Features The Big Thrill Recommends: FIVE BAD DEEDS by Caz Frear

The Big Thrill Recommends: FIVE BAD DEEDS by Caz Frear

Recommended by Ellen Quint

Caz Frear, renowned for her best-selling Cat Kinsella series, now delivers a slow-burn domestic suspense with her latest stand-alone thriller, FIVE BAD DEEDS. Set in the seemingly idyllic British village of Thames Lawley, Frear masterfully unravels the lives of protagonist Ellen Walsh and her neighbors, delving into their loves, secret animosities, and, of course, bad deeds.

What sets this novel apart is Frear’s clever narrative technique. The story is primarily told through Ellen Walsh’s first-person perspective, creating an intimate connection between the character and the reader. Woven through, individually identified chapters provide insights from an inner circle that includes Adam, Ellen’s husband, Kristy, her sister, and various friends and neighbors, all narrated in the third person. To add an extra layer of intrigue, Ellen’s teenage daughter, Orla, contributes candid thoughts through WhatsApp digital conversations with her friends.

The tale begins with a gripping hook—a smart, ambitious wife and mother of three finds herself in prison. Frear then skillfully takes readers back to the incident that set the entire chain of events into motion—an anonymous, threatening note promising consequences for Ellen’s bad deeds. Readers, alongside Ellen, navigate the challenge of unraveling the meaning behind the note and uncovering the mysterious figure orchestrating it all.

Frear’s storytelling prowess shines through in her ability to craft and distinguish characters, propelling the plot forward with sharp, witty, and authentic dialogue. The result is a voyeuristic experience, allowing readers to inhabit the minds of multiple characters and weaving together a complex tale of status-seeking jealousy, family betrayals, decisions made with supposedly good intentions, and the pursuit of revenge.

In FIVE BAD DEEDS, Frear demonstrates that she is a master of psychological suspense, skillfully exploring the dark underbelly of suburban life. Fans of the genre will find themselves irresistibly drawn into the intricate web of secrets and lies that Frear slowly reveals.

The Big Thrill Recommends: FIVE BAD DEEDS by Caz Frear