REVIEW: Her Perfect Revenge by Lesley Sanderson

Her Perfect Revenge by Lesley Sanderson

Genre: Psychological thriller, Suspense

Read: 13th October 2023

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Published: 18th October 2023

★★★★ 4.5 stars

DESCRIPTION:

On the surface we were the perfect couple, but no one knows what we’ve been hiding…

Just six hours ago, Alex and I were married. It was a beautiful wedding by the sea, on the beach we’ve always loved. Our guests crowded outside our beach hut to raise a toast before our first midnight swim together as man and wife. And then, suddenly, he was gone, drowning in the water that meant so much to us.

But instead of being able to mourn in peace, to get to grips with my awful new reality, the police are here. It seems they don’t think Alex’s death was an accident. And I’m the main suspect.

I know I’m innocent, but I also know we both had secrets. And to my horror, it seems Alex’s were worth killing for. But who in our wedding party could have wanted him dead?

I thought I knew the man I married but I couldn’t have been more wrong. But then again, he didn’t know the real me either. I’ve been hiding from the truth for so long. And then I realise: what if it wasn’t Alex’s past that was coming back to find him. What if it’s mine? How far will someone go to expose my darkest secret?

A gripping, jaw-dropping page-turner with twists to die for. If you love Lisa Jewell, Daniel Hurst and Frieda McFadden, you’ll love Her Perfect Revenge.

MY THOUGHTS:

My husband is dead...and I'm the only suspect...

What a delightfully delicious psychological thriller Ms Sanderson has delivered us with. And the setting is superb. I love the beach, the water. So refreshing and invigorating. But this thriller is not quite what you expect it to be at first...

It's the perfect setting. A hotel whose doors open up onto a deck that give way to the sandy beach where a party is well underway celebrating Alex and Felicity's wedding. But this wedding comes with a difference. At the stroke of midnight, the bride and groom, and anyone who wishes to join them, are taking a midnight swim to mark this momententous occasion...and to exorcise a few demons for others. 

As the guests shed their clothes, Alex and Felicity are the first to dive into the icy depths, the others following behind. But Alex, a born competitor, sees this swim as a challenge and swims further into the black water as Felicity, feeling the chill, promised herself only ten minutes before returning to shore. No one thinks anything of it...until a further ten, fifteen, twenty minutes go by and there's still no sign of Alex.

Frantic now, Felicity calls 999 and the police attend, along with the coastguard. And Alex still has not returned.

It isn't long before all the guests are questioned and a picture is formed. But then in follow-up interviews over the ensuing days, another picture is becoming clearer. Alex was engaged once before. And his fiance Beth swam in the same cove three years previously and was never seen again, fear drowned. Coincidence? But the police don't believe in coincidences and so they begin a thorough investigation questioning and re-questioning everyone again. 

And it soon becomes clear that yet another picture was forming... But was it the truth? Or was it just what they were being lead to believe? 

Even though I guessed one or two of the major plot twists almost from the start, it didn't ruin my enjoyment of this entertaining thriller. I read so many of them I tend to look where no one else does and expect what no one else does. The story unfolds in the past and present, both five years previous and up to Beth's drowning, to the wedding day and beyond. It does shift back and forth from time to time but only so as to drip feed us information at just the right time. And then we have a handful of chapters by an anonymous source. That one was a mystery but it wasn't too hard to narrow it down. The clues are all there for you to find.

The pace was steady throughout and the chapters short and snappy, which always keeps things moving along nicely. The ending was satisfactory with no loose ends though I would have liked maybe a final chapter from Alex as he took that last swim. I would have liked to peek inside his mind and what was going through it as he entered the water on that fateful night. Still, it the resolution was satisfactory and I thoroughly enjoyed it. A very different type of tale that was thoroughly entertaining.

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

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Lesley attended the Curtis Brown Creative 6 month novel writing course in 2015/6, and in 2017 The Orchid Girls (then On The Edge) was shortlisted for the Lucy Cavendish fiction prize.

'The Orchid Girls' was her first psychological thriller followed by 'The Woman at 46 Heath Street' in 2019, The Leaving Party (2020), The Birthday Weekend (2020), I Know You Lied (2021), Every Little Lie (2021), The Widow's Husband (2022) and The Mistress Next Door (2023).

Lesley spends her days writing in coffee shops in Kings Cross where she lives and works as a librarian. She loves the atmosphere and eclectic mix of people in the area. Lesley discovered Patricia Highsmith as a teenager and has been hooked on psychological thrillers ever since and is particularly interested in the psychology of female relationships.

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

PUBLISHER:

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

Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

 

REVIEW: The Mistress Next Door by Lesley Sanderson

The Mistress Next Door by Lesley Sanderson

Genre: Domestic thriller, Suspense

Read: 17th February 2023

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Published: 15th February 2023

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

I know what you did. You destroyed my life. Now I’m going to take everything from you, starting with your husband. I’m your worst nightmare, and I’m closer than you think.

Oliver, my husband and the father of our three little girls, used to be my rock. But recently he’s been behaving strangely, staying out late, working weekends and emotionally absent even when home. Now as I clutch a receipt for a hotel room and champagne for two, hidden away in his coat pocket, I’m devastated. What else can I assume other than he’s cheating?

I’ve risked everything for the life I have now, a life that’s a million miles from… before. Not that Oliver would know anything about that. I would do anything to hold on to the perfect future I so dearly long for. A future that is now about to come crashing down.

Because Oliver’s cheating isn’t the only threat to my family. This morning I received an anonymous note. One that changes everything. The past isn’t just haunting me, it’s coming back to destroy me. It seems that someone in our close-knit community of Prospect Close knows my secret. Someone who’s willing to do whatever it takes to get their revenge. They’ve already stolen my husband. How much further will they go? And what can I do to stop them…?

