A corrupt police officer doesn't seem to be too surprising going by various events over the last few years. Reading this maybe 10 years ago would seem too far fetched, but sadly due to recent events it is all too realistic.
This was a tense read and overall an enjoyable one, but became a bit repetitive at times, slowing down the story.

I love Alice Hunters books but i think this fell flat.

I felt this to be slow start and not keep you engaged. I felt it was repetitive and just not something that was jaw dropping or wanting you to keep reading and not put it down.

Thanks NetGalley for letting me read and review.

This book was my entertainment on a lazy Sunday at home. Once I picked it up there was no stopping me. A tense, fast read that I thought that ai had figured out.. of course I was wrong 😅

I have read and enjoyed Alice Hunter books before so I knew that it would be a twisty and shocking story. I loved the premise of a wife turning in her policeman husband when she discovers that he is not the man she thought he was. John was a psychopath and would stop at nothing to keep his secret. I loved that Becky wouldn’t give up in order to save other women from her ex husbands torture. She was frustrating at the same time though, seemingly doing things before she really thought it through.

The ending shocked me, as I said, I thought I knew how it was going to end. Very clever.

Thanks to Avon Books UK for my advanced copy of this book to read. Publishes on May 9th.

3.5 stars

Boy does this book start with a bang!
Right from the prologue we jump right into the story and straight away I was hooked.
I enjoyed the writing style, which flowed so well chapter to chapter it made me want to keep on reading. I was totally invested throughout.
This book was darker and more intense than I expected it to be going in, but I found that to be a good thing. It really made me like it more.
This does cover some very timely topics (for example how women can't trust police) which definitely reminded me of some recent cases here in the UK, which this book seemed to take some inspiration from. This was the first novel covering this topic I have read and I think it was handled well.
Despite the subject matter I did find this to be an easy read but do check your trigger warnings.
One thing I would have liked to see though were some chapters from John's POV. I feel like we never get to know anything about him or his motives at all. This would have added a bit extra depth to the story for me.
I also felt like this book did become slightly repetitive and there wasn't a lot of plot progression. It felt like we were going round in circles a little following our MC Becky doing the same things without making much progress.
I also felt like the twist near the end was extremely easy to figure out and there were no surprises plot wise. This played out exactly as I thought it would going in.
Despite this I did have a good time reading it and I would recommend it.

I was excited to read this book after loving this author’s book The Serial Killer’s Wife. However, I just could not get into Bad Apple at all and found it be very repetitive and slow.

I appreciate the opportunity to read and review this book, unfortunately it was not for me!

Bad Apple by Alice Hunter

Becky Lawson’s life has been shattered.

When she discovered her husband, John – a trusted policeman – was a monster, she reported him. But her faith in the system was crushed when it didn't lead to any charges or consequences.

Now, John lives freely with a new girlfriend and her young daughter, while Becky battles guilt over missing the obvious signs.

Determined for justice, Becky hunts him down. But John wants her silenced – at any cost. Becky knows only one of them can survive, and she’ll do anything to make sure it’s her.

Becky must tread carefully though, because John isn’t the only bad apple lurking in the shadows…

What a story , it had me from the first page. Also believable from what we have heard and read about in true life . The repercussions of finding out your loved one has abused their power of trust in a profession that should have it in bucket loads must be devastating , maybe even more so when it is your profession also.

I enjoyed reading about the determined main lady and seeing her trying to get justice for her husband. I just thought it didn’t have much of a story , it was a bit predictable and didn’t really have any surprises. I nearly gave up half way though but did stick it out . Not sure if I’d recommend this book , just had that something special missing that hooks you into a book .

Bad apple by Alice Hunter is a thrilling story about an ex cops motivation to get her ex husband put away for good.
This was a very interesting story. It was quite slow for me, and it took quite awhile for the story to go somewhere. But the twist wasn’t what I expected! I thought I knew who was behind everything but I was wrong! I’ve really enjoyed Alice Hunter books on the past, and while I did enjoy this one, it just won’t be a favourite like her others.

Becky was happily married to the love of her life, a fellow policeman, until she discovered evidence that he was abusing his power to take advantage of young women. Although she tried to report him, the system let her down and now - newly divorced and jobless - she needs to find another way to make people see the truth and protect his future victims.

This was a wild ride, and in places a difficult read. Alice Hunter is brilliant at tension and twists, although I must admit this wasn't my favourite ending of hers! A brilliant read for any thriller and mystery lovers though.

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

A compelling ead. I had to know if Becky was successful in exposing her corrupt and monstrous husband John Lawson. A nerve-wracking read as Becky doesn't know who to trust. Will Becky be successful ? I had to read late into the night to find out !

