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The Suspects
Shallow Grave meets The Secret History in this quirky psychological thriller.
When you're bound together by secrets and lies who do you trust?
Bristol, 1988.
Five young graduates on the threshold of their careers buy a house together in order to get a foot on the property ladder before prices spiral out of their reach. But it soon becomes the house share from hell.
After their New Year's Eve party, they discover a body - and it's clear they'll be the first suspects. As each of them has a good reason from their past not to trust the police, they come up with a solution - one which forces them into a life of secrets and lies.
But can they trust each other?
When you're bound together by secrets and lies who do you trust?
Bristol, 1988.
Five young graduates on the threshold of their careers buy a house together in order to get a foot on the property ladder before prices spiral out of their reach. But it soon becomes the house share from hell.
After their New Year's Eve party, they discover a body - and it's clear they'll be the first suspects. As each of them has a good reason from their past not to trust the police, they come up with a solution - one which forces them into a life of secrets and lies.
But can they trust each other?
255 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 25, 2019
560 people are currently reading
491 people want to read
About the author
Katharine Johnson
16 books75 followersKatharine Johnson grew up in Bristol and now divides her time between Berkshire and Lucca, Italy. After doing a History degree she trained to be a journalist and has worked for a variety of magazines, writing about everything including the kitchen sink. She's loved writing since childhood and wrote her first book aged nine. When not writing she can usually be found walking her spaniel, doing the school run, playing netball or being a room guide in a stately home.
Katharine loves to hear from readers so if you fancy a chat do get in touch
https://www.facebook.com/Katharinejoh...
Katharine loves to hear from readers so if you fancy a chat do get in touch
https://www.facebook.com/Katharinejoh...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 127 reviews
May 3, 2019
4☆ Gripping Murder Mystery with plenty of Juicy Twists!
The Suspects is a twisty who done it?, murder mystery. With the perfect Title!
A group of work colleagues who barely know each other move in together (which kind of rings alarm bells to me!)
But when they decide to throw a New Years Party they quickly discover it might of been a bad idea.
As they discover a body hidden in the house!
But who done it and why?
What should they do?
Call the police... the obvious choice....or... cover it up?
Think you can guess what they did!
Each of the characters are very different and very flawed with plenty to hide.
I really liked that we was introduced to them individually so you got to delve into their story before you made assumptions.
I really enjoy who done it style of murder mystery books, this one had a psychological thriller feel and it certainly had alot of juicy twists which is perfect. I like to be kept guessing.
There is plenty of secrets, lies, deceit, mayhem, distrust, angst, and suspense as you try to work out, who you can trust, who did it and their motive!
I definitely recommend reading The Suspects it's Enthralling and Gripping.
If you enjoy your Murder Mystery with a psychological thriller twist, eclectic mix of complex characters, and cleverly plotted twists and turns to keep you hooked and guessing, then you wont want to miss out on The Suspects!
Thank you to Rachel Random Resources for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
My Review is also on my Blog Website :-
https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2019/0...
The Suspects is a twisty who done it?, murder mystery. With the perfect Title!
A group of work colleagues who barely know each other move in together (which kind of rings alarm bells to me!)
But when they decide to throw a New Years Party they quickly discover it might of been a bad idea.
As they discover a body hidden in the house!
But who done it and why?
What should they do?
Call the police... the obvious choice....or... cover it up?
Think you can guess what they did!
Each of the characters are very different and very flawed with plenty to hide.
I really liked that we was introduced to them individually so you got to delve into their story before you made assumptions.
I really enjoy who done it style of murder mystery books, this one had a psychological thriller feel and it certainly had alot of juicy twists which is perfect. I like to be kept guessing.
There is plenty of secrets, lies, deceit, mayhem, distrust, angst, and suspense as you try to work out, who you can trust, who did it and their motive!
I definitely recommend reading The Suspects it's Enthralling and Gripping.
If you enjoy your Murder Mystery with a psychological thriller twist, eclectic mix of complex characters, and cleverly plotted twists and turns to keep you hooked and guessing, then you wont want to miss out on The Suspects!
Thank you to Rachel Random Resources for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
My Review is also on my Blog Website :-
https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2019/0...
May 10, 2019
THE SUSPECTS is a psychological thriller by Katharine Johnson.
Bristol, 1988. Five young trainee journalists at a magazine publishing company in London, for financial reasons, made the decision to buy a house together, which soon proves to be a disaster!
The group of five are all different, two men (Stuart and Zak) and three women (Xanthe, Imogen and Emily-who narrates the story). All goes smooth until after their New Year’s Eve party, they discover a body in the basement, and they have to decide the best way to cover up this mess! But who could have done this? Was it one of them or someone at the party? It soon becomes clear that they’ll be the first suspects. As each of them has a good reason from their past not to trust the police, they come up with a solution – one which forces them into a life of secrets and lies. But can they trust each other?
This is a well written book with a strong set of characters all with their own baggage. Their actions are very believable, and it provides for a gripping read.
I really enjoyed this story and would thoroughly recommend it to all fans of psychological thrillers. I would definitely read more from this author.
Many thanks to the author and the TBC Reviewer Request Group (FB) for my digital copy.