An astonishing, compelling page-turner with a jaw-dropping twist, if you love Lisa Jewell, K. L. Slater and Jackie Kabler, you’ll love The Mistress Next Door.

MY THOUGHTS:

"She's going to destroy my life..."

A quick and entertaining read, Lesley Sanderson always surprises me with where she is going to take me next. This fast paced domestic thriller, though predictable in part, was an enjoyable read that was a little surprising by the end. Namely because of the "secret". That wasn't the surprise as such, as I had worked out what happened there, but it was what followed. To me, it did and didn't make sense. I guess it is all comes down to perspective. And who sees what and why and how... And so we have THE MISTRESS NEXT DOOR, a fun and entertaining read where the pages pretty much turned themselves.

Prospect Close is a community in which neighbours look out for each other...or are they really? Could it just be a subterfuge for spying on each other? That's the claustrophobic sense Harriet gets from the close-knit community ever since she moved their five years ago with husband Oliver. Two years he promised her, then they'd sell and move to the country where they would bring up their family. But then she fell pregnant with the twins, Tess and Tilly, and their lives were taken up with double the nappies, double the nightime feeds, double of everything. Harriet may have two arms but there's only so much a woman can do, and carrying a twin in each whilst seeing to their needs at the same time can be a little difficult. And so their plans were put on hold. 

Then Lucy came along six months ago and suddenly five years have past and Oliver shows no sign of slowing down or selling up and moving like he'd promised. More to the point, Harriet suspects he is hiding another secret altogether...one he doesn't wish for her to find out.

Oliver is a banker working a demanding job and making the commute to London and working suspiciously late hours. Is he up to his old tricks again? Harriet suspects so and this time she is determined to find proof and have all her ducks in a row before confronting him...but is she just imagining things?

When Tilly disappears briefly from the communal park at the centre of their community, Harriet fears her past has caught up with her and that everything is about to crumble. What makes matters worse is that Oliver is away in France for a conference weekend and is seemingly unreachable. Harriet and the police have both tried contacting him to no avail, leaving Harriet wondering (once Tilly was found safe and well) what he was really up to.

And then she discovers an anonymous note left in her handbag. Tilly's disappearance was more than her little girl just wandering away and it is only just the beginning it seems. Someone is out to unmask her for who she really is and the past from which she has run for two decades. Maybe she doesn't deserve to have a family after all. And when Oliver does return from his wayward weekend, he is unconcerned as to the seriousness of the situation, palming off Harriet's fears as mollycoddling and irrational. Even going so far as to question whether she has post natal depression. But all his behaviour does is raise even more doubts...which poses the question...is his mistress closer than she thinks? Could she even be one of her neighbours? One of her friends? Even the nanny? Can Harriet trust anyone?

THE MISTRESS NEXT DOOR is a fast paced and entertaining read which I didn't want to put down if not for the matchsticks propping my eyelids up in the wee hours. It was like a car crash where you just couldn't look away. Harriet and Oliver's marriage was obviously a train wreck. Oliver was a philanderer, make no mistake. Anyone with eyes could see that and that's no spoiler because he does nothing to prove otherwise. All he does is gaslight Harriet even further making her second guess herself, make promises he obviously does intend to keep and then continues to lie to her over and over again. From his very first dialogue to the penultimate climax, the guy couldn't lie straight in bed.

The threatening notes sent to Harriet give little away. All that it does is stir up Harriet's emotions and leave us wondering what her big secret was. As the story unfolds it soon becomes clear before it is even actually spelled out. And I admit it is one that left me a little confused because as I said at the beginning it did and didn't make sense. I can't say much more without revealing too much. But I'll leave it up to you to decide. 

The story unfolds through Harriet's first person narrative, with a third person POV in the past and the odd inclusion of "anonymous" which seemed to suddenly taper off. I would have liked to see a little more them to spice things up a little further maybe.

Overall, THE MISTRESS NEXT DOOR is a quick and entertaining read that is fast paced throughout but the ending is a bit of a let down after all the build up throughout. I still enjoyed the ride getting there though. Another enjoyable twisty read with a few surprises and several unlikeable characters.

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

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Lesley attended the Curtis Brown Creative 6 month novel writing course in 2015/6, and in 2017 The Orchid Girls (then On The Edge) was shortlisted for the Lucy Cavendish fiction prize.

'The Orchid Girls' was her first psychological thriller followed by 'The Woman at 46 Heath Street' in 2019, The Leaving Party (2020), The Birthday Weekend (2020), I Know You Lied (2021), Every Little Lie (2021), The Widow's Husband (2022) and The Mistress Next Door (2023).

Lesley spends her days writing in coffee shops in Kings Cross where she lives and works as a librarian. She loves the atmosphere and eclectic mix of people in the area. Lesley discovered Patricia Highsmith as a teenager and has been hooked on psychological thrillers ever since and is particularly interested in the psychology of female relationships.

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

PUBLISHER:

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

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REVIEW: The Widow's Husband by Lesley Sanderson

The Widow's Husband by Lesley Sanderson

Genre: Domestic thriller, Psychological thriller, Suspense

Read: 19th April 2022

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Published: 21st April 2022

★★★★★ 4.5 stars (rounded up)

DESCRIPTION:

For seven years I believed my husband was dead – until the note arrived this morning…

The day her husband Tom disappeared, Rachel’s life fell apart. Childhood sweethearts with two young children, they’d done everything together. And then, suddenly, Tom was gone. Without a word, without a note, without a single sign of where he might be, leaving Rachel to survive alone.

Now, nearly seven years later, Rachel has come to terms with life as a single mother, caring for their children who still secretly long for their father’s miraculous return.

