chidgey gradually discloses the story, and we learn why the locals are so nervous about the triplets, and how they are linked to Nancy, the girl of their dreams. What makes this such a wonderful read are the characters. The author not only makes the boys, and their mothers come alive, but also Nancy and the Minister, as well as other, more minor characters. You hear the distant clang of the funfair, smell the candy floss, look beyond the gloss to the reality beyond and, throughout this book, feel a nervous disquiet which keeps you reading. Highly recommended.

Catherine Chidgey’s The Book of Guilt is a gripping and unsettling story that explores identity, belonging, and the ethical boundaries of scientific research. Set in an alternate 1970s Britain, the novel follows triplet brothers Vincent, William, and Lawrence, who are raised in a secluded mansion called Sycamore House. Controlled by their caretakers and subjected to constant observation, their lives begin to unravel as secrets about their upbringing and the sinister “Sycamore Project” emerge.

The characters in The Book of Guilt are vividly drawn, each contributing to the novel’s unsettling atmosphere. The triplets—Vincent, William, and Lawrence—are the heart of the story, their bond both endearing and heartbreaking as they grapple with the constraints of their confined existence. Each brother has a distinct personality: Vincent is curious and reflective, William is more obedient and cautious, while Lawrence is the most rebellious, pushing the boundaries of their world.

Chidgey’s writing is elegant and atmospheric, drawing readers into the eerie isolation of the triplets’ world. The slow build of tension keeps you hooked, and the revelations are both shocking and thought-provoking. Themes of morality, experimentation, and human value are explored with depth and sensitivity. This is a haunting and powerful read that fans of dystopian and psychological fiction will love. Highly recommended.

Set in post-WWII England we meet Vincent, a triplet, who lives in a residential care home under the Sycamore Scheme with his brothers Laurence and William. They are cared for by Mother Morning, Mother Afternoon, and Mother Night. Their dreams are recorded, the errors of their ways are recorded, and they take daily meds to help them with The Bug. The boys dream of nothing more than being sent to the Big House in Margate where they can live by the sea and spend their time in the fairground.

This is all relatively ok, until we start to see that everything is not quite as it seems. The boys are shunned by local residents, their entire education comes from a children’s encyclopaedia that has missing pages, and they have socialisation days. When a visiting resident tells them that Margate isn’t Margate, and that the pills are making them sick, Vincent starts to question the world around him. All is curated by Alastair Roach, a well respected doctor who established the Sycamore Scheme. He is uber-confident and his curious mind knows no bounds… or boundaries for that matter.


The Book of Guilt explores an alternative ending to WWII and the implications it had on Britain - if that doesn’t set the premise for an uncomfortable read I don’t know what will. From the beginning this book feels eerie. There’s an air of foreboding and you just know that something is not right. I found this to be a compelling read and I loved how invested I was in the cast of characters and their stories; my jaw dropped on a few occasions! I love how Chidgey writes and I absolutely adore how she takes moral dilemmas and pushes us outside our comfort zones. A fantastic book that will sit with you for a long time after reading it.

This review will be posted on Instagram @getting.back.to.books and anotherchapterpodcast.ie - with sincere thanks to NetGalley andJohn Murray Press for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Book of Guilt is a dystopian novel set in an alternate 1970s Britain. It follows triplets Vincent, William, and Lawrence, who live in Sycamore House, cared for by three “Mothers”. Their lives are controlled by strict rules and mysterious medicine, As the government begins to wind down the Sycamore Project, unsettling truths about their upbringing and purpose come to light..

The book raises questions about what it means to be human and the ethics of medical research A real must-read for lovers of dystopian fiction.

This book is so skilfully written. The drip feeding of information about the boys and the real purpose of the Sycamore homes is perfectly timed as the details of their lives are slowly revealed. Highly recommended.

I wasn't a fan of Chidgey's last release, but since this one sounded so different, I thought my opinion might change. I don't think I like her style of writing; she's just not an author that I think is for me. Again, a fab synopsis that I wasn't a fan of its execution.

This was a strange read for me it was very odd and I found it hard to get engaged with it at all.
I actually felt like I was wading through treacle plodding on from chapter to chapter, I dislike not finishing a book so did read till the end but it just wasn’t for me.
Hopefully other readers will enjoy more
Thanks to NetGalley and John Murray Press for the Arc.