You find out who did it on the very first page. 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. And when the man launches an unspeakably brutal attack on Harry, a … attack on Harry, a horror-struck Julie, frozen by fear, watches her husband die.
Just one hour later, the attacker, J. P. Carney hands himself into the police and confesses to beating Harry to death. Except he also claims that the assault was not premeditated and that he didn’t know the identity of his victim. With a man as notorious as Harry McNamara, who was just found innocent in a highly sensationalized fraud trial, the detectives cannot help but wonder: Was this really a random act of violence? Was Julie really powerless to stop JP? When Harry’s many sins are unveiled to include corruption, greed, and betrayal, nothing is for sure.
This gripping psychological thriller will have you questioning, who—of Harry, Julie and JP—is really the guilty one? And is Carney’s surrender driven by a guilty conscience or is his confession a calculated move in a deadly game? Brilliant and ice-pick sharp, The Confession is perfect for fans of B. A. Paris and Fiona Barton.
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Absorbing page-turner with lots of twists and turns!
The opening scene of this book was enough for me to want to read on immediately! Many twists and turns later I was still unsure of exactly what had happened and it wasn’t until the very end of the story that I was able to sort everything out. The author wove the story together beautifully and because I wanted to solve the mystery so much, it didn’t take me long to read the entire book!
I’m really impressed with Irish writer Jo Spain. Just when I think I’m understanding a character, she peels off another layer. Highly recommend The Confession.
Julie McNamara is settling into an evening of TV with her husband, Harry, when a strange man walks into their house and beats Harry to a pulp. Julie is frozen in the moment, unable to come to her husband’s defense, afraid that when he’s dead, she’s next.
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.
This whydunit is a gripping psychological thriller. Why did JP Carney attack Harry? Why did he confess? Is he telling the truth? Was Julie in on it? Why didn’t she come to the aid of her husband?
Confession is Jo Spain’s best yet. If you enjoy psychological thrillers from Liz Nugent and Claire Allan, you’ll love this book.
I received an Advanced Reader Copy. I am voluntarily leaving a review. JP Carney has just waltzed into the home of Notorious banker Harry McNamara and beat him to death in front of his wife, who did nothing to try and stop it. This we know. The why, that comes later, in flashback, told by both JP and Julie McNamara. Did Harry deserve this violent end? Did Julie have her husband killed? You will be left speechless at the end. There were some moments that dragged, but overall a great mystery.
He walks in from the street, through the back door, picks up a golf club, and sees two people sitting on the sofa watching television. He proceeds to viciously beat the man into a pulp while his wife sits there frozen in fear.
Shortly after, J P Carney, covered in blood, walks into the police station and confesses to killing Harry McNamara, a very wealthy banker. This man says he doesn’t know who the man was, it wasn’t premeditated.
But is any of this actually true? What did Carney whisper in McNamara’s ear before he left? What is it that his wife, Julie, is hiding?
This thriller is told in part by different people. Julie talks of her marriage to the love of her life .. the things she overlooks in order to stay married. Carney tells of his childhood and of things not many people know about him. And Alice, investigating for her department, who doesn’t know what happened …. she doesn’t believe Carney, she doesn’t believe Julie.
We know the who … we know the how … now we need to know the WHY!
This is a real nail biter. Totally engrossing, I didn’t put this one down until the early morning hours. I can’t say I loved the characters … but they weren’t supposed to be lovable creatures… but they were credible. This was my first book by this author .. but it won’t be the last.
Many thanks to the author / Crooked Lane Books / Netgalley for the digital copy of this psychological thriller. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
4.5 ’s! A suspenseful thriller that grabs you from the start and doesn’t let go! WOW…Jo Spain is fantastic at keeping the twists and turns coming.
We find out who the attacker is at the start of the book, but it isn’t until the end that we find out the reason behind it.
Late one night, a stranger walks into the home of banker—Harry McNamara—and his wife—Julie. He brutally attacks Harry with a golf club, while his wife watches…frozen by fear.
JP Carney walks into a police station and confesses to beating a man to death, but claims he doesn’t know the victim and has no reason for his behavior.
