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Mary-Jane Riley
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The Bad Things: A gripping crime thriller full of twists and turns (Alex Devlin, Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Mary-Jane Riley (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.0 out of 5 stars 1,312 ratings

Book one in a darkly compelling psychological thriller series, full of twists and turns, perfect for fans of SISTER SISTER by Sue Fortin and INTO THE WATER by Paula Hawkins.

We all have our secrets, some are just darker than others.

Alex Devlin’s life changed forever fifteen years ago when her sister Sasha's two small children were snatched in broad daylight. Little Harry’s body was found a few days later, but Millie’s remains were never discovered.

Now Jackie Wood, jailed as an accessory to the twins’ murder, has been released, her conviction quashed by the Appeal Court. Convinced Jackie can reveal where Millie is buried, Alex goes to meet her.

But the unexpected information Wood reveals shocks Alex to the core and threatens to uncover the dark secret she has managed to keep under wraps for the past fifteen years. Because in the end, can we ever really know what is in the hearts of those closest to us?

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  1. Book 1 of 4
    Alex Devlin
  2. Print length
    334 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    One More Chapter
  5. Accessibility
    Learn more
  6. Publication date
    August 27, 2015
  7. File size
    1.3 MB
  8. Page Flip
    Enabled
  9. Word Wise
    Enabled
  10. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Editorial Reviews

Review

'A brilliant debut novel … The complex, fascinating plot winds between two time zones as the heroine seeks to uncover the cause of a terrible family tragedy. Riley’s real gift lies in her creation of one hundred percent real characters’ Kate Rhodes, author of RIVER OF SOULS

‘A dark tale set in a familiar world. Riley's characters are unexpected and yet completely believable and this sinister and twisty tale will definitely stay with the reader for a long time.’ Valentina Giambanco, author of THE GIFT OF DARKNESS

This book is brilliant … a read to be devoured. A twisty tale with a tense psychological plot … fresh, original and thrilling’ Tracy Shepherd, Postcard Reviews.

About the Author

Mary-Jane Riley spent many years as a BBC journalist and talk show broadcaster. She has had short stories published in women’s magazines, including Bella, Women’s Weekly and That’s Life. Mary-Jane Riley is married with three children and lives in rural Suffolk. The Bad Things is her first novel.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00Y7ME6F2
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ One More Chapter
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 27, 2015
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.3 MB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 334 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0008153779
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Book 1 of 4 ‏ : ‎ Alex Devlin
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.0 out of 5 stars 1,312 ratings

About the author

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Mary-Jane Riley

Mary-Jane Riley

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Mary-Jane Riley is a former talk show host and news online journalist for the BBC. She currently lives with her family in East Anglia in the UK – the wide-open skies and varied landscape a huge influence on her writing. Her two Golden Retrievers, Bella and Reggie, seem to enjoy it when she talks about her plots on their long walks.

Customer reviews

4 out of 5 stars
1,312 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers enjoy this crime thriller for its lots of plot twists and turns, describing it as a fast-moving psychological mystery. Moreover, the book receives positive feedback for its readability, with one customer noting how the author weaves the story well. However, the character development receives mixed reactions, and customers find the pacing somewhat empty.

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22 customers mention "Plot"17 positive5 negative

Customers enjoy the plot of the book, describing it as a fast-moving psychological thriller with lots of twists and turns.

"Fast moving psychological thriller that kept me reading late into the night. Twins were abducted years ago but only one body was found...." Read more

"...The plot was interesting, but hardly a thriller, psychological or otherwise." Read more

"Love her writing! Develops story, characters, & scenery wonderfully! Could hardly put it down. Finished in one day...." Read more

"The scenario sounded good, I even paid for it. But it dragged on and on. Very unusual for myself to jump ahead but I admit it, I did...." Read more

20 customers mention "Readability"20 positive0 negative

Customers find the book easy to read, with one mentioning it's a good beach book that kept them engaged.

