Thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur for providing me with an advance electronic copy for me to review.

I was very excited for this title, as I am a fan of Erin Kelly and devoured her entire canon after reading _Broadchurch_. I am happy to say that this title did not disappoint.

As usual, the interplay of personal relationships figures strongly in this narrative. Kit and Laura, the protagonist couple, are believable, and Kelly provides some good background on their relationship and their inner thoughts as part of a dedicated couple and as individuals. Beth, the "interloper" into their relationship, is drawn somewhat more crudely, mostly because we don't get to know her as intimately as Kit and Laura - we don't get into her head (but she's a very interesting and compelling character, her inner workings would no doubt be a good read). Jamie, the ultimate "big bad" in this story, gets the shortest shrift and gets little development - character-wise, he is the only disappointment in this story; he is largely a caricature of a well-heeled, spoilt English public schoolboy grown up.

While the story has a rather slow build (I learned more about eclipses than I wanted to, although they are definitely central to the plot), and I had a hard time initially getting to know and like the main characters, once Kelly gets going with the plot, it is quite fast-paced. I read the book on my phone, which I generally prefer not to do because of the small screen, but I found myself stuck in a waiting room and having a fine time rolling through the book for almost 45 minutes without really being bothered by my wait time. As she reveals more of the inner character of her protagonists, once gets to like them a bit more (at first they are one of those annoyingly perfect-seeming couples in love, who exist only for one another, but the reason for this becomes clear as the backstory of their peculiar situation shows itself). The B plot of Kit's brother is neither here nor there, but does supply some bit of history for him and his attitudes, though we get little of the same for Laura (just occasional mentions of her dad).

The narrative gallops like a demonic horse as we seesaw from flashback to the current day and try to make sense of why Kit and Laura live the way the do. Kelly is great at building tension and she ratchets up the suspense until the inevitable BIG CONFRONTATION that we knew had to be coming all along, and boy, is it a humdinger. Yes, there's a twist, and it's a good one; we have been privy to one set of secrets but not another, and that changes the whole ball of wax. The drama rushes forward and then there are some small details to wrap up, and then, abruptly (to my mind), the story is all packed up and done. I love Erin Kelly's writing, but I do wish her endings were a tad more drawn out and (dare I say?) overwrought. Maybe because I just don't want the story to end - but I did feel a little bereft at the ending.

It was definitely a rewarding experience for me to have gone into this book totally blind!
 
HE SAID/SHE SAID by ERIN KELLY is a slow-building, dark, and twisted psychological thriller that is cleverly formatted into parts that conforms to the five stages of a total eclipse of the sun.  With each phase of the eclipse more details are revealed to us.
 
This book started off a little bit slow and tedious for me as the information and details that were given regarding eclipses didn’t really hold my interest and I was also a little confused of why the characters were behaving the way that they were.  Then when I got around to 100 - 150 pages in everything started to fall into place and then I couldn’t put this novel down.
 
ERIN KELLY delivers an extremely fun, atmospheric, and enjoyable read here with some surprising twists and turns and a few unexpected reveals!  I did not actually figure out one of the reveals until the dynamics of the novel changed from the viewpoint one of our characters.  The story is told from alternating points of view of our two main characters, Kit and Laura with two different timelines from 15 years ago and present day.
 
This was not an action-packed read but there were definitely some jaw-dropping moments as the tension gradually builds to reach that ever so exciting climax and then it doesn’t end there as there is a final twist in the last paragraph.  I would definitely recommend!
 
Trigger Alert:  There is a rape scene early on in the novel and is discussed throughout.
 
Publication date:  June 6, 2017
 
The review can be found on my sister blog:
http://www.twogirlslostinacouleereading.wordpress.com
 
Thank you so much to NetGalley, Erin Kelly, and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book for a fair and honest review.

Holy twisty batman, can Erin Kelly weave a web of lies. Almost all of the main characters are hiding something. Some we know up front, some we find out later. Just wait for later... wow.

Together, Kit and Laura watch a total eclipse of the sun. Kit is an eclipse chaser, Laura is an eclipse virgin. As they are returning to camp, Laura happens across Beth and Jamie. At first she is confused, but quickly realizes that Beth is being taken advantage of. Kit comes along as Jamie is bolting and Laura calls the police while Kit goes after Jamie.

