REVIEW: The Marriage Retreat by Laura Elliot

The Marriage Retreat by Laura Elliot

Genre: Psychological thriller, Suspense

Read: 12th August 2023

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 17th August 223

★★★ 3.5 stars

DESCRIPTION:

My husband saved other people’s marriages.

But his secrets will destroy ours…

I stand in the mortuary and take a deep breath before identifying the body of the man I’ve been married to for twenty-six years. Victor and I built Serenity Falls, a successful couples’ retreat, together. Honesty and trust were the bedrocks of our marriage, and we helped other couples repair their relationships too.

Now my whole world has been turned upside down and I don’t know what to think. A woman lies in a coma, in a stark, white hospital room. She was by Victor’s side when he died. The police have been unable to identify her and I’m forced to confront the painful reality that my own husband was hiding something. My grief is laced with anger. How could he lie to me?

But as I begin to uncover the secrets of my husband’s past, I discover the shocking truth about the woman with no name and no memory. And to protect my family, I have to make a choice.

A choice that will turn me into a liar, just like Victor.

And will end in murder…

MY THOUGHTS:

My Husband saved other people’s marriages...But his secret will destroy ours...

To be honest, I found this book a bit of a struggle. It's a slow paced thriller which I don't mind sometimes, but this one was a struggle. It felt a bit too long and I felt like I was drowning part the way through. But having said that, it WAS a good story. Intriguing and compelling...just too long.

When Lorraine Gordon receives the news that her husband Victor was killed in a car accident on the motorway a few miles from Dublin when he should have been at a conference in London, her world collapses. Everything she thought she knew was a lie. And she was determined to right every last wrong.

She met Victor at some airy fairy hippies retreat in Texas where they lived on mung beans and gazed at their navels or something. I don't know but Victor seemed to be a guru that had an aura that shone from him. Every woman wanted to be with him, every man wanted to be him. He was an enigma that Lorraine fell in love with and together they returned to Ireland and built up their business in the hotel she inherited from her father, Serenity Falls, to become Rekindle Connections. And here, Victor became known as the "love guru".

So when the gardai come knocking to inform her of Victor's death, they have another piece of news to impart. He was not alone in the car. His travelling companion was a young woman who remains in a critical condition in a coma in hospital. Now it seems everything Lorraine thought she knew about her husband was a lie. Who is this young woman? And how does Victor know her?

But it seems Lorraine's troubles are only just beginning. When she visits Victor's solicitor's office for the reading of the Will with their son Aidan, it appears Victor had recently changed his Will in light of his health problems. Both of which were news to her. But, fortunately for her, the new Will had not yet been signed so therefore was invalid and given that Victor had revoked his previous Will meant that he died intestate. So where exactly did that leave Lorraine? And more importantly, Serenity Falls?

There is so much more I could say about this story but it would probably give a little too much away. So I shall just leave it at that and let you be the judge. To be honest, Lorraine is not very likeable which is hard in a main character because I really didn't care what happened to her. But I did want to find out what happened.

I almost DNF this book because I found it to be so long and drawn out. I was glad I stuck it out because it got marginally better in the last 25% which by then it should have had me enthralled (which I wasn't). I really wanted to like this book but it is hard to review because on the one hand it's a great story but on the other it is too long winded. I felt it would have been better editted down a little to be shorter and made pacier with short snappy chapters.

Overall, a good solid read that was atmospheric and chilling in parts.

I would like to thank #LauraElliot, #Netgalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheMarriageRetreat in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Laura Elliot is an Irish novelist who writes psychological thrillers and lives in Dublin, Ireland. Her novels are: The Thorn Girl, The Wife Before Me, Guilty, Sleep Sister, The Betrayal, Fragile Lies, Stolen Child and The Prodigal Sister. Her latest novel,

The Tinderbox is due for release in December 2020. AKA June Considine, she had written twelve books for children and young adults. She has worked as a journalist and magazine editor.

Social Media Links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

PUBLISHER:

Stay up to date with upcoming releases from Bookouture by following them on these social media accounts.

Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

 

REVIEW: After the Wedding by Laura Elliot

After the Wedding by Laura Elliot

Genre: Psychological thriller, Suspense

Read: 18th March 2022

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 24th March 2022

★★★ 3.5 stars (rounded down)

DESCRIPTION:

Everyone said she was the prettiest flower girl. But now her dress lies on the floor. It’s wet and torn, her shoes are lost. ‘Tell us what happened to you?’ her daddy sobs. Christine shakes her head. All she can remember are the red rose petals scattering like drops of blood spilling to the ground.

When Christine Lewis was a little girl, she witnessed something terrible at a wedding and buried it so deep in her memory, she managed to forget it ever happened.

Years later, Jessica Newman walks into the successful advertising agency Christine runs with her husband. Jessica is beautiful and excellent at her job but her presence triggers disturbing memories for Christine. Fragments of the wedding are starting to flicker in her mind and an unexplainable ball of dread begins to form in Christine’s stomach. Jessica is slowly beginning to destroy Christine’s marriage and her business. Why can’t anyone else see it?

Christine and Jessica’s lives were connected long before they set eyes on one another. But in unlocking the mystery of what happened at the wedding all those years ago, is Christine prepared for the truth she’s about to find?

An absolutely gripping and emotional page-turner packed with suspense that will have you completely hooked. Fans of Lisa Jewell, Gillian Flynn and Sally Hepworth will be gripped by After the Wedding. 

MY REVIEW:

Having read two books by this author previously and thoroughly enjoying them, I was geared up for another intriguing and addictive read. But AFTER THE WEDDING is far different from what I expected. It's marketed as a psychological thriller though I think that is a little misleading. Although it certainly does have aspects of a thriller, the first part of the story is anything but. In fact, I grew so impatient by Christine's outbursts and jealousies as well as Jessica's blatant behaviour I was tempted to toss the book down. Where was the thriller aspect, I wondered? Then little by little, we are given glimpses of it as Christine's repressed memories of her past trauma begin to resurface in a haze of wine, vodka and hypnosis. Is it any wonder Richard failed to believe her?

The premise was also misleading in the sense that readers expected the aftermath of Christine's apparent trauma after the wedding (hence the title) that we actually thought that was what we were getting. Apart from the snippet in the Prologue introducing us to the events after the wedding and Christine's subsequent rescue from the river, the story then launches into the life and times of Christine thirty years later married to Richard Stone and co-running their advertising agency, Foundation Stone. I was drowning in the ins and outs of advertising as well as Christine's obvious yet inexplicable discomfort surrounding their new copywriter, Jessica Newman. The woman made her uncomfortable, fearful and made her skin crawl. But why, was anyone's guess. Almost half the book lead us through Christine's erratic thoughts and memories and down the rabbit hole of hypnosis where she uncovered the repressed memory that preceded her being pulled from the river when she was five years old "after the wedding". What then follows is her behaviour which is equally erratic thus creating the divide between herself and Richard, who fails to believe her rants and accusations.

When Christine was five years old she was flower girl at her aunt's wedding at the historically listed Castle Rillingham in Rillingham-on-the-weir in Dorset. As the only child in attendance, she soon grew bored and looked for ways to amuse herself. She was drawn to the blood red roses blooming in the gardens and was gruffly chastised for crushing the heads of them, leading her to make her escape through a doorway and over a stile to the woods that lay beyond. After that, Christine has no memory of what happened beyond the pressure on her chest as she vomited up water after being pulled from the river. What happened to her? How did she end up in the river? It is these questions she seeks answers to through Elaine, a hypnotherapist her friend Amy recommended. But what she uncovers throws her world into even more turmoil in the wake of losing her business and her marriage.

Divided into four parts, the second part begins with Jessica's narrative through which we get her side to the part she played in the grand scheme of things. Jessica's memories are not all that they appear to be which leaves her questioning those roots. But not enough to believe Christine's rants, who is clearly drunken and delusional.

What is clear, by all accounts, is that Christine feels threatened by Jessica almost from the first moment she meets her though she has no idea why. But it's when she goes digging into the past that she discovers they have more in common than either woman would believe. But how is Christine's past and Jessica's presence linked? What connects them, if anything? Is what Christine remembers real or is she just paranoid?

What promised to be an intriguing dig into a traumatic past connecting them to the present, ended up being too long and a little erratic at times. It was difficult to remain interested when Christine went off tangent, it was little wonder Richard had such a hard time believing her. There were aspects to the tale that kept me reading but there was so much in between the beginning and the end that just felt too cumbersome and long-winded. I predicted all the reveals which weren't really twists anyway but rather just unfolded that way.

