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Sophie Kent #2
The Perfect Victim
Husband, friend, colleague . . . killer?
Charlie and Emily Swift are the Instagram-perfect couple: gorgeous, successful and in love. But then Charlie is named as the prime suspect in a gruesome murder and Emily's world falls apart.
Desperate for answers, she turns to Charlie's troubled best friend, London Herald journalist, Sophie Kent. Sophie knows police have the wrong man - she trusts Charlie with her life.
Then Charlie flees.
Sophie puts her reputation on the line to clear his name. But as she's drawn deeper into Charlie and Emily's unravelling marriage, she realises that there is nothing perfect about the Swifts.
As she begins to question Charlie's innocence, something happens that blows the investigation - and their friendship - apart.
Now Sophie isn't just fighting for justice, she's fighting for her life.
For fans of Nicci French and Sophie Hannah, Corrie Jackson's explosive new novel will leave you questioning how far you would go for friendship.
Charlie and Emily Swift are the Instagram-perfect couple: gorgeous, successful and in love. But then Charlie is named as the prime suspect in a gruesome murder and Emily's world falls apart.
Desperate for answers, she turns to Charlie's troubled best friend, London Herald journalist, Sophie Kent. Sophie knows police have the wrong man - she trusts Charlie with her life.
Then Charlie flees.
Sophie puts her reputation on the line to clear his name. But as she's drawn deeper into Charlie and Emily's unravelling marriage, she realises that there is nothing perfect about the Swifts.
As she begins to question Charlie's innocence, something happens that blows the investigation - and their friendship - apart.
Now Sophie isn't just fighting for justice, she's fighting for her life.
For fans of Nicci French and Sophie Hannah, Corrie Jackson's explosive new novel will leave you questioning how far you would go for friendship.
448 pages, Paperback
First published November 16, 2017
17 people are currently reading
385 people want to read
About the author
Corrie Jackson
3 books51 followersCorrie Jackson has been a journalist for fifteen years. During that time she has worked at Harper’s Bazaar, the Daily Mail, Grazia and Glamour. Corrie now lives in Greenwich, Connecticut with her husband and two children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews
November 13, 2017
I haven't read the first in the Sophie Kent series "Breaking Dead" and I although I personally feel that it would have been nice to read that one first, there's more than enough information in this book to bring you up to speed.
Charlie and Emily Swift are the perfect couple but when Charlie is named as the prime suspect in a murder, Emily's world falls apart. Best friend to Charlie and London Herald journalist Sophie Kent knows the police have the wrong man, she would trust him with her life. Putting her reputation on the line to clear Charlie's name she is drawn deeper into his unravelling marriage, stumbling into the religious cult 'Christ Clan' that could put her life in danger.
I have to admit that I struggled with around the first half of the book, lots of characters to get to know and with quite a lot going on to get your head around it does take a while to fully understand where exactly the story is taking you.
I'm not sure I liked Sophie Kent's character, she's obviously very troubled and I did find there was too much reading time devoted to her dead brother Tommy. Even Emily I found hard to sympathise with as her character developed through the story. If my emotions go to anyone in the plot it would be to Vanessa (Charlie's mother) who appeared to be desperate for help and I fully sympathised with why she drank to 'forget'.
"The Perfect Victim" is however, a very cleverly crafted story that during the last third of the book, totally comes together and helps to explain everything that may have had you confused at the beginning. I especially liked how the epilogue was the mirror image to the prologue which I went back to read and compare. I did finally enjoy reading this book and would happily recommend it - I found It compelling in the end and was very glad I stuck with it.
"Husband, friend, colleague......killer?" - It takes a while to get to the truth but the twist that gets you there is worth the wait.
I like Corrie Jackson's style of writing and I'd happily read any further books in the Sophie Kent series.
4 stars
Charlie and Emily Swift are the perfect couple but when Charlie is named as the prime suspect in a murder, Emily's world falls apart. Best friend to Charlie and London Herald journalist Sophie Kent knows the police have the wrong man, she would trust him with her life. Putting her reputation on the line to clear Charlie's name she is drawn deeper into his unravelling marriage, stumbling into the religious cult 'Christ Clan' that could put her life in danger.
I have to admit that I struggled with around the first half of the book, lots of characters to get to know and with quite a lot going on to get your head around it does take a while to fully understand where exactly the story is taking you.
I'm not sure I liked Sophie Kent's character, she's obviously very troubled and I did find there was too much reading time devoted to her dead brother Tommy. Even Emily I found hard to sympathise with as her character developed through the story. If my emotions go to anyone in the plot it would be to Vanessa (Charlie's mother) who appeared to be desperate for help and I fully sympathised with why she drank to 'forget'.
"The Perfect Victim" is however, a very cleverly crafted story that during the last third of the book, totally comes together and helps to explain everything that may have had you confused at the beginning. I especially liked how the epilogue was the mirror image to the prologue which I went back to read and compare. I did finally enjoy reading this book and would happily recommend it - I found It compelling in the end and was very glad I stuck with it.
"Husband, friend, colleague......killer?" - It takes a while to get to the truth but the twist that gets you there is worth the wait.
I like Corrie Jackson's style of writing and I'd happily read any further books in the Sophie Kent series.
4 stars
November 11, 2017
Hold onto your hats as there is a heck of a lot going on and one very convoluted plot at the heart of this high octane thriller.. The Perfect Victim is the second novel to feature London Herald journalist, Sophie Kent, a complex and woefully troubled individual with enough problems of her own to fill an entire novel! Although I have yet to read the first book in the series, Breaking Dead, there is a pretty hefty information dump over the course of the first few chapters which basically provides a potted history of our protagonist, Sophie. It is however rather overwhelming to be bombarded by all of her weighty issues in one short, sharp dose without any real context and I would probably say that whilst reading the first novel isn’t necessary, it would stand potential readers in very good stead.
As the novel opens the eyes of the country are fixed on the imminent verdict of the murder trial of Eric Rowntree, a man charged with killing his wife and sons, however an increasingly delayed decision on the part of the jury leaves the media scrambling for stories to fill the empty copy. Thus when the body of a woman is washed up on the banks of the Thames and she is found to have been murdered it isn’t long before the full glare of the media spotlight turns to her violent demise. In a matter of days, Sophie’s friend and business editor at the London Herald, Charlie Swift, is named as the prime suspect, suspiciously coinciding with him disappearing and becoming uncontactable. In the face of mounting public suspicion Sophie refuses to doubt her friend and as the vultures circle she resorts to drastic measures to clear his name and piece together just what was going on in the life of the murder victim, a partner at a successful law firm.
Recently married to his second wife, wedding planner Emily, following the death from leukaemia of his cherished first wife, Charlie had finally looked to be a man getting a second chance at happiness. Emily vocally stands by her man and publishes a series of posts on her relationship blog avowing her support and giving her side of the story. As a series of increasingly left-field and frankly flabbergasting revelations play out the story is comprised of the first person narrative of Sophie as she endeavours to get to the truth and punctuated with third person snapshots of Emily’s life over the last forty-nine weeks prior to the murder and gradually counting down to the present day. However numerous curveballs do not necessarily equate to a compelling novel and despite new revelations being uncovered almost with each chapter, the drama rather smothers the basic premise of this novel as the revelations become increasingly improbable. Sophie’s faith in soon confronted by the facade of a happy marriage slipping away, posing the question of how well can a person ever know what goes on between a married couple? As Sophie puts her reputation on the line and eventually tracks back to the haphazard upbringing of Charlie with a troubled mother and repressed childhood trauma and publicly questions the innocence of Emily and her media manipulation, she is devastated by a damning video making Charlie’s hideous betrayal of her apparent. Could a killer lurk behind the veneer of bonhomie that colleague, friend and husband, Charlie Swift, displays to the world?
Tenacious Sophie Kent is an ambitious reporter with a fractious relationship with her wealthy parents and has recently discovered that her homeless and drug addicted younger brother, Tommy, was intentionally murdered as opposed to having committed suicide. Outside of her work she is committed to uncovering who took her brothers life. Alongside this she has a ‘history’ with her immediate superior News Editor, Mack Winterson, is drawn to police contact and inside source, DCI Sam Durand and undergoing therapy and reliant on sleeping pills following a close encounter with a serial killer! After an experience with the maverick journalist Jack Parlabane brought to life in the novels of Christopher Brookmyre, I found Sophie much less imaginative an investigator with her straightforward methods and although she did become a little more dynamic, I thought her senior newsroom colleague, Kate, was altogether more inspirational and sparky. The newsroom scenes were amongst the most convincing with Corrie Jackson doing a great job of portraying the high pressure environment and surly exchanges of a news team under scrutiny.
