Guilty... until proven innocent

Conrad Jones is a tremendous writer and the DI Braddick series has everything you would hope for in a contemporary crime novel, pace and power, tension and twists. Braddick is a very interesting creation and in this excellent novel he is faced with vigilantism and paedophilia. It is a fast-paced story which grips from start to finish--I loved it!

I would like to thank Netgalley and Bloodhound Books for an advance copy of Guilty...Until Proven Innocent, the third novel to feature Detective Superintendent Marcus Braddick.

When a body is discovered on the Mersey shoreline it raises all sorts of questions as the victim has been tortured and is wrapped in intricately woven chicken wire. This is not the first time as seven years previously three Albanians were killed in a similar manner so Braddick consults retired detective, Alex Ramsey who led that case. In the meantime teacher, Richard Vigne, is undergoing his own nightmare when outed by a vigilante predator hunting group as a paedophile.

I thoroughly enjoyed Guilty...Until Proven Innocent which is an absorbing read that held my attention from start to finish. I have read some of the Alex Ramsey books before although this is my first Braddick book so I had a good idea of what to expect and wasn't disappointed. The novel is told from several points of view, the unnamed killer, Richard Vigne and the investigators, both Braddick and Ramsey. There are plenty of twists and turns, some more obvious than others, as the novel progresses. I think that Richard Vigne's ordeal is particularly well done with Mr Jones showing the hysteria around such an emotive accusation from many angles. In contrast the killer is extremely cold blooded as he goes about his mission. There is a kind of warped logic to what he's doing but as usual with these people it's all about him.

I don't think I got a very good feel for Marcus Braddick in the novel. He's obviously good at his job, has a good, informal rapport with his team and nothing in his life but his job but it's the retired Alex Ramsey who propels the novel forward with a series of discoveries.

Guilty...Until Proven Innocent is a well plotted and executed novel with plenty of forward momentum so I have no hesitation in recommending it as a good read.

Conrad Jones has done it again, this book is absolutely amazing. If paedophile vigilantes make a mistake it can have far reaching consequences, not just for the accused and their families but for the vigilantes themselves. The story is told brilliantly with Braddick leading the police investigation into some gruesome murders that have connections to the past when Alec Ramsey was in charge. It is a huge horror filled jigsaw but the pieces do fit together in a mid blowing hold your breath ending.

This is the first book I have read by Conrad Jones and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Easy reading, an exciting page turner and kept me in suspense throughout.

I liked his style of writing and I will probably read more from this author. The only negative thing for me was the ending, I would have liked it to be a happier one but that is purely my own opinion and I would definitely recommend this book.

Anyone that is a fan of the author will already know Braddick and Ramsay who are both in two separate crime series'. In this book the two come together to try and solve a case. I love both of the authors series' so to have the two main characters come and work together, I absolutely loved. What's even better for new readers, is that it really doesn't matter if you haven't read the authors other books as it reads easily as a stand alone.

This book highlights the worst side of social media sites like Facebook. When Richard a teacher gets accused of being with an under age girl, him and his family's world is turned upside down. It shows how quickly things can spiral out of control and how people will jump on the bandwagon spreading lies. It is quite scary to read as so many people are always ready to believe the worst and makes you think what you would do if you were in a similar situation.

The author as usual had me hooked right from the very first page. It really makes for compulsive reading and ensured I kept turning those pages. I loved the collaboration between the two detectives and thought it worked extremely well. Guilty... until proved innocent is a must read regardless of whether you have read the authors previous books or not. It is an edge of your seat read that is guaranteed to thrill and chill it's reader.

Once again Conrad smashes it . In this book it shows the dangers of a rumour getting onto social media and being accepted as fact before it is proven , ruining peoples lives . It also brings together two old favourites from previous novels , now retired Detective Inspector Alec Ramsay and Detective Inspector Braddick , but saying that it reads well as a stand alone book . As usual I was gripped from the outset .There appeared to be two separate storylines running but eventually they match up and how!! I do not want to give any spoilers about the plot but to say it is very relevant to the world today is an understatement . I always hate getting to the end of Conrad's books and having to wait for the next one .

