Lockdown

Lockdown by Peter May

Paperback, 399 pages

Published 16th June 2020 by Quercus

Shelves: adult-fiction, better-than-expected, books-i-own, crime-thriller-mystery, dystopian, read, read-in-2021, sci-fi, title-appeal

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Description via Goodreads:

Written over fifteen years ago, this prescient, suspenseful thriller is set against a backdrop of a capital city in quarantine, and explores human experience in the grip of a killer virus. 

'They said that twenty-five percent of the population would catch the flu. Between seventy and eighty percent of them would die. He had been directly exposed to it, and the odds weren't good.' 

A CITY IN QUARANTINE 

London, the epicenter of a global pandemic, is a city in lockdown. Violence and civil disorder simmer. Martial law has been imposed. No-one is safe from the deadly virus that has already claimed thousands of victims. Health and emergency services are overwhelmed. 

A MURDERED CHILD 

At a building site for a temporary hospital, construction workers find a bag containing the rendered bones of a murdered child. A remorseless killer has been unleashed on the city; his mission is to take all measures necessary to prevent the bones from being identified. 

A POWERFUL CONSPIRACY 

D.I. Jack MacNeil, counting down the hours on his final day with the Met, is sent to investigate. His career is in ruins, his marriage over and his own family touched by the virus. Sinister forces are tracking his every move, prepared to kill again to conceal the truth. Which will stop him first - the virus or the killers?t

I picked up Lockdown during the UK's third COVID lockdown and despite the eerie comparisons, I'm glad that I did! The book starts with a preface that tells us that initially the book wasn't published as in 2005 the thought of the UK capital, London, being in total lockdown seemed  too outlandish, but now we're all too familiar with both the term and the reality, meaning the book was published and has become a hit during these unprecedented times.

I have to admit that I was very happily surprised by this book. Though you should never judge a book by its cover, this isn't a book that I'd usually be tempted to pick up and the title is the sole reason that I did. I don't know what possessed me to want to read a book that was in reflective of our current trying times, but I thought that May predicted and portrayed life in lockdown impressively well. Granted, the lockdown in the book certainly seemed more grave than what we've been dealing with, issues such as fear and social issues were tackled very well. 

The story is set in London during lockdown as a new, highly virulent flu-type disease sweeps the population, threatening the lives of all. We are introduced to our protagonist, D.I. Jack MacNeil as he is tackles his last case before leaving the police force. As human remains are found at a construction site, he makes it his main purpose to bring justice to the victim. During the investigation we are introduced to many people including the forensics team which work tirelessly to discover the identity of the young victim. The book may primarily be a crime thriller, but we're also treated to a romantic storyline as we read about MacNeil's relationship with forensic orthodontist, Amy Wu. I enjoyed the characters in this book but Amy definitely was the most interesting to me as we learnt more as her character developed alongside the criminal case. I also liked the insight into both race and disability that Wu brought to the story.

Overall, the story was one that held my interest, it was easy to follow and had a bit of everything - mystery, action and romance. I was never bored whilst reading this one. I enjoyed reading about May's chaotic Lockdown London and mostly, I am impressed with his precognition! I was disappointed by the ending of the story which was, quite frankly, ridiculous and I felt that it did let the book down. Nonetheless, I'm glad I read this and would definitely recommend it. I look forward to reading more of May's work in the future.

The Prized Girl

The Prized Girl by Amy K Green

Paperback, 384 pages

Published 20th February 2020 by HQ

(First published 1st January 2008)

Shelves: abuse, adult-fiction, better-than-expected, crime-thriller-mystery, death, lasting-impression, new-adult, rape, read, read-in-2021, realistic-fiction, really-good

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Description via Goodreads:

Days after a young teenager named Jenny is found murdered, her small town grieves the loss alongside her picture-perfect parents. At first glance, Jenny’s tragic death appears clear-cut for investigators. In the murder of a former pageant queen from a safe and loving family, the most obvious suspect is a fan who got too close for comfort. But Jenny’s sarcastic, older half-sister Virginia isn’t so sure of his guilt and takes matters into her own hands to find the killer.

