The Confession by John Grisham

The Confession by John Grisham
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - over 3 days

Pages - 418

Publisher - Doubleday

Source - Charity Shop

Blurb from Goodreads

An innocent man is about to be executed.
Only a guilty man can save him.

In 1998, in the small East Texas city of Sloan, Travis Boyette abducted, raped, and strangled a popular high school cheerleader. He buried her body so that it would never be found, then watched in amazement as police and prosecutors arrested and convicted Donté Drumm, a local football star, and marched him off to death row.
Now nine years have passed. Travis has just been paroled in Kansas for a different crime; Donté is four days away from his execution. Travis suffers from an inoperable brain tumor. For the first time in his miserable life, he decides to do what’s right and confess. But how can a guilty man convince lawyers, judges, and politicians that they’re about to execute an innocent man?


My Review

Travis is a bad man, he has served time in jail for some heinous crimes, he is a sexual predator, violent and aggressive. Upon release Travis seeks out a priest to make a confession, he is dying and an innocent young man is about to be executed for his crime. There is a lot to lose, the police force investigation, the prosecutors, did the young man get a fair trial, is he innocent and who believes the word of a convict.

Ooft this book will enrage, upset, anger and get the emotions flowing, a young black man accused and charged with the murder of a young white woman. As the book progresses we get to hear about the investigation, what they did, what they said, betrayal, racism, regret, love, loss, depravity, friendship ooft so many themes. I read this on holiday and I think everyone at the pool knew what was going on as I kept raging and getting angry.

Whilst this is a work of fiction there has been many cases similar in themes to those that are featured in this book and I think that is what got to me. I felt so angry and emotional at so many parts of this, the racism is horrific, the actions of some of these characters or lack of gave me heartburn. I haven't been this ragey emotive about a book in years, I absolutely recommend it but with caution, sexual deviancy, death row, racism, violence are just the top layer of the onion. 4/5 for me this time, a book that will boil your blood and keep you hooked page after page.

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Review - Ketchup Clouds by Annabel Pitcher

Ketchup Clouds by Annabel Pitcher
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Publisher - Indigo

Pages - 306

Blurb from Goodreads

Secrets, romance, murder and lies: Zoe shares a terrible secret in a letter to a stranger on death row in this second novel from the author of the bestselling debut, My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece.

Fifteen-year-old Zoe has a secret—a dark and terrible secret that she can't confess to anyone she knows. But then one day she hears of a criminal, Stuart Harris, locked up on death row in Texas. Like Zoe, Stuart is no stranger to secrets. Or lies. Or murder.

Full of heartache yet humour, Zoe tells her story in the only way she can—in letters to the man in prison in America. Armed with a pen, Zoe takes a deep breath, eats a jam sandwich, and begins her tale of love and betrayal.


My review


Zoe is writing to death row prisoner, Stuart Harris to confess her terrible sin, she killed someone too. In her letters, Zoe, initially tells Stuart a little about herself and why she is writing and ends with the admission she too has killed someone. The letters that follow stay in the same style, some personal information and a bit more about what lead to the murder as well as some of her family issues.

Zoe is a young girl and her writing reflect this to begin with, as the story progresses, I felt something changed and she seemed to mature a bit. The letters act almost like a diary, glimpses into what happens on the particular day she is writing about, all building towards what happened the day she murdered someone. We are introduced to her family, friends and the object of her affection(s). The issues a young teen goes through, heartache, embarrassment, family problems, teen angst and more. From the first chapter I didn't want to put the book down, I wanted to know the how, where and when. Then as the story builds I wanted to know more about the family and why there was such a divide.

I can't honestly tell you why I loved this story so much and I don't think it will be a 5 star book for everyone. There is something endearing about Zoe, she is young, acts very stupid at times and I suppose her antics at times we can all relate too, if we can remember that far back! Her family play parts throughout the story but Dot I need to single out because she is just a little sweetie who doesn't have a huge impact on the main story but I feel she brings a certain something to it and I just loved her!

The story keeps you in the dark for a lot of it, Zoe only letting you know what she is really to tell you. As she reveals more of herself she gets more familiar with her letter recipient, watch for how she addresses him as the letters progress.

It is a great wee bittersweet tale that covers friendship, lust, love, murder, family and secrets. You don't think when you start this book that there will be a great deal to it, as I did, however I devoured it in almost one sitting. I should add this is a young adult book, however I am not in that class and I loved it so don't be put off by the genre tag. This is my first dance with this author but I enjoyed this story so much I am going to get her first book, 5/5 for me this time.

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review - Death Row by Mark Pearson

Death Row by Mark Pearson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Blurb from the back cover

Fifteen years ago, when Jack Delaney was a beat cop not long out of Hendon, two children went missing from Carlton Row, a small residential street in Harrow. They were never seen alive again.

Two years later, Delaney rescued a young girl from the boot of an abandoned car, leading to the capture of Peter Garnier, one of the most horrific child rapists and murders in recent history. Although the bodies from Carlton Row were never found, Garnier admitted to murdering the two children and many, many more. He was sent to prison for the rest of his natural life.

Jack had thought the case was closed. But he couldn't have been more wrong.

This morning another young boy was taken from Carlton Row. Peter Garnier sends Jack the chiling message that they are both at the heart of the mystery, but Delaney has no time to figure out why, or how. Because tonight, the killings begin again...

My review

Well written, easy to follow and the story captures you pretty much from the first chapter (actually from the blurb on the back!)I haven't read any of his other books and think if I had read the one before this one (I would think there is one due to some things said in this book) I would have enjoyed it just that bit more and had a better feel for the characters.

That said I don't think you particularly have to have read it it just would have been my preference but as I was given this book I hadn't realised it was a series or part of one.

The characters are pretty strong and wether you like or hate them you get a strong feel for them. I quite liked Jack as a character and a cop. The story is a page turner and pretty good paced, before long bodies are piling up and the chase is on as to who the actual killer is and a few twists and suprises along the way. It took me the best part of a day to read and I couldn't put it down as I wanted to find out who done it and what was going on with the other characters. 4/5 for me.





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