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One Bad Thing
A twisty and chilling thriller about a woman who did one bad thing when she was young... and must now suffer the consequences.
She thought she'd got away with it. She was wrong.
Hannah Godley is an agony aunt on a London radio show Queen of Hearts. She's warm and empathetic; a good listener. Her catchphrase is: Be kind, always. But when a stranger phones in to tell a tragic story about her brother who killed himself after he was the victim of a terrible prank by two people, Hannah goes cold. Because she remembers Diane's brother well. In fact, all these years later, he still haunts her dreams. All because of that one bad thing she did when she was young...
Is Diane just a sad, lonely woman looking for a friend, or does she know what Hannah did, and is looking for revenge? Because as Diane insinuates herself into her life and family, Hannah is going to discover that you can never truly escape that One Bad Thing you did – sooner or later, you're going to have to pay the price...
She thought she'd got away with it. She was wrong.
Hannah Godley is an agony aunt on a London radio show Queen of Hearts. She's warm and empathetic; a good listener. Her catchphrase is: Be kind, always. But when a stranger phones in to tell a tragic story about her brother who killed himself after he was the victim of a terrible prank by two people, Hannah goes cold. Because she remembers Diane's brother well. In fact, all these years later, he still haunts her dreams. All because of that one bad thing she did when she was young...
Is Diane just a sad, lonely woman looking for a friend, or does she know what Hannah did, and is looking for revenge? Because as Diane insinuates herself into her life and family, Hannah is going to discover that you can never truly escape that One Bad Thing you did – sooner or later, you're going to have to pay the price...
368 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 3, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews
June 20, 2024
What I loved the most about this book was the author's writing style and the ending. Absolutely brilliant. This book had me in suspense the whole way through. Its about consequences and has a strong theme of obsession. Told by the POV of Hannah and with a past and present timeline. I love a book thats unpredictable, it took me on one route and then another. Highly recommend, this is one book I will never forget.
November 27, 2021
This is a very enjoyable novel by author Mark Hill that after a strong start I thought it was going to be even better than it was.
Hannah Gordon made a mistake when she was a lot younger and thought she had got away with it but she was mistaken. She now works as an agony aunt on a London radio show Queen of Hearts and deals with listeners problems live on the radio. Normally everything goes smoothly but when a stranger named Diana phones in to tell a tragic story about her brother who killed himself after he was the victim of a terrible prank by two people, Hannah goes cold. Hannah thinks she remembers Diane’s brother and years later he still haunts her dreams. The question is does Diane know Hannah’s connection to her brother and is now looking for revenge or is she simply reaching out for help and friendship.
In my opinion was a 3.5 rating that didn’t quite follow through with the initial promise. Good premise, decent characters and well written. A good read but not great.
I would like to thank both NetGalley and Head of Zeus for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Hannah Gordon made a mistake when she was a lot younger and thought she had got away with it but she was mistaken. She now works as an agony aunt on a London radio show Queen of Hearts and deals with listeners problems live on the radio. Normally everything goes smoothly but when a stranger named Diana phones in to tell a tragic story about her brother who killed himself after he was the victim of a terrible prank by two people, Hannah goes cold. Hannah thinks she remembers Diane’s brother and years later he still haunts her dreams. The question is does Diane know Hannah’s connection to her brother and is now looking for revenge or is she simply reaching out for help and friendship.
In my opinion was a 3.5 rating that didn’t quite follow through with the initial promise. Good premise, decent characters and well written. A good read but not great.
I would like to thank both NetGalley and Head of Zeus for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
March 5, 2022
scalded cat me had guessed from afar what
the dynamics between the protagonist and a
certain character was to be since its earliest
introduction, still finishing this book felt like a
pleasant roller-coaster ride towards obvious. ;)
the dynamics between the protagonist and a
certain character was to be since its earliest
introduction, still finishing this book felt like a
pleasant roller-coaster ride towards obvious. ;)
February 8, 2022
Hannah Godley is a respected psychologist and Agony Aunt on a radio show. On the last programme before she leaves to join a daytime TV programme, a career move that will massively increase her public profile, she takes a call from a listener, Diana, who talks about her dead brother Martin. Diana doesn’t say much but her few words chill Hannah to the bone “I’m going to make the people responsible for Martin’s death suffer…”. Hannah doesn’t know Diana, but she knew a Martin many years before when she and a friend did something that she is now deeply ashamed of. Afraid of what Diana knows, what she could do and how it could impact her career, Hannah decides to take control and the whole twisted story begins.
Hannah has a really complex background which has shaped her entire life. My feelings towards her were mixed and veered between feeling very unsympathetic as despite her motto, ‘Be kind, always’ she wasn’t always and frequently seemed to make one bad decision after another. At other times I felt sorry for her especially when it seemed that she was being stalked and when the story concerned her young daughter Amber – in fact none of the main characters came across to me as being particularly likeable but they were certainly interesting and I was so keen to see to what level they would go. I’ve either read too many thrillers or I have a very suspicious mind because every adult came under suspicion almost from the off, admittedly sometimes for the wrong reason and I constantly saw what I thought were red flags.
Twisted, intriguing, suspenseful. One Bad Thing is all of those. The reader will need to fight their way through the twists and turns and the misdirection to find a dark and addictive story of complex relationships, twisted obsession and more. The story was well paced with the reader being kept in suspense – I was desperate to know what the awful thing was that Hannah had done and which resulted in her turning her life around, particularly after all the references to it.
This is the first book I’ve read by M K Hill but it certainly won’t be my last – great writing, characters that you constantly doubt and a hugely enjoyable suspenseful plot.
Hannah has a really complex background which has shaped her entire life. My feelings towards her were mixed and veered between feeling very unsympathetic as despite her motto, ‘Be kind, always’ she wasn’t always and frequently seemed to make one bad decision after another. At other times I felt sorry for her especially when it seemed that she was being stalked and when the story concerned her young daughter Amber – in fact none of the main characters came across to me as being particularly likeable but they were certainly interesting and I was so keen to see to what level they would go. I’ve either read too many thrillers or I have a very suspicious mind because every adult came under suspicion almost from the off, admittedly sometimes for the wrong reason and I constantly saw what I thought were red flags.
Twisted, intriguing, suspenseful. One Bad Thing is all of those. The reader will need to fight their way through the twists and turns and the misdirection to find a dark and addictive story of complex relationships, twisted obsession and more. The story was well paced with the reader being kept in suspense – I was desperate to know what the awful thing was that Hannah had done and which resulted in her turning her life around, particularly after all the references to it.
