Title: THE SIMPLE TRUTH
Author: James Buckler
ISBN: 978 1787 6360 64
Publisher: Bantam Press / Penguin
Pages: 368
Source: Review copy from NetGalley
Blog Tour Organised by Random Things Tours
A young woman is dead.
A very wealthy client needs a favour. You’re newly qualified as a lawyer and this could be your big break, so you jump at the chance.
The case is about to be closed.
All you have to do is talk to a family, ask them to sign some papers. How difficult could it be? Their daughter was found dead at a beauty spot on the outskirts of London in what you’re told was a tragic suicide.
Only you can uncover what really happened.
But the truth is never that simple. And this case could cost you your life…
Official Summary
04 January 2023
Reading the blurb of this one on NetGalley I was hooked. I had to read this book. When I received an invitation to the blog tour from Anne – it was a sealed deal. While I am new to this author, I raced through this pacing crime thriller. While it slips into the legal genre as well – this book is not very heavy on legal jargon – this book will keep you reading late into the night while you flip pages eager to find out what will happen next.
James Buckler keeps you on the edge of your seat with this story and manages to keep it unpredictable. In the earlier part of the story, I found myself wondering how everything would fit together – at times it felt as if two separate stories were unfolding. Then just as you are convinced there cannot be a connection, the author brings the two strands together and delivers a brilliant ending. I was surprised to learn that this was only his second book. The Simple Truth is brilliantly written and I guarantee you will find yourself completely engrossed when opening this book.
When a young woman is found dead in her car police close the case as a suicide. A young, eager lawyer is asked to have the family sign an NDA – which should be an easy task – Maria’s previous employer does not want any bad media exposure by being linked to her death. However – it is not that easy.
Maria’s family is convinced that she was murdered and refuses to sign anything and when the young lawyer discovers his life is in danger, he is determined to find the truth no matter what the consequences might be.
This book had me racing from page to page, I could not read fast enough. This story is fast-paced and gripping from start to end. I love the surprises along the way and the characters were brilliant.
The author focused the story on characters with principals while throwing them into a world where they are surrounded by people with seriously questionable motives. This made the book extremely entertaining and left you wondering who you should be trusting. I loved the mixed characters in this book.
This is an awesome book to start the new year off. I loved every minute I spent reading this book and I cannot wait to spend more time with this author.
If you enjoy a fast, pacy thriller that will keep you guessing – then this is the book for you. Go ahead and add this one to your TBR, you will not be disappointed. I love this one.
Remember to visit the other tour stops:
Also by James Buckler
Last Stop Tokyo
The funny thing with suffering is just when you think you’ve suffered enough, you realize it’s only the beginning.
Alex thought running away would make everything better. Six thousand miles from the mistakes he’s made and the people he’s hurt, Tokyo seems like the perfect escape. A new life, a new Alex.
The bright lights and dark corners of this alien and fascinating city intoxicate him, and he finds himself transfixed by this country, which feels like a puzzle that no one can quite explain. And when Alex meets the enigmatic and alluring Naoko, the peace he sought slips ever further from his grasp.
After all, trust is just betrayal waiting to happen and Alex is about to find out that there’s no such thing as rock bottom. There’s always the chance it’ll get worse . . .
About The Author
Author bio from the author’s site
James Buckler lives in London. He has worked in film and TV for many years, most notably for MTV and BBC Films. His first thriller, Last Stop Tokyo, published to critical acclaim. The Simple Truth is his second novel.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bantam Press for this review copy.
A huge thank you to Anne Cater from Random Things Tours for including me on this tour – reviewing for a tour stop always feels just that little bit more exciting.
As always, thanks to you for visiting the blog and reading my review – your support is appreciated. If you have read this one, remember to leave a comment below sharing your thoughts. Until next time…Happy Reading!
Sounds like a great read!
Thanks for the blog tour support x
Always a pleasure