Newly separated from his wife and desperate to escape the ghosts of his failed marriage, Cole leaves London for a fresh start in the countryside. He accepts a job as a wildlife ranger and settles into his cozy seaside cottage, relishing the respite from the noise, drama, and relentless careerism that curdled his relationship along with his mental health. Then he meets Leonora, the reclusive artist living next door, and is instantly charmed by her warm and gentle spirit.
But as the two forge a connection on the cliff’s edge they call home, two young women activists raising awareness about gendered violence disappear while passing through. Cole and Leonora find themselves in the middle of a police investigation and resulting media firestorm as the world learns of what happened, and as the tension escalates, they quickly realize that they don’t know each other that well after all.
A propulsive page-turner with razor-sharp sociopolitical insight, One of the Good Guys asks: if most men claim to be good, why are most women still afraid to walk home alone at night?
My Review:
Cole is a reasonably attractive “nice guy” who lives a solitary life in the English Countryside. It’s pretty much a given that he is escaping something in his past. But when meets a woman who seems to be in a similar situation, he thinks that maybe there is a road forward.
But, in these types of books, things are rarely as they seem. After two female activists who are traveling around England go missing, it’s clear that maybe Cole isn’t a nice guy. And if not, what is he escaping from his past?
One of the Good Guys is a thought provoking social commentary on the boundaries of feminism. What really makes a man a “good guy.” Are men mostly good until a situation presents itself that’s too tempting to pass up? Who is manipulating the story?
Special thanks to Netgalley and Gillian Flynn Books for an advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review. This book is out now!
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