This is the first book I’ve read by M K Hill but it certainly won’t be my last – great writing, characters that you constantly doubt and a hugely enjoyable suspenseful plot.
February 3, 2022
Hannah is an agony aunt on a London radio show. When someone calls in to tell a tragic story about her brother's suicide, Hannah's heart practically stops. Because she knows the caller's brother, in fact she's convinced his suicide is a result of one bad thing she did decades earlier. As Diane inveigles herself into Hannah's world, Hannah feels the past is hurtling towards the present - unless she can do something to stop it.
Oh My Giddy (Agony) Aunt! What an exhilarating and addictive read this was! I was hooked from the first page and enjoyed every single second of reading this brilliantly plotted and deliciously dark thriller. I just love the author's style of writing. His characters, while not all likeable, were definitely relatable and very, very real. I LOVED Diane! She was strange yet fascinating and for me she was the real star of the show. The plot was clever and compelling and oh so creepy, I had no idea where it was going and definitely no idea who to trust. I kept on muttering to myself in shock and delight as the story progressed. Thank god I wasn't sat on a bus!
One Bad Thing takes you on a rollercoaster ride where your stomach will somersault and your head will spin (I literally gasped out loud in shock at one point) as the twists and turns unravel in all directions. It's my favourite kind of thriller and it's been a joy to read from start to finish. I'm only gutted because it's all over. MK Hill - I hope you're already working on your next book, just saying.
Thank you Ransom PR & Aries Fiction for my ARC. All glowing views definitely my own!
Oh My Giddy (Agony) Aunt! What an exhilarating and addictive read this was! I was hooked from the first page and enjoyed every single second of reading this brilliantly plotted and deliciously dark thriller. I just love the author's style of writing. His characters, while not all likeable, were definitely relatable and very, very real. I LOVED Diane! She was strange yet fascinating and for me she was the real star of the show. The plot was clever and compelling and oh so creepy, I had no idea where it was going and definitely no idea who to trust. I kept on muttering to myself in shock and delight as the story progressed. Thank god I wasn't sat on a bus!
One Bad Thing takes you on a rollercoaster ride where your stomach will somersault and your head will spin (I literally gasped out loud in shock at one point) as the twists and turns unravel in all directions. It's my favourite kind of thriller and it's been a joy to read from start to finish. I'm only gutted because it's all over. MK Hill - I hope you're already working on your next book, just saying.
Thank you Ransom PR & Aries Fiction for my ARC. All glowing views definitely my own!
January 13, 2022
When Hanna Gordon was young, she did something bad to get revenge and she thought she had got away with it. But several years later she realises she hasn’t, and things have come back to haunt her.
Hanna Gordon is a successful, popular agony aunt called ‘Queen of hearts. She is married with a toddler called Amber and she is just about to get her big break on TV.
When Hanna gets a call from a lonely woman called Diane who reminds her what happened all of them years ago and the repercussions after that event. Hanna agrees to meet her which leads to trying to move her way into the family and she thinks that Diana is out for revenge.
Thank you, Head of Zeus for a copy of One bad thing, this is a twisty, thriller from the author Mark Hill and the first book that I have read from him. It has a good storyline and well-developed characters. I did enjoy it this, but it didn’t wow me. The intensity was not there for me, and I thought of guessed what would happen at the end. 4 stars from me.
Hanna Gordon is a successful, popular agony aunt called ‘Queen of hearts. She is married with a toddler called Amber and she is just about to get her big break on TV.
When Hanna gets a call from a lonely woman called Diane who reminds her what happened all of them years ago and the repercussions after that event. Hanna agrees to meet her which leads to trying to move her way into the family and she thinks that Diana is out for revenge.
Thank you, Head of Zeus for a copy of One bad thing, this is a twisty, thriller from the author Mark Hill and the first book that I have read from him. It has a good storyline and well-developed characters. I did enjoy it this, but it didn’t wow me. The intensity was not there for me, and I thought of guessed what would happen at the end. 4 stars from me.
February 2, 2022
I keep telling myself to stay away from the psychological thriller genre but apparently I just will not learn.
"One Bad Thing" is clever tale of mental abuse and manipulation but it all felt a bit too "been there and done that" and ultimately, for me, massively predictable since I had the whole thing pretty much figured out in the first part of the book despite the red herring(s). Nevertheless, I'm a fan of Hill's writing and I'll gladly give his books another go in the future.
"One Bad Thing" is clever tale of mental abuse and manipulation but it all felt a bit too "been there and done that" and ultimately, for me, massively predictable since I had the whole thing pretty much figured out in the first part of the book despite the red herring(s). Nevertheless, I'm a fan of Hill's writing and I'll gladly give his books another go in the future.
February 2, 2022
Well! What to say? What on earth to say? I have no idea where to start on this review, I could just say BUY THIS BOOK .... READ THIS BOOK .... and disappear. I could, but I shouldn't, so here we go, let me try to explain just how incredibly good this story is, without spoiling the amazing plot.
I've long been a fan of this author, his books never let me down. He can write series and he can write stand alone stories. This one is a stand alone, but I'd suggest you sit down to read it, and maybe not when you are alone!
Hannah Godley is a fairly well-known agony aunt for a London radio station. She's just got her big break and is due to start to present a slot on a popular morning TV show. The story begins on Hannah's last day at the radio. As usual, she's taking calls from listeners and offering advice to them. Her motto is 'be kind, always'.
Diane calls the show and speaks about her dead brother. He took his own life a few years ago, he was never able to recover from an incident when he was younger, when two people did a very bad thing to him. Hannah's blood runs cold. She recognises the story ... she knows that she is responsible, but she is not sure if Diane knows that.
Hannah knows that she did a bad thing and has spent the rest of her life trying to make up for it. She's kind and helps people. She's married to Sean and they have a small daughter Amber. On the whole, life is good. However, Hannah cannot get Diane's voice out of her head and tracks her down, she wants to see if Diane is about to tear her life apart.
Diane is a strange, insular woman. She's overpowering and clingy and Hannah soon begins to regret ever having contacted her. Hannah's life becomes a series of not very nice events; from casual vandalism to attempts to harm her family. The only thing she can do is to track down Cameron, the guy who helped her to trick Diane's brother, all those years ago.
Right. That's it. No more on the plot from me. I just can't.
I can tell you that this kept me awake at night. I had my suspicions about so many of the key players in this story, but these changed on a regular basis. The story never lets you go, just when you think it's safe to turn the page ... BANG! .. you are dealt another blow and your head reels just a little bit more.
