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One of the Good Guys
If most men claim to be good, why are most women still afraid to walk home alone at night?
Desperate to escape the ghosts of his failed marriage, Cole upends his life. He leaves London behind for a remote stretch of coast, relishing the respite from the noise, drama, and relentless careerism that curdled his relationship and mental health. Leonora has made the same move for similar reasons. She’s living a short walk from Cole’s seaside cottage, preparing for her latest art exhibition. Although Cole still can’t figure out what went wrong with his marriage, and Leonora is having trouble acclimating to the hostile landscape, the pair forges a connection on the eroding bluff they call home.
Then two young female activists raising awareness about gendered violence disappear while passing through. Cole and Leonora suddenly find themselves in the middle of a police investigation--and the resulting media firestorm when the world learns of what happened. And as the tension escalates alongside the search for the missing women, they quickly realize that they don’t know each other that well after all.
Desperate to escape the ghosts of his failed marriage, Cole upends his life. He leaves London behind for a remote stretch of coast, relishing the respite from the noise, drama, and relentless careerism that curdled his relationship and mental health. Leonora has made the same move for similar reasons. She’s living a short walk from Cole’s seaside cottage, preparing for her latest art exhibition. Although Cole still can’t figure out what went wrong with his marriage, and Leonora is having trouble acclimating to the hostile landscape, the pair forges a connection on the eroding bluff they call home.
Then two young female activists raising awareness about gendered violence disappear while passing through. Cole and Leonora suddenly find themselves in the middle of a police investigation--and the resulting media firestorm when the world learns of what happened. And as the tension escalates alongside the search for the missing women, they quickly realize that they don’t know each other that well after all.
323 pages, Hardcover
First published January 9, 2024
About the author
Araminta Hall
7 books502 followersAraminta Hall began her career in journalism as a staff writer on teen magazine Bliss, becoming Health and Beauty editor of New Woman. On her way, she wrote regular features for the Mirror's Saturday supplement and ghost-wrote the super-model Caprice's column.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,377 reviews
October 26, 2023
But the truth is, men who want to protect women should never be trusted because we only feel the impulse to protect the things we think of as weaker than ourselves.
I thought about saying that One of the Good Guys is not as it first appears, but, thinking about it, I'm not sure that's true. As a woman who has dealt with her fair share of male bullshit, online and off, I actually think in many (miserable, tiring) ways this book was exactly what I expected. Though I don't mean that as a criticism.
I read through some reviews that said this book was over the top and unbelievable, which I'm glad is true for others. Unfortunately, there was very little in this book I found it difficult to believe. I won't spend my review rehashing the plot and giving stuff away, but let's just say this is a book for any woman who's had to listen to a man say "I support women's rights, but..."
The story didn't grip me straight away, but it didn't take long. There is a sense of wrongness about the first part of this book, a feeling that all is not right and something is coming, which kept me interested until the reveals started happening. After this point there was a lot of powerful social commentary, unveiled through the use of social media posts and podcast transcripts. I usually enjoy use of mixed media in my thrillers and it worked to keep the pacing up here.
To be clear, I don't think this is an especially strong mystery. One of the Good Guys is full of thought-provoking discussions but it is not really about pulling out a surprising answer to the whodunnit.
It's a book about the way women are treated in the modern world-- as victims, as bitches, as incubators --and it's about women finally saying yeah, you're not going to like me for this but it's time I stopped caring because:
[..] there is so much to fear as a woman, but what people think of you shouldn’t be one of them.
There was definitely a point in this book where I thought "god, I don't like any of these women" but then I smiled to myself because I think that was kinda the point.
November 8, 2023
This is a book about the complex relationship between genders, focusing especially how men treat women. It’s a huge theme to get into, so it’s not easy to navigate in the polarized water of he said she said. This book had some really great qualities. It being a thriller, I found the first half especially interesting. It’s from Cole’s perspective and succinctly presents his mindset. It was eye-opening to see how some people reason and explain away their own behavior. It was expertly done and I even felt sympathy for him based on how he saw the world. I also felt a bit itchy, but I loved that it conjured these confusing and divided emotions in me.
I also loved Mel’s point of view, even if it just was short snippets of her life together with cole each year, it was a clear way to show how their relationship progressed and the mechanism in the relationship. I wasn’t surprised by what Mel learned in the end, and I felt eager when her POV ended with an explanation for what would come later.
When the two activist women disappeared from where Cole and the mysterious lennie lived, I had already figured out what had happened to them, and I found this last part to be the slowest and somewhat unappealing. There were lots of social media posts and news articles, which halted the suspense. Although it underlined the polarized and scary discussions, I didn’t need quite so many excerpts to get it. The end brought the different viewpoints together, and I liked how it was done. It made the confusion I felt over questions raised settle a bit, and I felt there was a solution there somewhere.
Read this book if you’re curious about how good guys think, and if you want to deep dive into a scary world of hate and prejudices. Trigger warning: IVF treatments are described in length, so be kind to yourself if this is a trigger for you.
Many thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc!
I also loved Mel’s point of view, even if it just was short snippets of her life together with cole each year, it was a clear way to show how their relationship progressed and the mechanism in the relationship. I wasn’t surprised by what Mel learned in the end, and I felt eager when her POV ended with an explanation for what would come later.
When the two activist women disappeared from where Cole and the mysterious lennie lived, I had already figured out what had happened to them, and I found this last part to be the slowest and somewhat unappealing. There were lots of social media posts and news articles, which halted the suspense. Although it underlined the polarized and scary discussions, I didn’t need quite so many excerpts to get it. The end brought the different viewpoints together, and I liked how it was done. It made the confusion I felt over questions raised settle a bit, and I felt there was a solution there somewhere.
Read this book if you’re curious about how good guys think, and if you want to deep dive into a scary world of hate and prejudices. Trigger warning: IVF treatments are described in length, so be kind to yourself if this is a trigger for you.
Many thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc!
September 16, 2024
One of the Good Guys" may not be my absolute favorite work of the year, but it is undoubtedly the most thought-provoking and visionary piece I've read recently. It stands out as one of the smartest works I've come across lately. It's been quite some time since I read a book that made each character's voice resonate so loudly and clearly in my mind.
One fascinating aspect is that the three main characters are far from pure or flawless; they push the moral boundaries with their questionable actions. Despite this, they managed to get under my skin, allowing me to empathize with each of them by understanding their points of view, the reasoning behind their motives, decisions, and the actions they take. None of them is innocent or entirely right, so I couldn't align myself with any single character, which is one of the book's strongest qualities. It compels you to be objective, not only by presenting multiple perspectives but also by portraying other viewpoints encountered through forums, news coverage, talk shows, and social media posts. All of these elements are realistically integrated, and the intertwining connection of the three characters with a case related to violence against men is portrayed in an unapologetically gritty and realistic manner.
The author fearlessly addresses issues such as misogyny, consent, BDSM, sex shaming, feminism, and violence against women in an authentic voice, without resorting to pages filled with clichés. The narrative reflects the fear that even the strongest and bravest women may carry, especially when they feel they have nothing to lose.
Let's dive into the plot to provide a brief summary:
The story follows Cole, who sees himself as one of the "good guys." Recently separated from his wife after a seven-year marriage marred by misconceptions and misery, he embarks on a fresh start in a remote location. He appears to be a decent guy, unburdened by macho stereotypes, comfortable with expressing his feelings, and unafraid of vulnerability. He assumes responsibility for their home as his wife ambitiously pursues her career, spending long hours at business dinners. However, she commits an act deemed unacceptable on the day of her IVF operation. From Cole's perspective, we sympathize with him and become incensed at his seemingly malicious wife, Melanie. But what is the connection between this innocent man, who wouldn't hurt a fly, and a violent incident?
Thankfully, Cole is not alone in his new surroundings. He befriends Lennie, a reclusive artist living nearby, and their bond deepens rapidly. However, when two young women activists supporting their cause go missing without a trace and Cole becomes the last person to have seen them, things spiral out of control. The incident turns into a media firestorm, and the world's attention converges on the small countryside where Cole resides, with various theories and accusations circulating.
The story also provides insight into Melanie's perspective, shedding more light on recent events and offering clues about their dysfunctional relationship.
Which one of them is telling the truth? What happened to those innocent girls? Could Cole be a wolf in sheep's clothing?
Overall, I initially intended to give this book four stars, but its unique format and its bold and realistic exploration of sensitive subjects that many authors hesitate to address convinced me to round up to 4.5 stars, ultimately earning a full 5-star rating. I wholeheartedly recommend reading this book and carefully contemplating the incidents it portrays, as it encourages you to consider the bigger picture.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Zando, Gillian Flynn Books for providing me with a digital review copy of this exceptional book in exchange for my honest thoughts.
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One fascinating aspect is that the three main characters are far from pure or flawless; they push the moral boundaries with their questionable actions. Despite this, they managed to get under my skin, allowing me to empathize with each of them by understanding their points of view, the reasoning behind their motives, decisions, and the actions they take. None of them is innocent or entirely right, so I couldn't align myself with any single character, which is one of the book's strongest qualities. It compels you to be objective, not only by presenting multiple perspectives but also by portraying other viewpoints encountered through forums, news coverage, talk shows, and social media posts. All of these elements are realistically integrated, and the intertwining connection of the three characters with a case related to violence against men is portrayed in an unapologetically gritty and realistic manner.
The author fearlessly addresses issues such as misogyny, consent, BDSM, sex shaming, feminism, and violence against women in an authentic voice, without resorting to pages filled with clichés. The narrative reflects the fear that even the strongest and bravest women may carry, especially when they feel they have nothing to lose.
Let's dive into the plot to provide a brief summary:
The story follows Cole, who sees himself as one of the "good guys." Recently separated from his wife after a seven-year marriage marred by misconceptions and misery, he embarks on a fresh start in a remote location. He appears to be a decent guy, unburdened by macho stereotypes, comfortable with expressing his feelings, and unafraid of vulnerability. He assumes responsibility for their home as his wife ambitiously pursues her career, spending long hours at business dinners. However, she commits an act deemed unacceptable on the day of her IVF operation. From Cole's perspective, we sympathize with him and become incensed at his seemingly malicious wife, Melanie. But what is the connection between this innocent man, who wouldn't hurt a fly, and a violent incident?
Thankfully, Cole is not alone in his new surroundings. He befriends Lennie, a reclusive artist living nearby, and their bond deepens rapidly. However, when two young women activists supporting their cause go missing without a trace and Cole becomes the last person to have seen them, things spiral out of control. The incident turns into a media firestorm, and the world's attention converges on the small countryside where Cole resides, with various theories and accusations circulating.
The story also provides insight into Melanie's perspective, shedding more light on recent events and offering clues about their dysfunctional relationship.
Which one of them is telling the truth? What happened to those innocent girls? Could Cole be a wolf in sheep's clothing?
Overall, I initially intended to give this book four stars, but its unique format and its bold and realistic exploration of sensitive subjects that many authors hesitate to address convinced me to round up to 4.5 stars, ultimately earning a full 5-star rating. I wholeheartedly recommend reading this book and carefully contemplating the incidents it portrays, as it encourages you to consider the bigger picture.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Zando, Gillian Flynn Books for providing me with a digital review copy of this exceptional book in exchange for my honest thoughts.
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November 27, 2023
One of the Good Guys starts with an interesting premise. If most men claim to be good, why are so many women afraid to walk home alone at night? Cole has recently separated from his wife and has moved to a remote seaside where he is now a wildlife ranger. He meets and befriends Leonora, “Lennie”, an artist who is living nearby along the cliff. The first part of the story is told from his POV and he comes across as a meek, nice guy. But then, why does his wife make some of those comments?
Hall takes her time setting up the premise of the story. She lets the reader spend a lot of time with Cole in the first part. In the second part, we hear from his wife, Mel. And suddenly, Cole doesn’t seem quite so meek but much more passive aggressive and just off. We also hear from Lennie. And, as the story progresses, the one thing that becomes apparent is that none of these folks are good people.
There are some interesting psychological issues raised - the desire (or not) for a family, the need for someone who provides what a parent did not, gender stereotypes. But it also deals with how social media handles the news, the willingness of folks to condemn others without a full set of facts. It’s all about who one believes when there’s no proof either way.
The mystery part of the equation involves two young women who are walking to raise awareness about violence against women. On New Year’s Eve, while camping nearby, they go missing.