My principal problem with this novel is that there is far too much going on and that the story would have benefitted from being massively pared back. At times it is hard to sort the wheat from the chaff as Corrie Jackson throws an elaborate array of complexities into the mix, which caused my interest to flag and definitely made the entire likelihood of the events of the novel feel increasingly tenuous. There are essentially three main plot strands ongoing for the duration of the novel, all with some partial overlap becoming apparent as the truth slowly emerges and I found reading The Perfect Victim a rather chaotic experience as the reader waits to see how they all come together. By covering an unnecessary number of strands, the overall quality of the entire novel is reduced as Jackson spreads herself too thinly and does not do justice to any of her trio of elements. In truth, I thought the partial digging into Tommy’s death could have been omitted completely in favour of fleshing out the leading characters and delivering more credible portrayals. I found it hard to empathise with any of the characters, particularly either Charlie and Emily Swift, who seem from their behaviour to display instances of multiple identities with all the authentic responses of puppets. On the strength of their shifting personalities, both are prime candidates for dissociative personality disorder! From affairs, pregnancies, alcohol, domestic violence, self harm, religious cults and random hook-ups with strangers, it turns out that both Charlie and Emily are nothing like their appearances. I am all for sleight of hand in an author’s execution so long as it enhances the story, but the disappointing thing is that I felt as confused by the lead characters in the closing pages as on outset. I did not warm to the character of Sophie, finding her rather mouthy and immature with an over inflated sense of her own importance, although liking the protagonist is not a necessity to my enjoyment of a novel. Alongside her hostile interaction with her father and caustic comments on her mother she seems to dredge up no end of sympathy for her drug addicted brother, all of which becomes somewhat irritating.
In conclusion, I think the largest problem with The Perfect Victim is the convoluted plot with Jackson guilty of opting for melodramatic in the hope of compelling readers with rapid fire twists and holding attention with shock tactics. The result is a mess, with numerous unnecessary kinks in the plot, all with the result of reducing the likelihood of such a fortuitously well timed sequence of events ever occurring. Readers will no doubt appreciate the tech heavy and social media focus of this novel which contributes to making the story feel frenzied and edgy . A bizarre read which will work for readers who seek twist laden action, however unlikely, as opposed to characters with substance and a vaguely credible storyline. Particularly disappointing is that there is very little groundwork laid in the build up to the final and utterly bewildering discovery and this lack of signposting left me questioning the worth of the preceding four-hundred-pages.
Many thanks to Readers First who provided a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
As the novel opens the eyes of the country are fixed on the imminent verdict of the murder trial of Eric Rowntree, a man charged with killing his wife and sons, however an increasingly delayed decision on the part of the jury leaves the media scrambling for stories to fill the empty copy. Thus when the body of a woman is washed up on the banks of the Thames and she is found to have been murdered it isn’t long before the full glare of the media spotlight turns to her violent demise. In a matter of days, Sophie’s friend and business editor at the London Herald, Charlie Swift, is named as the prime suspect, suspiciously coinciding with him disappearing and becoming uncontactable. In the face of mounting public suspicion Sophie refuses to doubt her friend and as the vultures circle she resorts to drastic measures to clear his name and piece together just what was going on in the life of the murder victim, a partner at a successful law firm.
Recently married to his second wife, wedding planner Emily, following the death from leukaemia of his cherished first wife, Charlie had finally looked to be a man getting a second chance at happiness. Emily vocally stands by her man and publishes a series of posts on her relationship blog avowing her support and giving her side of the story. As a series of increasingly left-field and frankly flabbergasting revelations play out the story is comprised of the first person narrative of Sophie as she endeavours to get to the truth and punctuated with third person snapshots of Emily’s life over the last forty-nine weeks prior to the murder and gradually counting down to the present day. However numerous curveballs do not necessarily equate to a compelling novel and despite new revelations being uncovered almost with each chapter, the drama rather smothers the basic premise of this novel as the revelations become increasingly improbable. Sophie’s faith in soon confronted by the facade of a happy marriage slipping away, posing the question of how well can a person ever know what goes on between a married couple? As Sophie puts her reputation on the line and eventually tracks back to the haphazard upbringing of Charlie with a troubled mother and repressed childhood trauma and publicly questions the innocence of Emily and her media manipulation, she is devastated by a damning video making Charlie’s hideous betrayal of her apparent. Could a killer lurk behind the veneer of bonhomie that colleague, friend and husband, Charlie Swift, displays to the world?
Tenacious Sophie Kent is an ambitious reporter with a fractious relationship with her wealthy parents and has recently discovered that her homeless and drug addicted younger brother, Tommy, was intentionally murdered as opposed to having committed suicide. Outside of her work she is committed to uncovering who took her brothers life. Alongside this she has a ‘history’ with her immediate superior News Editor, Mack Winterson, is drawn to police contact and inside source, DCI Sam Durand and undergoing therapy and reliant on sleeping pills following a close encounter with a serial killer! After an experience with the maverick journalist Jack Parlabane brought to life in the novels of Christopher Brookmyre, I found Sophie much less imaginative an investigator with her straightforward methods and although she did become a little more dynamic, I thought her senior newsroom colleague, Kate, was altogether more inspirational and sparky. The newsroom scenes were amongst the most convincing with Corrie Jackson doing a great job of portraying the high pressure environment and surly exchanges of a news team under scrutiny.
My principal problem with this novel is that there is far too much going on and that the story would have benefitted from being massively pared back. At times it is hard to sort the wheat from the chaff as Corrie Jackson throws an elaborate array of complexities into the mix, which caused my interest to flag and definitely made the entire likelihood of the events of the novel feel increasingly tenuous. There are essentially three main plot strands ongoing for the duration of the novel, all with some partial overlap becoming apparent as the truth slowly emerges and I found reading The Perfect Victim a rather chaotic experience as the reader waits to see how they all come together. By covering an unnecessary number of strands, the overall quality of the entire novel is reduced as Jackson spreads herself too thinly and does not do justice to any of her trio of elements. In truth, I thought the partial digging into Tommy’s death could have been omitted completely in favour of fleshing out the leading characters and delivering more credible portrayals. I found it hard to empathise with any of the characters, particularly either Charlie and Emily Swift, who seem from their behaviour to display instances of multiple identities with all the authentic responses of puppets. On the strength of their shifting personalities, both are prime candidates for dissociative personality disorder! From affairs, pregnancies, alcohol, domestic violence, self harm, religious cults and random hook-ups with strangers, it turns out that both Charlie and Emily are nothing like their appearances. I am all for sleight of hand in an author’s execution so long as it enhances the story, but the disappointing thing is that I felt as confused by the lead characters in the closing pages as on outset. I did not warm to the character of Sophie, finding her rather mouthy and immature with an over inflated sense of her own importance, although liking the protagonist is not a necessity to my enjoyment of a novel. Alongside her hostile interaction with her father and caustic comments on her mother she seems to dredge up no end of sympathy for her drug addicted brother, all of which becomes somewhat irritating.
In conclusion, I think the largest problem with The Perfect Victim is the convoluted plot with Jackson guilty of opting for melodramatic in the hope of compelling readers with rapid fire twists and holding attention with shock tactics. The result is a mess, with numerous unnecessary kinks in the plot, all with the result of reducing the likelihood of such a fortuitously well timed sequence of events ever occurring. Readers will no doubt appreciate the tech heavy and social media focus of this novel which contributes to making the story feel frenzied and edgy . A bizarre read which will work for readers who seek twist laden action, however unlikely, as opposed to characters with substance and a vaguely credible storyline. Particularly disappointing is that there is very little groundwork laid in the build up to the final and utterly bewildering discovery and this lack of signposting left me questioning the worth of the preceding four-hundred-pages.
Many thanks to Readers First who provided a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
November 23, 2017
Charlie and Emily are the perfect couple... or are they? When a woman is found murdered in the Thames it begins the revelations of so many secrets and lies. Sophie Kent is a reporter who works with Charlie and she vows to clear her friends name.
This is the second book in the series and I have not read the first but I don't think I lost anything. This book has so many twists and makes you realise that not everything is how it appears on the surface.
Thank you to Netgalley and Bonnier Zaffer for a copy of this book to read
This is the second book in the series and I have not read the first but I don't think I lost anything. This book has so many twists and makes you realise that not everything is how it appears on the surface.
Thank you to Netgalley and Bonnier Zaffer for a copy of this book to read
October 11, 2017
Blimey I think Corrie Jackson may be the new queen of the twist in crime fiction, The Perfect Victim was pure drama and just when you thought you’d grasped the truth you got sent down another dastardly dark alley (figuratively and literally) and just ended up turned around some more. Excellent plotting. Huge brownie points for keeping me guessing for far longer than any other mystery novel this year so far.
I loved the first Sophie Kent book – it was absolute class as is the character – but in The Perfect Victim things are taken up a notch – that touch of glamour remains but through a glass darkly as Sophie struggles not just with her own demons but it seems everyone else’s as well. Her long term friend is suspected of murder, his wife is acting strangely, Sophie herself is trying to come to terms with many things and it is beautifully written HIGHLY addictive and genuinely unpredictable.
There are a lot of books that explore the dark facade beneath the most pitch perfect seeming relationships but I think this one does that better than many – Emily and Charlie seem like a dream couple but what goes on beneath the surface you would never guess. As Sophie struggles to adjust to a new reality, you feel every moment of it, the emotional depth Corrie Jackson brings to her characters is in the top tier of crime writing today and she is only on book 2 so I can’t even begin to imagine where we might end up next. No pressure or anything but I can’t wait for more.
