I'm very on the fence with this book, there were quite a few aspects that I did like, however a lot of the events were quite far fetched, and the characters were all very unlikeable, despite that I was impelled to keep reading.
I'm not sure I would read another by this author.

Thanks for the digital copy of this novel in exchange for a review. I enjoy Jane Corry’s books for their ease of reading and fast pace and The Lies we Tell was no exception. As a novel exploring concepts of parenting and family dynamics, this is more a family drama with an air of mystery than a psychological thriller. I did find it hard to like either parent or to totally understand their points of view throughout the novel and therefore did not feel absolutely invested in the ending.

Such a well crafted book story with a rhythm which keeps you engaged throughout. At first I thought it was going to be along the lines of 'he said she said' as we enter the lives of Tom and Sarah. It was however much more than that.
Tension and pace are maintained throughout as we gain insight into Sarah's relationship with Tom, and her friend, and her son, Freddy. Her back story is increasingly revealed along the way, together with its ramifications. Many themes ares are covered, and just when you get to breathe out, Sarahs son announces that he has killed someone. Pressure mounts up and we are off again. Super read

I loved this book and all the frustrations that came with it. I found it very thought provoking as I foound both parents difficult to totally understand and I kept asking my self what would I have done to protect my child. This is an amazing emotional family drama, not a thriller nor full of suspense.
The book begins with the present day and then alternates back to when Tom and Sarah first me. Tom and Sarah are polar opposited but both come from a home life that caused them problems later on and both have a determination that their son will not be treated in the same way.. Two broken adults that were never suited to one another for a zillion reasons and this shows up in the upbringing of Freddie. The abundance of lies told and even avoidance of speaking out has a severe effect on Freddie and indeed on their family relationships and eventually their marriage.
An amazing story that builds up in a slow way but in doing so emphasises the issues and personalities being discussed. Well researched novel.

Tom and Sarah are a most unlikely couple. Tom is an actuary, a staid, conventional man who loves routine, listens to Mozart, owns his own home, doesn’t drink, is socially awkward and sexually inexperienced. Sarah was brought up in a commune until she was eight and then by a strict, childless aunt and uncle. She loves to dress in bohemian clothing, listens to Pearl Jam, lives in a messy rented apartment, enjoys sex and alcohol and has tried more than one or two drugs. When they meet at a life drawing class Sarah is teaching, Tom is attracted to her happy, outgoing nature, unlike anyone he has met before and to Sarah, Tom seems secure and dependable, something she’s never had in her life. But both of them have secrets they want to keep buried in the past.

Despite Tom’s stuffy friends Hugo and Olivia warning him that Sarah is a gold digger they marry and after several miscarriages Freddie is born. He’s an adorable baby and child and Tom is happy to leave much of his upbringing and disciplining to Sarah, while is away long hours at work and she works as an artist. However, by the time he is fifteen Freddie has become a rebellious, rude teenager, mixing with a bad crowd and flouting Sarah’s rues. One night, he comes home very late to tell them that something really bad has happened, although refuses to tell them any details. Tom wants to call the police immediately, while Sarah is determined to do everything she can to protect her son as long as possible.

This slow burning domestic drama is an emotional character driven mystery asking the question of how far a mother should be prepared to go to protect her child. The effects of prolonged lying in a relationship will be devastating and eventually blow this family apart. The narrative is told in two time lines, that of the past as well as the present time where a man is on trial for murder in Truro Crown Court. The novel is well paced and while it takes a little time to see how these two threads link up, both stories make for absorbing reading. The event that destroys the family will in the end prove to be transformative for all of them and during the course of the novel each of the characters, Tom, Sarah and Freddie, will not only learn to face their past mistakes but also to accept themselves and their flaws.

📚 BOOK REVIEW📚

The lies we tell by Jane Corry - publication day 17th June 2021

Sarah and Tom and their son Freddie are the main characters in this book. The story evolves around how they met and throughout the time of their done growing up. It starts in the present day, then goes back to the start and go their relationship! The basis of this book for me is, what would you be prospered to do for your child!