It's clever, and thrilling and totally exhausting. The characters are, in the main, not in the least bit likeable.
There is so much to discuss here. There's Hannah's early life, with her parents and sister and how those times shaped her behaviours. We can discuss stalking and psychopathy and how one person can create such evil purely through obsession. There's the manipulation of mental health and how a vulnerable person can be manipulated to do just exactly as they are told. It's all there, in one great big marvellous dollop.
Loved it. Loved it. Highly recommended. Read it. Buy it.
I've long been a fan of this author, his books never let me down. He can write series and he can write stand alone stories. This one is a stand alone, but I'd suggest you sit down to read it, and maybe not when you are alone!
Hannah Godley is a fairly well-known agony aunt for a London radio station. She's just got her big break and is due to start to present a slot on a popular morning TV show. The story begins on Hannah's last day at the radio. As usual, she's taking calls from listeners and offering advice to them. Her motto is 'be kind, always'.
Diane calls the show and speaks about her dead brother. He took his own life a few years ago, he was never able to recover from an incident when he was younger, when two people did a very bad thing to him. Hannah's blood runs cold. She recognises the story ... she knows that she is responsible, but she is not sure if Diane knows that.
Hannah knows that she did a bad thing and has spent the rest of her life trying to make up for it. She's kind and helps people. She's married to Sean and they have a small daughter Amber. On the whole, life is good. However, Hannah cannot get Diane's voice out of her head and tracks her down, she wants to see if Diane is about to tear her life apart.
Diane is a strange, insular woman. She's overpowering and clingy and Hannah soon begins to regret ever having contacted her. Hannah's life becomes a series of not very nice events; from casual vandalism to attempts to harm her family. The only thing she can do is to track down Cameron, the guy who helped her to trick Diane's brother, all those years ago.
Right. That's it. No more on the plot from me. I just can't.
I can tell you that this kept me awake at night. I had my suspicions about so many of the key players in this story, but these changed on a regular basis. The story never lets you go, just when you think it's safe to turn the page ... BANG! .. you are dealt another blow and your head reels just a little bit more.
It's clever, and thrilling and totally exhausting. The characters are, in the main, not in the least bit likeable.
There is so much to discuss here. There's Hannah's early life, with her parents and sister and how those times shaped her behaviours. We can discuss stalking and psychopathy and how one person can create such evil purely through obsession. There's the manipulation of mental health and how a vulnerable person can be manipulated to do just exactly as they are told. It's all there, in one great big marvellous dollop.
Loved it. Loved it. Highly recommended. Read it. Buy it.
April 26, 2022
⭐⭐⭐⭐
This was an enjoyable read. Well written and quickly paced. The plot was engaging and kept me hooked throughout. I will say that the "one bad thing" wasn't really all that bad (IMO). 🤷🏻♀️ The resolution caught me off guard (In a good way). So kudos to the author for that. Throughout, I had one crazy theory that turned out to be utterly untrue. That said, I still think my twist would have been even MORE shocking than the one we get! 😂 Overall, though, this one is getting two solid thumbs up from yours truly!
**ARC Via NetGalley**
This was an enjoyable read. Well written and quickly paced. The plot was engaging and kept me hooked throughout. I will say that the "one bad thing" wasn't really all that bad (IMO). 🤷🏻♀️ The resolution caught me off guard (In a good way). So kudos to the author for that. Throughout, I had one crazy theory that turned out to be utterly untrue. That said, I still think my twist would have been even MORE shocking than the one we get! 😂 Overall, though, this one is getting two solid thumbs up from yours truly!
**ARC Via NetGalley**
March 20, 2022
Hannah an agony aunt on a radio show, and is well known for her kindness and ability to help and guide others at tough times in their lives. On her last show, a caller phoned with a devastating story of her brother. She tells Hannah that her brother was a victim of a cruel prank that ended with him being so distraught he killed himself. Hannah knows this call is directed at her - especially when the caller tells her she's going to make her pay. As Hannah tries to stop her past crashing with her present, she'll realise that she can never escape that one bad thing she did.... no matter how hard she tries....
This is the first book I've read by this author and what a brilliant starting book! The story kept me gripped the whole way through, wanting to know what it is Hannah and Cameron did. I've got to admit, I did sort of guess some of the twists coming - however it did not lessen how much I enjoyed the story at all.
I'm looking forward to reading more by this author!
This is the first book I've read by this author and what a brilliant starting book! The story kept me gripped the whole way through, wanting to know what it is Hannah and Cameron did. I've got to admit, I did sort of guess some of the twists coming - however it did not lessen how much I enjoyed the story at all.
I'm looking forward to reading more by this author!
February 16, 2022
Ooooh this is such a good book! I was hooked from the very first page when Hannah explains that she did something in her past that she's not proud of...but what did she do? I couldn't read fast enough to find out but that's not the only hook...someone knows what Hannah did and if the truth comes out it could destroy her.
Hannah is radio's Queen of Hearts and her crown would well and truly slip if people ever find out what she did, so when a caller to the radio show threatens to expose Hannah's secret, Hannah will do anything to keep it buried...even befriending the person who is threatening her. Diane is really creepy, she is so clingy and needy but it's clear that she is very lonely and I did feel sorry for her. Loneliness can be a crippling condition so I could understand Diane grabbing on to social contact whether obtained through fair means or foul.
Although Hannah has a deep, dark secret that could show her in a completely different light to her public persona, I still really liked her. She's a new mum, juggling a busy career and a home with a husband who needs a good talking to. I think Sean often forgets that he is married; he acts like a single bloke, always leaving Hannah to look after the baby. Sean's contribution to parenthood was to hire a nanny...enough said.
I just loved everything about this book: the well-developed characters, the fast-paced, drama-filled plot and the compelling writing that really drew me into the story. The writing is so good that I already have my eye on M.K. Hill's previous books and can't wait to read them.
Gripping, pacy and twisty, One Bad Thing is a cracking thriller that is as impossible to predict as it is to put down. I highly recommend it and I think M.K. Hill is definitely an author to watch.
Many thanks to Sophie Ransom for inviting me to take part in the blog tour and to Head of Zeus for providing an ARC to read and review; this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
Hannah is radio's Queen of Hearts and her crown would well and truly slip if people ever find out what she did, so when a caller to the radio show threatens to expose Hannah's secret, Hannah will do anything to keep it buried...even befriending the person who is threatening her. Diane is really creepy, she is so clingy and needy but it's clear that she is very lonely and I did feel sorry for her. Loneliness can be a crippling condition so I could understand Diane grabbing on to social contact whether obtained through fair means or foul.
