It's unusual for me to not rate a Rona Halsall book but for me this was too slow moving and I lost interest pretty early on

DNF at about 48%. It was rather slow moving and predictable. Unfortunately, this one didn't work for me, though I would try the author again.

I can understand why couples separate. When the love is gone, the best thing to do is leave each other be and even for the children it's better to have two loving parents living in different houses than to have them together quarrelling every day. 

Not wanting to see your ex-partner any more is completely understandable, but wiping your child out of your life is a no go. Are they really so heartless they cannot stand to have any contact with them even though they had a great relationship with the little ones before or is there another reason they want to stay far, far away?

It's easy to tell tales to a young child, but when that child becomes an adult and she realises what has been going on, you have a lot of explaining to do. She does not only feel left behind by the parent who went away, but feels betrayed by the one she has lived with all those years. 

Thank God she has found a friend she can confide in... It seems there are still people left you can trust with all your heart, right?

I really enjoyed this story and I fell in love with the epilogue.

Sometimes people are with their back against the wall and do things they regret afterwards, but I do applaud them when they try to make up in some way. 5 stars

Thank you

Thoroughly enjoyed story. Twists in the story were good. Always like a book where the ending is not predictable.

I was in the mood for a bit of mystery reading as lately, I have been a bit blah when it comes to books as a lot had been DNF's for me. I go through stages like this. Her Mother's Lies is set in a small country town in the UK. We meet Martha and her mother Fran. For as long as she can remember Martha has been taking care of her mother and now, she has had her life upended as her boss has just died and now, she is feeling hopeless. This book first has Martha going to visit her dad, someone she hasn't seen since she was 9 years old. Here is her first lie - that her dad isn't her real dad. Who is Martha's dad and why did her mum lie about it? Fran then ends up in hospital and Izzy - Martha's friend comes to stay with her and help her out. What will happen though when Izzy turns out to be someone a bit closer to Martha, than her best friend? Anna is Fran's boss and it turns out she too has a connection to Martha. Who are all these people coming out of the woodwork and how are they connected to Martha? What other lies has her mother been keeping and are they all about to bubble to the surface, causing danger to those who know the truth about Martha and her birth/ parents? Like most UK mysteries, this book was a bit slow-paced and I have to admit for me, the ending felt a bit rushed but overall, it was a good mystery read and sure to keep readers entertained as they try and unravel the truth in this reality vs fiction tale.

This was my 2nd book by Rona Halsall and I liked it better than the first! The story felt a little slow at the beginning, but it quickly built speed and went full steam ahead!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I started it, skimmed a bit and just could not get into the book. It may be that at another time it would have held my interest better but not today. Thank you for the opportunity of reading to review but I will not be writing a review for this book as I DNF.

Another fantastic read from Rona Halsall! Couldn't stop reading and really enjoyed the many twists and turns. I had an inkling about Izzy but didn't actually see the twist coming. Very clever! Can't wait for more from the author.

“Her Mother’s Lies” is more of a family drama than mystery in my opinion. The book started off really well and then around the 20% mark it got pretty slow. It was almost a struggle for me to get through. Around 70% secrets start to be revealed and then the story started to become very unbelievable with twist after twist. This book was just an okay read for me. I definitely prefer the author’s previous books.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

this was a great psychological thriller, there is something so terrifying of a mother being a bad guy. I thought the author was able to create a great psychological setting with great characters.

Thanks to Netgalley for my copy.

Another good psychological thriller from this author. Relatable characters and a well developed plot

A complex, suspenseful plot with tension so thick that it felt palpable. Wonderfully-developed characters with depth and substance. I was immediately drawn in and held captive from beginning to end.

Wow and wow again. Rona Halsall has done it again. Her Mother's Lies is a fast paced roller coaster ride that is packed full of so many twists and turns that by the time you reach the final twist,you are left feeling so dizzy that all you want to do is lie down in a dark room for a few hours or until your head stops spinning.