It’s a complicated story, bouncing back and forth in time and changing perspectives. This is one of those books that starts slow but gradually draws you in. Before I knew it, I was hooked and couldn’t put it down. But it’s also a book that will have me thinking about the issues raised for a while.
My thanks to Netgalley and Gillian Flynn Books for an advance copy of this book.
Hall takes her time setting up the premise of the story. She lets the reader spend a lot of time with Cole in the first part. In the second part, we hear from his wife, Mel. And suddenly, Cole doesn’t seem quite so meek but much more passive aggressive and just off. We also hear from Lennie. And, as the story progresses, the one thing that becomes apparent is that none of these folks are good people.
There are some interesting psychological issues raised - the desire (or not) for a family, the need for someone who provides what a parent did not, gender stereotypes. But it also deals with how social media handles the news, the willingness of folks to condemn others without a full set of facts. It’s all about who one believes when there’s no proof either way.
The mystery part of the equation involves two young women who are walking to raise awareness about violence against women. On New Year’s Eve, while camping nearby, they go missing.
It’s a complicated story, bouncing back and forth in time and changing perspectives. This is one of those books that starts slow but gradually draws you in. Before I knew it, I was hooked and couldn’t put it down. But it’s also a book that will have me thinking about the issues raised for a while.
My thanks to Netgalley and Gillian Flynn Books for an advance copy of this book.
September 10, 2023
Cole tries so hard to be the perfect husband to Mel, and when the marriage fails, he’s shattered. Is he one of the good guys as he believes? To try to regroup he accepts a job on the south coast as a wildlife ranger and there he meets artist Lennie. Will he find the soulmate he craves in her? When two women go missing in the area while on a “Walk for Women“, protesting against gender violence, Cole and Lennie find themselves at the heart of the unfolding story.
This is a hard book to review as I have such mixed feelings about it. The first half is extremely good as much of this is Cole’s perspective and he becomes a real conundrum. Can we buy into his view of himself as one of the good guys? It gets even more interesting when Mel’s perspective begins as she is very illuminating both on Cole and on their relationship. Is she telling the truth? Fascinating! Lennie is intriguing but I realise fairly early on that things with her aren’t entirely as they seem. The characterisation is extremely good, it’s one of the strongest elements of the book as all three are very well fleshed out and each point of view is so compelling.
The plot is certainly suspenseful, dark and unpredictable though I do guess part of what is revealed. Through the various characters in the novel it makes valid points about the issues that women frequently have to face and it’s excellent on male accountability, or lack of. It’s a brave book, it asks a lot of very difficult questions. It won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but I admire how it makes you think and reflect on things in your own life experiences.
However, I don’t care for the second half as much as the first as it gets a bit slow in places. In this section there are a lot of social media discussions of the type
I’m sure we’re all too well aware of. Although they definitely reinforce the points the author is making, I think it halts the flow of the Cole/Mel/Lennie scenarios and I think there’s too much of it. Does it actually lead to some points being overdone and repetitive in tone?? I’m not keen on the big twist either, I could see it coming and it can be viewed in two opposing ways. Perhaps that’s the point!
Overall though, it’s a well written psychological thriller and it certainly engages and challenges the mind. It’s a very pertinent issue which is thoroughly explored and I admire the way it ends as it hits exactly the right note and does so in a creative way.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Pan Macmillan, for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
This is a hard book to review as I have such mixed feelings about it. The first half is extremely good as much of this is Cole’s perspective and he becomes a real conundrum. Can we buy into his view of himself as one of the good guys? It gets even more interesting when Mel’s perspective begins as she is very illuminating both on Cole and on their relationship. Is she telling the truth? Fascinating! Lennie is intriguing but I realise fairly early on that things with her aren’t entirely as they seem. The characterisation is extremely good, it’s one of the strongest elements of the book as all three are very well fleshed out and each point of view is so compelling.
The plot is certainly suspenseful, dark and unpredictable though I do guess part of what is revealed. Through the various characters in the novel it makes valid points about the issues that women frequently have to face and it’s excellent on male accountability, or lack of. It’s a brave book, it asks a lot of very difficult questions. It won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but I admire how it makes you think and reflect on things in your own life experiences.
However, I don’t care for the second half as much as the first as it gets a bit slow in places. In this section there are a lot of social media discussions of the type
I’m sure we’re all too well aware of. Although they definitely reinforce the points the author is making, I think it halts the flow of the Cole/Mel/Lennie scenarios and I think there’s too much of it. Does it actually lead to some points being overdone and repetitive in tone?? I’m not keen on the big twist either, I could see it coming and it can be viewed in two opposing ways. Perhaps that’s the point!
Overall though, it’s a well written psychological thriller and it certainly engages and challenges the mind. It’s a very pertinent issue which is thoroughly explored and I admire the way it ends as it hits exactly the right note and does so in a creative way.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Pan Macmillan, for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
April 8, 2024
Ooooh, I have SUCH complicated feelings about this book. Cole, a self-proclaimed good guy, is fresh off a breakup and a new resident of a rural area. When he meets his neighbour Leonora, he starts to develop feelings for her. But things get complicated when two girls go missing and Cole is questioned by police.
I really didn’t like this book’s main twist, and I almost gave it three stars because of that. However, I did really like the mystery leading up to it and the way the book explores the dissolution of Cole’s marriage. And where this book really shines is in the fictional Reddit posts, tweets and blog posts sprinkled throughout, which felt so true to life and underscore the book’s feminist message in a non-preachy way.
I think this one will be polarizing!
I really didn’t like this book’s main twist, and I almost gave it three stars because of that. However, I did really like the mystery leading up to it and the way the book explores the dissolution of Cole’s marriage. And where this book really shines is in the fictional Reddit posts, tweets and blog posts sprinkled throughout, which felt so true to life and underscore the book’s feminist message in a non-preachy way.
I think this one will be polarizing!
July 31, 2024
***SPOILERS HIDDEN***
Cole Simmonds is proud to consider himself one of the “good guys,” except he doesn’t recognize all the ways he’s actually not one. Araminta Hall’s mystery One of the Good Guys depends on this cluelessness to comment on misogyny-fueled crime and the public’s perception of it. This was published under Gillian Flynn’s imprint for the independent publisher Zando and does have some Flynn-esque characteristics. It’s unsettling, unusual, and current, but most Flynn-esque of all, it’s populated by characters with skewed moral compasses.
One of the Good Guys is an atmospheric read with a feeling of unease that owes a lot to its primary setting, a remote area hugged by an eroding seaside cliff. Three storylines, equally interesting, eventually converge. One focuses on a famous-artist character who lives in a cottage on the cliff’s edge. Another is about the marital tensions of married couple Cole and Melanie. Then, unfolding alongside these, is the shallower storyline of Molly and Phoebe, two twentysomething Instagram influencers hiking and camping along the coast to raise awareness for male-on-female violence. As stated in the book’s summary, one day these two women vanish, leading to—of course—an explosion of wild speculation across the internet.
One of the Good Guys has several strong points. It holds attention and is paced evenly, maintaining momentum even through a change in perspective and format midway. An early red herring knows readers will interpret it as a twist give-away. Mirroring real life, impressions vary depending on perspective: A character insinuates that another is domineering only for the supposedly domineering character to be portrayed as meek in a later part. Hall is a with-it author, as proven by the book’s most striking feature: generous incorporation of fictional internet content to highlight how online chatter shapes a narrative, usually for the worse. The most casual of these entries needed poorer syntax, incorrect and missing punctuation, and more slang and abbreviations, but otherwise, tweets, posts on Reddit and Instagram, WhatsApp messages, news articles, and podcast interviews capture how the public consumes true crime. Faux op-eds mimic the warring that happens in news media when topics are hot enough to trigger irrational defensive responses.
Most significantly, Hall emphasized the division between women and men when it comes to who supports which victims. Anyone who’s spent time on the internet knows that when women press charges against men, it’s common for male internet users to form a brotherhood and extend a misogyny-stained sympathy to the accused, . In One of the Good Guys, too many male users spit venom on the subject of Molly and Phoebe; incel references to the “red pill” pop up, and women are “bitches who tease men” and “deserve to die.” At best, male users post sedate but irritated questions on Reddit about male-on-female violence under the guise of “having a discussion.” Female users are angry too, but their anger is rooted in fear and in frustration over misogyny and continued inequality.
On the negative side, although the internet entries further the story, they sometimes information-dump, and the book relies too heavily on them; the second half is built almost entirely from this hodgepodge. Additionally, Hall showed off how aware she is when it comes to online speculation but not when it comes to the intensity of online sleuths.
Readers will remember how this book doesn’t press but stomps on modern hot buttons. The internet entries mimic real ones to a T, and vitriol, mockery, and fundamental misunderstanding of an issue is always infuriating to read. Hall deliberately stressed her points on how women (especially female crime victims) are treated; several characters repeatedly state these points outright. But the mystery genre needs authors to stick the landing, and Hall lost her footing in the big reveal. She smartly depicted another online phenomenon: how quickly public opinion can swing from one extreme to the other However, the final message of the story is muddled because the ludicrous reveal thinks it’s presenting some stunning moral quandary when there’s no actual quandary. Readers are meant to understand that crimes can have nuance. The question at the end is, Who’s actually wrong? The author tried but did not depict a dilemma that illustrates how women are allowed to react, but not to act, as a character states:
All that’s good about this book is in the journey, and it’s one of those mysteries that begs readers to go back and note all the clues they missed. Its theme has a ripped-from-the-headlines quality—but just enough; it feels natural, like Hall wrote this because the topic means something to her, not because she scoured the news for a topic most likely to make her lots of money. Hall's book could never be mistaken for one by Gillian Flynn—to begin with, Flynn’s prose is more sophisticated and she crafts true conundrums—but like Flynn’s books, it pushes buttons and is slightly, enticingly weird.
Cole Simmonds is proud to consider himself one of the “good guys,” except he doesn’t recognize all the ways he’s actually not one. Araminta Hall’s mystery One of the Good Guys depends on this cluelessness to comment on misogyny-fueled crime and the public’s perception of it. This was published under Gillian Flynn’s imprint for the independent publisher Zando and does have some Flynn-esque characteristics. It’s unsettling, unusual, and current, but most Flynn-esque of all, it’s populated by characters with skewed moral compasses.
One of the Good Guys is an atmospheric read with a feeling of unease that owes a lot to its primary setting, a remote area hugged by an eroding seaside cliff. Three storylines, equally interesting, eventually converge. One focuses on a famous-artist character who lives in a cottage on the cliff’s edge. Another is about the marital tensions of married couple Cole and Melanie. Then, unfolding alongside these, is the shallower storyline of Molly and Phoebe, two twentysomething Instagram influencers hiking and camping along the coast to raise awareness for male-on-female violence. As stated in the book’s summary, one day these two women vanish, leading to—of course—an explosion of wild speculation across the internet.
One of the Good Guys has several strong points. It holds attention and is paced evenly, maintaining momentum even through a change in perspective and format midway. An early red herring knows readers will interpret it as a twist give-away. Mirroring real life, impressions vary depending on perspective: A character insinuates that another is domineering only for the supposedly domineering character to be portrayed as meek in a later part. Hall is a with-it author, as proven by the book’s most striking feature: generous incorporation of fictional internet content to highlight how online chatter shapes a narrative, usually for the worse. The most casual of these entries needed poorer syntax, incorrect and missing punctuation, and more slang and abbreviations, but otherwise, tweets, posts on Reddit and Instagram, WhatsApp messages, news articles, and podcast interviews capture how the public consumes true crime. Faux op-eds mimic the warring that happens in news media when topics are hot enough to trigger irrational defensive responses.
Most significantly, Hall emphasized the division between women and men when it comes to who supports which victims. Anyone who’s spent time on the internet knows that when women press charges against men, it’s common for male internet users to form a brotherhood and extend a misogyny-stained sympathy to the accused, . In One of the Good Guys, too many male users spit venom on the subject of Molly and Phoebe; incel references to the “red pill” pop up, and women are “bitches who tease men” and “deserve to die.” At best, male users post sedate but irritated questions on Reddit about male-on-female violence under the guise of “having a discussion.” Female users are angry too, but their anger is rooted in fear and in frustration over misogyny and continued inequality.
On the negative side, although the internet entries further the story, they sometimes information-dump, and the book relies too heavily on them; the second half is built almost entirely from this hodgepodge. Additionally, Hall showed off how aware she is when it comes to online speculation but not when it comes to the intensity of online sleuths.