The most confusing aspect to this book is the alternate narratives, which I love but in this case leaves readers a little puzzled as to their perspectives when they switch from Christine to Jessica without any indication as to whose narrative we are reading. The book begins clearly from Christine's narrative in the first part, then by the time part two begins it is very obviously Jessica, as clearly stated. But then we move into Parts three and four and the perspectives continue to change without any clear direction as to who is narrating them. I had to keep going back to see who it was meant to be. For alternating viewpoints, each chapter should be clearly headlined as who is narrating it to save confusion. I'm used to alternating narratives, but even I found this a little baffling (and irritating) at times.

None of the characters were very likeable. I hated Jessica and I grew impatient with Christine and Richard was just a little too weak (?) and Samuel was just positively loathsome. Although I did like Ryan. Probably the only one I did like. But I doubt any of them will remain with me.

The ending was satisfactory but that was about it. It wasn't great or outstanding, but it was good enough. I didn't hate AFTER THE WEDDING but I didn't love it either. The book certainly had potential, and I know Laura Elliot can deliver exciting thrillers, but AFTER THE WEDDING just didn't meet my expectations.

Overall, this was on OK thriller but not a great one.

I would like to thank #LauraElliot, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #AfterTheWedding in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Laura Elliot is an Irish novelist who writes psychological thrillers and lives in Dublin, Ireland. Her novels are: The Thorn Girl, The Wife Before Me, Guilty, Sleep Sister, The Betrayal, Fragile Lies, Stolen Child and The Prodigal Sister. Her latest novel,

The Tinderbox is due for release in December 2020. AKA June Considine, she had written twelve books for children and young adults. She has worked as a journalist and magazine editor.

Social Media Links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

PUBLISHER:

Stay up to date with upcoming releases from Bookouture by following them on these social media accounts.

Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

EXTRACT: After the Wedding by Laura Elliot

 

After the Wedding by Laura Elliot

Genre: Psychological thriller, Suspense

Read: 18th March 2022

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 24th March 2022

★★★ 3.5 stars (rounded down)

DESCRIPTION:

Everyone said she was the prettiest flower girl. But now her dress lies on the floor. It’s wet and torn, her shoes are lost. ‘Tell us what happened to you?’ her daddy sobs. Christine shakes her head. All she can remember are the red rose petals scattering like drops of blood spilling to the ground.

When Christine Lewis was a little girl, she witnessed something terrible at a wedding and buried it so deep in her memory, she managed to forget it ever happened.

Years later, Jessica Newman walks into the successful advertising agency Christine runs with her husband. Jessica is beautiful and excellent at her job but her presence triggers disturbing memories for Christine. Fragments of the wedding are starting to flicker in her mind and an unexplainable ball of dread begins to form in Christine’s stomach. Jessica is slowly beginning to destroy Christine’s marriage and her business. Why can’t anyone else see it?

Christine and Jessica’s lives were connected long before they set eyes on one another. But in unlocking the mystery of what happened at the wedding all those years ago, is Christine prepared for the truth she’s about to find?

An absolutely gripping and emotional page-turner packed with suspense that will have you completely hooked. Fans of Lisa Jewell, Gillian Flynn and Sally Hepworth will be gripped by After the Wedding. 

EXTRACT:

PROLOGUE 

Everyone said Christine was the prettiest flower girl ever. More beautiful even than the bride but, shush, that was a secret, a finger to their lips when they told her. She looked like a princess, with sparkly shoes and a lacy, purple dress with petticoats. Now, her flower-girl dress lies on the floor. It’s wet and torn, and her shoes are lost. 

‘Tell us – what happened to you?’ They keep asking her the same question over and over. They don’t say cross words about her dress, even though it’s ruined from the river. Instead, they tell her: ‘You fell into the river, Christine, darling, but you’re safe now with Mammy and Daddy.’ 

The doctor gives her an injection. It hurts but not for long. He says she now has the cleanest lungs in all of Dorset. He puts ointment on the big cut on her forehead and tells her to stay away from rivers in future. 

‘Where did you go?’ Daddy asks her again. Tell us… tell us…tell us. His forehead is wrinkly and there’s red all around his eyes. Mammy’s cheeks are black from the mascara and she’s no longer wearing her floppy wedding hat. 

