Eye For An Eye

Author: M. J. Arlidge
Genre: Thriller
544 pages
Publisher: Hachette Publishing Group

Synopsis
RIGHT OR WRONG?
Only nine criminals in the UK have been granted lifelong anonymity.
Their crimes so heinous that their identities are permanently changed for their own safety.

CRIMINAL OR VICTIM?
Upon release, they’re given a second chance: new identities and new homes with new neighbours who have no idea. Because, by law, they cannot be named as who they are – or were…

REDEMPTION OR REVENGE?
But what if someone started systematically exposing their true identities? Not to the press, or the public, but to the families of their victims.

Who deserves justice? And who gets to decide?

My review
Eye For An Eye by M. J. Arlidge is a dark, thought-provoking standalone thriller from the author best known for the Helen Grace police procedurals. I’ve read most of that series, so I was eager to see what Arlidge would do outside of it, and this one definitely didn’t disappoint.

From the author’s note at the beginning, the stage is set for a scathing, fictional look inside the UK rehabilitation system. The premise is bold and the opening chapter is chilling, graphic, and brutally effective. Nine UK criminals have been granted lifelong anonymity and given new identities when released. When someone begins exposing these identities to the victims’ families the victims are faced with a choice. Do they seek their own justice, or choose to let the past remain buried? It’s a dilemma that lingered with me as I read, and I wondered what I would do if faced with the same choice.

Eye For An Eye is a hefty book with a large cast of characters. Not only did I need to keep track of their current names, but also their past identities and the crimes they committed. Despite its length, I flew through the pages, completely fascinated and engrossed in the moral dilemmas at its core.

This story forces you to confront uncomfortable questions. Do those who commit heinous crimes, sometimes even as children, ever deserve a second chance? Should they be allowed to disappear into new lives, or should they carry the weight of their past forever? It’s a subject that sparks both outrage and fascination, and Arlidge handles it with unflinching honesty and emotional depth.

As always, Arlidge’s trademark short, snappy chapters keep the pace relentless. The cast is large, the emotions raw, and while I didn’t find any of the characters particularly likable, that seemed entirely intentional. This isn’t a story of heroes and villain. It lives firmly in the grey, where justice, morality, and vengeance collide. This gritty, provocative, and unputdownable thriller is a bold departure from Helen Grace, but every bit as compelling.

My recommendation: definitely worth the read but don’t expect to like any of the characters!