Wow! THE LIAR'S DAUGHTER is my second book by Claire Allan and what a page-turner it is! The premise was intriguing, the story even better and the ending was brilliant. It was such a dark, disturbing and twisted story filled with an atmosphere that left the reader questioning the sanity of the narrative.

Joe McKee is dying of lung cancer and has been taken home for his final months. The doctors have given him three to six months at most, but Joe doubts he will be around by Spring. When his time does come, grief is the last thing his daughter Ciara and step daughter Heidi feel. You see, they know what Joe was really like. He was not a good man as everyone seems to believe. He was rotten to the very core.

Twenty years ago, Joe left his wife Marie and their daughter Ciara for another woman - Natalie and her daughter Heidi. Whilst Marie has always loved her husband, Ciara has never forgiven him for leaving them. Then when Natalie becomes ill and dies of cancer, Ciara is horrified that Joe chooses to remain and raise Heidi rather than return to her and her mother. She had always been a daddy's girl but now he has chosen someone else's daughter over his own. Her anger and bitterness grow over the years and is reflected in her cruel behaviour towards Heidi, who was still grieving over the loss of her mother. As for her father, she hated him.

Heidi Lewis is now twenty eight years old, married to Alex and has 5 month old baby daughter, Lily. The house in which she had been happy with her mother before Joe had moved in is still occupied by her stepfather today. It is no longer a happy house. For while she has happy memories with her mother there, there are also those that came after that still haunt her and make her blood run cold.

Now, she has brought Joe home to live out his remaining days. And although she has nothing but hate for the man, she feels it is her duty to look after him until his dying breath. But she cannot do it alone. She must call Ciara and hope that she may share the load with her. The problem is, she and Ciara have never gotten along and despite her many efforts to do so, Ciara has never forgiven her for Joe leaving them for her mother and her.

Joe's death is expected so when it does come no one is surprised. In fact, everyone appears to be relieved. So when the family begin to prepare the house for the tradition Irish wake, the phone call they least expect is one of the police. It seems there are some "questions" surrounding Joe's death. Bruising on his chest, marks on his body and the telltale petechiae of suffocation. Suddenly, everyone is looking at the other wondering which of them is a murderer.

The tensions in that house with Ciara, Heidi and Joe's sister Kathleen are palpable. It doesn't take a genius to figure out the cause of all the tension and hate. But how far does it go back? It leaves the reader wondering what would we do given that situation? Could I care for a man that had failed to protect me? Or would I walk away and leave him to die a lonely death? It really has us questioning the very core of the moral ethics that we have been raised to respect.

I really felt for Heidi. I think because I identified a little with her, having been bullied as a child and teenager, and her quiet almost shy disposition. She understood and respected duty even though she was loathe to undertake it. She didn't want to have to care for Joe but knew she had to. And then to receive insult after insult from Ciara, who seriously was old enough to know better, just emphasised her fragility. Which then, of course, was enough for Ciara and Kathleen to call on her past behaviour as proof of her vulnerability and instability. Even I had to admit, Heidi sounded paranoid, though I know she wasn't.

And Joe. Upstanding pillar of the Derry community. He was especially unlikable. He was crafy, devious and manipulative...and only Heidi and Ciara knew the "real" him. As readers, we caught a glimpse of him before his demise...and that only served to make me hate him even more.

A dual narrative that switches between the dark past and Joe's imminent death in the present, the story weaves Heidi's and Ciara's perspectives in the "then" and "now" uncovering the dark secret at the core. The girls are so different in personality with the depth of their pain etched in their behaviour. Heidi turns her pain in on herself and into something she can control whereas Ciara's is reflected in her anger and hate. It's not until Ciara's partner, Stella, poses a question to her that Ciara begins to see things differently.

A compelling and uputdownable thriller, THE LIAR'S DAUGHTER is woven with malice, deviousness and deep-rooted secrecy and is, at times, not an easy story to read. The theme of child abuse, rape and paedophilia shines a light on how the lives and relationships of those involved are affected. It is dark and disturbing but is handled with sensitivity and is incredibly well written.

