Very assured writing for a debut!

A character driven novel with a lot of the dialogue internally which worked well for the subject matter. The writing is sharp and punchy and you have no idea how the threads of the story are going to come together. I did get a bit confused with the various time changes and characters at the beginning but soon got into it.

I am more of a plot and setting kind of person rather than a psychological / inside your head kind of story like this, but i will still be reading more from Ronnie!

I don't really know what to say about this book, I was a bit disappointed in the way this author writes and the storyline just didn't draw me in enough to get gripped.

Based on this book I don't think I will read any more from this author, sorry.

I am, for once in my life, unsure of what to say. I read Lies Between Us over two nights and the mystery drew me in deeper and deeper with every page.

Yet again, I’ve unwittingly selected a story with multiple narrator/POV/chronology which knitted together more and more as this thriller reached its climax. Told from the point of view of a troubled child, a grief-stricken father and an overworked nurse, Lies Between Us managed to keep me guessing how all three stories intertwined until the very end. As seems to be a trend with writing lately, there features a stillbirth story line and, although almost 2 years since our own, I still find it unbearable to keep reading. Despite this, the rest of the mystery pulled me ever deeper and had me wondering at every turn.

Whilst the premise of the novel was right up my street - kidnapped child, flashbacks, aftermath - and did hook my naturally inquisitive (i.e. nosy) nature, sadly I found that it was a ‘messy’ read. The initial chapters I found a struggle, almost as if this story were simply following the well-worn tropes of thrillers before. It quickly took an upturn, weaving mystery upon mystery and asking more questions than it answered until screeching to a halt, seemingly because the page numbers were up rather than a clear resolution. It may be because I am still addled with baby brain but I came away with more confusion than clarity.

Spoilers ahead: Why were the family in ICU under a different name? Was this just the names Maisie gave them so as not to break her confidentiality/duty of care? Why were the flashbacks from the point of view of one of the children - deeply troubled - but actually about another?

This novel is touted as one for fans of Clare Mackintosh (amongst other writers) and I could almost sense her essence throughout its pages, but with a tale executed far less cleanly. As I say, perhaps this story had layers of intellect that I am too sleep deprived to peel back, but I felt that it could have come together so much more neatly in a way that does not leave the reader confused by what she has seen unfold.