But in his absence, Tom’s hidden life started to emerge, and Rachel has discovered things a wife should never have to. A secret life that betrayed everything Rachel thought she knew. Not knowing where he’d gone was no longer the main worry keeping her awake at night – it seemed much more likely he’d been silenced. Forever.

Until today, when – with just one month until Tom is to be declared legally dead – Rachel receives a note in handwriting she recognises with dread:

My darling, I’ve missed you so much. Give me a chance to explain. I’m coming home.

The husband she’d lost is alive.

And so are all his secrets…

A totally addictive and suspenseful thriller that will have you reading late into the night, perfect for fans of Shari Lapena, T.M. Logan and Lisa Jewell.

MY REVIEW:

I am excited to be taking part in the #BooksOnTour #BlogTour for Lesley Sanderson's addictive domestic thriller THE WIDOW'S HUSBAND.

A husband who disappears without a trace. A concerned wife. An even more frantic girlfriend. And a tangled mess that he's left behind. Where is he? Is he dead or alive? Or did he feel the pinch of keeping two women and two households and flee?

Another compelling Lesley Sanderson thriller that I was excited to sink my teeth into. I knew I wouldn't be disappointed...and I wasn't. The premise was certainly intriguing and there were enough thrills and chills and twists to keep me enthralled from beginning to end.

Seven years ago, Rachel's husband Tom disappeared without a trace and has not been seen since. But before he went missing, Tom had left her for a younger woman, Heidi. One afternoon Tom fails to return home from work and Heidi rings Rachel in a frantic mess wondering if she has seen or heard from him. And despite police investigations, Tom was never found.

Now seven years later, Rachel has single-handedly raised their two children Lara (12) and Josh (8) who have no recollection of their father. Despite him leaving her for another woman, Rachel has had to come to terms with the fact that Tom is not coming back. And now the time is approaching when she can declare him legally dead and inherit all he has left behind. And then the first note arrives.

"I want to come back to you."

Rachel is speechless. She would know Tom's distinctive writing anywhere. Has he been alive all this time? And if so, where has he been? And why now? Just when they were getting their lives back on track...why now? But before she can make any sense of it, Tom's girlfriend Heidi reinserts herself in their lives...and takes young Lara under her wing. Lara who has no friends and is incredibly sensitive warms to Heidi instantly. Should she be worried? Her sister seems to think so...as does Freddie, Tom's business partner who has been showing an interest in Rachel of late. But Rachel begins to wonder if she can trust any of them.

And then another note appears; this time it's more in depth with details that only Tom would know about. Rachel knows without a doubt that Tom must be alive. And yet still she questions why now? Why is he contacting her now? As the story unfolds it soon becomes clear that there is far more to Tom's disappearance. But how can Rachel move on with so many unanswered questions?

THE WIDOW'S HUSBAND is certainly an addictive thrill ride as the reader questions everything and everyone. Cleverly told through multiple narratives both seven years ago and in the present day, this intriguing domestic thriller is fast paced and a quick read that will entertain and intrigue. There are some tense moments but I easily unpicked the tangled mess to unravel most of it before the grand finale...and I enjoyed every minute of it.

One of my favourite Lesley Sanderson thrillers to date, THE WIDOW'S HUSBAND is filled with secrets and deception and plenty of twists to keep you engaged until the very last page.

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

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Lesley attended the Curtis Brown Creative 6 month novel writing course in 2015/6, and in 2017 The Orchid Girls (then On The Edge) was shortlisted for the Lucy Cavendish fiction prize.

'The Orchid Girls' was her first psychological thriller followed by 'The Woman at 46 Heath Street' in 2019, The Leaving Party (2020), The Birthday Weekend (2020) and I Know You Lied (2020).

Lesley spends her days writing in coffee shops in Kings Cross where she lives and works as a librarian. She loves the atmosphere and eclectic mix of people in the area. Lesley discovered Patricia Highsmith as a teenager and has been hooked on psychological thrillers ever since and is particularly interested in the psychology of female relationships.

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

PUBLISHER:

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

Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

REVIEW: Every Little Lie by Lesley Sanderson

Every Little Lie by Lesley Sanderson

Genre: Domestic thriller, Suspense

Read: 23rd October 2021

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Published: 27th October 2021

★★★★★ 5 stars

DESCRIPTION:

Lie #1 was to my new friends, about why I moved here.

Lie #2 was to my husband, about who I was before I met him.

Lie #3 was to myself, that I would get away with what I’ve done.

When I met Seb, it was like everything fell into place. My daughter Evie finally had a proper dad, and I had found the husband of my dreams – and what Seb didn’t know about my past wouldn’t hurt him.

But lately he’s been acting strangely. He won’t look me in the eye, he keeps coming home late and the other day at the school fair I saw him arguing with an unknown woman – the same woman I’ve seen hanging around outside our house.

And just as I start wondering whether I’m not the only one with a secret, Evie goes missing…

An edge-of-your-seat psychological thriller with a jaw-dropping twist, perfect for fans of K.L. Slater, T.M. Logan and Lisa Jewell.

MY REVIEW:

I am excited to be taking part in the #BooksOnTour #BlogTour for Lesley Sanderson's compelling domestic thriller EVERY LITTLE LIE.

An emotionally charged thriller filled with secrets, lies and deception, EVERY LITTLE LIE is an addictive ride from start to finish and had me turning the pages until I finished the very last page. While the story does feature a missing child at some point, it's not your usual run of the mill missing child story. It is so much more. And as the layers are slowly peeled away all will be revealed.

Anna lives a perfect life with her husband and daughter. She is the local organiser for such events as the school fete, the Neighbourhood Watch committee and everything else that helps keeps their community running safe and secure. Her daughter Evie is the centre of her world and Anna would do anything for her...anything to keep her safe. After all she has been through to have her, she will let nothing harm her. They are a close and happy family.

