One of the Good Guys

If most men say they’re one of the good guys, then why are so many women afraid to walk alone at night?

'Groundbreaking. Hall’s take on a very contemporary subject is challenging, revelatory and controversial' – Sunday Times
'Razor-sharp, spine-tinglingly convincing and unputdownable.' - Lisa Jewell, author of None of This is True
'One of the most daring and intriguing writers working today' – Gillian Flynn, author of Gone Girl
'I devoured this book' – Lisa Taddeo, author of Three Women
'Scorching, smart and soaked in feminist rage' – Ellery Lloyd, author of The Club
'A dark, dazzling shock to the system' – Chris Whitaker, author of We Begin at the End

Cole is the perfect husband: a romantic, supportive of his wife, Mel’s career, keen to be a hands-on dad, not a big drinker. A good guy.

So when Mel leaves him, he's floored. She was lucky to be with a man like him.

Craving solitude, he accepts a job on the coast and quickly settles into his new life where he meets reclusive artist Lennie.

Lennie has made the same move for similar reasons. She is living in a crumbling cottage on the edge of a nearby cliff. It’s an undeniably scary location, but sometimes you have to face your fears to get past them.

As their relationship develops, two young women go missing while on a walk protesting gendered violence, right by where Cole and Lennie live. Finding themselves at the heart of a police investigation and media frenzy, it soon becomes clear that they don’t know each other very well at all.

This is what happens when women have had enough.

'One of the Good Guys is definitely one of the good ones'
Val McDermid, author of the Karen Pirie series

'An intriguing mix of psychological thriller and contemporary feminist fable'
Daily Mail

'This book will hook you from the first page'
Alice Feeney, author of Daisy Darker

'It got me by the throat and wouldn’t let go. It’s creepy, thought-provoking, compelling and so very relevant'
Julie Cohen, author of Bad Men

'A mind-bending tour de force. Araminta Hall has always been one of my favorite writers, but what she has done here is groundbreaking. This thriller is shocking, twisted, dark, and absolutely on-point'
Samantha Downing, author of My Lovely Wife

'A bold and on-point feminist thriller about gendered violence with Gone Girl twistiness and narrator unreliability'
Victoria Selman, author of Truly, Darkly, Deeply


Genre: Mystery

"It got me by the throat and wouldn't let go. It's creepy, thought-provoking, compelling, and so very relevant." - Julie Cohen

"I am not easily shocked, but One of the Good Guys went places even my twisted mind had never imagined. Araminta Hall is a master of suspense, and her latest novel is a timely, thrilling tale that offers no easy villains or heroes, but loads of surprises. Beautifully written, deliciously tense, and entirely surprising-I tore through it." - Julia Dahl

"One of the Good Guys is a mind-bending tour de force. Araminta Hall has always been one of my favorite writers, but what she has done here is groundbreaking. This thriller is shocking, twisted, dark, and absolutely on point." - Samantha Downing

"One of the Good Guys has it all: pitch-perfect writing, superb characterization, innovative narration, and deeply sophisticated storytelling. This book delves into the painful and messy complexities of misogyny, consent, and gendered power dynamics with an unflinching narrative scalpel. I have long been a fan of Araminta Hall's writing, and her latest book absolutely spearheads the razor-sharp new trend in feminist thrillers." - Philippa East

"A dark, original and thought-provoking read. This book will hook you from the first page and keep you thinking long after the last." - Alice Feeney

"I've been a fan of Araminta's from the start; she is one of the most daring and intriguing writers working today. Her writing is so addictive, her characters so sharply realized. One of the Good Guys is a resonant, razor-laced, and dangerously glittering novel." - Gillian Flynn

"One of the Good Guys doesn't just tell a story. It makes you think, it makes you angry, and it makes you want to read it again. So clever and subtly drawn, and yet the impact it leaves is extraordinary. Shocking and timely-dark fiction at its very best." - Caz Frear

"Araminta Hall's latest, One of the Good Guys, is both a scintillating thriller and a scorching condemnation of how differently society treats men versus women, especially in the social media age. Cole and Lennie are flawed, complex characters who will stick with you long after you reach its shocking conclusion. Their relationship will make you reexamine your idea of fear, perception, and public opinion." - Kellye Garrett

"One of the Good Guys is clever, crafty, and thought-provoking. I felt like I was reading about events that were actually taking place in real time. We live in febrile times and this novel perfectly captures this zeitgeist. I can't express this enough when I say, trust no one. Brilliant, timely, and necessary. Really enjoyed it." - Dorothy Koomson

"The best book I've read in a long time. One of the Good Guys is a dark, whip-smart thriller that's also laugh-out-loud funny. Hall answers #metoo and the masculinity crisis with nuance and insight. A must read." - Sarah Langan

"Scorching, smart, and soaked in feminist rage, this is a suspense that stays with you long after the last page." - Ellery Lloyd

"One of the Good Guys has everything I love in a novel: pitch-perfect storytelling and a twisty plot that plays out in a haunting, atmospheric setting. Araminta Hall has crafted an incisive feminist suspense novel about delusion, deception, and the poisonous nature of toxic masculinity. A daring, breathless read." - Caitlin Mullen

"One of the Good Guys is a riveting and kaleidoscopic look at women swept up in the current of toxic masculinity and the blowback when they pull themselves to safety. From art to media, Hall leaves no corner of the attack on women's safety and sanity unexplored in her adept and sharp multifaceted novel. Powerful and inspired-empowering and inspirational." - Ivy Pochoda

"Mind. Blown. The brilliant Araminta Hall has created an absolute tour de force of suspense. Provocative, surprising, and entirely original, this tale of power and gender will not only have you looking at the world a different way, but will have you looking at yourself a different way. Hall's brilliance with exquisite foreboding, with multi-layered but mysterious characters, and with her deep understanding of readers' expectations make this one of the most thought-provoking and imaginative books I have ever read. I never even came close to guessing the ending, and gasped with envy and massive respect when I finished reading. If you have a book club-wow-this one's for you. Drop everything, call Hollywood, and do not miss One of the Good Guys." - Hank Phillippi Ryan

"A bold an on point feminist thriller about gendered violence with Gone Girl twistiness and narrator unreliability." - Victoria Selman

"An absolutely thrilling tale, full of breathless cliffside terror and fresh feminist theory masked in tight, propulsive mystery. I devoured this book." - Lisa Taddeo

"A dark, dazzling shock to the system. One of the Good Guys is clever, composed, exciting and frightening." - Chris Whitaker