Member Reviews

Good Little Liars is Ms Clutton's debut novel, a cross between an emotive women's fiction epic and a domestic thriller/drama, and it is a compelling and absorbing read from beginning to end. She uses her degrees in both law and psychology to bring a fascinating perspective to the story and explores what determines the outcomes when moral and legal boundaries in life collide. They say our schooldays are the best days of our lives but for childhood friends Emma, Marlee, Clementine and deceased Tessa, this was far from the case. With a mixture of guilt and regret, Emma, in particular, feels secrets and lies from the past and her silence when she perhaps should've been singing like the proverbial canary about despicable events all those years ago whilst attending at Denham House school. Revelations and details about taboo acts are about to resurface and attempt to destroy her and the other girls. But what is the truth about the groups formative years and is any of the guilt truly theirs to bear?

This is a very well written and adeptly plotted/constructed story and the fact that it is the authors first foray into fiction writing makes it all the more impressive. Granted it won't win any acclaim or prizes for originality or uniqueness but what it does is do it superbly. From the cast of three-dimensional, interesting characters to the addictive style in which it is penned, I thoroughly enjoyed this fast-paced and entertaining tale. As the narrative unfurls and the secrets and shocks unravel spectacularly I was gripped and found myself feverishly flipping pages to discover the truth pronto. There are twists upon twists upon twists, many that blindside you with suspense in spades making this a real page-turner. An addictive must-read tailored to those who appreciate female-centred compulsive and moving thrillers. Many thanks to Bookouture for an ARC.

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Good Little LIars was set in Tasmania, which I have never read about (or read a book that was based from there), so I found that interesting. The beginning of the book was enjoyable but the further I got into the book, the less I liked it. I knew there was going to be a "murder" element but I just didn't like the way it was all laid out. I did, though, enjoy the relationships that were all throughout the book and maybe would have liked the book more if it was more based around them.

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I really liked the cover. It is very appealing designed. The writing style is pleasant and very fluently to read. The characters are very well described and look well thought out and consistently interesting. The tension is always present. The descriptions of surroundings, feelings and scenes were also very good. The story is told pleasant and it succeeds from the first pages to dive directly into the story. The storyline as a whole is very coherent and it seems very understandable and authentic. A very fascinating story that you won't like to stop reading.

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I was really looking forward to reading Good Little Liars based on the summary provided, but I ended up a bit disappointed. I had seen this book classified as Literary/Women's Fiction, but the summary made it seem like more of a thriller or a murder mystery to me. I love both genres so normally I would have been happy either way. Unfortunately, I found this book hard to get in to. The pacing was very slow and I had a hard time relating to/liking most of the characters. I think what really would have made a difference for me would be focusing more on Emma and maybe one other character's point of view instead of the three/four we did hear from. The "murder mystery" portion of this book ended up being fairly anti-climatic in the end. There was all this set up that finally started coming in to play and made it seem like I was going to read a huge bomb drop towards the end, but it ended up being more of a fizzle.
* Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC of this book. This was a voluntary review.*

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Its so easy to believe a rumour and start a whole theory based on one lie - even if you think its a "good lie".
Lies and half-truths from 25 years ago lead each person to believe their own version of events. How did Tessa die? Who killed her? These questions lurk in the minds of the girls from the class of 1993 from top girls' school Denham House in Hobart.
An accidental "reply all" on an email about a 25 year reunion stirs up old memories and sets in motion a chain of events no-one could have seen coming.
Take a good storyline, add a variety of characters that are equally relate-able and quirky and you end up with a good read.
I found this story an easy read that moved along quickly. It focuses on the gray area of "white lies" - that they are better than normal lies. It was also refreshing to read a book set somewhere else other than the UK or US. I think its the first book I've read that is set in Hobart, Tasmania.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me the chance to read this book.

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A great story based in Australia, about three very different women - all with secrets of their own.

Emma works in the office of the school she used to attend. A school reunion is imminent but Emma has just done a ‘reply all’ email to everyone on the reunion list, when she was only meant to be sending it to her best friend. Apart from some embarrassing info about her personal life in the email, Emma has also mentioned her suspicions about a friends death in their last year of school.

