TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH is an amazing story filled with twists and turns that I did not see coming!

Lucy Harper is an author of a best selling series featuring DS Eliza Grey. Eliza also happens to be Lucy's childhood imaginary friend and she still communicates with her. I think that's an awesome idea especially because we don't know if Eliza is the good side of Lucy or the bad until the end.

Then there's Lucy's husband Dan who is now her assistant after a failed attempt at becoming an author. But Dan is acting strange and making decisions without Lucy's knowledge and things quickly start going down hill. Then Dan disappears!

As Lucy starts trying to piece together this puzzle, she's afraid that the past is coming back to haunt her. Does her little brother Teddy's disappearance have anything to do with all this or is her guilt messing with her?

A great cast of characters in their neighbors, the detectives and the people Lucy works with. Some have their own agendas and until the end, you don't know who did what or why.

TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH is my first Gilly Macmillan book and I'm hooked! Thank you to Book Club Girls Early Read Program and NetGalley for this advanced copy.

To Tell You the Truth by Gilly Macmillan. was so creepy and atmospheric! Lucy Harper is a famous author of a series of books about a detective named Eliza. She has fans all over the world. Her husband Dan is her assistant and takes care of all her financial concerns. One day he has a surprise for her and takes her to a house that he’s bought for them in Charlotte Close. You would think that she would be ecstatic. However, when Lucy was younger she was Lucy Bewley. Her four-year-old brother Teddy went missing in the woods under mysterious circumstances. Lucy and him had been out in the middle of the night and only she made it home alive. She has changed her name and does not want anyone to know who she really is. This house is starting to mess with her mind and sends her into a spiral of anxiety. When Dan turns up missing all eyes are on Lucy. Did she do it? What really happened? To find out all the answers to the past and the present read this book! I’ve never read a book by Gilly McMillan before and this was outstanding. I like the use of a somewhat unreliable narrator. Also the past with Lucy and her brother Teddy is revealed every few chapters. I thought I knew what was going on and what ihappened and I was proven wrong. Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the advances copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

To Tell You The Truth is a mystery that keeps you guessing from the very first chapter. Lucy Harper is a crime fiction novelist who is trying to finish her newest book and distance herself from the voice in her head, who just happens to also be the main character in her best-selling novels, Eliza Gray. When her husband, Dan, starts acting strangely, she doesn’t know if she can tell the difference between fact and fiction. Then Dan disappears and she’s fighting off the voices and doesn’t know who to trust. If you like mystery and suspense stories, this is a great read!

Told from the viewpoint of a likable unreliable narrator, this book is filled with suspense and plenty of twists that kept me guessing about the ending. I liked getting a peek inside an authors mind even if it was a fictional peek because there were probably some glimpses of truth in it. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced readers copy of this book thanks to "The Scene of the Crime" Facebook page, the publisher, and the author.

3.5 O, What A Tangled Web We Weave Stars
* * * 1/2 Spoiler Free-A Quick Review
Gilly Macmillan decided to take a look at the mystery writer/publishing industry with this new book. It almost is like us being on the inside with this nod.

We are given a woman who has had a history from a very early age of making up stories, first when her little brother disappeared. She was the only witness and her mind filled in all the details.

Now thirty years later she is an extremely successful thriller writer. Her books are bestsellers with a massive amount of fans wanting every word she writes. She has a difficult marriage with a husband who has been acting weird lately and when he disappears...all of the woman's past comes to light.
With these circumstances, the only one she can believe is her muse...who isn't real.

Interesting...

Wow! Gilly MacMillan really impresses me with her ability to spin a sordid and surprisingly satisfying tale. This is the second of her books which I have read, and it’s a WIN. I was given the spooky feels, the creepy-crawlies. Her settings feel like ominous characters. Go Gilly! You are rocking this genre. Please keep writing.