Evie was two when Anna and Seb met in the park one day, and she knew at once that he was the one for her. Seb adored Evie from the first moment and has always thought of her as his own. And he is all Evie has ever known as a daddy. Just her smile is enough to make his heart melt...and Anna's too as she sees the love between her husband and daughter. Her life is as perfect as she could ever hope to be.

Until the phone calls start...

"You destroyed my life. Now I'm going to destroy yours."

Confused and frightened, Anna dare not think what these threats may mean. She confides in Seb who instantly thinks he know who is behind the calls, believing he is the target of this person's rage. Trying to keep the truth from Anna, he endeavours to get to the truth himself but only ends up digging himself in deeper.

And then Evie starts drawing pictures featuring "a nice lady" who is "following me". Anna looks outside her window and catches a glimpse of a woman with a dark bob sitting in a car outside before driving off. Who is this woman? And what does she want with them? Could her threats be aimed at Seb as he claims? If so, that would indicate he has betrayed her...doesn't it? But then that would be so much better than the real truth, wouldn't it? Surely, this isn't Anna's past catching up with her...is it?

But then when Evie goes missing from their backyard, Anna and Seb are frantic and it is then that both realise that they must come clean about the dark secrets each of them are hiding. But when all is bared, is there any coming back from this? Which of them has the darkest secret of all? And as going to the police isn't an option, the only people Anna and Seb can rely on to fix this and bring Evie home is each other. But...are baring their deepest secrets, are they sure that they can trust each other now?

I thoroughly enjoyed EVERY LITTLE LIE from the very first page till the very last. It was steadily paced and while the plot was predictable and fairly easy to figure out, it is still an addictive and enjoyable read as you race to the conclusion to see how it all ends. It was a quick and easy read, easily devoured in just over five hours.

The story unfolds primarily through Anna and Seb's narratives with a chapter told by Evie with several others devoted to the other player in the story. Told this way, some may find a couple of aspects repetitive but only in the course that it is told from each of the character's perspectives. And slowly but surely, all the secrets and lies come bubbling to the surface and all is finally revealed.

Overall, EVERY LITTLE LIE is a tense and addictive read that is perfect for fans of domestic thrillers.

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

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Lesley attended the Curtis Brown Creative 6 month novel writing course in 2015/6, and in 2017 The Orchid Girls (then On The Edge) was shortlisted for the Lucy Cavendish fiction prize.

'The Orchid Girls' was her first psychological thriller followed by 'The Woman at 46 Heath Street' in 2019, The Leaving Party (2020), The Birthday Weekend (2020) and I Know You Lied (2020).

Lesley spends her days writing in coffee shops in Kings Cross where she lives and works as a librarian. She loves the atmosphere and eclectic mix of people in the area. Lesley discovered Patricia Highsmith as a teenager and has been hooked on psychological thrillers ever since and is particularly interested in the psychology of female relationships.

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

PUBLISHER:

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

Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

REVIEW: I Know You Lied by Lesley Sanderson

I Know You Lied (formerly titled "What We Hide") by Lesley Sanderson

Genre: Psychological thriller, Domestic thriller, Suspense

Read: 18th March 2021

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Published: 23rd June 2020

★★★★★ 4.5 stars (rounded up)

DESCRIPTION:

The news of her mother’s death hits Nell as if she’s been shot. The letter must be some kind of prank, but who could be so cruel? Because Nell’s mother died nearly thirty years ago.

When Nell was just a tiny baby, her parents died in a car crash, leaving her to be raised by her devoted grandmother, Lilian. So when the lawyer’s letter arrives, informing her of her mother Sarah’s very recent death, it destroys everything Nell thought she knew. Her grandmother loved her, so why did she lie? And why did her mother abandon her?

Nell knows she can never recapture the years with her mother that were taken from her, and fears this will haunt her forever. Now she won’t rest until she finds out why she was so cruelly deceived. But her family’s past has been kept secret for a reason, and someone is desperate for it to stay that way. How much danger will Nell risk for the truth?

If you loved The Silent Patient, The Secret Mother and The Wife Between Us, then this addictive thriller about dark family secrets and obsession will have you on the edge of your seat.

MY REVIEW:

After the last two books I read by Lesley Sanderson I was went into this one a little apprehensive. After all, the premises for the previous two - "The Leaving Party" and "The Birthday Weekend" - sounded promising but ended up lacking something. I simply loved "The Woman at 46 Heath Street" and have yet to read "The Orchid Girls". So when I began I KNOW YOU LIED, I wasn't quite sure what to expect...but I never expected to love it as much as I did!

One word - WOW! It's a simple plot weaved in such a way that ends up being a tangled mess. And I loved every minute of it! Even the parts I hated...lol

Brought up by her controlling paternal grandmother Lilian, twenty six year old Nell Weatherby believed herself to be an orphan, losing her parents in a car accident when she was just a baby nearly 30 years ago. But a solicitor's letter arrives one morning informing her that she was the lone recipient in a will...her mother's. The mother who she thought had died years ago.

She attends the solicitor's firm and is bequeathed whatever personal items are left in her mother's flat and a gold locket...with a photo of her mother and herself as a child. It was all her mother had left and it was her expressed wish that it be given to Nell upon her death. So with the  keys to her mother's flat Nell makes her way to where her mother had been living for the past twenty six years. Just a few streets away from her own flat. So close all these years and she never knew.

After clearing our the flat and bagging up the rubbish, Nell knocks on the neighbour's door and is greeted by a friendly elderly man. Tom and his wife Moira knew Sarah, Nell's mother, as well as anyone could know her. She kept herself to herself and refused any help offered as she maintained her pride. Tom and Moira's greatest sorrow was that they never knew how sick Sarah really was...and had they known they would have done more...if she'd let them. They gave Nell their number to keep in touch and let them know when the funeral would be.

