Tess and her husband Oliver are hiding a huge secret. But Tess is also convinced that he is having an affair and their life together is threatened from multiple angles…
Liar Liar is a psychological thriller set in America. The majority of the book is written in the present day but there are chapters from three years ago. This raises plenty of questions and tension as we await seeing how the two timelines merge.
The book is written from Tess’ first person perspective. Her actions are not always truthful and this raises doubts about her reliability. It was easy to relate to her hurt and horror at the thought of Oliver having an affair. However she has dangerous secrets and the couple rely on each other to prevent the truth coming out.
The prologue shows us a mysterious character entering the house and this sets the tone for the fear and dread that haunt the couple. Their son starts to mention a hooded man and they think they are being watched. This lurking foreboding is compounded by the past timeline which gives clues about the secrets Tess is hiding.
I enjoyed the plot twists and the gradual dripfeed of clues about the past and how it relates to the present day. Tess and Oliver’s relationship is obviously flawed but they both seem like good people despite their questionable actions. Their focus is on protecting their son which again endeared them to me.
Liar Liar is an entertaining thriller and I liked the main character even though I wasn’t sure if I could trust her.
Liar Liar: An unbelievably gripping and heart-pounding psychological thriller
He promised to keep my secrets. He never told me his…
My husband and I are the dream couple: deeply in love, the envy of all our friends. He surprises me with roses and a beautiful diamond ring, and I prepare picnics for us to enjoy in the sunshine with our adorable son. It’s gestures like this that keep our romance alive.
But nobody knows how frightened I am at night. Oliver promised he’d keep me safe, but strange things have started to happen in my home.
My son is convinced that someone was in his room, watching him while he slept. And the white lantern on our porch has been smashed. One evening I could swear there’s a shadowy figure watching me through the window, lurking across the street. As I triple check that the doors are locked and kiss my son goodnight, I’m terrified that someone knows what happened before we moved here, and that soon everything I love will be taken away…
Then Oliver comes home with blood on his hands on the same night our neighbour, one of my closest friends, goes missing. And I realise I am not the only one hiding a terrible secret.
We are both lying. But when the truth finally comes to light, who will survive? And can I keep my son safe?
An absolutely addictive, twisty read that will have you sleeping with the light on. Anyone who loves Gone Girl, The Girl on the Train and Behind Closed Doors will be utterly gripped.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Liz’s story began in a refugee camp in Angola, where she spent the first eight years of her life. After that, she spent some years in Namibia (her home country), South Africa, and Germany. She now lives in Vienna, Austria, with her husband and two children. Liz wrote her first full-length novel at eighteen and hid it in a box under her bed. Several others soon followed it. Her passion lies in writing edge-of-the-seat psychological thrillers that give readers the same rush they would get on a rollercoaster.
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Twitter: @LGDavisAuthor
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1941: Julia and her sister are sent away by their parents, towards Nazi Germany and away from the Soviet troops. Julia survives the journey and the war, moving to Australia with her husband and child. But the immigrants do not find peace in their new home…
The Child of Ukraine is an historical novel based upon the experiences of the author’s grandparents. This alongside the current situation in Ukraine makes the book more poignant and relevant as well as heartbreaking.
Julia’s parents face an almost impossible decision: the Nazis or the Soviets. Their sons are already dead and they are truly desperate. Only fear can force the family apart and I can’t imagine being put in that position. Julia doesn’t have an easy life after the war. Her husband is not always kind and they are unable to have another child.
The characters all face serious issues and the human pain and emotion is easy to relate to and understand. The endurability of the human spirit and the capacity to love and hope are strong themes and elements to the book. I found the complexities and nuances of life to be authentic. The book is full of detail that captures the imagination and emotion of the reader.
The Child of Ukraine is an emotional and realistic portrayal of the experiences described.
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Book: The Child of Ukraine
Author: Tetyana Denford
Pub Day: July 20th 2022
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Ukraine, 1940. She cups her daughter’s face with her trembling hands, imprinting it on her mind. ‘I love you. Be brave,’ she whispers through her tears, her heart breaking into a thousand pieces. Sending her child away is the only way to keep her safe. But will she ever see her again?
When war rips their country apart, Julia is sent away by her tearful parents in the dead of night, clutching her mother’s necklace and longing for one last embrace. But soon she is captured by Nazi soldiers and forced into a German labour camp, where behind a tall fence topped with cruel barbed wire, she has never felt more alone.
Just as she begins to give up on all hope, Julia meets Henry, a young man from her village who shares her heart full of dreams. And when she feels a fluttering in her belly that grows and grows, she longs to escape the camp and begin a new life with their child. But then Julia is forced to make a terrible choice. A choice no mother should have to make.
New York, 2011. With her heart shattered and her life changed forever by the shadows of war, as the years go by Julia thinks she will never be whole again. For decades she has been carrying a terrible secret with her, her every moment tainted by tragedy and loss since those dark days of the war.
But when she receives a phone call in the middle of the night, far away from the home and family she lost in the war, will Julia finally be reunited with the missing piece of her heart? Or is it too late for her wounds to heal?