Although Hannah has a deep, dark secret that could show her in a completely different light to her public persona, I still really liked her. She's a new mum, juggling a busy career and a home with a husband who needs a good talking to. I think Sean often forgets that he is married; he acts like a single bloke, always leaving Hannah to look after the baby. Sean's contribution to parenthood was to hire a nanny...enough said.
I just loved everything about this book: the well-developed characters, the fast-paced, drama-filled plot and the compelling writing that really drew me into the story. The writing is so good that I already have my eye on M.K. Hill's previous books and can't wait to read them.
Gripping, pacy and twisty, One Bad Thing is a cracking thriller that is as impossible to predict as it is to put down. I highly recommend it and I think M.K. Hill is definitely an author to watch.
Many thanks to Sophie Ransom for inviting me to take part in the blog tour and to Head of Zeus for providing an ARC to read and review; this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
February 25, 2022
Mark Hill delivers yet another chilling, psychological thriller where all is not as it first seems. A cracking good read.
May 18, 2023
Just as I was thinking this book was predictable it made my jaw drop. I had so much fun reading this! I could 100% see this being a movie.
November 13, 2023
A great psychological thriller of manipulation and mental abuse, with plenty of twists along the way.
January 29, 2024
This book brought me out of my reading slump. 🙃
It didn't earn 5 ⭐ but it was a lot of fun to read.
Highly recommend this book.
The author is definitely one I want to keep reading.
March 26, 2022
I just couldn’t believe the mistakes made by someone who was supposed to be a trained university degree psychologist! Hannah answers a call from a ‘deranged’ threatening phone in caller on her ‘agony aunt’ radio show. This brings up a revenge event from University days that she and a boyfriend carried out in a man who had allegedly locked a friend in his room. A much loved IVF daughter, a difficult relationship with a mentally unhinged sister, and subsequent father issues, a problem marriage, a weird nanny who is allowed to look after her precious child. The only thing seemingly going right is Hannah’s career and how can this be when she has such a terrible take on people! So predictable I kept reading expecting there to be a twist to prove I was wrong!
March 25, 2022
I enjoyed this book, but halfway through guessed who the antagonists were. First time reading this author, will read more.
June 24, 2022
love a stupid book that throws a lot of twists in there but it was just a bit flat and obvious!
February 7, 2022
Hannah is an agony aunt on a London radio show, Queen of Hearts, dishing out advice to troubled people over the airwaves. Her catchphrase is 'Be kind, always', but it is a motto that she has not always applied to her own life - something that is about to have great significance for what follows...
Queen of Hearts has become very popular, and Hannah is now moving on up to a spot on day-time TV. On her last day at the radio show, a woman called Diane calls in, telling the tragic story of how her brother Martin was tormented by two strangers years ago - an episode from which he never recovered, causing him to eventually take his own life. It is a story that Hannah knows only too well, as she was one of the strangers involved, and this woman somehow seems to know all about what she did. Before ringing off, Diane vows to get her revenge...
From this moment the 'one bad thing' Hannah has tried to forget can no longer be ignored. Even though she is not proud of what she did, and it was the turning point in her life that made her change her ways, she would prefer that it didn't become common knowledge. She feels compelled to track down Diane to protest her innocence, but once she meets her she cannot seem to to get rid of her. Diane is there at every turn and seems to know even the most intimate details about her life. Hannah is unsettled, but she cannot decide if Diane is really out for revenge or is just lonely and looking for a friend, until things start to go seriously awry. She is relutantly forced to turn to someone from her past for help - someone she really did not want to see again...
One Bad Thing is a deliciously creepy psychological thriller about how ill-judged episodes from our youth can come back to haunt us.
Hannah is, for all intents and purposes, a very respectable wife, mother and professional agony aunt, dolling out advice to those who need a bit of extra help. But the veneer of her current respectability covers up the troubled young woman she used to be - the woman who drank too much and often stepped outside the bounds of acceptable behaviour to make herself feel something. It's a life she left behind when the traumatic event with Martin made her realise that things had gone too far and she didn't like who she had become.
The story is told in two timelines, moving back and forth from the past when the 'one bad thing' happened, and the present as Hannah's life goes into freefall. We only very gradually learn what the bad thing was and who was involved, which builds suspense nicely, and all the while the tension in the present ramps up notch by notch as the mayhem plays out. This is a plot full of glorious threads of secrets, deception, jealousy, and obsession, with some skillful misdirection that allows Hill to toy with your perception time and time again, until all the twists, turns and shocking revelations leave you feeling breathless.
Hill touches on some poignant themes about family dynamics, mental health, loneliness, and the treatment of the vulnerable which are really affecting, but I think this book also asks an interesting question about what actually makes someone an ideal 'agony aunt'. What qualities and experience should they have? And do they always have to be paragons of virtue? Something to ponder in your quieter moments...
I read this book in a single, highly entertaining sitting, with my heart in my mouth for almost the entire time. It's perfectly pitched, unnerving, and totally absorbing - and would make a cracking TV drama!
Queen of Hearts has become very popular, and Hannah is now moving on up to a spot on day-time TV. On her last day at the radio show, a woman called Diane calls in, telling the tragic story of how her brother Martin was tormented by two strangers years ago - an episode from which he never recovered, causing him to eventually take his own life. It is a story that Hannah knows only too well, as she was one of the strangers involved, and this woman somehow seems to know all about what she did. Before ringing off, Diane vows to get her revenge...
From this moment the 'one bad thing' Hannah has tried to forget can no longer be ignored. Even though she is not proud of what she did, and it was the turning point in her life that made her change her ways, she would prefer that it didn't become common knowledge. She feels compelled to track down Diane to protest her innocence, but once she meets her she cannot seem to to get rid of her. Diane is there at every turn and seems to know even the most intimate details about her life. Hannah is unsettled, but she cannot decide if Diane is really out for revenge or is just lonely and looking for a friend, until things start to go seriously awry. She is relutantly forced to turn to someone from her past for help - someone she really did not want to see again...
One Bad Thing is a deliciously creepy psychological thriller about how ill-judged episodes from our youth can come back to haunt us.
Hannah is, for all intents and purposes, a very respectable wife, mother and professional agony aunt, dolling out advice to those who need a bit of extra help. But the veneer of her current respectability covers up the troubled young woman she used to be - the woman who drank too much and often stepped outside the bounds of acceptable behaviour to make herself feel something. It's a life she left behind when the traumatic event with Martin made her realise that things had gone too far and she didn't like who she had become.