Marlee is Emma’s best friend and has just started a new job at a prestigious architect company. The morning after a works party she realises she is not alone in her bed, her boss Ben is lying next to her. Marlee has always had one rule - do not ever mix business with pleasure !!

Lastly we have Harriet, a very successful lawyer, who has just separated from her husband. Her two daughters, Clementine and Scarlett, have also just arrived home with their own problems.

I really enjoyed this book and loved how the three women’s stories are all interlinked but each of them has their own stories to tell as well. A great novel with plenty of family drama, lies, secrets and much much more.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for a digital copy of this book.

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Good Little Liars is a book I was eager to start but was disappointed with it and I really didn’t want to be.
The book started off well with an email that had been sent to all instead of just the recipient, a compromising situation is found by Emma involving her husband and at this point I was enjoying this book but then it went fairly slow, the characters were ok to begin with but then became annoying and unlikeable. The storyline was there, twenty five year school reunion bringing up the memories of them leaving school and there being a death amongst them, scandal, work relationships intertwining, and affairs. But for me unfortunately it wasn’t a winner.
I would like to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

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The person who picked the title already deserves 5 stars from me because it fits the book like a glove. :)

The story takes place in the present, but although 25 years is a long time, one event is playing a big part and is not something that is easily forgotten.

The author allows different characters to tell a part of the book and she also takes us back to where it all began. 

It's a story about families,friends and little miracles and it seems that some good little liars have grown in to good big liars.

In the beginning the focus of the book is more on getting to know the different characters and their families but once we have a perfect picture about that, it's time to face the music or it is better to just let sleeping dogs lie?

A lovely story and I liked the mystery it was topped with. 4 stars.

Thank you, Sarah Clutton and Bookouture (via Netgalley)

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I really enjoyed this book and loved all the characters that were part of the mystery surrounding Tessa’s death.
There’s a school reunion planned and Emma types her reply to her friend, questioning whether the accidental death verdict of their friend was the correct one. Instead of just sending it to Marlee, she sends it to all the people invited to the reunion.
Emma feels sick at the thought of everyone getting the email so goes home, but is then faced with an even bigger surprise.
People from the school start to arrive before the reunion and soon Emma realises the people who she suspects are involved in Tessa’s death, are a lot closer to her than she first thought.
This is a gripping mystery that had me racing through the pages and I loved the ending.
I really liked the way it was written from each character’s perspective and look forward to reading more books by Sarah Clutton.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

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This book was full of twists and turns and where i thought it was going to go it led me in a different direction. The book starts with one character, Emma, sending an email to ALL instead of to one. I totally felt sorry for her in this situation. Also i believe this is my first book that was set in Tasmania, I appreciated learning a bit about the countryside with the author's descriptions.

A 25th HS Reunion is going to take place and one girl of their class dies before graduation in a suspicious way and now many are thinking that she was murdered rather her death being an accident.

As the story progresses we learn more about certain characters also of the same graduating class and how life has been treating them recently. I don't want to spoil the book but the reunion isn't a big story line for this book but their friend's death is. Read to find out more!

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How many times have you almost replied to an email with a ‘reply all’? Thankfully every time I’ve hovered over the button I’ve realised my mistake before any damage was done. Unfortunately that wasn’t the case for Emma who replies all to a school reunion email revealing a secret that was best kept hidden. Based in Tasmania, this book focusses on a group of women, who all went to the same boarding school. One of the women, Tessa died before they left school and the storyline switches between past and present to discover what actually happened to her.

This is the first book by this author and I really enjoyed the tension and suspense that she’s managed to create! I have to admit, this book is the classic example of why I don’t like school reunions – some things are just best left in the past! I really felt for Emma’s character - she’s having such a bad time in her marriage and then the reunion email was just the last straw. The story is told from the perspectives of all the women and moves from their younger years at the boarding school to present day.

