First, I have to say that I am a big fan of this author's books. Everyone is different with such unique characters and plots. In my experience, I receive one of his books, then put everything off, can't you see I'm reading a John Marrs book, and I wouldn't trade the time I spent reading for work or chores or social interaction. That being said, I never know whether an author can write another phenomenal, page flipper, but, What Lies Between Us is proof that it can happen again and again.
I went back and reread the book description. It tells very little, and that is the perfect way to enjoy all the twists and turns to come. I never read reviews until after I have written mine. Why? Spoilers, yes some people think nothing of sharing spoilers, but I don't want my read to be ruined. I could tell you how Nina and Maggie are connected but read the description. Nope, it isn't there and that is because I believe part of the enjoyment is letting the author guide the pace of the reveals. What I can say is that you will discover quite a bit about these two women, and be prepared for more than one what did I just read moment.
I think my Kindle might have been smoking by the time I read the last page! Short chapters, alternating narratives, and a fast-paced plot add up to another I stayed up all night reading book. If you haven't, might I suggest you read one or all of the author's other books? I doubt you will be disappointed!

What Lies Between Us by author John Marrs is yet another excellent novel by Marrs! He is fast becoming a favorite author of mine, I’ve absolutely loved his books and this one has excelled! Shocking and twisty, full of amazing character structure and an awesome plot line! Definitely recommend this book!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

John Marrs is fast becoming one of my favourite authors. I read three of his books last year and could not put them down, easily 5 star reads. And he’s done it again!
This is very different to two books I’ve read of his previously (The One and The Passengers) as those dealt with topics you’d likely find at the centre of a Black Mirror episode. Instead this was a twisty turny thriller with domestic, mystery and psychological elements and I loved it. This is more similar to The Good Samaritan in topic and in thrills. He writes amazing and believable characters that you have no idea how you should really feel about them. He’s had me feeling sorry for a woman locking up a family member, a man who murders his dates, a woman who ‘mercy’ kills depressed people who call her for help and a man who claimed innocence while orchestrating an elaborate plan to overthrow technology developments. This guy is a winner and I won’t hear a bad word said about his books, I won’t!
John Marrs has a talent and I will never say no to one of his books.
Thank you to Netgalley for my advanced copy of this book - much appreciated and much loved!

Wow.... John Marrs you have completely excelled!!!! I’ve enjoyed all of this authors books, this one is on a different level.

Completely hooked from the first page and I’ve read in one sitting! Totally unexpected story, shocking, disturbing so many more words I could use.

This book plus the characters Nina and Maggie will stay with me for a very very long time..... 6 stars plus if I could rate that high

Two women, Maggie and Nina live in the same house. But Maggie lives chained up in the attic, where she spends all day, every day, except for the short time she spends down stairs having dinner with Nina after Nina unlocks her chains. After dinner, it’s straight back up to the attic. where Maggie is once again locked up. Nina believes she has every right and reason to keep Maggie a prisoner, but there’s more to the story than Nina knows and if she should uncover the truth, things might get even worse. The is definitely different than the usual thriller that pits a man against a woman in a domestic situation and made me think of that creepy old movie Whatever Happened to Baby Jane

WHAT THE HELL I JUST READ!??HOLY COW(that’s me!) What a breath taking, captivating, pitch black dark, dazzling, devious and intense, soul crushing mother and daughter story!

I haven’t read something so scary, disturbing for so long! The growing tension from the beginning, those sick and shocking twists and revelation you find out at each chapter and that epic ending made me get an urgent appointment from hospital. My grey cells burned after over usage so I need an urgent transplant now! Yes, Mr. Marrs, my chin dropped! My eyes popped out of my sockets, my hands are shaky, actually my entire body was shaky and everybody is taking I’m the worse break-dancer. And something smells so bad! No, it’s coming from me. Oh no! Nooooo!!!It can’t be! What have I done!!!

OMG! In the middle of my reading I found myself acting like Regan from Exorcist making spider walk, climbing backwards from the stairs and my head spinning. (Thankfully my vomit color is not green. Not yet! I hate kale and spinach!)

That was true expression and quiet real reflection of my feelings: I was terrified! And you know what I’m not easily scared of anything instead of my image in the morning and my husband’s snoring sound louder than cumulative ten T-rex screaming! But let me tell you something, when I reach the end, my spine was already tingling and there were at least 15 teeth bites on my arm (nope, my dogs are innocent, I did to myself because
I have no longer nails which is more disgusting image you may ever imagine.) I was so close to scream for help but I also lost my voice (Yes, in the beginning of the book I already used my right to screaming louder till my sister in-law shoved a sock into my mouth (And it was my husband dirty sock! So yes there are things in the world scarier than waterboarding.)

Without giving too much spoilers I may only say this book’s story is definition of borderline personality disorder and unfortunately Maggie (mother) who is chained at the attic of her own house to pay for her sins and things she’s done to her daughter. (As Chris Isaak sings baby did a bad bad thing! Oh actually she did too many bad things! But I have to stop there not to ruin the surprises and bombs the author leaves into our laps and runs away!) And sweet Nina, at the end of her thirties, librarian is guardian and judge of her own mother’s slow punishment and execution.