Sharon comes into the bedroom and says, ‘Oh, my lambkin, what a fright you gave us.’ She has taken off her wedding dress and is wearing a yellow one with ruffles that flounce. She doesn’t look happy anymore. Not the way she did when Christine was scattering petals all along the aisle to make a carpet of love for her to walk over…

If you are intrigued and want to read more,  you can grab your copy of AFTER THE WEDDING by clicking the link for Amazon above.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Laura Elliot is an Irish novelist who writes psychological thrillers and lives in Dublin, Ireland. Her novels are: The Thorn Girl, The Wife Before Me, Guilty, Sleep Sister, The Betrayal, Fragile Lies, Stolen Child and The Prodigal Sister. Her latest novel,

The Tinderbox is due for release in December 2020. AKA June Considine, she had written twelve books for children and young adults. She has worked as a journalist and magazine editor.

Social Media Links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

PUBLISHER:

Stay up to date with upcoming releases from Bookouture by following them on these social media accounts.

Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

REVIEW: The Silent House by Laura Elliot

 

The Silent House by Laura Elliot

(previously titled "The Tinderbox")

Genre: Psychological thriller, Suspense

Read: 29th November 2020

Goodreads

Amazon

Apple

Google

Kobo

Published: 1st December 2020

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

In the small hours of a cold winter morning, charcoal grey clouds gather in the sky over Hyland Hall where a young teenage girl is about to make an emergency call to say her life is in danger …

 

With her marriage in pieces and desperate to find work and a new home for her and daughters, Isobel and Julie, Sophy accepts a job as a live-in nurse for Jack Hyland.

 

Once a magnificent house, Hyland Hall has fallen into disrepair and its owner, Jack, disfigured in a terrible fire that broke out on the property years ago, is now a recluse.

 

As Sophy’s daughters struggle to adjust to their new surroundings, exploring every forbidden corner of the house, Sophy does her best to care for Jack and her broken family.

 

But Jack has secrets of his own and Sophy’s arrival is about to set in motion a chain of events that will uncover the devastating truth of Hyland Hall’s past. A truth that will put her daughters in harm’s way.

 

An intense and emotionally engrossing read that will keep you compulsively turning the pages late into the night. If you read one book this year, make it The Silent House (previously titled "The Tinderbox").

MY REVIEW:

I am excited to be taking part in the #BooksOnTour #BlogTour for Laura Elliot's latest creepy thriller THE SILENT HOUSE.

My second read by Laura Elliot, THE SILENT HOUSE was different from the previous one I had read - "The Thorn Girl" - whilst at the same time having that similar sense of eeriness. The atmospheric setting and character building created a spooky tale surrounding the crumbling Hyland Hall in this modern day gothic thriller.

The story begins with a radio broadcast of a teenage girl being held at gunpoint in an unknown location, having called 999 before the call is abruptly cut-off. No further details of the incident are available but like all good media sources they continue to create a sense of panic to keep their listeners engaged.

It then changes pace as the story goes back two months prior where we meet Sophy whose marriage to Luke has recently fallen apart due to his gambling problem. Sophy has had to sell her business "Kid Chic" which she began with her mother-in-law Maddie (now deceased) to pay some of Luke's debts. Whilst he is bundled off to a rehab centre called Oasis of Hope (whose name sounds more like a cult), Sophy is left to deal with the sale of the home and the fallout of her marriage. When a prospective buyer comes to view the house, Sophy receives an offer that seems to be the answer to her immediate problem of possible homelessness.

Desperate for a fresh start, she accepts a job at Hyland Hall as a live-in nurse for its reclusive owner Jack Hyland, who was severely burnt in a fire that destroyed the stables on his estate. As Sophy and her daughters enter the gothic mansion, they are surrounded by its horrible disrepair which gives it a spooky air of creepiness. The girls - Isobel and Julie - immediately begin to imagine vampires and werewolves lurking in the shadows of the vast halls whilst begging their mother to leave.

