Alice Mann is the mother of a murderer. Four years ago, her son, Kyle brutally killed a young boy. Alice was dubbed the mother of a monster. Guilt-ridden for what she did or didn’t do, the part she must have played in his upbringing, Alice starts a support group for people in similar positions, a way of helping, giving back. But she has another reason for starting the group. Soon she will integrate herself into the life of Deborah, Shaun’s mother, the boy Kyle murdered. Because Alice wants Deborah to understand, she wants her forgiveness. She must have it no matter what.







Connie Summers is trying to run from her past. She was responsible for the release of Ricky Hargreaves who went on to rape a young girl. Her career was in tatters, her life forever changed. Everything she had worked so hard for, the years devoted to the job were suddenly wasted. Now, Connie has rebuilt her life, albeit a life still riddled with guilt. She started her own psychological therapy practice and affords her clients the best support, guidance and listening ear she can provide. She has a good friend in flatmate Lindsay and a future that is a whole lot brighter than it was before. When she meets new client Alice Mann, she senses something strange about the women, something she hides in their sessions together Connie is determined to get to the bottom of Alice’s secrets.







For Deborah, time does not heal all wounds. Despite the four years since her son’s death, grief stalks her every step. Shaun was everything and when he was taken, pieces of her were taken too. When Deborah is told to take a few months away from work, she is at first gutted as it was her life support, the one thing that kept her going. Soon things will get worse. The mother of her son’s murderer appears on her doorstep one day and slowly an idea begins to germinate in Deborah’s mind. A plan that will sustain her.







One Little Lie by Sam Carrington follows on from Bad Sister but can easily be enjoyed as a standalone. I was gripped from the first page but when I got to Part Two of the book, cleaning, working, doing anything but reading became impossible. What a twist! A mother’s love, a mother’s fear, a mother’s grief. This book examines the relationships between parents and their children, the lengths they will go to protect them and the power just one little lie can have. This is a fast-paced, gripping new novel from Sam Carrington!







Gripping. Chilling. Twisty.

This book was a quick read. The story kept my attention and was a good book. I will look for more books from this author in the future.

A nerve-shredding page-turner that will leave readers breathless, One Little Lie is a spine-tingling chiller with a twist you will not see coming fans of B A Paris and Liane Moriarty will not want to miss.

Four years ago, Deborah and Alice’s lives were changed forever. A shocking twist of fate had turned their entire lives upside down and knocked them for six. Deborah’s son had been killed four years ago and this event had naturally changed her life and filled her days and nights with anguish, misery, heartbreak and anger. How could her son have been taken away from her and in such a senseless and illogical manner? No mother should die before her child or have to bury their offspring when they have their whole life ahead of them and so much left to give. Even though her son’s murderer is locked up in prison for committing this heinous crime, it is of no comfort to her, for this will not bring her beloved boy back.

Alice is a woman who has her own pain to deal with. Her son Kyle had been sentenced to jail after being found guilty of murdering another boy. Another woman’s son. Deborah’s son. Both women would move mountains for their boys. While Deborah would do absolutely anything to bring her beloved boy back, Alice wants to right her son’s wrongs and she is willing to do whatever it takes to atone for her child’s shocking criminal transgression. Starting out a support group for parents with troublesome children is Alice’s small way of a salving a conscience that is wracked with guilt and shame. Driven by a ruthless need for redemption, Alice hopes that no other mother has to endure the pain and suffering she and Deborah went through. However. as Alice’s group grows and grows, she begins to wonder does any mother truly ever know her own child?

Caught up in a tangled web of lies, secrets and deception, Alice begins to wonder about her son’s involvement in the murder. Is this case closed are good? Or could there be more to this murder than initially thought?

One Little Lie is a first class thriller that will make the hairs at the back of your neck stand on end! A shocking, harrowing and compulsively readable tale about manipulation, the ties that bind, loyalty and the lies we tell ourselves, One Little Lie is a book that will grab your attention from the very first page and keep you on the edge of your seat until its breath-taking and heart-pounding conclusion.

An outstanding tale that is not only a top-notch thriller, but a subtle and well-written exploration of motherhood, family life and the sacrifices parents make for their children, One Little Lie is a book that is hard to put down and absolutely impossible to forget!