As a fan of crime fiction and series crime fiction in particular I’m always looking for my next must read obsession. Well here is one right here. Hugely talented, I’d say this author is one to watch for the next few years.
Full of heart, darkly disturbing, thought provoking and honestly authentic.
Highly Recommended.
I loved the first Sophie Kent book – it was absolute class as is the character – but in The Perfect Victim things are taken up a notch – that touch of glamour remains but through a glass darkly as Sophie struggles not just with her own demons but it seems everyone else’s as well. Her long term friend is suspected of murder, his wife is acting strangely, Sophie herself is trying to come to terms with many things and it is beautifully written HIGHLY addictive and genuinely unpredictable.
There are a lot of books that explore the dark facade beneath the most pitch perfect seeming relationships but I think this one does that better than many – Emily and Charlie seem like a dream couple but what goes on beneath the surface you would never guess. As Sophie struggles to adjust to a new reality, you feel every moment of it, the emotional depth Corrie Jackson brings to her characters is in the top tier of crime writing today and she is only on book 2 so I can’t even begin to imagine where we might end up next. No pressure or anything but I can’t wait for more.
As a fan of crime fiction and series crime fiction in particular I’m always looking for my next must read obsession. Well here is one right here. Hugely talented, I’d say this author is one to watch for the next few years.
Full of heart, darkly disturbing, thought provoking and honestly authentic.
Highly Recommended.
December 4, 2017
I haven’t read a book by Corrie Jackson before, but when this one came through my letter box I thought I would just take a quick peek at the first chapter, BIG mistake once I read the “OMG” shocking first chapter I just kept reading! This is the second book in the Sophie Kent series, which I didn’t realise, as I do love to start a new series at the beginning, fortunately The Perfect Victim can be read as a standalone.
I found The Perfect Victim to be a crime novel with a huge difference, its told from the point of view of Sophie Kent a journalist working for the London Herald. For someone who reads a huge amount of crime thrillers it made a refreshing change to read a crime thriller where the police investigation wasn’t paramount to the plot. Sophie is like a breath of air, and a highly likeable character, yes she has her flaws and demons that keep her awake at night, but she’s spunky and determined, qualities you just have to admire.
The Perfect Victim opens with a shocker of a chapter, and that’s what hooked me, I just love it when an author does that. Just imagine how you would feel if one of your friends was the prime suspect in a murder investigation and then you found out they were hiding some rather dark and disturbing secrets, this is exactly what happens to Sophie, convinced Charlie is innocent and sets out to prove it, even putting her reputation at risk. As to Charlie and Emily Swift the Instagram-perfect couple, I’m not sure what to say about the pair without revealing spoilers, but the words dysfunctional and twisted spring to mind, and yet they were such fabulous depicted characters I found myself fascinated by the pair and their relationship.
Corrie Jackson has done a fantastic job with this book, she constantly adds new pieces to puzzle, even when I reached the last quarter of The Perfect Victim I found I had more questions than answers. Deviously plotted the author heightens the suspense by casting doubt on the main characters throughout. As for the last quarter of the book I’m sure my heart was pounding as the author delivered more than a few shocking surprises. It’s a long time since I’ve read a book where I’ve been kept in such suspense and I didn’t get even close to working out how this book was going to end. I found The Perfect Victim to be an addictive and absorbing crime read, and one I would highly recommend.
All my reviews can be found at http://thebookreviewcafe.com
I found The Perfect Victim to be a crime novel with a huge difference, its told from the point of view of Sophie Kent a journalist working for the London Herald. For someone who reads a huge amount of crime thrillers it made a refreshing change to read a crime thriller where the police investigation wasn’t paramount to the plot. Sophie is like a breath of air, and a highly likeable character, yes she has her flaws and demons that keep her awake at night, but she’s spunky and determined, qualities you just have to admire.
The Perfect Victim opens with a shocker of a chapter, and that’s what hooked me, I just love it when an author does that. Just imagine how you would feel if one of your friends was the prime suspect in a murder investigation and then you found out they were hiding some rather dark and disturbing secrets, this is exactly what happens to Sophie, convinced Charlie is innocent and sets out to prove it, even putting her reputation at risk. As to Charlie and Emily Swift the Instagram-perfect couple, I’m not sure what to say about the pair without revealing spoilers, but the words dysfunctional and twisted spring to mind, and yet they were such fabulous depicted characters I found myself fascinated by the pair and their relationship.
Corrie Jackson has done a fantastic job with this book, she constantly adds new pieces to puzzle, even when I reached the last quarter of The Perfect Victim I found I had more questions than answers. Deviously plotted the author heightens the suspense by casting doubt on the main characters throughout. As for the last quarter of the book I’m sure my heart was pounding as the author delivered more than a few shocking surprises. It’s a long time since I’ve read a book where I’ve been kept in such suspense and I didn’t get even close to working out how this book was going to end. I found The Perfect Victim to be an addictive and absorbing crime read, and one I would highly recommend.
All my reviews can be found at http://thebookreviewcafe.com
November 4, 2017
The first thing that I noticed from page one was the beautiful narrative style of writing that came across. Once the story switches into scenes with the characters speaking the writing steps up to a very interesting point. A news team has found out some rather important information that a retired DCI ignored DNA evidence into a teenage model who was found strangled in some woods. The question arises in my mind, why would the police have ignored all DNA evidence. Surely the police should have done their job and arrested the man. The killer to my of thinking who had not be arrested had been let loose to kill again. I was hooked into finding out more about the police not doing their job. With all my questions about a man not been arrested for killing a teenage girl, I clearly had to read more.
November 21, 2017
Book reviews on www.snazzybooks.com
I think I’ve found a new favourite crime writer! I haven’t read Breaking Dead, the first in the Sophie Kent series, so I read The Perfect Victim as a standalone. Corrie Jackson has created not only a fantastic female protagonist but the perfect mix of convincing crime fiction combined with a touch of darkness, drama and plenty of mystery. Her writing is brilliant, with plenty of twists which take you by surprise just when you think you’ve got it all figured out.
As I mentioned, I feel that Sophie Kent is a fantastic main character. The fact that she’s not part of the police means she can take risks and, at times, cause trouble which she wouldn’t be able to as a police officer, but her job as a crime reporter means she gets enough information and is quick enough to pick up on clues, taking the reader along with her. She’s got her own demons but she’s incredibly fun to read about.
Similarly, I felt that Emma, the wife of the elusive Charlie (also close friends with Sophie) is a great character. She’s not necessarily likable or trustworthy BUT I found her hugely interesting to read about – a bit of a loose cannon, which always makes for fun reading! I also liked how so many of the characters were linked in some way – I don’t want to give too much away but the plot is cleverly worked so the reader finds themselves going “ahh that’s why…” or “I forgot about that!”; lots of seemingly unimportant things turn out to be more of a key issue than expected. I don’t want to say any more as I don’t want to ruin it for anyone else, but I would highly recommend The Perfect Victim to anyone looking for a great crime series to dive into. I certainly intend on catching up with the first in the series.
Thanks to Bonnier Zaffre for providing a copy of this novel on which I chose to write an honest and unbiased review.
I think I’ve found a new favourite crime writer! I haven’t read Breaking Dead, the first in the Sophie Kent series, so I read The Perfect Victim as a standalone. Corrie Jackson has created not only a fantastic female protagonist but the perfect mix of convincing crime fiction combined with a touch of darkness, drama and plenty of mystery. Her writing is brilliant, with plenty of twists which take you by surprise just when you think you’ve got it all figured out.
As I mentioned, I feel that Sophie Kent is a fantastic main character. The fact that she’s not part of the police means she can take risks and, at times, cause trouble which she wouldn’t be able to as a police officer, but her job as a crime reporter means she gets enough information and is quick enough to pick up on clues, taking the reader along with her. She’s got her own demons but she’s incredibly fun to read about.
Similarly, I felt that Emma, the wife of the elusive Charlie (also close friends with Sophie) is a great character. She’s not necessarily likable or trustworthy BUT I found her hugely interesting to read about – a bit of a loose cannon, which always makes for fun reading! I also liked how so many of the characters were linked in some way – I don’t want to give too much away but the plot is cleverly worked so the reader finds themselves going “ahh that’s why…” or “I forgot about that!”; lots of seemingly unimportant things turn out to be more of a key issue than expected. I don’t want to say any more as I don’t want to ruin it for anyone else, but I would highly recommend The Perfect Victim to anyone looking for a great crime series to dive into. I certainly intend on catching up with the first in the series.
Thanks to Bonnier Zaffre for providing a copy of this novel on which I chose to write an honest and unbiased review.
January 26, 2019
Sophie Kent is a reporter for a London newspaper. While investigating the murder of a female the case circles back to a friend and colleague of hers at the paper. She's also looking into her brothers supposed suicide. She has a lot going on!
The Perfect Victim also sheds light on the devastation addiction can have on loved ones. It can affect everyone differently as it has Sophie and her friend Charlie. Sophie's relationship with her work colleagues was special. Almost familial. You could tell they were concerned with each others well being beyond the work environment. It made the characters extremely likable. I'll be looking out for the next Sophie Kent book!
Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and Corrie Jackson for this copy to review.