Bristol, 1988. Five young trainee journalists at a magazine publishing company in London, for financial reasons, made the decision to buy a house together, which soon proves to be a disaster!
The group of five are all different, two men (Stuart and Zak) and three women (Xanthe, Imogen and Emily-who narrates the story). All goes smooth until after their New Year’s Eve party, they discover a body in the basement, and they have to decide the best way to cover up this mess! But who could have done this? Was it one of them or someone at the party? It soon becomes clear that they’ll be the first suspects. As each of them has a good reason from their past not to trust the police, they come up with a solution – one which forces them into a life of secrets and lies. But can they trust each other?
This is a well written book with a strong set of characters all with their own baggage. Their actions are very believable, and it provides for a gripping read.
I really enjoyed this story and would thoroughly recommend it to all fans of psychological thrillers. I would definitely read more from this author.
Many thanks to the author and the TBC Reviewer Request Group (FB) for my digital copy.
May 10, 2019
4.5 Stars
They number 5 ... 3 young ladies and 2 young men ... who have been chosen to participate in a program for budding reporters. They do not know each other, but for financial reasons, they decide to buy a house together.
All goes well for awhile ..... until
New Year's Eve they threw a party and fun was had by all. Until they discover a body in the basement.
No one seems to know who this man is .. but one thing is sudden, they will all be under suspicion if the police are notified. As each of them has a good reason not to trust the police, they come up with a solution – one which forces them into a life of secrets and lies.
This is a roller-coaster ride of friendships, loves, secrets, lies, twist and turns that boggle the mind. Not only are these people suspects in the murder of an unidentified man, boyfriends, girlfriends, and guests all come under the eagle eyes of the law.
This is an extremely well written story featuring finely drawn characters. As the story progresses, tensions soar amid the rising panic and uncertainty among the main players. From the first page through the surprising ending, this is one the reader will not put down easily.
Many thanks to the author / TBC Reviewer Request Group (FB) for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
They number 5 ... 3 young ladies and 2 young men ... who have been chosen to participate in a program for budding reporters. They do not know each other, but for financial reasons, they decide to buy a house together.
All goes well for awhile ..... until
New Year's Eve they threw a party and fun was had by all. Until they discover a body in the basement.
No one seems to know who this man is .. but one thing is sudden, they will all be under suspicion if the police are notified. As each of them has a good reason not to trust the police, they come up with a solution – one which forces them into a life of secrets and lies.
This is a roller-coaster ride of friendships, loves, secrets, lies, twist and turns that boggle the mind. Not only are these people suspects in the murder of an unidentified man, boyfriends, girlfriends, and guests all come under the eagle eyes of the law.
This is an extremely well written story featuring finely drawn characters. As the story progresses, tensions soar amid the rising panic and uncertainty among the main players. From the first page through the surprising ending, this is one the reader will not put down easily.
Many thanks to the author / TBC Reviewer Request Group (FB) for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
January 14, 2025
I believe this could have been a better story had Emily's voice, as first-person narrator, been less dull. Or, also a very good idea, had there been more than one perspective.
I didn't like any of the characters and found the end a bit convoluted. But the premise showed potential. It deserved a different execution.
I didn't like any of the characters and found the end a bit convoluted. But the premise showed potential. It deserved a different execution.
July 18, 2019
Another gripping thriller from Katharine Johnson. Interesting characters keep the pages turning while the twists and turns in the plot line were intriguing and unpredictable. Smart and sharp, this sophisticated suspense is an entertaining and addictive read.
May 4, 2019
Who could possibly have guessed that things would go badly wrong when five virtual strangers decide to buy a house together.
All Emily,Stuart,Zac,Imogen and Zanthe have in common is that they are trainee Journalists who work for the same company. Everything starts off ok and they seem to be getting along well enough as they learn to live with each other's different quirks. But then their lives are plunged into a living nightmare after they decide to throw a New Years Eve party.
A couple of days after the party, they discover a dead body in their basement and make the unwise and immoral decision to cover up the discovery.
As time passes and tension and mistrust spreads throughout the house cracks begin to appear in the relationships between the housemates.
What happened in the basement? Who was the dead body? Was one or more of the housemates a killer or was it someone else and could the housemates lives be in danger?
The Suspects is a enthralling,twist packed thriller/ mystery that reminded me of the brilliant 1995 movie Shallow Grave. The reader is given the opportunity in the early chapters to get to know the individual diverse personalities of the five housemates. As the story unfolds it soon becomes clear that none of the complex characters are who they appear to be. The story was voiced mainly by Emily although there was also chapters that were voiced by other characters. It is set towards the end of my favourite era,the 80s and there was references to the pop culture of that time scattered throughout the book.
I loved this exceedingly,well written page turner that had me hooked in from the first page and frantically turning the pages eager to know the truth. Once I started reading this twisty thriller,I honestly didn't want to put it down. There was secrets,lies,deception and betrayals and the story kept me guessing throughout. Worth far more than five stars,this book is definitely going to be one of my favourite reads of this year.
Many thanks to Rachel Gibley of Rachel's Random Resources and Crookedcatbooks for the opportunity to read and review this book and take part in the Blog tour.