"...The book floseasily while keeping the reader engaged until the surprise ending." Read more

"...And if the thrill is at the beginning, I know it will be a good Read and quick book. I do read to educate myself, and a self-help from time to time...." Read more

"Not exactly a waste of time to read, but not as well developed as it could be...." Read more

"...figured out who had done it very early in this story it was still a great read!..." Read more

5 customers mention "Writing quality"5 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the writing quality of the book, with one customer noting the author's skill at weaving a story.

"...The main character, Alex Devlin, was well drawn, as she should be since she is a recurring person in subsequent books...." Read more

"Love her writing! Develops story, characters, & scenery wonderfully! Could hardly put it down. Finished in one day...." Read more

"...The author is wonderful at weaving a story that is complex but yet simple." Read more

"I enjoyed this book very much. It was well written with lots of plot twists and turns. The plot was interesting and believable." Read more

9 customers mention "Character development"5 positive4 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the character development in the book.

"Love her writing! Develops story, characters, & scenery wonderfully! Could hardly put it down. Finished in one day...." Read more

"...But some of the peripheral characters were almost stick figures. The plot was interesting, but hardly a thriller, psychological or otherwise." Read more

"Intriguing thriller with a heart stopping end. Well developed characters carried the story throughout...." Read more

"...Sasha, the mother of the deceased children, was a very disturbed character, and I was suspicious of her from the beginning...." Read more

5 customers mention "Pacing"0 positive5 negative

Customers find the pacing of the book unsatisfactory, describing it as empty and difficult to follow.

"...A story line that takes half of the book to get me drawn in, is too slow for me. I want to be turning page after page around the third chapter...." Read more

"This is a good book, but it takes awhile to get there...." Read more

"...It moves slowly and the pacing is a bit off. It's hard to get a good toehold in the story, but by the end it pays off...." Read more

"...books set in England - don't understand some of their words and hard to keep up with...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Sirprise ending
    Reviewed in the United States on July 20, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    Fast moving psychological thriller that kept me reading late into the night. Twins were abducted years ago but only one body was found. The the accomplice is released from prison and killed shortly thereafter. The book floseasily while keeping the reader engaged until the surprise ending.
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  • srwwm
    4.0 out of 5 stars Alex is not my type of heroin.
    Reviewed in the United States on January 13, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    I said it all above.
    Would recommended but not my first pick. I like my books to take me away from reality. A story line that takes half of the book to get me drawn in, is too slow for me. I want to be turning page after page around the third chapter. And if the thrill is at the beginning, I know it will be a good Read and quick book. I do read to educate myself, and a self-help from time to time. My world is ugly, I want to be somewhere else. Authors; take me way.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • R. Murray
    3.0 out of 5 stars A Litle Disappointing
    Reviewed in the United States on March 21, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    Not exactly a waste of time to read, but not as well developed as it could be. The main character, Alex Devlin, was well drawn, as she should be since she is a recurring person in subsequent books. But some of the peripheral characters were almost stick figures. The plot was interesting, but hardly a thriller, psychological or otherwise.
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  • Wendy Barrie
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great Psychological Thriller
    Reviewed in the United States on May 10, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    Love her writing! Develops story, characters, & scenery wonderfully! Could hardly put it down. Finished in one day. Am into her latest, "After She Fell". Another winner! Wish there were more books. Cannot wait for the next!
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  • Laurel-Rain Snow
    4.0 out of 5 stars CORRUPTION, MURDER, & SECRETS
    Reviewed in the United States on February 4, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    Alex Devlin’s life changed forever fifteen years ago when her sister Sasha’s two small children were snatched in broad daylight. Little Harry’s body was found a few days later, but Millie’s remains were never discovered.

    Now Jackie Wood, jailed as an accessory to the twins’ murder, has been released, her conviction quashed by the Appeal Court. Convinced Jackie can reveal where Millie is buried, Alex goes to meet her.

    But the unexpected information Wood reveals shocks Alex to the core and threatens to uncover the dark secret she has managed to keep under wraps for the past fifteen years. Because in the end, can we ever really know what is in the hearts of those closest to us?

    My Thoughts: The Bad Things (Alex Devlin, Book 1) alternates between the perspectives of Alex Devlin, a journalist whose niece and nephew were kidnapped and murdered, and DI Kate Todd, who worked the case back then.

