Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Good Bad Girl by Alice Feeney Narrator: Stephanie Racine, Katherine Press
Published by MacMillan Audio on August 29, 2023
Genres: Mystery, Thriller
Length: 9 hours, 21 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: NetGalley
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Sometimes bad things happen to good people, so good people have to do bad things.
Twenty years after a baby is stolen from her push-chair, a woman is murdered in a care home. The two crimes are somehow linked, and a good bad girl may be the key to discovering the truth.
Edith may have been tricked into a nursing home, but at eighty-years-young, she’s planning her escape. Patience works there, cleaning up mess and bonding with Edith, a kindred spirit. But Patience is lying to Edith about almost everything.
Edith’s own daughter, Clio, won’t speak to her. And someone new is about to knock on Clio’s door . . . and their intentions aren’t good.
With every reason to distrust each other, the women must solve a mystery with three suspects, two murders, and one victim. If they do, they might just find out what happened to the baby who disappeared, the mother who lost her, and the connections that bind them.
We have the points of view of several females in Good Bad Girl. There’s Patience who works in the care home and becomes friendly with Edith. Patience has very little since she ran away from home a year ago. She has been saving to go to art school. She also adopted Edith’s dog and brings her to see her even though it is against the rules.
Edith was a store detective when she worked long years as a single mom. She was not the best parent, but she did have to work. She hates the care home and wants to go back to her home. Patience is one of the few who is actually nice to her.
Clio does not visit her mother as they do not get along. She did not want her mother to live with her and doesn’t like her dog. She is struggling in her psychiatry practice and to pay for Edith’s care. Her brother doesn’t help. She is divorced.
Franky raised Patience until she ran away a year ago on her birthday when she wouldn’t tell her who her father is. Franky was also adopted and had a harrowing childhood. She works as a librarian at a prison. She lives on a houseboat which came to her when her mother died.
These women all have a gray moral compass, not being completely honest or straightforward. They’ve all made some mistakes. I would never have guessed how twisty the situation would become. When the care home manager is murdered, they become suspects and things really go wild with old secrets threatened.
I enjoyed this story even though I found it hard at times to root for the women. I understood their issues and foibles. I did feel badly for some of their misconceptions and miscommunications that made their situations worse. The ending was superb.
Narration:
Stephanie Racine seems to narrate all the books I have read from this author. I think she does very well with the voices and the emotional tones. I don’t have the knowledge to know if the dialects are accurate but they sounded good to me. Nearly all the points of view in the story are female, so that worked well. I listened at my usual 1.5x speed.
Listen to a clip: HERE
About Alice Feeney
Alice Feeney is a New York Times million-copy bestselling author. Her books have been translated into over twenty-five languages, and have been optioned for major screen adaptations. Including Rock Paper Scissors, which is being made into a TV series by the producer of The Crown. Alice was a BBC journalist for fifteen years, and now lives in Devon with her family. Daisy Darker is her fifth novel.
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I read all types of books but my favorites are urban fantasy and romantic suspense.I like some romance and some action / adventure / mystery in everything.I like sex in my books but please, only between TWO people.Intimate conversation is equally important to the sex in a book.It lets me see the characters.The other thing I enjoy is humor.
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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 23-COYER
Sounds like the shades of gray to their characters really helps make the mystery twistier. 🙂
That’s a great observation because it was very twisty.
I still need to read Daisy Darker! I don’t know how I get so far behind all the time. I do like a twisty thriller, and this sounds like a good one.
Both of them are ones I have enjoyed. They both had a bit of the unreliable narrator aspect creating a feeling of unreality.
My chunky butt thought the cover had apples on it. Once I finished reading your review I scrolled back up and realized it is umbrellas. LOL
I can’t say I understand what relationship umbrellas or rain have to the story either.
Wow, this paragraph sets up a compelling mystery with a blend of past and present events. The idea that good people might have to resort to bad actions adds depth to the story’s moral complexities. The connection between the stolen baby and the murder is intriguing, and the characters, especially Edith and Patience, seem to hold secrets that promise an engaging read filled with suspense and emotional depth.
There are definitely moral complexities.
I read Daisy Darker by Feeny and was riveted even though I wasn’t a fan of most of the characters. It would be interesting to find out how all these characters connect. I might have to listen to this one.
There are not a lot of likable characters but there a few here doing the best they can.
This sounds like a well-written mystery. I would say that the characters’ gray moral compass added to the intrigue.
yes, they are human so they don’t always make the best decisions, even when they are trying.
I love hearing that the ending was superb.
yes, it was also a bit stunning.
I really enjoyed this one and agree that some of the women were kind of hard to root for at times.
I enjoyed it too. They were definitely some fallible humans. Some of them had more opportunities than others.
I liked Daisy Darker though I hated all the characters so even though it sounds like I will hate all these characters I think I will have to give this one a chance. I do love a twisty thriller and I like Stephanie Rancine’s narration.
True, you are unlikely to love these characters. They are flawed. It’s a intriguing story though.
I have a copy of this and I can’t wait to get to it. Her last book blew me away!
I’d love to hear your thoughts Tammy.
Probably not my type of read, but I do love that cover! Glad you enjoyed it for the most part.
I’ve only read a couple from this author but they all seem to be mid twisters. What you think you know, you don’t.