For Goodreads and my Facebook page: Wow! Gilly MacMillan writes a seriously creepy-good thriller. This is the second book of hers which I’ve read, and I’m hanging up the permanent “sold” sign. I seriously had no idea where this story, about a book author with a possibly- sinister alter ego, was heading. Did I have fun reading this? Yes! Was the setting a super-creepy character in the book? Oh yes! Were all of the books’ characters completely shady and unreliable? Totally! Read this one! It would make a great Halloween-time book club read.

Lucy Harper can’t get used to the idea that she is a best-selling author. On the other hand, her husband Daniel, who once dreamed of being an author himself, has no qualms about spending the money Lucy is making. Dan buys a huge house for the two of them that is close to the woods where her younger brother disappeared years before. Lucy is angry and upset, but has to focus on her latest book in which she has made a choice in the story that her publishers aren’t happy about. Then Dan disappears which brings Lucy back to the terrible time when Teddy disappeared in the woods.

The beginning of this book is very intriguing, There is the mystery of what really happened to Lucy’s younger brother Teddy, whether Dan is being oblivious or cruel when he buys a home in a location he should know Lucy would hate, and then a little later what happened to Dan. There are many twists and turns in the plot before the reader gets closer to the answers. The book is suspenseful and at times will have you on the edge of your seat. After everything is resolved, I like the way the story ends.

The problems I have with the book are in the middle. I like the character of Lucy, but didn’t realize her imaginary friend Eliza, on which her debut novel’s popular main character is based, would play such a large role throughout the book. It was okay at first, but got old. In addition, I disliked the gaslighting aspect of the book. I have a hard time with this as a storytelling device. That is my issue, but wish I had known that was a large part of the plot. Overall, I liked the book because of Lucy, but didn’t love it because of some of the things mentioned above. I would rate it 3.5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, William Morrow, and Scene of the Crime Early Reads for this ebook. An advance copy was provided to me at no cost, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.

I was definitely excited to read this book, so thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the eARC. This book took me on a quite a ride - when the main character's husband goes missing (not a spoiler), at first I was like "good riddance, didn't like him anyway, didn't care what happened to him". Which is true - I never did care. But over the course of the book, I really came to care what happened to Lucy. As the walls were closing in on her, I really found myself rooting for her which made the second half of the book fast paced and fun to read. A solid psychological thriller!

This was a wonderful twisty and turny book that I read very quickly. Lucy is a writer. She started writing when her brother went missing. Now her husband has went missing. Does Dan's disappearance have anything to do what happened to Lucy's brother? I really enjoyed this book and all the mystery and secrets. I received an advanced readers copy and all opinions are my own.

To tell you the truth, I really enjoyed this book. Bestselling Author, Lucy Harper has written a successful series featuring Detective Eliza Grey. Fans adore this series and can't wait for the next book. Her husband, Dan, a man who hoped to be a writer himself, has bought them a new home and enjoys spending the money Lucy makes. But when Lucy writes a book that her publishers are less than impressed with, she is feeling down, she and Dan argue then one evening, Dan goes missing.

With Dan missing, Lucy must also confront a night from her childhood from when her younger brother went missing after she took him out into the woods to watch a pagan ceremony. Now, with her husband missing, her fans, neighbors, police and the world is looking at Lucy. As her past catches up with her present, what secrets will be revealed? Has Lucy been harboring a dark secret? Where is Lucy's brother? What happened to Dan?

I found this to be an enjoyable book with some twists and turns. Making this book even more interesting is Lucy herself. She and her imaginary friend Eliza speak to each other. Is this the product of an overactive imagination? Is she mentally ill? Does she suffer from dissociative identity disorder? Either way, she is unreliable. Does she remember things correctly? Is someone messing with her? What's with all her neighbors?

I found this to be an engaging, fast, and entertaining read. Will you figure this book out? I didn't! With the twists, turns, and revelations, she had me riveted to the pages and swiping those kindle pages to see how Macmillan would wrap things up. This one kept me on my toes while spiking my curiosity.