First I want to thank netgalley and the author for an advanced copy of this book for my kindle. Wow where do to begin this would bounce from the mother of whose son is sitting in prison for a murder of another woman’s son and then you get the point of view of the mother whose son was murdered .This book really didn’t have much of a build up or suspense I was disappointed 😔

oks
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Sandy *The world could end while I was reading and I would never notice* Jones
Sandy *The world could end while I was reading and I would never notice* Jones's Reviews > One Little Lie
One Little Lie by Sam Carrington
One Little Lie
by Sam Carrington (Goodreads Author)
30817744
Sandy *The world could end while I was reading and I would never notice* Jones's review Aug 03, 2018 · edit
it was ok
bookshelves: 2018, netgalley-arc, new-to-me-author, 2-star, series

EXCERPT: 'It took approximately eight hours for Sean Taylor to die.'

She listened as the man spoke, her heart beating a little faster, her eyes blinking a little more than necessary. She shifted in her seat. Her bottom was numb, her legs heavy. She didn’t want to hear the details. She needed to. Her gaze fixed on the coroner; she couldn't move her limbs and escape the courtroom, couldn't close her ears to the words. She had to know.

ABOUT THIS BOOK: ‘I’m Alice. And my son is a murderer.’

Deborah’s son was killed four years ago.
Alice’s son is in prison for committing that crime.

Deborah would give anything to have her boy back, and Alice would do anything to right her son’s wrongs.

Driven by guilt and the need for redemption, Alice has started a support group for parents with troubled children. But as the network begins to grow, she soon finds out just how easy it is for one little lie to spiral out of control…

They call it mother’s intuition, but can you ever really know your own child?

A twisty and unnerving thriller about the price of motherhood and the unthinkable things we do to protect our children. (Goodreads.com)

MY THOUGHTS: Oh dear, where do I start? The title? An Avalanche of Lies would be more apt.

The characters tell the story from multiple points of view. Connie is a psychologist. Deborah is the murdered boy's mother. Alice is the mother of the boy who murdered him. And Tom, the gamer.
All good so far, right? Wrong. It all gets terribly muddled and confusing. I kept having to check whose point of view I was reading, then having to remind myself who they were. The characters were almost interchangeable, definitely almost indistinguishable. They were all whiny, whinging, introspective, angst ridden, dare I say it, idiots. Especially the one who should have known better.

The plot dragged. There was zero tension, zero suspense. It was messy and the twist was so obvious that it was a total anticlimax.

I almost dnf'd this book several times during the read, and on reflection, I wish I had. There was just far too much unlikely and unbelievable plot to make this a worthwhile read for me.

I understand that reading is an entirely subjective experience and that, while this book wasn't one I enjoyed, you may well love it. So if the excerpt piques your interest and you like the sound of the plot synopsis, please get a copy and read it.

THE AUTHOR: Sam Carrington lives in Devon with her husband and three children. She worked for the NHS for 15 years, during which time she qualified as a nurse. Following the completion of a Psychology degree she went to work for the prison service as an Offending Behaviour Programme Facilitator. Her experiences within this field inspired her writing. She left the service to spend time with her family and to follow her dream of being a novelist. SAVING SOPHIE was her debut psychological thriller novel and became a #1 ebook bestseller. (Goodreads.com)

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Avon Books via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of One Little Lie by Sam Carrington for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the 'about' page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system.

This review and others are also published on my blog sandysbookaday.wordpress.com https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...

I have mixed feelings about this book. There was a very slow start with lots of set up and I had a hard time staying interested. About 45% in, I felt like the plot began to take off. Unfortunately, this was also about the time one of the main characters started running around and playing detective which was sort of annoying. I didn’t love the writing or having over 100 tiny chapters, all told from a different character. It was ok, just maybe not my cup of tea.

What a great book showing all the sides following a horrific crime not sure the manipulation was explained sufficiently put perhaps this was not the main storyline more of the families left behind also serving sentences for crimes not committed by themselves but are they innocent of all wrong doing or is there an element of blame. Unusual view points yes thoroughly enjoyed

One Little Lie was a fab book with lots of twists throughout that kept me guessing and wondering.
This book focuses on three women, two sons and the psychologist who finds herself caught up in it all.
A great read that had me sat reading thinking I’ll just read one more page and several chapters later I would be still sat in the same spot.
5 stars from me I loved it.

I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley. This book had me from the very beginning. I love that it kept me engaged the entire time. I couldn't wait to see how it ended. I would highly recommend to all my fellow readers. Thank you for the chance to review this book!

I received an advanced copy of this book through Netgalley. This book had me from the very beginning. I love that it kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. I would highly recommend this book to my fellow readers. Thank you for the chance to review this book!!!!