But for Jenny’s case and and Virginia’s investigation, there’s more to the story. Virginia, still living in town and haunted by her own troubled teenage years, suspects that a similar darkness lay beneath the sparkling veneer of Jenny’s life. Alternating between Jenny’s final days and Virginia’s determined search for the truth, the sisters’ dual narratives follow a harrowing trail of suspects, with surprising turns that race toward a shocking finale.

I hadn't heard of The Prized Girl or of Amy K. Green before glancing upon this book in my local bookshop but I am so glad that I happened upon it. The book tells us of the story of Jenny, a young beauty queen who has been found tragically raped and murdered and her older sister's journey in trying to discover what happened to her. 

This book seems to be the perfect bridge between young adult and adult fiction, mainly featuring younger characters and recounting several school experiences, but has a storyline that will appeal to fans of crime stories and psychological thrillers and focusing on some adult themes. The characters were not overly developed but  still well written. Though I didn't feel much of a connection to them, I could've read about them for days. There are two timelines in the book, the story of the past, of Jenny, as we see what led up to the dramatic events which resulted in her untimely death and the story of the present, as told by Virginia as she unravels plenty of secrets and attempts to discover the truth. 

The storyline takes precedence in this book and it's clear that Green is a great storyteller. I was gripped from the start. Although I did manage to predict 'whodunnit' around two thirds of the way through, this never distracted from the enjoyment of the story as there was so much that was explored and revealed in the book. I was always wondering something and curious about how the timeline would fit together in the end. This really was a page turner and I was very reluctant to put it down. Although there was a lot going on in the book and there were many twists, turns and revelations it was easy to follow. I was also very pleased that everything felt succinctly wrapped up at the end, though thankfully not rushed. The author did a fantastic job with a truly engrossing plot.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book as it really captivated me and I sped through it! It was simply but eloquently written and an extremely compelling story which tackles several extreme subjects. The Prized Girl is definitely a book that I will be recommending and I would love to read more by Amy K. Green.

Island of Lost Girls

Island Of Lost Girls by Jennifer McMahon

Paperback, 255 pages

Published 3rd September 2009 by Sphere

(First published 1st January 2008)

Shelves: abuse, books-i-own, contemporary, crime-thriller-mystery, disliked, read, read-in-2021, realistic-fiction

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Description via Goodreads:

While parked at a gas station, Rhonda sees something so incongruously surreal that at first she hardly recognises it as a crime in progress. She watches, unmoving, as someone dressed in a rabbit costume kidnaps a young girl. Devastated over having done nothing, Rhonda joins the investigation. But the closer she comes to identifying the abductor, the nearer she gets to the troubling truth about another missing child: her best friend, Lizzy, who vanished years before. For this is not the only white rabbit Rhonda has known - there was another in her childhood; one she feels she has been chasing all her life. The rabbit of her past holds the key to a mystery that has stained the lives of Rhonda and her friends, and now she must track him down - even if it means following where she doesn't want to go ...From the author of the acclaimed Promise Not to Tell comes a chilling and mesmerizing tale of shattered innocence, guilt, and ultimate redemption.

When I started Island of Lost Girls, I had quite high hopes for it. I thought that the premise was really intriguing and I enjoyed the opening section. Our protagonist, Rhonda is at a gas station when she witnesses the abduction of a child by a person wearing a rabbit costume. Following this, she decides to find out what happened to the child and who the person in the costume was.The event also leads us to learn about the unsolved disappearance of Rhonda's childhood friend, Lizzy. 

