Unfortunately, this book was not for me at all! First book by the author that I have read, and from this one, I wouldn’t go back.

I could not get into this, there was nothing to grip me and the story just dragged on and on with no real end point.

At about 80% of the way through I started to be slightly interested in what was happening but I didn’t like any of the characters and it all still just seemed very flat and pointless.

Overall on this occasion I would not recommend this book, but I am sure it will be a hit with most.

This is a UK domestic crime thriller based on actions, consequences and revenge.
The story is told through multiple point of view characters, which adds interest and realism to the story.
All of the characters are richly developed and very unlikeable, which is not a problem for me.
It’s a slow burn, but a very entertaining and fun read. The plot is twisty, witty and devious.
Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley UK for the ARC.

I'm mot a fan of characger driven no els but this one actually kept my interest throughout. The writing is very natural and I was soon invested in each of the characters and their own POVs aswell as the mystery of which was behind everything. As I said, this is definitely a slow burn but It was so worth it for such a good ending its well written with multiple threads and well written characters, even if they're not all that likeable.

This revenge thriller is enjoyable and entertaining but I much prefer Cat Kinsella. This book is told from multiple points of view that helps keep it interesting because unfortunately the main character Ellen is not very likeable. In fact, I don't think any of them are likeable. It has a slow pace and is too long as not much actually happens until the end. The ending was a bit disappointing because I found it unrealistic and unsatisfying. The five bad deeds the title refers to are very confusing and not enought to explain the plot. 3.5 stars
(Thank you to Simon & Schuster, Caz Frear, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review)

3.5 rounded up

This is Ellen Walsh’s story and it’s one of spite. Ellen lives with husband Adam who is frequently away from home leaving her to contend with the trials of 16 year old Orla (every inch a teen) and the anarchy of twins Max and Kian. If that’s not time consuming enough they are trying to renovate their dream home, Meadowhouse. However, it seems as if Ellen has deeply offended someone as an anonymous note warms of consequences. Who is on a revenge spree targeting Ellen? What provokes the Five Bad Deeds? Who wants to teach her a lesson and why? Whoever it is keeps upping the ante ...,

The standout feature of this stand-alone from the talented Caz Frear, author of the excellent Cat Kinsella series, is the characterisation. All are well portrayed although it’s fair to say that few are likeable which does tend to make for more delicious reading. Some characters mislead you or fool you in various ways. The jury is out in Ellen although I tend towards liking rather than dislike because the strongest aspect of her personality is that she knows herself. She’s internally honest even if not necessarily so with those she interacts with and I have to say at times I find her very funny. As for her husband Adam - not the greatest spouse ever eh, Adam? Their family life is well portrayed, you feel like a fly on the wall as the children cause their own particular brand of havoc.

The novel is told via multiple points of view as their perspectives of Ellen are illuminating. As the plot evolves it becomes clear that quite a few have reasons to exact revenge and I cast my beady eye around seeking the strongest candidate. There are so many liars here, so who is the biggest liar of all and who will blink first?

The start of the novel intrigued me and pulls me into the suspenseful storytelling. Whilst this does advance and progress, the pace isn’t fast but the slow burner character driven approach suits the premise. The tone keeps changing which is enjoyable and I love the sense of irony and sending herself up humour which appears on occasions in Ellen’s perspective.

However, the five bad deeds are a bit hidden and maybe could have been worse than they actually are although they do feel authentic and could actually happen. I’m somewhat conflicted about the big reveal. I do enjoy there misdirection which distracts but I’m not convinced the reasons are especially strong. On the other hand people do let things burn and fester inside them, so who knows what they may be driven to?

Overall, despite some issues I do enjoy the book, it’s entertaining and easy to read.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Simon and Schuster for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

Razor Sharp..
Actions and consequences are explored in this slow burn tale of suspense. Ellen is a jack of all trades, she spends her life juggling every aspect of her life with all the vigour and precision that she can muster - her pursuit of domestic bliss is perfectly persistent. When a threatening note arrives, Ellen’s house of cards may well come tumbling down. Dark and dangerous with a menacing undercurrent, a well drawn and credible cast, a vein of bleak wit and a razor sharp narrative. Hugely compelling.

This was my first read by this author and it did not disappoint. It was a slow paced thriller but definitely gripping so it kept me hooked until the very end. The story is told from various characters' perspectives which I also love as it helps build the suspense of the story. This was a excellent read which I highly recommend. Thanks to netgallery and the publisher for my advanced copy.