The story is told in two timelines, moving back and forth from the past when the 'one bad thing' happened, and the present as Hannah's life goes into freefall. We only very gradually learn what the bad thing was and who was involved, which builds suspense nicely, and all the while the tension in the present ramps up notch by notch as the mayhem plays out. This is a plot full of glorious threads of secrets, deception, jealousy, and obsession, with some skillful misdirection that allows Hill to toy with your perception time and time again, until all the twists, turns and shocking revelations leave you feeling breathless.
Hill touches on some poignant themes about family dynamics, mental health, loneliness, and the treatment of the vulnerable which are really affecting, but I think this book also asks an interesting question about what actually makes someone an ideal 'agony aunt'. What qualities and experience should they have? And do they always have to be paragons of virtue? Something to ponder in your quieter moments...
I read this book in a single, highly entertaining sitting, with my heart in my mouth for almost the entire time. It's perfectly pitched, unnerving, and totally absorbing - and would make a cracking TV drama!
June 21, 2023
Hannah Godley is a bit of a local treasure in her work as a psychologist/agony aunt on a radio show in London. Personally, I can’t stand these people who sensationalise people’s problems so I was interested to see if I would stay the course with this book by M K Hill. I am glad to say that I did. Hannah has received her big break in that she has been invited to join a major daytime TV program. She is putting out her final show on the radio when she takes a call from a listener Diana. Diana doesn’t go into a lot of detail, but she alludes to the death of her brother, Martin after a prank. Diana’s ending words though strike a chord with Hannah, “I’m going to make the people responsible for Martin’s death suffer.” Hannah doesn’t have the faintest idea who Diana is, but she has a pretty good grasp of the situation Diana is talking about. This is because many years ago, Diana knew a Martin and her and a friend did something to Martin which she is now terribly ashamed of.
Scared of what Diana could do and how it could impact her personal and professional life, Hannah seeks to get more involved with Diana. Just as she made a bad error of judgment all those years previously, the decision is one that she is going to regret as it unleashes a chain of events over which she has no control.
I did have some empathy for Hannah. Although she makes one bad decision after another and seems completely ineffectual in dealing with the situation, the accounts of stalking are horrible, particularly when it appeared her daughter was at risk.
Totally intriguing with multiple twists, this was a very well-written novel by M K Hill. Twisted, intriguing, suspenseful. There are multiple complex relationships and I didn’t actually suss out what was happening until just before the end. It was only then that I realised that there had been clues all along, but misdirection had taken you on a different path.
One Bad Thing is dark and clever. It’s the first book by M K Hill for me, but I will be certain to seek out more.
Scared of what Diana could do and how it could impact her personal and professional life, Hannah seeks to get more involved with Diana. Just as she made a bad error of judgment all those years previously, the decision is one that she is going to regret as it unleashes a chain of events over which she has no control.
I did have some empathy for Hannah. Although she makes one bad decision after another and seems completely ineffectual in dealing with the situation, the accounts of stalking are horrible, particularly when it appeared her daughter was at risk.
Totally intriguing with multiple twists, this was a very well-written novel by M K Hill. Twisted, intriguing, suspenseful. There are multiple complex relationships and I didn’t actually suss out what was happening until just before the end. It was only then that I realised that there had been clues all along, but misdirection had taken you on a different path.
One Bad Thing is dark and clever. It’s the first book by M K Hill for me, but I will be certain to seek out more.
January 12, 2022
I’m a huge fan of M.K. Hill’s writing, and I couldn’t wait to start reading One Bad Thing. There is a lot of mystery surrounding his characters in his latest book, which I loved trying to unravel. Set in the world of broadcasting, we meet Agony Aunt, Hannah, whose career is about to reach the next level, when she is invited to be part of a television show. But soon her world is about to come crashing down, when someone calls her on the show she presents, and makes a very serious threat. This is a threat that Hannah can’t ignore.
I loved how M.K. Hill constantly kept me thinking about his characters as I was reading this book. From the moment Hannah is threatened, I wanted to know what had happened in her past and what she was hiding. From the way how Hannah reacts to the call, it is clear that she carries a dark secret. Hannah is a character who I could never quite make my mind up about as I was reading. I liked her at the start of the book, and there were places where I did feel sorry for her, particularly when she was trying to build a better relationship with her parents. But my opinions of her began to change, as more about what happened in her younger days is revealed.
There are so many twists and turns as the book progresses, and the plot took me on a whirlwind of a ride. I could really feel the anxiety that Hannah was experiencing, as she tries to make sense of what is happening to her. Her mind is all over the place, and it is very clear to see just how frightened she is. It’s what makes this book so tense, and I really wanted to know what was going to happen to her.
The final revelations, when they came, were shocking but they made perfect sense and the ending felt very satisfactory. I had so many suspicions about many of the characters in this book which is what made it, for me, such an entertaining read.
Psychological thriller lovers you do not want to miss this book. One Bad Thing is utterly gripping and I highly, highly recommend it!
I loved how M.K. Hill constantly kept me thinking about his characters as I was reading this book. From the moment Hannah is threatened, I wanted to know what had happened in her past and what she was hiding. From the way how Hannah reacts to the call, it is clear that she carries a dark secret. Hannah is a character who I could never quite make my mind up about as I was reading. I liked her at the start of the book, and there were places where I did feel sorry for her, particularly when she was trying to build a better relationship with her parents. But my opinions of her began to change, as more about what happened in her younger days is revealed.
There are so many twists and turns as the book progresses, and the plot took me on a whirlwind of a ride. I could really feel the anxiety that Hannah was experiencing, as she tries to make sense of what is happening to her. Her mind is all over the place, and it is very clear to see just how frightened she is. It’s what makes this book so tense, and I really wanted to know what was going to happen to her.
The final revelations, when they came, were shocking but they made perfect sense and the ending felt very satisfactory. I had so many suspicions about many of the characters in this book which is what made it, for me, such an entertaining read.
Psychological thriller lovers you do not want to miss this book. One Bad Thing is utterly gripping and I highly, highly recommend it!
January 21, 2022
ne Bad Thing - MK Hill
‘𝕀’𝕧𝕖 𝕝𝕖𝕒𝕣𝕟𝕖𝕕 𝕥𝕠 𝕞𝕪 𝕔𝕠𝕤𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕔𝕒𝕟 𝕟𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣 𝕝𝕖𝕒𝕧𝕖 𝕓𝕖𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕕 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕠𝕟𝕖 𝕓𝕒𝕕 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕕𝕚𝕕.’
