What Lies Between Us by John Marrs is an exceptionally dark tale centered around a twisted mother-daughter relationship. The book is told in alternating perspectives between Maggie, the mother, and her daughter Nina, with flashbacks to years past. I found myself alternating between feeling sorrow and outrage at each of them throughout the book, and was hit with several unexpected twists on this roller coaster ride of a book. Trigger warnings may be appropriate for some readers.

#WhatLiesBetweenUs #NetGalley

Thanks go to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Wow. Wow. Wow.
I am in awe of this book and author.
What have I just read ? How will I choose anything as good for my next book ?
Absolutely incredible book.
Fast paced, gritty thriller with twists and turns a plenty. I had absolutely no idea what was coming next and could not have predicted the storyline.
I couldn’t put this down and a very lazy Sunday and a late night and even an attempt
To read cooking made it a 2 sitting read. I couldn’t put it down.
By far the best book I’ve read this year so far. I wish I had more stars.
I am hugely grateful to net galley, the author and the publisher for letting me read an advanced copy of this book in return for an unbiased honest opinion.
Please write more.....quickly !

It's hard to review this one without giving too much away. The story is so well crafted and will take you on a roller coaster ride of emotions. I loved it and highly recommend it for fans of suspense and family drama. This was my first John Marrs book but it sure won't be the last!

I have read a few John Marrs books and have enjoyed them all and this was no exception. I was so engrossed I couldn’t put it down, several points of the book really make you stop and think. With his books being set in my home town of Northampton makes them even more enjoyable as I know the places he mentioned. If you have never read any of Johns books then you are missing out as they are all brilliant. Go read them today, you won’t be disappointed!!

WOW WOW and more WOW. Having read all John Marrs' other books, I knew this one just wouldn't disappoint. And it didn't.

The story follows Nina and her Mom Maggie. Nina is keep her mom chained up in the attic of their family home. Nina's reasons follow the lines of what her mother took from her from the age of 13. When I was reading this book, my sympathy was is equal parts for both Nina and Maggie. But as the book went on, my allegiance was firmly for one of them. I can't say who, you'll have to read to discover where yours would lie.

I've read all the books from this author and this book does not disappoint. I felt the story was unlike anything i have read and the narrative was engrossing. The characters had such depth to them and some of the situations in the book were truly thought provoking. Thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and I will remain a forever fan of John Marrs

Wow! Another John Marrs' book that kept me on the edge of my seat! Highly recommend this one. It kept me guessing what would happen, but of course my guess was wrong. I felt like I really knew the characters and found myself feeling bad for both of them. The mother daughter relationship in this one was insane to say the least. All John Marrs books are must reads. I am so glad I got the chance to read this before the release date!

This book will blow your mind ... it had me gripped from the start!

Chapter by chapter we learn about Nina and her mum Maggie ... Maggie is held ‘prisoner’ in the loft but what led to this is unfolded in this great read.
Twists turns open mouth moments this book has it all ... another excellent book my the hugh talent that is John Marrs

It pains me to say this, because I know John Marrs personally and he really doesn't need any more adulation or praise, BUT I think this might be my new favourite book of his!!  I've been a huge fan of John's books since discovering his self-published book The Wronged Sons back in 2014.  Each of his books have been unique, original, thought-provoking and very, very twisted but until yesterday The Wronged Sons (now When You Disappeared) was my absolute favourite book of his.... until I finished What Lies Between Us.

This is a book made for TV/Film which is just as well as Renee Zellweger's Big Picture Co/MGM TV have purchased the television rights!

What Lies Between Us is a very dark and very twisted tale of Nina and Maggie who live in the same house, dine regularly together and then Maggie is escorted back to her sound proof attic room with a chain attached to her ankle.  The book is narrated by both Nina and Maggie in the present day and back to 25 years previously.

Each chapter reveals a little more about this sorry situation and delves deeply into both Nina and Maggie's disturbed minds, teasing the reader slowly with hints of how Maggie ended up as a prisoner and why Nina is so bitter and angry.

I've said this before, but I need to say this again; John Marrs has a very warped and disturbed mind and his ability to bring these characters to life and make the story so addictive is why he is one of my favourite authors.  I really never know what I am going to get when I start a Marrs book from a missing husband of 25 years to DNA to find your true love and driverless cars to psychopathic samaritans, but I am always surprised, engaged, gripped and shocked and more importantly thoroughly entertained.

Another 5 star book from John Marrs and even though I am no longer featuring as a cameo in his books, my alter-ego Stacie Denton was thrilled to be mentioned.

Without giving away any of the storyline, this book has more twists and turns than the Le Mans racetrack. Absolutely hooked, could not put it down. This author has the supreme gift of putting pen to paper (or whatever he does) and coming up with a winner every time. 5 huge stars from me.