I enjoyed some of the writing and when we were first introduced to the child's imaginative  setting of the 'submarine' (a car in the backyard), I was originally quite impressed and enjoyed it, but unfortunately the novelty quickly wore off. The author takes us into this fictional world of the submarine, which is nice and novel but didn't really end up having much significance. As well as the submarine, the book also explored a rabbit theme and a Peter Pan theme but unfortunately these didn't work very well. These sections of the book felt like the author was just trying too hard to try and be elaborate and quite honestly, the book would have been better without them. It almost felt as though the author was trying too hard.

Though the book wasn't very thick, it felt as the author was trying to fit in as much as possible meaning that it was quite difficult to keep focus on one part of the story. There are two missing person stories going on at the same time alongside all of the discussions of childhood play. The story itself was very predictable, so that made it slightly easier to follow. There is a deeper, very dark storyline weaved within the story of the children's group which had potential to be interesting but was just far too predictable to redeem the book. 

Overall, this isn't a book that I would recommend. Unfortunately the book couldn't keep my attention and it was neither creepy or intriguing enough.

Don't Tell Teacher

Don't Tell Teacher by Suzy K. Quinn

Paperback, 384 pages

Published 25th July 2019 by HQ

Shelves:  abuse, adult-fiction, books-i-own, crime-thriller-mystery, mental-health, read, read-in-2021, realistic-fiction

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Description via Goodreads:

School should have been the safest place…

For Lizzie Riley, switching her six-year-old son Tom to the local academy school marks a fresh start, post-divorce. With its excellent reputation, Lizzie knows it’ll be a safe space away from home.

But there's something strange happening at school. Parents are forbidden from entering the grounds, and there are bars across the classroom windows.

Why is Tom coming home exhausted, unable to remember his day? What are the strange marks on his arm? And why do the children seem afraid to talk?

Lizzie is descending into every parent’s worst nightmare: her little boy is in danger. But will she be able to protect him before it’s too late?

Don't Tell Teacher is one of those books that is quite hard to review without giving away any spoilers - but I will do my very best. This was a book unlike any other that I've read before which was as equally as intriguing as it was anxiety-inducing!

The story revolves around Lizzie who has moved her child, Tom, to a new area and a new school after fleeing from problems with her abusive ex-husband, Ollie. Shortly after moving to his new school, Tom's behaviour and health begins to deteriorate and it soon becomes clear that someone is controlling and hurting him. Throughout the book both Lizzie, social worker Kate and the reader try to discover what exactly is happening.

Throughout, we are introduced to the perspectives of several different characters which makes for fast-paced, easy reading but sadly does not allow any of the characters to build any great complexity. I was particularly disappointed with the narration of the social worker, Kate, who initially seemed as though she had so much potential but sadly was under-developed as a character. There is such an important message within this book about the issues within social care - the fact that many of the workers are dangerously overworked, underfunded and generally under-supported despite their important work. Bringing awareness to these issues is  of great importance and what was covered was well done but I think there was even more potential to explore this.

I can't say that I didn't become frustrated and a little confused at some of Lizzie's actions, though this became more comprehensible by the end of the book. I did have my suspicions of 'whodunit' by the middle of the book which turned out to be correct, but Quinn did a great job of cleverly making me doubt myself throughout. Despite my predictions, I still really enjoyed the twist at the end as it's something that I've not come across before in a book and it's definitely a jaw-dropper.

On the whole, Don't Tell Teacher was a gripping, easy-to-read book that kept my attention throughout. I wish the characters had been more complex, but as a psychological page-turner, I would certainly recommend this book for anyone looking for a compelling read and I will definitely look forward to reading more by Suzy K. Quinn in the future. 

I, Witness (Madison Attallee #1)

 I, Witness (Madison Attallee #1) by Niki Mackay

Paperback, 352 pages

Published 19th April 2018 by Orion

Shelves:  adult-fiction, arc-or-review, books-i-own, crime-thriller-mystery, read, read-in-2021, realistic-fiction

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Description via Goodreads:

They say I'm a murderer.

