What do you think?
Rate this book
An Inquiry Into Innocence
“The judge described my crime as ‘the most heinous’ he had seen in his career on the bench. I wanted to shout, cry out and protest my innocence as my sentence was handed down. But honestly, I couldn’t.”
Convicted of a crime he has no memory of committing, Eli Kelly is serving a life sentence in Stoutbliss Prison.
After seven years as an inmate, Eli is resigned to his fate, but when a solicitor is sent to Stoutbliss as part of a government scheme to investigate potential miscarriages of justice, he finds himself contemplating a future beyond his prison cell.
Working with a psychiatrist, Eli revisits his traumatic past, and as they delve deeper into his memories, Eli realises that, regardless of his guilt or innocence, he is yet another victim whose cries for help were ignored by the very services supposed to keep him safe.
Will Eli finally remember what happened on that fateful night? Is he guilty? Or innocent? And given the circumstances, does it matter?
'Full of tension, intrigue and a twisting narrative.' - Stacey Dighton, author of The Hawk and The Raven and The Faraway People.
'A gripping, intriguing and compelling story.' - Russell Wate, author of the Alexander McFarlane crime fiction series.
'A brutal and unforgiving system elegantly portrayed.' - Simon Marlowe, author of The Dead Hand of Dominique and Medusa and The Devil.
'A prison drama that raises important questions and keeps the reader guessing right up until the climax.' - Ben Westwood, author of Green Shoots.
Convicted of a crime he has no memory of committing, Eli Kelly is serving a life sentence in Stoutbliss Prison.
After seven years as an inmate, Eli is resigned to his fate, but when a solicitor is sent to Stoutbliss as part of a government scheme to investigate potential miscarriages of justice, he finds himself contemplating a future beyond his prison cell.
Working with a psychiatrist, Eli revisits his traumatic past, and as they delve deeper into his memories, Eli realises that, regardless of his guilt or innocence, he is yet another victim whose cries for help were ignored by the very services supposed to keep him safe.
Will Eli finally remember what happened on that fateful night? Is he guilty? Or innocent? And given the circumstances, does it matter?
'Full of tension, intrigue and a twisting narrative.' - Stacey Dighton, author of The Hawk and The Raven and The Faraway People.
'A gripping, intriguing and compelling story.' - Russell Wate, author of the Alexander McFarlane crime fiction series.
'A brutal and unforgiving system elegantly portrayed.' - Simon Marlowe, author of The Dead Hand of Dominique and Medusa and The Devil.
'A prison drama that raises important questions and keeps the reader guessing right up until the climax.' - Ben Westwood, author of Green Shoots.
- GenresThriller
194 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 23, 2024
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
January 24, 2024
Eli has been on death row for seven years. He’s been sentenced to a crime he claims he did not commit. However, he has no recollection of the events. If he didn’t do it, who did?
Soon he begins working with a psychiatrist trying to bring up old memories and search for new ones. Can Eli be exonerated for a crime he didn’t or did commit?
I felt the story was a little flat. It just read as a story being told with little excitement. I did enjoy the twist. The cover is fabulous too.
I’d like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC. All opinions are my own.
Publication date January 23, 2024
2.5 raised to 3 ⭐️
Soon he begins working with a psychiatrist trying to bring up old memories and search for new ones. Can Eli be exonerated for a crime he didn’t or did commit?
I felt the story was a little flat. It just read as a story being told with little excitement. I did enjoy the twist. The cover is fabulous too.
I’d like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC. All opinions are my own.
Publication date January 23, 2024
2.5 raised to 3 ⭐️
January 13, 2024
✰ 2 stars ✰
“Somebody knows what happened, somebody remembers every detail, just not me.
And if I never remember, I’ll be stuck in here for life.”
With a compelling start, I was hoping An Inquiry Into Innocence would hold my interest till the very end. Unfortunately, the grip it had on me started to loosen, when I felt that the story wasn't really following the intent of what the blurb had hinted towards. For a story that promised to talk about the inconsistencies of the legal system, I don't quite think it was covered enough - or even served as a worthwhile story line to the narrative.
“I’ve been here for seven years and am destined to be here for much longer.
Life was the recommended sentencing verdict, and life is what I got.”