Oh wow! It' seems like an age since we have had a release from Conrad Jones and boy was this book worth the wait! Conrad doesn't hold back on delivery and there are enough twists and turns to keep you on the edge of your seat. It's great to see one of the original characters working with one of the newer additions, it's a great partnership and one I hope is revisited. Thanks Conrad, devoured this in two sittings as I couldn't put it down!!

Another excellent story from Conrad Jones. Some thoughtful insight into being wrongly accused of a crime society is repulsed by. But never fear Mr Jones soon replaces social commentary with the high body count and grisly crimes you would expect from him. Good to see the return of two of the few characters that survived previous novels and clever use of chapters which make you wonder if two of the main protagonists are one and the same viewed through a time lapse lens.
Definite page turner
- Peter Rogers

A brilliant read. Conrad Jones brings something new to every book he writes.
Richard. Vigne , a schoolteacher is thrown into a situation he could not have envisaged in his worst nightmare. This book had me gripped from the beginning. Several men are found tortured and murdered in a cleverly written plot. Some gory and gruesome acts. Which zi found relevant to the plot. I enjoyed the joining of forces between DI Braddick and dear old retired DI Alec Ramsay.
The tension throughout this book is nerve wracking. Another roller coaster read with several shocks along the way. Highly recommend.

Bloody hell Conrad Jones!!!! Another disturbibg but absolutely gripping book. Made up to hear about some old characters again. Really loved this book, cannot wait for the next one

How many times have you seen a post on Facebook that people have shared without checking the facts first? Would you like to be found guilty before having your innocence proven? How would it affect your life?

This book explores the presence of social media in our lives and how quickly people assume that what they read is true. Add a serial killer intent on getting revenge in the worst possible way and you get a well written, compelling book which will have you hooked from the beginning to the very last page.

Highly recommended!

I really enjoyed this read and almost finished in one sitting.

It's one of a series, but, one of the things I most enjoyed was that this is not obvious and you certainly can come to it (as did I) not having read any previous books written by this author.

It begins with a body being washed up on a beach in Merseyside, wrapped in mesh and from there, the detectives are led into a world of paedophiles, murder and social media and how it can be misused, even by those thinking they are doing good. I enjoyed the interaction and relationships with the Murder Investigation Team and especially when the police detectives bring in a retired colleague to help them.

The element of the story about a teacher who is 'outed' on social media is a heartbreaking lesson to us all about what we believe and how easy it is to judge via social media.

Overall, I struggled to put this book down, so mesmerising did I find the characters and the storyline. It's well paced and well told.

Thanks to Netgalley, Bloodhound Books and the author, Conrad Jones, for the opportunity to preview via ARC in exchange for this honest review.

OMG Conrad Jones has done it again.
This author never disappoints and this one is WOW WOW WOW !!!!!!
This is the third DI Braddock book. He is married to the job. Braddock and his team find a body washed up on the shore. It has been seriously mutilated and encased in chicken wire.
This case rings a bell with a cold case from seven years ago. The similarities between the two cases is identical.
A teacher is sat at home when he gets a message on his phone claiming that he is a peodaphile. His life and world implodes.
A vigilante group hunting peodaphile is now being hunted themselves and once they are found they are never seen alive again.
I loved this book and read this in one sitting. It is fast paced, gritty and hard hitting.
The premise of this book has been done before, but this book is by far the best.
As a human race why are we so gullible?? If it is in print or on the media it must be true. ISN'T IT???
We never think of the consequences and repercussions of our actions.
This book is fantastic, Conrad Jones has done it again, his imagination is deep and dark.
An excellent crime thriller and must read.
I would like to thank the author Conrad Jones, Bloodhound books and Net.galley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for giving an honest review.

Brilliant gritty and gruesome story that makes you feel sick in parts . Fantastic characters and an appearance from Alec Ramsey makes it even better .