Then enter Jack's nephew Victor. He is as surprised by Sophy's presence in Hyland Hall as she is by his appearance. As his only surviving relative, Victor insists that Jack isn't returning to the Hall but rather is entering a nursing home which can better cater to his needs. When Sophy tells him that she has been employed as his live-in nurse, Victor's response is to say his uncle is in no state to make such decisions and the fire has also left him somewhat delusional. However, Sophy produces a contract that was drawn up by Jack's solicitors engaging her as his nurse to care for him for the period of at least twelve months. Victor can do nothing but concede her contract is binding and soon accepts the situation.

When Jack is released from hospital and returns to Hyland Hall, the girls are given strict instructions never to venture upstairs as Mr Hyland is intensely private and will only permit a handful of people to see his disfigured features. This, of course, earns him the moniker "The Reclusive One" and his rooms upstairs as "Fear Zone" as the girls imagine all sorts in the forbidden area on the upper floor. They are also convinced his German Shepherd Caesar is a werewolf, salivating at the prospect of two girls to sink his fangs into. These thoughts alone are enough to keep the two girls away from the old man they are sure is the undead and his formidable four-legged beast. Whilst Isobel tentatively braves her fears in her spirited way, her younger sister Julie channels hers through a shop mannequin she takes everywhere named Cordelia, her high-pitched squeaky voice grating on Isobel's nerves as much as the reader's.

The first half of the book had all the elements of a modern day gothic horror story: from the creepy mansion in the woods, the disfigured decrepit undead owner, sprawling crumbling estate in disrepair, a haunted past, a love story gone wrong, new tenants in search of a fresh start, a salivating werewolf dog, a talking mannequin with a squeaky voice, things that go bump in the night... It was very gothic.

But then the second half changed course and the events that unfold become something of a fast paced thriller involving Jack's mysterious past and that of his family, including a twin brother Laurence. Sophy is caught in the middle of Jack and his nephew Victor...and to make matters worse, her estranged husband Luke turns up. And just as Sophy was putting her life, and that of her daughters, back together again.

But some things are too good to be true. Jack, it seems, has a hidden agenda. He has a secret that has the potential to put her entire family in danger.

Captivating and all-consuming, THE SILENT HOUSE is told through the eyes of Sophy and Isobel and is reminiscent of V.C. Andrews with all the twisted creepiness of a Ruth Ware thriller. I was reminded of both as I devoured this atmospheric tale. The radio broadcasts were picked up again from about halfway through bringing the reader back to the reality of a crime thriller though an element of creepiness remained.

I figured out the twist pretty early on which was confirmed as excerpts from Jack's memoir began but it never deterred me from enjoying of watching it all unravel. I guess in this sense I found it to be fairly predictable but whether that was just me, I'm not sure. I still thoroughly enjoyed it though.

A page-turning atmospheric thriller with twists and reveals, THE SILENT HOUSE is an addictive read that will appeal to both fans of spooky reads and psychological thrillers.

I would like to thank #LauraElliot, #NetGalley, #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheSilentHouse in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Laura Elliot is an Irish novelist who writes psychological thrillers and lives in Dublin, Ireland. Her novels are: The Thorn Girl, The Wife Before Me, Guilty, Sleep Sister, The Betrayal, Fragile Lies, Stolen Child and The Prodigal Sister. Her latest novel,

The Tinderbox is due for release in December 2020. AKA June Considine, she had written twelve books for children and young adults. She has worked as a journalist and magazine editor.

Social Media Links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

PUBLISHER:

Stay up to date with upcoming releases from Bookouture by following them on these social media accounts.

Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

REVIEW: The Thorn Girl by Laura Elliot (ARC)

The Thorn Girl by Laura Elliot

Genre: Psychological thriller

Read: 9th November 2019

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(publication: 24th October, 2019)

★★★★★ 5 stars

OMG! WOW! I have not read Laura Elliot before so what an introduction! If THE THORN GIRL is anything to go by, I'll be looking to devouring her others!

THE THORN GIRL is a powerful story and, while it is marketed as a Mystery/Thriller, it is so much more than a suspense. It is indeed chilling and rather disturbing in parts but it was above all, a brilliant masterpiece.

It all begins with a swallow in the attic. Like a butterfly in the forest, are they just all random events or is everything connected?

Adele Foyle has returned to Ireland to clear out her late grandmother's house. Finding herself in the attic, the final room to be cleared, she stumbles upon a lifetime of memories...and a swallow fighting for freedom. It is there she comes across and old backpack with a secret diary written by her mother, who died in childbirth 24 years ago. But as Adele turns the pages, nothing could prepare her for what she is about to discover.