For the last seven years, Eli Kelly has been imprisoned in the Irish prison - without any recollection of the fateful night that he was arrested for murder. It's difficult for him to recall the faintest memory of that night - bits of his memory scattered in his head - oftentimes leading him to believe that he may have been, in fact, been guilty. But, once his case garners the attention of a promising solicitor, who believes that his case was dismissed too easily, he starts working with a psychiatrist, who slowly but surely helps him regain the repressed memories of a life that may have been worse off than the life he has in prison. 😥
The start was good - I'll give it that. I liked Eli's interaction with the other respective cellmates - how the hierarchy of the prison was depicted - and the various tenuous friendships that would be developed, in order to find a common ground. Throw in the sudden tentative hope that Eli could eventually be released, and that his innocence could be proven, I was curious to follow Eli on his journey to recalling the events of the fateful night that led him here. But, it is those memories, itself, that warrant a warning. 😢
Of course, to keep the element of surprise, there are no trigger warnings mentioned; so, I am a bit perplexed as to those who may not be comfortable with such heavy and unsettling topics, how would they be warned. I was certainly not prepared, and aside from my surprise, I didn't quite like the writing for the memories. It was all very shady and deeply disturbing, and again, I don't quite know how one can be made aware of it before.
Eli was deeply traumatized - victimized in more ways than one, and it's something that isn't really mentioned to be prepared for - anywhere. 🥺 The writing did start off solid, but towards the middle, it started deteriorating - it became a bit rushed. It's already a short read, but the pacing was not heightening emotions, rather racing through them. As a debut, the writing lacked a certain punch, but it was alright; simple and modest enough for me to not be bothered by it, but not enough for me to be riveted by it. 🙍🏻♀️
“The law is only as powerful as the people who enforce it.”
I don't think the legal aspect of Eli's case was explored well enough or even enough; aside from a couple of meetings with his legal representative, it didn't create any real effect on the story. It felt more like a side-line of the story; it's already such a short book, not enough detail was divulged into the unfair treatment of his case for it to be an impactful one. 🤷🏻♀️ This was probably the most disappointing take for me. I was expecting more of a look into how Eli was cheated out of the system; how there was perhaps so much inside play that led him here - some dirty schemes that were against him. I expected some more insight into it - it's so heavily stressed otherwise, that a handful of sentences that just depict doesn't seem to be enough for me.
To me, the story was more of a character-driven one, where Eli has to regain his memories, in order to find out the truth about the murder he's being charged for. We get to see his life in prison - the relationships he's forged during his time inside and how they impact his daily life - how he slowly builds up his connection with his family, in the hopes of reuniting with them again. There were certainly a handful of interesting characters that rounded up Eli's little world, and to see how each played a part was worth seeing. ❤️🩹
Those facets shined more than simply an inquiry into innocence. The mystery-thriller aspect that really was the selling point - how he went on to prove his innocence - while in prison. That twist was one that was a bit contrived, but I'll let it slide, because I liked how the author led up to the eventual reveal. It was tense and taut and watching pieces fall into place is always a satisfying feeling for me. 👍🏻
So, in the end, the blurb promises something else, but honestly, the story was something else, which certainly defeats the purpose of what I was intending to read about. 😔
“Somebody knows what happened, somebody remembers every detail, just not me.
And if I never remember, I’ll be stuck in here for life.”
With a compelling start, I was hoping An Inquiry Into Innocence would hold my interest till the very end. Unfortunately, the grip it had on me started to loosen, when I felt that the story wasn't really following the intent of what the blurb had hinted towards. For a story that promised to talk about the inconsistencies of the legal system, I don't quite think it was covered enough - or even served as a worthwhile story line to the narrative.
“I’ve been here for seven years and am destined to be here for much longer.
Life was the recommended sentencing verdict, and life is what I got.”
For the last seven years, Eli Kelly has been imprisoned in the Irish prison - without any recollection of the fateful night that he was arrested for murder. It's difficult for him to recall the faintest memory of that night - bits of his memory scattered in his head - oftentimes leading him to believe that he may have been, in fact, been guilty. But, once his case garners the attention of a promising solicitor, who believes that his case was dismissed too easily, he starts working with a psychiatrist, who slowly but surely helps him regain the repressed memories of a life that may have been worse off than the life he has in prison. 😥
The start was good - I'll give it that. I liked Eli's interaction with the other respective cellmates - how the hierarchy of the prison was depicted - and the various tenuous friendships that would be developed, in order to find a common ground. Throw in the sudden tentative hope that Eli could eventually be released, and that his innocence could be proven, I was curious to follow Eli on his journey to recalling the events of the fateful night that led him here. But, it is those memories, itself, that warrant a warning. 😢
Of course, to keep the element of surprise, there are no trigger warnings mentioned; so, I am a bit perplexed as to those who may not be comfortable with such heavy and unsettling topics, how would they be warned. I was certainly not prepared, and aside from my surprise, I didn't quite like the writing for the memories. It was all very shady and deeply disturbing, and again, I don't quite know how one can be made aware of it before.
Eli was deeply traumatized - victimized in more ways than one, and it's something that isn't really mentioned to be prepared for - anywhere. 🥺 The writing did start off solid, but towards the middle, it started deteriorating - it became a bit rushed. It's already a short read, but the pacing was not heightening emotions, rather racing through them. As a debut, the writing lacked a certain punch, but it was alright; simple and modest enough for me to not be bothered by it, but not enough for me to be riveted by it. 🙍🏻♀️
“The law is only as powerful as the people who enforce it.”