THE LIAR'S DAUGHTER is a dark an psychological read filled with secrets, hate, anger, paranoia and loaded with suspense. The tension in the penultimate chapters leading to its climatic end built to an almost unbearable level but has you turning the pages at the speed of knots.

Claire Allan delivers us a story that is expertly and cleverly written making her an author to watch out for. As uncomfortable as the subject matter is, the writing is addictive, the chapters are short and snappy (my favourite kind) and the story completely compelling. THE LIAR'S DAUGHTER is emotive, powerful and extremely evocative. But above all, it is brilliant!

My second by Claire Allan and definitely NOT my last, I highly recommend THE LIAR'S DAUGHTER to all psychological thriller fans who are not afraid of a dark and disturbing storyline.

I would like to thank #ClaireAllan, #NetGalley and #AvonBooksUK for an ARC of #TheLiarsDaughter in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first book I've read by Claire Allan but it definitely won't be the last. Caring for a relative with a terminal illness is never easy. For Heidi, it's doubly so as she's never really got on with her stepfather, Joe. She's not on friendly terms with her step-sister, Ciara, either and the feeling's mutual. Ciara has never forgiven her father for leaving her and her mother. It's a powder keg of hostility just waiting to explode.
This is written in different points of view and in the past as well as the present. I didn't find it confusing to read and really enjoyed seeing the story through different characters' eyes. I'm writing this review the day after Storm Ciara and I have to say that Ciara in The Liar's Daughter is pretty stormy herself! Heidi on the other hand is a complete mouse in comparison but there's a lot going on below the surface. When Heidi finally took a stand to defend herself I wanted to cheer.
As the book is set in Derry, Northern Ireland, it was interesting to see the Irish Catholic tradition of wakes and having the body at home for people to pay their respects. The community expectation of this adds to the tension when Joe's body isn't allowed back straight away. We may not hear directly from the locals but we're aware of the ripple effect of gossip spreading throughout the town.
There are some distressing issues in The Liar's Daughter but Claire Allan has handled them in a very sensitive manner. Despite the darkness that Ciara and Heidi have to face, there's a sense of freedom and hope as well.
I was completely drawn into the lives of these two very different women as they battled their demons. The Liar's Daughter is going to stay with me for quite some time. An emotional, heart-breaking read.

I think this is Claire Allan's best book yet. Despite being a suspense novel, her background in women's fiction really shone through with the characterisation of the women and the sensitive way she deals with the difficult subject of abuse. This could definitely trigger those with a history of abuse but the subject is written really well. The fact that grief isn't straightforward when any kind of difficult relationship is involved is really well conveyed. It also keeps you guessing until the end about who killed Joe, they all had motive and he had it coming! I can't wait to see what Claire writes next.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book! A great story line that kept me hooked and excellent main characters. I would highly recommend this book.

Fantastic read. Claire Allan is on form with this one. Have not been able to put it down.

Can not wait for more from this author. Fantastic book by a fantastic author.

This was a book filled with characters who were just the worst of the worst. And if you are triggered by child sexual abuse, then this isn't a book for you, since it was obvious that this was a prevelant theme of the book from very early on and lasted throughout. But, even though I knew what would be revealed, this was one I had trouble putting down (even as I was trying to homeschool my son during quarantine!)

Joe is diagnosed with terminal cancer and his stepdaughter, Heidi, feels guilty enough to take care of him during his convalescence. She calls on Joe's biological daughter, Ciara, and sister, Kathleen to help and say their goodbyes. Ciara and Heidi absolutely hate each other because of their history, and Kathleen isn't much better. Once the whole family is there, someone sneaks up to Joe's room and smothers him. But who did it?

This was a quick thriller to read, and while it did have a lot of child sexual abuse in it, it never went into explicit details, which made it a lot less uncomfortable to read than other books using this topic. The only character I felt sorry for the whole time was Heidi....even though I knew what was coming with the remaining characters from really early on, it didn't make those characters any less repulsive to me. But a book can still be a riveting read even with characters you don't like, and this was one of those for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. It has not influenced my opinion.