I loved the main characters. The fact they both had huge lies they kept from each other and the impact it would have on their family life, once these came out ! I loved how we got to see how their family was never free of their lies in the background and how is effected their son in the future.

I’ve read Jane Corry before and this book definitely stood up to expectations ! Fab read!

#netgalley #penguin #penguin #janecorry #bookstagramshaz #thelieswetell

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How far would you go to protect your child?

Tom and Sarah have had a rocky life and a strange marriage but despite their individual quirks they seem to get on. Son Freddie divides them and their moral compasses are vastly different. This is tested to the limit when newly adult son Freddie comes home to say he has killed someone.

This is a really interesting read and has you questioning what would you do in their position?

In terms of a thriller this is slow to develop but the plot is interesting and builds to a good climax.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review

A gripping story that I just couldn’t put down.

I really enjoyed how the different timelines came together and we learnt more about the characters’ choices and motivations.

Lies, lies and more lies!


Although they couldn’t be more different; strait-laced Tom, an actuary from a middle-class family marries Sarah, the orphan of a hippy. They both have secrets, in Sarah’s case, a stay in prison. After struggling and many miscarriages Sarah finally carries a baby to term and Freddie is born. Sarah devotes her life to his every whim, leaving Tom to feel rejected and alone in the marriage and with no input in raising his son.

When Freddie confesses to a terrible event, Sarah takes the unprecedented decision to run away with him – hoping to keep him from facing the consequences of his actions.

Jane Corry deserves five stars for the storyline and the fact that I engaged in the book till the very end. However, there was not one character with whom I could feel any kind of connection. Sarah’s desperation, lies and temperament go against everything I believe in. Tom was far too controlling. Freddie a perfect “mummy’s boy”. The fact that Jane Corry managed to portray these personalities so perfectly deserves five stars. Unfortunately, my irritation at having to spend a good eight hours with these disparate people affects my star rating.

Rony

Elite Reviewing Group received a copy of the book to review.

This was good. I enjoyed the storyline - quite original, to me, I've not read anything like it for a very long time.

I enjoy reading Jane Corry books - they have a dark foreboding feel to them, and a desperation, which makes it really addictive to read.

A mother's worst fear is realised when Freddy comes home an tells his mum he has done something bad. Can she help him? What will she do, and how far will she go, to protect her boy?

Really interesting narrative and I'm glad I got a chance to read this one.

Congratulations Jane Corry on another fab book, looking forward to the next.

Actual rating 3.5⭐️

Jane Corry reels you into her latest novel with a scene that most parents of teenagers will be familiar with; the worry that descends when you realise your son/daughter isn’t where they are supposed to be. Freddie’s mother Sarah is out of her mind with worry as to the whereabouts of her son whilst beside her lies her sleeping husband Tom, remarkably unperturbed. Her relief is palpable when Freddie finally makes an appearance, a feeling that is short lived given his dramatic and shocking announcement that ultimately threatens to tear this family apart. By examining the strength of loyalty, unconditional love and an overwhelming desire to protect that a parent feels towards their offspring Jane Corry poses the moral dilemma of how far you’d go to keep your family intact. Intended to be thought provoking it’s the billion dollar question that’s impossible to answer unless you find yourself in Sarah and Tom Wallace’s unenviable position but one that will haunt you as you witness the devastating effects this one night has on a family whose history is already steeped in shame, regret, guilt and lies.

