DO YOU PROMISE NOT TO TELL?A DAUGHTER
Beth has always known there was something strange about her daughter, Hannah. The lack of emotion, the disturbing behaviour, the apparent delight in hurting others… sometimes Beth is scared of her, and what she could be capable of.A SON
Luke comes from the perfect family, with the perfect parents. But one day, he disappears without trace, and his girlfriend Clara is left desperate to discover what has happened to him.A LIFE BUILT ON LIES
As Clara digs into the past, she realizes that no family is truly perfect, and uncovers a link between Luke’s long-lost sister and a strange girl named Hannah. Now Luke’s life is in danger because of the lies once told and the secrets once kept. Can she find him before it’s too late?
The Lies We Told by Camilla Way was published by Harper Collins on 3 May 2018.
I'm a big fan of Camilla Way and have read all of her previous books. She's one of those authors who seem to be under the radar for some reason, and I really think it's time that more people read her books and shouted loudly about them.
I read The Lies We Told whilst on holiday last month in Rhodes. This meant that I was able to read much of it in one huge sitting, and to be honest, that really was just the way to do it. I found it very compelling, with a writing style that sucks the reader in from the first shocking pages.
The story is made up of two seemingly unrelated threads; one in the past and one in the present day and opens when Beth finds her pet budgie; dead and beheaded. The year is 1986 and Beth knows who is responsible for his awful act; her young daughter Hannah.
Hannah is one of the most convincingly chilling characters that I've come across in a long time. Just a child, but full of malicious evil; goading and hurting her parents everyday.
The second thread of the story concentrates on Clara and her boyfriend Luke in the present day. Clare wakes one morning and Luke is not there. She's puzzled as he has a big interview that day, she's also a little bit annoyed as she suspects he probably had a few too many the night before and has dossed down on a friend's settee. As the day goes on and everyone that Clara speaks to tells her they've not seen him, the tension builds and it soon becomes clear that there may be people who know more than they are letting on.
Camilla Way is an incredible talent. She takes two families, who upon first appearances appear to have it all and worms her way into their innermost secrets. She gradually reveals their insecurities, their hidden pasts and their determination to ensure that nobody sees them for what they really are.
The Lies We Told is beautifully written; full of teasing clues and mind blowing reveals. It's an addictive, clever read that is filled with tension, leading up to a totally unexpected finale.
Highly recommended from me. Another excellent story from a superb author.
Camilla Way was born in Greenwich, south-east London in 1973. Her father was the poet and author Peter Way.
After attending Woolwich College she studied modern English and French literature at the University of Glamorgan.
Formerly Associate Editor of the teenage girls' magazine Bliss, she is currently an editor and writer on the men's style magazine Arena.
Having lived in Cardiff, Bristol, Bath and Clerkenwell, she now lives in south-east London.
Twitter @CamillaLWay
No comments:
Post a Comment