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He Said/She Said by Erin Kelly
Jan. 15th, 2017 01:16 amThe Blurb On The Back:
He said it was consensual. The woman said nothing. But Laura saw it … didn’t she?
In the hushed aftermath of a total eclipse, Laura and Kit interrupt something awful.
Laura is sure about what happened. Later, in a panic, she tells a little white lie – and four lives are changed irreparably.
When the victim turns up on their doorstep, her gratitude spills into dangerous obsession. Laura and Kit decide to run – but Beth knows they have pledged to see every eclipse together. They will never be able to entirely escape her.
As the next eclipse draws near, Laura must confront the fallout from what she saw in the darkness. Confessing will cost her marriage; keeping the secret might prove fatal.
But all secrets, sooner or later, will come to light.
( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )
The Verdict:
Erin Kelly wrote this psychological thriller to show how the criminal justice system fails sex crime victims but while there are some clever ideas and an interesting twist, the story is skewed in one direction and the 2015 sections (particularly the Faroe Islands trip) drag while the ending is so ridiculous and overblown that for me it undermined the author’s aim. My two big issues with the plot were Laura’s lie (which any defence barrister should have undermined with cross-examination and questioning of the victim and which carry no real consequence) and Kit’s 2015 sections, which seem intended to build tension but ultimately only serve as filler. This is a shame because Laura’s sections were well crafted and I enjoyed the slow build up of her anxiety and fears and how she got to the point she’s at and Kelly’s depictions of eclipses and Kit’s interest in them are well written and evocative. Beth is also an interesting character with Kelly giving her an intensity that justifies Laura’s doubts but it’s a shame that Balcome is not given the same nuance and depth. Ultimately although this book didn’t quite work for me I would definitely check out Kelly’s other work.
HE SAID/SHE SAID will be released in the United Kingdom on 20th April 2017. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the ARC of this book.
In the hushed aftermath of a total eclipse, Laura and Kit interrupt something awful.
Laura is sure about what happened. Later, in a panic, she tells a little white lie – and four lives are changed irreparably.
When the victim turns up on their doorstep, her gratitude spills into dangerous obsession. Laura and Kit decide to run – but Beth knows they have pledged to see every eclipse together. They will never be able to entirely escape her.
As the next eclipse draws near, Laura must confront the fallout from what she saw in the darkness. Confessing will cost her marriage; keeping the secret might prove fatal.
But all secrets, sooner or later, will come to light.
( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )
The Verdict:
Erin Kelly wrote this psychological thriller to show how the criminal justice system fails sex crime victims but while there are some clever ideas and an interesting twist, the story is skewed in one direction and the 2015 sections (particularly the Faroe Islands trip) drag while the ending is so ridiculous and overblown that for me it undermined the author’s aim. My two big issues with the plot were Laura’s lie (which any defence barrister should have undermined with cross-examination and questioning of the victim and which carry no real consequence) and Kit’s 2015 sections, which seem intended to build tension but ultimately only serve as filler. This is a shame because Laura’s sections were well crafted and I enjoyed the slow build up of her anxiety and fears and how she got to the point she’s at and Kelly’s depictions of eclipses and Kit’s interest in them are well written and evocative. Beth is also an interesting character with Kelly giving her an intensity that justifies Laura’s doubts but it’s a shame that Balcome is not given the same nuance and depth. Ultimately although this book didn’t quite work for me I would definitely check out Kelly’s other work.
HE SAID/SHE SAID will be released in the United Kingdom on 20th April 2017. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the ARC of this book.