LIES LIES LIES. They are EVERYWHERE as the author leaves behind Freddie’s current predicament to trawl through the lives of Sarah and Tom from their introduction, through to their relationship and subsequent marriage and the long awaited arrival of baby Freddie. If you believe people enter our lives at certain stages for a reason then it’s serendipitous that these two actually meet given that Tom and Sarah are polar opposites. From the very beginning their union is built on small, innocuous lies but these are just a precursor for the shocking, damaging, darker and unforgivable ones to follow. Whilst it’s natural to present yourself in the most favourable light when trying to win someone’s affections this relationship is fated from day one with neither character grasping the concept of truth, something that continually eludes them. The ways in which both Tom and Sarah initially try and mould themselves into the people they believe they should be rather than revealing the more honest flawed versions of themselves is both sad and frustrating. Shielding each other from their shameful pasts their true identities are camouflaged to the extent that when the first big lie is exposed the impact (for them!)is all the more catastrophic. You keep asking why why why are these two together when they’re so obviously wrong for each other, especially when the arrival of Freddie fails to cement their relationship, his presence only serving to highlight their contrasting parenting styles, widening the cracks in a marriage that becomes unhappier day by day. As the bond between mother and son deepen to the detriment of Tom’s relationship with Freddie I couldn’t find it in my heart to like either parent. Tom I disliked with a passion and Sarah doesn’t fare much better, with poor Freddie a pawn in their ongoing hostilities. As one mother to another I wanted to feel every inch of her anxiety and fear for her own future and that of Freddie’s. Choosing the right path is a dilemma Jane Corry presents so convincingly; Sarah’s inner turmoil is discernible and her conflict of interests between protecting her son or betraying him and thereby implicating herself places her in a nightmare you wouldn’t wish on your worst enemy.

Aaargghh! It’s so frustrating when you’re convinced before you even read the first page that your review will be more than glowing to then have to write something that’s overall more negative. That’s not to say Jane Corey doesn’t write well because she does. Her in depth portrayal of Tom and Sarah’s marriage leaves you in no doubt lies tear marriages and families apart, both their backgrounds and their history together providing ample excuses for the ways they behave in light of Freddie’s dramatic disclosure. But whilst this gives you an almost encyclopaedic knowledge of their relationship it’s far too lengthy and it borders on tedious. By spending the majority of the novel dredging up Freddie’s parents history, you almost forget a crime has been committed! I was hungry for details but the author leaves you hanging until the last few remaining chapters when my interest was severely waning. I fully understand why Sarah’s past is so relevant to her son’s current predicament and the moral dilemma it poses but this is NOT a thriller. There’s absolutely no suspense built into this domestic drama which is not the addictive, twisty storyline I was eagerly anticipating. We all have skeletons in our closets but for a supposed thriller these twists all lacked oomph having minimal impact on me as a reader. Admittedly in Sarah’s case you may find them surprising since the first few pages hint at ordinary middle class parents dealing with an errant wayward son and the subsequent fallout from his unwise decisions but don’t hold your breath. In that regard you get more than you bargain for but I’m sure I’ve previously read novels that begin with a similar premise and have transpired to be wholly more satisfying. Although the ending is in keeping with the theme of the strength of parental love and loyalty in the face of duress I found it to be contrived and conveniently wrapped up in a manner not fitting for the genre.

I thoroughly enjoyed I Made A Mistake but this one not so much. It’s a bit like opening your favourite box of chocolates (coffee cremes) and finding instead hazelnut pralines (which I’m allergic to!); the contents simply don’t match up to the marketing blurb. If you DON’T read what’s on the cover (unlikely!) then maybe you won’t find this as disappointing as I did.

My thanks as always to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read in exchange for an honest review.

I'm a big fan of Jane Corry! I have read all of her books to date, and they are always an enjoyable reading experience. Perfect for summer and sitting outside in the sun!

However, I really didn't enjoy this book. One of the things I love about Corry is her original and thought provoking concepts - this book wasn't like that. It wasn't original, and I found it very repetitive and slow paced. I have read books on this topic time and time again, and Corry didn't do anything new with it.

I usually find Corrys books fast paced, and I speed through them - I found this book was about 100 pages too long and this just brought the pacing right down. Just felt repetitive.

This is a blip in Corry's usually super high standard - I will definitely read what she does next, I just hope it's nothing like this book.

