Clear My Name by Paula Daly

Clear My Name

by Paula Daly

‘A clever and original thriller. Highly absorbing and full of surprises’ Lesley Kara, bestselling author of THE RUMOUR

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Innocent?

When Carrie was accused of brutally murdering her husband’s lover, she denied it. She denied it when they arrested her, when they put her in front of a jury, and when they sent her to prison.

Now she’s three years into a fifteen-year sentence, away from the daughter she loves and the life she had built. And she is still denying that she is to blame.

Guilty?

Tess Gilroy has devoted her life to righting wrongs. Through her job for Innocence UK, a charity which takes on alleged miscarriages of justice, she works tirelessly to uncover the truth.

But when she is asked to take Carrie’s case, Tess realises that if she is to help this woman, she must risk uncovering the secrets she has struggled a lifetime to hide . . .

We’ve all done things we’re not proud of.

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'Emotional, twisty and a joy to read. It deserves to be a huge bestseller.' Mark Edwards

'Loved it - twisty, turny and as brilliant as ever!' Jill Mansell

‘The UK’s answer to Liane Moriarty. Amazing.’ Claire McGowan

'Compelling concept, kick-ass characterisation and a gut punch of a sting in the tale.' LV Hay

Reviewed by zooloo1983 on

3 of 5 stars

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Not quite sure where to begin with my thoughts on this one. This is a pure slow burner, slowly enticing you with tidbits of information. Piquing your interest in the present day, I mean did Carrie do it? Why you are chomping at the bit to garner more information from the investigation, Daly breaks it up by placing your back in the past with Carrie’s point of view, starting four years ago and the downward spiral that has led her to her place of incarceration.

I did feel for Carrie, this woman has been through hell and just wants to get back to her heavily, ready to drop, pregnant daughter Mia. When we visit her past, you see the rubbish she has dealt with from her pig of a husband, grotesque much! But….is she as squeaky clean as appears to be?

Tess, the lead investigator for Innocence UK, taking on this case because they have not dealt with any female clients, under protest she takes on a trainee and off we go on this adventure. I loved the fact that Tess is not your typical ‘I can look after myself’ woman, I mean don’t get me wrong she can, but she was normal and way flawed. It was refreshing but at the same time a bit scary in one incident that happened! I liked her and would love this to become a series and see her and Avril teamwork again.

The conflict that both Tess and me, as a reader, felt when working the case was like a swinging pendulum, you never quite knew where it would stop, guilty or innocent, innocent or guilty. It was constantly swinging between the two as each piece of evidence had been uncovered, each time a new track was taken, each time we delved into the past.

Whilst investigating, it appears someone is following Tess, is this related to the case?! What is going on? And there is also someone from her past who has decided it is time to come back in the limelight. How can so much be going on at once?!

The premise for Innocence UK is so powerful, giving incarcerated people a chance to get their freedom back. Reworking cold cases, seeing if they can uncover anything new and just help. Highlighting that sometimes the jury and the judge do get it wrong. I did enjoy this element, see how this all works, how this charity tries to find justice and to do good.

Clear my Name is a taut and engaging thriller, and it packs a punch at the end, especially as I had just got my head around all the secrets we uncovered on our journey but Daly was not finished with me! If anything it left me with more questions and questioned would I make the same decision?

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 21 July, 2019: Finished reading
  • 21 July, 2019: Reviewed