“Some secrets shouldn’t be shared outside the family. Others shouldn’t be shared at all”.

‘Let Me Lie’ by Clare Mackintosh is a psychological thriller that I thoroughly enjoyed. Slowly built up, the story is told between alternating points of view from main characters and then an unknown person, but somehow involved. Who is this mystery narrator? Your guesses will continue to change throughout the story! Clare Mackintosh's crime writing is sublime as she weaves the complex plot with it's many twists and turns.

Firstly, can Clare Mackintosh write! It flows so well with good, strong character descriptions. You cannot help but feel for poor Anna - new partner, new baby and both parents gone through suicide - or have they? On the anniversary of the deaths, a mystery note sends her slow healing world into a spin. Who would do this and why? Keep reading! Then there are the secondary characters and I state straight away how much I loved the retired detective Murray. He, along with his wife Sarah, provide a super side story to the main plot as the author deftly handles the issues of mental illness and suicide. Obviously dealing with his own personal issues, it is his tenacity in pursuing this cold case in an effort to assist Anna, that endears him to the reader.

Apart from those two main leads, add into the mixture Anna’s new partner and father to her child, Mark and what role he might play in handling Anna who was once his patient. Anna’s Uncle Billy, her mother’s godchild Laura, even the neighbour and you really are provided with a good strong ensemble of players in the tale.

I had previous read Clare’s ‘I Let You Go’ and was impressed. If you haven’t read her books before then you simply must. Unable to really cannot discuss the plot, I would still highly recommend this book as once again the complexity, depth of characters, vivid descriptions and killer twists all lends itself to a very entertaining read.




This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release

Let Me Lie is a psychological thriller about a new Mum, Anne, trying to cope in the aftermath of the suicidal death of her two parents just over a year ago, both having killed themselves in the same manner, at a local cliff, within a few months of each other. On the anniversary of her mother’s death, Anne receives a card through her mail box, and what starts as a straight forward and open-and-shut case, quickly becomes something much more complex once Anne, and ex- Crime Investigator Murray starts to delve into it. All of this takes place within the normality of their world, with each of the character dealing with their own spectrum of problems, from mental illness, money woes, and family issues.

One particular thing I do want to mention: I must admit, I did love seeing Anne breastfeeding publicly and while we’re told over and over that this is okay, it’s rare that we see this represented in novels. And Murray’s reaction was appropriate, and reflective of how a lot of people new to the experience might feel when faced with it for the first time.

I went into this story largely blind, avoiding the blurb, and any reviews about it to avoid the possibility of spoilers, either intentional or accidental. I wanted to go on that journey of discovery of Anne and be running theories through my head and getting that special kind of thrill when you learn you’re right! And I wasn’t disappointed, and while I certainly did guess a couple of the major plot twists, there were plenty that I did not, enough to keep it interesting, and make it one of those hard-to-put-down reads.

This is the first novel of Clare Mackintosh that I have read, and it absolutely won’t be the last.

* This ebook ARC was provided by Hachette Australia through NetGalley for an honest review.

Book blurb...

The police say it was suicide.
Anna says it was murder.
They're both wrong.
One year ago, Caroline Johnson chose to end her life brutally: a shocking suicide planned to match that of her husband just months before. Their daughter, Anna, has struggled to come to terms with their loss ever since.
Now with a young baby of her own, Anna misses her mother more than ever and starts to ask questions about her parents' deaths. But by digging up the past, is she putting her future in danger? Sometimes it's safer to let things lie . . .

My thoughts…

You won't see this twist coming. Let Me Lie is a great read that will play with both your mind and your beliefs.

This novel is the kind that is better if you stop to digest the story bit by bit. Not for skimmers! You don't want to miss the detail. It will make the twist at the end sweeter.

The main character, Anna, has a lot going on in her life. She has a newborn, her family home at risk from the neighbour's proposed extensions, and she's suffering the loss of both parents in separate and tragic circumstances. If this isn't enough, she is dealing with questions about how her parents died.

