This book has left me speechless (that’s not an easy task). Granted I’m currently reading during a global pandemic, so I’m finding darker books more disturbing than usual. But. This book was A LOT. I had a hard time reading it, but I know it was a well written psychological thriller. It was different and I wasn’t able to put the puzzle pieces together until the very end. •

Maggie and Nina are a mother and daughter that “live” together. They share a roof, sometimes they share a meal, but every night Nina has Maggie chained up in her room with the door locked. What could drive a daughter to spew such anger towards her mother? You know that there are secrets. You know that those secrets have been the lethal cocktail of hate that they can’t seem to get past. But you don’t know why. Who’s the actual big bad wolf? Is it the daughter that holds her mother captive or the mother that left her daughter with no other choice? •

This book was DYSFUNCTION injected with steroids. It’s set to be published on May 15, 2020 and if you like a rollercoaster filled with moments that you can’t believe what is happening (#%?!) this is 100% your jam. •

Another great psychological thriller from the pen and imagination of John Marrs. Well I hope it's his imagination !

I don't think I have ever read a book with such unlikeable, and dysfunctional main characters, whilst still feeling compelled to keep reading. Though out the book I grew to hate the two main characters equally while learning what has driven them to be living such a nightmare.

It's hard to say more about this book without giving away spoilers, so all I can suggest is to read it yourself and discover the lies and truths.


Thank you to the publishers and netgalley for a free copy in return for an honest review.

I am still in shock over this book. It was an awesome book. I could not put this book down and would stay up late because I just wanted to read one more chapter. Very well written with a shocking ending. At first I did not like the ending but after awhile I understand why it ended the way it did. There was one thing that did not happen in the book that I would had liked to seen happen. Although it did not happen it did not ruin the book for me. This is my second read by John Marrs and I am not disappointed. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves thrillers or books written by John Marrs.

A dark and richly layered story that was almost impossible to put down (well, sometimes I need to sleep). Just as you think you are getting the story, there is a new relevation. Maggie and Nina are both very strong-willed characters, and although they are both not very likable it was often easy to understand why they did what they did. John Marrs shows an excellent insight in the human mind in this story.
I hope this book will be turned into a movie soon, because I saw Maggie, Nina, the other characters and especially the house clearly in my mind. There would be no need to rewrite the story for that; it is perfect for a scary movie.

Thanks to Netgalley for this digital review copy.

The ending knocked me for six! What a deliciously dark disturbing story filled with lots of twists to keep you in your toes! John Marrs knows how to write a suspenseful story. The ending will definitely leave you thinking holy guacamoly what just happened?!

I’ve been a fan of John Marrs since The One and The Passengers! Can’t wait to read more by him!

Thank you NetGalley and Amazon Publishing for this ARC in return for an honest review.

Bloody brilliant. Its currently 2.03 in the morning and i had to finish this book. So much going on with the plots but at the same time the stories interweave perfectly. Nina wants to punish her mother for taking away her chance at motherhood in multiple ways but maggie done it as a way of protecting her family as she doesnt know what else nina could be capable of. Now maggie lives in the attic chained and under complete control of nina. She thinks of escaping all the time and the complicated relationship of the mother and daughter becomes more apparent as the story evolves. The author has an excellent way of producing characters/plot twists at the right time for the suspense given to the reader. Although frustrating for the reader now emotionally involved the ending was right. Final revenge for maggie

What Lies Between Us is a fantastic psychological thriller straight out of a 60 Minutes special. The twists and turns keep coming, with some well-placed foreshadowing and perfect dropping of hints throughout. Told in 2 POV's (Nina and Maggie) you come to learn about the warped relationship between the two, and what happened to arrive at this situation. There a flashbacks that are actually necessary, and give much needed context to each character's mind sets when everything is happening.

There is definitely a Mystery aspect to this novel, but it's not a whodunnit. It's more trying to figure out who did what, and WHY. Each new bit of information sways the blame in one direction and then back. There's no knowing everything that happened until the very end. There were some minor mysteries I figured out, but Mars did a great job of burying the lead with all the major questions.

The characters were also written so well. Maggie adjusting to her imprisonment and accepting her sentence (but not completely) and Nina rationalizing her decision to chain her mother in the attic for 2 years. Neither character is very morally grey. Both have made serious mistakes, and it's so fun to to see the relationship between them change and warp and grow. However, the ending absolutely stunned me. You'll have to read it to find out what happens!

Trigger warning: abuse, neglect, physical violence, domestic abuse, elder abuse

What Lies Between Us is John Marrs’s newest release. It comes out May 15th, which is right around the corner. I really enjoyed The One and The Passengers by him. When I heard he had a new book coming out I jumped right onto @netgalley to request it. So thank you NetGalley and @thomasmerceruk for allowing me to read this book for you!⁣
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What Lies Between Us is about a woman who is keeping her mom hostage in her house. It is told in both of their perspectives and alternates from the current situation and the past telling us how we got to this point in their lives. ⁣
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❤️Review❤️⁣
I’m going to start by saying I love John Marrs’s writing style. He keeps you gripped, engaged, and entertained throughout his novels. Unfortunately this book just wasn’t one of my favorites by him. Reading his previous two novels I branded him as a unique story teller with a sci-do/futuristic twist, which this book didn’t have any of those elements. So right off the bat it was different. My major problem with this book was that it was really predictable. I predicted 95% of the twists. They seemed really obvious, which is kind of a let down when it comes to a thriller. It was still a page turner and I enjoyed my time reading it, but I needed something more in order to give it more than 3 stars. I’m still looking forward to future books by John Marrs because he is clearly a talented author.⁣
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3 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⁣

I was beyond delighted to get my hands on an early copy of John Marrs' latest novel What Lies Between Us, and the hype I had built in my head was worth it.