15 years later, Kit and Laura are living in desperate fear. Living in fear of Beth. How did that happen? And so in a series of flashbacks and current time, a twisty story of lies and deceit begins to unfold.

I enjoyed the story immensely. Not spooky, but definitely a twisted thriller. As events unfolded, I found myself thinking "What in the world just happened?"

The metaphor of the eclipse shapes the book and this was executed superbly.

As other reviewers have said, the book does start off on the slow side. Stick with it. It's worth the wait, trust me! It turned out to be so much more than I ever expected.

The very last sentence was the final twist. It is by far the best last sentence I recall ever reading. As I approached the ending, I had this pegged as a 4 star book in my head. But the final sentence made this a clear 5 star winner.

Thank you Erin Kelly and St. Martin's Press for a copy of He Said/She Said in exchange for an honest review.

This is a dark psychological thriller centering around Kit and Laura and has them hiding out of fear from...someone. I don't want to give too many details and ruin the storyline but suffice it to say that this is thrilling story. It goes back and forth in time to slowly give you the full story one tiny bite at a time and it will keep you guessing.

The ending wasn't a total shock or surprise to me but it was still very edge-of-your-seat! He Said/She Said is an enjoyable thriller to take to the beach or pool this summer. It was hard to put down and I was always wanting to know just exactly what was going to happen next.

Great read for suspense, shock, and awe. Thank you.

This is the time of year that I love having paper ARC's, because this is what they end up looking like.



Yep, it's my favorite time of the year, it's time to float and read. And He Said/She Said was the first pool book of the summer.

Laura and Kit are eclipse chasers, Kit since childhood and Laura since she met Kit. They are about to be clouded out at the latest site, which leads them to a isolated area when they come upon two people having sex, but while Laura is sure what she has witnessed is a rape, the guy says it was consensual.

As they are part of the ongoing trial, Laura finds herself committing perjury under questioning from an aggressive defense attorney. Afterwards, she is living in fear that Kit will find out, the alleged rapist will go free or she will go to jail.

However, when the victim continues to contact her after the trial has ended, Laura develops an uneasy friendship with her - partly out of her sympathy for what happened to Beth, and partly out of fear that if she doesn't, Beth will tell Kit about her perjury. But never does it seem like she really likes Beth or enjoys spending time with her, even as they are coloring each other's hair.

But when she tries to pull back, weird things start happening, things that become increasingly dangerous. Convinced that Beth is unhinged, Kit and Laura move off the grid, change their names and try to disappear into new lives.

But Kit can't stop chasing eclipses and they live in fear that she will find them every time the next one comes.

Laura stays behind hugely pregnant with twins, while Kit sets off on another eclipse trek. Which he can't enjoy since he worries every minute about Beth showing up. Meanwhile, Beth is safe at home.....

I don't want to say much more, because this book was full of twists and turns. You know how sometimes you think you've read it all, and you can't be surprised anymore? I actually was surprised with this book - I did not see the twist coming.

And I'm not sure if I agreed with Laura's take on the situation on the end, she wasn't innocent either, but that's all I'm going to say about that. NO SPOILERS!

4 stars--I really liked it.

Because of this book (one of the characters is an eclipse chaser), I learned that the next total solar eclipse is coming in August 2017, and will be able to be seen in the U.S.! I have some viewing glasses and hopefully, weather permitting, will be able to see it. (I won't be able to see the totality where I live, in Washington state--only 90%. But still! Exciting!) But the solar eclipse is merely background and setting for this book.

He Said/She Said is a great suspense novel, told from two points of view (as implied by the title). It kept me guessing and then, when I thought I had it figured out, <i>still</i> surprised me. It starts with a witnessed rape (nothing too graphic, but trigger warnings nonetheless), and lies--small lies, big lies, and devastating lies, that all build up and twist over time and utterly ruin relationships.

I don't want to say too much and give the plot away, but Erin Kelly is one of my "always read" authors (so many great female British crime writers!), and I think this is her best book to date.

I received this review copy from the publisher on NetGalley. Thanks for the opportunity to read and review; I appreciate it!

