⭐⭐ – Barely readable Jo co-wrote the ground-breaking TV series Taken Down which first broadcast in Ireland in 2018. But Julie remains troubled. Set in Ireland, it begins as Harry McNamara, a banker, recently cleared of multiple accounts of fraud, is brutally attacked in … The prose provided the reader with a vivid experience, an understanding of the characters at a base level. September 11, 2018. She’s now working on multiple European TV projects. Potty Mouth. Think Neegan and Glen. There was just something about the plot execution that was predictable, uninspired and torpid. by Jo Spain. Jo Spain. And when the man launches an unspeakably brutal attack on Harry, a horror-struck Julie, frozen by fear, watches her husband die. Has Carney's surrender really been driven by a guilty conscience or is his confession … I found myself thinking, here comes another reveal. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. The Confession is a standalone book. Books 1 through 9 contain Augustine's life story. Kate Vane August 20, 2018 June 7, 2019 Crime fiction, Reviews. Like, I said the writing isn’t bad. The Confession has a brilliantly executed and well-paced plot. YOU FIND OUT WHO DID IT ON THE VERY FIRST PAGE. And by that I mean, it’s like the author wasn’t even trying. The opening will have you captured and will not let you go until the final page. I do mind endless pity parties, and that’s basically what this felt like. If you like math, and really want to read this, I say go for it. Buy a discounted Paperback of The Confession online … The “pathetic” aspect was probably honest and closer to the contemporary lane, but his “plan” required an evil streak. I don’t think I’ve ever read a “thriller” this unimpressive before. Fresh Out of Fucks & Supporter of the Oxford Comma. “The Confession is a rare treat, a combination of a psychological thriller and a domestic drama with a bit of a police procedural thrown in…Block out some time to finish this book because you won’t want to stop reading once you pick it up.” —BookReporter “Enthralling…Spain dissects her characters’ secrets with razor-sharp precision.” Sound exciting? The Confession by Jo Spain is billed as a dark thriller, but it’s really more of a depressing autobiography of the main characters whose POVs we have to endure get to experience; how they got to that moment in 2012 when a banker is getting his head bashed in by a stranger with a golf club. And to everybody’s surprise, the perpetrator walks into the police station and confesses. . With a man as notorious as Harry McNamara, the detectives cannot help wondering, was this really a random act of violence or is it linked to one of Harry’s many sins: corruption, greed, betrayal? Jo Spain is a full-time writer and screenwriter. and instead will be immediately put in the fucking trash because I don’t have the time or inclination to deal with bullshit. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Full of intrigue, it had me absolutely gripped until the end, not having an inkling what the likely outcome would be. There was also a lot of talk about the financial world. "Late one night a man walks into the luxurious home of disgraced banker Harry McNamara and his wife Julie. ON THE LAST PAGE, YOU'LL FIND OUT WHY. She is previously known for her Inspector Tom Reynolds Series. In the why, the actions that led up to this brutal attack and Spain reveals the truth in a slow, meticulous unraveling that left me reeling by the end. The overall effect was disjointed and bizarre as the novel attempted to become a thriller. Late one night a man walks into the luxurious home of disgraced banker Harry McNamara and his wife Julie. Her first novel, With Our Blessing, was one of seven books shortlisted in the Richard and Judy Search for a Bestseller competition and her first psychological thriller, The Confession, was a number one bestseller in Ireland. That’s a total turn off to me. Yeah, no. This was anything but thrilling unless you consider your own yawns to be a real razz-ma-tazz experience. Just an hour later the attacker, JP Carney, has handed himself in to the police. Jo Spain is such a talent. Just an hour later the attacker, JP Carney, has handed himself in to the police. Julie is watching TV with her wealthy husband when an intruder breaks in and beats him to a pulp with a golf club. Wait no, not balls. The effects of a poor upbringing and the tragedy of mental illness. 