Nell had no idea what to do about the funeral and she left it in the hands of her best friend Hannah whose father was a funeral director. She had other things on her mind. Like why her grandmother told her that her mother had died along with her father when she was buy a baby. Why lie to her? Did she not think that she would want to know her mother? That her mother might like to know her? Lilian had robbed her of that chance and now she will never know her. What right did she have to lie to her? 

Distressed, Nell returns to the house she grew up in and left at 16 in Seahurst, a small quiet coastal town in Sussex to confront Lilian. But when she called ahead to speak to her, a strange man answered and informed her that "Lil doesn't live here anymore". Since when has Lilian been known as "Lil"? She would shudder at the mere thought of the abbreviated term. And who was the man who answered? Lilian would never sell Willow House. It has been in the family for generations. 

Upon arrival, the stranger who answered the phone introduced himself as Adam Harris, great-nephew of Lilian's and therefore, her cousin. But she doesn't trust Adam and he obviously doesn't trust her. He tells her that Lilian is in assisted living but refuses to tell her where. And although he is living at the house temporarily while he undertakes renovations to prepare for Lilian's return, Adam believes that the property will be his inheritance. When he does verify her identity with Lilian, she heads off to visit her grandmother searching for answers.

At first, Lilian refuses to answer her questions but after some prompting it seems she grows a conscience and reluctantly shares with Nell the troubled state of her mother's mind after losing her father, David. Lilian assures Nell that she only lied to protect her...but Nell isn't so sure. She grew up with this woman. She knows how demanding and controlling she is. And how she smothered Nell throughout her childhood and into her teenage years. But for now, she must take what Lilian has told her as truth while she continues to search for answers herself.

Beginning with the library, in which an imposing painting of a former mayor hangs in the entrance, Nell strikes up a friendship with librarian Jenny and starts to research her family tree. Which proves difficult since Lilian tells her virtually nothing of her family and their past. So Nell endeavours to search Willow House for answers. Surely Lilian has plenty of secrets locked away within the walls of that formidable house.

Then mysterious events begin to occur. Things going missing or being moved around the house. Shadows at windows, locked doors to disused rooms and sounds that awaken her in the night. Then Nell's room is trashed, a painting disappears, silent phone calls with no one there and then she starts receiving anonymous threats.

"You are not welcome here!"

But Nell refuses to be driven away. Not until she uncovers the answers to the secrets of her past. What really happened to her mother and why was she living in London without her daughter who, by all accounts, she adored? And what did Lilian not mention that she and her husband were close friends with Sarah's parents, her maternal grandparents? What is Lilian really hiding? And why does she keep lying to her? And who is behind the mysterious happenings trying to drive her out? And why?

Nell won't rest until she uncovers the truth...and someone wants very much to keep the truth buried, doing whatever it takes to keep it that way. Family secrets. Deception. Betrayal. Obsession. Lies and more lies. Everyone seems to be hiding something.

Oh, what a tangled web we weave. And a tangled web is most certainly and most cleverly woven here as we follow the story through the eyes of Nell in the present day and Sarah in the past, with the odd sporadic inclusion of letters penned by Lilian. Each perspective is cleverly told as we sympathise, empathise or are just plain angered. A family drama played out as a sinister tale of secrets and lies turn into threats with a confused Nell puzzling over her family's past and her grandmother deftly manipulating others as pawns.

Although the characters were cleverly portrayed, I hated Lilian with every fibre of my being. She made my skin crawl and just reading about her made my blood boil. I found her character reminiscent of the equally manipulative Annie in Nina Manning's "The Daughter in Law" and she got under my skin in just the same way. Two characters from two completely different thrillers by two completely different authors that were two peas in a pod. They could have been carved from the same stone. It's no secret what Lilian was up to. Blind Freddy could see it. The woman was obsessed, controlling and manipulative. And that made her dangerous. But oh how I loved reading about her! Despite how she made me feel. 

I KNOW YOU LIED is a thriller of deft proportions and, although I unravelled a few of the insidious secrets, I thoroughly enjoyed the journey I was taken on and uncovering the source of all the lies.

My only complaints are that the ending was a tad rushed but still satisfying and the fact that there was no real decisive cause to Sarah's death. The only indication we got was when Nell found a letter from an oncologist which suggested cancer. But then in Sarah's narrative towards the end she indicated that she could not attend those doctors appointments she kept had to keep rescheduling if she had no job...because while she had the time, she wouldn't have the money. So it isn't overly clear if it was cancer or not and would have been good if that were clarified. But those were my only complaints and only enough to knock off half a star but not enough to round it down. So in essence, a 5 star rating it is!

I really thoroughly enjoyed I KNOW YOU LIED and every nuance within the pages. It was cleverly written and deftly manoeuvred that I was thrilled to see Lesley Sanderson back on track with to match the expert storytelling and thrills as found in "The Woman at 46 Heath Street". 

Definitely recommended for fans of domestic or psychological thrillers.

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

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Lesley attended the Curtis Brown Creative 6 month novel writing course in 2015/6, and in 2017 The Orchid Girls (then On The Edge) was shortlisted for the Lucy Cavendish fiction prize.

'The Orchid Girls' was her first psychological thriller followed by 'The Woman at 46 Heath Street' in 2019, The Leaving Party (2020), The Birthday Weekend (2020) and I Know You Lied (2020).

Lesley spends her days writing in coffee shops in Kings Cross where she lives and works as a librarian. She loves the atmosphere and eclectic mix of people in the area. Lesley discovered Patricia Highsmith as a teenager and has been hooked on psychological thrillers ever since and is particularly interested in the psychology of female relationships.

