Allegation by R G Adams - Blog Blast

Today is my post for the blog blast, for book, "Allegation" by author R. G. Adams, check out my non spoiler (as always) review for my stop.

Allegation: the page-turning, unputdownable thriller from an exciting new voice in crime fiction by R.G. Adams
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - < 1 day

Pages - 320

Publisher - Riverrun

Source - Review copy

Blurb from Goodreads

An evil monster exposed?

Or an innocent father condemned?

A scandal will shake a small community to its very foundations.

Sandbeach, South Wales.

Two women have come forward to make historical sexual allegations against a pillar of the local community, Matthew Cooper.

The case lands on the desk of inexperienced Social Worker, Kit Goddard, who must remove Cooper from his home and family while the investigation is carried out. Although intrepid and intuitive, she is ill-prepared for such a high-profile case.

Kit finds herself navigating a local minefield of connections and class, reputations and rumour. Unsure whether her interference is a heroic intervention or a hurtful intrusion, she knows one thing: it will have an impact. The question is whether this impact will be to expose a lie, or destroy an innocent life...



My Review

Kit Goddard is a social worker who finds herself landed with her first big/challenging case, still relatively new, it is a big ask. Throw into the mix it is historic allegations against one of the pillars of the community, money, charm, well connected, father of three - married Matt Cooper has everything. It is Kit's job to talk to the family, the children, wife and assess if there is a risk, is it a genuine accusation or is someone after money and is Kit about to ruin lives over malicious claims?

What a fantastic debut, Kit isn't just an inexperienced new social worker thrown in at the deep end, she comes with her own emotional baggage having been a kid known to the services herself. We follow her through many challenges just to do her job, I actually was howling at one interaction with one of her colleagues, we all know someone like her. The team is a very mixed bunch and I enjoyed the dynamics of the team. I found the whole process on the investigation really interesting, how she interacted with the kids and the authentic feel with the obstructiveness of the family.

Threats, anger, sex abuse claims against minors, small town reaction to such a shocking allegation against "one of their own" - even how some of the internal issues/obstacles when she is just trying to do her job. As well as that we get to see the very human side of Kit as more of her own past and vulnerability is exposed. I liked her, she has spunk and as I said one interaction with a colleague was absolute gold *air punch* - I hope this is a long series, I very much look forward to the next one. An engaging read, pulled in quickly and as the nature of the book is allegations of a sexual nature - it does feature/investigate although nothing graphic or gratuitous, 4.5/5 for me this time.

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