Six years ago, Kate Reynolds was found holding the body of her best friend; covered in blood, and clutching the knife that killed her.
I plead guilty. 
Kate has been in prison ever since, but now her sentence is up. She is being released.
But the truth is, I didn't do it. 
There's only one person who can help: Private Investigator Madison Attalee, the first officer on the scene all those years ago.
But there's someone out there who doesn't want Kate digging up the past. Someone who is willing to keep the truth buried at any cost.

I, Witness is the first book in the Madison Attallee series by Niki Mackay. This is the first book that I've read by Mackay but I can definitely say that it will not be the last. I was both impressed and completely captivated by this compelling psychological thriller.

This story focuses on Kate Reynolds, a young woman who is convicted for a crime - the murder of her best friend, Naomi - that she no longer believes she committed. On release from prison, Kate turns to Private Investigator Madison Attallee who also worked on the original crime investigation. The story follows the discovery of the whole story of what happened on that night and what led up to the crime. 

The story is told with alternating narration, each chapter following either Kate or Madison's mindset. This form of writing was fantastic as it gave us short bursts of each character and it was so easy to tell myself 'just one more chapter'! Though both of the main characters held my interes, Madison was the absolute star of the book and I loved reading about her. She was such a raw and real character, clearly dealing with her own complex issues whilst also helping Kate with her trauma. It was so refreshing to read about such a perfectly imperfect character and I am so glad that this series will continue, giving us the opportunity to read and learn even more about her sweary, chain-smoking, rock-music loving self. The realism of all of the characters in this story was fantastic. 

Whilst this story deals with some clearly difficult and traumatic issues such as death, alcoholism and domestic abuse, it was a relatively quick read for me as I was just so desperate to keep on reading. The pacing of the book is fantastic and it really is the definition of a 'page-turner'. There are several twists and turns in the book and though the ending may become somewhat guessable nearing the latter-half, it still holds your attention until the action-packed end. 

As you can probably tell, I really enjoyed this book and it's definitely something I would recommend to anybody who enjoys the crime or psychological thriller genre. I, Witness was simply but well written, not overly complex but always intriguing, entirely entertaining and I can't wait to read more from Mackay!

Born Killers?

Born Killers? by Dr Kris Mohandie 

Paperback, 256 pages

Original Title: Evil Thoughts: Wicked Deeds

Published 3rd September 2020 by Mirror Books

Shelves: arc-or-review, books-i-own, crime-thriller-mystery, historical, let-down, mental-health, non-fiction, not-for-me, read-in-2020, to-be-reviewed

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Description via Goodreads:

Over his 30-year police and forensic psychology career, Dr Kris Mohandie has come face-to-face with kidnappers, serial killers, stalkers, and terrorists.

With his expertise and insight, Dr Mohandie analyses and evaluates the thought processes that motivate the most dangerous people who have ever walked among us.

This is the first-hand account of his work, covering shocking cases like the 'Angel of Death' serial killer, racist serial assassin Joseph Paul Franklin, and even the O.J. Simpson case. 

Learn shocking new revelations about hostage takers, serial killers, mass murderers, violent 'true-believers', terrorists, and some of the worst predators on the planet. 

I initially picked up 'Born Killers?' as it is relatively short and due to the interesting subject matter, I thought it would be a compelling, quick read. Unfortunately, I was let down by this book and it took me a lot longer to read than I hoped. Despite my likely unhealthy obsession with true crime and the psychology behind it, this book was unfortunately a disappointment. 

This book should have grabbed my attention and kept me wanting to read on but I found it quite a chore to get through. The book is full of short chapters on all sorts of criminals - from serial killers and stalkers to terrorists and kidnappers. Mohandie covers a wide range of criminals in a short amount of writing yet somehow, the writing still felt laborious to read. Whilst I had heard of most of the cases and criminals mentioned in the book (most are well known), I think this would be a good introduction to true crime for anyone who is interested in the subject and the book does give a good starting point (with references) for those who want to investigate further.  

