A great novel. The first I’ve read by S L McInnes. Really liked the way that we were drip fed information about Beth and cassie throughout, building up our knowledge of them through the present and the past

Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

The plot is interesting and but some of the main characters were a bit annoying to me, but that's just me! It is a slow burner, but it does get better and ends nicely on a high!

A good read - fast-paced, gripping and tense. I always enjoy books that are part police procedural and this one has thriller elements on top.

Good storyline, good characters, but I struggled a bit with this and wasn't blown away as I hoped I had been. I liked it but didn't if you know what I mean - hence the 3 stars.

So I read this a while ago and forgot to leave a review - i remember being gripped by the book but not overly blown away? I can't remember many of the details of what happened unlike a similar thriller at the same time where I can remember what went on. Therefore, I've given it 3 stars - a good and interesting thriller just not enough to keep it memorable or to stand out!

This is a fantastic debut thriller! What I can’t understand is why it’s only got 660 ratings on Goodreads and 102 on Amazon 🤦‍♀️ it’s underrated and most definitely not getting the attention it deserves 🤷‍♀️

It started with a BANG! Nothing is as it seems 🤔

‘God, the bodies. In a nauseating flash, she remembers the sound of gunshots, like hammers banging steel drums. Everything broken. Blood everywhere. Were they all dead? She didn’t check. There wasn’t time. She had to get out of the house. But where is she is going to go? Will the police be searching for her? Could she check into a hotel somewhere? Maybe she should call Beth?’

Synopsis:

‘It was all fine until she turned up...

Music teacher Beth and film producer Jay seem to have the perfect life together in LA.

When Cassie - Beth's old best friend and college wild child - turns up unexpectedly, everything changes.

But what neither of them know is what Cassie is running from. And that it's going to have consequences for them all.

Something is about to go very wrong. And someone is going to lie about it.’

This is a fun, fast-paced, entertaining and easy read. I did have a love and hate relationship with the characters, which were all well developed and believable.

Beth and Jay had differences of opinion and loads of marital issues. Beth and Cassie’s friendship was complicated, throw them altogether and what do you get? An action packed, suspenseful and unpredictable contemporary thriller with lies and deceit throughout. I loved it. It was exciting. And it didn’t disappoint. I didn’t want to put it down after being hooked from the first page.

Lots of twists and turns and the ending is, my heart was pounding, ACE!

How well do you know the people in your lives 🤔 I recommend this book if you like all rounded thrillers with police involvement that keep you on the edge of your seat to the very end.

Thank you @slmcinnisbooks, @netgalley @headlinebooks and @publicitybychoice for this ARC provided in exchange for my unbiased review.

An enjoyable read that I will go on to recommend. I found the characters interesting and the plot line engaging. Thank you Netgalley for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Was hooked from the beginning great book I hope this is the first in a series by this author or another book is out soon

I very much enjoyed this book. It has a good story and excellent main characters. I would definately recommend this book.

Framed is the exact kind of thriller that I enjoy reading; quick paced, plenty of twists and a great combination of traditional thriller and police procedural.
It was really easy to read and I looked forward to picking it up each time that I could.
I enjoyed the different POVs that this is told through and the changes in narration. This tends to add a lot to a book like this for me and it certainly did in this case.
You do have to suspend disbelief with this, which tends to be the case with quite a lot of books like this. And it's why I gave it 4 stars instead of anything higher. That and the fact that none of the characters are particularly likeable, which makes it more difficult to root for/care about them.
Framed definitely reminded me of Shari Lapena's writing in some ways. So if you're a fan of her writing, I would definitely check this out.
And I will definitely be keeping an eye out for this author in the future.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley for the advance copy. I enjoyed this psychological thriller from the first page and couldn't put it down., well-written with good characters. Recommended.

this book was not for me ie writing style and the poorly thought out characters so unfortunately was a DNF

After a slow start this turned into a good read for me.
It's part domestic thriller and part police procedure which for me I liked. The book is told from several points of view which at first had m.e confused and I had to keep reading back . Beth and Jay are supposedly the happy married couple living the dream in LA and then Cassie appears who is Beth's old friend from college...
I wont give away any spoilers but what follows is a book with twists and turns which will keep you guessing..
Thank you Netgalley for this advanced copy.