Based on the incredible true story of the author’s grandparents, The Child of Ukraine is a breathtakingly powerful tale of love, loss and family secrets, perfect for fans of The Four Winds, The Last Green Valley, and The Nightingale.
This novel was previously published under the name Motherland.
Author Bio
Tetyana Denford grew up in a small town in New York, and is a Ukrainian-American author, translator, and freelance writer. She grew up with her Ukrainian heritage at the forefront of her childhood, and it led to her being fascinated with how storytellers in various cultures passed down their lives to future generations; life stories are where we learn about ourselves, each other, and are the things that matter most, in a world where things move so quickly.
Her debut novel, Motherland was self-published in March 2020 to critical success and longlisted for The Readers Digest Self Published Book Awards. It was based on an incredible family secret that was revealed by her maternal grandmother, Julia, only recently, and has been described by people as ‘haunting’, ‘powerful and devastating’, and ‘a fragile and hopeful story of an immigrant family’. In March 2022, Tetyana signed a 2-book deal with Bookcouture, an imprint of Hachette, and Motherland will be re-released in July 2022 with a new title and cover.
She also works with Frontline News as a translator, has been featured in The New York Times, The Telegraph, The Flock Magazine and Mother Tongue Magazine, and speaks several languages. She also hosts a YouTube show called ‘The Craft and Business of Books’ that helps writers understand both the creative side and the business side of the book world. Her series of ‘conversation books’, collections of poetry and prose about Grief, Motherhood, and Love, were published in 2021.
Tetyana currently lives in New York with her husband and three children.
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Local crime reporter Paul Dodson is shocked to find himself getting emails from a killer. Together with the police, he tries to solve the riddles to catch the killer…
Five Down is a police and crime thriller set in York. It is a debut novel but confidently written.
The plot is full of cryptic clues and the police work frantically to try to solve them. This gave the book an interactive quality as I tried to figure out the clues for myself. Having been to the city of York several times, I loved the geographical and historical elements which feature prominently.
The police team is led by DI Gene Garland. He has a great working relationship with the rest of his team and appreciates effort rather than rank. There is not the usual antagonism with the media so he welcomes journalist Paul’s input.
The twists and tension are cleverly maintained until the end of the book. We see the killer lurking and attacking his victims so this adds another dimension to the book’s dynamic. The author also misdirects us with snippets of information about the characters and I was unsure who to trust.
Five Down was entertaining and intriguing as I tried to work out the clues (but failed!)
Book Blurb
Following a horrific murder in a sleepy suburb of York, a local journalist receives a cryptic clue from someone claiming to be the killer. The clue hints at where the next murder will take place.
Teaming up with the Senior Investigating Officer, Gene Garland, they discover the email is genuine. They face a race against the clock to stop a sadistic killer…
Five Down is a stunning debut from a new voice in crime writing.
Five Down is an absolutely gripping storyline.
This is amazing! Don’t miss this one…
Author Bio
Born in Yorkshire, Tom Sibson spent his earlier career in a variety of scientific research and engineering roles and now in middle age hopes to share his love of the city of York with his readers — albeit via somewhat dark, intriguing, and mind-teasing scenarios.
When not writing crime novels, Tom loves researching true crime, modern history, running, playing the guitar, listening to all genres of rock and solving cryptic crosswords with a particular penchant for the one in Private Eye.
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1920s Elodie’s mother dies and she is sent live with her grandmother, enjoying a simple life. 1940s Paris is occupied by the Nazis and Marianne owns a restaurant that serves the officers. 1980s Sabine inherits a restaurant with a haunting past…
The Last Restaurant In Paris is a triple timeline novel set across the twentienth century in France. I found myself totally submerged in each era thanks to the vivid descriptions and brilliant character development.
In the first part of the book, Sabine uncovers a mystery hidden for over 40 years and a shocking secret about the grandmother she was unaware existed. She meets an elderly man who knew Marianne but his memories raise even more questions and uncertainty about the past. Gilbert has been haunted by the events of the 1940s and is now forced to reconsider his opinions based on the discovery in the restaurant.
The middle third of the book then covers the 1920s and 1930s as Elodie grows from a child to a woman. The backdrop of European politics and the appeasement of the Nazis has a profound effect on her life. This era had been well researched by the author which gave an authenticity to the plot. On the fictional side, I was swept up in the love story of Elodie and Jacques and felt a fearful anticipation about the link to the 1940s.
The final part of the book revisits Gilbert’s memories but from Marianne’s perspective. This was a little bit repetitive and I thought there could have been more emphasis on her bravery at the end. The characters have nuances, vulnerability and flaws which bring them to life and make us identify with them. I was fascinated by the moral dilemma of committing terrible acts but for admirable reasons.
The Last Restaurant In Paris is an enjoyable and emotional historical novel.
I have previously reviewed The German Girl by Lily Graham.
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Book: The Last Restaurant in Paris
Author: Lily Graham
Pub Day: July 18th 2022
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Paris 1944. To save her people, she served the enemy.