𝐇𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐚𝐡 𝐆𝐨𝐝𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐠𝐨𝐧𝐲 𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐚 𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐧 𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐨 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬. 𝐒𝐡𝐞'𝐬 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐦 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐜; 𝐚 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫. 𝐇𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐩𝐡��𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐬: 𝐁𝐞 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐝, 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐦𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐦 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐤, 𝐇𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐚𝐡 𝐠𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐝. 𝐁𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐃𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐞'𝐬 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥. 𝐈𝐧 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐭, 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫, 𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐡𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐬. 𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡����𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐠...
𝐈𝐬 𝐃𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞? 𝐁𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐬 𝐃𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞, 𝐇𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐚𝐡 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐥𝐲 𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐁𝐚𝐝 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐢𝐝 – 𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐞…
Well, this review should be subtitled ‘Just one more chapter’, I really got into this book and had to keep reading. There are plenty of twists and turns to keep you gasping. Little niggling clues for you to think about and trip up on.
My perception of the characters kept being reframed throughout, I disliked Hannah, then loved her, I felt sorry for Diane and was then scared of her. I didn’t trust any of the men in this book and my opinion flip flopped as I read. I was simply glued to this one from start to finish!
As I raced to the finish, I just couldn’t decide what was going to happen. I stayed up way past my bedtime to finish as I HAD to know what was going to happen. This book is so satisfying - a gripping, compelling, heart thumping domestic thriller not to be missed!
MK Hill is rapidly becoming one of my auto- buy authors!
✩✩✩✩✰
Thanks so much to Sophie Ransom PR, Head of Zeus, Mark Hill for my copy of this book and spot on the tour
‘𝕀’𝕧𝕖 𝕝𝕖𝕒𝕣𝕟𝕖𝕕 𝕥𝕠 𝕞𝕪 𝕔𝕠𝕤𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕔𝕒𝕟 𝕟𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣 𝕝𝕖𝕒𝕧𝕖 𝕓𝕖𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕕 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕠𝕟𝕖 𝕓𝕒𝕕 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕕𝕚𝕕.’
𝐇𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐚𝐡 𝐆𝐨𝐝𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐠𝐨𝐧𝐲 𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐚 𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐧 𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐨 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬. 𝐒𝐡𝐞'𝐬 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐦 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐜; 𝐚 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫. 𝐇𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐩𝐡��𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐬: 𝐁𝐞 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐝, 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐦𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐦 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐤, 𝐇𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐚𝐡 𝐠𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐝. 𝐁𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐃𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐞'𝐬 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥. 𝐈𝐧 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐭, 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫, 𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐡𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐬. 𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡����𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐠...
𝐈𝐬 𝐃𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞? 𝐁𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐬 𝐃𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞, 𝐇𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐚𝐡 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐥𝐲 𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐁𝐚𝐝 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐢𝐝 – 𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐞…
Well, this review should be subtitled ‘Just one more chapter’, I really got into this book and had to keep reading. There are plenty of twists and turns to keep you gasping. Little niggling clues for you to think about and trip up on.
My perception of the characters kept being reframed throughout, I disliked Hannah, then loved her, I felt sorry for Diane and was then scared of her. I didn’t trust any of the men in this book and my opinion flip flopped as I read. I was simply glued to this one from start to finish!
As I raced to the finish, I just couldn’t decide what was going to happen. I stayed up way past my bedtime to finish as I HAD to know what was going to happen. This book is so satisfying - a gripping, compelling, heart thumping domestic thriller not to be missed!
MK Hill is rapidly becoming one of my auto- buy authors!
✩✩✩✩✰
Thanks so much to Sophie Ransom PR, Head of Zeus, Mark Hill for my copy of this book and spot on the tour
February 1, 2022
Oh what a tangled web we weave... And the web weaved by Hannah Godley is a bit of a doozy! She's an agony aunt on a radio show and is quite a hit with the listeners. But then, one show, a woman calls in and spills the tragic tale of her brother who was the victim of a prank and who later took his own life. This story chills Hannah to the bone as it is not only one she is familiar with, it is one she took part in. Could the two really be connected. Her bad deed and this woman's story. She has to know. And, more importantly, she has to know what the woman wants from her. But Hannah wasn't in it alone, so she turns to the only person she can for help...
Well... this hit the ground running from the off and didn't really let up until the very end. Delivering punch after shock all the way through. The characters were great, even if I really didn't like Hannah very much, which did mar my enjoyment a tad as I pretty much didn't care what happened to her.
The premise was really good but the execution lacked that certain something, that "wow factor" that would tip it from a good book to a great read. I can't quite put my finger in what that was though so I'm not much help there. I guess it also didn't help that I guessed some things a bit early so the punches were a bit pulled for me.
That said, it did hold my attention nicely throughout and left me satisfied at the end.
All in all, although not his best, a worth addition to what is shaping up to be a solid back catalogue. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
Well... this hit the ground running from the off and didn't really let up until the very end. Delivering punch after shock all the way through. The characters were great, even if I really didn't like Hannah very much, which did mar my enjoyment a tad as I pretty much didn't care what happened to her.
The premise was really good but the execution lacked that certain something, that "wow factor" that would tip it from a good book to a great read. I can't quite put my finger in what that was though so I'm not much help there. I guess it also didn't help that I guessed some things a bit early so the punches were a bit pulled for me.
That said, it did hold my attention nicely throughout and left me satisfied at the end.
All in all, although not his best, a worth addition to what is shaping up to be a solid back catalogue. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
February 12, 2022
“One Bad Thing,” written by M. K. Hill, is a psychological thriller, a non-stop ride that grabs your attention on the first page and keeps you riveted until the very end. The plot centers around Hannah Godley, her baby daughter Amber, her husband, Sean, and Siobhan, their nanny. When the novel opens, the station’s resident psychologist Hannah is in the radio booth. She is on air, known as an “Agony Aunt,” taking calls from and doling advice to her many listeners. Hannah is known as “The Queen of Hearts” because of her kindness, concern for all, and constant mantra, “Always Be Kind.” She is almost done with the broadcast—it’s her last day at the radio station because she has taken a position with the very popular morning television show, Morning Brew. She gets an upsetting call from a listener who vows revenge on the people that pulled a prank on her brother years prior, causing his subsequent suicide, and shameful memories flood back to Hannah. After all the good she has done in her life and as far as she’s come, there was that One Bad Thing…
This is a riveting, exciting novel, full of twists and turns, leaving readers gasping, holding their breath, thinking they know where the book is heading, then being spun a different direction. It is completely engrossing from beginning to end. The plot and characters are fleshed-out and well-written, the climax is heart-pounding and skids to a satisfying conclusion. I would have given “One Bad Thing” more than five stars had I been able to do so. I’ll be happily diving in to whatever M. K. Hill pens in the future, and strongly suggest you do the same.
