Five by Five by Claire Wilson review: A tense thriller set in the Scottish prison system

Five by Five by Claire Wilson: The review

Kennedy works in a prison. It’s her job to keep an eye on things, to make sure prisoners – and staff – are acting as they are supposed to. It’s a dangerous job, one that’s got her in hot water before. She’s still recovering from being attacked out in the real world, and she’s still got the scars — both mental and physical — to prove it.

But she believes in what she does, and so when there are rumblings of a corrupt guard, Kennedy has to investigate. Her colleagues might tell her she’s come back to work too soon, but she doesn’t care. She has a job to do.

The setting and plot of Five by Five make this rather different from your usual thriller, and that’s something I really enjoyed. It’s gritty and visceral, and Claire Wilson has captured the feeling of life in a prison — both for staff and inmates — really well. It’s gritty, it’s disturbing, and reading about what goes on inside a prison is absolutely fascinating. But I’ve also really enjoyed the slower moments here: the complicated relationship between Kennedy and her ex girlfriend-turned-flatmate, and Kennedy’s fight against her rising anxiety around her work.

And of course, there is Molly, a new prison guard who Kennedy is instantly drawn to. Their blossoming relationship forms the backbone of Five by Five – but is it an exciting romance, or is Molly hiding dark secrets? (Both. It’s both.) Molly is an intriguing character, and right from the off you’ll be rooting for Kennedy’s happiness. She might not suspect anything is ‘off’ with Molly to begin with, but as the reader, you will! It’s paced excellently, and as a result you’ll find it hard to put down.

It’s the last section of Five by Five, though, that’s an absolute thrill ride, and it kept me guessing from beginning to end. It isn’t your typical twisty thriller but you’ll still be kept glued to the pages. I’ll be looking up more of Claire Wilson’s work, and keeping my fingers crossed we meet Kennedy again at some point. She’s a wonderful character.

Thanks to Michael Joseph and Love Books Tours for providing me a copy of Five by Five in exchange for my honest review.