In enemy-occupied Paris, as the locals go to bed starving and defeated by the war, music and laughter spills through the door of a little restaurant, crowded with German soldiers. The owner Marianne moves on weary feet between its packed tables, carrying plates of steaming, wholesome food for the enemy officers. Her smile is bright and sparkling, her welcome cordial. Nobody would guess the hatred she hides in her heart.
That night, the restaurant closes its doors for the final time. In the morning, the windows are scratched with the words ‘traitor and murderer’. And Marianne has disappeared without a trace…
Years later, Marianne’s granddaughter Sabine stands under the faded green awning, a heavy brass key in her hand, staring at the restaurant left to her by the grandmother she never met. Sabine has so many questions about herself. Perhaps here she can find answers, but she knows she isn’t welcome. Marianne was hated by the locals and when Sabine discovers they blamed her for the terrible tragedy that haunts the pretty restaurant, she is ready to abandon her dark legacy.
But when she finds a passport in a hidden compartment in the water-stained walls, with a picture of a woman who looks like her grandmother but has a different name, she knows there must be more to Marianne’s story. As she digs into the past, she starts to wonder: was her grandmother a heroine, not a traitor? What happened to her after the tragic night when she fled from her restaurant? And will the answer change her own life forever?
A haunting and compelling story of love, strength, and sacrifice in Nazi-occupied Paris as one brave young woman risks everything to save the lives of those around her. Fans of The Nightingale, The Paris Library and The Alice Network will lose their hearts to The Last Restaurant in Paris.
Author Bio
Lily Graham is the author of the bestselling, The Child of Auschwitz, The Paris Secret and The Island Villa, among others. Her books have been translated into numerous languages, including French, Italian, Polish, Portuguese and Turkish.
She grew up in South Africa, and was a journalist for a decade before giving it up to write fiction full time. Her first three novels were lighter, women’s fiction, but when she wrote The Island Villa, a story about a secret Jewish community living on the tiny island of Formentera during the Spanish Inquisition, she switched to historical fiction and hasn’t quite looked back since.
She lives now in the Suffolk coast with her husband and English bulldog, Fudge. Her latest book, The Flight of Swallows, set in Denmark and Sweden, will be out in January 2021.
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Anna invites the Clarke family to stay on her remote Scottish island. But despite her smiles, her intentions are deadly…
The Lost Boy is a psychological thriller. Right from the start we know that Anna is intent on harming one of the Clarke boys. They are not at all likeable but surely murder is a little extreme?! The boys’ parents Rod and Penny have a fraught relationship with each other and their children which adds an extra layer of tension.
The book is written from the alternating perspectives of Anna and Penny in the third person. Their actions and feelings are explored and contrasted. Around halfway through the book, my suspicions were confirmed about the motive behind Anna’s behaviour in a huge plot twist which then changes the direction of the book.
I was completely caught up in the idea of good people doing bad things and the lengths people will go to in order to protect themselves and those they love. Penny and Anna were portrayed very authentically with flaws and vulnerability. There was also an emotional side to the characters as they deal with their experiences.
The chapters are short which drives the plot along at a speedy pace. We are thrown straight into the plot and action, aware of the danger the Clarkes face. The drama really ramps up in the second half of the book and my feelings towards the characters changed completely as secrets are revealed.
The Lost Boy is very entertaining with interesting moral dilemmas and plenty of drama.
I have previously reviewed The Stepson by Jane Renshaw.
Book Blurb
They expected a relaxing holiday. They got a trip to hell.
The Clarke family, Penny, Rod and their two young boys, are delighted when they are offered a holiday in a high-end guest house on a remote and beautiful island.
Their hostess Anna seems like a lovely woman. But what the Clarkes don’t realise is that this is no random invitation, that Anna has carefully selected the family to satisfy her own sinister agenda.
Penny soon begins to sense there’s something off about Anna. She often speaks about her husband and son, but is it odd that they are both away? And that Anna seems perfectly content to be alone in this isolated place?
And then there’s the way she looks at Penny’s boys – as if she’s sizing up chickens for the slaughter.
Penny grows increasingly uneasy and begins to do a bit of digging, which leads to a horrifying discovery – she finally realises who Anna is, and then she knows exactly why they’ve been invited to the island.
She also knows that if she and her family are ever going to leave, they’ll have to fight for their lives… and find the answer to one terrifying question – how far would you go for the people you love?
The Lost Boy – the gripping psychological thriller from the author of The Stepson and The Child Who Never Was.
Author Bio
As a child, Jane spent a lot of time in elaborate Lego worlds populated by tiny plastic animals and people. Crime levels were high, especially after the Dragon brothers set themselves up as vets and started murdering the animals in their ‘care’. (They got away with it by propping the victims up with Plasticine and pretending they were still alive…)
As an adult, she is still playing in imaginary worlds and putting her characters through hell – but now she can call it ‘writing’ and convince herself that she is doing something sensible. In real life, she has a PhD in genetics and copy-edits scientific and medical journals.
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