The Lies We Tell is another gripping thriller from Jane Corey. The novel mainly focuses on Sarah and her husband Tom. After their teenage son, Freddy returns home in the early hours and makes a shocking confession, we move back in time to explore how Sarah and Tom met, and the traumatic events they both experienced in their childhoods. The narrative moves forwards in time (while exploring their joint lives) to the book’s starting point of Freddy’s confession, and then continues on from that point.

I found this book to be incredibly thought provoking, both in the hard choices the characters are forced to make, and how quickly we can judge someone without knowing or understanding them. Jane Corry has created interesting and flawed characters that are both relatable and sincere, while providing an intriguing storyline that can be considered a slow burn at times, but creates a need for the reader to discover the outcome.

As a mother, I felt all the feels of this story; no one understands what you would do for your child like a mother does. A wonderful story, with some great characters who brought depth to the twists and tales of this great book.

I didn’t finish reading this. I found it interesting at the beginning, because of the convincing handling of a relationship between two apparently unsuited individuals. However as it went on we just seemed to be in chick lit marital discord territory and became irritatingly cliched.

This is every parent's nightmare: what would you do to protect your child?

The opening is thrilling and probably so familiar to many, many parents. Sarah lies awake, while her husband sleeps deeply, and she is worrying where her son, Freddie, is. He has missed his curfew and should be home.

As you get to meet Sarah and Tom in their younger years and early dating days, it is clear that they both have past histories that they would rather forget and secrets that they choose to hide from each other. Sarah repeatedly covers up her past, even when she has the opportunity to come clean. I loved how the relationship between Sarah and Olivia develops and we see Sarah evolve from her Bohemian past to fit the role of the perfect middle-class wife which Tom so desperately wants. Their marriage works because they both pretend to be something they are not naturally meant to be.

Tom is married to his career and an unexpected relationship with a colleague leads his to question all that he has tried to achieve and believe in. Sarah's 'disguise' is quickly discarded in the light of her son's troubles.

Interestingly, Freddie is the catalyst for Sarah's actions, though he actually plays quite a minor role in this book. I felt that Sarah's character was complex and quixotic and totally convincing throughout the various stages of her life. She doesn't have an easy start in life and is equally hard on herself when she feels she has let others down. The hardest decisions are those that she has to face alone. I'd question any parent that wouldn't at least consider helping their child in the darkest of circumstances despite being fully aware of the potential long term costs to themselves!

How far would you go to protect your son?
The Lies We Tell examines this exact question when Sarah and Tom’s son comes home telling them he has killed someone. Each has different ideas on what to do and it leads to Sarah run away with Freddy to protect him.
Throughout the book, we have the perspectives of both Sarah and Tom, from when they met to the present day. They both kept secrets about themselves from each other, why they kept the secrets, how they were both so very different from each other and how they drifted apart.
I really enjoyed reading the back story between Tom and Sarah, their differences in parenting styles and other things and what their secrets were.
As we get towards the end of the book it got even better when more things come out and I was totally invested in it. I felt I knew the characters really well by that point.
The ending tied everything up.
I am so glad I picked this up, it kept me reading until late and night and hooked me from the first sentence.

Ive read few of this author books.

I enjoyed the story line but found it long winded in parts.

I don't have much else to say.

I started this novel only a few days ago, and had I not been so busy with work I could not put off, I'd have stormed through it even quicker.

I don't think I'd realised this was not my normal genre of reading which allows me to escape from the world, but it was most definitely a thriller. And a very good one at that.

I read other reviews once I'd finished the book, and was surprised at comments of long-winded, complicated switching time frames, too long, and disapproval of the actions of Sarah as a mother. I'm not a parent, but I had two who wished me ill, so maybe that's why I can't see the morally superior arrogant argument of those who judge harshly.

As a work of fiction, Sarah and Tom's narratives had me hooked from the outset, and a novel is excellent when it captures and compels you to race through it. I didn't just want, but needed to know why and how and did it come good in the end for all the interwoven, damaged characters who all aptly played their part in this fascinating telling of pain, beauty, art, love and relationships. And the switch from the dual telling of history to the single narrative of the present worked seamlessly.

Would I recommend this book? Yes. Was it too long and have been edited down? No. Would I pick up another Jane Corry novel? Definitely.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this book although I managed to forget that i was going to write a review for it.

Overall an interesting story though frustrating in parts as I thought that the son was allowed to get away with too much but i guess the reason for this is explained as the story unfolds.

I would read this author again and enjoyed the twists that she included in the book.

I would recommend it to anyone who likes to read psychological thrillers.

Freddie is Sarah’s world - she dotes on him, giving in to all his demands, and would do anything for him. When he comes home late from a night out, and tells her that he’s killed somebody, that world shatters. How far will she go to protect him and what will she destroy in the process?