The Perfect Victim also sheds light on the devastation addiction can have on loved ones. It can affect everyone differently as it has Sophie and her friend Charlie. Sophie's relationship with her work colleagues was special. Almost familial. You could tell they were concerned with each others well being beyond the work environment. It made the characters extremely likable. I'll be looking out for the next Sophie Kent book!
Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and Corrie Jackson for this copy to review.
December 4, 2017
The story is goes like this Emily and Charlie are a perfect couple till Charlie is accused of murder. At a loss and in desperation, Emily turns to Charlie's best friend, journalist Sophie Kent for help to prove his innocence.
This is Corrie Jackson's second book in the Sophie Kent series and the plot was convoluted and racy. The story in the blurb was just the tip of the iceberg, there were twists and turns aplenty.
The author left no stone unturned in bringing all issues like cult, religion, abuse, disease, and violence.
It took me a while to force myself to persevere with the story and not give up. The initial part had too much going on. And the main character Sophie Kent had her own huge emotional baggage. I liked the fact that Corrie Jackson has made her main character realistic but sometimes that comes across as too realistic. There are just too many problems in one little book.
In saying this, I have to admit that main character Sophie had gumption and determination to peel off the layers, see through the lies, and get to the real truth however difficult it is. The last part of the book was fabulous with twists on every page that it became a race to finish the story.
I read to escape real life and I like books that grip me from the very beginning. But when the book is confusing in the beginning I prefer leaving the book and going back to real life. But I am glad I held on to this book, just for the last few chapters.
A good thriller.
This is Corrie Jackson's second book in the Sophie Kent series and the plot was convoluted and racy. The story in the blurb was just the tip of the iceberg, there were twists and turns aplenty.
The author left no stone unturned in bringing all issues like cult, religion, abuse, disease, and violence.
It took me a while to force myself to persevere with the story and not give up. The initial part had too much going on. And the main character Sophie Kent had her own huge emotional baggage. I liked the fact that Corrie Jackson has made her main character realistic but sometimes that comes across as too realistic. There are just too many problems in one little book.
In saying this, I have to admit that main character Sophie had gumption and determination to peel off the layers, see through the lies, and get to the real truth however difficult it is. The last part of the book was fabulous with twists on every page that it became a race to finish the story.
I read to escape real life and I like books that grip me from the very beginning. But when the book is confusing in the beginning I prefer leaving the book and going back to real life. But I am glad I held on to this book, just for the last few chapters.
A good thriller.
April 11, 2019
Po udanym „Fashion Victim” Corrie Jackson kontynuuje dzieje dziennikarki śledczej Sophii Kent w drugim tomie swojej kryminalnej serii – „Perfect Victim”.
Komu można zaufać, kiedy okazuje się najlepszy przyjaciel, człowiek, o którym zdaje się, że wiemy wszystko okazuje się być kimś innym, niż udawał przez te wszystkie lata? Kiedy pozornie perfekcyjny mąż zamienia się w kogoś, kto nie mieści się już w instagramowo-facebookowym świecie ideałów? Kiedy za maską doskonałego uśmiechu, za błękitem oczu ukrywa się ktoś, kogo nikt by się tam nie spodziewał? Corrie Jackson stawia swoją bohaterkę przed nie lada wyzwaniem, dając jej jeden z najtrudniejszych wyborów. Sama Sophie już miota się w życiu prywatnym, narażona jest na przeżywanie wciąż od nowa osobistych tragedii, a obalenie ostatniego stałego fundamentu w jej życiu może mieć niewybaczalne skutki.
To zawsze jest dość niefortunne, kiedy świetna opowieść okazuje się być poplątana i formalnie niedopracowana, a to właśnie przytrafiło się „Perfect Victim”. Nazwijmy to taką nietypową klątwą drugiego tomu, w którym sama fabuła jeśli nie jest lepsza, to jest równie dobra co pierwszy tom, natomiast wykonanie pozostawia co nieco do życzenia. Odpowiedź na chaos, który napotykamy w powieści można odnaleźć w podziękowaniach, w których Corrie Jackson przyznaje, że pisała „Perfect Victim” podczas swojego największego życiowego zawirowania – przeprowadzki za ocean, organizowania nowego domu i wreszcie… narodzin dziecka. Powieść pisała jakby przy okazji i to niestety widać. Co zrozumiałe, książka była uzupełnieniem prywatnego życia. Zabrakło czasu, zabrakło szlifu, co sprawiło, że wykonanie i warsztat osaczyły intrygującą fabułę kryminalną. A szkoda.
Warto przeczytać dla samej opowieści, warto przeczytać dla fascynującej zagadki, warto poznać kontynuację historii Sophie, ale warto wziąć też pod uwagę chaos, na który można natrafić po drodze, bo nigdy nic nie wiadomo.
Komu można zaufać, kiedy okazuje się najlepszy przyjaciel, człowiek, o którym zdaje się, że wiemy wszystko okazuje się być kimś innym, niż udawał przez te wszystkie lata? Kiedy pozornie perfekcyjny mąż zamienia się w kogoś, kto nie mieści się już w instagramowo-facebookowym świecie ideałów? Kiedy za maską doskonałego uśmiechu, za błękitem oczu ukrywa się ktoś, kogo nikt by się tam nie spodziewał? Corrie Jackson stawia swoją bohaterkę przed nie lada wyzwaniem, dając jej jeden z najtrudniejszych wyborów. Sama Sophie już miota się w życiu prywatnym, narażona jest na przeżywanie wciąż od nowa osobistych tragedii, a obalenie ostatniego stałego fundamentu w jej życiu może mieć niewybaczalne skutki.
To zawsze jest dość niefortunne, kiedy świetna opowieść okazuje się być poplątana i formalnie niedopracowana, a to właśnie przytrafiło się „Perfect Victim”. Nazwijmy to taką nietypową klątwą drugiego tomu, w którym sama fabuła jeśli nie jest lepsza, to jest równie dobra co pierwszy tom, natomiast wykonanie pozostawia co nieco do życzenia. Odpowiedź na chaos, który napotykamy w powieści można odnaleźć w podziękowaniach, w których Corrie Jackson przyznaje, że pisała „Perfect Victim” podczas swojego największego życiowego zawirowania – przeprowadzki za ocean, organizowania nowego domu i wreszcie… narodzin dziecka. Powieść pisała jakby przy okazji i to niestety widać. Co zrozumiałe, książka była uzupełnieniem prywatnego życia. Zabrakło czasu, zabrakło szlifu, co sprawiło, że wykonanie i warsztat osaczyły intrygującą fabułę kryminalną. A szkoda.
Warto przeczytać dla samej opowieści, warto przeczytać dla fascynującej zagadki, warto poznać kontynuację historii Sophie, ale warto wziąć też pod uwagę chaos, na który można natrafić po drodze, bo nigdy nic nie wiadomo.
March 23, 2021
Bardzo dobra książka. Pierwsza część serii dziennikarki Sophie Kent była interesująca, ale druga jest sto razy lepsza.
Pochłonęłam w jeden dzień. Czyta się szybko, i bardzo przyjemnie. Zaskakujące zwroty akcji od początku do samego końca. Miła odmiana od głównych bohaterów którzy są śledczymi.
Pochłonęłam w jeden dzień. Czyta się szybko, i bardzo przyjemnie. Zaskakujące zwroty akcji od początku do samego końca. Miła odmiana od głównych bohaterów którzy są śledczymi.
November 2, 2017
I really enjoyed Corrie Jackson's debut, Breaking Dead, which introduced us to the protagonist in this series, journalist Sophie Kent. I was thrilled to read the next instalment and think with Sophie, Jackson has created an engaging, likeable and original character who brings a fresh and exciting twist to crime fiction and murder mysteries. As a journalist, Kent has a different kind of access or flexibility in the way she can investigate a crime which means although this book centres on the investigation of a murder, it is not a straight forward police procedural.
Not only is Kent a journalist, but in The Perfect Victim, she is also the best friend of the man accused of murdering a young woman. I found this really intriguing and it was gripping to watch Sophie as she tried to make sense of the evidence in front of her, of what she was being told by Emily - Charlie's wife - and what she knew about Charlie from her years of friendship. The stakes are raised, the tension is palpable and it certainly makes for a much more multilayered plot.
Charlie and his wife Emily appeared to be the perfect couple, but as investigation into the woman Charlie is accused of killing continues and Sophie tries to clear Charlie's name she is pulled deeper and deeper into their marriage and realises that it was not perfect. Each of the characters in the book is faced with struggles, they are grappling with issues that are engulfing them as they try to survive and continue as if everything is fine. As Sophie learns more about Charlie, Emily and the dead girl, she is forced to uncover more than she bargained for and has to reassess all that she thought she knew.
Jackson's writing is punchy, direct, full of authentic dialogue which captures the characters vividly. She presents the challenges of working in a newspaper office with conviction and the pressure felt by the journalists, the office politics and the dynamics between the colleagues is portrayed with brutal realism. The impact of each revelation, twist or new piece of evidence was heightened because the journalists are constantly up against deadlines, the search for a sensationalised headline and desperate to be first with a good story. And of course, with Sophie's personal connection with the case, the twists and turns have a huge impact on her emotionally, creating conflict and additional pressure.