Marianne Mooney was 15 years old and living in Reedstown with her mother Rosemary. She and her boy friend, Shane Reagan, used to meet in a old abandoned cottage to spend some time sitting and dreaming together. But one night Shane was late leaving home...and Marianne, upon hearing the cracking of twigs and footsteps approaching, delighted in what she thought was Shane's arrival. She ran to the door in anticipation...but was met with something far more sinister. Three hooded figures wearing balaclavas pushed their way in and threw her to the floor...with Marianne powerless to stop them. Three hooded figures, faceless and fearless, took their turn with her before leaving Marianne a frightened huddled mess...which was how Shane found her, bloodied and crying.

When they reported the gang rape to the Gardai, the Sergeant dismissed her claims and throwing Shane into a cell, then forced a statement from Marianne to the contrary of what had actually taken place. She never saw Shane again.

Marianne was sent to Dublin to the Thorn House of Atonement, a mother and baby home run by the respected Gloria Thornton who was something of a martyr to a near cult-like group of believers. Conditions in the House of Atonement were nothing like the public were lead to believe. In the vein of the infamous Magdalene Laundries of decades before, the girls were forced to work tirelessly at the behest of Mother Gloria. They were shamed and thrown into "the Tank" in solitary confinement for even a slight indignity. And when it was time to give birth, their babies were snatched from them almost immediately - not even allowed to hold them, nurse them or even to see had they been a boy or a girl. Some were even told their babies had died when in fact an even greater disgrace was taking place...and the girls sent on their way.

But in Marianne's case, her baby came early...and she succumbed to the massive blood loss...leaving Adele without her mother and in the care of her grandmother Noreen.

As Adele read the shame, the pain and the heartbreak in Marianne's diary, she endeavoured to journey to Reedstown - where her mother grew up - and seek out the truth of what really happened hoping to uncover clues about the tragic event. Who were those hooded figures Marianne called the "three blind mice"? Who was her father? And why was there no investigation into her mother's horrific gang-rape?

However, upon her return, she finds that her mother and grandmother are instantly vilified and denounced shamelessly. But Adele will not let that deter her. Determined to have the truth uncovered, she publishes excerpts of her mother's diary online...which are both believed and discredited alike. She soon realised that many townsfolk are not at all happy about her investigation and they attempt to put and end to it.

Money makes the world go round...but it is enough to keep the truth hidden?

But Adele is resourceful...and determined. She will not rest until she discovers the truth. But the townsfolk are just as determined. The lengths with which they are willing to go to ensure the truth remains buried is staggering. And it seems the deeper Adele digs, the worse things become for her. Until she is forced to abandoned her investigation.

THE THORN GIRL is a heartbreaking, disturbing but incredibly fast-moving story. Once I began, I did not want to put it down! It was truly a captivating read that was both sensitive and sinister shrouded with a darkness that despite the circumstances, highlighted the heartbreaking plight of an innocent young girl whose own daughter sought the justice that was truly deserving - all in her mother's name.

What I really loved about THE THORN GIRL was the many facets of the story that were woven together throughout the various perspectives...including Marianne's diary, which gave the 15 year old a voice when she had none. The different narratives are easy to follow in which we witness differing perspectives of the same story...including their beliefs and personal feelings on the matter...some of which are almost indifferent, bordering ignorance.

There is so much more to this book than I could ever say! Your heart will ache for Adele as she searches for the truth about what really happened to her mother, to the point of putting her own life in danger. THE THORN GIRL delivers us an unrestrained story of secrets, lies and deception so toxic that have gripped an entire community for decades. But Adele will stop at nothing in her quest for justice for Marianne.

A taut and compelling tale, THE THORN GIRL is beautiful, heartbreaking, emotional, menacing, sinister, intriguing, thrilling, dark and disturbing. And yet it is still so much more. A riveting tale of secrets and lies...and a sinister tale of psychological manipulation that ended with a beautifully wrapped up finale.

What more can I say? Go out, grab yourself a copy, read it! You know you want to! You won't be disappointed!

THE THORN GIRL was previously published as "In My Mother's Name".

I would like to thank #LauraElliot, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheThornGirl in exchange for an honest review.