Thank you to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for graciously allowing me to preview and rate this work in exchange for an honest review.
This is a riveting, exciting novel, full of twists and turns, leaving readers gasping, holding their breath, thinking they know where the book is heading, then being spun a different direction. It is completely engrossing from beginning to end. The plot and characters are fleshed-out and well-written, the climax is heart-pounding and skids to a satisfying conclusion. I would have given “One Bad Thing” more than five stars had I been able to do so. I’ll be happily diving in to whatever M. K. Hill pens in the future, and strongly suggest you do the same.
Thank you to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for graciously allowing me to preview and rate this work in exchange for an honest review.
February 10, 2022
One Bad Thing is the first book I have read by M.K. Hill but based on the exciting ride I've just had I'll definitely read his books in the future.
We've all done things we regret but Hannah Godley's one bad thing is about to come back and haunt her, right on the cusp of her new role as TV agony aunt on a popular daytime show. A woman calls her radio show and vows revenge for her brother's death. Hannah is left reeling and attempts to contact the woman to find out just what she has planned. As you can imagine, she's on a knife-edge.
This is one of those books I didn't want to put down and when I did, I couldn't wait to pick it up again. It's fast-paced and gripping, and I really liked the plotline of a woman known as the Queen of Hearts being hounded for a mistake in her past. I didn't completely take to Hannah but I did feel sorry for her as everything started to fall apart in her previously well-ordered life. I didn't know which character to trust as things start to happen to Hannah and totally freak her out.
The writing is really good quality and the story went along at a great speed. I enjoyed the process of putting it all together as I read and trying to work out if the outcome was going to be what I thought or not (it pretty much was!). I really enjoyed this excellent psychological thriller. Secrets and lies from the past and present intermingle to provide a truly thrilling story and I recommend it for people who like a twisty and exhilarating read.
We've all done things we regret but Hannah Godley's one bad thing is about to come back and haunt her, right on the cusp of her new role as TV agony aunt on a popular daytime show. A woman calls her radio show and vows revenge for her brother's death. Hannah is left reeling and attempts to contact the woman to find out just what she has planned. As you can imagine, she's on a knife-edge.
This is one of those books I didn't want to put down and when I did, I couldn't wait to pick it up again. It's fast-paced and gripping, and I really liked the plotline of a woman known as the Queen of Hearts being hounded for a mistake in her past. I didn't completely take to Hannah but I did feel sorry for her as everything started to fall apart in her previously well-ordered life. I didn't know which character to trust as things start to happen to Hannah and totally freak her out.
The writing is really good quality and the story went along at a great speed. I enjoyed the process of putting it all together as I read and trying to work out if the outcome was going to be what I thought or not (it pretty much was!). I really enjoyed this excellent psychological thriller. Secrets and lies from the past and present intermingle to provide a truly thrilling story and I recommend it for people who like a twisty and exhilarating read.
January 25, 2022
Hannah is an agony aunt known as the Queen of Hearts who works on a radio programme, but she’s just been offered her dream job working on a morning TV show. During her last radio broadcast, a caller (Diane) rings in with a tragic story about how her brother committed suicide because two people did something to him years before that he could never quite move on from. Hannah’s blood runs cold as the story seems very familiar to her, as she knows only too well what happened on that night.
Is Diane just sad, or a lonely woman looking for a friend, or does want revenge?
I should start this review by saying that I know MK Hill when we worked together “back in the day” but this is an honest and open review.
This is the first book of MK Hill’s that I’ve read, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. There are several WTF moments, and when I got to the first one, I squealed with delight as I wasn’t expecting it at all – it was a complete surprise!
There are loads of twists and turns and just when you think you know what’s going on, the story flips again and another bombshell is thrown into the mix.
I initially really like Hannah (the agony aunt, wife and mother version) but I really didn’t like the younger, university and Cam version – she was a true Mean Girl!
I would definitely recommend this to all fans of psychological thrillers, and I have to say I’m extremely proud of my former colleague!
Is Diane just sad, or a lonely woman looking for a friend, or does want revenge?
I should start this review by saying that I know MK Hill when we worked together “back in the day” but this is an honest and open review.
This is the first book of MK Hill’s that I’ve read, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. There are several WTF moments, and when I got to the first one, I squealed with delight as I wasn’t expecting it at all – it was a complete surprise!
There are loads of twists and turns and just when you think you know what’s going on, the story flips again and another bombshell is thrown into the mix.
I initially really like Hannah (the agony aunt, wife and mother version) but I really didn’t like the younger, university and Cam version – she was a true Mean Girl!
I would definitely recommend this to all fans of psychological thrillers, and I have to say I’m extremely proud of my former colleague!
February 3, 2022
One Bad Thing is the latest thriller from author M.K. Hill and what a twisted tale it is too. Full of intrigue, mystery and tension, and with pitch perfect pacing, it kept me glued to the page right to the very last moment. I always know I am going to be entertained when I pick up a book by this author, that I will meet characters I love and also love to hate, and I was not disappointed. Murder, obsession, revenge ... this book has it all, as well as a healthy dose of emotion and regret. If you like a really good mystery, one in which the tension slowly builds a steady pulse to heart pounding conclusion, then this could be the book for you as Mr Hill has done it again.
In this book we are introduced to Hannah Godley, an agony aunt on local radio who is just about to embark upon the next phase of her career, a move to a really high profile TV show. The problem with being high profile is that your whole life is effectively laid out for the public and it turns out there may be moments from Hannah's past that she is not too keen on being brought out into the open. That openymous one bad thing that will turn Hannah from well loved personality to social pariah overnight. She knows exactly what, and who, Diane is talking about when she calls into the radio show about her brother, but what could possibly be so bad that it turns Hannah's whole world upside down? That is exactly what we are all about to find out.
I like the way in which the author has carefully woven Hannah's history into the story, choosing when to reveal pivotal moments to the reader in a way which maximises suspense. By bringing Diane into Hannah's world really early doors it sets up that suspense, gets you wondering just what can have happened that is so devastating. And clearly was devastating given what Diane reveals to Hannah about her brother. But the story is about more than just this moment in the past and there is a clear sense from the start that Diane is a troubled soul. There is an edge to her that makes you just marginally uncomfortable, an intensity of character that sets the alarm bells ringing.