As well as writing with such vitality and energy, Jackson is also capable of writing very powerful, evocative scenes and I think the opening to this novel is particularly captivating. It shows how skilful Jackson is as a writer and it was impossible not to be hooked after reading the first two pages of this novel. She is able to convey a lot of emotion in her words which also ensures her characters are also well crafted.
This book asks lots of exciting questions about friendship and marriage and it will keep you guessing until the end. Jackson's controlled storytelling ensures that there is a great balance between action, characterisation and pace and the reader is pulled along, desperate to see what might happen next.
The Perfect Victim is full of energy and is a fantastically gritty read, I like Sophie Kent a lot, I think she's a refreshing female lead character and I like Jackson's unflinching use of dialogue and language. It is a page turner, it is compelling, it is addictive and it is well worth reading. This is a great sequel and this is an exciting new series in Crime Fiction.
If you like Angela Clarke, Steph Broadribb and Nicci French, you will love Corrie Jackson.
Not only is Kent a journalist, but in The Perfect Victim, she is also the best friend of the man accused of murdering a young woman. I found this really intriguing and it was gripping to watch Sophie as she tried to make sense of the evidence in front of her, of what she was being told by Emily - Charlie's wife - and what she knew about Charlie from her years of friendship. The stakes are raised, the tension is palpable and it certainly makes for a much more multilayered plot.
Charlie and his wife Emily appeared to be the perfect couple, but as investigation into the woman Charlie is accused of killing continues and Sophie tries to clear Charlie's name she is pulled deeper and deeper into their marriage and realises that it was not perfect. Each of the characters in the book is faced with struggles, they are grappling with issues that are engulfing them as they try to survive and continue as if everything is fine. As Sophie learns more about Charlie, Emily and the dead girl, she is forced to uncover more than she bargained for and has to reassess all that she thought she knew.
Jackson's writing is punchy, direct, full of authentic dialogue which captures the characters vividly. She presents the challenges of working in a newspaper office with conviction and the pressure felt by the journalists, the office politics and the dynamics between the colleagues is portrayed with brutal realism. The impact of each revelation, twist or new piece of evidence was heightened because the journalists are constantly up against deadlines, the search for a sensationalised headline and desperate to be first with a good story. And of course, with Sophie's personal connection with the case, the twists and turns have a huge impact on her emotionally, creating conflict and additional pressure.
As well as writing with such vitality and energy, Jackson is also capable of writing very powerful, evocative scenes and I think the opening to this novel is particularly captivating. It shows how skilful Jackson is as a writer and it was impossible not to be hooked after reading the first two pages of this novel. She is able to convey a lot of emotion in her words which also ensures her characters are also well crafted.
This book asks lots of exciting questions about friendship and marriage and it will keep you guessing until the end. Jackson's controlled storytelling ensures that there is a great balance between action, characterisation and pace and the reader is pulled along, desperate to see what might happen next.
The Perfect Victim is full of energy and is a fantastically gritty read, I like Sophie Kent a lot, I think she's a refreshing female lead character and I like Jackson's unflinching use of dialogue and language. It is a page turner, it is compelling, it is addictive and it is well worth reading. This is a great sequel and this is an exciting new series in Crime Fiction.
If you like Angela Clarke, Steph Broadribb and Nicci French, you will love Corrie Jackson.
November 17, 2017
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The Perfect Victim by Corrie Jackson is the second book in the Sophie Kent series. I didn’t know that it was part of a series until after I read the book. I did enjoy it though so I guess starting with book two wasn’t an issue for me.
The book begins on a fast pace with the discovery of a body. Sophie Kent, a journalist, is at the scene trying to get the story. However, what first seems like a random crime gets more complicated when Sophie’s friend, a fellow journalist, is implicated in the murder. Things get more tangled when Sophie finds herself fighting to stay alive as she also tried to figure out what was happening.
I have always been interested in investigative journalism though I haven’t read a lot of books that have journalists as the main characters. This is one of the first things that I liked about the book. Interestingly, it is also the one thing that niggled at my mind a bit as I read this book. Of course, journalistic investigations are different from regular cop procedural. They do take some getting used to though.
The book is filled with twists. The murder case attracted a lot of media attention so there was a press circus going on. In the midst of the circus, there is Sophie trying to solve the mystery and also Charlie’s wife who is trying to clear his name. There were some sections of the book that were pretty unexpected. They were uncomfortable for me to read and just a bit weird to make sense of but this is totally a personal issue. I also like the fact that the book had a cultic angle to it.
The final twist and ending was unpredictable. I thought the plot-line was obvious. I knew the identity of the villain and the motives, or so I thought. However, I couldn’t have been more wrong. The reveal was shocking. I mean, it just never crossed my mind. I definitely think that it was perfect for this book.
I recommend The Perfect Victim by Corrie Jackson for anyone looking for a different kind of crime thriller with journalists taking the lead and working with investigators to get the story and as the cops catch the killer.
The Perfect Victim by Corrie Jackson is the second book in the Sophie Kent series. I didn’t know that it was part of a series until after I read the book. I did enjoy it though so I guess starting with book two wasn’t an issue for me.
The book begins on a fast pace with the discovery of a body. Sophie Kent, a journalist, is at the scene trying to get the story. However, what first seems like a random crime gets more complicated when Sophie’s friend, a fellow journalist, is implicated in the murder. Things get more tangled when Sophie finds herself fighting to stay alive as she also tried to figure out what was happening.
I have always been interested in investigative journalism though I haven’t read a lot of books that have journalists as the main characters. This is one of the first things that I liked about the book. Interestingly, it is also the one thing that niggled at my mind a bit as I read this book. Of course, journalistic investigations are different from regular cop procedural. They do take some getting used to though.
The book is filled with twists. The murder case attracted a lot of media attention so there was a press circus going on. In the midst of the circus, there is Sophie trying to solve the mystery and also Charlie’s wife who is trying to clear his name. There were some sections of the book that were pretty unexpected. They were uncomfortable for me to read and just a bit weird to make sense of but this is totally a personal issue. I also like the fact that the book had a cultic angle to it.
The final twist and ending was unpredictable. I thought the plot-line was obvious. I knew the identity of the villain and the motives, or so I thought. However, I couldn’t have been more wrong. The reveal was shocking. I mean, it just never crossed my mind. I definitely think that it was perfect for this book.
I recommend The Perfect Victim by Corrie Jackson for anyone looking for a different kind of crime thriller with journalists taking the lead and working with investigators to get the story and as the cops catch the killer.
May 21, 2019
Let me begin by saying I am not much of a crimer reader. For me, Liane Mortiary is as far as it's gone before, but I was intruiged by the current modern city setting of this book; I felt like it may have an interesting edge to it. I was right.
This book deals with some tough topics so I'll put a trigger warning out there for self harm, domestic abuse and sexual abuse. Maybe steer clear or approach with caution if these topics are difficult for you.
So the book starts with our narrator Sophie Kent at the crime scene of the murder of a young woman. All signs very quickly point towards Sophie's best friend Charlie who she believes couldn't possibly be guilty. Until she's given undoubtable proof that he's not the man she thought he was. All through, we see Charlie's wife Emily fall apart as she tries to stick by him all the while
the evidence looks worse and worse...
Twist after twist, this book leads us on an unputdownable, haunting, sometimes terrifying mission with Sophie to uncover the truth. This book goes places you would not expect from a simple crime novel - it's so much more than that.
Additionally, this is actually the second Sophie Kent crime novel, but that did not matter whatsoever to my enjoyment of the book - anything I'd missed in the first that was relevant to this story was briefly explained. I'm definitely going to go back and read the first from Corrie Jackson now!
I don't give out a 5* rating often, but this was so well written and surprisingly easy to read, as well as providing an expertly woven plot.
This book deals with some tough topics so I'll put a trigger warning out there for self harm, domestic abuse and sexual abuse. Maybe steer clear or approach with caution if these topics are difficult for you.
So the book starts with our narrator Sophie Kent at the crime scene of the murder of a young woman. All signs very quickly point towards Sophie's best friend Charlie who she believes couldn't possibly be guilty. Until she's given undoubtable proof that he's not the man she thought he was. All through, we see Charlie's wife Emily fall apart as she tries to stick by him all the while
the evidence looks worse and worse...
Twist after twist, this book leads us on an unputdownable, haunting, sometimes terrifying mission with Sophie to uncover the truth. This book goes places you would not expect from a simple crime novel - it's so much more than that.
Additionally, this is actually the second Sophie Kent crime novel, but that did not matter whatsoever to my enjoyment of the book - anything I'd missed in the first that was relevant to this story was briefly explained. I'm definitely going to go back and read the first from Corrie Jackson now!
I don't give out a 5* rating often, but this was so well written and surprisingly easy to read, as well as providing an expertly woven plot.
November 8, 2017
I am going to avoid talking about the plot here because it is full of twists and turns and little things that you are introduced to don't reveal their true significance for, in some cases, a hundred pages or so. The author also takes you down some darn plausible blind alleys so the denouement is all the more satisfying when it rolls right in.