The actual reunion isn’t featured until much later in the book, which was a shame really as I would like for it to be more of a central focus. The storyline does however provide a lot of intrigue and the plot twists and turns right through to the very end. I didn’t see some of those twists coming and the changes in direction held my attention and kept me hooked. It’s a story full of lies, deceit but most importantly friendship. Would recommend!

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GOOD LITTLE LIARS had me gripped from the beginning. It’s a slow-burner about a woman named Emma, who lost her best friend, Tessa, 25 years earlier at their high school. Now, with their reunion coming up, secrets from the past are coming to light...things that may cause trouble for Emma, her best friend Marlee, and other friends and family.

This book isn’t really a thriller, even though it’s described that way. It’s more about the lives of a group of people and how secrets can fester and change the course of their lives. It’s a compelling drama with a suspenseful back story, and I was very intrigued. Author Sarah Clutton does a great job of writing multiple characters, but giving each one a rich history so you really feel like you know them. I would definitely recommend this book.

Thank you to NetGalley, Sarah Clutton, and Bookouture for an ARC.

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It starts with a "reply to all" email about a 25year school reunion and a suggestion that Tessa's death all those years ago may not have been an accident after all. Poor Emma is mortified she only meant to send the reply to her best friend Marlee! This leads to a trail of events that sees her marriage break down, her life turn upside down and the resurrection of old buried memories.

The story is based around the three central characters Emma, Marlee and Harriet who all attended the prestige Denham House Girls School. Emma who never felt like she fitted in there, Marlee who had been head girl and Harriet who in her younger days had attended the school on a scholarship. Emma and Marlee were there together and Harriet is the mother of Clementine, Emma and Marlee's school friend.</p>

You can tell from the start that they all have a secret to tell about Tessa's death but the book keeps you hooked until the near end before you find out what actually happened. I'm normally quite good at piecing things together and guessing but I didn't see this coming!

I liked how the story wraps itself around the other characters, Clementine, Jonathan and Ben.

Overall it's a good book but for me personally there was a little something missing as I didn't really get invested in any of the characters like I normally would but in saying that it didn't detract me from the story and I was still intrigued to read on!

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC.

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A high school reunion and a death in the past were two most intriguing things that drew me in when I read the blurb. The book encompassed relationships and suspense.

3 friends Marlee, Emma, and Tessa were strangely connected due to Tessa's nature of death. Emma saw something and kept quiet, Marlee knew something and kept quiet, and Tessa died, so she was already quiet.

An email brought it all out when Emma replied to all and wondered about Tessa's death. Could it have been murder? That got everyone's attention; everyone had snippets. There were other people like classmate Clementine, her mother Harriet, her uncle Jon, her stepfather Ben who played a central role in the book.

My first book by Sarah Clutton started with a 'Reply All' email from Emma, then showed me their lives as they were living it in the present time. Emma and Marlee were good friends through it all. With so many characters, it took me time to keep them straight.

The author slowly built up the plot with their routine lives and some of the drastic changes in their personal relationships. I got to know them well. The reunion occurred in the last few chapters when the book literally exploded.

The secrets were shocking, the tuns astounded me. A thought—What we humans did to protect each other—kept me grounded to the book. It was a jolly good ride with the need to know the truth building up and the author holding it away from me till the far end. The tug of war was strangely exhilarating, and I was hooked.

A good midnight read.

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Twenty five years ago, Emma's friend, Tessa died in a suspicious accident. Now Emma is working at Denham House, a school where the wealthy and intelligent girls attend. It's also the school that Emma and Tessa attended. Her school reunion is fast approaching and Emma can't help but think about what happened to her friend. Was it really an accident or something more sinister.

The book centred around four women. After Emma's marriage breaks down, she moves into one of the schools properties. She find a photo of Tessa that's been hidden. It had been taken the day before Tessa died. Is this the evidence that Tessa's death was not an accident? The women all remember the event differently. They also harbour secrets. The pace is very slow and drawn out. The middle seems to dip. The reveal, when it happened, was a it of an anti climax. I did enjoy this book, even though it was a bit confusing at times.