Regrettably, I didn't enjoy the tone of the author throughout this book - there was a sense of pretension and a major lack of empathy - particularly for a professional. This really downgraded the book for me. Throughout, there are numerous mentions of American culture, politics and, in particular, gun laws. I appreciate that politics are very important and the gun laws do have an impact on the crimes but I felt as though Mohandie's personal views and commentary often went off on a tangent, distracting from the psychology of the crimes - it became very tiresome.

Overall, unfortunately I can't say that I enjoyed this book. I did find the author's insights about psychological deception interesting as well as the short section on mass killers, but despite this - the main word I would use to describe this book is 'boring'. I can see the value of the informative content for those who would like a basic insight into several crimes but for me, this book is not something I'd recommend reading for an enjoyable pastime. 

Mine

 Mine by Susi Fox

Paperback, 464 pages

Published 14th June 2018 by Penguin

Shelves:  adult-fiction, books-i-own, crime-thriller-mystery, read, read-in-2021, realistic-fiction

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Description via Goodreads:

The baby in the nursery is not your baby.

Waking up after an emergency caesarean, you demand to see your son.
But it's someone else's child.
No one believes you - not the hospital, not your father, not your loyal husband.

They say you're delusional. Dangerous.

They suspect you want to steal another baby.
All you know is that you must find your own child before he's out of reach forever.
And you're a doctor - you would know if you were losing your mind.

Right?

Mine by Susi Fox is a psychological thriller about a woman, Sasha, who has just awoken from having an emergency Caesarean section, only to discover that her new baby, Toby, isn't exactly what she expected - not only her baby is a different sex to what was predicted at her ultrasound scan, but she just feels no emotional connection to the child before her. Unfortunately for Sasha, nobody believes her. 

The premise of Mine is a fantastic one with so much potential. Sasha, the people around her and the reader are all unsure of whether Sasha's thoughts are well-founded or the product of a postpartum depression or psychosis. Whilst the people around her are adamant that she is wrong, Sasha is almost certain she is correct in the thought that the Toby isn't hers and whilst remaining in hospital she is determined to find out what happened during and shortly after the caesarean. Fox does a brilliant job of keeping the mystery going - as a reader, I was jumping from one opinion to another and at many points, I simply had no idea what I thought. I loved this aspect of the book - I couldn't establish a solid opinion and that's a really great thing with a psychological thriller. 

Whilst I initially enjoyed the book and loved the premise, unfortunately, the book quickly became quite tiresome. I found the book to be very long-winded and it just seemed to drag on and on without making much progress. The book was almost completely set within the hospital which I can understand, but it soon became claustrophobic and repetitive. I didn't take to any of the characters - I didn't feel any passion from the characters and sadly, not much compassion for them. Sasha's character was the most well developed and again, I found the confusion about her mental state intriguing, but not fascinating enough to hold up the book alone. Sadly, the ending didn't redeem the book as it seemed so far-fetched.

I love a book which makes me unable to determine my own opinions or thoughts on what has really happened and this is where Mine really succeeds. The premise was fantastic and it started out well but unfortunately my attention decreased the further I progressed. Personally, I would've preferred a more fast-paced and realistic read.

The End Of Her

The End of Her by Shari Lapena

Hardback, 352 pages

Published July 23rd 2020 by Bantam Press

Shelves: adult-fiction, arc-or-review, books-i-own, crime-thriller-mystery, read, read-in-2020, realistic-fiction

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Description via Goodreads:

It starts with a shocking accusation...

Stephanie and Patrick are recently married, with new-born twins. While Stephanie struggles with the disorienting effects of sleep deprivation, there’s one thing she knows for certain – she has everything she ever wanted.

Then a woman from his past arrives and makes a shocking accusation about his first wife. He always claimed her death was an accident – but she says it was murder.

He insists he’s innocent, that this is nothing but a blackmail attempt. But is Patrick telling the truth? Or has Stephanie made a terrible mistake?

How will it end? 