Do you want to know why they built this sick relationship? Why Nina’s father leave without saying goodbye? Why Nina is so fragile around little children? Is Maggie innocent victim or pure evil needs to be behind the bars? Can she escape and save herself from captivation?

There are so many twists, so many revelations you cannot foresee their coming! You feel like punching several times from supernatural forces and crying like a baby to make it stop! Sorry our author is evil genius and he keeps sending more bombs and destroys your safe space.

Overall: Sometimes I felt suffocated from tension so I cut only half star but it is still 4.5 rounded up to 5 stars reading for me. I adore this author’s riveting, captivating style. He never ever disappoints me! Salute!
Special thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for sharing this special ARC for me in exchange my honest review.

<u>Rating:</u> <b>4.7 / 5</b>

**ARC review from Netgalley for advance copy.

At first, you may innocently be going into this and think that the setup is something akin to <i>Whatever Happened to Baby Jane</i>.

I mean, it's a similar setup: two women living in the same house, one of them unable to get out and is thus reliant on the other, but puts up with everything due to a handicapping secret that cannot be revealed at all costs. So...Jane and Blanche much?

But you'd be wrong. Oh no, my dears, it's worse. <i>Much worse.</i>

This book goes from bad to worse on the scale of how messed up it is, in that no matter how far you read and think, "okay, this is it--it can't get any worse than this", the book will find a way of proving you wrong. There's no rivalry, no jealousy, no logical understanding at the heart of this whole confinement situation. Both Nina and Maggie have their side of the story, and fortunately the author doesn't hesitate to take us through both of them in tantalizing (and tantalizingly but deliciously slow) detail. It all just brings "disturbing" on a whole new level that will leave you in need of a bath to wash the grime off. And it is grimy, my friends--that it is.

I don't know what to say without giving it away, but all I can advise readers is not to expect anything pleasant, not to expect closure, not to expect logic or justification for either character. Some things are the wrong things done for the right reasons whereas other things are just out of control--in either case, you end up hesitating to point fingers and by the end will just throw up your hands in the air and give up trying.

Read it if you have the stomach for it, I say. But categorize this outside the realm of the ordinary, if you will--nothing feels short of insane in this one.

Loved this book!!! One of the best stories I have read in a long time. Every time I thought I figured it out, I was wrong. Makes one reevaluate living with someone you may hate and the things one can do to another to make them stay and suffer. I love John Marrs books! I really think he has grown as a writer. I can not wait to read his next book.
I am recommending this to everyone who thinks they have read about every type of thriller book!

What Lies Beneath Us had me hooked me the beginning. I actually read this in one sitting. No way I was putting this page turner down!

Nina and Maggie live in the same house. There’s bad blood between them. Nina can’t forgive Maggie for something. But what?

I wasn’t expecting this to be so shocking. There were moments when all I could do was let the “wow” slowly fall out of my mouth and give myself a moment to let my brain catch up with the horrors I was reading.
What Lies Beneath Us is dark, it’s chilling and I’ll be talking about this story for a long time. Already planning on buying a copy for family to read as well as check out John Marrs other books for myself!

You will not regret reading this book.

Another unputdownable book by John Marrs.
I always get excited when I see that John Marrs has written a new book and I was delighted to receive an advanced copy of What Lies Between Us.
I devoured this book in two sittings, it had me hooked from the first page.
Maggie and Nina share a house. Nina looks after Maggie’s every need but they don’t get on very well because of secrets they share that cause bitter resentments.
Secrets that need to kept hidden from the word outside.
Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

4.5/5 - Another fantastic offering from John Marrs!
I really enjoyed this and couldn't put it down. I read it within 24 hours!
A few of the reveals were slightly predictable but I totally forgave it because the tension and the mood was so brilliantly crafted throughout.
I recommend this to fans of atmospheric psychological thrillers.
Thank you to NetGalley for my ARC in exchange for my Honest review.

This book is intense, scarily real and totally addictive, This book is chilling, you will not be able to read the book without being a bit shocked, a tad ruffled.
Maggie has her whole life controlled by Nina who she lives with, in ways you can't even imagine.
this book kept me guessing and when the turns come hold on tight.
Thank you to NetGalley for my ARC in exchange for my Honest review.

Just when you think you know it all, everything will get flipped over. I read this in one day and know you will too! Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC

There is no secret that John Marrs is one of my favourite authors, every book is guaranteed to be very different and a major ‘talking point’ with readers

This book is chilling, you will not be able to read the book without being a bit shocked, a tad ruffled and majorly wowed by this story

Nina lives with Maggie, Maggie is older so Nina cooks for her and ‘keeps house’, she virtually controls her life, in fact she 100% controls every aspect of it....and when you find out how, where and why you will, like me be in for one of those ‘book shock’ moments that when they hit,they hit hard ,in fact I had to re read to make sure I had it right.....

But why is Nina doing this? What could Maggie have done in the past to warrant such behaviour and how can Nina continue a ‘normal’ life knowing what is happening at her home?,and more to the point how on earth does Maggie cope with it, the indignity, the worry and the punishments she randomly faces?

This book is intense, scarily real and totally addictive, flawless story telling and though a term easily used it really was ‘unputdownable’, John Marrs always manages to shock and surprise in his books and this does both, over and over!

Superb

10/10
5 Stars