I don't think the legal aspect of Eli's case was explored well enough or even enough; aside from a couple of meetings with his legal representative, it didn't create any real effect on the story. It felt more like a side-line of the story; it's already such a short book, not enough detail was divulged into the unfair treatment of his case for it to be an impactful one. 🤷🏻♀️ This was probably the most disappointing take for me. I was expecting more of a look into how Eli was cheated out of the system; how there was perhaps so much inside play that led him here - some dirty schemes that were against him. I expected some more insight into it - it's so heavily stressed otherwise, that a handful of sentences that just depict doesn't seem to be enough for me.
To me, the story was more of a character-driven one, where Eli has to regain his memories, in order to find out the truth about the murder he's being charged for. We get to see his life in prison - the relationships he's forged during his time inside and how they impact his daily life - how he slowly builds up his connection with his family, in the hopes of reuniting with them again. There were certainly a handful of interesting characters that rounded up Eli's little world, and to see how each played a part was worth seeing. ❤️🩹
Those facets shined more than simply an inquiry into innocence. The mystery-thriller aspect that really was the selling point - how he went on to prove his innocence - while in prison. That twist was one that was a bit contrived, but I'll let it slide, because I liked how the author led up to the eventual reveal. It was tense and taut and watching pieces fall into place is always a satisfying feeling for me. 👍🏻
So, in the end, the blurb promises something else, but honestly, the story was something else, which certainly defeats the purpose of what I was intending to read about. 😔
January 5, 2024
Rating: 1.5 stars.
I didn't have a fun time reading this, unfortunately. My biggest issue was the writing, it was stoic and emotionless and made every character seem completely flat and empty. The dialogue was weird and cringy and no one felt like a real person. The setting also wasn't well developed or described.
The story itself was very predictable and never really developed any suspense, since it was pretty obvious from the start where things were going. The character motivations were barely explored or even mentioned and the side characters didn't get any development at all. The ending was boring and definitely nothing you wouldn't have seen coming.
Thank you to Netgalley for the eArc.
I didn't have a fun time reading this, unfortunately. My biggest issue was the writing, it was stoic and emotionless and made every character seem completely flat and empty. The dialogue was weird and cringy and no one felt like a real person. The setting also wasn't well developed or described.
The story itself was very predictable and never really developed any suspense, since it was pretty obvious from the start where things were going. The character motivations were barely explored or even mentioned and the side characters didn't get any development at all. The ending was boring and definitely nothing you wouldn't have seen coming.
Thank you to Netgalley for the eArc.
December 6, 2023
Wow, I can't describe everything I felt while reading this book. I kept hoping it was NOT a true story, it would have broke my heart even more ! The way the author writes everything Eli went through, it's crazy. I just wanted to cuddle/comfort him and tell him I want to be his friend. I'm happy with the ending even though I think he deserved to get compensated for what he went through. I'll definitely read more of this author.
Thanks to Netgalley and Cranthorpe Millner Publishers for access to this arc in exchange for my honest review.
Thanks to Netgalley and Cranthorpe Millner Publishers for access to this arc in exchange for my honest review.
January 20, 2024
I was very intrigued by the summary (the story of our protagonist Eli Kelly's life in prison for a crime he cannot remember committing) and the book delivered exactly what it promised. I was surprised by the Irish setting because it is not one I have previously read about, but every confusion regarding differences in legal systems were properly addressed to make sure that no reader got left behind.
Eli’s flashbacks to his life before the prison had to be my favourite part of this book, as heart wrenching as it was. The man did not have it easy (…at all) and as the story progressed, I just found myself wanting to give him a good hug. Poor guy deserves it.
One thing I am a bit sad about is that we did not get more of our side characters. We got plenty of Eli, which was great, but I was left wanting to know more about Charlie, Brendan and even the dána. Nevertheless, I am aware that this is a very subjective opinion as Eli’s arc, the main plot of the story, was very well developed. In the end, this is what matters most.
Overall, it was an enjoyable and engaging reading experience!
Eli’s flashbacks to his life before the prison had to be my favourite part of this book, as heart wrenching as it was. The man did not have it easy (…at all) and as the story progressed, I just found myself wanting to give him a good hug. Poor guy deserves it.
One thing I am a bit sad about is that we did not get more of our side characters. We got plenty of Eli, which was great, but I was left wanting to know more about Charlie, Brendan and even the dána. Nevertheless, I am aware that this is a very subjective opinion as Eli’s arc, the main plot of the story, was very well developed. In the end, this is what matters most.
Overall, it was an enjoyable and engaging reading experience!
January 31, 2024
A Joyfully Jay review.