I went back and forth on my opinion of this story several times while reading it. There were so many good things about it - the author's definite gift with words, and the parts that were so compelling that I couldn't bring myself to put the book down. Then there were the not so good parts - the fact that the book not only jumps in time from 1995 to 2015, but also switches character perspectives that it was a little hard to follow at times. There was also the fact that certain parts of this story were not as riveting as others. In fact, they are more along the lines of what I would call "filler" pages. Parts that were only added to increase the word length of the story.

As the story progressed (I would say about the second half of the book) however, it really started to pick up the pace as old secrets were revealed in a spectacular twist that I did not see coming!

Overall, I am sure this story will appeal to those who enjoy a good thriller novel. I would read more from this author!

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

Great thriller that doesn't quite go in the direction you'd expected it to go (which is a huge compliment.)

I had a bit of a hard time getting into this book at first. I think for me, I could guess what the set up was from the promo copy, so it was a matter of waiting around for that set up to happen. While I was waiting I found myself not quite invested in the characters, with the eclipse idea...with any of it. But man, was I glad I stuck around. The book quickly picks up steam 1/4 of the way in and, from then on, I just sat back and enjoyed the ride.

Also wanted to mention that the author did a great job of really highlighting the real world implications of "he said/she said" situations, without being overly preachy about it. This wasn't a book that was trying to teach us a big lesson about what happens when one gender points the finger at the other. Instead, those lessons kind of slipped in under the radar and really made you think afterwards. It was artfully done.

HE SAID, SHE SAID by Erin Kelly follows Laura and Kit a one eclipse changed the course of their lives. It is 1999 and Laura and Kitt are in Cornwall to view the eclipse when Laura stumbles across a couple having sex; rough consensual sex or rape is the question.

The woman Laura sees is Beth, she is face down in the dirt and looks scared to Laura, Laura concludes it is rape, this decision changes the next 15 years of their lives.

An initially slow read for me, found myself struggling to get through but persevered and the book did pick up and began to intrigue me. Nothing is as it seems, there are twists and turns.

This book is clever and will keep you reading if you can stick with it through the slow times, second half of the book was a quicker read and more satisfying.

He Said She Said
I got this advanced copy from NetGalley in exchange of an honest review. Laura and Kit are avid solar eclipse watchers, they travel to all parts of the world to witness the eclipse. On one of their trips, they witness a rape. They report it to the police and a trial ensues where Jamie is accused of raping Beth. The novel goes back and forth between the present and when the rape happened, which was 15 years ago and is alternating with Laura's and Kit's point of view. I thought the first half of the book was fairly slow, but it definitely picked up in the second half, maybe even too much as more and more secrets come out of what really happened 15 years ago. The author addresses the prejudices that are associated with a rape accusation and all the heartache the victim has to go through in the aftermath. I didn't care for the detailed descriptions of the eclipse, the festivals and rituals associated with it, I didn't think some of it was essential to the story. It got a little convoluted towards the end and the back and forth in time a little confusing. Overall I would give it a solid three stars, maybe 3.5.
Thanks NetGalley, the publisher and the author Erin Kelly for the advanced copy.

This book frustrated me to no end. I really don't understand all of the 4 & 5 star reviews on this one. I mean, to each their own but man. I just couldn't take it anymore. I decided to DNF this book @68% so I feel like I gave it enough of a shot. I'm really not even sure what to rate this one so I'm not going to. Some minor spoilers ahead here so proceed at your own risk if you're interested in reading this one. I do seem to be in the minority in my opinion so take my review with a grain of salt.
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The two main characters, especially Laura was just so naive and stubborn to the point of stupidity. Beth obviously had some issues and Kit could see that but for whatever reason Laura just refused to see it, which ended up putting both she and Kit in danger. There were so many clues that Laura did not pick on up that Beth was on the fast train to crazy town. And yet she continued to let her stay at their flat and hang out with her, feeling the need to apologize if they had a quarrel.... Not to mention that having her around has made Kit extremely uncomfortable and considering it's his flat too it's insane to me that she wouldn't take his feelings into consideration until something dire happened. I also didn't really get the whole eclipse chasing thing... Where on earth are these two getting the money to traipse all over the world chasing total eclipses? Just unrealistic. According to others' reviews, there is a pretty epic twist towards the end but I found myself not even caring anymore to find out.

I read a lot of psychological suspense, it's probably my favorite genre and this book is going to be one of my all time favorites. It was perfect and I enjoyed every fabulous page.