Thank you to Harper Collins Publishers - William Morrow and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this email in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I absolutely loved this book! I’ve read some others of Gilly MacMillan but this was by far my favorite. The characters were interesting and the protagonist was compelling. I had a hard time pulling myself away from this book to do the little things like eat or use the restroom. Crime thriller author Lucy is haunted by a tragedy from her childhood that was never resolved. Her 3 year old brother went missing one night and she’s never been the same. She’s found success and popularity with writing novels based on her childhood imaginary friend, Eliza, being a police detective. Her husband Dan also dreamed of being an author but when she sold her first book he dedicated himself to supporting her and her career. Without warning Dan bought them a house near the woods where her brother was lost and Lucy wonders what other secrets her husband has been concealing when he goes missing and she and Eliza need to figure out what really happened before the police decide on their own narrative.

TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH by Gilly Macmillan is a chilling and atmospheric psychological thriller full of twists and turns that kept me guessing right up to the end. Lucy Harper is a bestselling crime mystery writer who has rocketed to fame and fortune and a cult-like following of the main character in her books, Detective Sergeant Eliza Grey. Named after her Lucy’s imaginary childhood friend, Eliza has become almost real to Lucy. Lucy’s husband Dan manages her career and their lives so Lucy can focus on her writing. When Dan goes missing one evening and his car turns up burned out, the police come knocking on Lucy’s door with questions. With uncanny parallels to the stories in her books, did she have something to do with Dan’s disappearance? Lucy is thrust back into her troubling past where thirty years prior, her three-year-old brother Teddy disappeared without a trace when she took him with her into the woods. Lucy was the only witness and his case was never solved. Now living under another name, no one knows that this is the same Lucy whose brother went missing. The story alternates between past and present and Lucy’s reliability is in question in both timeframes. Did she tell the truth back then and is she telling the truth now? What about Eliza? What role did she play in both disappearances? As the tension builds, dark secrets are revealed that had me questioning everything. I was thoroughly entertained by this clever and compelling crime thriller and look forward to reading more from Gilly Macmillan. Thank you to the author, publisher, Scene of the Crime Facebook Group and NetGalley for the chance to read an early copy.

I loved this book and the character Lucy!! This kept me guessing and on the edge of my seat! Who is lying and who is not? A must must read for thriller fans!

To tell you the truth, I wasn’t crazy about this one. I had high hopes for this one, I mean come on, the cover is stunning. And I’ve heard great things about The Nanny. But something was missing.

I like weird, but for some reason this one came off as too odd for me. I didn’t really relate to the story, and I found myself not really caring about the outcome. I had a difficult time connecting with the main character. I am all for crazy narrators, but she was just too much for me. Some things did happen in the last half that peaked my interest, but not enough for me to be happy that I picked this one up. This was a slow burn that really dragged on for me, and I found myself struggling to stay focused.

I never want to tell someone not to read something as I see poor reviews on books I loved and vice versa. So give this one a shot if you are a slow burn mystery lover, enjoyed The Nanny, or are a fan of Gilly Macmillian. If you are the fence then you might not miss much by skipping this one.

Thank you William Morrow for giving me the opportunity to review this one in exchange for an honest review.

*Advance copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

Lucy Bewley was just a child when her younger brother went missing; now she's a best selling crime writer and her husband has disappeared. Do coincidences happen, or has Lucy's imaginary friend from childhood- and the inspiration behind her detective heroine- exacted revenge for being written out of Lucy's most recent book? To add complication, Lucy's husband, Dan, has been researching Lucy's past, trying to crack the cold case and make a name for himself as a writer too.

I love a good unreliable narrator and Lucy doesn't disappoint. I spent so much time wondering what was in her head and what was real that I flew through this book, The alternating storylines between the present and past cast real doubt on Lucy's trustworthiness. And, as everyone who knows Lucy notes, she's such a talented storyteller that she can make anything believable.

While one mystery is solved, the other is frustratingly left open. Readers have their pick of which story Lucy has concocted to believe as true, which fits with the theme of the book but will keep me up at night while I try to puzzle through it and try on different explanations for size. Overall, I would recommend this book and would definitely read another of the author's books,

I enjoyed the whole book. Character development/building is something I enjoy with her books (this is the second book I read of hers.
It had me biting my nails and wondering what the heck was going to happen next).
Gilly Macmillan has a way of drawing you in withing the first pages and not letting you go until you are wide eyed saying, what in the world did I just read!? but you know... in a good way.
Is Lucy Harper losing it?
Is Dan to be trusted?
Is Eliza to blame?
What happened to her brother?