Readers will remember how this book doesn’t press but stomps on modern hot buttons. The internet entries mimic real ones to a T, and vitriol, mockery, and fundamental misunderstanding of an issue is always infuriating to read. Hall deliberately stressed her points on how women (especially female crime victims) are treated; several characters repeatedly state these points outright. But the mystery genre needs authors to stick the landing, and Hall lost her footing in the big reveal. She smartly depicted another online phenomenon: how quickly public opinion can swing from one extreme to the other However, the final message of the story is muddled because the ludicrous reveal thinks it’s presenting some stunning moral quandary when there’s no actual quandary. Readers are meant to understand that crimes can have nuance. The question at the end is, Who’s actually wrong? The author tried but did not depict a dilemma that illustrates how women are allowed to react, but not to act, as a character states:
If my mother had managed to find a blunt object while [my stepfather] was punching the life out of her, and if she’d managed to connect that object with his head, public sympathy would have been on her side, even if he’d died. But if she’d poisoned him, say, before he had the chance to beat her to death, the public would have condemned her.Genuine, intelligently constructed dilemmas like that don’t exist in this book, and neither do . One of the Good Guys concludes with complete explanation of the mystery, but the final pages leave an uncomfortable feeling.
All that’s good about this book is in the journey, and it’s one of those mysteries that begs readers to go back and note all the clues they missed. Its theme has a ripped-from-the-headlines quality—but just enough; it feels natural, like Hall wrote this because the topic means something to her, not because she scoured the news for a topic most likely to make her lots of money. Hall's book could never be mistaken for one by Gillian Flynn—to begin with, Flynn’s prose is more sophisticated and she crafts true conundrums—but like Flynn’s books, it pushes buttons and is slightly, enticingly weird.
January 9, 2024
A quick and thought-provoking read.
Cole's marriage had failed, and he was desperate to escape the life that he had built with his wife. So, he decided to take a chance and start fresh. He packed up everything he owned, left his old life behind, and moved to the coast.
It didn't take long for him to meet Leonora, a fellow newcomer to the area. They hit it off right away, bonding over their shared desire to leave their past lives behind and start anew. However, their idyllic new life was shattered when two female activists disappeared while camping near the coast. Cole had been one of the last people to see them before they vanished. Suddenly, everything changed. Leonora began to question whether she could trust Cole. Was he hiding something? Or was he truly the kind, caring man that she had come to know?
While I appreciate the message conveyed in the book, I feel that the presentation could have been better. Additionally, I didn't like any of the characters, which affected my overall enjoyment. However, I think the book would be a good choice for those interested in feminist literature.
***Thank you to NetGalley, Araminta Hall, and Dreamscape Select for graciously sending me the audiobook to review. As always, all thoughts are my own.***
Cole's marriage had failed, and he was desperate to escape the life that he had built with his wife. So, he decided to take a chance and start fresh. He packed up everything he owned, left his old life behind, and moved to the coast.
It didn't take long for him to meet Leonora, a fellow newcomer to the area. They hit it off right away, bonding over their shared desire to leave their past lives behind and start anew. However, their idyllic new life was shattered when two female activists disappeared while camping near the coast. Cole had been one of the last people to see them before they vanished. Suddenly, everything changed. Leonora began to question whether she could trust Cole. Was he hiding something? Or was he truly the kind, caring man that she had come to know?
While I appreciate the message conveyed in the book, I feel that the presentation could have been better. Additionally, I didn't like any of the characters, which affected my overall enjoyment. However, I think the book would be a good choice for those interested in feminist literature.
***Thank you to NetGalley, Araminta Hall, and Dreamscape Select for graciously sending me the audiobook to review. As always, all thoughts are my own.***
January 3, 2024
Zando/Gillian Flynn books have quickly become one of my favorite publishers. Everything I've read by them has been pure gold and my recent read, One of the Good Guys is no exception!
One of the Good Guys centers around 36-year-old Cole. Cole recently separated from his wife so he left his life in London and moved to the English Countryside for a fresh start. Soon after his move, he meets an artist named Lenora and they begin a relationship.
Two young women activists who are raising awareness on gendered violence disappear while in the area and soon Cole and Lenora find themselves at the center of a police investigation. When the media catches on to what happened, a frenzy erupts and the couple realizes they don't know each other that well after all.
One of The Good Guys is such a multi-faceted and layered tale. Written with a Sense of foreboding and dread, Araminta Hall keeps the reader on the edge of their seat. Not only is it an entertaining read, but the book is also a brilliant social commentary on how society is so accustomed to violence against women. This is my third read by Araminta Hall (I previously read Imperfect Women and Our Kind of Cruelty). She's quickly become one of my auto-read authors and I can't wait to see what she comes out with next!
One of the Good Guys by Araminta Hall Will be available on January 9. A massive thanks to Zando Books for the gifted copy!!
One of the Good Guys centers around 36-year-old Cole. Cole recently separated from his wife so he left his life in London and moved to the English Countryside for a fresh start. Soon after his move, he meets an artist named Lenora and they begin a relationship.
Two young women activists who are raising awareness on gendered violence disappear while in the area and soon Cole and Lenora find themselves at the center of a police investigation. When the media catches on to what happened, a frenzy erupts and the couple realizes they don't know each other that well after all.
One of The Good Guys is such a multi-faceted and layered tale. Written with a Sense of foreboding and dread, Araminta Hall keeps the reader on the edge of their seat. Not only is it an entertaining read, but the book is also a brilliant social commentary on how society is so accustomed to violence against women. This is my third read by Araminta Hall (I previously read Imperfect Women and Our Kind of Cruelty). She's quickly become one of my auto-read authors and I can't wait to see what she comes out with next!
One of the Good Guys by Araminta Hall Will be available on January 9. A massive thanks to Zando Books for the gifted copy!!
January 13, 2024
I am deeply frustrated with this one. It is truly a shame that such an important topic was handled so recklessly. I want to note that many of the points made did resonate with me. I appreciate most of the intention within this novel, barring the twists, but I think just about everything was poorly executed.
Let me begin with Cole, the first character we are introduced to. Roughly 40% of the book comes from his perspective before the story shifts toward the female narrators. I am not sure what the author’s intention was, but I suspect she wanted to communicate the subtle ways in which misogyny surfaces. However, there wasn’t anything subtle about the delivery. It seemed blatantly obvious that Cole was not genuinely a good guy. His internal processing, observations on women, and comments toward Lennie were all completely cringeworthy. He struck me as a ticking time bomb. Plus, there were overt hints that Cole was an unreliable narrator and an awful husband. Ultimately, this meant that nothing Mel revealed in her perspective came as a surprise, and I feel like we, as readers, are supposed to be shocked by her admissions. I’m baffled by what the author was aiming for. If it was intended to be obvious, then she succeeded, but I’m not sure what the point in starting out with his perspective would be then. It eliminated the element of surprise.
The story eventually morphs into a more straightforward telling to ensure we get the message; a message I understood early on. Podcast clips, social media posts, etc. are often inserted in between Mel and Lennie’s perspectives to make the point clear. I found this comment made by Mel particularly humorous since the bulk of the novel felt like a shout: “I guess I’ve learned over the years that if you just shout about something, people stop listening. You have to find inventive ways of getting your point across.”
I gather the author was hinting at the bomb she would soon drop, but that “inventive way of getting a point across” was what truly made me despise One of the Good Guys. In short, the twist was terrible.
We live in a society where women are continually accused of lying about the violence inflicted upon them. They’re called irrational for having concerns regarding men’s behavior toward them. HOW IN THE WORLD DID ANYONE THINK THIS TWIST WAS A GOOD IDEA??? Really, I am angry about it. It does not help our cause. It’s not something that would make people reconsider our stance. It only makes us look bad. It harms our credibility. It tilts the conversation the wrong way. What’s worse, the dialogue that followed in the novel seemed to suggest that we are not for women or women’s rights if we criticize the twist. I don’t know how we succeed in getting our voices heard. I really don’t. But I’m certain that tricking people into believing we’ve been harmed is not the way to do it.
Listen. A great deal of the misogynistic crap illustrated in the book was familiar to me. I’ve known it firsthand. Plus, I am a domestic violence survivor. I truly do want books that demonstrate the problems women face. I think this one failed miserably in positively aiding the conversation surrounding these issues. There is an interview with Cole near the end of the story that does aptly illustrate how some men are easily painted into victims even when they are the ones who have victimized others, but the route taken to prove this point is problematic, which cancels out what could have made a proper impact.
As an aside, I want to add that you should be aware that there is a detailed description of Cole killing a rabbit for stew. This possibly exists in the narrative to show us how at ease Cole was with the gruesome act, but it seemed unnecessary to me.
I hope this remains my most hated book of the year because I am not sure that I can bear to read something more awful than this one.
I am immensely grateful to Gillian Flynn Books and NetGalley for my copy. All opinions are my own.
Let me begin with Cole, the first character we are introduced to. Roughly 40% of the book comes from his perspective before the story shifts toward the female narrators. I am not sure what the author’s intention was, but I suspect she wanted to communicate the subtle ways in which misogyny surfaces. However, there wasn’t anything subtle about the delivery. It seemed blatantly obvious that Cole was not genuinely a good guy. His internal processing, observations on women, and comments toward Lennie were all completely cringeworthy. He struck me as a ticking time bomb. Plus, there were overt hints that Cole was an unreliable narrator and an awful husband. Ultimately, this meant that nothing Mel revealed in her perspective came as a surprise, and I feel like we, as readers, are supposed to be shocked by her admissions. I’m baffled by what the author was aiming for. If it was intended to be obvious, then she succeeded, but I’m not sure what the point in starting out with his perspective would be then. It eliminated the element of surprise.
The story eventually morphs into a more straightforward telling to ensure we get the message; a message I understood early on. Podcast clips, social media posts, etc. are often inserted in between Mel and Lennie’s perspectives to make the point clear. I found this comment made by Mel particularly humorous since the bulk of the novel felt like a shout: “I guess I’ve learned over the years that if you just shout about something, people stop listening. You have to find inventive ways of getting your point across.”
I gather the author was hinting at the bomb she would soon drop, but that “inventive way of getting a point across” was what truly made me despise One of the Good Guys. In short, the twist was terrible.
We live in a society where women are continually accused of lying about the violence inflicted upon them. They’re called irrational for having concerns regarding men’s behavior toward them. HOW IN THE WORLD DID ANYONE THINK THIS TWIST WAS A GOOD IDEA??? Really, I am angry about it. It does not help our cause. It’s not something that would make people reconsider our stance. It only makes us look bad. It harms our credibility. It tilts the conversation the wrong way. What’s worse, the dialogue that followed in the novel seemed to suggest that we are not for women or women’s rights if we criticize the twist. I don’t know how we succeed in getting our voices heard. I really don’t. But I’m certain that tricking people into believing we’ve been harmed is not the way to do it.
Listen. A great deal of the misogynistic crap illustrated in the book was familiar to me. I’ve known it firsthand. Plus, I am a domestic violence survivor. I truly do want books that demonstrate the problems women face. I think this one failed miserably in positively aiding the conversation surrounding these issues. There is an interview with Cole near the end of the story that does aptly illustrate how some men are easily painted into victims even when they are the ones who have victimized others, but the route taken to prove this point is problematic, which cancels out what could have made a proper impact.
As an aside, I want to add that you should be aware that there is a detailed description of Cole killing a rabbit for stew. This possibly exists in the narrative to show us how at ease Cole was with the gruesome act, but it seemed unnecessary to me.
I hope this remains my most hated book of the year because I am not sure that I can bear to read something more awful than this one.
I am immensely grateful to Gillian Flynn Books and NetGalley for my copy. All opinions are my own.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 13, 2024
A bold, brilliant, thought-provoking feminist thriller that everyone (especially men) needs to read. It's at once a riveting thriller and a piece of literature with an important message but it never feels preachy.
The book is about Cole, who thinks he is "one of the good guys." But is no spoiler to say that any astute reader will notice right away that Cole is a less than reliable narrator. Red flags EVERYWHERE, even as he says all the right things --- his actions do NOT match. We hear about his marriage first from his point of view and then from his wife's. And then, from his most recent girlfriend.