3.25 stars
After reading the blurb, I was intrigued by how An Inquiry Into Innocence would use the amnesiac prisoner set-up; though it starts strong, it falters throughout. To me, it felt like the narrative is structured in a way that highlights areas the author cared more about crafting. These components are stronger because they get intense focus and are less riddled with inconsistencies, making other aspects weaker and appear less important, primarily character development and navigating the core mystery. Cogley does a good job illustrating how innocence projects help victims regain their freedom and debunking some popular misconceptions about how these programs release guilty and violent offenders back into the populace willy-nilly. The insidiousness of partner abuse and domestic violence is portrayed in vivid detail. He’s also great at conveying the physical and emotional cruelty of the judicial and legislative system and their dehumanizing brutality and corruption at every level via greed or indifference, especially for people who are queer and/or have mental health challenges.
Read Jovan’s review in its entirety here.
3.25 stars
After reading the blurb, I was intrigued by how An Inquiry Into Innocence would use the amnesiac prisoner set-up; though it starts strong, it falters throughout. To me, it felt like the narrative is structured in a way that highlights areas the author cared more about crafting. These components are stronger because they get intense focus and are less riddled with inconsistencies, making other aspects weaker and appear less important, primarily character development and navigating the core mystery. Cogley does a good job illustrating how innocence projects help victims regain their freedom and debunking some popular misconceptions about how these programs release guilty and violent offenders back into the populace willy-nilly. The insidiousness of partner abuse and domestic violence is portrayed in vivid detail. He’s also great at conveying the physical and emotional cruelty of the judicial and legislative system and their dehumanizing brutality and corruption at every level via greed or indifference, especially for people who are queer and/or have mental health challenges.
Read Jovan’s review in its entirety here.
January 14, 2024
Thank you NetGally & publishers for the ARC
I'm sad to say that I did not enjoy this book. Although the plot wasn't that bad (pretty generic, nothing new), the writing made it difficult to enjoy. I'm not trying to throw accusations around but there were lines that felt like AI. For a story that is supposed to be about injustice, abuse of power, domestic violence, etc., it was shockingly devoid of emotion.
The main character, Eli, lacks any nuance or depth. 7 years WRONGFULLY imprisoned and there's no bitterness towards the system or any angst at all. Sure, there are some "emotional scenes" but they feel almost robotic. Eli's friend dies. Eli is sad. Eli cries. Eli is angry! Eli yells! Nothing feels fleshed out.
There are lines that are so cliche. Nearly every line of dialogue has an action verb attached, to the point where it's almost goofy. Every verb that might SHOW us how someone is feeling is quickly followed up with an unnecessary 'tell'. "He jokes" "I chuckle" "I say angrily" "Voice was high pitched with excitement" "My body shook with anxiety" "I squeezed my fists in anger"
Also, in a story about wrongful imprisonment, nothing bad seems to happen to our MC. He's a good guy! Once again, no depth. That's all he is, a good guy, who supposedly gets taken advantage of for seven years until, one day, he doesn't anymore. Very forgettable.
This is a very surface level exploration into abuse of power in the justice system. I applaud the author for writing about these difficult subjects and bringing them into the light. I did enjoy Charlie as a character, she redeemed a lot of the book for me. There's definitely some potential here and writing can always been improved.
I'm sad to say that I did not enjoy this book. Although the plot wasn't that bad (pretty generic, nothing new), the writing made it difficult to enjoy. I'm not trying to throw accusations around but there were lines that felt like AI. For a story that is supposed to be about injustice, abuse of power, domestic violence, etc., it was shockingly devoid of emotion.
The main character, Eli, lacks any nuance or depth. 7 years WRONGFULLY imprisoned and there's no bitterness towards the system or any angst at all. Sure, there are some "emotional scenes" but they feel almost robotic. Eli's friend dies. Eli is sad. Eli cries. Eli is angry! Eli yells! Nothing feels fleshed out.
There are lines that are so cliche. Nearly every line of dialogue has an action verb attached, to the point where it's almost goofy. Every verb that might SHOW us how someone is feeling is quickly followed up with an unnecessary 'tell'. "He jokes" "I chuckle" "I say angrily" "Voice was high pitched with excitement" "My body shook with anxiety" "I squeezed my fists in anger"
Also, in a story about wrongful imprisonment, nothing bad seems to happen to our MC. He's a good guy! Once again, no depth. That's all he is, a good guy, who supposedly gets taken advantage of for seven years until, one day, he doesn't anymore. Very forgettable.
This is a very surface level exploration into abuse of power in the justice system. I applaud the author for writing about these difficult subjects and bringing them into the light. I did enjoy Charlie as a character, she redeemed a lot of the book for me. There's definitely some potential here and writing can always been improved.