A bit disappointing

I really enjoyed The Serial Killer's Wife, and couldn't believe that was the author's first book. I anticipated good things with this read, but unfortunately, for me, it didn't come close to her first novel.

It started off well, it was intriguing, and posed lots of questions. Becky and John had both been detectives. They'd been married, they seemed happy. What had he done? Had he got away with it? And why is he getting promotion?! She'd had to report her own husband to the police.

The narrative flits back and forth, and from some of the different characters.

A good or OK read-but not fabulous. I just wasn't keen in places, and didn't always connect with the characters. On the strength of her first excellent book, I would read more of her writing.

“Bad apple” is my first Alice Hunter book that caught my eye due to the comparison to the hit NETFLIX series YOU.

The plot follows our beloved FMC Becky who discovers her detective husband is a dirty cop with many unforgivable crimes against his name, Becky’s attempts in seeking justice result in her being fired from her job and a series of obstacles she finds herself having to overcome.

The chapters rotate between events leading up to her firing and events following. I personally liked the FMC and rooted for her to succeed.

I’d say the writing maintains a medium pace throughout, the chapters are easy to get through and follow along.

Overall I enjoyed this book and would be open to reading more by this author.

Trigger warnings:
Abuse of authoritative power. Sexual harassment / SA (non graphic).

Thank you to Alice Hunter, Avon books UK and Netgalley for the EARC.

Publish date: May 9th

Another amazing read by Alice Hunter and a must have book for all readers. Hits on some very important topics.

Bad Apple
by Alice Hunter
Pub Date: May 9, 2024
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest opinion.
A gripping psychological suspense about betrayal, courage, and the darkness that can hide behind a seemingly trustworthy façade. Perfect for fans of The Doctor’s Wife , Suspects and the Netflix hit TV series You .
This was a new author for me. I was engrossed in the plot,However, I did encounter some challenges with certain aspects of the book. One issue I found was the repetitiveness of words, which at times detracted from the overall momentum of the story. Additionally, while I was invested in Becky's quest for justice, I couldn't help but feel let down by the ending, which fell short of my expectations and left me feeling unsatisfied.

In conclusion, despite the mixed feelings I harbored about certain aspects of the book, I am intrigued enough to give this author another chance.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon Books for the ebook in exchange for an honest review.

This was not a bad book but there were several things I didn’t really like. The topic this book tackles is an important one but overall I felt it fell flat, and I was a little let down with the repetitiveness of it. Ending left me with some questions. The pace was okay, but I didn’t feel any of the characters were particularly likeable.

I've read all of Alice Hunter's book and really enjoy them and i thoroughly enjoyed this one too.
John.... omg, if ever there was a despicable character John is it!
I was thoroughly hooked and rooting for Becky from beginning to end.
The writing flowed with a fizzing pace, I would recommend this to anybody who loves a quality domestic thriller

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC**

Beckys husband John is a dirty cop and when she turns him in NOTHING happens. I absolutely hated John and feel like Alice Harper did a great job tuning us on him right away. It was fast paced and I was able to read it in a day. The story and dialogue get repetitive at times but I overall enjoyed the story.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc. I felt like this one was slow going and I was confused part of the time. Alot of it was repetitive. I did love all of Alice Hunter's other books, but this one kept sounding like something big was going to happen, but didn't deliver.

This Alice thriller delivers! Buckle up for a fast-paced ride where Becky confronts a truly awful male character (John, seriously?). Alice's talent for crafting despicable men shines, and you'll find yourself cheering Becky on throughout. While the ending might not surprise seasoned readers, the journey is gripping nonetheless. Easy to devour with a satisfying payoff, this is a must-read for domestic and psychological thriller fans.

Becky is happy with where she is currently at in life, married for five years to her husband John, both are police officers and seem to have a great understanding of each other and the trials and tribulations that come with their careers.

Soon Becky is shocked to find out the man she loves is not who she thinks he is, and her happy comfortable life is destroyed. Her horror leaves her with only one thing to do, report him and makes sure he pays for his crimes. Unfortunately, John seems to have everyone fooled and no one believes her accusations, even her teammates that she considers friends. There are also others in the force happy to turn a blind eye as to what is going on.

John’s abuse of power, sexual harassment and misconduct leave her vulnerable and scared but once she kicks him out, she finds out he now has a new partner and a child Becky knows she cannot leave things be, she has major concerns for this woman and is going to do all she can to try to bring him down.

I enjoyed the book and found myself halfway through before I knew it, but as other readers have stated it is repetitive in parts but not enough that I would not recommend the book and it is still an enjoyable read. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of the book, all opinions expressed are my own.