I don't want to give too much away but it's important that you know that at its core this book is an examination of violence against women. Why does it happen? What are the men who do it thinking (or not thinking?) These are obviously age old and difficult questions but they are approached here in an innovative and thoughtful way, coming to a conclusion that will leave you both shocked and enlightened. This book says a lot with what it doesn't say and what it lets you observe in Cole's actions.... in what other people say about Cole. And it questions why we as a society always believe men more than women, particularly when it comes to rape. In so doing, it cleverly sets up a narrative in the book where it gives you the opportunity whether to believe Cole ... or NUMEROUS women who have interacted with Cole.
And now a somewhat spoilery response to some other reviews I have seen about the ending -- so stop reading now if you don't like spoilers. . . . .
I've seen people (including some feminists) saying they didn't like the ending because it turned out that Cole is "innocent" because he not kill the two missing women.
To this I say.... think about this a little further. Think about what we know about Cole from the more reliable narrator of the book. Think about the incident in the park.... the incident with Laura, his previous girlfriend. And what we heard from his own mother! Is Cole REALLY "innocent?" Or did he maybe just not rape these two *particular* women?
With that, I leave you to hopefully go and read this compelling and awesome book (or read it again if you've already read it once). To Araminta Hall, thank you for this great piece of art, and I wish I could see the installation you dreamed up in the story, too.
A top ten book of the year for sure. Thanks to the publisher for the copy of this book which I can tell will stay with me for a very long time.
The book is about Cole, who thinks he is "one of the good guys." But is no spoiler to say that any astute reader will notice right away that Cole is a less than reliable narrator. Red flags EVERYWHERE, even as he says all the right things --- his actions do NOT match. We hear about his marriage first from his point of view and then from his wife's. And then, from his most recent girlfriend.
I don't want to give too much away but it's important that you know that at its core this book is an examination of violence against women. Why does it happen? What are the men who do it thinking (or not thinking?) These are obviously age old and difficult questions but they are approached here in an innovative and thoughtful way, coming to a conclusion that will leave you both shocked and enlightened. This book says a lot with what it doesn't say and what it lets you observe in Cole's actions.... in what other people say about Cole. And it questions why we as a society always believe men more than women, particularly when it comes to rape. In so doing, it cleverly sets up a narrative in the book where it gives you the opportunity whether to believe Cole ... or NUMEROUS women who have interacted with Cole.
And now a somewhat spoilery response to some other reviews I have seen about the ending -- so stop reading now if you don't like spoilers. . . . .
I've seen people (including some feminists) saying they didn't like the ending because it turned out that Cole is "innocent" because he not kill the two missing women.
To this I say.... think about this a little further. Think about what we know about Cole from the more reliable narrator of the book. Think about the incident in the park.... the incident with Laura, his previous girlfriend. And what we heard from his own mother! Is Cole REALLY "innocent?" Or did he maybe just not rape these two *particular* women?
With that, I leave you to hopefully go and read this compelling and awesome book (or read it again if you've already read it once). To Araminta Hall, thank you for this great piece of art, and I wish I could see the installation you dreamed up in the story, too.
A top ten book of the year for sure. Thanks to the publisher for the copy of this book which I can tell will stay with me for a very long time.
May 27, 2024
Sometimes books just want to make a point. But what happens when a point goes too far?
This book is divided into sections. It isn’t always clear who is the narrator at first until you are reading for a while, and then that person is identified, or a format change is created. Or sometimes the chapter will just give you a time elapsed label. And then there are the social media posts which will give readers another viewpoint.
But each narrator will have a completely different perspective which then gives the reader a totally different set-up which makes us then ask…
Who are we to believe?
There are so many different viewpoints that it becomes a bit confusing and convoluted at the same time. And, difficult to create alliances with any one character. Which means, is anybody really likable? And, if they aren’t, is the book?
The focus of the story is on fear, control and what is the truth in any given situation. And…Who is telling the truth – Cole? Mel? Lennie?
Surprisingly, because there are so many perspectives, and opinions, this may make for a good selection for a group discussion because of the male and female narrations. Even if the different angles/perspectives and opposing viewpoints have readers questioning who to believe. That in itself, provides a great basis for discussion, right?
This book is divided into sections. It isn’t always clear who is the narrator at first until you are reading for a while, and then that person is identified, or a format change is created. Or sometimes the chapter will just give you a time elapsed label. And then there are the social media posts which will give readers another viewpoint.
But each narrator will have a completely different perspective which then gives the reader a totally different set-up which makes us then ask…
Who are we to believe?
There are so many different viewpoints that it becomes a bit confusing and convoluted at the same time. And, difficult to create alliances with any one character. Which means, is anybody really likable? And, if they aren’t, is the book?
The focus of the story is on fear, control and what is the truth in any given situation. And…Who is telling the truth – Cole? Mel? Lennie?
Surprisingly, because there are so many perspectives, and opinions, this may make for a good selection for a group discussion because of the male and female narrations. Even if the different angles/perspectives and opposing viewpoints have readers questioning who to believe. That in itself, provides a great basis for discussion, right?
November 3, 2023
I picked up this book because I recognized the author from reading a previous work Our Kind of Cruelty which was a creepy book about obsession that was well written and I enjoyed it.
This one I have mixed emotions about.
Description:
Newly separated from his wife and desperate to escape the ghosts of his failed marriage, Cole leaves London for a fresh start in the countryside. He accepts a job as a wildlife ranger and settles into his cozy seaside cottage, relishing the respite from the noise, drama, and relentless careerism that curdled his relationship along with his mental health. Then he meets Leonora, the reclusive artist living next door, and is instantly charmed by her warm and gentle spirit.
But as the two forge a connection on the cliff’s edge they call home, two young women activists raising awareness about gendered violence disappear while passing through. Cole and Leonora find themselves in the middle of a police investigation and resulting media firestorm as the world learns of what happened, and as the tension escalates, they quickly realize that they don’t know each other that well after all.
My Thoughts:
Lots of plot twists in this story that focuses on violence against women. It was presented in a very "in your face" kind of way that kind of beats you over the head with it. It was an uncomfortable read to say the least. I didn't like any of the characters, male or female. I did feel empathy for Melanie, and Lennie and Cole - they were all wronged as well as all being wrong to a degree. The way Lennie and Melanie manipulated the events was wrong. The way Cole went about satisfying his fantasies was wrong. Women should not live in fear of what men will do to them - on that I think everyone can agree. Also, all men shouldn't be stereotyped by men who wrongly abuse women - and yes, there are degrees of abuse. This is a heated topic for discussion and more people are aware now because of the Me Too movement. Bravo to Araminta Hall for presenting some of the issues in this story - no matter how extreme.
Thanks to Zando, Gillian Flynn Books through Netgalley for an advance copy. This book will be published on January 9, 2024.
This one I have mixed emotions about.
Description:
Newly separated from his wife and desperate to escape the ghosts of his failed marriage, Cole leaves London for a fresh start in the countryside. He accepts a job as a wildlife ranger and settles into his cozy seaside cottage, relishing the respite from the noise, drama, and relentless careerism that curdled his relationship along with his mental health. Then he meets Leonora, the reclusive artist living next door, and is instantly charmed by her warm and gentle spirit.
But as the two forge a connection on the cliff’s edge they call home, two young women activists raising awareness about gendered violence disappear while passing through. Cole and Leonora find themselves in the middle of a police investigation and resulting media firestorm as the world learns of what happened, and as the tension escalates, they quickly realize that they don’t know each other that well after all.
My Thoughts:
Lots of plot twists in this story that focuses on violence against women. It was presented in a very "in your face" kind of way that kind of beats you over the head with it. It was an uncomfortable read to say the least. I didn't like any of the characters, male or female. I did feel empathy for Melanie, and Lennie and Cole - they were all wronged as well as all being wrong to a degree. The way Lennie and Melanie manipulated the events was wrong. The way Cole went about satisfying his fantasies was wrong. Women should not live in fear of what men will do to them - on that I think everyone can agree. Also, all men shouldn't be stereotyped by men who wrongly abuse women - and yes, there are degrees of abuse. This is a heated topic for discussion and more people are aware now because of the Me Too movement. Bravo to Araminta Hall for presenting some of the issues in this story - no matter how extreme.
Thanks to Zando, Gillian Flynn Books through Netgalley for an advance copy. This book will be published on January 9, 2024.
January 14, 2024
Two young female activists disappear.
THE SUSPECT?
The book's deeply flawed and self-proclaimed "one of the good guys" male protagonist.
Unfolding from multiple POVs, it's up to the reader to determine the reliability of the different narrators.
This book was a powerful, fast-paced, and compelling story about gender, misogyny, power, and the angst of infertility.
I especially enjoyed the book's gasp-worthy, jaw-dropping, and twisty ending.
WHY NOT 5 STARS?
The mixed media and social media posts included in the book's last section negatively impacted the book's flow and IMHO, should have been omitted.
I listened to the full-cast audiobook read by Elliot Fitzpatrick, Olivia Vinall, and Helen Keeley and all of the narrators did a superb job with the narration.
4.5 Stars.
January 22, 2024
4.5 stars
I’m deliberately leaving my review vague and including the synopsis above. This is defiantly one that the less you know before going in the better. One of the Good Guys is brilliantly written, I loved it … I know there have been mixed reviews, and after reading it, I can understand the controversy - made me love it more!
In its essence it’s a modern tale of how women are treated by stupid men, and to be fair, visa versa … it’s about about prejudices, gender bias, stereotypes and complex relationships. All the characters are unlikable (although, I think that’s the point) and while it’s a slow burn to begin with, it’s a book that demands your attention. I honestly couldn’t put it down.
It’s thought provoking, it’s bold, it’s clever and it’s creatively entertaining.
4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
“But the truth is, men who want to protect women should never be trusted because we only feel the impulse to protect the things we think of as weaker than ourselves.”
Many thanks to the wonderful team @macmillanaus for a #gifted copy 💌 Thanks to @dreamscape media for an ALC 🎧 - the full cast of narrators was brilliantly executed.
I’m deliberately leaving my review vague and including the synopsis above. This is defiantly one that the less you know before going in the better. One of the Good Guys is brilliantly written, I loved it … I know there have been mixed reviews, and after reading it, I can understand the controversy - made me love it more!
In its essence it’s a modern tale of how women are treated by stupid men, and to be fair, visa versa … it’s about about prejudices, gender bias, stereotypes and complex relationships. All the characters are unlikable (although, I think that’s the point) and while it’s a slow burn to begin with, it’s a book that demands your attention. I honestly couldn’t put it down.
It’s thought provoking, it’s bold, it’s clever and it’s creatively entertaining.
4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
“But the truth is, men who want to protect women should never be trusted because we only feel the impulse to protect the things we think of as weaker than ourselves.”
Many thanks to the wonderful team @macmillanaus for a #gifted copy 💌 Thanks to @dreamscape media for an ALC 🎧 - the full cast of narrators was brilliantly executed.
November 2, 2023
I still don’t completely know how I feel about this book, 24 hours after finishing it. I was excited for another book by this author but this one seemed so different from her others.
There was not one character that I liked in this story, and the more the story went on, the more ai didn’t like them. I understand what the author was trying to do but it was excessive and very anti men at all. I did like the last part of the book with the mixed media and the different conversations going on. While I am a woman and I do feel the fears outlined in this story, I felt that it was too much down your throat writing. Very mixed emotions as I agreed with some but not all of the opinions expressed
Thanks to Zando Publishing for my advanced copy of this book to read. Published on January 9th.
There was not one character that I liked in this story, and the more the story went on, the more ai didn’t like them. I understand what the author was trying to do but it was excessive and very anti men at all. I did like the last part of the book with the mixed media and the different conversations going on. While I am a woman and I do feel the fears outlined in this story, I felt that it was too much down your throat writing. Very mixed emotions as I agreed with some but not all of the opinions expressed
Thanks to Zando Publishing for my advanced copy of this book to read. Published on January 9th.
October 26, 2023
Araminta Hall is a name that every mystery/thriller reader should recognize, specifically after her massive hit Our Kind of Cruelty. I was very excited to get an advanced copy of her 2024 novel, ONE OF THE GOOD GUYS—the cover is intriguing and playful, and the synopsis immediately drew me in. Right from the get-go, you can feel where this story is going...