JP and Harry couldn’t be more different. JP grew up poor, with a mentally-ill mother and an alcoholic father. The family lived in shoddy housing on public assistance and JP took over the care of his little sister at a young age. Meanwhile, Harry was a filthy-rich banker with a lavish lifestyle. He lived in a million-dollar home with his wife and he was used to getting everything he wanted.
Harry was just found innocent in a highly-sensationalized fraud trial, so the detective doesn’t believe this is a random act of violence. And she’s suspicious that Julie knows things she’s not sharing.
This gripping psychological thriller will have you wondering who is really the guilty one—Harry, Julie or JP? And what is the reason behind Carney’s confession—a guilty conscience or a calculated move?
Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this ARC, in exchange for my honest review!
#TheConfession #NetGalley
I thought it was excellent. It kept you guessing until the end.
I walked away with mixed feelings on this one. The bare bones of the story is absolutely brilliant. In the very beginning, Harry McNamara is attacked in his home. It’s brutal, grisly, and chilling. His wife witnesses the whole thing, and her reactions during and after are suspect at best. We also know from the beginning that JP Carney committed the crime. The question is why. At this point, the story had me in its clutches. Unfortunately, it started to lose me rather soon after that. The story starts to move back and forth between the days following the attack and the backstories of the characters. Some of that back info is important to the plot and reasons for everything happening, and some is not. A lot is not. We do finally get to the why of it all, but the book takes the scenic route to get there. Granted, there were things in the past that the reader needs to know for it to all make sense, but I really did not need every detail of every time Julie doubted Harry or every time she looked the other way, nor did I need to know every job that JP had during the years leading up to the crime. Fair warning, be prepared not to like anyone in this one. By the time I trudged through the considerable history of Julie and Harry’s marriage and JP’s troubled life, I couldn’t drum up much empathy for any of them, except for the real victim in this deadly game. In the end, I would give a solid five stars for the beginning and conclusion, but the middle was way too drawn out and had too much downtime for me. So, I ended up somewhere in the middle on The Confession.
4 Stars
Review by Morgen
Late Night Reviewer
Up All Night w/ Books Blog
The Confession by Jo Spain is a standalone novel about how damaging secrets can be.
Julie and Harry McNamara are a happily married couple of over ten years. Julie was once a school teacher and is now a stay at home wife. Harry is a banker and one of the wealthiest men in Ireland. One of the things his money can’t do is solve all of their problems. Julie is witty, strong, and caring. Harry is charming, confident, and business minded.
JP Carny is a man with a troubled past and a not so bright future. He has no family to speak of and moves from job to job. Most aspects of his life are a mystery.
One night will change all their lives. A man creeps in through their back door he finds Harry and Julie enjoying some evening television. He surprises them and continues to beat Harry to a bloody pulp in front of Julie. Shocked into silence and unable to move Julie watches in horror. Over as quickly as it begins the man who invaded their home is gone. Thinking her husband is dead she crumbles. It takes her a while to pull it together enough to call the police. Harry is rushed to the hospital, he’s not dead but in coma from trauma.
By the end of the night a man covered in blood turns himself in to the local police station and confesses to the murder of Harry McNamara. He claims it was a random act of blind rage and he had no idea who he was attacking. Can it really be that easy or is there more to story than it seems?
Julie is such a great character, I really connected with her strength. I enjoyed how the story was told. It’s not chronological but it unravels smoothly flashing from the past to the present and flows well with the story. We get to see a few different POVs which adds depth to the characters, making them feel and worth fighting for. I love getting a full sense of the scenes and having a peek at their motivations. The suspense draws you in and learning piece by piece keeps you on the edge of your seat and wanting more. The story is set in Ireland. I really enjoyed the brogue and learning a bit about the country. I would recommend to anyone who likes a little mystery.
I couldn’t wait for this book to hit the shelves in Canada so I ordered it from the UK.
I am so very glad I did.
It starts out with a bang and ends with one !!
The Confession is a mystery, a thriller, it grabs you and makes you keep reading.
You want to know what JP killed Harry in front of his wife Julie by bludgeoning him to death and why he left Julie alone and then turned himself in.
The characters certainly aren’t the nicest people you will ever meet. But it is such a compelling story that pages fly by.
What could have been the reason for Harry’s murder
Great read, don’t miss this one
I am a big fan of Jo Spain and love all her books
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