Thank you to Claire and Avon for our advanced copy and invite to join the book tour.
I was first introduced to Claire's writing when I opened the first page of Her name was Rose. And it's safe to say I've not looked back! Claire has a style of writing that makes for a suspenseful and gripping read. 
Her latest book, The Liar's Daughter was published on 24 January and we were delighted to receive a advanced copy. And it was not a disappointment. 
Joe, has been diagnosed with cancer and the clock on his life is fast ticking. Heidi his step daughter, picks him up from the hospital she learns he has months to live.Joe wishes to spend as much time as he can with his daughter and step daughter. 
But Joes life ends a lot faster than predicted. Within several days, of being home he is dead. 
We learn that Heidi has had much suffering through her relationship with Joe and she wonders if this is about to come to an end when Joe dies. She would finally be able to put the past behind her and move on with life with her husband and daughter. 

And there is also Ciara, Joe’s estranged daughter. Ciara has not seen or spoken to her father die sometime. After all Heidi came into the family and took his affections. The affections that should have been Ciara's. Heidi phones Ciara, to let her know of Joe's terminal diagnosis. Ciara visits with her partner Stella, anticipating a long over due apology from Joe. 
There is also Kathleen, Joe's sister, travels to be by her brothers side. All are very likeable characters. Suddenly Joe dies, a lot sooner than expected.It's not long before suspicions are aroused and the police arrive. 
But did the medical profession diagnosis a longer life than expected or did Ciara, Heidi, Kathleen play a part in his earlier death. After all each has a grudge against Joe. And all have a deep dark secret from their past. 
Without any spoilers, what follows is a cross between an Agatha Christie who done it and the best psychological thriller you could read. A book that covers death, grief and revenge in the best possible way.

I am a huge Claire Allan fan and have read all her previous books both thrillers and light reading, the Liar’s Daughter didn’t disappoint, it had me hooked from the first chapter. Thanks to Netgalley and Claire Allan for the privilege of reviewing this ARC.

Pillar of the community Joe McKee has cancer everyone is in shock.He wants his family around him but his daughter Ciara and step daughter Heidi feel as if they don't want to be there but decide too. Joe ruined their lives and their relationships
Joe died quicker than they thought was it natural or had somebody helped him along.
This book was very dark in places and everyone seemed to have secrets.
Another well written book by Clare Allen
Thanks NetGalley

Wow, what a book. If you have triggers about sexual abuse on minors, then you need to steer clear of this book, as it’s a prevalent part of the book. While this book was not very shocking, it was absolutely well written, dark, disturbing, chilling, and thrilling. I would not recommend if the themes mentioned above will bother you, but if you are not triggered by the subject I think you will find yourself immersed in this dark world Claire Allen built.
Will make sure to buzz it up on all the different platforms; while a tough subject, Allen did well in tackling it with respect!

The pace of this book left me frustrated. Although I was intrigued to find out what was going on, I did want more from it. I liked the way it jumped from past and present and each character and I did feel for them.
Thank you Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

To say that I enjoyed this suspense thriller by Claire Allan is an understatement. The first few pages were 100% what I love to grip me straight into a thriller and Claire Allan I have found is becoming a firm favourite of mine.
The book starts off so descriptive I literally felt a grey cloud over my head when reading this book. You meet the main characters in the first couple of chapters and as there aren’t many main characters I found them easy to remember who they are.
This book was dark and at times quite sinister. I loved that there is only a few characters and that even though at times you didn’t like them you could definitely feel sorry for them. You immediately get the vibes from the beginning of the book that something isn’t quite right with the family.
Joe McKenna is who the book is about but the main focus is on Heidi his step-daughter and Ciara his daughter. There is definitely some tension between all three and even though I kind of guessed what happened between them but the tension leading up to the reveal was immense. It had my heart palpitating and me keep turning the page to find out what happened.
I didn’t really like Ciara, I know she had an awful time herself but my goodness the bitterness. I do find however if I don’t like a character its usually as they are so well written by the author. I did like her more towards the end of the book but she definitely needed a slap at times.
Heidi was a bit more likeable. I felt sorry for her from start to finish. She literally felt that she was being attacked by everyone, and I could actually see this. Add in the fact that she had just given birth and she was trying to look after herself and her stepfather on very little sleep you can definitely feel for her.
The suspense built up throughout the book and the last few chapters were definitely explosive. I literally had my heart in my throat and as I said the pages just kept turning, I needed to know what happened and why! I also have to admit the ending was a but of a twist for me which I do enjoy.
An overall rally good Suspense Thriller, I would highly recommend this if you want a page turning book that will keep you awake till the early hours.