'I can't praise The Confession enough. But in The Confession – whether it be the choices the author made to build these characters or the amount of background that was required to explain who they were – by the time each “twist” was rolled out I just didn’t care anymore. Unfortunately we do not have a summary for this item at the moment. We then begin the tense journey to find out who is this random attacker, why did he attack Harry and then turn himself in to the police and what does his wife Julia have to do with the attack? The path to alcoholism, the troubles of a marriage and co-dependence, the struggle of infertility. Jo has worked as a political advisor on the economy in the Irish parliament and has been vice-chair of the business body InterTrade Ireland for the last five years. The story follows three individuals; the banker, his spouse and his murderer. When this is done right it can blow your mind. Some of my favourite books use this narrative device. a really cracking read' BA Paris, author of Behind Closed Doors and The Breakdown The man launches an unspeakably brutal attack on Harry as a horror-struck Julie watches, frozen by fear. If there is anything I am less interested in besides math, it’s finance and wall street type shit. All Rights Reserved. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window), Review: There’s Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins, My Favourite Reviews of the Week | 2nd September – BookBum, Throwback Thursday: All the Books I Hated in 2018! I had The Confession by Jo Spain on my Kindle app, so it helped me to get through those nail-biting hours. Julie is frozen in the moment, unable to come to her husband’s defense, afraid that when he’s dead, she’s next. Jo Spain The Confession Summary. Buy The Confession by Spain, Jo (ISBN: 9781786488374) from Amazon's Book Store. The man launches an unspeakably brutal attack on Harry as a horror-struck Julie watches, frozen by fear. We start the book with a vicious attack on a man in front of his wife by a complete stranger – or do we? Nothing about the writing was bad per se, actually it was quite the opposite. Her favourite writers include Pierre LeMaitre, Fred Vargas, Louise Penny, Jo Nesbo, Ann Cleeves, Val McDermid, Karin Fossum and Agatha Christie. I don’t mind troubled or damaged. It was some disturbing shit. An unknown man suddenly appears in a couple’s living room and viciously beats the man with a golf club. Just one hour later, the attacker, J. P. Carney hands himself into the police and confesses to beating Harry to death. Brilliant writing, great story . Free delivery in Australia Read more here. The author’s own father was born in one such home in Dublin and the novel’s backdrop was constructed based on the in-depth research she undertook while attempting to trace her family roots. Just one hour later, the attacker, J. P. Carney hands himself into the police and confesses to beating Harry to death. However, rude, hateful, insulting or purely antagonistic comments will  not be approved by the admin (that’s me!) Plot Twisty-ness: I guess anything can be called a thriller these days. ( Log Out /  Afterwards, the stranger, JP Carney, casually walks into the nearest police station and confesses, claiming he had a psychotic episode and no reason for attacking Harry. You hear from Julie, the wife of the victim, JP the perpetrator and Alice the police officer working the case. Instead, it settled into a mundane telling of personal events. It’s not. book source: Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley in exchange for a review., Bleh, I have this one to read… your 3 knives are putting me off picking it up tho. He came across as pathetic, giving up on life, instead of an evil mastermind. A BOOK BLOG FOR ALL MY DARK & TWISTY READS, “That was us at the beginning of our fairytale. Superhero Black Magic Witch. Balls can be fun. The Confession by Jo Spain is a gripping psychological thriller that makes you question whether the confession of a crime on the first page is driven by a guilty conscience or whether it’s a calculated move in a deadly game. Find great deals for The Confession by Jo Spain. Boring, even. Published by Quercus and available to buy 25th January 2018. Opening Hook: As shocking as a golf club to the head. A thoroughly brilliant, page turning, tense and exceptional psychological thriller that is definitely 100% GRIPPING. Book review: The Confession by Jo Spain. This whydunit is a gripping psychological thriller. On the last page, you'll find out why in this expertly plotted, "enthralling" (J. P. Delaney) psychological suspense novel from an internationally bestselling author. "Late one night a man walks into the luxurious home of disgraced banker Harry McNamara and his wife Julie. ISBN: 9781786488367. The Confession is the first stand alone novel by Jo Spain. Just an hour later the attacker, JP Carney, has handed himself in to the police. Jo Spain takes you right into her characters’ heads and captures perfectly what makes them tick. Would I like this if it was just a contemporary piece about two lives that intersect in random ways, leading to heartache and profoundly altered lives? The first nine Books (or chapters) of the work trace the story of Augustine's life, from his birth (354 A.D.) up to the events that took place just after his conversion to Catholicism (386 A.D.). Change ), Mystery, Thriller & Horror Books, and True Crime. Mom(ish). The man launches an unspeakably brutal attack on Harry as a horror-struck Julie