As a big fan of Caz Frear’s previous Cat Kinsella books, I was really excited to read Five Bad Deeds and I was not disappointed.
It is an intriguing slow reveal thriller with each of the five bad deeds bringing adding another layer of depth to the story. I couldn’t wait for the next bad deed. I loved the mix of characters in the village of Thames Lawley.
Highly recommend this book.
Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a kindle copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Ellen lives with her husband Adam,teenage daughter and twin toddlers. Ellen gets a threatening letter followed by a campaign of harassment and she has no idea who she has offended and why this is happening.
Ellen tries to help her family and friends, not always with successful consequences but Ellen is blithely unaware of any resentment caused.
The story is told from various characters' perspectives, gradually revealing who might be responsible. We see the bad sides of all the characters, and it's very tense finding out the culprit as the story progresses.
Recommended.

It took me a considerable amount of time to engage with this book due to its lackluster writing style and delayed initiation of the plot.

The narrative encompasses multiple perspectives, with the central character being Ellen, a mother of three who recently relocated to their new residence. Alongside her husband, Ellen is in the process of planning renovations when she is confronted with unexpected drama. One day, she receives a derogatory letter, indicating that she is being observed.

However, the transgressions mentioned in the letter are hardly noteworthy, certainly not of the caliber typically found in thrilling novels. It is perplexing that a casual remark or two could motivate someone to sabotage another person's life, but alas, that is the premise of this book.

Essentially, the house purchased by Ellen and her family holds significant meaning within the community, particularly for one individual harboring jealousy towards their home and lifestyle, seeking to seek retribution.

Although Ellen has not committed any actual crimes, this aspect appears to be trivialized and arbitrarily inserted into the narrative.

Consequently, the book was inundated with tedious conversations, cringe-worthy relationships, and unappealing characters with unsatisfying outcomes.

Regrettably, this book did not resonate with me.

This really was not for me, i picked it up and put it down so many times. A real slow burner that picked up half way through. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for my copy.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster UK and Caz Frear for my ARC of ‘Five Bad Deeds’ in return for an honest review.

As a huge fan of Caz frear and the DC cat Kinsella series I was delighted to receive this copy and it did not disappoint.

Ellen Watson appears to have done something really bad to somebody as she receives a threatening letter. She is a mother of three, wife, sister and part time teacher and involved in organising a renovation of the house they have just bought.

As promised in the letter, things start to happen which unnerve Ellen and these rapidly get worse.

Excellent read and highly recommended

Thank you to Simon and Schuster UK , the author and NetGalley for an advanced copy.

I had so much trouble getting stuck into this one. For me it dragged. This is my first book by this author and it wasn’t the one to start with based on the reviews.

I found all the characters to be insanely unlikeable and that in itself is not the worst thing but they never found any redeeming characteristics. The daughter was such a little brat and yeah yeah she’s a teenager but seriously if my teenager spoke to me that way well… some serious loss of privileges let’s say.

Adam was a dick and the sister is a piece of work. All Ellen’s “friends” are questionable. But Ellen is questionable. Overall it was housewives day drinking and complaining non stop. I did not feel thrilled in the least.

The writing was fine but there was no excitement it didn’t make me want to race and keep reading which is a terrible sign for a thriller or any book really. A

Overall I just couldn’t get into it. I wouldn’t recommend to my friends but I think it will be popular for the commercial audience.

Caz Frear's latest thriller begins with a familiar trope - where someone is receiving nasty notes telling her that she will have to pay for her misdeeds (all 5 of them, in fact) - but with the rather unique twist that the MC has no clear idea what she has done to be receiving these notes!

Ellen is a busy woman with three children and a husband with whom she is moving into a new house. Not everyone thinks that she deserves her blessings though, and that is where the trouble starts...

This is a story told from multiple POV including the MC's sister, daughter, and friends, in addition to Ellen herself. We hear the story in reverse chronological order as Ellen finds herself in jail, and the story travels back in time to let us know what has led to this situation.

Ellen is surprisingly likeable, despite her character flaws, but the foreshadowing in the book left something to be desired for me. The very valid point the story does make is that it is sometimes hard to judge what kind of impact people unintentionally have on the lives of others. Because something that may seem very minor to one person in an interaction/incident may be viewed rather differently by someone else.

This was an enjoyable read, and would have been even more so, if the suspense and the seeding of the narrative had been more intensely delivered. Some tightening would have done wonders. Overall though, it was an interesting concept and a good story, with some humour added from the protagonist's personality. I give it 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.