I found this book to be a bit confusing, there are many characters and different timelines.
It took me a few chapters to really get into this book.
It is the story of 2 mothers, both suffering because of their sons. One because her son has been murdered and the other because her son is in prison for that murder.
Although it can be read as a stand-alone I think it does help to have read Sam’s previous book Bad Sister.

Many Thanks to Sam Carrington, and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced review copy of One Little Lie in return for an honest review.

Today I’m delighted to be on the blog tour for One Little Lie by Sam Carrington. Big thanks to Sabah Khan at Avon for inviting me and for my review copy of the book.



About this book…

‘My name is Alice. And my son is a murderer.’

Deborah’s son was killed four years ago. Alice’s son is in prison for committing that crime.

Deborah would give anything to have her boy back, and Alice would do anything to right her son’s wrongs.

Driven by guilt and the need for redemption, Alice has started a support group for parents with troubled children. But as the network begins to grow, she soon finds out just how easy it is for one little lie to spiral out of control…

They call it mother’s intuition, but can you ever really know your own child?

My review…

This is the second book I’ve read recently that explores the relationship between mother and child when that offspring has committed a heinous crime. And I love that Sam Carrington has taken her characters and weave a gripping, twisty story around them and The circumstances that they find themselves in. I’ve been a big fan of Sam’s writing in the past and I’m pleased to say that One Little Lie maintains the high level of stylish and cleverly crafted plots that I enjoy. But I do think she has excelled herself this time with a great twist that I didn’t see coming and immediately had me flicking back through the pages of my kindle to work out how and why I had missed the clues!

I always feel that the parents of children who kill probably blame themselves, wondering how they could have missed any signs of unusual behaviour. But I don’t think any of us really know what goes on in our children’s minds and we just parent as best as we possibly can so that when outside influences strike then they are properly equipped to deal with them. Alice’s son is in prison for murder and four years later still isn’t talking about his crime or anything else to anyone. Deborah is the woman no longer with her child in her life and as she rightly says, when children lose their parents they are orphans but there is no word for a parent who has lost that role when their child dies. I found myself drawn to both women who were both struggling with their losses but handling their emotions in different ways. Alice was trying to atone for her son’s crime by trying to help others but I found it unsettling that their also seemed to be an undercurrent of deceit, as if I were missing something. And although Deborah had the more permanent loss, I found myself less sympathetic towards her for some reason. But the twists and turns in the plot really did flip some of my opinions and that’s when I began to realise how very clever Sam Carrington had been in manipulating my responses to the narrative I had been expecting and not the one I was actually reading!

I love how One Little Lie also features characters from Sam Carrington’s previous novels and I came to appreciate their involvement within the storyline in a way I hadn’t before. I really enjoyed the relationship between Connie and DI Lindsey Wade especially and think that the tv drama producers are really missing a great female buddy series by not signing this up for tv! I think Sam’s books would make a perfect crime drama series and would translate really well to work for a television audience.

This is will be a big hit with crime thriller fans this summer and rightly so! I’m already impatient to see what Sam Carrington has up her sleeve for us next! She’s definitely an author I would recommend reading of you haven’t already discovered her books. Enjoy!

Having devoured, loved, dreamt about, and shouted about Sam Carrington’s previous novels, I couldn’t contain my excitement when I heard that there was a third book on the horizon. Of course, Carrington unknowingly had to beat my expectations with this one which I can only assume would be a task, should she have been aware of that fact. In my eyes, Carrington shouldn’t have written two BRILLIANT novels for me to compare ‘One Little Lie’ to ;). Thankfully, and I am sure that the author will breathe a sigh of relief with this next sentence, she did not disappoint with ‘One Little Lie’ at all. Whilst I didn’t feel as though it was better than her previous novels, ‘Saving Sophie’ and ‘Bad Sister’, Carrington has still written a jaw dropping novel where this one is concerned!

Be prepared to read a story from different points of view, with each describing their own version of events each time. If you thought that you would know the truth, you have got quite a long wait ahead of you because hell, if psychologist, Connie Summers, struggled to decipher her clients hidden agenda’s, us readers would need to pick up on something very detailed.

There are a lot of characters featured in the storyline of ‘One Little Lie’, and whilst it did confuse me a little to begin with, once I got used to it I realised that every character was there for a reason. It also meant that the truth became a lot more jaded as the storyline went on because of the amount of characters that were involved in the situation, or were related to someone who was involved in the situation, and so on. Plus, if you add to that a couple of main characters who seemed intent on keeping something vital hidden, I would be lying if I said that I thought there was only ONE little lie.