Newly separated from his wife, Cole leaves London for the countryside and decides to live a simpler life, having a fresh start to a new journey. He accepts a position as a wildlife ranger and lives in a seaside cottage, and he spends his morning swimming and enjoying nature. When he meets his neighbor Leonora, an artist renting a nearby cottage, he is instantly attracted to her. As the two forge a budding relationship, two women's rights activists begin touring their town to raise awareness about domestic abuse. When the two women go missing, the whole town, including Cole and Leonora, end up being thrown into a police investigation and media tailspin. As the investigation continues, Cole and Leonora's angst and tension begins to grow and the two realize that they may not necessarily have known everything about each other.
Immediately right off the bat, you'll feel a sense of erratic behavior in this book. I don't want to say more because it'll give it away. That being said, this book is bingeable and fun, and showcases different POVs and writing techniques (media outlets, articles, social media posts, etc.). Although I knew early on how this book would evolve, it didn't take away from my enjoyment of the journey with its characters. There are some truly sinister characters with some eye-opening moments for readers to enjoy. This book will not be for everyone, but if you've read the author's books previously and enjoy the genre, definitely give ONE OF THE GOOD GUYS a try!
Newly separated from his wife, Cole leaves London for the countryside and decides to live a simpler life, having a fresh start to a new journey. He accepts a position as a wildlife ranger and lives in a seaside cottage, and he spends his morning swimming and enjoying nature. When he meets his neighbor Leonora, an artist renting a nearby cottage, he is instantly attracted to her. As the two forge a budding relationship, two women's rights activists begin touring their town to raise awareness about domestic abuse. When the two women go missing, the whole town, including Cole and Leonora, end up being thrown into a police investigation and media tailspin. As the investigation continues, Cole and Leonora's angst and tension begins to grow and the two realize that they may not necessarily have known everything about each other.
Immediately right off the bat, you'll feel a sense of erratic behavior in this book. I don't want to say more because it'll give it away. That being said, this book is bingeable and fun, and showcases different POVs and writing techniques (media outlets, articles, social media posts, etc.). Although I knew early on how this book would evolve, it didn't take away from my enjoyment of the journey with its characters. There are some truly sinister characters with some eye-opening moments for readers to enjoy. This book will not be for everyone, but if you've read the author's books previously and enjoy the genre, definitely give ONE OF THE GOOD GUYS a try!
January 12, 2024
4.5 stars!
OMGGG this book!! Trust me… you will want to talk about this one! Huge shoutout to @zandoprojects for this gorgeous gifted copy!! Look 👀 at this cover!! 👏👏 Perfect cover for this book. 👌 Anyways.. wow🤯 Pub date is January 9, 2024🥳🥳🥳
Sooo this book had me ALL over the place. I was on one side of the fence… then the other side.. then I hopped on the fence.. fell and I am hanging upside down. 😬😂😳 You will know what I mean when you read it!! 😬
Cole is just… one of the good guys.. one you can count on.. attentive… kind.. totally 💯 committed… he can't help it if his ex wife 💍 didn’t appreciate him. 🤷♀️
So we go with Cole to start a fresh life…and oh did he ever!! 🤫🤔 That is where he met another woman… 👩🏻.. Lenora… lucky Lenora will get ALL of Cole’s attention. 🥰
I can’t say anything more!! 🤫…You guys totally need to go in blind!! 🤐🤐🤐While I disliked every … single… character… that was the point!! 👏👏 Bravo @aramintahall !!! She has not only delivered an amazing thought provoking book… that trust me… people are going to be talking about… 😳… it was so unique.. clever.. YET… I can totally see ALL of this happening… this book will have you questioning… EVERYONE and EVERYTHING !! Definitely recommend!! However… it does have some things that might trigger people… but I find it a bit like spoilers… 🤫so lmk if you want a warning!!
🖤🖤🖤 This is my first @aramintahall book.. let me tell you I need Our Kind of Cruelty like asap!!
OMGGG this book!! Trust me… you will want to talk about this one! Huge shoutout to @zandoprojects for this gorgeous gifted copy!! Look 👀 at this cover!! 👏👏 Perfect cover for this book. 👌 Anyways.. wow🤯 Pub date is January 9, 2024🥳🥳🥳
Sooo this book had me ALL over the place. I was on one side of the fence… then the other side.. then I hopped on the fence.. fell and I am hanging upside down. 😬😂😳 You will know what I mean when you read it!! 😬
Cole is just… one of the good guys.. one you can count on.. attentive… kind.. totally 💯 committed… he can't help it if his ex wife 💍 didn’t appreciate him. 🤷♀️
So we go with Cole to start a fresh life…and oh did he ever!! 🤫🤔 That is where he met another woman… 👩🏻.. Lenora… lucky Lenora will get ALL of Cole’s attention. 🥰
I can’t say anything more!! 🤫…You guys totally need to go in blind!! 🤐🤐🤐While I disliked every … single… character… that was the point!! 👏👏 Bravo @aramintahall !!! She has not only delivered an amazing thought provoking book… that trust me… people are going to be talking about… 😳… it was so unique.. clever.. YET… I can totally see ALL of this happening… this book will have you questioning… EVERYONE and EVERYTHING !! Definitely recommend!! However… it does have some things that might trigger people… but I find it a bit like spoilers… 🤫so lmk if you want a warning!!
🖤🖤🖤 This is my first @aramintahall book.. let me tell you I need Our Kind of Cruelty like asap!!
September 3, 2024
Cole thinks he’s a good guy, even though most of his relationships never work out. He’s a loving, kind, caring man in his eyes. But why can’t he keep a wife or a girlfriend? In this book called relocates to start a whole new life after his messy divorce. A divorce that shockingly came out of nowhere for him, as we read this book, we realize Cole may not be who he thinks he is.
This was a quick easy to read thriller. Great for an end of summer read!
This was a quick easy to read thriller. Great for an end of summer read!
November 24, 2023
Although I am still not entirely sure how I feel about One of the Good Guys by Araminta Hall, there is no doubt that it stirred up a ton of emotions in me. The basis of this story revolves around 'one of the good guys' Cole and his soon-to-be ex-wife Melanie. When Cole moves to the countryside, he ends up meeting an artist named Leonora and things just keep building from there. We get a handful of different viewpoints with time jumps, as well as some mixed media towards the end of the book and I loved the way this helped the entire story unfold. A lot of reviewers seemed to have known where this book was headed, but I am not kidding when I say everything shocked me.
It is difficult to review One of the Good Guys without any spoilers, and I honestly don't even know how I would compare it with Hall's previous novels as it has been a minute since I read one. I would think that if you were a fan of her writing, you would like this book regardless, but it also deals with some very (to some) controversial topics. I definitely get what she was trying to do here, but I have to agree with the other readers who said it was a bit of overkill. The very end was extremely moving, and I know without a doubt this would make an incredible discussion book for a book club or buddy read. There is a mystery in here, but there are also some literary fiction vibes, and I would definitely check triggers before reading.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
It is difficult to review One of the Good Guys without any spoilers, and I honestly don't even know how I would compare it with Hall's previous novels as it has been a minute since I read one. I would think that if you were a fan of her writing, you would like this book regardless, but it also deals with some very (to some) controversial topics. I definitely get what she was trying to do here, but I have to agree with the other readers who said it was a bit of overkill. The very end was extremely moving, and I know without a doubt this would make an incredible discussion book for a book club or buddy read. There is a mystery in here, but there are also some literary fiction vibes, and I would definitely check triggers before reading.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
January 9, 2024
But the truth is, men who want to protect women should never be trusted because we only feel the impulse to protect the things we think of as weaker than ourselves.
One of the Good Guys was not at all what I expected, and I mean that in the absolute best way. I think this is a book you'll appreciate more if you go into it completely blind, so I'm not going to summarize the plot and I'd encourage you to be wary of reviews that go into too much plot detail. This book is full of unexpected, scathing surprises.
In her third novel, Araminta Hall combines a propulsive narrative with brilliant social commentary about gender, power imbalances, and the all-too-often skewed perspectives offered by the media, and of course by internet trolls around the world. With a multiple-perspective structure and snippets of mixed media like news articles, opinion pieces, and social media threads, One of the Good Guys feels fresh and modern and important, when I honestly expected it to be just another domestic thriller. It's so impressive.
The characters are interesting, psychologically complex, morally gray, and flawed, and from the very first page there's a sense of wrongness pervading the narrative, a feeling that all is not as it appears. That is definitely the case, and the plot unfolds with tension, shifting alliances, and perfectly-timed reveals.
Hall's focus is zeroed in on how women can be viewed in the modern world -- even now, long after equal rights and shattered glass ceilings and #MeToo, in a society that's supposed to be progressive and equal. Women are too fake or too bitchy, too ungrateful or too needy. They're victims, or they're making something out of nothing. All women want to be mothers, of if they don't, there's something seriously wrong with them. Hall's observations are brave and bold and unflinching.
One of the Good Guys won't be for everyone due to the heavy-handedness of the social commentary, but the way Hall melded it with a compelling, deeply psychological and suspenseful narrative had me turning the pages as quickly as I could. Thank you to Zando Projects/Gillian Flynn Books and NetGalley for the early reading opportunity.
January 5, 2024
I received a gifted copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review as part of the book tour hosted by Random Things Tours.
One of the Good Guys is a thought-provoking read that has you nodding your head, reflecting and very eye-opening and believable.
We follow Cole in the first half of the book and his story and then follow Lenny and Mels. It's hard to write this and keep it spoiler free, so I will say that my mind was blown away by the twist in this book. So much in this book was relatable to me from relationships and men I've known in the past and so I urge all women to read this to open their eyes to certain subjects and widen their knowledge and understanding of them too. The use of mixed media was so effective in this book and cleverly added, and the art show blew my mind!
One of the Good Guys is a thought-provoking read that has you nodding your head, reflecting and very eye-opening and believable.
We follow Cole in the first half of the book and his story and then follow Lenny and Mels. It's hard to write this and keep it spoiler free, so I will say that my mind was blown away by the twist in this book. So much in this book was relatable to me from relationships and men I've known in the past and so I urge all women to read this to open their eyes to certain subjects and widen their knowledge and understanding of them too. The use of mixed media was so effective in this book and cleverly added, and the art show blew my mind!
February 7, 2024
This was so good, but definitely not an easy read. I loved the choice of having the male pov because that changed the whole game! And the cover is such a clever interpretation🤭
March 2, 2024
Of The Good Guys is the sixth novel by British journalist, editor and author, Araminta Hall. The audio version is narrated by Elliott Fitzpatrick, Olivia Vinall and Helen Keeley. At forty-three, Cole Simmonds has quit London for a job as a wildlife ranger and a cottage on the Sussex coast. After two months, he meets Lennie at the Christmas drinks do, learning she has been living in the coastguard cottage nearby since September.
He confesses he is still feeling fragile about the break-down of his seven-year marriage, some six months earlier, still confused about his wife Mel’s nastiness, still lamenting having to leave their lovely flat. “But it’s always that way, isn’t it? Men are expected to be the ones to leave. As if men don’t have an inner life or as much of an emotional connection to spaces and things as women do. Which means, when it comes down to the messy process of splitting up, it’s the women who get to be coddled and cared for, even if they’re the one who’s f**ked it up.”
After further encounters, he sees a potential relationship forming with Lennie, whom he prefers to call Leonora. It’s also around this time that two young women are doing a walk, #walk4women, along the south coast, wild camping as they try to raise money for a domestic violence charity, Safe Space UK. Cole’s interaction with them when they ignore signs and barriers is an awkward, angry one that they capture on their phones. And then the girls go missing, and there’s lots of conflicting opinion on social media about what they are doing, and their likely fate.
Cole has always tried to be kind and gentle with everyone; he is very charming; he truly believes he’s one of the good guys. It’s fairly soon apparent from the way he describes their marriage, though, and from Mel’s perspective on that same relationship, that his charm hides a manipulative tendency, a deep-seated toxic masculinity within him of which he seems completely unaware:
“It’s strange how men are asked to be sensitive and understanding now, but when we really are, when we say how we’re truly feeling, women don’t actually like it. I think, subconsciously, they want us to hold their hands and understand their emotional contradictions, but they also still want us to be strong, to bang our chests with our fists and protect them from shit… it was all so … confusing because I want nothing more than to support and empower women, but surely that doesn’t mean I should lie on the floor and let them walk all over me.”
While Cole moans: “I know, historically, it’s been hard to be a woman but, my god, it’s hard to be a man right now”, Mel’s friends observe: “The bar is so low for men. All they have to do is a bit of bloody washing up, or ask how you’re feeling, and everyone thinks they’re the second … coming.” There aren’t really any likeable characters in this tale, but their opinions do bear serious consideration.