All Emily,Stuart,Zac,Imogen and Zanthe have in common is that they are trainee Journalists who work for the same company. Everything starts off ok and they seem to be getting along well enough as they learn to live with each other's different quirks. But then their lives are plunged into a living nightmare after they decide to throw a New Years Eve party.
A couple of days after the party, they discover a dead body in their basement and make the unwise and immoral decision to cover up the discovery.
As time passes and tension and mistrust spreads throughout the house cracks begin to appear in the relationships between the housemates.
What happened in the basement? Who was the dead body? Was one or more of the housemates a killer or was it someone else and could the housemates lives be in danger?
The Suspects is a enthralling,twist packed thriller/ mystery that reminded me of the brilliant 1995 movie Shallow Grave. The reader is given the opportunity in the early chapters to get to know the individual diverse personalities of the five housemates. As the story unfolds it soon becomes clear that none of the complex characters are who they appear to be. The story was voiced mainly by Emily although there was also chapters that were voiced by other characters. It is set towards the end of my favourite era,the 80s and there was references to the pop culture of that time scattered throughout the book.
I loved this exceedingly,well written page turner that had me hooked in from the first page and frantically turning the pages eager to know the truth. Once I started reading this twisty thriller,I honestly didn't want to put it down. There was secrets,lies,deception and betrayals and the story kept me guessing throughout. Worth far more than five stars,this book is definitely going to be one of my favourite reads of this year.
Many thanks to Rachel Gibley of Rachel's Random Resources and Crookedcatbooks for the opportunity to read and review this book and take part in the Blog tour.
May 28, 2019
Edgar Allan Poe's The Tell-tale Heart moves to 1980s Bristol.
Five trainee journalists decide to get on the housing ladder by buying a house together. Sharing a mortgage with relative strangers sounds like a precarious plan at the best of times but it gets a whole lot more unhinged when they find a body in their basement after a New Year's Eve party. They decide to conceal the death instead of going to the police. (It seemed like a reasonable idea at the time - and they even convinced this reader!) Most of the novel is about narrator Emily's constant dread of being found out. My heart was racing at times as I shared her guilt - and I was only reading the pages.
Five trainee journalists decide to get on the housing ladder by buying a house together. Sharing a mortgage with relative strangers sounds like a precarious plan at the best of times but it gets a whole lot more unhinged when they find a body in their basement after a New Year's Eve party. They decide to conceal the death instead of going to the police. (It seemed like a reasonable idea at the time - and they even convinced this reader!) Most of the novel is about narrator Emily's constant dread of being found out. My heart was racing at times as I shared her guilt - and I was only reading the pages.
April 27, 2019
This story recounts what happened when five trainee journalists, who were working at the same company, decided to buy a house together to enable them to get a foot on the quickly escalating property ladder of the late 1980's in England.
Although very different people, the five of them - Emily (who narrates the story up until the present day), Stuart, Zak, Imogen and Xanthe, get on well enough to live with each others' differences and quirks, this changes....
A New Year's Eve party at their house blows their relatively pleasant association with each other out of the water when a body is found in the basement and uncovers a tangled web as they mistakenly decide that the best thing to do is to cover up whatever happened.
But who was responsible? Was it was of them or someone else? There was a party going on after all, so it could have been anyone....
As things progress, it becomes clear that there is a continuous train of lies, deceit and mistrust between them all.
Without adding spoilers, I cannot say any more, but I can say that this book is exceptionally well-written, with many twists and had me staying up well past when I should have done because I wanted to know what happened!
I really enjoyed this story and would thoroughly recommend it to all fans of psychological thrillers. I would definitely read more from this author.
A well-deserved 5 stars!
Although very different people, the five of them - Emily (who narrates the story up until the present day), Stuart, Zak, Imogen and Xanthe, get on well enough to live with each others' differences and quirks, this changes....
A New Year's Eve party at their house blows their relatively pleasant association with each other out of the water when a body is found in the basement and uncovers a tangled web as they mistakenly decide that the best thing to do is to cover up whatever happened.
But who was responsible? Was it was of them or someone else? There was a party going on after all, so it could have been anyone....
As things progress, it becomes clear that there is a continuous train of lies, deceit and mistrust between them all.
Without adding spoilers, I cannot say any more, but I can say that this book is exceptionally well-written, with many twists and had me staying up well past when I should have done because I wanted to know what happened!
I really enjoyed this story and would thoroughly recommend it to all fans of psychological thrillers. I would definitely read more from this author.
A well-deserved 5 stars!
May 19, 2019
Absolutely compelling!
I've ignored my own life for the past 48 hours, gobbling up this unputdownable psychological thriller... it really is that GOOD. Bristol, the late eighties (and all the wonderful music and mayhem nostalgia that goes with it), a cast of contrasting characters, and the situation from hell. The Suspects recounts the tale of a group of naive twenty-something professionals starting out in their career and desperate to get on the property ladder. It's actually worryingly easy to forgive them their mistakes, something which begs the question: what would YOU, the reader, do in their shoes? Drama to the last! I will never complain about the irksome behaviour of my own (also Bristol-based!) housemates again...
