About the Book
Meet the Newells, a big family of good lookers and hard grafters. From their sleepy working class backwater, the siblings break into Oxford academia, London's high life, the glossy world of magazine publishing and the stratospheric riches of New York's hedge funds. Then there's Paddy, the wrong'un in their midst, who prefers life's underbelly. As things fall apart around his sister Bea, is Paddy behind it all? And why does matriarch Edie turn a blind eye to her son's malevolence? Will she stand by and watch while he wrecks the lives of her other children? Just how much is she willing to sacrifice to protect her son? The book opens with Edie, now in her seventies, who looks back on her early married life with her husband, George, and their ever-growing brood. She loved having babies, but resented their growth and increasing independence. She recalls the horror and confusion surrounding the death of her toddler son, Timmy. Even though it happened forty years ago, she still blames her brother, his uncle, for falling asleep while he was supposed to be looking after the children. Now, her favourite son, Paddy, has just been released from prison for dangerous driving. She is good at making excuses for him. All her other children are successful, and have done extremely well in their chosen careers, but it becomes apparent that she begrudges her only daughter's success. Why does she resent her daughter so much? Paddy is malevolent, violent, bullying, cruel... Edie has never forgiven herself for giving him up to the care system before she married George. He has never fitted in with his siblings, and is the bad apple that can ruin the whole batch. The only person he has ever cared about is his stepfather, George, who saw only too clearly what Edie has always been blind to. Bea, the only daughter in the family, has grown up knowing her mother doesn't love her. She is a successful journalist, and adores her husband, David, and her stepchildren, but longs for a baby of her own. Then suddenly David dies. In the midst of her grief, her glamorous cleaning lady, Lorena, flaunts her pregnancy. She insists that the baby is David's, and is willing to take a DNA test to prove it. Welcome to the world of the Newells, where nothing is as it seems.
About the Author :
Catherine Evans was born and brought up in Africa. She worked in Durban for two years after leaving school, then decamped to the UK and worked in the City for 20 years. She's the Editor of fictionjunkies.com, a website which publishes short stories of all genres by authors around the world. Her first novel, The Wrong'un, was published by Unbound in 2018. Cathy is a trustee of the Chipping Norton Literary Festival, and organises the annual CNLF Short Story competition. She lives in Oxfordshire with her husband and daughter. Her website is www.cathyevans.com
Review :
Totally absorbing, particularly by the time I reached the halfway point, after which it was hard to put it down. At the beginning, I made some assumptions about where the plot was heading. To the author's great credit, all my assumptions were proved incorrect. I thought it was going to be along the lines of We Need to Talk About Kevin, a book I loved (and which disturbed me) but - you know, how many books along this line do we need? Without giving anything away, I would describe this story as far more nuanced and multi-layered than it would have been had it focused only on the most disturbing character - particularly in its examination of family dynamics. It is a gifted writer who can make the reader sympathise with all the characters, no matter how unlikable they are or how appalling their actions may be. Once or twice I wondered why a certain chapter was relevant, but it all tied together beautifully in the end.
Have you ever seen film of a collapsing tower block in reverse? Perhaps you can imagine a game of Jenga in reverse. Disconnected blocks, random bricks, haphazard detail that rise to a sublime structure in which every piece fits, makes sense and thrills: that’s The Wrong’un for you. It’s a terrific story brilliantly and economically told, a great read with some very believable and nuanced characters and some quite chilling moments. I pray a Paddy never enters my life!
This is a book that will both fascinate and repel the reader. The characters are beyond faulty. Nearly every one of them has been twisted or warped by life. Some of them only to a small degree, but others to the extent of criminal activity. The reader is tugged gently into their lives as they slowly converge to deliver an unexpected, startling ending. The clues are sometimes blatant, but at other times are so subtle that you find yourself flipping back to earlier pages to discover just what exactly when on and how/where/why a certain thing occurred. Superbly written, carefully crafted, you cannot help but keep reading to discover what horrible thing these people might do next. Some of them are victims of chance, while others … well, Lizzy Borden was nice by comparison. Excellent thriller whodunit family drama and mystery.
I know it's a good book when I'm trying to find space in my day to read it rather than dutifully turning a few pages before I nod off. This is an excellent novel packed with good character development and really well written. It was a joy to read, I raced through the pages desperate to know how it was going to pan out for everyone. An incredible first novel I hope Catherine Evans keeps publishing! Well worth reading.
The Wrong’un by Catherine Evans is a fast-paced novel that will keep readers on the edge of their seat. The author weaves a fantastic narrative about protagonists Edith and George and her brood of offspring, that came in quick succession of each other. The beginning is quite nostalgic, as a mother reminisces on the memory of her childbearing years.
Patrick, otherwise known as Paddy, plays an integral role in the plot of the book. Despite a seemingly calm upbringing, in a loving family, Paddy apparently has some issues. The story develops at a rapid pace and there’s mention of crime, escalating deception, death and loss. The family’s story has a plethora of relatable elements that made it an easy and enjoyable read, sibling rivalry, infidelity, grief and debauchery.
Evans writing is filled with raw and unfiltered emotion, and readers can align themselves with the characters and the plot without getting lost. This book is a great read for adults seeking a fast-paced read with hints of adult content. Readers will be fully engrossed as the characters are well-developed and vary in depth.
Family relationships are complicated, right? In my experience, all families hide secrets and problems, and each member suffers their own dilemmas. When a secret is discovered, the others fall like dominoes. This novel is an excellent representation of this.
The Wrong'un is the first novel written by Catherine Evans and I must say that she did a great job. The author easily develops the personalities of each character and weaves an entertaining plot, which alternates between the daily life of a family with drama and unexpected turns and twists.
I think the author deserves special thanks for the family tree included in the book, it was very useful. I really liked it and I honestly recommend it!
A riveting reading with characters narrating their version of events in this dramatic, intriguing family story, full of unexpected twists and revelations. What determines who we are, who we become? Is it genes, an early life experience, certain dramatic events? ... What's hidden inside 'the teddy bear'? ... It was hard to put the book down. I noticed that I was waking up in small hours in anticipation of finding out what happens next. A real page turner!
This exceptionally well written book is about a big and rich family with lots of secrets.
When I saw the cover of this piece I wanted to read it immediately. Let me say that the author met my expectations and more. The story is very readable with descriptions that transported me all the time. The writing is captivating, really vivid and subtle. The characters are unique, every one with a distinctive personality. As in many stories, there is a sharp contrast between good and evil but with a different perspective than usual; something that I really enjoyed.
This book completely gripped me from start to finish and I highly recommended it.
Such an enjoyable read, so finely written. Lots of dark secrets and twists, I couldn’t put it down. Even though I was sorry it ended, it was a satisfying ending. Would also love to see this as a TV drama!
This book will make many of us appreciate the life we have. I really liked the story and couldn’t wait to finish.