    Now, fifteen years later, we see Alex trying to find out from Jackie Wood where Millie was buried, and also hoping to ward off the discovery of her long-buried secret. If she could uncover the location of a specific object from Jackie Wood, she might be able to contain her shame.

    But nothing is coming together in quite the way Alex hoped, and another murder will add to the puzzling elements of the case, leading Alex, the cops, and other journalists down all the wrong pathways.

    Sasha, the mother of the deceased children, was a very disturbed character, and I was suspicious of her from the beginning. The stories Alex shared about their childhoods added to the picture of her as a self-absorbed woman capable of anything, and someone who also used her “victim” role to keep everyone at bay. Who would dare to probe beneath the surface of this wounded creature?

    Finding the truth was definitely circumvented by numerous corrupt individuals, both family members and police, who would do anything to keep everyone in the dark.

    Even when we thought we had most of the answers to our questions, another narrator at the end of the book brought a final revelation. 4.0 stars.
    One person found this helpful
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  • DPuckett
    5.0 out of 5 stars Good Book Great Story
    Reviewed in the United States on May 17, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    Even though I figured out who had done it very early in this story it was still a great read! This book has it all, murder, complexities of mental illness, family drama and love lost. I honestly couldn’t put it down and read it in one day. The author is wonderful at weaving a story that is complex but yet simple.
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  • Cat Momma
    2.0 out of 5 stars Like Quinoa, good for you but tastes awful.
    Reviewed in the United States on April 22, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    The scenario sounded good, I even paid for it. But it dragged on and on. Very unusual for myself to jump ahead but I admit it, I did. I just wanted it to end.
    5 people found this helpful
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  • Sharon Donahue
    4.0 out of 5 stars The Bad Things
    Reviewed in the United States on June 29, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Intriguing thriller with a heart stopping end. Well developed characters carried the story throughout. Alex is a strong woman who has carried too much guilt. What will she get herself into next?
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Mrs JK
    5.0 out of 5 stars One to watch!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 16, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Mary-Jane Riley is clearly one to watch! This is an accomplished and assured debut that offers a treat to any reader – to echo an earlier reviewer, it kept me up late, too - and you certainly don't need to be a lover of thrillers to enjoy it. Riley is a beautiful writer; a skill she unites with sensitive handling of a difficult subject, namely the cold case investigation of child murder that resonates with big news stories we are all familiar with. The murderer who hangs himself in prison, the release of a did-she-didn't-she consort, the mystery of what actually happened and how the police dealt with it then, and deal with it now, is deftly combined with the insight into what it's actually like to be part of the family it happened to, or the rookie cop who worked on the case. Through twists and turns, and some seriously neat plotting, 15 years on we finally get to the heart of what happened to those children – and who was ultimately responsible. And yes, Riley really keeps you guessing!

    Personally I found The Bad Things a fascinating, empathetic read - it took something we all gasp at on the news or in the pages of a Sunday supplement and gave us a thriller with both psychological and page-turning whodunnit elements, together with an almost 'insider view' on the professional element to cases like this; how, for example, the police deal with facing journalists, and how journalists themselves might question their professional integrity when it comes to personal cases. All this is set against the brooding uncertainty and alternate beauty of the Suffolk coast - a setting Riley portrays with a deft and expert hand and which lends the book an atmosphere all its own.

    I also particularly loved Riley's grounding in reality and use of humour - there's never enough of that in most thrillers - and the fact these are women you can actually identify with. Much of this book's appeal lies in that essential humanity - Alex is flawed, as is Kate, and indeed most of the main characters, but Riley saves us from the cliche of the hard-bitten, hard-drinking, anti-social journalist/detective and instead gives us characters we warm to and care about – and there is always, underlying everything, the redemptive power of love.

    In short, this is a superb read. Buy it, read it - you won't regret it. I'm waiting for the next one already...
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  • Katherine Sunderland
    4.0 out of 5 stars A very very good read!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 31, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    I enjoyed this a lot. For me, it started off as a very competent thriller with all the usual ingredients, but the last third really packed a punch and even when I thought I had it all worked out, Riley had a few last minute twists to throw in!