I've ignored my own life for the past 48 hours, gobbling up this unputdownable psychological thriller... it really is that GOOD. Bristol, the late eighties (and all the wonderful music and mayhem nostalgia that goes with it), a cast of contrasting characters, and the situation from hell. The Suspects recounts the tale of a group of naive twenty-something professionals starting out in their career and desperate to get on the property ladder. It's actually worryingly easy to forgive them their mistakes, something which begs the question: what would YOU, the reader, do in their shoes? Drama to the last! I will never complain about the irksome behaviour of my own (also Bristol-based!) housemates again...
April 9, 2020
I can't tell you how much I loved this book - I think it's actually up there as one of my favourites! I started reading it on Wednesday and I sat up until 1.30am reading! I couldn't put it down! I got to 76% at 1.30am and then I finished reading it the next day. So I gobbled up this book in 2 days!
I loved the writing style. It felt young and dangerous and fast and it took me back to my flat-sharing days in London. The tension and suspense was overwhelming and I honestly had my heart in my mouth - especially when they were making that car trip.
I've been recommending this book to everyone!
I loved the writing style. It felt young and dangerous and fast and it took me back to my flat-sharing days in London. The tension and suspense was overwhelming and I honestly had my heart in my mouth - especially when they were making that car trip.
I've been recommending this book to everyone!
July 1, 2019
I found this book a very interesting read that I finished in a couple of sittings!
Starting with the opening pages, the mystery and the relationship between the friends was built up in such a way that I wanted to know more.
Mystery being my favourite genre, I look for something different and this one didn't disappoint me.
Starting with the opening pages, the mystery and the relationship between the friends was built up in such a way that I wanted to know more.
Mystery being my favourite genre, I look for something different and this one didn't disappoint me.
April 8, 2020
This was one of those random things that just worked out. Which is to say I woke up thinking what to read today, checked my email and lo and behold this book was offered on the list of freebies.It sounded intriguing, had good reviews and, after al, who am I to go against that sort of reading serendipity. And sure, yeah, another one of those thrillers, but this one was actually quite well done. I’m not sure it lives up to comparisons, but then again it doesn’t need to, that’s mostly for curb appeal, the book stands on its own. And sure, yeah, it is technically a relatively familiar premise of an older narrator travelling back in time to tell the tale of five friends who get involved in something terrible (in this case a murder cover up) and how it affects them and their friendship, but the author did the story just right…the characters are well developed, the suspense is sustained throughout and (here’s where the author really excelled) the anxiety of living with a secret, living in fear and distrust is tangible. The story is told from the perspective of one of five, a 21 year old woman, the most balanced and reasonable one or so it would appear, but she gets inextricably tangled up in the entire thing when after a New Year’s bash they discover a body in their basement and mainly financial fears (this is set during Thatcher’s lean years, 1989 specifically) make them decide that disposing of the body might be best. It’s always tough when one must consider career goals and mortgage rates when it comes to corpse disposal, isn’t it. So at any rate, bye bye corpse, hello secrecy, fear, infighting and so on. This is the story of how that scenario plays out for all involved. Since it’s technically a murder mystery, there are some prerequisite plot twists. Though in a way it’s more of a drama about a crime. The timeline stays the same (until the very end) as does the narrator, which is refreshing for these sorts of books. The characters are not as tedious as some (ok, really, most) early 20s people tend to be, plus the entire thing is British, which for me is always an added bonus. I’m not sure the major reveals were all that boombasic, there was some slacking quality about the end, but that wasn’t the main appeal of the book at any rate. It was just a good story well done. And a total pro job, editing and such. Although in the first chapter they do watch a movie that didn’t come out until 3 years later. But basically, above and beyond what you normally might find in Kindle freebies, so yey. I was sufficiently entertained.
April 27, 2019
loved this psychological thriller, it left me on tenderhooks reading through it. i was totally in suspence and found myself saying just one more chapter. five young students all have a past. this book is all about trust, and after a body is found the story begins. it will keep you gripped right till the end. very cleverly written by this author. its certainly a must read.
May 29, 2019
Any regular readers of my blog will know that Katharine Johnson is one of my favourite authors. Her most recent novel, The Suspects, is certainly one of my favourite books of 2019. (The Secret was one of my favourite books of 2018 – Ms Johnson is such a fine writer.)
The Suspects tells the story of a group of young people who have just finished their university degrees. They are starting out on their professional futures and decide to buy a house together so that they get a foot on the property ladder as soon as they can. Each of the characters is very different and flawed with plenty to hide. I really liked that we were introduced to them individually. You got to delve into their story before you made assumptions.
When they throw a New Year Party and everybody seems to drink too much and over indulge. It is only after the party that they find a corpse. Panic sets in becausethey are worried that they will become the main suspects. None of the five trusts the police so they discuss their choices. They decide on a plan but this results in secrets and lies twists and turns.
I think The Suspects would be an excellent book group read. It is enthralling and would make for lots of discussion. If you enjoy your murder mystery with a psychological thriller twist, complex characters, and cleverly plots then you will not want to miss out on The Suspects.