watches, frozen by fear. And is Carney’s surrender driven by a guilty conscience or is his confession a calculated move in a deadly game? The premise was amazing. Customer Reviews - Jo Spain The Confession. The man launches an unspeakably brutal attack on Harry as a horror-struck Julie watches, frozen by fear. The man launches an unspeakably brutal attack on Harry as a horror-struck Julie watches, frozen by fear. I really enjoyed this unusual and spiky thriller set in Dublin. But if you’re more interested in, oh I don’t know, rollercoasters, then move on to something else in your TBR that deserves to be put in the thriller category. Description - The Confession by Jo Spain YOU FIND OUT WHO DID IT ON THE VERY FIRST PAGE. We are taken back to the beginning of each character’s life through alternating chapters and just when you think you’ve worked out why, when, who the author throws in a humdinger of a twist and you are left dumbstruck and bemused. But the characters… ugh. My brain just immediately – Zzzzzzzz…. Our excellent value books literally don't cost the earth. The Confession by Jo Spain is billed as a dark thriller, but it’s really more of a depressing autobiography of the main characters whose POVs we have to endure get to experience; how they got to that moment in 2012 when a banker is getting his head bashed in by a stranger with a golf club. The Confession, was a number one bestseller in Ireland. This was as boring as math. Joanne lives in Dublin with her husband and their four young children. Booktopia has The Confession, The Most Hotly-Anticipated Psychological Thriller Of 2018! And is Carney’s surrender driven by a guilty conscience or is his confession a calculated move in a deadly game? Numerous times I thought I had it all figured out when Jo Spain whacked me … He confesses to beating Harry to death, but JP claims that the assault was not premeditated and that he didn’t know the identity of his victim. Most reviewers seem to be blown away by this book, a lot of 5-star ratings popping up, but I honestly can’t figure out why, even when looking for a new perspective to understand. But here’s the thing about fairytales: sometimes they’re darker than you can ever imagine.”. . Claire McGowan, author of Blood Tide Julie – the wife tells us her story from the moment she first met and fell in love with the enigmatic and successful Harry to the moment she watched a random attack beat him senseless with a golf club. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. Late one night a man walks into the luxurious home of disgraced banker Harry McNamara and his wife Julie. ( Log Out /  Just an hour later the attacker, JP Carney, has handed himself in to the police. Buy The Confession: The addictive number one bestseller By Jo Spain, in Very Good condition. Trustpilot. Just an hour later the attacker, JP Carney, has handed himself in to the police. Annual Book Blogger Award WINNER for “Best Mystery/Thriller Blog” in 2019!! The goal being to thrill the reader with the shock of events we don’t experience in real life (hopefully.) The Confessions is a spiritual autobiography, covering the first 35 years of Augustine's life, with particular emphasis on Augustine's spiritual development and how he accepted Christianity. ON THE LAST PAGE, YOU’LL FIND OUT WHY. Next. BESTSELLING AUTHOR: Irish author Jo Spain’s debut novel became a top-ten bestseller within the first month it was released in Ireland. Show more. The story opens up with a violent crime and immediately … How a banker starts a business, becomes rich and then breaks the law to become even richer before causing a financial collapse of a whole country and being tried in a court of law for it. In between the personal information, the story was progressing to reveal exactly why JP, the killer, attacked Harry, the banker. Wifey. About The Author: Jo Spain’s first novel, top ten bestseller With our Blessing, was one of seven finalists in the Richard and Judy Search for a Bestseller Competition 2015. HAHAHA just kidding (kind of.). Whiny bitch babies drinking and crying themselves into self-made drama and complaining about rich people problems. Grown-Ass Woman. Story Lover. ISBN-10: 1786488361 ( Log Out /  Buy The Confession: The addictive number one bestseller by Spain, Jo (ISBN: 9781786488367) from Amazon's Book Store. Late one night, a man walks into the luxurious home of disgraced banker Harry McNamara and his wife Julie. The Confession is such a brilliant written, expertly plotted book with lots of revelations carefully revealed at just the right moment to catch you unawares and keep you reading. It was named as an Irish Times crime fiction book of the year by Declan Burke. And when the man launches an unspeakably brutal attack on Harry, a horror-struck Julie, frozen by fear, watches her husband die. The Confession had me in its thrall from the first page, revealing the dark side of the Celtic Tiger Sarah Ward, author of In Bitter Chill I loved this twisty slice of domestic noir. Reader. ( Log Out /  Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Book 10 is an exploration of memory. Civil discussion and opinions are welcome. The Confessions is divided into 13 books. The novel started out with a bang of blood and brutality that grabs the reader by the throat when Harry the banker is viciously attacked while his wife, Julie, watches in stunned horror. You are hooked from the shocking opening in which the murderer is revealed in the very first chapter and just have to read on to find out the story behind the murder. Just an hour later the attacker, JP Carney, has handed himself in to the police. It is an Irish tale of marital disharmony, dysfunctional families and murder. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. This is the kind of story we’ve seen before – where different POVs slowly reveal a twisted truth with many layers. That horrifying pace was never maintained. The Confession is a new standalone novel from the hugely talented Jo Spain, best known for her Inspector Tom Reynolds mysteries. But that was the first and the last of that kind of entertainment. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Summary Summary Augustine's Confessions is a diverse blend of autobiography, philosophy, theology, and critical exegesis of the Christian Bible. And none of it was exciting because I could see it coming. The 3rd book in the Tom Renolds series, Sleeping Beauties will be released in September 2017. ⭐⭐⭐- The most okayest My Review:  5/5 – I need to find new words for GRIPPING because I don’t think “Gripping” does this book justice – The Confession by Jo Spain was not only gripping it was “riveting, thrilling, unputdownable and overall captivating throughout.”  (Thank you Google for your help!). ⭐⭐⭐⭐ – 4 of 5 readers would bang What random life circumstances led them to this moment? Late one night a man walks into the luxurious home of disgraced banker Harry McNamara and his wife Julie. The man launches an unspeakably brutal attack on Harry as a horror-struck Julie watches, frozen by fear. These POVs take us all the way back to childhood in some cases, and quite honestly it was tedious as hell … There was something in the telling of events that lent itself more to realism, and while that is an accomplishment in contemporary novels, this was supposed to be a thriller. Jo’s debut novel, the first in a crime fiction series, is set against a background of the infamous Irish Magdalene Laundries and Mother and Baby homes. We also hear from the investigating officer on the murder case, the very tenacious Alice Moody. Honestly, I had kind of a hard time with it. Post navigation. The strange goes on to brutal attack Harry while Julie in fear can watch on. JP – the attacker tells us his life story – warts and all, full of heartbreak and determination and how he finds himself confessing to attempted murder, but my favourite character is Alice Moody the policewoman in charge of this investigation – she was absolutely WONDERFUL and deserves her own book. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! The Confession by Jo Spain. Not even the villain was interesting, lacking any emotions even remotely close to sinister despite trying his best to put on a creepy smile and enjoy the moment. Hmm what to say about this book? We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Recently published! Main Character: I won’t be RSVPing to the pity party. Overview - You find out who did it on the very first page. #reviewsareforreaders #negativereviewsaregoodreviews. The book started with a BANG, the brutal murder of a man right in front of his wife. Unfortunately, I just didn’t give a shit about them. Confession - Good for the Soul & Great Read Many books will tell you a tale, however, Jo Spain gives you a multilayered story of compelling characters, entangled lives and tense, compulsive and page turning excitement. This was boring as balls. This gripping psychological thriller will have you questioning, who – of Harry, Julie and JP – is really the guilty one? This gripping psychological thriller will have you questioning, who – of Harry, Julie and JP – is really the guilty one? Why buy from World of Books. He confesses to beating Harry to death, but JP claims that the assault was not premeditated and that he didn’t know the identity of his victim. Late one night a man walks into the luxurious home of disgraced banker Harry McNamara and his wife Julie. Her second novel, bestseller Beneath the Surface, was released in September 2016 to further critical acclaim. Anyone trying to leave asshole comments can eat a bag of dicks. Our cheap used books come with free delivery in the UK. The Confession by Jo Spain. But my opinion is the right one. Talk about unlikable. The Confession is a psychological thriller coming from Jo Spain, in January 2018. Even trying the prose provided the reader with a golf club to the police and to! 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