As soon as I read the blurb to Shari Lapena’s latest Psychological thriller, The End of Her, I was excited to grab a copy and give it a read. Lapena is a highly regarded author and I was elated to get the opportunity to read some of her work. 

The story centres around Stephanie and Patrick Kilgore whose lives are turned upside down when Erica Voss, the best friend of Patrick's late first wife creeps into their lives, claiming that he was to blame for his first wife's death. 

The first section of the book mainly focuses on Stephanie (side note: it is weird reading about a character who shares your name!) who is suffering from insomnia following the birth of her two daughters. This becomes very interesting when there begins to be some mysterious happenings and Stephanie starts to doubt her own memory and thoughts. Sleep deprivation has the potential to be a great basis for confusion and psychological play which Lapena did use to her advantage at the beginning of the novel but I think it had the potential to go even further - for me, this section of the book, right at the beginning, was the psychological highlight of the whole novel. 

The death of Patrick's first wife is intriguing enough to hold your attention throughout the whole book and there is definitely a sense of intrigue and wonder about what really happened. The mystery is fuelled by the character of Erica who is manipulative and firmly regards herself a force to be reckoned with. Her actions implicate several other characters which is, at points, interesting but frankly, I simply found her to be too frustrating at points. Lapena did a fine job of creating a highly dislikable character. I did find the subplot of her relationship with a second family to be very intriguing but was let down at the lack of progression and explanation regarding them.

Overall, the book is an easy to read thriller which manages to hold attention. It's a perfect book for anyone who wants a quick, entertaining read, however I would have personally preferred more depth and development. I wasn't overly surprised by the ending and I think it will be one of those 'marmite' endings for readers. Whilst this isn't a particularly memorable book, its an easy, enjoyable way to pass the time. 

We Need To Talk About Kevin

We Need To Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver

Paperback, 468 pages

Published May 9th 2006 by Serpent's Tail

(First published April 14th 2003)

Shelves: abuse, adult-fiction, books-i-own, classics, contemporary, crime-thriller-mystery, desperate-to-read, mental-health, read, read-in-2020, realistic-fiction, too-much-hype, serpents tail

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Description via Goodreads:

Shortly before his sixteenth birthday, Kevin Khatchadourian kills seven of his fellow high-school students, a cafeteria worker and a teacher. He is visited in prison by his mother, Eva, who narrates in a series of letters to her estranged husband, Franklin, the story of Kevin's upbringing. For this powerful, shocking novel, Lionel Shriver was awarded the Orange Prize for Fiction. 

We need to talk about Kevin is yet another one of those books that I have been wanting to read for a long time, and I'm only half pleased that I've finally gotten around to reading it. Again, this is one of those books that , dramatically hyped up in my head, mainly due to my own intrigue over the subject manner, but also due to the multitudes of positive reaction land awards) that the book has received. 

I  have very mixed feelings after reading this book, which makes it quite difficult to both rate and review! The truth is, it took me more than one hundred pages to really get into the story and that is due to the author's writing style. The book consists entirely of letters, written from Kevin's mother, Eva, to his father, Franklin, following the event of a school shooting that was committed by their son. I usually enjoy the epistolary style of writing but despite the honesty of the content of the letters, they didn't seem 'real' and so I found it difficult to connect with the writer. For me, the writing was just too much - it felt as though most sentences were unnecessarily prolonged with adjectives, long-winded and made reading seem laborious.  I couldn't help but feel as though the author was often just trying to make use of as much of her vocabulary as possible. There is somewhat of a 'twist’ at the end of the book, but the writing style itself allowed me to figure it out within only a short amount of reading.

The actual substance of the book was undoubtedly impressive. The story explores a lot of issues, the main one being motherhood and the trials and tribulations that it can entail. Granted, the main event of this book is a horrific crime that, thankfully, most parents won't have to experience, but there are so many concepts and ideas shared by Eva that are accessible to all - this book is very philosophical at points and certainly gives you a lot to think about. I can't deny that I kept thinking about this book long after I closed it.