Katharine Johnson is the author of gripping psychological and historical suspense stories set in the UK and Italy. It’s always the whydunit that intrigues her most. Katharine’s characters are flawed but not evil – they’re ordinary people who through a bad decision find themselves in nightmarish situations. Born in Bristol, she currently lives in Berkshire. As a journalist she’s written for a variety of magazines, mostly about home and lifestyle. She has a passion for crime novels. old buildings and all things Italian (except tiramisu.) When not writing you’ll often find her drinking coffee, exploring cities, restoring her house in Italy or out walking with her partner in crime-writing, Monty the spaniel, while thinking up plots. She blogs about books and writing and loves to chat so catch up with her on her blog, Katy’s Writing Coffee Shop, Facebook page/instagram/pinterest @katharinejohnsonauthor, and twitter @kjohnsonwrites
Read her books free on Kindle Unlimited.
Val Penny
The Suspects tells the story of a group of young people who have just finished their university degrees. They are starting out on their professional futures and decide to buy a house together so that they get a foot on the property ladder as soon as they can. Each of the characters is very different and flawed with plenty to hide. I really liked that we were introduced to them individually. You got to delve into their story before you made assumptions.
When they throw a New Year Party and everybody seems to drink too much and over indulge. It is only after the party that they find a corpse. Panic sets in becausethey are worried that they will become the main suspects. None of the five trusts the police so they discuss their choices. They decide on a plan but this results in secrets and lies twists and turns.
I think The Suspects would be an excellent book group read. It is enthralling and would make for lots of discussion. If you enjoy your murder mystery with a psychological thriller twist, complex characters, and cleverly plots then you will not want to miss out on The Suspects.
Katharine Johnson is the author of gripping psychological and historical suspense stories set in the UK and Italy. It’s always the whydunit that intrigues her most. Katharine’s characters are flawed but not evil – they’re ordinary people who through a bad decision find themselves in nightmarish situations. Born in Bristol, she currently lives in Berkshire. As a journalist she’s written for a variety of magazines, mostly about home and lifestyle. She has a passion for crime novels. old buildings and all things Italian (except tiramisu.) When not writing you’ll often find her drinking coffee, exploring cities, restoring her house in Italy or out walking with her partner in crime-writing, Monty the spaniel, while thinking up plots. She blogs about books and writing and loves to chat so catch up with her on her blog, Katy’s Writing Coffee Shop, Facebook page/instagram/pinterest @katharinejohnsonauthor, and twitter @kjohnsonwrites
Read her books free on Kindle Unlimited.
Val Penny
May 2, 2020
Finally a good book! This one revolves around 5 young people who jointly buy a house and move in together. There are sure to be some hitches in such a plan, but nothing like what happens to these folks. Things really start to go bad after a party when they discover a body at the foot of the basement stairs. Suspicions fly amongst them. They decide to get rid of the body, then continue making bad decisions till it rips their friendships apart and manages to destroy some of their lives. It's well written, involving, and has more than enough twists and turns to keep a reader occupied till the very last page.
April 25, 2019
I really enjoyed this. Shallow Grave type weird flatmates. A good few twists and turns. Some of it stretched the realm of coincidence slightly as it wrapped up but the overall story overrode that. I'll be looking out more of her books as I enjoyed the style of writing as well as the story itself.
May 5, 2019
I absolutely loved this book. I devoured it so quickly. I felt so invested in the characters and could totally see how a situation like the one presented could happen easily. Brilliant
June 18, 2019
When five graduates start work as journalists with the same employer they decide that buying a house together will be a good idea. It isn’t long though before they find many pitfalls and what-ifs that could go wrong. They are far from perfect housemates with the saying you never know a person until you live with them, ringing in their ears. Emily, Imogen, Zanthe, Stuart and Zac soon see a new side of each other, lazy, controlling, bossy, and everything else in-between. So they thought that a New Years Eve party seemed like a good idea to ease the tension a little. The thing is a couple of days later they find a dead man down the cellar and none of them know who he is.
Now logic has definitely left the building as all they can agree on is that their lives, careers, and futures that they had planned out are getting further out of reach. All they can see is jail time, losing their house and their jobs so the only solution is to lose the body, but where? Now things had got a bit strained before and this doesn’t help. Is one of them a killer? Does one of them know the dead man? Are the rest of them in danger?
This is a story with characters that really got under my skin as I cringed and cursed at the choices that these educated professionals made. Everything had gone bottoms up pretty early on in the story so it felt like I was in the same boat as them, knowing little about any of them and who they really were. The further I read and the more paranoid I became with each housemate.
I can’t say that I liked the housemates any more the further that I got into the story but I don’t think that the author intended me to. Their lives entangle with each other further the more that they cover up. This was a house of cards ready to fall down, gripping, tense and very shocking, it totally threw me.
A brilliant storyline and a very engrossing read.
Now logic has definitely left the building as all they can agree on is that their lives, careers, and futures that they had planned out are getting further out of reach. All they can see is jail time, losing their house and their jobs so the only solution is to lose the body, but where? Now things had got a bit strained before and this doesn’t help. Is one of them a killer? Does one of them know the dead man? Are the rest of them in danger?
This is a story with characters that really got under my skin as I cringed and cursed at the choices that these educated professionals made. Everything had gone bottoms up pretty early on in the story so it felt like I was in the same boat as them, knowing little about any of them and who they really were. The further I read and the more paranoid I became with each housemate.
I can’t say that I liked the housemates any more the further that I got into the story but I don’t think that the author intended me to. Their lives entangle with each other further the more that they cover up. This was a house of cards ready to fall down, gripping, tense and very shocking, it totally threw me.