As well as three straight narratives (that are perhaps not entirely reliable), Hall uses email, text, tweets, press articles, transcripts of radio and TV interviews, WhatsApp chats, and blog posts to convey the mood and opinions of the online community and the general public. This is a story that examines the arguments on many sides of some very topical issues: gender and the dynamics of power, BDSM, consent, domestic violence, and ownership of embryos. Sound effects in the audio version add authenticity to this compelling and thought-provoking read.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Gillian Flynn Books/Zando audio
He confesses he is still feeling fragile about the break-down of his seven-year marriage, some six months earlier, still confused about his wife Mel’s nastiness, still lamenting having to leave their lovely flat. “But it’s always that way, isn’t it? Men are expected to be the ones to leave. As if men don’t have an inner life or as much of an emotional connection to spaces and things as women do. Which means, when it comes down to the messy process of splitting up, it’s the women who get to be coddled and cared for, even if they’re the one who’s f**ked it up.”
After further encounters, he sees a potential relationship forming with Lennie, whom he prefers to call Leonora. It’s also around this time that two young women are doing a walk, #walk4women, along the south coast, wild camping as they try to raise money for a domestic violence charity, Safe Space UK. Cole’s interaction with them when they ignore signs and barriers is an awkward, angry one that they capture on their phones. And then the girls go missing, and there’s lots of conflicting opinion on social media about what they are doing, and their likely fate.
Cole has always tried to be kind and gentle with everyone; he is very charming; he truly believes he’s one of the good guys. It’s fairly soon apparent from the way he describes their marriage, though, and from Mel’s perspective on that same relationship, that his charm hides a manipulative tendency, a deep-seated toxic masculinity within him of which he seems completely unaware:
“It’s strange how men are asked to be sensitive and understanding now, but when we really are, when we say how we’re truly feeling, women don’t actually like it. I think, subconsciously, they want us to hold their hands and understand their emotional contradictions, but they also still want us to be strong, to bang our chests with our fists and protect them from shit… it was all so … confusing because I want nothing more than to support and empower women, but surely that doesn’t mean I should lie on the floor and let them walk all over me.”
While Cole moans: “I know, historically, it’s been hard to be a woman but, my god, it’s hard to be a man right now”, Mel’s friends observe: “The bar is so low for men. All they have to do is a bit of bloody washing up, or ask how you’re feeling, and everyone thinks they’re the second … coming.” There aren’t really any likeable characters in this tale, but their opinions do bear serious consideration.
As well as three straight narratives (that are perhaps not entirely reliable), Hall uses email, text, tweets, press articles, transcripts of radio and TV interviews, WhatsApp chats, and blog posts to convey the mood and opinions of the online community and the general public. This is a story that examines the arguments on many sides of some very topical issues: gender and the dynamics of power, BDSM, consent, domestic violence, and ownership of embryos. Sound effects in the audio version add authenticity to this compelling and thought-provoking read.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Gillian Flynn Books/Zando audio
January 13, 2024
„Alive, our words about male violence were meaningless.“
5/5
Gavau kur kas daugiau, nei tikėjausi. Nors kažkada skaityta Hall knyga nuvylė, ši pasirodė ypač reikšminga ir reikalinga. Jos išpildymas - unikalus, o trileriškumas tik tam, kad aptartų svarbias lygių teisių, incelių, smurto prieš moteris ir MeToo temas. Autorė kuo puikiausiai suvokia, kad tai, apie ką rašo – nepaprastai daug diskusijų keliančios temos, todėl užbėga už akių dažniausiems argumentams: „pati prisiprašė“; „bet gi vyrus irgi prievartauja“; „ko čia tik dabar nusprendė prabilt, kad buvo išprievartauta?? matyt kažko nori!“; „kaltas tik tada, kai tai įrodyta, jokie pasakojimai nesvarbūs, kol nėra patvirtintų faktų“ (aha, nes prievartavimą taip dažnai įrodo ir už jį nuteisia); „bet gi su manim jis buvo toks draugiškas“ ir panašiems. Bet autorė sugeba nupiešti ne tokio įprasto blogo vyro portretą. Jis šlykštus, bet jis rūpinasi. Jis agresyvus, bet vadina save feministu. Tuo pat metu, prie visų savybių, kurios atrodo pagirtinos ar mielos, koja kojon eina tai, už ką nenuteisi, bet ko nekęsi: noras tave vadinti kitu vardu, nei pati prisistatai. Noras pasakyti, kad gražiau atrodai be makiažo. Noras įkišti ne tai, ko geidi, o ko jis mano, kad tau reikia. Nes gi taip tau bus geriau. Noras žinoti, kur tu esi. Visada. Bet gi dėl tavo pačios saugumo.
Nors skeptiškai žiūrėjau į autorės pasirinkimą antrą knygos dalį pasakoti per soc.medijų prizmę – interviu, tweetus, susirašinėjimus, straipsnius ir podcast‘us, visgi suprantu, kad tai buvo tobulas pasirinkimas. Hall nepriekaištingai pagavo tą internetinę peklą, kurioje gali suabejoti net pats savimi, kurioje moterys kaltina moteris, kad šios prabilo apie didžiausius įmanomus skaudulius. Ir pasakodama abejingų nepaliekančią, nevienpusišką ir ne juodai baltą istoriją, ji, neabejoju, patenka į mano 2024-ųjų knygų topą. Norėčiau rekomenduoti tiems, kurie yra pagrindinė socialinės nelygybės problemos dalis, bet jie nei skaitys, nei supras. Todėl rekomenduoju tiems, kurie ir taip viską žino, bet skaityti vis tiek nepaprastai įdomu.
5/5
Gavau kur kas daugiau, nei tikėjausi. Nors kažkada skaityta Hall knyga nuvylė, ši pasirodė ypač reikšminga ir reikalinga. Jos išpildymas - unikalus, o trileriškumas tik tam, kad aptartų svarbias lygių teisių, incelių, smurto prieš moteris ir MeToo temas. Autorė kuo puikiausiai suvokia, kad tai, apie ką rašo – nepaprastai daug diskusijų keliančios temos, todėl užbėga už akių dažniausiems argumentams: „pati prisiprašė“; „bet gi vyrus irgi prievartauja“; „ko čia tik dabar nusprendė prabilt, kad buvo išprievartauta?? matyt kažko nori!“; „kaltas tik tada, kai tai įrodyta, jokie pasakojimai nesvarbūs, kol nėra patvirtintų faktų“ (aha, nes prievartavimą taip dažnai įrodo ir už jį nuteisia); „bet gi su manim jis buvo toks draugiškas“ ir panašiems. Bet autorė sugeba nupiešti ne tokio įprasto blogo vyro portretą. Jis šlykštus, bet jis rūpinasi. Jis agresyvus, bet vadina save feministu. Tuo pat metu, prie visų savybių, kurios atrodo pagirtinos ar mielos, koja kojon eina tai, už ką nenuteisi, bet ko nekęsi: noras tave vadinti kitu vardu, nei pati prisistatai. Noras pasakyti, kad gražiau atrodai be makiažo. Noras įkišti ne tai, ko geidi, o ko jis mano, kad tau reikia. Nes gi taip tau bus geriau. Noras žinoti, kur tu esi. Visada. Bet gi dėl tavo pačios saugumo.
Nors skeptiškai žiūrėjau į autorės pasirinkimą antrą knygos dalį pasakoti per soc.medijų prizmę – interviu, tweetus, susirašinėjimus, straipsnius ir podcast‘us, visgi suprantu, kad tai buvo tobulas pasirinkimas. Hall nepriekaištingai pagavo tą internetinę peklą, kurioje gali suabejoti net pats savimi, kurioje moterys kaltina moteris, kad šios prabilo apie didžiausius įmanomus skaudulius. Ir pasakodama abejingų nepaliekančią, nevienpusišką ir ne juodai baltą istoriją, ji, neabejoju, patenka į mano 2024-ųjų knygų topą. Norėčiau rekomenduoti tiems, kurie yra pagrindinė socialinės nelygybės problemos dalis, bet jie nei skaitys, nei supras. Todėl rekomenduoju tiems, kurie ir taip viską žino, bet skaityti vis tiek nepaprastai įdomu.
January 28, 2024
[TW: Language, sexual assault, infertility, toxic relationships, abusive relationship, divorce, miscarriages, animal death (rabbit skinned/gutted), death of parent, gaslighting, misogynistic behavior, use of c-word, domestic abuse, violence, grooming, abusive mother, child sexual abuse]
*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:Desperate to escape the ghosts of his failed marriage, Cole upends his life. He leaves London behind for a remote stretch of coast, relishing the respite from the noise, drama, and relentless careerism that curdled his relationship and mental health. Leonora has made the same move for similar reasons. She’s living a short walk from Cole’s seaside cottage, preparing for her latest art exhibition. Although Cole still can’t figure out what went wrong with his marriage, and Leonora is having trouble acclimating to the hostile landscape, the pair forges a connection on the eroding bluff they call home.
Then two young female activists raising awareness about gendered violence disappear while passing through. Cole and Leonora suddenly find themselves in the middle of a police investigation--and the resulting media firestorm when the world learns of what happened. And as the tension escalates alongside the search for the missing women, they quickly realize that they don’t know each other that well after all.
Release Date: January 9th, 2024
Genre: Domestic Thriller
Pages: 304
Rating: ⭐
What I Liked:
1. Loved the author's writing style
2. Characters were well developed
3. Shirt chapters
4. Fast read
5. The cover
What I Didn't Like:
1. The ending
2. Part 3 tone
Overall Thoughts:
When I first started reading this book I kept thinking that Cole killed his wife. I kept thinking that he really killed her but kept pretending in his mind she was alive. But then he didn't.
This story is wild. There were so many times when he was saying that Mel was abusing him when she was talking to him and asking him for reasonable things. She wanted him to sign papers to sell the house and wanted to have the embryos destroyed. Very understanding. He continues to act as though he is the victim to her.
Mel is your typical women. She always talks herself down when she isn't being polite to her husband or someone . She doesn't really want kids but then changes her mind. She continues to tell herself to calm down so not to make a scene.
Cole gets her her favorite squash pasta and she doesn't even like that one but the mushroom one instead.
Honestly I tried to read this book less from a female prospective (I am a woman) and more from a human perspective. When Mel works so much it does suck. Cole wants a family that Mel has agreed to have with him but she is always at work. It's hard to maintain a relationship with someone that doesn't listen to you. So in that aspect it's understandable that Cole would be upset because even if roles were reversed and Cole was the one working so much he couldnt be bothered to sit with Mel after a treatment, people would be pissed at that. What makes me mad is the gaslighting that Cole puts into the passive aggressive comments he aims toward Mel. The whole and only focus on having a kid is creepy.
Mel and Cole are complete opposites. Mel really doesn't want kids and is more focused on having her business succeed. There is a stigma that is put on women that don't want kids but want a life that is about themselves. People label them as selfish and none caring.
Cole wants kids and he wants his wife and child to live off the land with no connection to work. He wants to isolate his wife and children to almost control them to what he believes and away from society.
Cole hates it when Mel cries but he has no problem with crying. What a master manipulater. Always trying to control her feelings.
We learn that Cole can only have sex with Mel if he is pretending to sexually assault while dressed in black clothing and "breaking" into the house.
God this book has such good commentary. Mel finally leaves Cole but then when she thinks about why Cole is the way he is she concludes that it must all be his mother's fault for the way he is. Speaks volumes about what Mel said earlier that society always blame women for what men do. We are just a society of people saying it's the woman's fault.
Men like Cole believe they’re right because society has told them that they are their whole lives. And, as a result, they find it difficult to be told "no."
Yesssssssssss!
"But the truth is, men who want to protect women should never be trusted because we only feel the impulse to protect the things we think of as weaker than ourselves."
I don't agree with that at all. You can be protective of people but not think of them as weaker. I'm protective of my family but I don't think they are below me - I just love them and hate anyone who hurts them.
Towards the end of the book it becomes this mixed media format that I just did not care for. Because the whole part of the book in the beginning was actual story and then we jump into how media dictates to how things are. I just feel like it was very jumbled when it got to that point. Also it just keeps repeating the details we already read and know about.
The moment that Leonora mentions that her next art piece needed Mel I figured they were going to hide the girls. Then when Leonora is the one that finds the tent it sealed it in what she was doing it.