I would like to thank Netgalley, Bookouture and the author Sarah Clutton for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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“It started out being quite difficult - when you first encompasses real pain and were shocked at what another human could do to you... And after a while, the weight of it started feeling like a part of you, until most days you didn’t notice it too much.”

Good Little Liars by Sarah Clutton is a story of secrets kept and lies told. As the girls from the Denham House Girls’ School anticipate their 25th reunion, an email circulates that digs up the mystery surrounding the tragic death of one of their classmates, Tessa. How did she die? And who is responsible?

I went in to this book thinking it would sit solidly in the psychological thriller genre, but I found that it was actually more of a drama with a little mystery thrown in. I really wanted the author to spend more time in the 1993 timeline rather than the present because I felt like that was where the bulk of the story should have been. Overall, this book kept me reading because I had to know what happened to Tessa.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review!

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Twenty-five years ago, Emma Parson's friend, Tessa died in a suspicious accident at their prestigious boarding school. Now, Emma is working at the same school, and with her class reunion approaching, she can't help but wonder what really happened to her popular friend. Was it really an accident or did someone push Tessa to her death? I thoroughly enjoyed this suspenseful thriller! Set in Hobart, Tasmania, I was immediately engrossed in this tale of lies, secrets, and betrayal. We follow the perspectives of Emma, the main character, Harriet, who is the sister of the man Emma suspects is responsible for Tessa's death, and Marlee, who is Emma's best friend and a former classmate of Tessa. I really liked the characters, they were realistic and easy to relate to. I did manage to correctly put half of the puzzle together, but I was still a bit shocked when all the pieces finally came together. This was an enjoyable read with a satisfying conclusion. I look forward to future books by Sarah Clutton. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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An enjoyable but gritty book, this was for me a quick read. I’d have liked to see fewer but more intensely written characters, but on the whole this was a great story.

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So, when you read the premise of this book, it sounds pretty good, right? And the cover is intriguing as well. 

But the book is nothing at all like what the premise promised me. It actually jumped between 3 characters, which I normally like but was confused about when it came to this book. It moves slowly and I kept hoping it was setting me up for this great ending... but it wasn't. In fact, by the time I got to the end I just wanted it to be over with, and there was no big twist that had my  jaw dropping to the floor.

Typically when it comes to thrillers, you want to be thrilled. You want to feel feelings, to be left on the edge of your seat, to race to the end because you have to know what's going on. I felt none of these things with this book. In fact, I don't even think the title works for what happened in this novel. It was just very confusing.

Maybe I'm taking it all wrong. So if you decide to read this despite my review, please let me now what you think. I'd love to be proven wrong.

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An informal twenty-fifth school reunion is being held for one of the classes of the Denham House Girls’ School. Each woman is living their own life now, but the death of one of their classmates so many years ago is still casting a shadow on their lives.

This story is told mainly from three different points of view - Marlee and Emma who are considering attending the reunion and Harriett, the mother of Clementine, one of their classmates. Marlee and Emma are for the most part, grounded, relatable characters. The book begins with Emma accidentally hitting “reply all” to an email she intended to send only to her best friend, Marlee. Marlee is supportive but hasn’t confided in Emma that she is fighting a strong attraction to her new boss. Harriett is used to being in control, but is dealing with unexpected changes in her personal life as well as secrets from the past coming back to haunt her. We don’t see her point of view, but we get to know Marlee’s estranged daughter Clementine, whose quirky and sharp-tongued exterior hides what seems to be a good person inside.

The book kept my interest from the very beginning. The story is full of complex characters who have unexpected connections to each other. I was disappointed that the reunion doesn’t play as big a part in the story as I thought it would Instead, the story focuses on the current lives of the characters, their past secrets, and current obstacles and how the death of Tessa still affects their lives today. I wish I would have gotten to know Tessa better. She is the catalyst for so many events but I couldn’t figure out her motives. The answer to what really happened to her doesn’t quite live up to the large build-up throughout the book. The lives of the other characters take a few surprising turns before things wrap up for a hopeful ending.

I received this book from NetGalley through the courtesy of Bookouture. The book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.

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