An uncorrected proof copy. The "About the Author" section is "[2pp To Come]". There are 2 main time-lines - one starting at the crime, the other tracing the years up to the crime. Each short chapter is headed by the PoV's name, referring to Katie as "you".
2023. Katie, a 22 year-old waitress at a private London club - March House - is accused of poisoning 4 members - the owner/businessman (Wrightman), a politician (Ainsworth), a Russian oil baron (Popov) and Lowe, a property magnate. Tarun is her barrister, now separated from Elliot (because of overwork?). Katie claims that the bottle of poisoned brandy was in the room before she started her shift. Max (wife Anya) is a journalist. He finds out that Katie used the Rabbit Hole site to indulge in conspiracies - one of them (spread by Mr E) being that the evil people meet at a place that sounds like March House.
She had 2 older brothers, Bobby (who was a national level gymnast as a child. He now owns a coffee bar) and Stephen (who went to Sandhurst and was killed on duty). John, her father, is a vet. Her mother, less indulgent, is a teacher. When Katie was school age she accused Bobby's coach Peter (married to Julie) of taking photos in the shower. The couple left the area. She didn't have many friends. Bobby failed exams, took soft drugs. Gabriel, at school with her, liked her nerve. They became friends. When Katie was 18, James and Katie returned. Their house caught fire. Katie's parents thought she set it alight. She left for the family farm, run by Uncle Neil. There she seduced a visiting inspector, Conrad, who's engaged. Katie keeps contacting him, then his fiancee. Around that time someone anonymously reported breaches of regulations at the farm. She left the farm and returned home. She moved to London in a squat. Besotted Gabriel joined her. Her parents divorced. Neil killed himself. Conrad was headhunted by Wrightman, who makes him a member of the club. Now single, he contacted Katie again. They sometimes dated at March House - 2 people who'd disappointed their mothers. She told Gabriel about Conrad. By now, Gabriel believed in Mr E's conspiracy theories. She'd doesn't. When Wrightman sees Katie, they flirt. Her offers her a job. She pesters Conrad. He tries to break it off. She leaves the squat to live with her brother Bobby. Wrightman doesn't after all offer Conrad a big job. Coonrad receives a gift of brandy, anonymously. He gives it to Wrightman. Gabriel returns home. We learn that he'd been with her when she set Peter's house alight.
The post-crime people start meeting the pre-crime ones. At court, John meets Clara Popov, who's sympathetic. The defense team are doing a good job of defending her. It looks as if she's used her connections to infiltrate March House. Wrightman's son, Hunter, lives in the club. Max accuses him of being Mr E. He admits it, saying that his sister was abused in the club and his father ignored it. Bobby tells his father that Neil had always been threatening and scary. Katie's mother is in the farm while the trial's on. She discovers that Neil had access to the poison and had bought a special bottle of brandy. The trial is abandoned. Katie is released. She goes to Stephen's grave (where she'd gone after the fateful night. She recovers a stash of money in a nearby shed, money she'd stolen from the club clients. She's planning a long holiday.
My interest grew as I read. The suspicion falls on several people - I didn't know who the culprit would be. That we learn about Katie through the eyes of others is interesting, though not all the characters develop plausibly. Neil, and the siblings' reaction to him, is especially problematic. I was surprised to learn that Gabriel had seen Katie's act of arson - it makes his subsequent behaviour surprisingly in retrospect. The court action is well handled.
Other reviews
- bookishelf (The novel’s greatest strength lies in its innovative structure. Cloke masterfully weaves together multiple timelines and perspectives, creating a rich tapestry of Katherine’s life before and after the murders. Each narrator brings their own biases, blind spots, and emotional investment in Katherine’s story, making readers question whose version of events they can trust. The author’s decision to tell the story primarily through male perspectives is particularly effective, highlighting how women are often defined and judged through the male gaze. ... While the novel is overwhelmingly successful, there are a few areas where it could be stronger: Some plot threads, particularly those involving minor characters, feel slightly underdeveloped; The conspiracy theory elements occasionally threaten to overwhelm the more nuanced character study; A few transitions between perspectives can be jarring)
- readwatchdrinkcoffee (It was so fascinating to see how someone can be seen so differently by different people. This is what hooked me the most, as I love the way Cloke explores Katie through the years and how her experiences shape her character. I did find the ending slightly underwhelming, but at the same time, it was very plausible and genuine, so I think I may just need some more time to dwell on it to be able to appreciate it more.)