Leonora making tons of money on her show of exploiting domestic abused women pretty ties up how much sense this book ended up meaning.
Final Thoughts:
I was enjoying this book immensely so much so that I finished it in a day (in 6 hours). The story was fascinating. The writing was fantastic. The characters were interesting. Then we got to part three and all I felt about the book quickly took a nosedive. I get having an idea for a book but lately it feels as though authors are adding so many want to be twists to amount to little in their stories.
This book uses mixed media to almost blind you and disorient you from a predictable and mediocre ending.
A lot of this book is just the same details and actions of our characters from different perspectives, which makes the story come off dull and boring. Hearing the news and social media reports repeating the same facts about the case wore on my nerves. It all comes off pointless because they give us zero information to advance the plot other than to showcase how judgemental and horrible people can be. I feel like some of it could have really added to the story but there was just too much of it to make the story better. Endless recounts just dragged this story down making me want to skim some parts.
The revival was just not good. I'm not sure how girls disappearing and then them being found alive had much meaning. How would them lying about what happened to them give the cause to women being believed give women any credibility? It wouldn't. It would prove to all the misogynistic men that women are trash. To the people worried about them they would lose faith in them for lying.
I also wish that this book could have also focused on males that are also sexually assaulted because this story makes out that all males are dangerous. That no men can be a victim to abuse either. 1 in 4 men have experienced rape and physical violence.
IG | Blog
Thanks to Netgalley and Gillian Flynn Books for this advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:Desperate to escape the ghosts of his failed marriage, Cole upends his life. He leaves London behind for a remote stretch of coast, relishing the respite from the noise, drama, and relentless careerism that curdled his relationship and mental health. Leonora has made the same move for similar reasons. She’s living a short walk from Cole’s seaside cottage, preparing for her latest art exhibition. Although Cole still can’t figure out what went wrong with his marriage, and Leonora is having trouble acclimating to the hostile landscape, the pair forges a connection on the eroding bluff they call home.
Then two young female activists raising awareness about gendered violence disappear while passing through. Cole and Leonora suddenly find themselves in the middle of a police investigation--and the resulting media firestorm when the world learns of what happened. And as the tension escalates alongside the search for the missing women, they quickly realize that they don’t know each other that well after all.
Release Date: January 9th, 2024
Genre: Domestic Thriller
Pages: 304
Rating: ⭐
What I Liked:
1. Loved the author's writing style
2. Characters were well developed
3. Shirt chapters
4. Fast read
5. The cover
What I Didn't Like:
1. The ending
2. Part 3 tone
Overall Thoughts:
When I first started reading this book I kept thinking that Cole killed his wife. I kept thinking that he really killed her but kept pretending in his mind she was alive. But then he didn't.
This story is wild. There were so many times when he was saying that Mel was abusing him when she was talking to him and asking him for reasonable things. She wanted him to sign papers to sell the house and wanted to have the embryos destroyed. Very understanding. He continues to act as though he is the victim to her.
Mel is your typical women. She always talks herself down when she isn't being polite to her husband or someone . She doesn't really want kids but then changes her mind. She continues to tell herself to calm down so not to make a scene.
Cole gets her her favorite squash pasta and she doesn't even like that one but the mushroom one instead.
Honestly I tried to read this book less from a female prospective (I am a woman) and more from a human perspective. When Mel works so much it does suck. Cole wants a family that Mel has agreed to have with him but she is always at work. It's hard to maintain a relationship with someone that doesn't listen to you. So in that aspect it's understandable that Cole would be upset because even if roles were reversed and Cole was the one working so much he couldnt be bothered to sit with Mel after a treatment, people would be pissed at that. What makes me mad is the gaslighting that Cole puts into the passive aggressive comments he aims toward Mel. The whole and only focus on having a kid is creepy.
Mel and Cole are complete opposites. Mel really doesn't want kids and is more focused on having her business succeed. There is a stigma that is put on women that don't want kids but want a life that is about themselves. People label them as selfish and none caring.
Cole wants kids and he wants his wife and child to live off the land with no connection to work. He wants to isolate his wife and children to almost control them to what he believes and away from society.
Cole hates it when Mel cries but he has no problem with crying. What a master manipulater. Always trying to control her feelings.
We learn that Cole can only have sex with Mel if he is pretending to sexually assault while dressed in black clothing and "breaking" into the house.
God this book has such good commentary. Mel finally leaves Cole but then when she thinks about why Cole is the way he is she concludes that it must all be his mother's fault for the way he is. Speaks volumes about what Mel said earlier that society always blame women for what men do. We are just a society of people saying it's the woman's fault.
Men like Cole believe they’re right because society has told them that they are their whole lives. And, as a result, they find it difficult to be told "no."
Yesssssssssss!
"But the truth is, men who want to protect women should never be trusted because we only feel the impulse to protect the things we think of as weaker than ourselves."
I don't agree with that at all. You can be protective of people but not think of them as weaker. I'm protective of my family but I don't think they are below me - I just love them and hate anyone who hurts them.
Towards the end of the book it becomes this mixed media format that I just did not care for. Because the whole part of the book in the beginning was actual story and then we jump into how media dictates to how things are. I just feel like it was very jumbled when it got to that point. Also it just keeps repeating the details we already read and know about.
The moment that Leonora mentions that her next art piece needed Mel I figured they were going to hide the girls. Then when Leonora is the one that finds the tent it sealed it in what she was doing it.
Leonora making tons of money on her show of exploiting domestic abused women pretty ties up how much sense this book ended up meaning.
Final Thoughts:
I was enjoying this book immensely so much so that I finished it in a day (in 6 hours). The story was fascinating. The writing was fantastic. The characters were interesting. Then we got to part three and all I felt about the book quickly took a nosedive. I get having an idea for a book but lately it feels as though authors are adding so many want to be twists to amount to little in their stories.
This book uses mixed media to almost blind you and disorient you from a predictable and mediocre ending.
A lot of this book is just the same details and actions of our characters from different perspectives, which makes the story come off dull and boring. Hearing the news and social media reports repeating the same facts about the case wore on my nerves. It all comes off pointless because they give us zero information to advance the plot other than to showcase how judgemental and horrible people can be. I feel like some of it could have really added to the story but there was just too much of it to make the story better. Endless recounts just dragged this story down making me want to skim some parts.
The revival was just not good. I'm not sure how girls disappearing and then them being found alive had much meaning. How would them lying about what happened to them give the cause to women being believed give women any credibility? It wouldn't. It would prove to all the misogynistic men that women are trash. To the people worried about them they would lose faith in them for lying.
I also wish that this book could have also focused on males that are also sexually assaulted because this story makes out that all males are dangerous. That no men can be a victim to abuse either. 1 in 4 men have experienced rape and physical violence.
IG | Blog
Thanks to Netgalley and Gillian Flynn Books for this advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
January 1, 2024
Thought provoking mystery dealing with the safety of women and the myth of the so called "nice guy" Part one starts with the first person narrative of Cole who has taken a new job as a wildlife ranger and moved into a small cottage in the south of England. Cole and his wife Mel are separated, and he is upset at her not wanting to continue IVF treatments and her fast paced lifestyle. At first we really like Cole but as his thoughts and actions reveal more we see the layers of the nice guy peeling away to reveal someone else. Cole meets an artist named Lennie (Leonora) who is taking a breather in a small coast guard cottage before an upcoming art show in London. At the same time, two young women are on a charity walk to raise money for an organization that promotes awareness of safety for women. The women end up in the same small town as Cole and Lennie and disappear.
Part two of the book shows us the story of Cole's wife Mel. I thought Mel was a great character and I particularly liked the discussion about men being praised for making any efforts at home care and parenting while women are criticized for everything they do. We also read a number of media and social media pieces with various people's viewpoints on women's safety and the missing women. The third section ties everything together and while there were no surprises, I did appreciate the discussion of this very important subject and loved the description of the art exhibit on women and their fears. I would have rated this five stars but both Lennie and Cole didn't quite feel like real people at times and more like stand ins for stereotypes. Thank you to Gillian Flynn books and NetGalley for a copy of this ARC in exchange for a review.
Part two of the book shows us the story of Cole's wife Mel. I thought Mel was a great character and I particularly liked the discussion about men being praised for making any efforts at home care and parenting while women are criticized for everything they do. We also read a number of media and social media pieces with various people's viewpoints on women's safety and the missing women. The third section ties everything together and while there were no surprises, I did appreciate the discussion of this very important subject and loved the description of the art exhibit on women and their fears. I would have rated this five stars but both Lennie and Cole didn't quite feel like real people at times and more like stand ins for stereotypes. Thank you to Gillian Flynn books and NetGalley for a copy of this ARC in exchange for a review.
October 13, 2023
For me, there has never been a clearer 5 star ever!! I absolutely adore this book and everything it has to say!
The story opens with the character of Cole, who recounts his experiences with women in his life. Immediately, we pick up on the vibe of him playing the victim, undermining their feelings, lacking any self-awareness, and molding things to suit his own narrative. But he claims to be "one of the good guys," right? Women, according to him, just don't understand the "hard work and effort he puts in," work that should undoubtedly earn him praise because this notion, where the bar for men is set so low that they are deemed exemplary by default, becomes very evident. Never mind that women don't receive the same privilege.
However, at no point does it feel like an over-exaggeration of the character or like the author is pushing an agenda. The narrative simply highlights the real-life men that women encounter and deal with on a daily basis. The portrayal has the uncanny ability to make you feel gaslighted by simply reading from Cole's perspective.
Nevertheless, a pivotal shift occurs as the story transitions to his wife's viewpoint in the second part. The book unfolds the intricacies of their marriage, year by year, as the story reveals when their relationship started taking a downturn.
The third and final part of the book introduces mixed media, including newspaper and magazine articles, podcast transcripts, interviews, and online posts and comments that explain the twist in the story related to two missing girls who disappeared during a protest against male violence. This will undoubtedly make you ponder the morality and justice of the situation presented.
I applaud the author for dealing with these topics in such a nuanced way. The book delves into discussions about inequality in shared finances at home, the emotional and physical toll of the IVF journey on women, double standards, the influence of pornography on men's perception of women, male violence and disrespect in various forms, predatory behavior, victim-blaming, manipulation disguised as love, and the audacity of men attempting to control women's bodies. The narrative also touches on how the media prioritizes white middle-class women in cases involving law enforcement efforts, and the reality that women are often only heard when they have lost their voices entirely.
The inclusion of reddit comments in the book further adds to its authenticity, as they resonate with the same discourse and hatred i often encounter online.
This book brilliantly encapsulates every facet of being a woman in today's society, every time we've felt unsafe and ostracized, unheard and not taken seriously, and made to feel crazy for expressing our truth. It's full of feminist rage and much-needed social commentary. The plot flows effortlessly, and I seriously can't praise it enough!
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
The story opens with the character of Cole, who recounts his experiences with women in his life. Immediately, we pick up on the vibe of him playing the victim, undermining their feelings, lacking any self-awareness, and molding things to suit his own narrative. But he claims to be "one of the good guys," right? Women, according to him, just don't understand the "hard work and effort he puts in," work that should undoubtedly earn him praise because this notion, where the bar for men is set so low that they are deemed exemplary by default, becomes very evident. Never mind that women don't receive the same privilege.
However, at no point does it feel like an over-exaggeration of the character or like the author is pushing an agenda. The narrative simply highlights the real-life men that women encounter and deal with on a daily basis. The portrayal has the uncanny ability to make you feel gaslighted by simply reading from Cole's perspective.
Nevertheless, a pivotal shift occurs as the story transitions to his wife's viewpoint in the second part. The book unfolds the intricacies of their marriage, year by year, as the story reveals when their relationship started taking a downturn.
The third and final part of the book introduces mixed media, including newspaper and magazine articles, podcast transcripts, interviews, and online posts and comments that explain the twist in the story related to two missing girls who disappeared during a protest against male violence. This will undoubtedly make you ponder the morality and justice of the situation presented.
I applaud the author for dealing with these topics in such a nuanced way. The book delves into discussions about inequality in shared finances at home, the emotional and physical toll of the IVF journey on women, double standards, the influence of pornography on men's perception of women, male violence and disrespect in various forms, predatory behavior, victim-blaming, manipulation disguised as love, and the audacity of men attempting to control women's bodies. The narrative also touches on how the media prioritizes white middle-class women in cases involving law enforcement efforts, and the reality that women are often only heard when they have lost their voices entirely.