The Lies We Tell is a story of extreme motherly love - Sarah is annoying, forever forgiving Freddie’s behaviour and letting him do what he wants. - which is tested to the limits when he’s responsible for somebody’s death. As the story progresses, you discover that both Sarah and To, have secrets hidden from each other which contribute to their behaviour, although Sarah is still irritating. Her behaviour is erratic - running away before Tom can consider calling the police, and the lies keep building up so much that I’m amazed she would be able to remember them all.

At times the story gets a little confusing, as it jumps around between Sarah’s life story, the aftermath of the death, and the later court case, but by the end it comes together in a reasonably plausible way.

This was a good, but long, read. I did struggle at the beginning but I’m pleased I persevered and as it continues it’s fill of twists and turns.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy

His was a loooong book. Food to read, but too many pages. There was a great story, and anticipation of what choices people make for their children. Overall a good read.

How far would you go to protect your child? This is the question The Lies We Tell asks.

Sarah is a troubled soul, and has secrets she is ashamed of. When she meets sensible and pragmatic Tom, she thinks she has a chance to leave her past behind. After years of struggling, Tom and Sarah have their much longer for child, Freddie. But becoming a mother brings out Sarah's anxieties, and her incredibly close bond with Freddie pushes Tom out.

When Freddie becomes increasingly troubled, cracks appear between Tom and Sarah, and one night breaks them completely.

To protect her son, Sarah moves her and Freddie away to Cornwall and tries to reconcile her decision. But Freddie himself flees abroad.

As the past catches up with them, the truth finally comes out.

A well written story about guilt, relationships and the primal love between a mother and son.

I enjoyed this book very much. Sarah and Tom meet and get married very quickly even though they don't seem to have much in common. They eventually have a son called Freddie. Over the years the couple drift apart mainly over the actions of their son. One night things take a terrible turn, this is when it makes you think how far you would go to protect your child.

This is the story of many parts.
It is initially written in the present but the book is written as a dual narrative of how two unlikely meet and goes into detail of how despite many difficulties, they have a much wanted child.
The unlikely couple, both have secrets about a past before they met which neither one of them knows of each other that they are ashamed of.
Moving forward, their 15 year old son comes home with a dark guilty confession.
The book then moves into single narrative as Sarah does what she thinks is best to protect her son or is it?
Like Jane Corey’s other book that I have read, Blood Sisters, it keeps you guessing until the end. A theme that I also noticed with Blood Sisters is prison and artistry.
It was a book that I felt dragged slightly in the middle but definitely picked up at the end when everything comes together.
Many thanks to NetGalley for this preview read in return for this honest review.
#TheLiesWeTell #NetGalley

How far would you go to cover up for your son.
Tom and Sarah have different idea’s
How can one couple be so different and be married for so long
Plenty of twists
Good Book
Thanks NetGalley

Wow - this was such an addictive read for me, I couldn't put the book down. How far would you go to protect your child? Very thought provoking indeed. Brilliant book.

Another great read from the fabulous author Jane Corry. Full of twists and turns through out, I was struggling to put it down. A definite must read.

Brilliant atmospheric book with a fabulous set of characters. This is a really compelling and often dramatic story of something that could happen to any family and the far reaching consequences of their actions. It’s twisty with lots of complicated back stories which are revealed as the story unwinds. Sometimes you really don’t like Sarah and Tom but as you get to know and understand them you realise what they have done for their son.

Jane Corry has written a corker of a story here which I devoured in 3 days and just couldn’t put down. Highly recommended. This book is out now! Go buy it.

A domestic drama full of emotional tension, moral dilemmas and turmoil that had me gripped!

Sarah has been anxiously waiting up for her teenage son, Freddy, to return home. When he finally does show up, he is subdued, traumatised and drops a bombshell that he has killed someone.

Sarah immediately wants to protect Freddy and is prepared to lie to cover for him. Her husband and Freddy's father, Tom, however, believes no one is above the law and if Freddy has done the wrong thing he must face the consequences.

What unravels is not only the situation in the present and how they deal with it, but the backstory of Sarah and Tom, what very different people they are, how they ended up together and why they are reacting in the ways they are to the situation Freddy has put them in.

It was such an interesting story and really made me think about the lengths we might be prepared to go to to protect those we love, and the fine line between protection and enabling. Highly recommended to those who enjoy a gripping emotional thriller!

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC.

A thought provoking read.. How far would you go to protect your child?
Freddie is Sarah and Tom’s troubled teenage son. He comes home one night and confesses to have killed someone.
The story then goes back to the time when Sarah and Tom first met and is told in both their perspectives in turns.
A really enjoyed this book, so much so I read it in a weekend! I really needed to know how it all worked out!
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin for letting me review this book.