Sam Carrington is very clever at teasing her readers and making them feel as though they’re onto a winner, before pulling out the carpet from underneath their feet. I’m not complaining at all, but you would think that after three books, I would be accustom to just how the author thinks, but I’m not! Far from it! In fact, I seem to be further away from that discovery with every new book Carrington releases.

I have to admit that I struggled to see things from Alice’s point of view, as I couldn’t grasp why she would go down the route that she did. Having said that, I think that Alice’s situation is one that people cannot really judge unless you’re in that predicament yourself. Same for Deborah to be honest, although I had more empathy towards that character, even if I did think that she was a bit of a dark horse. I couldn’t quite put my finger on why that was though!

Overall, Sam Carrington has delivered a cracking, psychologically twisted, engaging, and intense novel which had my brain close to popping like a balloon. Carrington’s story telling is one of a kind, and whilst I would love to know what goes through this authors mind at times, I just know that I would be scarred for life if she didn’t soften the blow by weaving her twisted concepts into her poor characters fictional lives. Highly recommended!

One Little Lie is one unbelievably twisting and complex tale which had me suckered in from the start and held my attention to the very last page turn.

Don't get me wrong. This is not your typical brooding psychological or fast paced action thriller. Far from it. If anything it is more a look at the psychology of a killer and their impact upon family, not just of the victim, but their own as well. This is the story of one woman's attempt to come to terms with the horrendous act that her child committed and another's attempt to cope with the loss of their only child. The two women are indelibly connected but how far this connection will lead them and what will happen along the way ... well, that's what you need to read to find out.

This is a little bit of a departure from Sam Carrington's last two books. It still plays from a multiple character point of view, mainly that of the killer's mother, Alice, the victim's mother, Deborah, and psychologist, Connie, who finds herself in a truly compromising position. Now readers of Bad Sister may well recognise Connie as she was one of the principal characters throughout, as was Detective Inspector Lindsay Wade, who also features but to a lesser extent, her story told through her interactions with Connie who is now also her housemate. The three women have very distinct voices, making following the story easy to follow, although there is one moment part way through which may throw you a little if you aren't paying attention.

What I loved about this story is the way that Sam Carrington has created the mystery and intrigue. You genuinely cannot take anything for granted, or rest on your laurels as what you think may be happening may not be quite as you expect it. Or maybe it is. So many red herrings, so many moments to get you second guessing that although the pacing may feel slower, I still found myself galloping through the book. Would the two women have the meeting that Alice intended and if she did, how would Deborah react? These were two women on the edge and their stories had me captivated.

Through her own professional experience, Sam Carrington has also done a brilliant job of bringing the character of Kyle to life - the man, well nearly boy actually, who was convicted of murdering Deborah's son. You can sense his unease in every interaction, his uncertainty, but also his love for his mother. It's a strange mix but skilfully written. What was it that drove him to kill and has seen him take a vow of silence for the past two years. Connie is determined to find out and this puts her in a very difficult position, professionally and personally. I like Connie. She means well. I'd have thought after her last adventure and how complicated her own life is she'd have taken the easy way out and left everything to Lindsay and her Sergeant, Mack. But that would be no fn now would it. She's a hardy character, and no mistake, and perhaps stronger than she thinks.

If you are looking for a skilfully written psychological thriller which will draw you into the world of the characters, make you stop and think, and still have the ability to keep you, at times, glued to the edge of your seat then read this book. The ending took me completely by surprise, but it was very fitting. If is certainly a story which, much like its predecessors, will have you asking just what sacrifices you would be willing to make for your child. Top stuff.

I had a bit of a Simon Lelic binge last month when I discovered The House and then proceeded to read all of his back catalogue and it is safe to say this new novel is of the same standard as everything else I have read from him. The different POVs kept things interesting and I liked how the backstory was drip fed throughout. Definitely recommend. Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin and the author for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

One mother loses a son by murder. Another loses her son by him going to prison. One mother loses her son, but she's not talking.
Connie is a psychologist who is trying to connect the dots with these women. She has to hurry before it's too late. One of these mothers is harboring a murderer. She just has to figure out which one.
I enjoyed reading this story. It's intense. It makes you want to hurry and read the next page. The characters are well developed. I could picture how they looked in my head. I would definitely recommend this book and this Author, Sam Carrington.

One Little Lie is my first Sam Carrington read and so I didn't realise that Connie Summers, one of the protagonists in this book, had first appeared in Bad Sister, and DI Lindsay Wade has been in all three of this author's books. It didn't matter at all, as One Little Lie is easily read as a standalone read, although lots of things are alluded to so it would be nice to go back and find out more by reading the previous book(s).