I would have to say that the best thing for me about this book was the interweaving of the Eclipse Chasing into the story line. What a stunningly clever idea. And it was fascinating, I learned things about solar eclipses that I had no idea about but it also tied into the story in such a way that it become a character in the story as well. Brilliant!

And then there were the characters, Kit and Laura were divine, quirky each in their own way, and so interesting. I became totally captured by them and their plight. Hiding, staying off the digital grid, trying to go unnoticed, it was tense to read about as was the back and forth as I learned more and more about their pasts and why they needed to be hidden.

The last quarter of the book I read at lightening speed as it all came crashing down and secrets long hidden come to light. The ending was simply stunning, did not see that twist coming at all. It's all cunning and nail biting and one of the best books in this genre I've read. Definitely the best of 2017 so far. Bravo!

I highly recommend this one to anyone who loves a complex, brilliantly written tale, with highly developed characters, enough twists to curls your toes and a stunning ending. Fabulous!

This book is full of so many twists and turns, I don't even know where to begin. A page turner to the end.

Unpredictable and full of twists, He Said/She Said shows the unreliability of perception. During an eclipse festival, Laura witnesses a brutal assault. The victim soon seems to become unhealthily attached to her, and the alleged rapist claims that it was all consensual and it was Laura's perception that made it look like a crime. What really happened? Can the victim be a psychopath? Can a jerk be a chauvinist pig and still be innocent of rape? Thank Goodness that Laura has Kit, her boyfriend and her rock. The action goes back and forth between the past and the present, when Laura and Kit are living in hiding, under assumed names. But who are they hiding from? I found some parts a little slow, and the novel somewhat long, even if some of the repetitions are warranted, as the facts actually change once you have certain key pieces of information that some of the characters may be missing. I did not like the characters much, even if their behavior is explained once those facts are disclosed. Overall, a smart novel.

This book is getting great reviews, but I can't agree with them. I found the book excruciatingly slow and boring. The concept was great, but the reality isn't. Totally unbelievable and silly dialogue. Example: Laura stumbles upon a man and a woman on the ground. Appears to be a rape situation. When the man sees Laura he gets off the woman and zips his pants. Laura then asks the woman - with the man still there - "Are you okay?" I shake my head and groan. I definitely wasted good reading time on this one.

I'd rate this 4.5 stars.

Now that's the way you do a thriller.

Kit and Laura are young and newly in love in the summer of 1999. Kit, who has been chasing solar eclipses since his childhood, convinces Laura to join him on a trek to Cornwall for a festival, during which they're expected to see a total eclipse of the sun. While the weather doesn't quite cooperate to give them the full eclipse experience, it still wows Laura, as she truly understands why Kit finds these events so mesmerizing, and loves being able to share them with the man she loves.

Walking back to their campsite after the eclipse, Laura comes upon a man and a woman. At first she doesn't understand what she's seeing, but then she realizes that the man appears to be taking advantage of the woman. She, then Kit, intervenes, the woman is dazed, the man is angry and protests his innocence. Once the authorities take over, the peace of the event is shattered for Kit and Laura, knowing they may find themselves part of a trial in the future.

After the case is over, the woman gets in touch with Laura to express her gratitude for their help. As the woman becomes needier and needier, both Laura and Kit have concerns, but how can Laura turn a woman away who has had her whole life turned upside down, even been betrayed by those she considered friends? Little by little, Laura starts feeling unsure that she made the right decisions—did she actually see what she thinks she saw? Is the victim as innocent as she appeared?

"...that's the thing with secrets. They're leaky; you can't decide to share the bits that suit you without a million questions oozing out. You have to solder a part of yourself shut."

Fifteen years later, Kit and Laura have changed their names and live almost in hiding, off the physical and virtual grid. Every move they make is one made cautiously, and both live in fear that everything they've built can be destroyed in a moment. But while they share the same fears, they also have vastly different things they are afraid of, things which have caused Laura nearly paralyzing anxiety and strained their marriage.

"There is so much unshared life to intrude upon the marriage; so much opposing history. The defining event of my life is the defining event of Laura's. I don't know how couples who haven't been through something like that stick together.

With so much at stake, they know their fears will catch up with them. And when they do, will they—and their marriage—be able to survive?