The inclusion of reddit comments in the book further adds to its authenticity, as they resonate with the same discourse and hatred i often encounter online.
This book brilliantly encapsulates every facet of being a woman in today's society, every time we've felt unsafe and ostracized, unheard and not taken seriously, and made to feel crazy for expressing our truth. It's full of feminist rage and much-needed social commentary. The plot flows effortlessly, and I seriously can't praise it enough!
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
August 10, 2023
“A propulsive and twisty page-turner with razor-sharp sociopolitical insight, One of the Good Guys asks: if most men claim to be good, why are most women still afraid to walk home alone at night?”
We begin with the male MC’s POV, Cole, who comes off as a whiny, stick in the mud, stick up the ass man-baby, always crying and just plain pitiful.
Recently separated from his wife, Mel, and also newly relocated, Cole is now living in the countryside near the coast. While currently single, with the front of starting fresh, it seems as though he’s mourning the end of his relationship while being passive aggressive in the same regard, with some sort of victim mentality to boot. Yea, he was like the biggest tool in the shed.
The more I read his POV, the more I realized that something was seriously wrong with this dude. And then things start to get really strange.
Then we switch Mel’s POV, his ex, who basically goes through the timeline of their relationship, start to finish. The difference in Cole, from his POV to Mel’s, well… it’s quite stark. His sexual, solitary preference is on the dark side. I found him repugnant.
We change up again to Lennie’s POV; someone who comes into the picture in such an odd, stretchy kind of way that’s meant to seem organic, but was schematic, conniving and quite far-fetched.
There just so many moving parts in this book. Lots of man v/s woman, man-bashing, scheming/plotting, deceit, gas lighting and this whole thing about how women are basically never safe alone anywhere, ever, but specifically walking to and from places by themselves….that point was driven home over and over and over and over again, so much so, it became redundant. The “twist’ towards the end….well that just made these women look unhinged. And while I understand women’s safety is paramount, I just….Idk, to me this felt way over the top.
However, I did appreciate the exhibit “walk-through” at closing. Reading that felt very real and vivid and daunting.
Thanks to NetGalley and Zando Projects for this arc in exchange for an honest review.
Pub date: 1.9.2024.
We begin with the male MC’s POV, Cole, who comes off as a whiny, stick in the mud, stick up the ass man-baby, always crying and just plain pitiful.
Recently separated from his wife, Mel, and also newly relocated, Cole is now living in the countryside near the coast. While currently single, with the front of starting fresh, it seems as though he’s mourning the end of his relationship while being passive aggressive in the same regard, with some sort of victim mentality to boot. Yea, he was like the biggest tool in the shed.
The more I read his POV, the more I realized that something was seriously wrong with this dude. And then things start to get really strange.
Then we switch Mel’s POV, his ex, who basically goes through the timeline of their relationship, start to finish. The difference in Cole, from his POV to Mel’s, well… it’s quite stark. His sexual, solitary preference is on the dark side. I found him repugnant.
We change up again to Lennie’s POV; someone who comes into the picture in such an odd, stretchy kind of way that’s meant to seem organic, but was schematic, conniving and quite far-fetched.
There just so many moving parts in this book. Lots of man v/s woman, man-bashing, scheming/plotting, deceit, gas lighting and this whole thing about how women are basically never safe alone anywhere, ever, but specifically walking to and from places by themselves….that point was driven home over and over and over and over again, so much so, it became redundant. The “twist’ towards the end….well that just made these women look unhinged. And while I understand women’s safety is paramount, I just….Idk, to me this felt way over the top.
However, I did appreciate the exhibit “walk-through” at closing. Reading that felt very real and vivid and daunting.
Thanks to NetGalley and Zando Projects for this arc in exchange for an honest review.
Pub date: 1.9.2024.
July 27, 2023
Warning, wall of text incoming....
I asked for this ARC after seeing Gillian Flynn post a cover reveal on FB. I love Flynn's books and thought that if this was part of her imprint and she called it a twisty and propulsive psychological thriller, it would probably be right up my alley.
After the end of his marriage, Cole moves to the countryside for a change of pace, where he meets artist Leonora. They hit it off, but they are both hiding something, and Cole is still fighting with his ex wife, Mel. In the middle of all this, two young women doing a "Walk4Women" hike to raise funds for a domestic abuse organisation pass through the area and disappear. Cole was one of the last people to see them.
There were definitely parts of this book that were compulsively readable - for me that was mainly Mel's perspective (roughly the second third of the book), though overall I found it a frustrating reading experience.
The first 30+ percent of the book is seen from Cole's POV, and he just never really became believable to me as a character. Certainly I get that a person's own view of themselves is subjective, can be overly flattering, even completely out of keeping with how other people view them. But what I just didn't buy about Cole was his awareness and knowledge of women's issues. Men may acknowledge and have some understanding of these things - like how unsafe women feel walking alone at night - but absolutely not to the degree we see from Cole. I'd buy it if it was dialogue and he was trying to show women that he was understanding and sympathetic to their cause, but not as internal monologue. Men just do not think this way. Admittedly I cannot categorically state this, but it's been my experience with 40+ years on this earth.
Before I get into what I found frustrating about this book, I would like to say that I consider myself a feminist. I recognise and agree with most of the issues brought up in the story. However, I find it overwhelmingly lacking in nuance.
There may be mild spoilers ahead, but I'm not going into details of the plot.
A big part of the problem with the discussion surrounding any sociopolitical topic today - such as women's rights - is the lack of nuance, and the polarisation. If a woman raises concerns about trans people using women's public toilets, then they're a TERF and should be shunned and vilified (for clarity, this is not an opinion I hold myself - but it was the first example that came to mind as I recently had a discussion on the topic with an older female friend). While it is true that it is nobody's obligation to educate ignorant strangers on trans rights, bigotry, prejudice, etc., and it's nobody's obligation to take abuse of any kind just because someone is ignorant or even malicious, actually meeting people where they are and having an open discussion is the only way we're going to make progress. If anyone who expresses homophobic statements is immediately cancelled, the chance that they might learn and change their minds is close to nil. I admit the chance is not always good either way, but if we never try the success rate will always be zero.
The message of this book seems to lean into the "men = bad" mentality, and the idea that in our society women who speak up are vilified and men who "are trying" are hero worshipped. I'm not saying there is no truth to this, but it's certainly not that black and white, and leaning into that narrative I feel can only serve to reduce the discussion to the lowest common denominators. There was nobody in this book that had a healthy relationship with man (even in the case of Mel's friends who were only briefly mentioned, the man of the couple seemed a bit of an asshole), which feels a little ridiculous. I know there are bad men that do horrible things, and this is a real problem. I too am afraid to walk alone in the dark, get jumpy if I'm home alone at night or suspicious if a man approaches me when there's nobody else around. We as a society do need to find a way to deal with this and try to find true equality and mutual respect. But in my experience this doesn't apply to the majority of men, and the book therefore feels unbalanced.
I do think a good point is made here and there, like how women are not allowed to be people but have to be good/pure or evil. And it does bring up how society is polarised by social media statements because you have to be brief and you have to go to extremes or exaggerate to be heard, but I feel the book suffers from the same problem even though it has hundreds of pages in which to make its point.
The last 30-35% of the book is choppy, as we jump between various perspectives and social media platforms. This gives the feeling of following a real case and the comments and articles are mostly believable. (Except the author doesn't seem to know how Reddit works. You can't have apostrophes in usernames and subreddit names, and the sub is r/amitheasshole not r/aita - the author uses the correct sub the first time and the incorrect one the second. Another reviewer mentions that you cannot use ampersands in hashtags, which I will take their word for, but in that case it could also be considered user error as the word "and" is used by other accounts.) However, this is not really what I'm looking for in a work of fiction - at least not one that doesn't consistently seek to emulate the true crime formula.
I loved the idea of Leonora's exhibition as described towards the end of the book. It sounds utterly terrifying, in a good way. And there were certainly good points and good bits - it was easy and quick to read, it just ultimately wasn't satisfying as a work of fiction.
That being said, it certainly engaged me - I had a lot to say on the topic - so for that: 3+.
I asked for this ARC after seeing Gillian Flynn post a cover reveal on FB. I love Flynn's books and thought that if this was part of her imprint and she called it a twisty and propulsive psychological thriller, it would probably be right up my alley.
After the end of his marriage, Cole moves to the countryside for a change of pace, where he meets artist Leonora. They hit it off, but they are both hiding something, and Cole is still fighting with his ex wife, Mel. In the middle of all this, two young women doing a "Walk4Women" hike to raise funds for a domestic abuse organisation pass through the area and disappear. Cole was one of the last people to see them.
There were definitely parts of this book that were compulsively readable - for me that was mainly Mel's perspective (roughly the second third of the book), though overall I found it a frustrating reading experience.
The first 30+ percent of the book is seen from Cole's POV, and he just never really became believable to me as a character. Certainly I get that a person's own view of themselves is subjective, can be overly flattering, even completely out of keeping with how other people view them. But what I just didn't buy about Cole was his awareness and knowledge of women's issues. Men may acknowledge and have some understanding of these things - like how unsafe women feel walking alone at night - but absolutely not to the degree we see from Cole. I'd buy it if it was dialogue and he was trying to show women that he was understanding and sympathetic to their cause, but not as internal monologue. Men just do not think this way. Admittedly I cannot categorically state this, but it's been my experience with 40+ years on this earth.
Before I get into what I found frustrating about this book, I would like to say that I consider myself a feminist. I recognise and agree with most of the issues brought up in the story. However, I find it overwhelmingly lacking in nuance.
There may be mild spoilers ahead, but I'm not going into details of the plot.
A big part of the problem with the discussion surrounding any sociopolitical topic today - such as women's rights - is the lack of nuance, and the polarisation. If a woman raises concerns about trans people using women's public toilets, then they're a TERF and should be shunned and vilified (for clarity, this is not an opinion I hold myself - but it was the first example that came to mind as I recently had a discussion on the topic with an older female friend). While it is true that it is nobody's obligation to educate ignorant strangers on trans rights, bigotry, prejudice, etc., and it's nobody's obligation to take abuse of any kind just because someone is ignorant or even malicious, actually meeting people where they are and having an open discussion is the only way we're going to make progress. If anyone who expresses homophobic statements is immediately cancelled, the chance that they might learn and change their minds is close to nil. I admit the chance is not always good either way, but if we never try the success rate will always be zero.
The message of this book seems to lean into the "men = bad" mentality, and the idea that in our society women who speak up are vilified and men who "are trying" are hero worshipped. I'm not saying there is no truth to this, but it's certainly not that black and white, and leaning into that narrative I feel can only serve to reduce the discussion to the lowest common denominators. There was nobody in this book that had a healthy relationship with man (even in the case of Mel's friends who were only briefly mentioned, the man of the couple seemed a bit of an asshole), which feels a little ridiculous. I know there are bad men that do horrible things, and this is a real problem. I too am afraid to walk alone in the dark, get jumpy if I'm home alone at night or suspicious if a man approaches me when there's nobody else around. We as a society do need to find a way to deal with this and try to find true equality and mutual respect. But in my experience this doesn't apply to the majority of men, and the book therefore feels unbalanced.
I do think a good point is made here and there, like how women are not allowed to be people but have to be good/pure or evil. And it does bring up how society is polarised by social media statements because you have to be brief and you have to go to extremes or exaggerate to be heard, but I feel the book suffers from the same problem even though it has hundreds of pages in which to make its point.
The last 30-35% of the book is choppy, as we jump between various perspectives and social media platforms. This gives the feeling of following a real case and the comments and articles are mostly believable. (Except the author doesn't seem to know how Reddit works. You can't have apostrophes in usernames and subreddit names, and the sub is r/amitheasshole not r/aita - the author uses the correct sub the first time and the incorrect one the second. Another reviewer mentions that you cannot use ampersands in hashtags, which I will take their word for, but in that case it could also be considered user error as the word "and" is used by other accounts.) However, this is not really what I'm looking for in a work of fiction - at least not one that doesn't consistently seek to emulate the true crime formula.
I loved the idea of Leonora's exhibition as described towards the end of the book. It sounds utterly terrifying, in a good way. And there were certainly good points and good bits - it was easy and quick to read, it just ultimately wasn't satisfying as a work of fiction.
That being said, it certainly engaged me - I had a lot to say on the topic - so for that: 3+.
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