‘The Pact’ by Sharon Bolton | #20BooksofSummer

Author : Sharon Bolton
Title : The Pact
Pages : 384
Publisher : Trapeze
Publication date : May 27, 2021

| ABOUT THE BOOK |

A golden summer, and six talented friends are looking forward to the brightest of futures – until a daredevil game goes horribly wrong, and a woman and two children are killed.

18-year-old Megan takes the blame, leaving the others free to get on with their lives. In return, they each agree to a ‘favour’, payable on her release from prison.

Twenty years later Megan is free.

Let the games begin…

| MY THOUGHTS |

What better way to kick off the 20 Books of Summer challenge with one of my go-to authors. I’ve been reading and enjoying Sharon Bolton’s books for years so I was feeling pretty confident she wouldn’t disappoint me with The Pact.

Twenty years ago, six friends play a daredevil game that goes horribly wrong and leaves a woman and her two children dead. Eighteen year old Megan takes the blame for the accident so the others can go ahead with their bright futures and live their lives. In return, they shouldn’t forget Megan, visit her in prison and they each agree they owe her a favour when she’s released from prison. Dun dun dun …. 😏

Okay, so this may require a little bit of suspending belief because let’s face it, who in their right mind would take the blame in the first place? Even more so because, honestly, with friends like these who the heck needs enemies! Megan hails from a single parent home and is at the All Souls school on a scholarship. The other five are some of the most unlikeable and privileged kids you’re ever going to meet and seem to have no qualms whatsoever in throwing their “lesser” friend under the bus.

Maybe you’re thinking this accident, this lucky escape and its devastating consequences would change them for the better. But you’d be wrong. Because as adults, they’re even worse. Nothing matters more to Tal, Xav, Felix, Amber and Dan than to not have their “perfect” little lives interrupted by the return of Megan and her demands for the favours she’s owed. My loyalties switched back and forth, my perceptions changed throughout but more than anything I just really wanted justice. I wanted this undeserving group of elitist snobs to get their comeuppance.

I can always count on Sharon Bolton to deliver a taut and twisted thriller that has me glued to the pages like there’s no tomorrow and The Pact was no different for me. Once I picked this one up, I couldn’t put it back down again. When I wasn’t reading, I was thinking about it and trying to figure out where things were heading. It is such a compelling, addictive and engrossing read that even though I wasn’t entirely convinced by the ultimate reveal I am completely willing to ignore that part. Thrilling, exciting and massively entertaining, The Pact did not disappoint. I absolutely loved it and I’m already eagerly awaiting Sharon Bolton’s next offering.

The Pact is available to buy!

Amazon UK | Bookshop UK | Goldsboro | Hive UK | Kobo | Waterstones

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20 Books of Summer : 1/20