What do you do when the one person in your life that you trust more than any other lies to you? Martha loves her mother, and just like most children, she would do anything for her that she possibly could. One day, however, her interest is peaked by a message that she sees on her mother’s phone. Now, she has questions. Lots and lots of questions. When she investigates, she finds out that what she has believed for her entire life is not true. Her mother, Fran, has been lying to her. This is an amazing story line, fast-paced, a definite roller coaster ride. Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for allowing me the opportunity to review this book.

Martha, 24, lives an isolated existence with her diabetic, alcoholic mother Fran. The relationship between mother and daughter is very strained as Martha is more the mother who has to care for her Fran. After seeing a message on her mother's phone from her estranged father Greg, she tracks him down to confront him about why he abandoned the family 15 years ago - only to find out he is not her biological father. With help from her friend Izzy, Martha sets off to find out what secrets her mother has been keeping and to find her biological father. What follows is a path of lies, secrets, loss and the lengths a parent will go to in order to protect their children.
I enjoyed this book, although I like a more fast-paced thriller in general. This was definitely a slow burn and it made me a bit frustrated at times. Martha was pretty unlikable, so I'm not sure that I was rooting for her in the end. Good read, just not the best for me.
Thanks to Rona Halsall, Bookouture and NetGalley for the ARC.

Another fabulous psychological thriller by Rona Halsall! I loved her last book, and this one is superb also.

The opening scene is immediately gripping, and this is a book that just grabs you and doesn’t let go until the very end.

The setting of this book is atmospheric and contributes to the general feeling of tension and build up. Even though they live in beautiful Cornwall, they are very isolated, and Martha in particular is quite trapped there. The descriptive passages in the book really make the settings feel so real.

The story is told mostly from Martha’s perspective, with an occasional chapter from Fran’s point of view. Martha does seem quite naive, but circumstances have made her this way. As the novel progresses, we find out more about why her mother wants to keep her isolated. She meets Izzy, and it’s hard to know if she can really trust her.

As the tension builds, and the mystery unravels, secrets are revealed, but there are quite a few twists and turns in the plot.

This is really addictive reading, it’s a hard one to put down. So well written and so perfectly paced, it will have you riveted. Fabulous.

Fran and Martha live together in an isolated cottage in Cornwall. Their relationship is close & they barely even have friends. This all starts to unravel the day that Martha looses her job and her Mother, Fran becomes ill.
This book started off well. The story gently built up with glimpses from the past and the present day story. The characters were good - Fran, who wasn't as all together as it appeared at first sight & Martha ready to spread her wings and fly the nest but tethered by responsibility. As the story develops we get to see the intricacies of these two characters and that their close relationship isn't quite all it seemed at first glance.
However, I felt as the story progressed it got rather convoluted and unlikely. It was as if the author wanted to add in every possible twist and turn thinking that made it better. However I found myself thinking that people just would not behave like this on several occasions. The story develops with all of the characters telling lie after lie in the past as well as the present - how had this not fallen apart before this? Some of it just pushed my credulity too far, even for a work of fiction.
It is a great shame when a book starts well but then goes awry in the middle somewhere. It can happen for all sorts of reasons but in this case the author just got carried away & packed too much into the story.
I received a free copy of this book via Netgalley.

I received a free e-copy of Her Mother's Lies by Rona Halsall from NetGalley for my honest review.

I struggled getting into this book.

Martha and her mom, Fran have what seems to be a great relationship. But then life takes a turn and she soon realizes she has lived a life of secrets, lies and deception.

Ooh I loved this one! It had me on the edge of my seat and kept me guessing the whole time. I love when books in this genre surprise you, because it does not happen often. Definitely would recommend.

Wow. I enjoyed this book, a little over-written in places, but a great read. Lots of twists ad turns and a spectacular ending. Well-written characters with complex personalities. Recommended.