Crucial to the narration is the inclusion of an ex police officer whose job it is to unravel the facts from the past. I really liked that the author included a backstory for Murray. It's a sad one but beautifully woven into the plot to ensure Anna gets the closure she needs to move forward.

Having loved both the author’s last two books, I Let You Go and I See You, Let Me Lie was one of my most anticipated new releases of 2018, and boy-oh-boy, this woman can write! I’m not sure how she does it, but Mackintosh has a way of drawing you deeper and deeper into the story until it is impossible to get the characters out of your head. This is a difficult review to write, since so much of the story’s impact relies on diving in blindly and letting the current sweep you away into the great unknown. I will just say that this story swirls and eddies like a deep dark water, with so many undertows that you’re never quite sure what the author will throw at you next. I love nothing more than a twisty, unpredictable thriller, and this one certainly had me totally stumped – I could never have predicted how the many knots finally unfolded!

Readers’ expectations generated by previous novels must be the most impossible, frustrating obstacle faced by any successful author. Comparisons will be made, no matter how carefully you try to make each book a completely separate entity. I admit I am guilty of this crime myself, even though I try very hard to begin the journey without expectations. But if comparisons must be made, let it be clear that Mackintosh has done well to highlight a different aspect of her writing talent in each of her books. Whilst I Let You Go will forever be in what one book blogger termed the “twister hall of fame”, with the most gob-smacking plot twist I have ever discovered, I See You was a more traditional psychological thriller which featured a constant undercurrent of tension and a slowly building sense of danger and dread. Let Me Lie is a completely different type of story altogether, focusing strongly on family dynamics, interpersonal relationships and the emotional state of the characters involved. Here we have Anna Johnson, a young woman grieving for her two parents, both lost to suicide just over a year ago. As a new mother of a baby girl, she is finding it difficult to come to terms with the fact that her parents would choose to end their lives and leave her behind. When a mysterious note arrives on her doorstep questioning their suicides, it doesn’t take much to make her suspicious that there may be more to their deaths than previously thought.

Most of the first part of the book is a slow-burning exploration of Anna’s state of mind, which lays the foundations for her actions as the story progresses. I love a good dysfunctional family drama, so was instantly intrigued by the strange dynamics that revealed themselves. But no more said, you will need to read it yourself to get to the murky bottom of it all.

My favourite character, however, was not young Anna, but Murray, the retired policeman who first looks into Anna’s claim that her parents may not have committed suicide. Previously one of the best detectives on the force, Murray is now employed as a civilian at the local police station, filing reports and liaising with the public. However, his instincts for something shady lurking beneath the surface have never left him, and he finds himself irrevocably drawn into the mystery of Anna’s parents’ deaths. With his private life overshadowed by his wife’s mental illness, the investigation is also a means to escape his daily personal struggles, and my heart went out to him! Murray seems like such a genuinely lovely person, a total opposite to your stereotypical troubled alcoholic detective, haunted by demons and scarred by the darker aspects of his career. This is just a man who loves his wife, and who will try anything to make her happy.

There are a few other characters in the story, who will not be revealed here, as they contribute to much of the mystery and tension – and the red herrings thrown into the story!

I have already read some divided opinions of this book, and undoubtedly there will be many more to come. Personally, I enjoyed the story and loooooved Machintosh’ writing style, even though Let Me Lie did not manage to topple I See You off its pedestal in my favourite-thrillers list. Let Me Lie is a slow burning, character driven story that will appeal to lovers of dysfunctional family dramas rather than those looking for action-packed thrillers (even though there is some heart-pounding action featured in the later part of the book). There are plenty of twists for those readers who love surprises, but which may frustrate those who are looking for Hänsel-and-Gretel breadcrumb types of clues to work out the mystery for themselves. Interpersonal relationships feature strongly here and drive much of the storyline, and this is where Mackintosh skills really come to the fore, as she delivers real-to-life characters the reader can empathise with. I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next!