The blurb makes much of the social media perfection of the couple at the centre of the tale. However, this is only a minor sideroad and one that did initially put me off reading the book. I am so glad that I decided to ignore the blurb and power right in as it is a glorious tale that reads very true to life. It shows exceptionally well how the private "us" is very different to the work "us" and the social media "us". It also shows the frustrations of both police investigation and journalism very well.
The characters are well formed and never manage to quite slip into cliche. The hard-bitten crime reporter suffers panic attacks and doesn't believe she is above the law. The wedding planner is a touch neurotic and a proven fantasist. The police are flawed people but not the mavericks so often seen in this genre of novel.
There is a lot going here but it is woven skillfully together leaving you feeling satisfied and a little shocked at the end of the book. If you enjoy crime novels this has to go on your MUST read list and not your TO read list.
I RECEIVED A FREE COPY OF THIS BOOK FROM READERS FIRST IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW.
The blurb makes much of the social media perfection of the couple at the centre of the tale. However, this is only a minor sideroad and one that did initially put me off reading the book. I am so glad that I decided to ignore the blurb and power right in as it is a glorious tale that reads very true to life. It shows exceptionally well how the private "us" is very different to the work "us" and the social media "us". It also shows the frustrations of both police investigation and journalism very well.
The characters are well formed and never manage to quite slip into cliche. The hard-bitten crime reporter suffers panic attacks and doesn't believe she is above the law. The wedding planner is a touch neurotic and a proven fantasist. The police are flawed people but not the mavericks so often seen in this genre of novel.
There is a lot going here but it is woven skillfully together leaving you feeling satisfied and a little shocked at the end of the book. If you enjoy crime novels this has to go on your MUST read list and not your TO read list.
I RECEIVED A FREE COPY OF THIS BOOK FROM READERS FIRST IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW.
November 14, 2017
Fantastic, definitely worth waiting a whole year for!
Perfect Victim is the brilliant follow up to Breaking Dead, Corrie Jackson’s debut from 2016.
I first came across this crime series last year and have been waiting for a whole 12 months to read this next book. Was it worth the wait? Yes, it certainly was!
As soon as I started it I knew it was going to be fantastic read. There were so many twists and turns to this and big reveal was just brilliant. It’s fast pace had me flipping the pages so quickly that the time whizzed by and I’d reached the end before I knew it.
Sophie’s latest story centres around the body of a woman found floating in the Thames by a jogger. As she digs and finds out more, she discovers that the dead woman was somehow connected to Charlie Swift, a good friend and work colleague. She can’t believe it and does everything she can to clear his name.
It was so good to get back to reading about Sophie’s exploits on the crime desk, and how she goes about uncovering this latest story. I know she’s a journalist, and they’re not the most liked people on the planet, but I can’t help admire the way Sophie gets people to open up so she can find out more.
She still has her demons to struggle with, particularly the storyline from the first book about her brother. She’s still not sleeping well and drinking too much, all the time trying to hid it from her boss, but she keeps going to help her friend Charlie and his wife Emily.
There are so many interesting themes in this book, re-invention, domestic abuse, secrets, cults and more, that it would make a fantastic book club read.
I thoroughly recommend this series if you enjoy crime reads, especially if you want to be kept guessing.
Thanks so much to The Nudge and Readers First for my copies.
Perfect Victim is the brilliant follow up to Breaking Dead, Corrie Jackson’s debut from 2016.
I first came across this crime series last year and have been waiting for a whole 12 months to read this next book. Was it worth the wait? Yes, it certainly was!
As soon as I started it I knew it was going to be fantastic read. There were so many twists and turns to this and big reveal was just brilliant. It’s fast pace had me flipping the pages so quickly that the time whizzed by and I’d reached the end before I knew it.
Sophie’s latest story centres around the body of a woman found floating in the Thames by a jogger. As she digs and finds out more, she discovers that the dead woman was somehow connected to Charlie Swift, a good friend and work colleague. She can’t believe it and does everything she can to clear his name.
It was so good to get back to reading about Sophie’s exploits on the crime desk, and how she goes about uncovering this latest story. I know she’s a journalist, and they’re not the most liked people on the planet, but I can’t help admire the way Sophie gets people to open up so she can find out more.
She still has her demons to struggle with, particularly the storyline from the first book about her brother. She’s still not sleeping well and drinking too much, all the time trying to hid it from her boss, but she keeps going to help her friend Charlie and his wife Emily.
There are so many interesting themes in this book, re-invention, domestic abuse, secrets, cults and more, that it would make a fantastic book club read.
I thoroughly recommend this series if you enjoy crime reads, especially if you want to be kept guessing.
Thanks so much to The Nudge and Readers First for my copies.
November 5, 2017
I have not read the first book in the Sophie Kent series so I was a little worried I would not fully appreciate the book. I'm happy to say I was wrong and there was plenty of character building and background provided throughout to make it enjoyable as a standalone story.
I really liked having a journalist as the main perspective as this is not something I have ever encountered in a crime thriller before so gave the book a refreshingly new feel. Jackson did a fabulous job of writing Sophie as a likeable character but also highlighted her flaws. I also really appreciated that Sophie herself pointed out that she understands why people generally have a negative opinion of the media and that she disliked that journalists regularly put too much focus on the "bad guys" and not on the victims themselves.
The book had so many plots going on at once but this just kept it fast paced and never got too confusing or convoluted. I lost count of how many plot twists there were in the last 100 pages that had me scrambling to turn the page to see their impact.
I do feel there should be a few trigger warnings as parts of the book could be distressing to some, these would be for the inclusion of domestic abuse, drug and alcohol addiction, self-harm and rape.
Overall I really enjoyed the story and found myself racing through it in a couple of days. I will definitely be picking up the first book in the Sophie Kent series and any future books from Corrie Jackson.
I really liked having a journalist as the main perspective as this is not something I have ever encountered in a crime thriller before so gave the book a refreshingly new feel. Jackson did a fabulous job of writing Sophie as a likeable character but also highlighted her flaws. I also really appreciated that Sophie herself pointed out that she understands why people generally have a negative opinion of the media and that she disliked that journalists regularly put too much focus on the "bad guys" and not on the victims themselves.
The book had so many plots going on at once but this just kept it fast paced and never got too confusing or convoluted. I lost count of how many plot twists there were in the last 100 pages that had me scrambling to turn the page to see their impact.
I do feel there should be a few trigger warnings as parts of the book could be distressing to some, these would be for the inclusion of domestic abuse, drug and alcohol addiction, self-harm and rape.
Overall I really enjoyed the story and found myself racing through it in a couple of days. I will definitely be picking up the first book in the Sophie Kent series and any future books from Corrie Jackson.
November 6, 2017
This was a well-written and pacey thriller, but ultimately it left me feeling a bit let down.
The novel started strongly, with the author skilfully introducing a variety of memorable characters while also keeping the action moving along. There was no sense that gaps were being filled in for readers like me who have not read the first book in the series.
Corrie Jackson is able to give us an insider’s view of a journalist’s work and her portrayal of the media world was one of the most convincing and enjoyable aspects of the story. However, many other elements of the plot were less plausible and I felt there were too few clues along the way to make the final twist a really satisfying revelation.
The novel started strongly, with the author skilfully introducing a variety of memorable characters while also keeping the action moving along. There was no sense that gaps were being filled in for readers like me who have not read the first book in the series.
Corrie Jackson is able to give us an insider’s view of a journalist’s work and her portrayal of the media world was one of the most convincing and enjoyable aspects of the story. However, many other elements of the plot were less plausible and I felt there were too few clues along the way to make the final twist a really satisfying revelation.
November 11, 2017
I really liked the first few pages of this book and i wanted to find out more. The lead character is a journalist with a troubled life - her drug addict brother has just died, she hates her very rich parents and she is in therapy for being nearly killed previously (this is book 2). And then her good friend becomes a suspect in a murder case she's working on. I was at first annoyed that this snippet was included in the blurb but it happens pretty early on so I can understand why.
The book had me gripped but it did feel a bit over plotted. There was so much going on in character's lives, no one had it easy. We had blackmail, alcohol abuse, drug addiction, domestic violence, child leukaemia, self harm, adoption, rape, sex with strangers and more. Saying that, I enjoyed it for what it was - a good yarn.
The book had me gripped but it did feel a bit over plotted. There was so much going on in character's lives, no one had it easy. We had blackmail, alcohol abuse, drug addiction, domestic violence, child leukaemia, self harm, adoption, rape, sex with strangers and more. Saying that, I enjoyed it for what it was - a good yarn.
July 15, 2020
Sorry, only two stars. It definitely wasn't the perfect choice but I rather try to finish reading than leaving it. Very poor story, nothing special that could allow me to recommend it to friends.