So, we have Alice Mann, Deborah Taylor and Connie Summers. Alice's son, Kyle, killed Deborah's son, Sean, in a devastating stabbing. Alice is seeing Connie, who is a psychologist, and she's also set up a support group for people in a similar situation. She feels immense guilt for what her son did and wants to try and right the wrong.

I would advise anyone reading One Little Lie to take their time over part one of the book as there is a revelation which turned the story on its head. If I had been reading a paper copy instead of an e-book I would have had to flick back through and read some bits again. As that isn't easy on a Kindle I just went with the flow but it was quite a surprising and clever turn of events. I could never have guessed where it was going.

I very much liked the dynamics between mothers and sons in this book and the fact that both Alice and Deborah had lost their sons, albeit in different circumstances, made for an interesting story. Connie was my favourite character though. I really took to her, as well as Lindsay Wade. They have a good friendship and there's lots of potential for them in further novels (I hope).

There are over a hundred chapters in this book which means each one is very short. I love short chapters as it means I can almost always fit just another one in. Each chapter is from the viewpoint of one of the women and I enjoyed the way the story flitted between each of them.

This is a very twisty story, very complex, which is why I say to pay attention. More than once I had to stop and think about who was who and what was going on. But it didn't affect my involvement in what is a really engrossing novel. I thought it was a great read and the intricate plot and fascinating characters kept my attention throughout. I really enjoyed One Little Lie.

One Little Lie is the second book I have read by Sam Carrington, I loved Saving Sophie when I read it so I was really looking forward to reading this.

One Little Lie is about two mothers who have lost their son. Deborah’s son was killed four years ago. Alice’s son is in prison for killing him.

Deborah would give anything to have her son back, and Alice would do anything to right her son’s wrongs.

In order to do this, Alice has started a support group for parents with troubled children. But as it grows she finds out how easy it is for one little lie to spiral out of control.

The book begins on the 19th March 2011 in Crown Court where they are discussing the murder of Sean Taylor.

“The young man in the sock was standing very still – like a shop dummy, frozen in position by the person who put it there. Unmoved by proceedings…How could this unremarkable eight-year-old have caused this much devastation?”

From the beginning it is made clear that there is more to the murder than meets the eye.

“He deserved what was coming to him. Didn’t he? A lifetime in prison. A life for a life. But he wasn’t the only one who needed to be punished.”

Four years later and Alice has set up her own support group in an effort to alleviate some of the guilt she feels at not doing more to prevent her son from becoming a murderer. She has also started seeing a therapist.

“It’s always the mother who gets blamed. Something she did, when the child was growing up; some sort of neglect during that delicate stage of development, lack of attention, lack of love, lack of stimulation. The list is endless. Who even decides this stuff? Who has the right to question the parenting skills of others? Probably some stuck up university toff. What do they know about parenting?

I did my best:

Or is that another lie I tell myself every day? “

Connie, her therapist is recovering from a recent professional setback and is reluctantly drawn into returning to the scene of her shame. She has been asked to return to the prison to complete a psychological assessment on some of the inmates. Connie is reluctant but agrees because she needs the money.

Before long she realises that she has an ethical dilemma because one of the people she is meant to be assessing is Alice’s son Kyle. Against her better judgement she decides to see them both and becomes drawn into a dangerous situation when she begins to suspect Kyle wasn’t the only one involved in the murder.

One Little Lie is written from the point of view of several characters each with their own secrets. Sometimes this style of writing can make it hard to follow but I didn’t find this to be the case.

I didn’t realise when I requested this book that it was not a stand alone and contained some of the characters from Bad Sister, a book I haven’t read.

This book was highly readable but I would have benefited from having read the previous book.

This book had me hooked from the first page and I wanted to know everything. My heart broke for Alice when she announced at group that her son was a murderer. The story is told from the perspective of the two mothers Alice and Deborah who's son was murdered. Both mothers have suffered the loss of a child and the novel goes back and forth between these two main characters letting the reader get inside their head. There's also the psychologist Connie Summers who readers will already be familiar with if they've read the previous book Bad Sister. This book can be read as a standalone book though. This is a book that you will find very hard to put down because you just want to keep reading. A well plotted and intriguing book that will have you guessing and holding your breath as everything unfolds.

Thanks to Netgalley for my copy.

This is a tale of two mothers, one whose child is murdered and the other whose son is a murderer.

I found this book to be very confusing, there are many characters and different timelines. It is also stated by the publisher that it is a standalone novel but there are constant referrals to previous events from book one. I think it would have been beneficial to read the first as I felt I missed out on part of the back story.