Publishers Weekly
★ 10/09/2023
In this devastating suspense novel, Frear (Shed No Tears) cycles through the perspectives of married couple Ellen and Adam Walsh and a cluster of their neighbors and relatives to examine the sometimes suffocating bonds of small-town England. Ellen, a well-meaning teacher and mother of three, receives an enigmatic letter warning her that “sooner or later, everyone sits down to a banquet of consequences.” The threat is followed by the exposure of Ellen’s eponymous bad deeds, beginning with the leak of drunk photos on Facebook that lead to a visit from Social Services, before escalating to a police investigation into her alleged affair with a 17-year-old student who’s gone missing. With her life on the brink of collapse, Ellen races to answer one question: why is someone doing this to her? Frear keeps readers on their toes from the start, but what elevates this above standard genre fare is the freshness and acuity of her language: a friend who ends an affair reminds Ellen of her own young son, “all puffed up and proud that he’d tidied his toys like I’d asked”; a McMansion “seemed to hang back from the rest of the village with the slightly embarrassed air of someone who knows they’ve overdressed.” This is a must-read for fans of Tana French and Gillian Flynn. Agent: Marilia Savvides, 42MP. (Dec.)
From the Publisher
Caz Frear, with her almost freakish gift for witty, rapid-fire dialogue and sharp observations, gives this portrait of a flawed woman targeted for destruction the tone of a screwball comedy, albeit an edgy one. I confess to not guessing the identity of Ellen’s tormentor, but belatedly realizing the clues were there all along, lurking in the quiet spaces among all that coruscating prose. Well played, Ms. Frear.” — Air Mail
“Fans of Three Perfect Liars and any other domestic thriller will love Caz Frear’s latest.” — Katie Couric Media
"A big high-five for Caz Frear's Five Bad Deeds—a page-gripping, nail-gnawing good read." — Cara Hunter, New York Times bestselling author of Murder in the Family
"Caz Frear writes with depth, intensity and insight as she relentlessly turns the screws of suspense. An involving, layered, and thrilling story of secrets, lies, and revenge, Five Bad Deeds takes us far beneath the surface of suburban bliss into the dark heart of human desire. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. Riveting!" — Lisa Unger, New York Times bestselling author of Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six
“[A] devastating suspense novel . . . .This is a must-read for fans of Tana French and Gillian Flynn.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Exceptional. . . . quickly ramps up the fear factor. . . . Five Bad Deeds skillfully taps into the ennui of small-town life, frenemies, and jealous relatives.” — Oline Cogdill, Shelf Awareness
“Deliciously wicked.” — Crimereads, Most Anticipated Crime Fiction of Fall
“A psychological triumph. . . . Well-plotted and deliciously edgy.” — Kirkus Reviews
"A twisty domestic-suspense thriller. . . will likely appeal to readers of Shari Lapena, Sally Hepworth, Jamie Day, and Melissa Adelman.” — Booklist
"A dark, addictive, suburban nightmare. Five Bad Deeds is an edge-of-your-seat, up-all-night delight." — Chris Whitaker, New York Times bestselling author of We Begin at the End
"Brilliant . . . so clever and the characters felt real. Whip-smart and perfectly executed." — C.J. Tudor
"An utterly compelling, superbly characterized, constantly fascinating mystery. I read with my eyes inches from the pages as each new reveal unfolded, and the final reveal was superb." — Gytha Lodge, author of A Killer in the Family
"Deliciously waspish, twisty, and relatable." — Claire McGowan, author of Are You Awake? and What You Did
“A suspenseful novel about revenge and justice.” — The Story Exchange
“I’ve been a Caz Frear fan ever since I discovered her Cat Kinsella series, and with Five Bad Deeds, Frear blends another seriously twisty storyline with her unmistakable, signature wit. But this suspenseful tale is so much more as it digs into how we perceive ourselves vs. how we’re seen by others, and you may find yourself wondering what seemingly innocuous things you’ve done in your past that others will never forgive you for. Smart, cunning, and compelling, Five Bad Deeds will surprise you page after page until the very end. A fantastic, binge-worthy read!” — Hannah Mary McKinnon, internationally bestselling author of The Revenge List
“A page-grippingly good read.” — National Examiner
New York Times bestselling author Chris Whitaker
A dark, addictive, suburban nightmare…An edge-of-your-seat, up-all-night delight.”
FEBRUARY 2024 - AudioFile
Beth Eyre and Chris Harper share the narration of Frear's precarious story. Ellen leads a seemingly perfect life with her husband, three children, and luxurious house in Britain. When she receives a letter threatening retribution for past deeds, she must identify the culprit while keeping her secrets and maintaining her social status. Eyre narrates the chapters involving female characters, and Harper those featuring males. Both Eyre and Harper tick up the tension with metronomic precision. In this story, listeners will experience yelling mothers, smug friends, exasperated husbands, bitter family members, and angst-filled teenagers--all of whom create the intimacy of a real community. Welcome to the neighborhood--watch your back. L.M.G. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
Kirkus Reviews
2023-09-21
“Sooner or later everyone sits down to a banquet of consequences,” begins the letter that changes Ellen Walsh’s life. This might as well be the tagline for the novel.
While Ellen might not be the perfect mom, she checks most of the boxes, most of the time. She’s got the successful husband, the designer bling, and the idyllic small-town life, complete with a house undergoing expensive renovations (financed by the in-laws) to become her dream home. If she might snap at her kids or overindulge in wine from time to time—well, who wouldn’t, with a hostile teenage daughter and a set of 4-year-old twins? But Ellen’s secrets run deeper than the occasional, regrettable Facebook selfie-under-the-influence. She may be responsible for destroying her friend’s marriage. She may have had a hand in her model sister’s career-ending accident. And she definitely chose to keep the high school student she's tutoring a secret from her husband. So when Ellen receives an anonymous letter from someone intent on tormenting her for her perceived “crimes,” she knows she has a lot to lose. Trying to uncover the culprit and avoid exposure, Ellen instead finds herself humiliated and discredited at every turn. While Frear’s exploration of the darker side of motherhood and the trappings of affluent domestic “achievement” for white women seems to follow the recent trend in thrillers, the characters and the mystery itself are elevated by expert pacing; snappy, believable dialogue; and colorful metaphors (“Kristy always had a mouth like a rusty machete”). As a commentary on what some people will sacrifice for social status and the long-reaching consequences of childhood trauma, the novel is a psychological triumph.
Well-plotted and deliciously edgy.