December 4, 2023
I would like to thank the author, the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of this book. I really enjoyed this book, so much so I read it in one sitting, the characters were great and the twist was brilliant, I will be recommending this book to everyone I know.
January 12, 2024
Content Warnings: Intimate partner violence, homophobia, transphobia
Cogley’s novel has an excellent plot, and if the story had fully focused on Eli, the first-person narrator, I think it would have been stronger. Eli is an interesting individual, partially due to his memory loss related both to a murder for which he was convicted and partially due to the way his case was handled and the re-investigation of it that follows. Without getting too much into spoilers, I think Eli’s uncovered past was excellently written. The “twist” was also good – not as effective as it could have been, but a solid twist in itself.
However, the book deviates too far away from this plot. There’s no real tension or mystery until maybe a quarter or a third into the novel. Instead, it's weighed down with side characters and plots (friends of Eli in prison, full letters between Eli and his parents, a criminal psychology course). While these DO establish some important aspects for the book, they could have been shortened and honed just on their relation to the main plot. I think with better pacing or better editing, this book would have been stronger. However, it was still an okay read if you like this type of story.
Cogley’s novel has an excellent plot, and if the story had fully focused on Eli, the first-person narrator, I think it would have been stronger. Eli is an interesting individual, partially due to his memory loss related both to a murder for which he was convicted and partially due to the way his case was handled and the re-investigation of it that follows. Without getting too much into spoilers, I think Eli’s uncovered past was excellently written. The “twist” was also good – not as effective as it could have been, but a solid twist in itself.
However, the book deviates too far away from this plot. There’s no real tension or mystery until maybe a quarter or a third into the novel. Instead, it's weighed down with side characters and plots (friends of Eli in prison, full letters between Eli and his parents, a criminal psychology course). While these DO establish some important aspects for the book, they could have been shortened and honed just on their relation to the main plot. I think with better pacing or better editing, this book would have been stronger. However, it was still an okay read if you like this type of story.
December 29, 2023
The book was good
It brought to light the Domestic Abuse faced by LGBTQ+ people and how little it is represented in the books.
Even the system fails to help them.
Police/Grada didn't help them easily.
.
It's tough life for them
First to be accepted and then to be safe
And it was portrayed well in the book
.
The book also answers the question
why the people who face domestic abuse don't report the crime and also shows what happens when they actually do
And
Especially when the person is gay
.
How one who faced abuse is traumatised and is scared to accept in front of anyone that they are the survivor
.
It is a mystery but yes we guess what would have happened as soon as that character comes in but this book is more about the portrayal of people who have faced abuse and wrongful convicted.
.
We see life in jail in Irish Prison which is the same as anywhere else
But
We see different kinds of innocent people
Shady people and
Our protagonist was a mix of many things
.
I was glad I read this one
.
Thank you Netgalley for ARC
.
I give this one 4 stars for the portrayal of the Domestic Abuse faced by Gay community.
It brought to light the Domestic Abuse faced by LGBTQ+ people and how little it is represented in the books.
Even the system fails to help them.
Police/Grada didn't help them easily.
.
It's tough life for them
First to be accepted and then to be safe
And it was portrayed well in the book
.
The book also answers the question
why the people who face domestic abuse don't report the crime and also shows what happens when they actually do
And
Especially when the person is gay
.
How one who faced abuse is traumatised and is scared to accept in front of anyone that they are the survivor
.
It is a mystery but yes we guess what would have happened as soon as that character comes in but this book is more about the portrayal of people who have faced abuse and wrongful convicted.
.
We see life in jail in Irish Prison which is the same as anywhere else
But
We see different kinds of innocent people
Shady people and
Our protagonist was a mix of many things
.
I was glad I read this one
.
Thank you Netgalley for ARC
.
I give this one 4 stars for the portrayal of the Domestic Abuse faced by Gay community.
February 3, 2024
I didn't really find An Inquiry Into Innocence to be a thriller. It was more so a horror, with an overabundance of horrific scenes interwoven through a slow-moving plot that wasn't at all thrilling as it continued to roll out. For such a short read, this contains so much violence that between the sensitive scenes of abuse and "bad guys" in the prison it started to feel cartoonish and took the light away from the core point of the novel: injustice in the legal system, especially injustices that occur to queer people within the system.
This wasn't exactly poorly written, but the few scenes that weren't violent were painfully boring, and despite knowing that the main character was someone I empathized with, he is written as an extremely odd and weak character. Not because he was a survivor of abuse, but because he simply takes most things that happens to him after the fact without much fight. If R. N. Cogley had gone into the psychology of why someone who'd survived what he had would end up that way, it would've made for a much better read.
Instead, we got extended scenes of violence against a gay man and a trans woman with no reprieve from that violence. I didn't enjoy this, and thought it missed the mark of what it tried to accomplish.
Thank you to Cranthorpe Millner Publishers and NetGalley for providing an ARC.