Hannah was a character I was never quite sure about. One the surface and in the present day she seems to be a dedicated wife and mother, but with that cloud hanging over her past it took a while to trust her. That said, there was a clear feeling of regret and an attempt to distance herself from her rebellious past, one which helped to redeem her as a character. I could sympathise with her position, maybe feel a touch of empathy as who hasn't done something in the past that they ultimately come to regret? Maybe not that bad, but in the grand scheme of fictional faux pas, I didn't think what Hannah did was so bad as to deserve what came to pass. And the more we learn about Hannah, about her past, the easier I found it to understand what drove her behaviour, if not to completely forgive it.
But then there are lots of motivations in play in this novel, not all of them easy to see, and Hannah's personal mistakes are perhaps the least of them. This really is a tale of deception, obsession and misdirection. Not everyone in the book is who they appear to be, and MK Hill casts doubt upon the trustworthiness of pretty much every single one of them in turn. There is an unsettling undercurrent throughout the book, that kind of certainty that I knew what was happening to Hannah, even if she couldn't see it for herself. That she is in far more danger than she realised and that some of the strange happenings and feelings she experiences have a far darker, and more obvious root cause. She is forced to confront her past but as any good crime fiction fan knows, looking backward is never a good idea. It's akin to saying 'I'll be back' in a horror novel. Not going to end well. Definitely the case here and serves to amplify the conflict.
This is classic psychological thriller fiction, full of uncertainty, secrets and misdirection, all used to perfect effect. Pacing is perfect, and towards the end as the truth of what is happening is clear and the level of threat against Hannah and her family is at its greatest, you can really feel it picking up. Just when you think you have a handle on what is happening, where the story is going, the author manages to pull a blinder, delivering those final few shocks to keep you on edge. And it is tense to the last, those final pulse pounding scenes driving us, almost literally, to a very satisfying ending. Another fabulous read from one of my go to authors. Definitely recommended.
January 11, 2022
One Bad Thing is a page-turner packed with unexpected twists and turns. The characters and settings were authentically written, giving the story a sense of realism. It kept me guessing for a long while, and some developments really surprised me.
I often found myself questioning the protagonist’s motives – particularly following the significant incident halfway through the story. In her shoes, I would have instantly parted company with certain people.
Despite the revelations, a rather chilling, threatening, first half of the book was not as unsettling or nerve-wracking during the second half.
The title didn’t really resonate. Its meaning was obvious, but something more abstract/creative could have worked better.
I would recommend this to my English lit students – the pace and suspense would keep them hooked, and they’re suckers for stories with a love triangle and emotional character development.
This was my first by this author. I will seek out his other work.
As ever, thanks to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I often found myself questioning the protagonist’s motives – particularly following the significant incident halfway through the story. In her shoes, I would have instantly parted company with certain people.
Despite the revelations, a rather chilling, threatening, first half of the book was not as unsettling or nerve-wracking during the second half.
The title didn’t really resonate. Its meaning was obvious, but something more abstract/creative could have worked better.
I would recommend this to my English lit students – the pace and suspense would keep them hooked, and they’re suckers for stories with a love triangle and emotional character development.
This was my first by this author. I will seek out his other work.
As ever, thanks to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
December 28, 2022
A great read! When Hannah receives a call to her agony aunt show on local radio she wonders whether it is directed at her.
Many years previously she had been in a relationship she felt was just too steady and reliable with Cameron. When one of her friends was threatened by a local man Hannah decides to take matters into her own hands as payback and along with Cameron they take their revenge, seemingly harmless at the time. But then emerges a picture of the three of them together and Hannah finds out that the man took his own life years later and wonders if there is a connection.
Diane, the lady that called the radio show suddenly starts appearing at the same places as Hannah, but is she harmless, or does something more threatening lie behind her appearances? She claims it was her brother who killed himself and she knows what Hannah did.
The twists come at you one after the other, with layered characters, past passions and obsessions and a future with her daughter worth fighting for.
A thrilling, immersive book that will leave you breathless and wanting to read more from the author!
Many years previously she had been in a relationship she felt was just too steady and reliable with Cameron. When one of her friends was threatened by a local man Hannah decides to take matters into her own hands as payback and along with Cameron they take their revenge, seemingly harmless at the time. But then emerges a picture of the three of them together and Hannah finds out that the man took his own life years later and wonders if there is a connection.
Diane, the lady that called the radio show suddenly starts appearing at the same places as Hannah, but is she harmless, or does something more threatening lie behind her appearances? She claims it was her brother who killed himself and she knows what Hannah did.
The twists come at you one after the other, with layered characters, past passions and obsessions and a future with her daughter worth fighting for.
A thrilling, immersive book that will leave you breathless and wanting to read more from the author!
February 3, 2022
One bad thing by M.K. Hill.
She thought she'd got away with it. She was wrong.
Hannah Godley is an agony aunt on a London radio show Queen of Hearts. She's warm and empathetic; a good listener. Her catchphrase is: Be kind, always. But when a stranger phones in to tell a tragic story about her brother who killed himself after he was the victim of a terrible prank by two people, Hannah goes cold. Because she remembers Diane's brother well. In fact, all these years later, he still haunts her dreams. All because of that one bad thing she did when she was young...
Is Diane just a sad, lonely woman looking for a friend, or does she know what Hannah did, and is looking for revenge? Because as Diane insinuates herself into her life and family, Hannah is going to discover that you can never truly escape that One Bad Thing you did – sooner or later, you're going to have to pay the price...
A very enjoyable read. I did enjoy this book. Great story. I liked Hannah but not
Cameron. I didn't trust him. 4*.
She thought she'd got away with it. She was wrong.
Hannah Godley is an agony aunt on a London radio show Queen of Hearts. She's warm and empathetic; a good listener. Her catchphrase is: Be kind, always. But when a stranger phones in to tell a tragic story about her brother who killed himself after he was the victim of a terrible prank by two people, Hannah goes cold. Because she remembers Diane's brother well. In fact, all these years later, he still haunts her dreams. All because of that one bad thing she did when she was young...
Is Diane just a sad, lonely woman looking for a friend, or does she know what Hannah did, and is looking for revenge? Because as Diane insinuates herself into her life and family, Hannah is going to discover that you can never truly escape that One Bad Thing you did – sooner or later, you're going to have to pay the price...
A very enjoyable read. I did enjoy this book. Great story. I liked Hannah but not
Cameron. I didn't trust him. 4*.
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