Review of ONE OF THE GOOD GUYS by Araminta Hall (New Release)

 4 Stars

This is a social commentary with a lot of psychological suspense. 

Cole Simmonds, newly separated from his wife, Mel Connelly, leaves London and moves to a seaside cottage on the south coast of England where he takes a job as a wildlife ranger.  He meets Lennie Baxter, an artist living nearby, and the two become friends.  Then two young women activists raising awareness about violence against women disappear, and both Cole and Lennie find themselves in the midst of a police investigation and a media firestorm.  Both have secrets that emerge.

The book is narrated from multiple viewpoints:  Cole, Mel, and Lennie.  Also included are samples from media such as blog postings, social media threads, op-ed pieces, and interview transcripts.  Cole begins the novel.  He spends a great deal of time reflecting on the failure of his marriage, concluding Mel’s relentless careerism and her unwillingness to undergo another round of IVF caused the break.  He feels wronged and unappreciated because he believes he is one of the good guys since he is always caring and supportive.  He even claims to understand the pressures women face. 

From the beginning, I suspected Cole to be an unreliable narrator.  He constantly repeats his good qualities in a rather prideful fashion and seems to take no responsibility for the marriage breakdown.  He blames only Mel.  I started to think he is not being entirely truthful.  He comes across as rather whiny and that grates after a while.  There was something about him that just made me feel icky.  When we are given Mel and Lennie’s perspectives, we see a different Cole, someone manipulative and controlling.  Which version is closer to the truth?

Of course, as we get to know Mel and Lennie we realize that they are not genuinely good either.  They devise a scheme that pushes moral and legal boundaries.  Their motivation is understandable but their methods are undoubtedly questionable.  But, of course, as Lennie states, “none of us is just one thing.  Especially not women, who so often contain the burden of multitudes.”  And there’s certainly truth to her observation that “women aren’t meant to be strategic or cunning.  Which seems unfair considering that gangsters and cowboys and superheroes are not only allowed vendettas but applauded for them.  Men are allowed to act, but women, it seems, should only react.”  The lines between right and wrong are blurred so who is the greatest victim and who the most blameworthy?

Character development is wonderful.  Each of the characters has backstories which add depth to the narrative.  The reader learns their struggles and secrets and motivations.   What is not so great is the coincidence that brings two characters together.  And the planning involved in their scheme may be ingenious and magnificent, as Lennie claims, but it seems far-fetched to me. 

What also bothered me is that the resolution is too drawn-out.  A plot almost ceases to exist so that the theme of misogyny can be emphasized.  The heavy-handedness at the end weakens the novel in my opinion. 

Nonetheless, I highly recommend the book.  The women in the novel speak of the importance of conversations around topics like male violence, pornography, and society’s double standards for women, and this book encourages those conversations.   It would be a great choice for book clubs.  It is entertaining and thought-provoking – an intelligent book that stimulates discussion. 

Note:  I received an eARC from the publisher via NetGalley.