1 ⭐️
This wasn't exactly poorly written, but the few scenes that weren't violent were painfully boring, and despite knowing that the main character was someone I empathized with, he is written as an extremely odd and weak character. Not because he was a survivor of abuse, but because he simply takes most things that happens to him after the fact without much fight. If R. N. Cogley had gone into the psychology of why someone who'd survived what he had would end up that way, it would've made for a much better read.
Instead, we got extended scenes of violence against a gay man and a trans woman with no reprieve from that violence. I didn't enjoy this, and thought it missed the mark of what it tried to accomplish.
Thank you to Cranthorpe Millner Publishers and NetGalley for providing an ARC.
1 ⭐️
January 5, 2024
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me the opportunity to review this ARC.
An Inquiry into Innocence is not usually the type of book I would choose to read, however, the premise presented a new theme which I was open to exploring further. While the plot itself is not relatable as it explores a miscarriage of justice, I was under the assumption that perhaps it was more of a character led story and you'd end up rooting for the protagonist. To an extent, this is true, and I did feel empathy for Eli but I feel like there was capacity to take this further and with a fully fleshed out background, this would have allowed the readers to truly be pulled into the twists and turns this story navigates.
Overall, it was a promising premise but for me, it just lacked some depth where it would allow some connection to be made with the protagonist. I wanted to root for Eli but I would have definitely liked some more background to him──although this is truly a personal preference as I find it easier to connect with a character when there's more background.
An Inquiry into Innocence is not usually the type of book I would choose to read, however, the premise presented a new theme which I was open to exploring further. While the plot itself is not relatable as it explores a miscarriage of justice, I was under the assumption that perhaps it was more of a character led story and you'd end up rooting for the protagonist. To an extent, this is true, and I did feel empathy for Eli but I feel like there was capacity to take this further and with a fully fleshed out background, this would have allowed the readers to truly be pulled into the twists and turns this story navigates.
Overall, it was a promising premise but for me, it just lacked some depth where it would allow some connection to be made with the protagonist. I wanted to root for Eli but I would have definitely liked some more background to him──although this is truly a personal preference as I find it easier to connect with a character when there's more background.
February 26, 2024
A Joyfully Jay review.
2.5⭐️
After reading the blurb, I was intrigued by how "An Inquiry Into Innocence" would use the amnesiac prisoner set-up; though it starts strong, it falters throughout. To me, it felt like the narrative is structured in a way that highlights areas the author cared more about crafting. These components are stronger because they get intense focus and are less riddled with inconsistencies, making other aspects weaker and appear less important, primarily character development and navigating the core mystery.
Cogley does a good job illustrating how innocence projects help victims regain their freedom and debunking some popular misconceptions about how these programs release guilty and violent offenders back into the populace willy-nilly. The insidiousness of partner abuse and domestic violence is portrayed in vivid detail. He’s also great at conveying the physical and emotional cruelty of the judicial and legislative system and their dehumanizing brutality and corruption at every level via greed or indifference, especially for people who are queer and/or have mental health challenges. . .The book is a treatise on injustice that achieves that goal well. Unfortunately, the characters are more archetypes of the system’s failures; Eli becomes a messenger for these ideas and less a fleshed out protagonist.
The more personal elements, character development, and the mystery are shortchanged in certain ways. This tiering of importance is the overlying issue I had with the book. When an author creates an environment and establishes clear rules, consequences, and restrictions, it’s disruptive when these constructs are broken. "Inquiry" breaks them quite a bit, . . .The timeline is slippery and things are left out or events happened that don’t make sense. . .The misdirections aren’t developed well, and there are a couple I charitably label misdirections instead of careless mistakes because they blatantly undercut the total memory block premise. This uneven blending of social commentary and plot hindered my engagement with the story.
I had to suspend disbelief early on regarding Eli’s memory retrieval because what’s conveyed undermines its believability, and it’s lazily done. . . It’s a cycle of ‘Hey Eli, here’s a date, can you tell me about it?’ then boom—Memory Achievement Unlocked. . .For all the beatings, violence, fear, etc., the writing feels somewhat detached and leaden at times, particularly the often stilted dialogue. . .Eli’s a sympathetic character because he’s had terrible things done to him, but I didn’t care about him. . .the characters’ personalities and almost all their emotional expressions are one dimensional. . .
Entire review @ Joyfully Jay Reviews
2.5⭐️
After reading the blurb, I was intrigued by how "An Inquiry Into Innocence" would use the amnesiac prisoner set-up; though it starts strong, it falters throughout. To me, it felt like the narrative is structured in a way that highlights areas the author cared more about crafting. These components are stronger because they get intense focus and are less riddled with inconsistencies, making other aspects weaker and appear less important, primarily character development and navigating the core mystery.