A brilliant storyline and a very engrossing read.
April 29, 2019
The Suspects had me gripped from the first page. It is well written, and weaves a tale of intrigue and suspense throughout. I loved that it is set in Bristol as I lived there for over twenty-years and recognise many of the places mentioned. I must have changed my mind about four times as to who the baddie was, and this is the mark of a good thriller. The characters are well drawn and easy to identify with. I liked Emma especially and I would like to know what happens to her in the future. Perhaps a sequel? I really enjoyed this book - highly recommended.
December 17, 2019
Put together five very different house mates who barely know each other, an unexpected dead body and a bunch of sinister secrets in their pasts and you end up with a very entertaining, carefully plotted, well-written, twisty whodunnit, with interesting characters. Great read!
October 20, 2019
This book sat in my pile for a long time. I'm glad I finally picked it up. Good pacing, believable characters and unpredictable enough for the most jaded of suspense/thriller consumers, Katharine Johnson's The Suspects doesn't disappoint.
August 29, 2020
Set in Bristol in the late eighties, it is impossible not to be addicted to this psychological thriller which is filled with flashbacks from my youth: Fine Young Cannibals, calling from a phone box, watching Blind Date, and hands up if you remember Callanetics?
The novel begins with the housemates, all journalist students, attending the funeral of fellow housemate, Xanthe. There’s lots of dark humour: when Em panics that they’ve turned up to the wrong funeral; how they come up with the name for the John Doe. At the end of the funeral service, one of the group is taken away by the police and the story goes back to the start, building up to the disastrous New Year’s Eve party whereupon, already grappling with personality clashes, unwelcome other halves and missed mortgage payments, they stumble across a body in the basement. How they deal with this discovery provides the backdrop to the novel. This story will have you on edge – putting your hands over your eyes and screaming at the bad choices the young graduates make. Mistakes which, once set in motion, only lead to further chaos and deception.
Johnson is great at making you squirm as events gradually spiral out of control. My stomach was constantly sinking with despair at each ‘bad choice’. This is a real whodunnit with lots of things to unravel besides the identity of the murderer; who is Fitz? And what bombshell did Stuart confess to Em? I was kept guessing right until the end as I jumped from suspect to suspect, not sure what or who to believe, racing through the last chapters to get to the truth. There are lots of twists and turns, but it is very cleverly plotted so that, with hindsight, the clues are there from the start. The portrayal of life as a trainee journalist feels very real, and I love the description of the Birmingham trade show. Johnson nails the difficulties and dilemmas the young twenty somethings face as they try to get on in the real world. Compelling, edgy and deliciously dark – it left my nerves in shreds.
The novel begins with the housemates, all journalist students, attending the funeral of fellow housemate, Xanthe. There’s lots of dark humour: when Em panics that they’ve turned up to the wrong funeral; how they come up with the name for the John Doe. At the end of the funeral service, one of the group is taken away by the police and the story goes back to the start, building up to the disastrous New Year’s Eve party whereupon, already grappling with personality clashes, unwelcome other halves and missed mortgage payments, they stumble across a body in the basement. How they deal with this discovery provides the backdrop to the novel. This story will have you on edge – putting your hands over your eyes and screaming at the bad choices the young graduates make. Mistakes which, once set in motion, only lead to further chaos and deception.
Johnson is great at making you squirm as events gradually spiral out of control. My stomach was constantly sinking with despair at each ‘bad choice’. This is a real whodunnit with lots of things to unravel besides the identity of the murderer; who is Fitz? And what bombshell did Stuart confess to Em? I was kept guessing right until the end as I jumped from suspect to suspect, not sure what or who to believe, racing through the last chapters to get to the truth. There are lots of twists and turns, but it is very cleverly plotted so that, with hindsight, the clues are there from the start. The portrayal of life as a trainee journalist feels very real, and I love the description of the Birmingham trade show. Johnson nails the difficulties and dilemmas the young twenty somethings face as they try to get on in the real world. Compelling, edgy and deliciously dark – it left my nerves in shreds.
April 27, 2019
My first encounter with Katharine Johnson's writing - and it won't be my last!
Five young people, fresh from graduating, all take up positions training in their chosen profession. It's 1988, and their chances of owning their own homes are slim - so slim as to be barely noticeable. By pooling their meagre resources they manage to get a mortgage on a large property badly in need of repair and so begins their lives in the 'real' world. However, their idyllic life together is threatened by the spiralling mortgage rate and, just when they think things can't get any worse, they discover a dead body in the house. Following a fair bit of panic, they decide not to contact the police but to deal with the matter unconventionally - but will any of them fold under pressure?
Creative and beguiling, I have been totally enthralled by this novel - a completely new scenario to me, and a story which unfolds slowly and tantalisingly. Full of twists and turns, this is a beautifully written and well-structured tale, and all credit to author Katharine Johnson for coming up with such a unique and original idea. The characters are flawed, making them so realistic and fully understandable! There are some real shocks and surprises along the way, adding to the tension. There is no way I could have worked out where it was heading; kudos to the author! A stunningly great read, and one which has fully earned each one of it's five glowing stars.