I found this book very uncomfortable to read and, as strange as it sounds, this was its star quality. Despite my obsession with all things true-crime, this book - mostly the final section - is probably one of the most disturbing pieces of writing that I've read. The unease that the story conjures really emphasises the complexity of the whole situation. It is very effective.

Overall, this book was a bit hit-and-miss. Whilst I was sorely disappointed by the beginning of the book, I am glad that I stuck with it. I really did struggle through the arduous first portion of the book, but by the midway point I felt much more compelled to pick it up. By the end of the book I even (slightly!) began to regret that the book was ending. The philosophical aspect of this book is very well thought out. I haven't read many fictional books that have been able to make me think quite so much and I am thankful for that, I've now considered things about motherhood and parent-child relationships that I most likely wouldn't have if it wasn't for this book. Despite my issues with the waiting style, I would recommend reading this book simply for the experience - I can see why the book gained awards and it's reputation as a modern book of significance.

Every Move You Make

Every Move You Make by Deborah Bee

Paperback, 512 pages

Published 20th August 2020 by Bonnier Books

Shelves: abuse, adult-fiction, arc-or-review, better-than-expected, books-i-own, crime-thriller-mystery, mental-health, read, read-in-2020, realistic-fiction
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Description via Goodreads:

He'll be waiting . . .

Clare James turns up at a police station. She says she's been kept prisoner in her home - abused and tortured. Her every move watched, controlled, questioned.

Now she's escaped.

But when they police arrive at her house, everything is in order. Her story doesn't add up and her husband is missing.

Clare says she's the victim, but what if she's not? What if the stories she tells aren't her stories at all . . . 

I think I've found my new favourite genre of book this year - the psychological thriller - and this book has definitely helped with confirming my suspicions! I really enjoyed this book from the beginning and continued to do so right until the very end. 

Every Move You Make tells the story of Clare who we're instantly introduced to as she stumbles into a police station after running for her life. Clare claims to have been domestically abused by her partner, Gareth and is placed in a women's refuge whilst an investigation into both the alleged abuse and Gareth's subsequent disappearance begins. This book is an exploration of the complexity of domestic violence and the true turmoil it causes - not only when the abuse is actively happening but also in the aftermath - particularly during the time when allegations are first made. 

Of course, this being a psychological thriller, as a reader you are always wondering if things are really as they seem, particularly regarding Clare's allegations and Bee does a fantastic job at making you wonder! I have to admit that I truly didn't know what to believe until actual the conclusion of the story. There are enough twists and revelations in the book to keep you on edge and to stay gripped. This really was a page turner and I just kept wanting to read more and more. The story and the hard-hitting subjects fascinated and intrigued me and I also wanted to know more about each character in the book, each distinctive and well formed.

There are several points of view explored in this book, not only Clare's, but also the views of Sally and DS Susan Clarke. In my opinion, Clare was the most effective narrator, perhaps due to being the most troubled - her narrative also included the internal voicing of Gareth, her tormentor, giving us flashbacks into her past and an insight into her deep psychological state which was utterly heartbreaking and difficult to read at points. 

I really enjoyed reading the chapters that focused on Sally, Clare's roommate at the women's refuge. We get to know a lot about Sally, her past and her troubles which also become an important focus in the story. I think Sally will resonate with a lot of female readers with her down-to-earth personality and her straight forward talking. The relationship that develops between Sally and Clare is beautiful to observe, showing a real kinship between two troubled ladies. 