'Guilty... Until Proven Innocent' is the third book in the Detective Superintendent (DS) Marcus Braddick series, and although it's preferable to have read the others first, I found it stood very well on its own. At its heart, this is part technothriller, part conventional crime thriller. This massively appealed to me as I love both sub-genres. Inspired by many real world events, such as the alleged abduction of Madeline McCann, Conrad Jones's novels are gritty and authentic.

I have to say, this story touched a little too close to home for me but that's through no fault of the book. Although it brought back many memories I have tried to put to the back of my mind, I did find it very compelling and it captivated me for the duration. This is one of those tales that really tests your morals with the storyline being one about Facebook vigilantes who hunt paedophiles that have been outed on the site. I am a little conflicted on this issue but veer towards supporting the vigilantes because I know the harm paedophiles have on a youngsters future. However, one concern with this approach, as highlighted in the story, is the possibility of someone being targeted mistakenly, which has far-reaching consequences for all involved. The author perfectly dissects the pros and cons of social media, with a particular focus on its potential for misuse.

There is also a killer on the loose in another thread of the plot. The unidentified victim has been tortured, and after finding his body wrapped intricately in steel chicken wire, Braddick is instantly reminded of a case from years earlier. He decides to consult the retired Alec Ramsay, who was the lead investigator on the previous cases of the three murdered Albanians. I loved the collaboration between Ramsay and Braddick, their dynamic works very well, and I know many have been calling for a collab for a while. Here, Ramsay plays a substantial role in the unmasking of the brutal serial killer. The story is told from various different perspectives: the unnamed killer, the alleged paedophile teacher Richard Vigne and both Braddick and Ramsay. There are twists, turns and surprises aplenty, and most of them really hit their mark in terms of unpredictability. I thoroughly appreciated that the author tries to challenge the reader by blurring the lines between the acceptable and defendable and the cruel and indefensible. There is a logic behind both the people the killer chooses to target and those the paedophile hunters chase down. The ending was dark, but I was left feeling satisfied that justice had been done. Maybe not in a conventional or traditional way, but it ultimately pleased me.

I look forward to learning more about DS Braddick in future books, I don't think we got sufficient insight into him as an individual or into his working relationships as there was such a focus on the two intertwining storylines, but I am hopeful this will be remedied in upcoming additions to the series. It is certainly different that a "victim" takes centre stage and the two Detectives are almost secondary characters. This is a well-thought out plot and is well-written. I can't help but feel like the story has been meticulously researched because it comes across as realistic in nature. The pacing was impeccable, and the plot tension-filled, powerful and in some parts emotive. This book ultimately shows the gullibility and fallibility of human beings and the resulting consequences.

Many thanks to Bloodhound Books for an ARC. I was not required to post a review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. My apologies for mistakenly thinking i'd downloaded it and only realising I hadn't when I saw it had been archived. As I feel I had committed to providing a review when I requested the book, I was kindly provided with another copy by the publisher.

Guilty Until Proven Innocent by Conrad Jones
DI Braddick Series #3

Having read only one book by this author before, THE JOURNEY, I felt compelled to read this one when given the opportunity. Why? The first book I read by Jones hooked me and though I hate to start a series in the middle I just could not resist. I am so glad I read this book even though it was rather dark and twisted and did not give me the happy ending I would have preferred.

What is the story about? It is about finding a psychopath serial murderer who loves inflicting pain on others. In addition to the murder mystery there is a case involving a pedophile vigilante group that works to expose those who prey on children and this group and the man they expose most recently will cross lines with Detective Braddick and the people he is working with to find the serial killing monster preying on the unsuspecting.

Following DI Braddick and his team as they worked to uncover the murderer’s identity was a bloody treat. The glimpses into the murderer’s mind were elucidating if disturbing. The fact that social media played has such power over individuals was disconcerting.

I came away from the story thinking about what it takes to make a person cross the line from normal to abnormal and why when that line is crossed reason seems to be lost entirely.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloodhound Books for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

Having heard lots of good things about this author's writing, I was delighted to get the chance to read one for myself - and I was not disappointed!