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

PUBLISHER:

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

Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

REVIEW: The Birthday Weekend by Lesley Sanderson

 

The Birthday Weekend by Lesley Sanderson

Genre: Psychological thriller, Suspense

Read: 13th December 2020

Goodreads

Amazon

Apple

Google

Kobo

Published: 18th December 2020

★★★ 3 stars  

DESCRIPTION:

Dear Louise. It’s time we all put the past behind us. We’re meeting for my birthday. I want you there. Love, Amy. X

 

When Louise receives an invitation to her old friend Amy’s birthday weekend in a cottage next to the woods near their old university campus, a chill runs down her spine.

 

Fifteen years ago, Hannah walked into those same woods and never came back. Her death destroyed her friends. They’ve not met as a group since. Until now.

 

As the party gets underway and old grudges are uncovered, a game of truth or dare is proposed. It’s clear one person has questions about their friend’s death – and now they want answers. And nothing will stop them.

 

When everyone has buried secrets, digging for the truth is going to get dangerous.

 

A gripping and addictive psychological thriller that will keep you turning the pages, for fans of Gillian Flynn, Teresa Driscoll and Ruth Ware.

MY REVIEW:

I am excited to be taking part in the #BooksOnTour #BlogTour for Lesley Sanderson's newest thriller THE BIRTHDAY WEEKEND (previously titled "Our Little Secret").

As I absolutely loved "The Woman at 46 Heath Street" I have since found any other book by Lesley Sanderson can't quite seem to live up to it's brilliance. So in saying that, it's kind of sets the standard somewhat high in that respect. However, that is not to say I didn't enjoy THE BIRTHDAY WEEKEND. It was okay but not brilliant.

The story begins with Louise receiving an invitation to her old university friend Amy's birthday bash weekend in a cottage Amy has recently inherited from her aunt in Buckinghamshire. A chill runs down her spine. Of all places, Louise ponders, why here? For the cottage borders the Blackwood Forest...the very place where the worst thing that had ever happened to them occurred? Why did Amy want them to revisit such a place or such an event?

After battling breast cancer, Amy is now in remission and ready to celebrate her 35th birthday. But this time she intends to do something different instead of partying and getting wasted. The time has come, she believes, for her and her friends to confront what happened fifteen years ago in Blackwood Forest. Hannah Robinson was one of their closest friends and on the brink of achieving great things for herself, she then takes her own life. The question is why? 

Today, each of Hannah's friends are still haunted by what happened to her and their possible involvement in what may or may not have contributed to her decision to end her life. Amy knows they all have secrets surrounding Hannah's death and she believes the time has come to face those secrets and bring closure to the events that have haunted them for so long. But does everyone share her new-found conviction?

As well as the prospect of facing her demons, Louise is also coming to terms with her relationship with Theo that has been on rocky ground since she discovered his recent affair. Theo had assured her it was over, the women was a colleague who no longer works with him and he was deeply sorry for what he had put her through. The two of them had been miserable apart and it took Louise a week to decide to give him another chance, and neither of them have looked back. Although there was always that niggle at the back of her mind. She trusts him...but should she really? 

Now with this birthday weekend coming up, which will begin with all four women arriving first and the partners joining them on the Saturday for the celebrations, Louise and Theo look forward to some time together away from London's hustle and bustle.

When the four women - Louise, Amy, Kat and Daisy - reunite after so many years, they decide to set aside their fears and say goodbye to Hannah once and for all. At the place where she died. Which means entering the foreboding forest. Laying their flowers there they notice another fresh bunch, assuming it is from her family. But in the shadows they are being watched. Does someone know something else about Hannah's death?

Then it is revealed that new evidence has come to light which leads detectives to believe that Hannah's death was not a suicide as it had been ruled. But murder. And each of her friends are in the frame. In a group who are each hiding secrets, which of them harbours the biggest of all? Who killed Hannah? And why?

THE BIRTHDAY WEEKEND is primarily told from Louise's perspective, with the exception of a few chapters towards the end, and the inclusion of several newspaper reports from 2005. So while we are seeing things play out through her eyes we tend to form an affinity with Louise and her perspective. But is her judgement clouded? She thought Hannah was her best friend but how well did she really know her? How well did any of them know her, it seems? And how well does she even know her friends?

There is an interesting dynamic between each of the friends as secrets are slowly uncovered through a random game of Truth or Dare. But was it random or a deliberate act to force everyone into revealing exactly what they are hiding?

For me the story started incredibly slow. So much so I was tempted to give up a few times...but the nagging mystery surround Hannah and her death kept me reading. It did gradually build in intensity while at the same time it was just a bunch of women reliving the past and their memories of Hannah...without revealing anything earth-shattering. It wasn't until the partners - Theo, Sam and Jade - arrived and Amy had set up an eerie shrine to Hannah in the sitting room to set the mood of the evening she had planned, that things really started to heat up. By this time it was about 60% in and, in my opinion, should have long snagged the reader's attention before this. But...it did get interesting at last. 

There weren't a whole lot of twists or red herrings that you would expect along the way to keep the reader guessing and in the end, I thought the outcome was obvious...although not predictable (if that makes sense). But it was the truth or dare game that made things really interesting. That's where my interest piqued and I found I couldn't turn the pages quick enough.

Although I didn't become engaged till well into the story, I wouldn't rush to dismiss it. THE BIRTHDAY WEEKEND is still a good thriller and a fairly quick read. I just prefer mine to grab me from the first page and not let up until the end...to the point I forget to eat or sleep...lol THE BIRTHDAY WEEKEND was not that kind of read but it was still enjoyable for the most part.

Perfect for fans who enjoy a slow burning thriller. A solid 3 stars.