DS Susan Clarke is the Detective Sergeant in charge of Clare's case and a long-time friend of Sally. I felt that her character had a very authentic and headstrong personality, but unfortunately I also found her quite stiff, unempathetic and unlikeable at many points. However, as aforementioned, these features of her personality gave her a feeling of being a 'real' person and actually strengthened her character. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this book - I loved the fact that I had a perpetual feeling of unease and wonder about the real story and I just didn't want to put it down. I was impressed by the characters, their individual personalities and flaws. The story was of a good pace and I never felt bored - the only things I could criticise is how fast that the story was wrapped up at the end, though the fast pace did emphasise the tension and desperation of all involved, and I did find Gareth's character a little too OTT - I think his character could have been more believable as an 'average man'. Despite these two issues, this really was a fantastic book exploring the intense, damaging and harrowing subject of domestic violence alongside showing the true value of friendship and community. Highly recommended.

A Lie For A Lie Book Tour & Review

Welcome to my part in Julie Corbin's 2020 book tour for her new novel, A Lie For A Lie!

If you haven't already, I urge you to check out the previous stops, encourage you to follow the tour as it goes on and of course, pre-order this fantastic new story. 

Today, I'm going share my review of this book with you. 

Thank you to Myrto @ Hodder for the opportunity!

A Lie for a Lie by Julie Corbin

Paperback, 352 pages

To Be Published 15th October 2020 by Hodder & Stoughton

Shelves: abuse, adult-fiction, arc-or-review, blog-tour, books-i-own, crime-thriller-mystery, death, mental-health, read, read-in-2020, realistic-fiction
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Description via Goodreads:

We all tell lies, don't we? Most of the time, they're harmless. But every now and then, we lie without thinking about the consequences.

As a school nurse, Anna Pierce is a well-respected and trusted member of the community. So when she is accused of hitting a pupil, the reaction is one of shock and disbelief.

The pupil is Tori Carmichael - Anna's mentee and a troubled child known for bending the truth.

With her career and reputation on the line, Anna is determined to clear her name. But before she can, the worst happens: Tori is found dead.

Suspicion mounts against Anna, who says she didn't do it. 
But if she isn't the killer, there is someone out there who is ....

When I was offered to read A Lie For A Lie, I jumped at the chance. Despite being a bestselling author, I was yet to read a book by the acclaimed Julie Corbin and this was certainly a fantastic introduction. The premise of the story sounded very intriguing and neither the story nor the author let me down. 

A Lie For A Lie tells the story of Sister Anna Pierce, a seemingly perfect school nurse whose life is turned upside down when she is accused of hitting one of the children that she mentored - a troubled girl named Victoria ('Tori') Carmichael. Unfortunately, when things seem like they can't get any worse, Tori is found dead in her home. This book explores the time from when Anna is accused and all of the trials and tribulations that follow.

Despite the often 'heavy' subject matter of this book, I found this an easy read from the start - something which was very welcome. The writing is simple yet very well done - the descriptions of the setting, mainly a large boarding school in Scotland, gave me a great sense of where the characters were and a good sense of atmosphere without ever feeling over-explicatory. The characters were written equally as well, having multiple layers and depth and personality.

There are a lot of different emotions and relationships explored within the story and I think that this is one of the main places where the book excels. Relationships between teachers and students, husband and wife, parent and child, teenagers, siblings and even more are all explored with great care and consideration, none falling short. I really was impressed by the authenticity the relationships depicted. 

As aforementioned, there are a lot of 'heavy' subjects discussed in this book including but not restricted to abuse, family separation, bullying and self harm. I was particularly affected by reading about the family separation issues in this book, the explanation and exploration of the the subject seemed so heartfelt and, honestly, heart wrenching at times. It's a subject that is written about frequently, but I have to admit that I related to Corbin's depiction of it more than I have with any other piece of writing regarding it. I admire the author for writing about several difficult topics with great understanding.

A Lie for a Lie is an easy to follow story which becomings increasingly complex with twists and turns around every corner. I had lots of thoughts and ideas of what the real story was but I was left guessing right until the very end. It consists of simple but highly intriguing writing which is a pleasure to read and, if you're like me, will keep you up until the early hours of the morning, desperate to find out more! It is so refreshing to read a book where you're left wondering until the last page.