Cogley does a good job illustrating how innocence projects help victims regain their freedom and debunking some popular misconceptions about how these programs release guilty and violent offenders back into the populace willy-nilly. The insidiousness of partner abuse and domestic violence is portrayed in vivid detail. He’s also great at conveying the physical and emotional cruelty of the judicial and legislative system and their dehumanizing brutality and corruption at every level via greed or indifference, especially for people who are queer and/or have mental health challenges. . .The book is a treatise on injustice that achieves that goal well. Unfortunately, the characters are more archetypes of the system’s failures; Eli becomes a messenger for these ideas and less a fleshed out protagonist.
The more personal elements, character development, and the mystery are shortchanged in certain ways. This tiering of importance is the overlying issue I had with the book. When an author creates an environment and establishes clear rules, consequences, and restrictions, it’s disruptive when these constructs are broken. "Inquiry" breaks them quite a bit, . . .The timeline is slippery and things are left out or events happened that don’t make sense. . .The misdirections aren’t developed well, and there are a couple I charitably label misdirections instead of careless mistakes because they blatantly undercut the total memory block premise. This uneven blending of social commentary and plot hindered my engagement with the story.
I had to suspend disbelief early on regarding Eli’s memory retrieval because what’s conveyed undermines its believability, and it’s lazily done. . . It’s a cycle of ‘Hey Eli, here’s a date, can you tell me about it?’ then boom—Memory Achievement Unlocked. . .For all the beatings, violence, fear, etc., the writing feels somewhat detached and leaden at times, particularly the often stilted dialogue. . .Eli’s a sympathetic character because he’s had terrible things done to him, but I didn’t care about him. . .the characters’ personalities and almost all their emotional expressions are one dimensional. . .
Entire review @ Joyfully Jay Reviews
April 27, 2024
**TW**
Violence, substance ab*se, injury detail, domestic ab*se, d3ath, murder, emotional ab*se, manipulation, homophobia
Eli Kelly has been sentenced for a crime he does not remember committing. All his memories from that day have been wiped. But, after 7 years in prison, he is presented with an opportunity to possibly redeem himself and in order to do this he must remember. Is he innocent or guilty?
This book was such a quick read. I flew through it. Diving into corruption of the justice system, this book was certainly tense.
From the beginning I had a soft spot for Brendan, Eli's cellmate, and I adored their friendship. Likewise with Charlie, their friendship was strong and I loved how Eli kept her secret safe.
I had taken a guess as to who had done something in the prison and was right...but oh my I did not realise how far this would have went. When the past came bubbling back up I'm not sure I was entirely ready for what was revealed.
Cogley certainy has potential as an author and I would love to read more of his works!
Violence, substance ab*se, injury detail, domestic ab*se, d3ath, murder, emotional ab*se, manipulation, homophobia
Eli Kelly has been sentenced for a crime he does not remember committing. All his memories from that day have been wiped. But, after 7 years in prison, he is presented with an opportunity to possibly redeem himself and in order to do this he must remember. Is he innocent or guilty?
This book was such a quick read. I flew through it. Diving into corruption of the justice system, this book was certainly tense.
From the beginning I had a soft spot for Brendan, Eli's cellmate, and I adored their friendship. Likewise with Charlie, their friendship was strong and I loved how Eli kept her secret safe.
I had taken a guess as to who had done something in the prison and was right...but oh my I did not realise how far this would have went. When the past came bubbling back up I'm not sure I was entirely ready for what was revealed.
Cogley certainy has potential as an author and I would love to read more of his works!
January 8, 2024
Seven years ago Eli Kelly was sentenced to life in prison for murder. However, he has no recollection of the crime. The whole period is a blur to him. All he knows is he was found with the victim holding the weapon.
Stourbliss can be a brutal place. Guards will turn their backs and gangs are common place. The only way to get through your day is to keep your head down.
A government scheme is set up to investigate potential miscarriages of justice. This leads to a solictor visiting Eli. She will take on his case but he needs to work with a psychiatrist to try and get his memory back of the events of the murder.
This book also tackles the topic of homophobia and the LGBTQ community within the penal system. It also looks at domestic abuse. This was an interesting read and gave an insight into prison life.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to see an ARC
Stourbliss can be a brutal place. Guards will turn their backs and gangs are common place. The only way to get through your day is to keep your head down.
A government scheme is set up to investigate potential miscarriages of justice. This leads to a solictor visiting Eli. She will take on his case but he needs to work with a psychiatrist to try and get his memory back of the events of the murder.
This book also tackles the topic of homophobia and the LGBTQ community within the penal system. It also looks at domestic abuse. This was an interesting read and gave an insight into prison life.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to see an ARC
January 10, 2024
Utterly Gripping.