    This is quite a harrowing story about loss, parenting, relationships and mental illness. There are some incredibly sad passages and deeply traumatised characters but Riley handles all these things with sensitivity and balance. The writing is emotive but this also ensures tension, suspense and a real engagement with the characters.

    The main protagonist is Alex, sister to Sasha. Sasha's two young children disappeared 15 years ago - only the body of one of them found. Life has never been the same since and each sister still struggles to continue with every day life even after such a long period of time. Sasha's marriage has disintegrated and Alex finds it hard to commit to relationships, as well as juggling the parenting of her own son who has grown up in the shadow of the family's terrible history. Then Jackie Wood, the woman jailed as an accessory to the children's murder, is released from prison and Alex, a freelance journalist, decides to chase her for an interview........

    As soon as I had read the blurb of this novel, I knew I wanted to read it. For any parent, it is unnerving to read about children who are taken as it has to be our worst nightmare, but at the same time, it always makes for a compelling, emotional read, particularly with recent memories of some of the more high profile cases reported in the news.

    Riley expertly creates convincing characters in detail. Alex's character is consumed by the dilemma of meeting with Jackie Wood - her professional duty, her duty to her sister, her duty to her nephew and niece, her duty to her own son and to her own boyfriend. She struggles to deal with her own issues as well as the responsibility she feels towards her sister. Following an intense opening sequence, Alex's poor judgement and panic lead her into the very thick of the investigation following Jackie's release and this is exciting- I did question how convincing her behaviour was, but don't worry, Riley has it all worked out and as events continue to unspool, Alex's reticence to tell the truth become explained by the hints about the further darker secrets she is trying to hide.

    Inspector Kate Todd, who was involved with the children's disappearance 15 years ago, is recalled to the case. She is an equally engaging character. Once again, haunted by the memories of finding the little boy's body all those years before and the repercussions of this trauma case still affecting her personal life today.

    Crime writer Corrie Jackson appeared in an article recently about a top tips for writing. She quoted something she always tries to keep in mind when writing - every character, however big or small in the overall story arc, is the protagonist in their life. I thought this very fitting when I read "The Bad Things." There is quite a wide cast of characters but, like Agatha Christie also does, she encourages us to focus on a couple of main people, becoming absorbed in their narratives and not really taking that much notice of the people milling about in the background. Then as the book reaches its climatic ending, we realise that actually we have been looking at the wrong faces and listening to the wrong voices. Riley develops an intense backstory for each of her characters and the importance of this is increasingly obvious in the final stages of the story. The way the threads converge together and join up all the dots is exceptionally rewarding and gripping.

    Although I had some inklings and suspicions about what I thought was going on, which were largely proved to be right, I enjoyed the fact that Riley allows you to do this. In fact, she leads you happily down this path- but then suddenly trips you up a few times just when the end is in sight; just enough to knock your breath out of your sails as you race through the final pages. She is the story teller here and she is in control of the story!

    On a totally different note, the location and settings are also very visual. Set in Norfolk / Suffolk, the description is vivid and I enjoyed reading about places I could easily imagine while on holiday in the county.

    "The Bad Things" is a good read. I am really keen to read the next book in the series now and will definitely be keeping track of anything Riley publishes. I'm pleased to have discovered her books
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  • Jennifer Ogden
    3.0 out of 5 stars Ok read.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 28, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    Thought it was ok,but didn't have me gripped,would say give it a go.
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  • Cleopatra
    5.0 out of 5 stars An original take on a historical crime
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 4, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    A story with two threads, both successfully executed is the stuff that makes this crime fiction lover’s heart sing. Mary-Jane Riley pulled off both complex story-lines so well that I was frequently incredibly reluctant to part with my kindle, I just had to know how things played out. And yet this was a book that snuck up on me, not that it started badly, far from it, but the more I turned the pages, the more immersed in the story I became, as the plot wound tighter and tighter, and would not let me go!