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

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Lesley attended the Curtis Brown Creative 6 month novel writing course in 2015/6, and in 2017 The Orchid Girls (then On The Edge) was shortlisted for the Lucy Cavendish fiction prize.

Lesley is the author of psychological thrillers and spends her days writing in coffee shops in Kings Cross where she lives and works as a librarian. She loves the atmosphere and eclectic mix of people in the area. Lesley discovered Patricia Highsmith as a teenager and has been hooked on psychological thrillers ever since.

 

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram 

PUBLISHER:

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

Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

REVIEW: The Leaving Party by Lesley Sanderson (ARC)

The Leaving Party by Lesley Sanderson

Genre: Psychological thriller

Read: 15th April 2020

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(publication date: 31st January 2020)

★★★ 3 stars

Having thoroughly enjoyed "The Woman of 46 Heath Street" I was excited to read Lesley Sanderson's new thriller THE LEAVING PARTY, a story about what happens when secrets and toxic obsession collide.

Ava and Lena are best friends who have known each other since high school and share a beautiful Victorian house together. That is, until now. Ava is about to leave London and her past behind to live with her boyfriend Ben in New York. Lena isn't thrilled about it but Ava is her best friend and so she plans the biggest and best leaving party for her.

It is meant to be a surprise but Ava caught on fairly quickly what Lena was planning and played along, whilst secretly hoping for a quiet exit. Then on the day of the party, she receives a familiar package - long, slender and containing a single black rose. Ava is immediately fearful for this is the not the first one. It all goes back to the past...a time Ava would rather forget and one from which she hopes to now escape with this move.

Thirteen years ago, Ava and Lena were teenagers at a party when a tragic accident occurred involving them both and which resulted in a friend's death. Every year since, on the anniversary of that night, Ava has received a single black rose. Someone knows her secret. And they are intent on never letting her forget the part she played.

But this year is different. This is the first year that a rose has arrived out of sequence...and not on the anniversary but rather on the day of Ava's leaving party. Then just as the evening is about to kick off, another rose arrives.  Who is sending them? Is it someone she knows? Someone closer than she thinks? Are they at her party tonight?

But then more strange things begin to happen when a cake decorated in black icing with the number 13 on it is left on the doorstep and a vase of black roses appears. Ava becomes even more fearful that someone at her party is responsible and she is unable to relax. She desperately wants to see Ben, who Lena says will be there tonight but where is he? He should be here by now and she can't even call him because her phone has somehow disappeared. She decides to spend a few quiet moments to collect herself and admire the beautiful engagement ring from Ben - a secret until they can announce it together - when she discovers her passport is also missing.

Downstairs Lena is determined that Ava enjoy her party though the moment is bittersweet for her knowing that she will say goodbye to her best friend in just two days time. But will she? What if she moves to New York with Ava? That would be just perfect! After all, she really has nothing keeping her here.

Then when Ava's estranged sister Martha arrives, Lena resolves not to let her ruin Ava's night. Martha hates Lena and the feeling is mutual as Lena tries to keep Martha from spoiling things. She certainly wouldn't put it past her. And despite resolving NOT to let Martha ruin the party, Lena then begins to feed Ava's fears by planting the seed that her sister is the one behind the roses.

Soon Ava doesn't know what to think anymore. All she knows is that someone is out to torment her, never letting her forget one drunken teenage night and that whoever they are might be out for revenge. She is certain now that moving across the Atlantic and away from her past is the best thing for her. Suddenly her leaving party doesn't seem to be the joyous occasion it was meant to be and Ava can't wait until it is over and she can escape the past once and for all. But can she?

The story is told in the past and the present in alternating perspectives of both Ava and Lena. I did get a little confused as to whose narrative it was at times because both are in the first person. The entire present day story is at the leaving party which I thought dragged on a little. I felt I was stuck in a timewarp that existed only at that party. And then every so often we are given a flashback to another party 13 years before, as events there slowly unfold and the two stories are woven together to suddenly make sense.

A different kind of read, THE LEAVING PARTY is a party I didn't really want to be at. In fact, if anyone wanted to leave it was me. The air was toxic, the people unlikeable and I found I couldn't trust any of them.

Neither Ava or Lena are particularly likeable, in my opinion, which does make being dragged into their drama a bit tiresome in part. Ava just seemed a little detached and I felt somewhat indifferent to her. She droned on about having done something awful for which she was being tormented and alluded to it being some dark secret...but when the reader discovers what that secret is, I was left wondering how she came to that conclusion? I understood she felt a tremendous amount of guilt but what was the big secret? It felt a little anti-climatic to me. Lena was different. I didn't like or trust her almost from the beginning. There was something creepy about her and she was incredibly unnerving. As the story unfolds it is revealed that she has an unhealthy attachment to Ava that is undeniably toxic and yet neither woman could see it that way. She was a far more rounded character than Ava, as unbalanced as she is, and clearly disturbed. And yet, we're never quite sure whether she's the good or bad guy here.

Although I did find the book a bit underwhelming after her previous thriller, THE LEAVING PARTY was still a reasonably enjoyable read. It lacked the thrills and chills, needing more suspense and plot twists. The whole book party concept was original and interesting but it became a little long winded by the end. Again, Lena made my skin crawl and if anything I couldn't wait to be out of her presence.

THE LEAVING PARTY had a lot to live up to after the last thriller, so it could be forgiven that. It was still a good read, if only for the unfolding toxicity being revealed.

I do enjoy Lesley Sanderson's thrillers and I can't wait to see what else she has in store for us. THE LEAVING PARTY was just not her best, in my opinion, though she is still an author to enjoy.