This is such a compelling book.

Everything in this book contributes to the chilling plot. There is an atmosphere in the house, you can just feel that it is a house of secrets and unhappiness. Even the season, with its dark and cold weather, storms and rain, creates the ideal setting for the events that take place. It’s a dark and disturbing plot, and the scene is perfectly set for this.

The pace is a real slow burner, building the tension all the while. It makes for page-turning stuff.

The story is told from several points of view, but predominately from Heidi and Ciara’s. I didn’t particularly like Ciara at the start, but as I got to know her, I began to understand her. The timeline switches from past to present, giving us hints as to what happened.

I’ve often heard of jaw dropping plot twists, but this one genuinely did make my jaw drop! I thought I had it all figured out, but I hadn’t.

A superbly written, dark and compelling novel. This is a book that pulls you in and doesn’t let go, even beyond the last page. So good.

I enjoyed this but it was fairly predictable and I thought it could have been faster paced. I sympathised with the 2 daughters of Joe, and appreciated their issues.

Joe McKee has cancer and his Stepdaughter Heidi is caring for him. His Daughter arrives on hearing that her Father doesn’t have long to live. After the funeral the secrets of Joe’s life emerge with lots of horrifying truths. The police are involved and find out that Joe didn’t die in the circumstances we were first led to believe.
Having read and enjoyed all of this author’s previous work, I was eager to read this book. However, I felt that the story was just too drawn out for me. The lead up to the ‘who done it’ was very long and didn’t grip me in a way that I had hoped or expected from all of Claire Allan’s previous books. The issues raised in this book were dealt with very well and with much sensitivity.

The Liar’s Daughter is a novel about family lies and terrible secrets that I found incredibly compelling. I really don’t want to give anything away but the big issue was relatively easy to guess from the beginning, however the twists and turns kept the suspense high. The characters in this story are all very different and each have their own motive for wanting Joe dead. This gives the story an almost Agatha Christie feel to it, with a closed cast of characters in the middle of the ‘whodunnit’

The story is told mainly from the viewpoints of Ciara and Heidi, both in the present day and when growing up. We also hear from Joe at the beginning which gives an additional element to the story. This is quite a dark and emotional story and deals with some hard issues, the murder of Joe is almost a secondary story. Therefore using the term enjoyable in a review doesn’t feel quite right, but I would recommend it. The issues are dealt with sensitively and the quality of the writing means that the story flows easily.

I’d never heard of the author before I decided to read this. What kind of rock have I been living under? Consider me better informed now. First off, I love that the book is set in Ireland. I love Ireland. Yeah, Derry! The Liar’s Daughter is structured differently than the usual thrillers I read. In a typical thriller (if there is such a thing), a body is found, police declare they were murdered and hunt the killer. This terrific book takes a slightly different approach. A man is dead, a man who’s been dying of cancer. His death isn’t a surprise. Until the police suspect foul play. This is when the story moves back and forth between the present and the memories of his daughter Ciara and step-daughter Heidi, gradually revealing what kind of man Joe was and the powerful motive to kill him. This structure worked really well and kept me hooked. I didn’t have a clue who really killed Joe and was on edge when this is finally revealed. The Liar’s Daughter is a terrific book.

This is a book full of secrets . I was gripped from the start. I have read Claire Allan's previous books and she just gets better and better. This is the best one so far. Highly recommended

I thought that this one was well written as are most books by this author however I did find the main content of the storyline rather difficult to digest in parts.

I want to start off by saying thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book, it was a very good read easy to follow along with storyline and characters. This was a new author for me but I very much enjoyed it, thank you for the opportunity and I look forward to reading more by this author again. I highly recommend this book to everybody.