It's dark, its jaw dropping, its twisted, and it's another mind blowing read.

Nina and Maggie have a complicated mother/daughter relationship. Its wrapped up in secrets and lies that are layered so well that each twist in the story shocked me a little more.

John Marrs is an author I recommend to so many friends and I am getting used to them coming back to me after reading one of his books and saying "Oh my god, its nuts, but I cant put it down!" So I cant wait to see their reactions when they read this one!!

Each time I thought something was becoming clear and I knew where it was going, I was blind sided by a twist in the story, making this such a hard book to put down.

Anyone that likes a book filled with intrigue, suspense and a healthy dose of twists and turns will love this book.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy.

Wow! Absolutely riveting book - I spent a day in tucked away in a chair, unable to do anything other than read this in one sitting.

I veered between the characters, chapter by chapter- hero to villain and back again.

Total 5 star read.

I gave this book until 42% and then gave up. After a few months, I saw a few positive reviews and gave it another chance. The beginning was slow, unbelievable, and weird. I couldn’t understand either character, didn’t think it was slightly believable. The second half, after picking it back up, was more entertaining. As the story is revealed, at least one character became more believable and therefore the story as well.

I give the first 50% of the book 1 star. The second half of the book gets 3 stars. Overall, glad I went back to finish it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing for a digital arc in exchange for a honest review.

They say a mother will do anything for her child, but do it also work the other way around? You have to read this twisted story of a mother and daughter that just about anything to stay together and protect each other. Every chapter is a true page turner I couldnt put it down waiting to see what was coming next. This is a definite recommend to anyone looking for a great weekend read.

Thank you netgalley and John Marrs for opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

4.5 stars

Fabulous, intriguing game of cat and mouse between Nina and her mother Maggie. Nina keeps her mom locked up in the house for years to punish her—I don’t want to say too much as I don’t want to give anything away. The story switches between the two women while going back and forth in time to major events in their lives. I was constantly on edge trying to figure things out. This was my first book by John Marrs and now I have to go and read all of his other novels immediately.

Thanks to NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer/Amazon Publishing UK for this ARC.

So twisty and disturbing. Marrs keeps you guessing the whole way through, and damn, it's a crazy ride. You're never sure who to root for and who to hate in this book.

First off, I think Nina should have been listening to Ozzy instead of ABBA. But that's a whole other crazy train.

Home. It should be a safe place, a place of tranquility, for family time, for rest, for love, for nurturing. But it can also be a prison, just ask Maggie. Maggie and her daughter Nina live together in their family home. Every other night they have dinner together. While Nina bee bops around to ABBA, Maggie has a chain around her ankle. Nina keeps Maggie chained up in the attic, but why?

This was on whacked out thoroughly enjoyable tale about secrets, lies and the unforgivable.

This was a fun page turner for me and although, I figured out one thing, it still shocked me with others. This has some twists, turns and revelations that kept me completely glued to the pages. This was a crazy ride and I loved every inch of it. I can't wait to see what John Mars thinks up next.

Thank you to Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you Netgalley for my free copy in return for an honest review.

The story is the alternative narrative of both mother and daughter, one bound by secrets and chains; the other seeking revenge and retribution.

Understanding what drives Nina to keep her mother Maggie chained in the attic; the quest for revealing who is the true protagonist in the story is what keeps you pinned to this book. With so many twists and turns it keeps you guessing throughout.

The book takes you through the various of stages to discover what could Maggie have possibly have done to have caused so much hate in Nina.
There’s so much to this book, understanding their relationship, their history, the unveiling of the sequence of events which led to current day.
This book is brilliant, perfectly written - easy to read - relatable characters, emotions - the complexity of the novel told in all its simplicity.
Highly recommended. Loved this book

I have loved John Marrs’ books since he first burst into the scene. Each time you think he can’t possibly write another amazing read he goes and does it again

I couldn’t put it down and highly recommend

This was my first John Marrs novel and if his others are anywhere near as exciting then I can’t wait to read them!
I really enjoyed this book the whole way through, the story was exciting and original. The concept was really clever and had me gripped from the start.
I made the mistake of deciding to start reading this book at midnight expecting to read a couple of chapters but I didn’t stop reading until I’d finished the whole book!

What Lies Between Us, by John Marrs.

Holy Lord , I have THE most serious book hangover. John Marrs has done it yet again. I think I spent most of the time reading this book on the edge of my seat.

MAGGIE and Nina are not your typical mother and daughter. Their relationship is based on lies, secrets and tension, oh and Maggie is kept chained in the attic.

John brings us through their troubled and fraught relationship and every time you think you understand them, he throws in more.

This is certainly John at his best and I am only sorry I am finished it.

Thank you to John Marrs, Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review

This is a tension-filled family thriller that gets deep under your skin. The story is told from the perspectives of Maggie and her daughter, Nina, who is keeping Maggie imprisoned in a soundproofed room in their home. The narrative shifts between time periods across 25 years and slowly reveals what led Nina to inflict such extreme punishment on her mother. Both of the main characters gave me the creeps. I was constantly questioning their motives and couldn’t decide whose side to be on until the very end. There isn’t much action that takes place so it moves along somewhat slowly but there are so many mysteries to uncover that it really captured my attention. It’s a slow burn story, which makes it all the more disturbing. I needed some time to process everything before writing a review and I have found that the book has really stuck with me because it’s hard to move on after being so deeply embedded in the twisted minds of the characters. Highly recommend!