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

REVIEW: The Woman at 46 Heath Street by Lesley Sanderson (ARC)

The Woman at 46 Heath Street by Lesley Sanderson

Genre: Thriller

Read: 30th March 2019

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(release date: 28th March 2019)

★★★★★ 5 stars

This book should have been called 46 HEATH STREET or THE SECRETS OF 46 HEATH STREET rather than the titled THE WOMAN AT 46 HEATH STREET. Why? Because it has more to do with the house and its secrets rather than any one woman who has lived there. It is a beautiful home in a desirable area backing onto the affluent Hampstead Heath. A home that has been owned by the same family for several decades. A home with secrets hiding behind its doors and buried within its walls. So what IS going on at 46 Heath Street?

Ella lives at 46 Heath Street, a house she and her husband Chris inherited from his mother Nancy. Abandoned by her own mother, shifted from foster home to foster home, then finding love with Chris and a mother figure in Nancy whom she nursed right up to her death, Ella loves her house at 46 Heath Street and finally has somewhere she can call home. Her life at 46 Heath Street has been nothing short of perfect...until the day she receives a letter, informing her that her husband is having an affair. Confronting Chris upon his return home she is shattered when he not only admits to the affair but that she has six weeks to move out.  Ella is devastated. This is her home. The only place she has felt safe and that she could put down roots. The only place she has been able to call home. How can Chris be so cruel? He knows how much this house means to her.

Then Ella begins to receive anonymous messages. A single word through the mailbox - LEAVE. Her car alarm going off exposing scratches down the side, also with the word LEAVE etched in the paintwork. A package on the doorstep revealing dead meat inside crawling with maggots. A bloodied dead mouse with a note informing her to LEAVE. Phone calls in the middle of the night - a woman on the other end asking for Chris, laughing. Is this her? Is this the other woman who has stolen her Chris? All this has to be the work of this other woman. Chris certainly wouldn't be that cruel - would he? 

So Ella hatches a plan of her own. She asks her friend Alice to move in, to help keep her anchored. She hates being alone and having Alice there will keep the loneliness away.

Only Alice has her own reasons for moving in to 46 Heath Street.

But for Ella, having Alice in the house helps keep her grounded. She has someone to talk to, to confide in...and before long the whole sordid mess involving Chris and the house is revealed. But instead of being put off, Alice consoles Ella and helps her put things into perspective. But Alice herself is a closed book. She doesn't reveal anything about her own life beyond the photo of the tanned woman in her room - her cousin, she tells Ella. And it isn't long before we wonder what Alice's game is. What is she doing at 46 Heath Street?

Then Ella finds herself being woken in the night to sounds coming from outside, where she sees a torchlight roaming behind her house. Who is out there? What do they want? Is it Chris, trying to scare her? Is it the other woman?

Then when Ella opens the door one day to an estate agent informing her that her husband Chris has arranged with him to put the house on the market, Ella is furious. Armed with a new-found strength she didn't know she had, Ella stands her ground. This house is half hers; she pays half the mortgage and Chris cannot sell it without her.

Soon Ella begins to hear things about her husband she had no idea about and finds herself wondering just what is really going on? Is Chris in trouble? 

Then there is the diary entries dating back to the 70s up to the 90s by an unnamed woman who we soon begin to realise must be Nancy, Chris' mother. These entries are something all together different starting when they first moved into 46 Heath Street. It tells of a life so completely apart from the one in the present. As the entries progressed, the story Nancy told was one of horror; a life so awful to live in constant fear as she did. But as each entry came to an end, it left you wanting to find out more. What happened to Nancy that left her as the last one standing? What happened to her children? To her husband?

And why, when she was dying, did Nancy make the emphatic plea to Ella to ensure that whatever happens that Chris NEVER sell the house? That 46 Heath Street must remain in the family forever? If only the walls could talk!

There are so many facets to THE WOMAN AT 46 HEATH STREET that are woven into the story you find yourself wondering is Ella going crazy? Or is something more sinister going on? It added an extra creepiness to the story that could also make one question their sanity. Was there an element of "gas-lighting" taking place, or was it just made to scare Ella out of her home? With Chris' drastic personality change, one wonders just what is really going on and why did he want to suddenly force her out of the home she loved? Did he want to move his new woman in? Or did he want to sell? Questions begin to mount as things spiral out of control for Ella and she uses everything in her power to hang onto 46 Heath Street.

The POV shifts in the present day between Ella and Alice and in Nancy's diary in the past. I love this aspect and I am always drawn to books that shift between the past and present. It helps give them an extra perspective and adds that little bit of mystery, wondering how both stories relate. Then when the past and present meet it leaves you with that sense of closure. 

And I must comment on the descriptions of the house and of the surrounding Hampstead Heath. It was breathtaking and really gave a sense of foreboding of Hitchcockian proportions.

I must say that the story was slow to start, with Ella coming to terms with her perfect life falling apart to becoming obsessed with finding out who this other woman was. Alice seemed like a perfect fit when she moved in as she got Ella to shift her focus and helped her grow from strength to strength. Whatever her underlying goal was, Alice was good for Ella in that respect. Of course, as the reader we just want to tear strips off Chris the more we learn about him. His behaviour is so random - one minute he is demanding Ella move out, the next he is all apologetic with her - it is clear that there is something more going on with him. But what?

While it is slow to start, THE WOMAN AT 46 HEATH STREET is an intriguing and compelling thriller that will have you turning pages late into the night! I read the bulk of this book in one sitting as I simply could NOT put it down. Some may find it predictable, others may not. And although I pieced together most of the puzzle from early on, it didn't deter my enjoyment of the ride. I really enjoyed it and loved unearthing the secrets of 46 Heath Street.

I would like to thank #LesleySanderson, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for this deliciously disturbing ARC of #TheWomanAt46HeathStreet in exchange for an honest review.