Beth and Jay have the perfect life together in LA. But then everything changes when Beth's old school friend Cassie unexpectedly turns up, running from something she refuses to talk about. Beth and Jay take her in, having no idea that their decision will have consequences for them all...

Ok, the synopsis of this one sounded ok, but if I'm honest I wasn't sure how much to expect. However, the book itself was definitely far better than I thought, with some very strong twists and turns along the way. Especially the ending, which I was actually quite surprised at!

However, this is almost a book of two halves - half domestic drama and half police procedural. For me, the police elements of the book were a bit weaker, but that's due to my own lack of interest in police and the ins and outs of investigations and all that. I did end up skipping parts of it, but as I say that is down to personal preference not writing ability or anything to do with the author.

All in all, a good enough book. It probably wasn't the best thing I've ever read, but it also held my interest well enough throughout, and I would definitely read the author again, as she clearly is very skilled at creating a unique plot and well developed characters. Just for me, a little underwhelming compared to others I've read in the genre.

Disclaimer - I was provided with an advance reading copy of this book by NetGalley. This has not affected my review in any way, and all opinions are my own.

Thank you Netgalley for the advance copy. I absolutely loved this psychological thriller from the first page and couldn't put it down. Beth is married to Jay when her old college friend Cassie turns up. Beth knew Cassie has always been trouble but has no idea she is on the run with money she stole following a bloodbath at a drugs deal. She has a angry dealer with a gun looking for her and the money. A fast moving thriller with a few twists and turns. Highly recommend.

You think you have the perfect life, until it goes wrong. Edge of the seat thriller. You just can’t guess what happens next.

Framed by S.L. Mcinnis.
One dark Los Angeles night, Beth Crawford is driving home from a dinner party, furious at her husband for spending money they don't have. A few blocks away, a scantily dressed woman in a blonde wig lugs a suitcase full of blood-spattered cash toward a bus stop. In the streets between the two women, police cars flash past, racing to the scene of a quadruple homicide, a botched drug deal in which an undercover LAPD officer is among the dead....
A brilliant read. What a twist. Great story. Some good characters. 5*.

3,5 stars rounded up to 4

Jay and Beth are married. Jay is a struggling movie producer and Beth is a piano teacher. They have money worries and other problems. Cassie is on the run. Cassie and Beth used to be roommates at college. Cassie turns up unexpectedly at Jay and Beth's home. Its obvious to the couple that Cassie is hiding something.

This is a bit of a slow burner to start with. Cassie had always lived on the wild side. Beth had always been the more sensible one. The story is told from multiple points of view. Once Cassie comes to stay, thencracks begin to show in Jay and Beth's relationship. Theres a couple of good twists near the end. I did not see one of them coming. Overall, this is a good debut novel.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Headline and the author of the book SL Mcinnis for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a gripping psychological thriller that makes you think.
The book centres around three characters, Beth, Jay and Cassie.
Beth and Jay seem happy - she is a music teacher and he’s a movie director. However, their Hollywood lifestyle hides the truth that they have money troubles and other problems in their marriage.
Cassie is in trouble as she ran from a crime scene with drug money and now needs somewhere to hide. Her and Beth used to share a room at college and Cassie always said that Beth owed her a favour.
Cassie comes to stay with Beth and Jay and this causes everything to fall even further apart and decisions need to be made by all of them.
The story alternates between the characters which took some getting used to but once you get stuck in it starts to flow.
This is a gripping psychological thriller that had me hooked.
Thanks to Headline and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.