Five young people, fresh from graduating, all take up positions training in their chosen profession. It's 1988, and their chances of owning their own homes are slim - so slim as to be barely noticeable. By pooling their meagre resources they manage to get a mortgage on a large property badly in need of repair and so begins their lives in the 'real' world. However, their idyllic life together is threatened by the spiralling mortgage rate and, just when they think things can't get any worse, they discover a dead body in the house. Following a fair bit of panic, they decide not to contact the police but to deal with the matter unconventionally - but will any of them fold under pressure?
Creative and beguiling, I have been totally enthralled by this novel - a completely new scenario to me, and a story which unfolds slowly and tantalisingly. Full of twists and turns, this is a beautifully written and well-structured tale, and all credit to author Katharine Johnson for coming up with such a unique and original idea. The characters are flawed, making them so realistic and fully understandable! There are some real shocks and surprises along the way, adding to the tension. There is no way I could have worked out where it was heading; kudos to the author! A stunningly great read, and one which has fully earned each one of it's five glowing stars.
May 2, 2019
The Suspects has Emma as its unreliable narrator accompanied by four other equally unlikeable characters, with barely a redeemable feature among them: Stuart, Zak, Imogen and Xanthe. It’s the late 80’s in Bristol. Not a great time to be young and trying to gain a foothold in the big wide world. Nevertheless, these five individuals are attempting it, albeit not very well.
They’re thrown together on a trainee program at a magazine publishing house and despite barely knowing each other, decide that it would be a good idea to pool their resources and purchase a house together. And as you do when you’re young, you throw lots of parties, filled with loads of people you don’t necessarily know. What could possibly go wrong?
Quite a bit, it seems. After a New Years party, the inconceivable happens, and they discover a dead body in their basement. Panic inevitably sets in and they decide that rather than reporting it to the police, it would be a better idea to cover up the whole incident … as long as they’ve all got each other’s backs and stick to their story, everything will be fine. Until they start to realise they don’t actually know each other very well at all, and they’re not really sure they can trust these people they’re living with. Playing regular games of Scruples, doesn’t quite seem to do the trick at revealing hidden character traits that are determined to remain concealed.
This is an incredibly clever, well-written page-turner that kept me reading well into the early hours of the morning! There are so many twists, and so many secrets that you’ll be left reeling. For me though, the fact that I found all of the characters so thoroughly unpleasant, and yet could not put this book down was evidence of a 5-star read! I just couldn’t wait to see what their next mistake would be, how they would wrong-foot each other next, what mean and malicious comment would come out of someone’s mouth to get their fellow conspirator’s back up! It was all so torturous and dark; so deliciously dreadful! I’ll stop there because I’m beginning to sound like some sort of evil voyeur! Just read the book!
They’re thrown together on a trainee program at a magazine publishing house and despite barely knowing each other, decide that it would be a good idea to pool their resources and purchase a house together. And as you do when you’re young, you throw lots of parties, filled with loads of people you don’t necessarily know. What could possibly go wrong?
Quite a bit, it seems. After a New Years party, the inconceivable happens, and they discover a dead body in their basement. Panic inevitably sets in and they decide that rather than reporting it to the police, it would be a better idea to cover up the whole incident … as long as they’ve all got each other’s backs and stick to their story, everything will be fine. Until they start to realise they don’t actually know each other very well at all, and they’re not really sure they can trust these people they’re living with. Playing regular games of Scruples, doesn’t quite seem to do the trick at revealing hidden character traits that are determined to remain concealed.
This is an incredibly clever, well-written page-turner that kept me reading well into the early hours of the morning! There are so many twists, and so many secrets that you’ll be left reeling. For me though, the fact that I found all of the characters so thoroughly unpleasant, and yet could not put this book down was evidence of a 5-star read! I just couldn’t wait to see what their next mistake would be, how they would wrong-foot each other next, what mean and malicious comment would come out of someone’s mouth to get their fellow conspirator’s back up! It was all so torturous and dark; so deliciously dreadful! I’ll stop there because I’m beginning to sound like some sort of evil voyeur! Just read the book!
April 29, 2019
I've never read anything by Katharine Johnson before but she's an author I'll be reading more of.
The book is the story of 5 people starting out with on the job training at a magazine publishing company in London. They decide to buy a house together though they don't really know much about each other. They all get on fairly well until things fall apart following a New Year's party. A week later they discover a body in the basement and from there things spiral into a web of paranoia, deceit and mistrust. Did one of them kill him? Who's hiding things from their past? They all have secrets in their past which means they want to avoid police involvement, realising they'd be the main suspects, it's their basement after all.
The characters are a really good mix, just as you'd imagine they could be with the circumstances through which they met. The story shows how having secrets and having to lie can escalate into not believing anything and questioning everything you thought you knew.
The book is mainly set in the late 80's and I loved the nudge to my memory of all the music and popular culture throughout.
If I have any criticism at all it's that the conclusion section of the story is very condensed, don't get me wrong, we get a conclusion to everything but I just felt we could have had a bit more here.
As I said Katharine Johnson is an author I'll be reading more of and I'd definitely recommend The Suspects.