He Said/She Said seems like a pretty basic thriller at first, but Erin Kelly's storytelling keeps you hooked. If you read thrillers, or even watch crime-type shows on television, you've seen this story before, and you have a feeling what will happen. At least you think you have. But Kelly never rests on plot-as-usual; she stretches everything to the limit, so just as some of the things you expect to happen do, the next second you're shocked by what else unfolds.

The book may get a little more melodramatic than it needs to at times, and because certain aspects of the story take a while to unfold, I found myself confused by the behavior of some of the characters. But this was a really well-written book, and Kelly kept me hooked from start to finish. While I could have passed on the jet-lag-induced insomnia, I didn't mind passing the time devouring the remainder of this book.

I've only read one of Kelly's previous books, The Poison Tree, and I remember enjoying that, too. While she's apparently referred to as "the queen of the killer twist," I think if you just let the story unfold as Kelly intended it, and don't keep focusing on the twist, you'll be able to concentrate on all of the things that made this a great thriller.

NetGalley and St. Martin's Press provided me an advance copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making this available!

He Said/She Said by Erin Kelly is told going back and forth in time and back in forth in the two main characters points of view. He Said/She Said started slow for me. I received a copy to review and if not for that fact might not have kept with the story. I would have missed out on an interesting tale!

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley and the publishers in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun, twisty thriller that kept me reading way past my bedtime. It kept me guessing until the very last sentence, which I genuinely enjoy in mystery/thrillers. The characters were authentic; I neither liked or disliked most of them, which is true to real people in their situations. What I liked most about this thriller was that the twists were also very authentic and could easily happen to many people. The ending is a bit dramatic, but it follows along with the rest of the narrative.

This is the story of Kit and Laura, two eclipse-chasers (a career I had never heard of!). In 1999, their lives become intertwined with another young woman’s when Laura witnesses a horrific event at a weekend eclipse festival. For the next 16 years, the three characters’ paths cross multiple times, each time causing confusion and revealing secrets about what really happened on that fateful night. The narrative is told through flashbacks and alternating chapters between Kit and Laura. Typically, the reader gets a chapter from current-day Laura, then a chapter from a Laura flashback. Then, that pattern repeats with Kit. As the story progresses, this pattern does not always hold, but the author tries to give mostly even perspectives from these two main characters. There are lots of secrets in this book that come out little by little.

I give this book 4/5 stars. For me, I found the narrative difficult to get into at first. The story starts off rather slow and the author spends a lot of time prepping the reader with backstory. This is important to the later narrative, but didn’t catch my attention like I expect in a thriller. The payoff, however, is worth it, so keep reading.

*This review is also available on Goodreads.*

In the summer of 1999, Kit and Laura travel to a festival in Cornwall to see a total eclipse of the sun. Kit is an eclipse chaser; Laura has never seen one before. Young and in love, they are certain this will be the first of many they’ll share.

But in the hushed moments after the shadow passes, Laura interrupts a man and a woman. She knows that she saw something terrible. The man denies it. It is her word against his.

The victim seems grateful. Months later, she turns up on their doorstep like a lonely stray. But as her gratitude takes a twisted turn, Laura begins to wonder—did she trust the wrong person?

15 years later, Kit and Laura are married and living under new names and completely off the digital grid: no Facebook, only rudimentary cell phones, not in any directories. But as the truth catches up to them, they realize they can no longer keep the past in the past.


My Thoughts: Alternating narrators that take us back and forth in time reveal the buried secrets and lies of He Said/She Said. Kit and Laura have lived in various parts of England, have followed many eclipses over the years, and at the present time, Laura is expecting twins.

Kit and Laura were caught up in the eclipse at Lizard Point, Cornwall; it was their first together, but what happened to Beth, a stranger, during the festival will change their lives forever. A series of disasters in the aftermath of a trial would lead to years that Kit and Laura lived off the grid, afraid to be photographed or shown on social media. Who and what was behind their fear? Were they each equally frightened, or was there more to the story?

Just when I thought that I truly understood what was happening with each of the primary characters—Laura, Kit, and Beth—a new revelation would come forth, changing how I viewed that character.

Danger came at them from every corner, but the source of it was just another secret well-hidden until the final pages. Who would be the biggest liar of all, and how would the darkest secrets ultimately derail their lives? 5 stars.

***My e-ARC came from the publishers via NetGalley.