Dive into this book head on and you won't be able to put it down until the very end.
Thank you to William Morrow Paperbacks/Harper Collins Publishers for giving me a chance to read this through NetGalley

Lucy has a hard time telling the truth. But why?

She's a successful author, has a secretive and emotionally inept husband, and what we assume is an imaginary friend. Her little brother disappears when she is young and the mystery about what happens to Teddy resurfaces in the present after her husband thrusts her into a situation she clearly does not want to be put in, and then he disappears.

Nothing in this book came together for me. It felt disjointed, and so many questions were never answered.

When Lucy Harper was nine her brother vanishes in the wood near her home, now Lucy is a best selling author of DS Eliza Grey novels. Come to find out Eliza Grey is Lucy's childhood imaginary friend, who Lucy still talks to. The only person that is aware of Lucy's brothers disappearance is her husband Dan, who is acting very stange. When Dan goes missing, Lucy is forced to deal with the memories of her brother Teddy's disappearance, 30 years prior.
As much as I enjoyed the mystery and suspense I had a hard time with Eliza, imaginary friend, being a main character and Lucy's companion and protector. I enjoyed the back and forth between the two disappearances and feel like the author did a good job with keeping the reader engaged with both story lines.

Could not put it down. When you aren’t sure who is the good guy, who is lying, or who is unreliable, it makes for a joyride of a read. The premise of the story is that Lucy Harper, a successful author, is hiding from her tragic past. Her brother vanished while she was supposed to be watching after him and he was never found. Her success as an author isn’t surprising as she was able to paint a vivid narrative even as a child. In present day, she’s just submitted her latest novel and is waiting on feedback. Dan, her needy jerk of a husband has no problem spending the money that she is generating from her books while at the same time looking down his nose at her for her chosen genre. He also aspired to be published, but let’s be honest, he’s just not good at it. Dan bought a new home for them and it’s next door to Lucy’s childhood neighborhood. Then, Dan vanishes. All the old wounds are reopened. The book is swirling with secrets, suspects and who is hiding what. I absolutely loved it. I devoured this book like it was my favorite pastime. Oh yeah, reading great books is my favorite pastime! Get this book, pre-order it even. It comes out in September. Thanks to Scene of the Crime Early Read program by Harper Collins, I was able to read the book for free. Home run Gilly Macmillan. I will be picking up your next one too.

Lucy Harper is a best selling author who has turned her imaginary childhood friend, Eliza, into the lead character of her detective series. One thing though, Eliza is still with her thirty years later and sometimes materializes when Lucy needs help. And boy does Lucy ever need help.

Stuck in a crumbling marriage to Dan, Lucy is also trying to strike out in a new literary direction without her star detective. This doesn't sit well with her agent, her publisher or her husband, all of whom are counting on the next hit book in the series. Everyone wants something from Lucy, but Lucy is fighting her own demons. When she was ten years old, she and her young brother snuck out of the house to attend a summer solstice event in the nearby woods. Her brother vanished that night and Lucy lied to the police and her parents about what happened. Only Dan is privy to Lucy's secret.

The book goes back and forth between current day and the night her brother vanished. After an argument, Dan leaves and is later found dead. Lucy quickly becomes the prime suspect and her lies from her past catch up with her. With Eliza's help, she tries to not only figure out who killed Dan, but what happened to her brother all those years ago.

This was a terrific read. Everyone has secrets and it's up to Lucy to find the truths. The story was suspenseful and kept me guessing about both the murder and the disappearance. Her search kept me turning pages and reading way past my bedtime. I recommend this book for those who like a good thriller and a good whodunit.

Thank you William Morrow and NetGalley for this ARC. The book goes on sale September 22, 2020.