The Book:
When You Are Mine by Michael Robotham
Published January 4th 2022 by Scribner
Date read: January 17th 2022
The Characters:
Phil
Tempe
Buy it on Bookshop.org | Amazon
The Plot (from Goodreads):
Philomena McCarthy is a young, ambitious police office with the elite Metropolitan Police in London. When she responds to a domestic violence call, she finds the victim, Tempe Brown, trying to protect her abuser, a married man named Darren Goodall, a decorated Scotland Yard detective afraid of no one. As Philomena pursues the case against him, she not only encounters resistance from her police force colleagues but also becomes dangerously entangled with the victim—who is not at all whom she appears to be—much to the increasing endangerment of herself and Henry, her fiancée.
Complicating matters is Philomena’s estranged father Edward McCarthy, a powerful man who has built a criminal empire along with his brothers. Philomena has long tried to pursue her career as a police officer without her father’s involvement, but as she falls under suspicion of stalking and harassing Goodall, her father becomes involved.
As the situation escalates, Tempe’s sinister maneuvers further entangle Philomena in a web of secrets, corruption, and murder, putting Philomena’s impending marriage, career, and very survival in jeopardy…
Spellbinding, suspenseful, and filled with complex characters that could be heroes or villains, Robotham has crafted a smart and propulsive thriller that’s impossible to put down.
The Twist:
Tempe was doing everything–she faked the Goodell’s blackmailing her.
Goodell was killed and Phil was blamed. It was likely Tempe who killed him–she drugged Phil at her bachelorette party, brought her home, took pictures of her, and possibly sexually assaulted her. Tempe thought they would be each other’s alibi. Phil’s dad (the mobster) arranged Tempe’s death and confession to clear Phil’s name.
The Ending:
Henry and Phil get married. Alison had actually killed Goodell. Phil realized because Imogen’s stolen ring had been returned to her mom.
The Review:
Thank you to the publisher for a complimentary copy and to S&S audio for an ALC in exchange for an honest review.
This was my first book by Michael Robotham, but I am definitely going to have to check out his backlist books.
As you can tell from the book summary, Phil has her work cut out for her in terms of making a name for herself within her precinct. As if being young and female isn’t enough, she also comes from a notorious family with mob connections. And now she is going up against a decorated detective that has the whole force backing him.
I really enjoyed Phil as the main character. While certainly flawed, she is a badass who is unwilling to let a corrupt system get the best of her. I liked that she was able to defend herself given her karate background, and that she taught other women how to do the same. I also found her father’s family to be extremely interesting. Phil was estranged from her father for obvious reasons, but reconnected with him over the course of the book.
While I wasn’t shocked by the main turns the story took, When You Are Mine was interesting and engaging throughout. There was one aspect I was surprised by, and that twist felt especially empowering for that character. If you like slow-burn thrillers with a creepy stalker aspect, this one is for you!
I would definitely be interested in hearing more about Phil’s story and how she works to reconcile her career. She was certainly a memorable MC with an interesting backstory, should the author decide to do more with her.
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