A good idea for a story. But it also seemed drawn out to me, unnecessarily so. It wasn't boring but it didn't keep me up all night either, and didn't capture my attention enough that it didn't go unread for long stretches before I finally finished it. Overall somewhat anticlimactic in many ways, with the twists in the plot falling flat after so much build-up. The pacing of the whole novel was just off to me and it didn't deliver the gut punches I was expecting. ( )

Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm.
https://www.beckiebookworm.com/



3.5 Stars
So Guilty was the first book I have read by Laura Elliot, I enjoyed it but found the first half of the book much more compelling than the second.
If I could, I would rate the first fifty percent a solid four and the last half a three as I can't do this and to be fair I have settled on a three and a half rating for the whole experience.
So what is guilty about?
Well when Constance Lawson goes missing, it sends everyone into a tailspin of confusion, hysteria and an almost witch-hunt of epic proportions by the press.
In particular, one journalist makes it her mission to personally persecute Constance's uncle, Karl Lawson.
Amanda Bowe a journalist is mainly motivated by a past grievance and also an arrogance of her own self-importance that she is infallible in her assumptions.
she systematically closes the cage that is growing around Karl, So great is her arrogance in his guilt.
Not caring a tall that Karl could be an innocent man.
Over seven days Karl Lawson's life is destroyed in a campaign of mud slinging and half-truths.
finally resulting in him losing everything important to him, his job, his family nothing is off limits.

Loved this half of the book
Watching a world implode and the sheer helplessness and inability to call a cease-fire was a sort of train-wreck visual.
it was soul destroying, but the visuals it beheld were strangely compelling, as poor Karl is thrown to the wolves and ripped apart, to make it worse he seems such a lovely man.
A great father, dad, husband, brother, uncle.
None of this matters when it comes to the judgements imposed by others.
Amanda at the helm leading the madness, almost a figurehead.

In contrast, Amanda Bowes to me wasn't a very likeable person.
I couldn't take to her at all, so to see her thriving years later, well not exactly fair, is it.
Well, Karmas a bitch and it's coming for you AMANDA!!!



Now as I said, I found some parts of this story more enthralling than others, that is not to say I didn't enjoy Guilty, I just felt more of a connection with certain characters so found it easier to connect to these parts of the story.
Karl was easy, Amanda not so much.
I also couldn't get my head around the plinks I found them pointless and a bit bizarre, but I suppose they did serve their purpose they were just a bit weird, they also made me think a bit of lazy town.
don't ask me why they just did.
Also towards the end, I felt things started to drag a bit so I was definitely ready for that finish line.
The end in sight almost.



So, in conclusion, this was a good solid read that kept my attention mostly.
It did drag slightly for me in places, but other instances more than made up for it, keeping my momentum going.

But I'm Still slightly bemused about those bloody plinks!



sorry just saying.

Anyway shaking head slightly,
thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a free readers copy of Guilty By Laura Elliot this is my own personal opinion.



Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.beckiebookworm.com/
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/ ( )

Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm.
https://www.beckiebookworm.com/



3.5 Stars
So Guilty was the first book I have read by Laura Elliot, I enjoyed it but found the first half of the book much more compelling than the second.
If I could, I would rate the first fifty percent a solid four and the last half a three as I can't do this and to be fair I have settled on a three and a half rating for the whole experience.
So what is guilty about?
Well when Constance Lawson goes missing, it sends everyone into a tailspin of confusion, hysteria and an almost witch-hunt of epic proportions by the press.
In particular, one journalist makes it her mission to personally persecute Constance's uncle, Karl Lawson.
Amanda Bowe a journalist is mainly motivated by a past grievance and also an arrogance of her own self-importance that she is infallible in her assumptions.
she systematically closes the cage that is growing around Karl, So great is her arrogance in his guilt.
Not caring a tall that Karl could be an innocent man.
Over seven days Karl Lawson's life is destroyed in a campaign of mud slinging and half-truths.
finally resulting in him losing everything important to him, his job, his family nothing is off limits.

Loved this half of the book
Watching a world implode and the sheer helplessness and inability to call a cease-fire was a sort of train-wreck visual.
it was soul destroying, but the visuals it beheld were strangely compelling, as poor Karl is thrown to the wolves and ripped apart, to make it worse he seems such a lovely man.
A great father, dad, husband, brother, uncle.
None of this matters when it comes to the judgements imposed by others.
Amanda at the helm leading the madness, almost a figurehead.

In contrast, Amanda Bowes to me wasn't a very likeable person.
I couldn't take to her at all, so to see her thriving years later, well not exactly fair, is it.
Well, Karmas a bitch and it's coming for you AMANDA!!!



Now as I said, I found some parts of this story more enthralling than others, that is not to say I didn't enjoy Guilty, I just felt more of a connection with certain characters so found it easier to connect to these parts of the story.
Karl was easy, Amanda not so much.
I also couldn't get my head around the plinks I found them pointless and a bit bizarre, but I suppose they did serve their purpose they were just a bit weird, they also made me think a bit of lazy town.
don't ask me why they just did.
Also towards the end, I felt things started to drag a bit so I was definitely ready for that finish line.
The end in sight almost.



So, in conclusion, this was a good solid read that kept my attention mostly.
It did drag slightly for me in places, but other instances more than made up for it, keeping my momentum going.

But I'm Still slightly bemused about those bloody plinks!



sorry just saying.

Anyway shaking head slightly,
thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a free readers copy of Guilty By Laura Elliot this is my own personal opinion.



Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.beckiebookworm.com/
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/ ( )

This is a story of one journalist's thirst for a story, how her aggressive and unflagging investigation into an innocent man ruins his life, and how his vengeance ruins hers. Constance, a young girl, goes missing one night. She has a very close relationship with her uncle Karl, but Karl doesn't know what happened. Amanda, a reporter, digs into Constance's relationship with her uncle, and puts a sinister tone to it. Based on her insinuations in her reporting, Amanda turns public opinion against Karl. Amanda is unscrupulous, and stops at nothing to get what she wants. Her reckless behavior causes her to ruin Karl's life. But, later, Karl exacts his revenge.
The story was good, but it went on for too long. I think it could have been better if the story was about 100 pages shorter. It would have heightened the intensity of the novel.
This story certainly did make one thing clear to me - and that is, do not automatically assume something about someone, and check and recheck what you read!
#Guilty #LauraElliot ( )

This starts with a missing girl and follows the aftermath of the media storm and investigation that comes after. If you think this is just a missing person story, think again.

I found this book very entertaining and well written. This is one of those stories where you think it'll be all about one thing and it turns into something completely different. I really enjoyed the way the story flowed throughout the book and I especially liked the characters. The two main characters are Karl Lawson and Amanda Bowe, I liked Karl but I loved to hate Amanda. This was a great book and I highly recommend it.. ( )