November 16, 2017
I would have given this book five stars but only gave it four as I found the first quarter of the book was full of different characters that sometimes it was a job to keep track of them all. This book is the second in the Sophie Kent series of books and the story is told mostly through her eyes. She is a reporter for the London Herald newspaper, her father owns Kent Industries at the skyscraper known as the Gherkin. She has a brother Tommy and throughout the book she is trying to find out what happened to cause his death. After being nearby as a body of a young woman is dragged from the Thames, Sophie is then drawn into investigating this case. Several leads seem to go nowhere and after fellow journalist Charlie is accussed of murder and subsequently disappears without trace, Sophie is determined to find out the truth. Is Charlie's marriage to internet blogger Emily all it seems to be? Is Charlie involved with a religious cult? What is the connection with Charlie's mother and father? All these threads all come together at the end of the book when you learn the truth and sometimes it is not what you think. Very cleverly written to keep you guessing right to the end.
November 9, 2017
I could not put this down. Work became an annoyance, because I wanted to get back to this.
I don't know if it was a disadvantage that I haven't read the previous book (soon to be remedied), but it didn't affect my enjoyment of this book as a standalone.
Sophie Kent is a journalist with a tormented backstory. Charlie Swift is her best friend and also works at the same paper. Emily Swift is his second wife after the death of his first wife. They are all very complex characters with not very straightforward histories.
At the beginning of the book, Sophie comes across the murder of a lawyer, Sabrina, who it appears, is having an affair with Charlie. As she digs deeper, we see the layers peeling away of all the characters in this twisting tale. Very enjoyable.
I don't know if it was a disadvantage that I haven't read the previous book (soon to be remedied), but it didn't affect my enjoyment of this book as a standalone.
Sophie Kent is a journalist with a tormented backstory. Charlie Swift is her best friend and also works at the same paper. Emily Swift is his second wife after the death of his first wife. They are all very complex characters with not very straightforward histories.
At the beginning of the book, Sophie comes across the murder of a lawyer, Sabrina, who it appears, is having an affair with Charlie. As she digs deeper, we see the layers peeling away of all the characters in this twisting tale. Very enjoyable.
October 29, 2017
*thank you to NetGalley and Bonnier Zaffre for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
2.5 stars.
I found it so hard to get into this book. I was so close to giving up a few times but I kept going, in hopes that it got better, which it, thankfully did a bit. I cant pinpoint exactly what I disliked about it, but I did find parts of it boring and uninteresting. Though, having said that, there did seem to be alot happening, but in a good way. I found around the 40% mark it started to get more interesting. The fact that I actually did finish it and didnt abandon it, says that there were enough good parts. I dont think its the book thats really the issue, but more that it just wasnt really for me. Id recommend that if you like the sound of this story from the description, then give it a go, you will either like it or leave it but its worth giving a go.
2.5 stars.
I found it so hard to get into this book. I was so close to giving up a few times but I kept going, in hopes that it got better, which it, thankfully did a bit. I cant pinpoint exactly what I disliked about it, but I did find parts of it boring and uninteresting. Though, having said that, there did seem to be alot happening, but in a good way. I found around the 40% mark it started to get more interesting. The fact that I actually did finish it and didnt abandon it, says that there were enough good parts. I dont think its the book thats really the issue, but more that it just wasnt really for me. Id recommend that if you like the sound of this story from the description, then give it a go, you will either like it or leave it but its worth giving a go.
November 9, 2017
In this fast paced mystery by Corrie Jackson, The "Perfect on Paper" couple Charlie and Emily seem to have it all. Then Charlie is charged with a horrific murder and Emily suddenly doubts everything she knows about her husband. Gripping, fast paced, and well plotted!
November 2, 2017
I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
Wowza! The plot twists in this book will keep your head spinning. Just when you think you figured it out another one hits you.
While it was an roller coaster of a read it did not seem realistic but that's okay for a lot of readers. It is realistic enough for a novel but it did bug me at some points.
I felt that the ending was completely unexpected and out of left field. Even after more than a week later I am not really sure what I think about it.
If you enjoy a thriller with a lot of plot twist, this book is for you.
Wowza! The plot twists in this book will keep your head spinning. Just when you think you figured it out another one hits you.
While it was an roller coaster of a read it did not seem realistic but that's okay for a lot of readers. It is realistic enough for a novel but it did bug me at some points.
I felt that the ending was completely unexpected and out of left field. Even after more than a week later I am not really sure what I think about it.
If you enjoy a thriller with a lot of plot twist, this book is for you.
October 28, 2017
I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC copy of this book in exchange for a review.
I thought that this was a smart and sexy thiller that kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the entire book.
I didn’t know when I requested a copy of this book that it was the 2nd in a series but, the author did a great job giving the reader the basic and necessary information so if they didn’t read the 1st book in the series, they wouldn’t be confused or lost.
I would definitely recommend this book to everyone and I would definitely read the next book in this series.
I thought that this was a smart and sexy thiller that kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the entire book.
I didn’t know when I requested a copy of this book that it was the 2nd in a series but, the author did a great job giving the reader the basic and necessary information so if they didn’t read the 1st book in the series, they wouldn’t be confused or lost.
I would definitely recommend this book to everyone and I would definitely read the next book in this series.
October 21, 2017
Sophie Kent is a journalist whose friend and colleague Charlie Swift is a murder suspect. Charlie and his wife Emily appear to be a loving couple, and Emily, whose blog and instagram sites have a huge following, wants their marriage to be as perfect-picture as her fantasy.
Sophie desperately wants Charlie to be innocent, but as he fails to come forward and details accumulate, both Sophie, friend and confidante, and Emily, the steadfast wife, begin to see fault-lines opening everywhere.
Intense and suspenseful, I didn't see where this one was going and had a number of surprises along the way. Corrie Jackson deftly moves back and forth from the present, to the weeks before the murder, and to Charlie's childhood. This could have been complicated and confusing, but somehow worked.
The Perfect Victim keeps you wondering exactly who the perfect victim is. I changed my mind more than once. Jackson's twists and turns kept me enthralled.
NetGalley/Bonnier Zaffre
Crime/Psychological Suspense. Nov. 16, 2017. Print length: 448 pages.
Sophie desperately wants Charlie to be innocent, but as he fails to come forward and details accumulate, both Sophie, friend and confidante, and Emily, the steadfast wife, begin to see fault-lines opening everywhere.
Intense and suspenseful, I didn't see where this one was going and had a number of surprises along the way. Corrie Jackson deftly moves back and forth from the present, to the weeks before the murder, and to Charlie's childhood. This could have been complicated and confusing, but somehow worked.
The Perfect Victim keeps you wondering exactly who the perfect victim is. I changed my mind more than once. Jackson's twists and turns kept me enthralled.
NetGalley/Bonnier Zaffre
Crime/Psychological Suspense. Nov. 16, 2017. Print length: 448 pages.
October 4, 2017
Big thanks to Netgallery etc for the arc of this book to read and review.
After a weekend of zero technology and a lot of sleep, Sophie comes around on a Monday with messages upon messages, one from her best friend needing her advice. It's too late to help when she realizes that Charlie is being investigated for a murder and also nowhere to be found.
With that sick, twisted feeling that her friendship wasn't exactly what it seemed, Sophie dives into the investigation, planning on figuring it out, even if it turns out she was wrong about everything.
I didn't need to read the first book in the Sophie Kent series to thoroughly enjoy this book. This was a fast paced, clever and extremely interesting novel and I devoured it on the edge of my seat! I can't wait to go back and read the first one and hope there's more Sophie Kent novels coming in the future!
After a weekend of zero technology and a lot of sleep, Sophie comes around on a Monday with messages upon messages, one from her best friend needing her advice. It's too late to help when she realizes that Charlie is being investigated for a murder and also nowhere to be found.
With that sick, twisted feeling that her friendship wasn't exactly what it seemed, Sophie dives into the investigation, planning on figuring it out, even if it turns out she was wrong about everything.
I didn't need to read the first book in the Sophie Kent series to thoroughly enjoy this book. This was a fast paced, clever and extremely interesting novel and I devoured it on the edge of my seat! I can't wait to go back and read the first one and hope there's more Sophie Kent novels coming in the future!
November 22, 2017
I LOVE this book.
This is a grower. I thoroughly enjoyed 'The Perfect Victim' while I was reading it, but it's only when you reach the explosive finale that you can fully appreciate just how cleverly Corrie Jackson has pulled this story together. As soon as I finished it I was desperate to discuss it: did you see that coming? No? But isn't it beautifully done? YES.
-- What's it about? --
I'm going to cheat and steal the blurb as it's quite comprehensive:
Husband, friend, colleague . . . killer?
Charlie and Emily Swift are the Instagram-perfect couple: gorgeous, successful and in love. But then Charlie is named as the prime suspect in a gruesome murder and Emily's world falls apart.
Desperate for answers, she turns to Charlie's troubled best friend, London Herald journalist, Sophie Kent. Sophie knows police have the wrong man - she trusts Charlie with her life.
Then Charlie flees.
Sophie puts her reputation on the line to clear his name. But as she's drawn deeper into Charlie and Emily's unravelling marriage, she realizes that there is nothing perfect about the Swifts.
As she begins to question Charlie's innocence, something happens that blows the investigation - and their friendship - apart.
Now Sophie isn't just fighting for justice, she's fighting for her life.
-- What's it like? --
Compelling, breath-taking and genuinely tension-inducing, this is a thriller that will keep you awake into the small hours to read 'just one more chapter'.
