kdk_2023's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
hlwilkins's review against another edition
2.0
I love the Tom Douglas series by Rachel Abbott but this story outside of the series was hugely disappointing! I didn’t like any of the characters and the whole thing was just a bit boring. A big monologue at the end tying up the loose ends was predictable and dull.
I will keep going with the Tom Douglas series though. No idea what RA was thinking with this one!
I will keep going with the Tom Douglas series though. No idea what RA was thinking with this one!
sooky's review against another edition
4.0
So clever, so delicious!
And So It Begins is a chilling and twisty story of a marriage gone wrong, and a gruesome murder leading to a trial that could set an example and provide hope for domestic abuse victims.
Evie is either the clumsiest woman in the universe, or there’s something sinister going on behind closed doors. She claims her marriage with Mark is just fine, and basically nothing to see here. So when the dude ends up dead in a puddle of his own blood in the bedroom of his own oh-so-oppressive cliff house, eyebrows are raised.
Mark’s sister Cleo wants to see Evie behind bars for murder, while a well known lawyer and women’s rights supporter wants to use this case to get public attention and help other women get the courage to come forward and get their justice. It was quite emotional, and frankly, I couldn’t help but sympathize with Cleo, even though she did come across a bit of an asshole from time to time. Her relationship with her brother was a tad bit questionable though. In the “bloody hell, lady, what’s wrong with you? Obsessed much?” sort of way.
Part domestic thriller, part courtroom drama, this story has something to offer for the fans of both genre. Rachel Abbott had me guessing about a lot of things. Who did what? Why? It was crazy!
Sergeant Stephanie King, while not the main focus of the book also had her own story line, and it was nothing short of heartbreaking. How she still managed to function and do her job properly, I don’t know, but I want to be just half as cool as she is!
The shocking twist at the end was a bit overshadowed by the theatrical events that took place, and I’m not particularly fond of characters launching into dramatic monologues either, but the rest of the story was so good, that it didn’t bother me too much. I’ve read the DCI Tom Douglas series by Rachel Abbott (which is awesome by the way), and I don’t recall anyone behaving like a Shakespearean villain in those.
Although this seems to be a standalone, I wouldn’t mind seeing Sergeant King again!
And So It Begins is a chilling and twisty story of a marriage gone wrong, and a gruesome murder leading to a trial that could set an example and provide hope for domestic abuse victims.
Evie is either the clumsiest woman in the universe, or there’s something sinister going on behind closed doors. She claims her marriage with Mark is just fine, and basically nothing to see here. So when the dude ends up dead in a puddle of his own blood in the bedroom of his own oh-so-oppressive cliff house, eyebrows are raised.
Mark’s sister Cleo wants to see Evie behind bars for murder, while a well known lawyer and women’s rights supporter wants to use this case to get public attention and help other women get the courage to come forward and get their justice. It was quite emotional, and frankly, I couldn’t help but sympathize with Cleo, even though she did come across a bit of an asshole from time to time. Her relationship with her brother was a tad bit questionable though. In the “bloody hell, lady, what’s wrong with you? Obsessed much?” sort of way.
Part domestic thriller, part courtroom drama, this story has something to offer for the fans of both genre. Rachel Abbott had me guessing about a lot of things. Who did what? Why? It was crazy!
Sergeant Stephanie King, while not the main focus of the book also had her own story line, and it was nothing short of heartbreaking. How she still managed to function and do her job properly, I don’t know, but I want to be just half as cool as she is!
The shocking twist at the end was a bit overshadowed by the theatrical events that took place, and I’m not particularly fond of characters launching into dramatic monologues either, but the rest of the story was so good, that it didn’t bother me too much. I’ve read the DCI Tom Douglas series by Rachel Abbott (which is awesome by the way), and I don’t recall anyone behaving like a Shakespearean villain in those.
Although this seems to be a standalone, I wouldn’t mind seeing Sergeant King again!
laurenpedersen's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 I really liked Stephanie King #2 so I had to go back and know how the series started. This was a twisted story though. Revenge.
melreads11's review against another edition
5.0
Absolutely Amazing Book. Can’t wait for the 2nd one.
wolfchanreads's review against another edition
challenging
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
3.25
limonik's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
I really liked the beginning of this book which sets the tone and made me nervous. I really wanted to find out what was happening and it kept me reading. I finished it in three sittings and found it interesting, but the middle part which was set in the court went on for too long and it was a bit boring. Furthermore, I think the way Stephanie King investigates further and found out new evidence felt a bit amateurish and rushed. It would have been a 4-star-read if the story had been structured better.
youhoo's review against another edition
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0