Really wanted to love this book; it began so brightly - tense, atmospheric, original - but fizzled out, leaving me disappointed.

Wilson does a great job of setting the scene. There is a sense of threat and we feel the challenging emotions of Kennedy, both at her work and in her personal life. However, by halfway Five by Five is beginning to feel repetitive and predictable. The ending felt unfinished and rushed, and the umbrella device was a little too close to Jane Casey's use in her recent The Killing Kind.

I sense that there will be a sequel to tie up the loose ends here. If there is, I hope the promise shown in Five by Five will be honed and polished to deliver a more satisfying read.

This novel hits all the tropes of a thriller with style. A different take on the solving of crimes, and the jeopardy of those tasked to do so. A refreshingly candid insight into the role of a prison investigator gives this novel a unique point of view. Looking forward to what comes next!
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this title.

This was an interesting read for me and different from the usual books I choose. The setting of the Scottish prison sets it apart from other novels and is well done. It is hard hitting and the violence is grim at times. The main character Kennedy is an intelligence analyst at the prison and her life is in danger from the unidentified ‘Scout’. She falls in love with prison officer Molly but can she trust her?

It is quite pacy and a page turner, especially in the middle, but I was left wanting more at the end. Perhaps all will be explained in a sequel?

Firstly thank you to the publishers for my early access in exchange for a honest review .
This is a debut thriller and whilst there were certainly great elements of the book there was a disconnect with the characters for me personally so maybe another book will develop their voices more
However I enjoyed the prison setting being used especially as a psychology student currently doing a forensic module .
It was insightful and written packed with knowledge that really sets the scene for the reader.
Crime ,secrets , love and trust .
Do you listen to your heart or head ?
A excellent debut in the world of crime thrillers

This book, didn’t grab me like I hoped it would.
I took awhile to realise that Kennedy was female.
And I didn’t quite understand the ending.. Which I will have to reread, as it happened so fast.

Thank you Netgalley for an ARC of Five by Five by Claire Wilson.

This story is set within the intelligence unit in a Scottish prison. Very intriguing setting & story line, a good hook into the story and will likely be a good read for those interested in gritty prison settings!

Kennedy, a failed prison officer, now works for prison intelligence. After a drugs bust, she is attacked and warned that 'Scout' is out to get her. Despite knowing that Scout is a prison officer, she falls for Molly, a prison guard and soon becomes suspicious of her.
I enjoyed finding out about the workings of a prison and the plot had potential however, for me, the ending let the book down. I felt like the last few chapters had been omitted from the book. This may have been the author's way of signalling a sequel but it left me unsatisfied.

I love crime thrillers and it was really nice to have a new take as this one is set in the prison with one of the officers responsible for investigating the prisoners and what they are up to day to day. After being attacked by the family of an inmate Kennedy returns to work to find out who set her up and it’s a race against time to find the corrupt officers before it’s too late. Loved it but now need to wait for book two.

Thankyou to Claire Wilson, Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this advanced readers copy.

If you’re interested in crime this is the book for you. I really loved the setting of this book, it was filled with tense moments, gangs and corruption.

The emotions of the main character really came through and made me questions everyone’s intentions.

WHO IS SCOUT !?!? and will Kennedy be able to find out the intel needed to bring them down?

Set inside a Scottish prison HMP Forth Valley; attacks, organised crime, drugs and death aren’t far away.

Kennedy, an intelligence analyst keeps prisoners and staff under surveillance. She’s under the illusion that the prisoners don’t know she exist.

Who is Scout? Are they a prisoner? Or an inside man?

Perfect read for those who enjoy:
- Prison fiction with an intelligence element
- Corruption
- Police series

I highly anticipate there is another book to come due to the cliffhanger ending of this one!

With thanks to Penguin Michael Joseph and Netgalley for an ARC copy in return for an honest review. #FivebyFive

This book offers a good story but a disappointing ending which is reflected in my 3 star rating, I didn't feel that it was concluded yet not in a good way where I want the next instalment. It just fell flat.

this book is perfect for true crime fans as if it’s a different take, it’s based inside the prison and you get to hear the thoughts of the prison workers, themselves.

the story follows kennedy as she monitors a scottish prison, but is she harbouring her own secrets just like the people locked up ….

the recurring theme through out the book is, who is scout? are they closer than kennedy thinks or is it someone she least expects

the writing is sharp and quickly snaps you into wanting to read more more about the fast pace of a prison environment.


however, i am disappointed i didn’t love this more, sometimes the plot fell really flat and the characters choices didn’t make sense to me. i felt the relationship between molly and kennedy moved a bit to fast.

if you are a fan if netflix tv show, orange is the new black, then this book would be a perfect book for you to read.