Jackson controls the pace perfectly, switching between Sophie's first-person investigation and events in Emily's life leading up to the murder her husband is suspected of committing. Sometimes I hadn't realised quite how physically tense I was until I began a fresh chapter and the obliviousness of the characters within to the stunning events of the preceding chapter helped me to relax and breathe again!
Sophie is an interesting narrator. She's reckless, driven to find the truth at all costs, but also consumed by her guilt over her brother's recent death. She makes poor decisions, though in comparison to some of Emily's decisions, Sophie's begin to look almost sane...
-- What's to like? --
The cracking pace, fizzling tension and utterly convincing characters make this a book I struggled to put down. I really liked the way Jackson gradually unravels Charlie and Emily Swift, although I liked the later revelations even more!
Is it completely plausible? Perhaps the final reveals verge on the exceedingly unlikely...but there's a reason this is called fiction, and I never once felt that the implausible had become the impossible. In fact, I thought the whole complex storyline was ultimately chilling in that, horrifyingly, I fully believed all the elements, while dramatic, were possible.
I also loved the focus on up-to-the-second journalism and crime scene reporting, the use of social media and the importance of perception as opposed to reality.
-- Final thoughts --
This is the second book in a series following Sophie Kent, and although, as is often the case, I feel deeply sorry for Sophie, (how much more trauma can the poor woman be expected to withstand? Dead brothers, potentially murderous friends and awful family, she's plenty on her plate before Jackson considers throwing in a romantic entanglement,) I was able to read this as a standalone book without (a) feeling like I was missing vital information or (b) being pressured by withheld information to read the next instalment.
Clearly, Sophie's investigation of her brother's death will be ongoing, but it isn't used as a carrot to entice to reader into further purchases. Instead, Corrie relies upon the sheer quality of her story-telling to bring the readers back.
I, for one, am now looking forward to reading 'Breaking Dead' and shall be waiting keenly for Sophie Kent's next outing.
Many thanks to the publishers for providing me with a free copy of this book and a spot on the blog tour in exchange for an honest review.
This is a grower. I thoroughly enjoyed 'The Perfect Victim' while I was reading it, but it's only when you reach the explosive finale that you can fully appreciate just how cleverly Corrie Jackson has pulled this story together. As soon as I finished it I was desperate to discuss it: did you see that coming? No? But isn't it beautifully done? YES.
-- What's it about? --
I'm going to cheat and steal the blurb as it's quite comprehensive:
Husband, friend, colleague . . . killer?
Charlie and Emily Swift are the Instagram-perfect couple: gorgeous, successful and in love. But then Charlie is named as the prime suspect in a gruesome murder and Emily's world falls apart.
Desperate for answers, she turns to Charlie's troubled best friend, London Herald journalist, Sophie Kent. Sophie knows police have the wrong man - she trusts Charlie with her life.
Then Charlie flees.
Sophie puts her reputation on the line to clear his name. But as she's drawn deeper into Charlie and Emily's unravelling marriage, she realizes that there is nothing perfect about the Swifts.
As she begins to question Charlie's innocence, something happens that blows the investigation - and their friendship - apart.
Now Sophie isn't just fighting for justice, she's fighting for her life.
-- What's it like? --
Compelling, breath-taking and genuinely tension-inducing, this is a thriller that will keep you awake into the small hours to read 'just one more chapter'.
Jackson controls the pace perfectly, switching between Sophie's first-person investigation and events in Emily's life leading up to the murder her husband is suspected of committing. Sometimes I hadn't realised quite how physically tense I was until I began a fresh chapter and the obliviousness of the characters within to the stunning events of the preceding chapter helped me to relax and breathe again!
Sophie is an interesting narrator. She's reckless, driven to find the truth at all costs, but also consumed by her guilt over her brother's recent death. She makes poor decisions, though in comparison to some of Emily's decisions, Sophie's begin to look almost sane...
-- What's to like? --
The cracking pace, fizzling tension and utterly convincing characters make this a book I struggled to put down. I really liked the way Jackson gradually unravels Charlie and Emily Swift, although I liked the later revelations even more!
Is it completely plausible? Perhaps the final reveals verge on the exceedingly unlikely...but there's a reason this is called fiction, and I never once felt that the implausible had become the impossible. In fact, I thought the whole complex storyline was ultimately chilling in that, horrifyingly, I fully believed all the elements, while dramatic, were possible.
I also loved the focus on up-to-the-second journalism and crime scene reporting, the use of social media and the importance of perception as opposed to reality.
-- Final thoughts --
This is the second book in a series following Sophie Kent, and although, as is often the case, I feel deeply sorry for Sophie, (how much more trauma can the poor woman be expected to withstand? Dead brothers, potentially murderous friends and awful family, she's plenty on her plate before Jackson considers throwing in a romantic entanglement,) I was able to read this as a standalone book without (a) feeling like I was missing vital information or (b) being pressured by withheld information to read the next instalment.
Clearly, Sophie's investigation of her brother's death will be ongoing, but it isn't used as a carrot to entice to reader into further purchases. Instead, Corrie relies upon the sheer quality of her story-telling to bring the readers back.
I, for one, am now looking forward to reading 'Breaking Dead' and shall be waiting keenly for Sophie Kent's next outing.
Many thanks to the publishers for providing me with a free copy of this book and a spot on the blog tour in exchange for an honest review.
November 23, 2017
After the brilliance of Breaking Dead Sophie Kent is back and this time the truth is much closer to home than she wants to believe. Sophie is at a crime scene, a drowning, and discovers the victim was somehow connected to one of her best friends, the Herald's Business Editor Charlie Swift. When it's established that the victim is Sabrina Hobbs, a prominent lawyer, and she didn't drown, she was murdered, Sophie links Sabrina to Charlie, at first in a business way, but then she discovers that the two may have been intimately involved. Only she can't ask Charlie because he has disappeared and everyone's thoughts about him start to turn to a darker possibility. Is Charlie Swift a murderer? Sophie doesn't want to believe this, especially as Charlie is newly married to Emily after tragically losing his first wife, in a drowning accident... Do Charlie and Emily really have the Instagram perfect life that Emily insists they have? Or is the perfect victim right under everybody's noses?
Sophie once again is struggling in her personal life. Still obsessing over her brother's death she will grab at anything that may lead to information so when it turns out that there may be a link between Charlie, her brother and a religious group called Christ Clan, she leaps in with both feet, this time putting colleagues at risk too. DCI Durand makes a welcome return but unfortunately for Sophie, the man in charge of Charlie's case holds a personal grudge against her because of a connection to events in Breaking Dead. We get to see the story from Emily's point of view too, the state of her marriage in the weeks leading up to the murder and the disappearance, and her state of mind.
As with Breaking Dead, I was hooked from the very first page. There seems to be an awful lot going on and more than one plot strand but Corrie Jackson weaves them together skillfully over the course of the story and by the end, having stumbled through more twists and turns than the first book, she leads you to a most unexpected conclusion, which most people won't even have thought about. Given that Charlie works at a newspaper it was fascinating to see how everybody initially thought completely incapable of any wrongdoing, even infidelity, but as time passed and Charlie stayed missing, even the most loyal of friends and colleagues can start to have their doubts. The crumbling relationship between the missing Charlie and his colleagues as they struggle to accept that they may have a murderer in their midst and that it's up to them to unmask the facts to convict him if it is indeed true was extremely well written and great to see other people's opinion of him.
The Perfect Victim doesn't let up from start to finish, there's an energy about Corrie Jackson's writing that compels you to keep turning the pages and her characters are completely engaging, although not always likable, which makes them all the more human. It's a fantastic sequel to Breaking Dead and I have only one request. Sophie Kent book three, please!!!
Sophie once again is struggling in her personal life. Still obsessing over her brother's death she will grab at anything that may lead to information so when it turns out that there may be a link between Charlie, her brother and a religious group called Christ Clan, she leaps in with both feet, this time putting colleagues at risk too. DCI Durand makes a welcome return but unfortunately for Sophie, the man in charge of Charlie's case holds a personal grudge against her because of a connection to events in Breaking Dead. We get to see the story from Emily's point of view too, the state of her marriage in the weeks leading up to the murder and the disappearance, and her state of mind.
As with Breaking Dead, I was hooked from the very first page. There seems to be an awful lot going on and more than one plot strand but Corrie Jackson weaves them together skillfully over the course of the story and by the end, having stumbled through more twists and turns than the first book, she leads you to a most unexpected conclusion, which most people won't even have thought about. Given that Charlie works at a newspaper it was fascinating to see how everybody initially thought completely incapable of any wrongdoing, even infidelity, but as time passed and Charlie stayed missing, even the most loyal of friends and colleagues can start to have their doubts. The crumbling relationship between the missing Charlie and his colleagues as they struggle to accept that they may have a murderer in their midst and that it's up to them to unmask the facts to convict him if it is indeed true was extremely well written and great to see other people's opinion of him.
The Perfect Victim doesn't let up from start to finish, there's an energy about Corrie Jackson's writing that compels you to keep turning the pages and her characters are completely engaging, although not always likable, which makes them all the more human. It's a fantastic sequel to Breaking Dead and I have only one request. Sophie Kent book three, please!!!
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