    Alex Devlin is a reporter, she submits pieces to magazines, using whatever inspiration she can find. Fifteen years before Alex’s sister Sasha’s twins, Harry and Millie Clements went missing. Although Harry’s body was found a few days later, no trace of Millie was ever found. Two people were convicted for their murder; Martin Jessop who had committed suicide a little way into his sentence and Jackie Wood who provided him with an alibi. When the news breaks that Jackie Wood has just been released from prison due to the expert witness in the case being discredited Alex desperately wants to give her sister some closure because Sasha still faces a daily battle to keep going. Her marriage to the twin’s father disintegrated in the aftermath and she has a history of self-harming. Then Alex hits on the idea to interview Jackie Wood to see if she can find out the truth…

    With a bit of detective work Alex finds Jackie living in a caravan in Sole Bay in Suffolk which isn’t too far from her home in Norfolk. With the scenes set out of season, the descriptions of the seaside were about as far from the picture postcard variety as you can imagine. This works perfectly as a background of a meeting filled with suspicion, recrimination and a dash of hope – but which emotion belongs to which woman?

    In the second strand of this tale we meet Detective Inspector Kate Todd who was starting out in her career when she found Harry Clements’ body and no matter how successfully she’s built her career or her long-standing relationship with Chris, she has never forgotten that day. Watching the release of the woman who was involved, only serves to bring the memories back to the forefront of her mind as she ponders how the family of those two small children are faring.

    A good crime fiction novel often doesn’t actually depend on the murder that is at its heart, it depends on the character’s reactions, the plotting and the outcome and Mary-Jane Riley delivers on all three and cleverly avoids dwelling on the death of Harry although of course both children are at the forefront of many of the exceptionally well-drawn character’s minds. What sets this above many other crime fiction books is that the book reveals the complex emotions that many of the characters experience, and we get all that by watching them in action. This author hasn’t fallen into the trap of soliloquies full of woe, instead we see how Alex reacts when she goes to check on her sister Sasha. We also see her switching roles, from sister, to mother to reporter and in another superb twist, the object of one crime reporter’s particular interest in the case. With the clues to what really happened all those years ago coming from different viewpoints, I honestly couldn’t put this book down, it is that well-plotted with enough red-herrings and mysterious incidents, to keep even the keenest of crime fiction readers on their toes.

    This is quite an emotional read and not just because of the tender age of the victims. I found myself sympathising with both Alex and Kate and also surprisingly Jackie. The author has made it easy to put yourself in each of these very different character’s shoes, and eloquently builds a picture of their lives after the crime was committed.
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  • S Riaz
    4.0 out of 5 stars The Bad Things
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 27, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    This is an interesting and promising debut thriller, concerning the abduction of two young children. Fifteen years previously, twins Harry and Millie were snatched. Harry’s body was later found, but Millie’s whereabouts remains unknown. Their aunt, Alex Devlin, is now a struggling freelance journalist and single mother to teenage son, Gus. Her once beautiful, if somewhat needy, sister, Sasha, lives a half life of self-destructive behaviour and causes Alex immense concern. Torn between the needs of Sasha, worries about Gus, and money, she is pleased to find some romance with Malone – a secretive man who works undercover and who Alex wrote a piece on some time earlier.

    Life, however, is about the change forever with the release of Jackie Wood, previously convicted of the murder of the twins, who has won a High Court appeal. Jackie Wood was charged along with Martin Jessop, who hung himself shortly after being found guilty. Wood’s release worries Alex, as she fears that Sasha will not cope – however, the chance then comes for Alex to interview Wood and she is torn between professional interest and personal guilt. I liked the way that Alex is so human – she convinces herself that Wood can tell her the whereabouts of Millie, but is obviously also motivated by financial concerns and sheer curiosity. However, it soon becomes apparent that things are not as clear cut as Alex had imagined and that Jackie Wood is all too aware of Alex’s own secrets…

    As well as the interplay between Alex, her family – including Sasha’s ex-husband Jez, and Jackie Wood, there is added interest with the involvement of Inspector Kate Todd, who was a young policewoman at the time of the abductions, and of Ed Killingback, a journalist hot on Alex’s heels as she attempts to uncover the truth about what happened that day so long ago. Full of plot twists and turns, with interesting characters, I enjoyed this very much and look forward to reading more by this author. Lastly, I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review.
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