Wow wow wow! I really enjoyed reading this psychological thriller. The plot line is about a mother and daughter who live together, but are co-dependent. What you don’t know and will need to read to find out is how demented their relationship truly is along with all the twists and turns it takes along the way. Most books I can figure out how it’s going to end, but this one kept me guessing right up to the epilogue. This book definitely earned a 5 star from me!

WOW WOW WOW!!!!! OMG DEFINITELY 5 GLOWING STARS!!!!!!
I AM DREAMING! RIGHT? THIS BOOK IS SO CRAZY SICK ON SO MANY LEVELS!!!! BUT IT INTENSE!!!!!!!

Ok I'm gonna not give any spoilers away because I just don't think it's fair but this particular book mainly revolves around a mother/daughter and their sick, twisted relationship. It is completely insane in a good way and I read it in 5 sleepless hours. Maggie the mom is overprotective of her daughter Nina but throughout the book we don't know why Maggie does the things she does, they seem downright cruel.

Nina her daughter is a wild teenager so it's understandable and the father, Alistair, has up and deserted them under very unclear circumstances.

Oh I just can't say anymore, but Nina turns out to be, or seem, as crazy as her mom. Or are they crazy? Do they do things out of love? I'm not telling..........just that I can't wait for the movie. Honestly, I want to cry, rage, sit here helpless. This book left me feeling just crazy. In a good way, that only a really good book will do! Shocking...

A special thanks to author John Marrs, who I can't wait to read more from, see the movie and also a very special thanks to Net Galley and Amazon UK Publishing for providing me with this ARC copy.

Wonderful thriller which kept my interest from start to finish always keeping on my toes. I had no idea how the plot would end which makes for a great story. The story is told over 25 years from two perspectives Maggie the mother and Nina the daughter whose hatred is palpable . Mental health is a persistent theme. There are so many twists and turns in this dark novel with revelations occurring in each new chapter. This novel was read in one sitting as you couldn’t put it down. I will certainly read more of John Marrs novels. Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer publishing for this ARC.

Wow, what a rollercoaster ride of a book! I couldn’t decide who was going to end up the one in the wrong in this book, as I think it definitely shows you empathy for both major characters! Absolutely unputdownable, chilling, thrilling, shocking! So well written, engrossing, and absolutely riveting! I highly, highly recommend! Preorder today!

This book has all that I absolutely love in thrillers. Unputdownable and kept me up for most part of the night.

Maggie and Nina, mother and daughter, share the same house but one of them is a prisoner. The story alternates between the duo and also delves into their past. What makes the mother and daughter hate each other and what lies in their past? The lengths the mother goes to protect her daughter and the ways the daughter comes up with to punish her mother makes for a good, dark read. The twist in the end was unexpected.

Thank you Netgalley for the arc

Wow wow wow. A dark psychological thriller pertaining to a complicated mother/daughter relationship. Every time one of my questions was answered, another one rose up. I could not put this book down!!

This was my first John Marrs book and I have already went and bought another one! A few of the twists were a little predictable, but overall, I couldn’t stop reading because I had to find out what happened with Maggie and Nina. Definitely recommend this.

Great book, I guessed the story quite early on but still had some twist and turns I didn't expect and still an enjoyable read.

What a brilliant book!
Nina and Maggie are mother and daughter, they live together, but have an ..... interesting relationship.
Maggie now lives in the attic of the house they share - chained to her room. Nina is punishing Maggie for a mulitude of actions in their past.
As you read the alternating chapters written from each's perspective, it really does make you wonder quite who is the worst behaved. I don't like writing spoilers in reviews, so I'm not going to write any more as I can't without giving anything away.

Thank you so much Netgalley & Amazon Publishing for the ARC of John Marrs’ new book. Last year’s The Passengers was in my Top 3 books of 2019, so I want to read all of his books now.

Nina and Maggie live together. Nina works at a library & Maggie used to be a nurse. They’re not your typical roommates. Every other night after dinner, Nina helps Maggie back up to a soundproof room & chains her there. Nina can never forgive Maggie for the things she’s done to her in the past & now this is Maggie’s punishment. But Nina doesn’t even know all there is to know & Maggie is willing to die before revealing anymore secrets to her.


Wow! That’s the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of this book. John Marrs is quickly becoming one of my favourite authors. After reading this one & The Passengers, I’m looking for all his other books (The One is first on the agenda) & getting any new novels he puts out. He has the ability to write about people & their secrets, slowly weaving & twisting so that your allegiance to the character is never on solid ground. This is one of the best psychological thrillers I’ve ever read. It’s like an even more messed up version of Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? for modern times. It has a killer ending too. I’m reluctant to delve in further because I don’t want to give away any surprises or plot twists. Do yourself a favour & read it, then go read The Passengers too!