Kennedy Allardyce works for the Scottish prison service as an intelligence officer having failed to make it on the prison floor. She is ambicious but convinced that no one likes her - neither the criminals nor the prison officers - because of her role in monitoring all of them.
This book provides an interesting insight into prisons, how they operate and what it is like to be inside. When Kennedy is attacked she has a mystery to solve and returns to work in order to find out who has her in their sights.
Kennedy is a resolute character when it comes to her work but in her social and emotional life she is in turmoil and makes some unimpressive decisions. I have to say I began to the book by liking her, but by the end I was cross with her decisions.
I would have given the book a higher score however if the it hadn't ended so abruptly. There was no real resolution or explanation and seems to have been left hanging ready for a second installment. This, however, is just annoying, Books that have sequels still need to be a whole story in themselves and this was no. It had no proper ending or resolution.
Up until the final chapter I'd happily have read more from this author but I felt sadly let down as a reader.
With thanks to Penguin Michael Joseph and Netgalley for an arc copy in return for an honest review.

HMP Forth Valley in Scotland holds 850 high security male prisoners and intelligence analyst Kennedy Allardyce monitors not just them but also the staff. A successful operation has serious consequences for Kennedy and it’s apparent that it’s an inside job. Who can Kennedy trust? In this hostile environment trust is everything, but she wants to know who has set her up and she finds the courage to start fighting back. It becomes imperative that she finds who the corrupt string puller is, known as ‘Scout’. Is she able to trust her new friend in prison officer Molly Rana? is her company something she can enjoy or must she keep her wits about her? The story is narrated principally by Kennedy.

I really enjoy the prison setting of this novel, which makes it a bit different from other mystery/thrillers, and if you enjoy prison based TV series, such as the recent one on British television or Prisoner Cell Block H then you might enjoy this debut novel. It pulls absolutely no punches about prison life, the overriding presence of organised crime, the gang hatreds, the hierarchy of the prisoners, and the inevitable violence as a consequence. This feels very authentically portrayed in this fast-paced plot, and some of the characters make your blood run cold as they try to disrupt the system. It’s dark, hard hitting especially as violence on the various wings escalates. The plot is suspenseful throughout, and there are some scenes where the tension is palpable.

I really like the central character of Kennedy and the Intel gathering techniques (the Five by Five of the title) that the IMU (Intelligence Management Unit) deploy to try to stay one step ahead. Kennedy is well portrayed, she’s ambitious, tenacious and very brave. Her inner most thoughts are pertinent and revealing on both prison officers and inmates. She has a very dangerous anonymous foe and her attempts to unmask them as they manipulate situations takes the storytelling through many twists and turns.

Although the ending is dramatically good, it does end on a cliffhanger, so clearly another book is in the pipeline and I will definitely want to read it as hopefully we’ll learn what we need to know!

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Penguin Michael Joseph for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

absolutely and thoroughly enjoyed this book so much. But when i got to the end I felt a little deflated. I feel a little lost And confused.

The story is based around Kennedy Allardyce, who works as an intelligence analyst in a prison in Scotland. As well as keeping her eye on the prisoners, she’s also keeping an eye on the staff. There are rumours of a corrupt and very dangerous guard working in the prison, but it appears that they might have already realised that Kennedy is on to then. Add to this Kennedy starting to fall for a woman who may not be all she seems.

A very good debut novel from this author, and I look forward to reading more of her books.

Thank you to NetGalley, Michael Joseph, and Penguin Random House for an advance reader copy in return for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book to start with, I thought it was interesting and different. Unfortunately it started to get repetitive and the characters weren’t very likeable.

I would describe this as a good rainy afternoon book, it didn’t blow me away but it was alright.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin for my advanced reading copy.

A really gripping thriller that took me by surprise. This book was a fun and exciting read that kept me on my toes the entire time. I find thrillers can be really hit or miss but this was fantastic and I really recommend it!

It follows a unique story and the plot flows so nicely I truly don’t have a bad word to say about it! I would recommend this for anyone who is a fan of the works of fredia mcdaden or any other thriller author! I will 100% be checking out the authors other works

This was an interesting read by an author that I was not familiar with having never read their work before. I always enjoy a new to me author and I wasn’t disappointed.
I found the characters interesting and really had a depth to them with lots of details described for me to portray them in my mind and really get inside them.
The story line took me to a place I wasn’t expecting and kept me intrigued right until the end.
I would recommend to anyone interested in this genre and will be reading more.

Rounding up to 3 stars


I enjoyed the setting of this book, I don't think I've read one based in an intelligence unit of a prison before, along with corrupt officers, that kept me going.
At times though, it was hard. Just not a book I rushed back to.
It's very much a mixed bag for me.