The book is the story of 5 people starting out with on the job training at a magazine publishing company in London. They decide to buy a house together though they don't really know much about each other. They all get on fairly well until things fall apart following a New Year's party. A week later they discover a body in the basement and from there things spiral into a web of paranoia, deceit and mistrust. Did one of them kill him? Who's hiding things from their past? They all have secrets in their past which means they want to avoid police involvement, realising they'd be the main suspects, it's their basement after all.
The characters are a really good mix, just as you'd imagine they could be with the circumstances through which they met. The story shows how having secrets and having to lie can escalate into not believing anything and questioning everything you thought you knew.
The book is mainly set in the late 80's and I loved the nudge to my memory of all the music and popular culture throughout.
If I have any criticism at all it's that the conclusion section of the story is very condensed, don't get me wrong, we get a conclusion to everything but I just felt we could have had a bit more here.
As I said Katharine Johnson is an author I'll be reading more of and I'd definitely recommend The Suspects.
May 4, 2019
This is the third book that I have read by Katharine Johnson and it is just as good a read as the previous books. It follows a group of young people who to make it on the housing ladder decide to buy a house together, purely for financial reasons. They are just a group of normal young people partying, drinking and working until they make a horrible discovery of a body in the cellar, a body that had been dead for a while, a body they don't know and now they have a decision to make, what to do with the body. As the story progresses the relationship between the housemates changes dramatically as they all start accusing each other, not trusting each other and gradually their lives start to fall apart. As they decide what is the best option to cover their tracks, they find themselves living a constant nightmare. They don't know who to believe, who is telling lies and who is telling the truth. They don't know who their friends are let alone their enemies, as more and more secrets and lies are discovered. This is a truly compelling story that I couldn't put down.
August 1, 2019
I'd been looking forward to reading this for a while, and it didn't disappoint! It pulls you in from the first page, and keeps your attention to the end.
When five young adults decide to buy a house together in the 1980s, it seems like a good idea at first. But cracks soon start to appear in their relationships, until they are forced to stay together after finding a body and disposing of it in their own way.
The author has created wonderful, flawed characters, each with something to hide from their past, and shows how easily the perfect friendship can quickly disintegrate, with disastrous results. The dynamics within the group are spot on, and very believable.
A great thriller, with a few twists that will surprise you and keep you guessing until everything is revealed! Highly recommend.
When five young adults decide to buy a house together in the 1980s, it seems like a good idea at first. But cracks soon start to appear in their relationships, until they are forced to stay together after finding a body and disposing of it in their own way.
The author has created wonderful, flawed characters, each with something to hide from their past, and shows how easily the perfect friendship can quickly disintegrate, with disastrous results. The dynamics within the group are spot on, and very believable.
A great thriller, with a few twists that will surprise you and keep you guessing until everything is revealed! Highly recommend.
May 10, 2019
Amazing!
This is the first thing I've read by Katharine Johnson but I can't wait to see what else she has to read! Such a talented author! The book starts off with 5 individuals who meet at job training, who before you know it all decide to buy a house together. What happens next I'd never have guessed, it has so many twists and makes you question everything! I think there was a time when I suspected each and every one of them had commited murder but each and every time more information made it even harder to decide! The book had me gripped from the start, at times I felt like I was not only reading the story but living it as well. Once I started reading it was almost impossible to put down, would recommend reading this even if it's not your usual genre!
This is the first thing I've read by Katharine Johnson but I can't wait to see what else she has to read! Such a talented author! The book starts off with 5 individuals who meet at job training, who before you know it all decide to buy a house together. What happens next I'd never have guessed, it has so many twists and makes you question everything! I think there was a time when I suspected each and every one of them had commited murder but each and every time more information made it even harder to decide! The book had me gripped from the start, at times I felt like I was not only reading the story but living it as well. Once I started reading it was almost impossible to put down, would recommend reading this even if it's not your usual genre!
June 10, 2019
An absolutely fantastic psychological thriller. I'm so impressed with the level of psychological knowledge Johnson has used to convey her protagonist. The characters felt so alive - until they stared dying of course - that I felt I knew them, had lived with them, and shared their house as well as their story. I had no idea where the plot was leading me and was pleasantly surprised several times and never could have guessed the ending. The writing was flawless, and the style perfectly paced. The theme of friendship and how our pasts are shaped by the choices we make, both good and bad, was articulated with clarity and believable. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, based in my birth city of Bristol. You'll love it too. And I can't wait to read more from Katharine.
April 30, 2019
Absolutely brilliant. I originally picked this book up and got 5% in before another book needed finishing for another review. However I wish I hadn’t !!
This book is absolutely amazing and I was totally taken with the twists, turns and characters! All had a secret to hide , all guilty in their own ways but being brought together by a horrid discovery didn’t go as planned. Their distrust of each other ate away at each of them until no one was left without doubt being cast in their direction.
Cleverly written and disturbingly realistic!
I can not wait to read more from this wonderfully skilled author.
This book is absolutely amazing and I was totally taken with the twists, turns and characters! All had a secret to hide , all guilty in their own ways but being brought together by a horrid discovery didn’t go as planned. Their distrust of each other ate away at each of them until no one was left without doubt being cast in their direction.
Cleverly written and disturbingly realistic!
I can not wait to read more from this wonderfully skilled author.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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