When a body is washed up on the beach, the manner of death has similarities to a triple murder case from some years ago. At around the same time, a well-respected teacher, a family man without a blemish on his character, is accused by an online predator group of being a paedophile. Completely shocked, he protests his innocence but many of his contemporaries take the view that there's no smoke without fire and within hours his life is turned upside down and inside out.

The novel follows three threads at the same time: the life of the teacher and the affect of the accusations against him, the police investigation into the dead body and the perpetrator of that crime - although we don't know his identity. These strands are woven into a lively and gripping read and one which demands the complete attention of the reader. A stunning and intriguing read which, although the third in series, I can happily go back and read the first two as there is no reference to them.

Not only is the writing excellent and enticing, the plotting is terrifically intricate with some shocking twists and turns. There are some gritty and gruesome details but all pertinent to the plot and this is a novel I revelled in, and I'm certainly hoping to read much more by this author. Gobsmackingly good - and a prime example of how thorough murder investigations are and why you shouldn't always believe everything you read in the media!

My thanks to Bloodhound Books for both my copy via NetGalley and for the invitation to participate in this blog tour. This is my honest, original, and unbiased review.

Now, previous books I have read by Conrad Jones were brilliant and this one did not disappoint me either. I’m sure we have all seen the rise of online predator catchering groups on facebook recently and this book was just about that! But how it can go wrong… Oh dear.

It is a very interesting read, gets dark towards the end. Brilliantly written and how everything links together… Very clever. Impressed. I felt so sorry for Richard and his family though, poor man! AND THAT ENDING.. Wow was that needed? It was all going so well… but BOOM. Nope. A real thrilling story for the reader. A real pager turner. A well deserved five stars. Highly recommend! A story that can easily be devoured in one sitting. I throughally enjoyed it.

I have read a few books this author now and this one is hands down my favourite of the ones I have read to date - I loved it!

The plot in this story is very, very good and I think that the author managed to execute it really well. He has crafted an addictive story that for me was believable and a real page turner.

The characters are excellent, very well developed and I enjoyed the interaction between Braddick and Ramsey - both of whom are fascinating characters!

The book is the third in the series but personally I think it is fine to read as a stand alone.

Five stars from me for this one - a very enjoyable story!!

This is by far the best Conrad Jones book yet. It’s brings the read two of his best characters into one book. Retired Ramsay is brought back in by Braddick to help solve a deeply disturbing crime.
Any who has read Conrad’s books before knows he doesn’t shy away from the gritty stuff and you can always place a bet on it being a highly emotional read.
This plot was just just that, very emotion. A school teacher is outed as a pedophile and is fighteing to prove his innocence and members of a Facebook group, who hunt down paedophiles, are found dead. Both strories are woven together to make a thrilling yet terrifying read.
Conrad Jones did his homework and pulled this fantastic read out the bag.

Well, Conrad Jones has done it again! What a cracker of a read. My imagination was captured from the start and I was kept engrossed until the end. I love the character of D.I.Braddick and the continuing development of Sadie. Murder and justice, coupled with twists and turns makes a winning combination. My thanks to Net Galley for my copy. reviews on Amazon, Goodreads and Facebook.

Three stories running parallel to each other but all the while, impinging one on the other – are they in fact only one story?

A school teacher is outed as a paedophile. How does one prove one’s innocence when everything points to one being guilty? A young underage girl names him as the father of her aborted child and things spiral down from there. He is arrested in front of staff and school pupils and allowed to leave only because the information the police have on him is incomplete.

His wife and children don’t believe his protestations of innocence and so he is on his own.

Meanwhile, DS Braddick and his team are called to a scene where a body is found washed up on the shore, having a distinctive mesh wrapping. This immediately brings to mind an unsolved triple murder case from seven years before. Is there a link?

And then there is a paedophile released after serving a four-year sentence, determined to get back on the people who outed him in a FaceBook group called Predator Hunters. The original six members of the group are murdered one by one.

Yes, an exciting book to read. All the characters are well-defined and the whole is totally believable, from a wrongly accused school teacher to a Detective Sergeant, his team and a retired Detective Inspector and of course the murderer.

This is a book well worth reading and I recommend it to you.