An original, emotional and intricate novel about a mother torn between doing the right thing and her unconditional love for her child.

I really enjoyed this book....with well developed characters you can identify with and an a compelling plot that kept me invested to the very last page.

This is a very enjoyable read, well written with interesting characters and surprising plot twists. It swaps from present to past and back again seamlessly and, as the name implies, revelations and shocks are frequent as the central couple continually shock each other by admitting shortcomings from their past. Thoroughly satisfying.

A nightmare scenario for a teenager’s family is the catalyst for the story of the parents’ relationship, told in flashback from both viewpoints interspersed with the events that conclude the action of the novel. A socially isolated actuary and an impoverished artist are the unlikely couple, and initially neither seems very likeable, but as the story unfolds and the traumatic incidents from their lives emerge, the reader’s sympathy is engaged, and the truths they have hidden from each other are forced into the open. Elements of a thriller and a family drama are combined in a novel where first impressions are often wrong, and the reality of family life is hidden from outsiders: the characters, and therefore the reader, are surprised by the true nature of their friends and acquaintances when troubles arise.
At odds with each other, and completely mismatched, Tom and Sarah keep secret events of which they are both ashamed and which have shaped their lives, and the drip fed exposure of one after another impacts on their relationship. When the nightmare into which their son’s actions have plunged them is finally resolved, they finally see each other as they really are.
This is a novel of parental love, guilt and reparation, with a mystery at its heart that keeps the pages turning.

I really enjoyed this book. It was a real page turner. The characters are well drawn and the storyline was great

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin UK for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book to a degree, but I do feel that the title of a thriller is very misleading.
The story is of a couple who meet after both had damaged childhoods and who then go onto marriage and a child. However the mother is a total obsessive about her son, to the point of annoyance with me. I really was with the husband on this one.
This family drama develops over time and relationships. It is an easy, but long read. Quite enjoyable.

*thank you to Netgalley, Penguin UK and Jane Corry for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*


3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

This book had a lot of things happening and was definitely interesting.

The majority of the storyline was going back and forth between past and present. I wasn't expecting that but it it turned out to be really well done and kept my attention.

The characters themselves made me even more glad that I'm single and plan to stay that way forever. The lies and deceitfulness of the two main characters who were husband and wife was really off putting and hard to read.

While I did enjoy this, it wasn't amazing for me. It's one I'm glad I got to read but wouldnt re read, though I would pass it along to a friend.

This is the first Jane Corry book I have read and I can't wait to read more! It's chock full of twists and turns as well as some real thought provoking drama. As a parent the storyline is uncomfortable to read at times - what would you do if your child confessed to doing the worst thing possible?

The novel is split into two parts but if you're like me, you'll want to race through the whole thing in one sitting!

Freddie, a fifteen-year-old youngster, returns home after a night out to announce to his parents that he has killed someone. That is the dramatic opening of “The Lies We Tell”. What follows is a background story of Freddie’s parents, Sarah and Tom, told in the first-person narrative, starting from the moment they met. Slowly and reluctantly Sarah and Tom reveal their own dark secrets to each other which ultimately destabilises their already shaky marriage filled with doubts, incompatibility and mistrust. Following this long and detailed introduction spanning the first twenty years of their marriage, the story picks up again at the point of Freddie’s revelation. Drastic parental actions are taken (I won’t reveal what they are), but ultimately there comes the day of reckoning with a final twist, which isn’t as much shocking as it is unpredictable due to the introduction of a couple of new characters.
I enjoy book by Jane Corry, but this one is slightly different in that it isn’t a tight and fast-paced thriller, but rather a family drama. The long section that takes us linearly through the history of Sarah and Tom’s marriage does not conform to the definition of the genre.
Although it isn’t “thrilling” the book is certainly thought provoking and emotionally charged. I didn’t find Sarah’s character believable, but her dilemma and her reactions made me reflect on what I would do in her place.