An incredible and breathtaking read that is so full of twists it leaves you spinning helplessly to the finale.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story, written and narrated with such perfection, it had thrills, chills and gasp out loud moments that I simply couldn’t resist continuing, which I did, finishing it in one evening and only slightly regretting my lack of sleep but STILL exploring the tale in my head when I awoke.
It really is something special and manages to fill you with an impending sense of dread yet simultaneously full of hope.
IF you read or listen to one book this year then THIS is the ONE.
I suspect if I’d read this rather than Netgalley graciously offering me the audio version I would have devoured these shocking pages with greedy aplomb and instead, I really enjoyed sitting quietly and being treated with flawless narration at a pace.
Without doubt, this is worthy of a five star rating.
An incredible and breathtaking read that is so full of twists it leaves you spinning helplessly to the finale.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story, written and narrated with such perfection, it had thrills, chills and gasp out loud moments that I simply couldn’t resist continuing, which I did, finishing it in one evening and only slightly regretting my lack of sleep but STILL exploring the tale in my head when I awoke.
It really is something special and manages to fill you with an impending sense of dread yet simultaneously full of hope.
IF you read or listen to one book this year then THIS is the ONE.
I suspect if I’d read this rather than Netgalley graciously offering me the audio version I would have devoured these shocking pages with greedy aplomb and instead, I really enjoyed sitting quietly and being treated with flawless narration at a pace.
Without doubt, this is worthy of a five star rating.
January 12, 2024
It's called an Inquiry into Innocence by R.N. Cogley. I received a copy from Cranthorpe Millner publishers via Netgalley and this book will be out on the 23rd of January.
We follow Eli Kelly who is convicted of a crime he has no memory of committing and he is serving a life sentence. One day, a solicitor is sent to the prison to investigate potential miscarriages of justice and hope arises for Eli. The only thing he needs to do is regain his memory. Will Eli finally remember what happened on that night? Is he guilty or innocent?
This was a fun and interesting read to start the year with. Decent characters and an interesting storyline. I would have loved it if the story was more elaborate and to learn more about the different characters and the different storylines. That would have made the book much more interesting, I think. It still is, don't get me wrong, but it would have been fun to read more.
3,75/5 ⭐
We follow Eli Kelly who is convicted of a crime he has no memory of committing and he is serving a life sentence. One day, a solicitor is sent to the prison to investigate potential miscarriages of justice and hope arises for Eli. The only thing he needs to do is regain his memory. Will Eli finally remember what happened on that night? Is he guilty or innocent?
This was a fun and interesting read to start the year with. Decent characters and an interesting storyline. I would have loved it if the story was more elaborate and to learn more about the different characters and the different storylines. That would have made the book much more interesting, I think. It still is, don't get me wrong, but it would have been fun to read more.
3,75/5 ⭐
December 31, 2023
It was a very interesting read. The plot is quite unique, the subject matter is not often in novels and it was fascinating to see the process. Eli is not a character that I really liked, but I did like to read about his life and some things that happened definitely pissed me off — as they should. I have a special mention for Charlie, I truly liked that character and she deserved better for sure. As for the mystery surrounding Eli’s crime, I actually guessed the outcome of it but I was glad that I did. Not to reveal too much, but I hate one character in particular that was involved in that. A red flag kind of character.
Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for a honest review.
Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for a honest review.
December 20, 2023
My emotions were all over the place from the very first page. The author explores the brokenness of the justice system on both sides, but he also leaves the reader feeling hopeful that changes will be made in the future. Eli Kelly has been imprisoned for the last 7 years murder. He thinks he is innocent, but with the details of the night in question impossible to recall, part of him wonders if he actually committed murder.
January 14, 2024
"Somebody knows what happened, somebody remembers every detail, just not me. And if I never remember, I'll be stuck in here for life."
His crime was described as 'the most heinous', and Eli was given a life sentence. That was until Anna turned up and chose to take his case on.
I got a copy of this book from NetGalley and have had a brilliant time reading it. The plot kept me trying to guess who had done what and who was telling the truth.
His crime was described as 'the most heinous', and Eli was given a life sentence. That was until Anna turned up and chose to take his case on.
I got a copy of this book from NetGalley and have had a brilliant time reading it. The plot kept me trying to guess who had done what and who was telling the truth.
June 8, 2024
What an emotional journey... I'm so happy this wasn't based on a true story because im still teary-eyed over the thought of someone going through these things.
This book deals with a broken court system, prison violence, homophobia , transphobia , spousal abuse and that's just finishing chapter one..
I'm looking forward in reading more novels by R.N. Cogley
This book deals with a broken court system, prison violence, homophobia , transphobia , spousal abuse and that's just finishing chapter one..
I'm looking forward in reading more novels by R.N. Cogley
January 29, 2024
A very different read for me . I enjoyed this book set in an Irish prison. I was rooting for Eli and hoping he would remember what happened. I did not expect what was to follow.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews