𝘏𝘢𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘴𝘶𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨!

Talk about a wild ride. Where the Truth Lies is an atmospheric slow-burn thriller, full of secrets and family drama that kept me guessing and turning until the very end.
What a great debut from #AnnaBailey!

Thank you Atria Books and NetGalley for this gifted digital copy.

𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦: 𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴, 𝘢𝘵𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘤 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘴𝘶𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦, 𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘮𝘦, 𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘭𝘨𝘣𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴, 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘳𝘴.

https://www.instagram.com/booksandcoffeemx/

My Review:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/ 5 stars

Jaw drop! This is a strong debut from Anna Bailey - perfect for those that liked Little Fires Everywhere and the Night Swim. All the characters were so layered and complicated, you hate half of them so much. I had to put my ipad down a few times because I was seething reading about the men in this story. Then I had to remind myself it wasn’t real. It takes place in Whistling Ridge in Colorado - where Abigail, a teen in the area that goes missing after her best friend Emma leaves her in the woods to go to a party. The narrative shifts back and forth between the POV of many in town, in past and present. It gets a bit confusing at times and throws me off a few times. You soon learn that there are many secrets in Whistling Ridge - and they will do anything to keep it private. From the overzealous pastor who promotes violence against “outsiders,” Abigail’s violent father, her older brother Noah who is jealous of the affections she receives from her dad, and the creepy touchy feely sheriff - anyone and everyone is a suspect. This had me guessing the whole way through and instead of relief at the end, I hated one character less, and still felt such heaviness reading about all that happened to Abi. I am STILL thinking about it.

Trigger warnings: mentions of rape/ violence against women and lgptq+ characters

Thank you to @atriabooks and @netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

WHERE THE TRUTH LIES
By: Anna Bailey

Initially, I had a hard time jumping into the story. The writing felt a bit bumpy and scattered. I wasn’t sure exactly what story was being told. Part of that had to do with one of the major themes in the book, which was religion.

This book was FULL of religion and religious context. The mystery in the story took a ride in the backseat for most of the book. It was a focus, but there were so many heavy themes going on that it at times felt like a literary fiction title. This is NOT a light read.

There were several times while reading that I felt like I was unattached from the characters, which given the material, is not good.

Overall, this was three stars for me. I do recommend this title to readers looking for depth in themes, specifically religion, abuse, family systems, and family curses. If you are looking for a heavy thriller that explores who you are in relation to who you worship, I recommend this title.

Thanks to @netgalley and @atriabooks for this advanced reader's copy!

I was eager to read this booked based on the synopsis. The cover drew me in and I was hoping for a thriller filled with twists and turns. Unfortunately, the book didn't work for me and wasn't an enjoyable read. The main plot of a missing teenager was lost to a slew of despicable characters and their story arc. A lot was jammed into this book, but really I was left with a long trigger warning list. I would not recommend this book. An unpleasant read.

When a young girl disappears, the secrets of a small town come to light. At first, this book is a little hard to get into because the town at its center and the majority of its inhabitants seem so filled with despair and hopelessness that there doesn't seem to be any redeeming factor. Also, the story is very slow moving and there are some extremely disturbing elements to it. However, the mystery at its center is interesting enough that it will keep you wanting to read, and there are enough twists and turns in the narrative to keep the story from being too predictable.

Title: Where the Truth Lies
Author: Anna Bailey
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 4 out of 5

The town of Whistling Ridge guards its secrets.

When seventeen-year-old Abigail goes missing, her best friend Emma, compelled by the guilt of leaving her alone at a party in the woods, sets out to discover the truth about what happened. The police initially believe Abi ran away, but Emma doesn't believe that her friend would leave without her, and when officers find disturbing evidence in the nearby woods, the festering secrets and longstanding resentment of both Abigail’s family and the people of Whistling Ridge, Colorado begin to surface with devastating consequences.

Among those secrets: Abi's older brother Noah’s passionate, dangerous love for the handsome Rat, a recently arrived Romanian immigrant who has recently made his home in the trailer park in town; her younger brother Jude's feeling that he knows information he should tell the police, if only he could put it into words; Abi's father's mercurial, unpredictable rages and her mother's silence. Then there is the rest of Whistling Ridge, where a charismatic preacher advocates for God's love in language that mirrors violence, under the sway of the powerful businessman who rules the town, insular and wary of outsiders.

But Abi had secrets, too, and the closer Emma grows to unraveling the past, the farther she feels from her friend. And in a tinder box of small-town rage, and all it will take is just one spark—the truth of what really happened that night—to change their community forever.

Whistling Ridge is a horrible place. This is such a dark book—I didn’t feel like there was a single ray of light to be found anywhere. Everyone is keeping secrets—and not little ones, either, but dark and ugly ones. Good writing and vibrant characters, but this book is just so…hopeless, that it negated the positives of the writing. I found the setting and characters to be completely believable and realistic, which is just sad in this case.

Anna Bailey is from England. Where the Truth Lies is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Atria Books in exchange for an honest review.)

(Blog link live 8/7.)

This was a tough one. The writing is superb. I loved how all the characters were intertwined, and I continued to read on to find out how the connections play out. I also wanted to find out what ever did happen to Abi. I wasn’t expecting the ending. Lots of triggers in this one. Lots of stereotypical small-town vibes.

Where the Truth Lies by Anna Bailey is another example of a book with a great concept and writing that was beautiful and haunting at points, but had a flawed execution. The slow-burn pace worked for me but what didn't work was the constant back and forth between Now and Then. The time jumps were so frequent that it made the story convoluted and disconnected. Some of the characters were so extreme that they became caricatures. And while I don't have a problem with multiple trigger warnings in one story, it felt like the author added points to the plot that only had the intention of creating shock value and not actually driving the plot forward.

I can see that the author has potential and an ability of creating suspense but for me, this was a shaky debut. I would definitely read what the author writes next, because I think the author has the talent to craft a compelling story.

Where the Truth Lies is a mystery that takes place in a small town full of despicable people. I’m not sure I’ve read a book where I literally disliked everyone, including the victim. When Abi goes missing we get to see how this small town turns against one another as their secrets are slowly revealed.

The mystery part was good, I certainly suspected everyone along the way. But what I didn’t love was the writing. The descriptions of things were too flowery and weird at times with passages like, “The whole house feels like a slab of old butter that has formed a rind around the edges,” or “Her breakfast tastes vaguely yellow, and the shower has such lousy water pressure it feels as though she’s being gently peed on.” If you like descriptions like that then this is the book for you, if you’re like me, it’s distracting.

Lots of triggers in this one as well, so many characters have horrible things happen to them for who they are, who they love or what they believe. I stuck with it because I wanted to know what happened to Abi but it’s not one of my favorite mysteries of the year.

Thanks to Netgalley for access to this novel. All opinions above are my own.

𝐀𝐛𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐥 𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝, 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐠𝐞, 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫. 𝐃𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧, 𝐄𝐦𝐦𝐚 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐨𝐨, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞, 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐝-𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐥𝐝 𝐦𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐁𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐚𝐫.

I forced myself to hold off on this review, which wasn’t hard in the end after injuring my hand and needing surgery. I was just as engrossed skimming over my highlights, there are many, feeling the burn of the writing a second time and remembering why I liked it so much. Many of the characters are broken and haunted, largely from their own choices, but others through the cruel hand of fate. One night, in the town of Whistling Ridge, the local teenagers are partying by the roar of a bonfire in the shadow of the Tall Bones. Abigail has been invited into the woods by a boy, best friend Emma attempts to persuade her not to go, better yet, she says she will wait for her. Abigail adamantly refuses and begs her friend to let her have a little fun. She will find her way home, no worries. Despite her misgivings, Emma leaves her friend behind, doesn’t even look back not yet realizing it will be a moment she will regret for the rest of her days. Who the boy was, she couldn’t see. There were so many people there, even someone familiar lingering at the edge, watchful as ever. By the time the bonfire is stomped out, Abigail will be gone and in a week’s time, her face will be plastered upon flyers all over town.

Back at school, Emma bears the weight of her shame and betrayal, judged by her peers for having left her friend alone that night at the Tall Bones. Rumors about what may have happened to Abigail swirl. If she wasn’t eaten by coyotes or something more nefarious then she just ran away, maybe with that gypsy boy even- a beauty like her too big for their small town. Emma knows that her best friend would never in a million years take off without telling her. You don’t run out on a ten year friendship without explanation and knowing this leaves her gut roiling, because that would mean she is dead. How can she believe Abigail is dead, a far worse fact than her friend leaving without saying goodbye? As time passes she is becoming a ruin herself, drinking to numb the pain. When evidence is discovered near the last place she was seen alive, the runaway story no longer holds up. Every person in Abigail’s life has secrets they’ve been hiding, but she was keeping her own, even from Emma.

Abigail’s family is headed by her domineering father and town drunk, focused on casting out the sins in his own brood. A war veteran who survived worse lessons than those taught during his years in the military, there is little love lost between he and his children. Her mother Dolly lives a life of compliance, allowing her husband to rule their roost with a rough hand. She has always made excuses, telling their children they know how their father is (don’t poke the bear mentality), despite the evidence of his abuse, particularly in regards to her oldest son, Noah. Noah’s desires for Rat, a Romanian immigrant and “trailer park boy” goes against nature, to Samuel’s thinking. It is the parents duty to keep their children on the righteous path. Is God punishing them for their failings as parents, by taking away Abigail? Youngest, Jude, isn’t able to escape his father’s wrath anymore than his older siblings. He knows he is an “unplanned accident”, wishing he could disappear into his small body. He also sees things his innocent mind can’t make sense of, something that could help find his sister. Abigail’s family has always been naked before the community, easy to judge. Samuel, for all his bark and brutal bite, misses his girl, the light she brought to their home but he isn’t without blame, not by far.

Rat knows all about upstanding communities and how the ‘good people’ really behave when no one is watching. The resentment folks have for outsiders, for anyone who challenges their belief system but he couldn’t imagine how ugly things are about to get. Emma begins to hang around him, looking for a friend with the guy no one welcomes. Her mother, Melissa, isn’t open about her past or Emma’s father. Everyone hoards their story, to the detriment of the young. Emma is slipping from her reach, as she is discovering more about Abigail and her secrets. Hunter is another boy, affluent, swimming through life, who may know more than he admits. Even the upstanding citizens have the devil in their step. How do you catch the villain among people who are all full of lies? Forbidden love, the fire of rebellious youth, abuse, religion, trauma, friendship, drugs, crime- the good citizens are about to see just how monstrous they can be.

This novel is people at their worst, but there are survivors who still have fight in them. I was engrossed.

Publication Date: August 3, 2021

Atria Book

Where the Truth Lies is Anna Bailey's debut novel, and it is perfect for thriller fans, especially those that like the idea of being creeped out by a tiny town.

Emma can't seem to forgive herself for a mistake she made. To be fair – the rest of the town doesn't seem willing to forgive her either. You see, Emma made the mistake of leaving her friend behind at a party.

It was the last time she saw her friend. Now, Abigail is missing, and Emma will do whatever it takes to get to the Truth of her disappearance, even if that means digging up all of the skeletons hidden deep within her town.

"Abigail Blake turns at the edge of the trees and smiles at Emma. This will be the memory of Abigail that stays with Emma long after the rest has been drunk away."

Where the Truth Lies is every bit the dark mystery, I had been hoping for. It just happened to hit a lot harder than I expected! Which is always a good thing when it comes to a thriller. At least, in my book, it is.

Anna's story feels so painfully believable. Who hasn't wanted to ditch a party early? Or been willing to leave their friends (while said friends were still having fun, of course). Maybe it's the introvert in me, but the beginning of this book felt all too real.

It was a solid foundation for what was to come. Following that introduction, the story quickly begins hopping perspectives, showing all characters all over the town - and their opinion on the matter. While this helped to provide a better idea of what was happening, I'll admit that I would have preferred that we stuck with Anna's perspective.

I honestly don't think we're meant to like most of the townspeople. I didn't, at least. And I don't even feel bad about it! Assuming that was intentional (and again, I think it is), then Anna Bailey did a fantastic job of developing all of her characters here, the good and the bad.

3 ⭐️ Review

Pages: 384
Pace: steady
Genre: thriller

Themes: racism, homophobia, domestic violence, child abuse, drug and alcohol abuse, using religion as a scapegoat, veteran trauma, pedophilia, sexual assault, social class separation, corruption among law enforcement, hate crimes

My thoughts: this one has a ton of atmosphere, and I really wanted to know what happened, which is a testament to the great writing. I also did not see the major twist coming, which is something I love in my thrillers. There were some heavy themes in here (see above for CW) that tugged at my heartstrings, and set this one apart from a typical thriller. My only complaint is that there was just SO MUCH going on, and so many heavy topics, that I felt like none of them got the attention they deserved. It also made me feel like none of the characters’ storylines were fully developed or resolved. Overall, read this one if you like atmospheric thrillers with a lot of heavy themes and POVs intertwined!

Who should read: fans of the Maidens and the Hunting Party

This one publishes tomorrow! Thank you @atriabooks for the advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

Dark and foreboding, this was an intriguing and often disturbing read that I really enjoyed.

When Abigail Blake goes missing, the whole town forms opinions on what may have happened. Was she murdered? Did she run away from her trashy and abusive family? Is she lost in the woods?

Abi’s best friend Emma left Abi at the party in the woods that night and now must live with the consequences. Desperate to find Abi and find answers, when she’s sober enough, Emma sets out to discover the truth. But in the extremely religious and backward town of Cold Creek, it quickly becomes apparent that everyone has secrets and everyone has motive.

I struggled a bit at first to keep track of all the lies and secrets but the author did a good job of reminding us throughout the novel as the suspense built. Some of the secrets felt a bit dragged out but everything unfolded nicely toward the end.

I loved the writing style. The author jumped from character to character to show different viewpoints. It took some getting used to but worked really well for the storyline. There were also flashbacks to “then” alternated with the “now” story which added a lot of depth and helped build Abi’s character.

Emma’s “investigation” into Abi’s disappearance felt authentic and not over the top which I really liked. I also enjoyed that we got clues from so many other characters. It kept the mystery really fresh (and confusing!) which was a positive for me.

Some pages of this novel are filled with blatant hate (homophobia, xenophobia, racial discrimination, sexism) and they were hard to read. Please be warned.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for a copy of this novel.

I found this book while browsing Netgalley. The cover caught my eye, then the title sunk in, and I decided to read the description. I liked that it was a debut thriller and the small town setting sucked me in. I am glad I decided to give this book a go.



The novel centers around the disappearance of Abigail, a lively 17 year old who goes missing after a party. Police say she simply ran away, after all she constantly talked about leaving town the second she turned 18, but her best friend Emma knows she would never leave without her. Something had to have happened to her and Emma is determined to find out.



We are slowly introduced to a rainbow of a small town cast. I think that author, Bailey, did a wonderful job creating and describing these characters. Closed-minded, spiteful, vindictive, homophobic and heavily religious is how I would describe the town. It is a town full of secrets and there is a dark foreboding that seems to have settled over everyone.



We first meet Abi's family- her shy and meek mother, her crippled younger brother, her secretly gay older brother, and her religious and alcoholic father. Did any of them play a role in her disappearance? Do they know what might have happened?



Emma goes into a dark, depressive hole after Abi's disappearance. It doesn't seem to her that police and even Abi's family are taking it seriously. Emma decides to play detective and get to the bottom of what happened to her friend.



Also playing a big part of the story is Rat, a young Romanian who moved to town recently. Rat seems to know everyone and is hated by many simply for being an outsider. Emma befriends him to try and get some answers, but soon feels like she can't trust him. Everyone in this town seems to have secrets...



This novel is a heavy, dark, psychological thriller. It is filled with characters who have substance abuse issues, who are racist, homophobic, and religious nuts. It is full of alcohol and drug abuse and it has scenes of physical abuse, which some may find hard to read. I love that it alternates perspectives, which seemed to keep the reader on their toes by breaking up the story's flow. There are many twists and turns and the ending was truly a surprise to me. This is a book about secrets and the consequences of not telling the truth.



This was an emotional read that left a lasting impact on me. I look forward to reading more from this debut author. It was a 5 star read for me.



Thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for allowing me an e-galley to read and give my honest review.



"Where The Truth Lies: A Novel" is set to be released August 3, 2021 here in the U.S. so preorder today so you can start reading it tomorrow! It's a book you don't want to miss!



Happy Reading!

This book reminded me a lot of “A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder”. Which is not a bad thing as I enjoyed that book as well. I really enjoyed the plot and how the best friend was looking into the disappearance (and how the best friend had the same name as I). I liked the way the author wrote with excerpts of “Then” and “Now”. It was like we were figuring out what happened to Abi at the same time that Emma was. I also enjoyed the way the author included other issues (racism, homophobia) within the story to expand it past what happened to Abi. Overall, I really enjoyed this book!

I have contemplated feelings about this story. I couldn't seem to put my finger on it. The trigger warnings are alarming, but most of them are things people won't acknowledge. The characters are well developed, but some can be so annoying. The first part of the book is slow and confusing, but I like how it was told between past and present. I can know the background better. It was not my usual thriller read, but it has potential.

I have mixed emotions about this book. The characters are small-minded, racist, homophobic, and misogynic. Very few of the characters are likable outside of the children. Even then I'm not too sure because they aren't painted with the best brush either. What happens throughout the book could happen anywhere and the twists kept me guessing.

The book does jump back and forth in time, but not in any specific pattern. We see bits of pieces from the past that shapes the characters into who they are today.

What we know - Abi has gone missing but what we don't know if she is dead or alive. There are some tidbits of information that might lead you to believe one way or another as information is shared. What unfolds would shock most towns and people. I know I was dumbfounded that people can act this way (and there are too many examples to list) because it goes beyond human decency. I suppose I shouldn't have been too surprised because there are many people out there that live in a bubble and don't know what to do outside of that bubble.

I did feel for Noah, Abi's brother because of how he was treated by his father for being gay. And his brother Jude? That was an even sadder story. Their whole family was dysfunctional from day one and it did not get any better. Emma is Abi's best friend and seems to be the only one that really wants to find out what happened to Abi. Unfortunately, what she uncovers will devastate many.

It did take me a bit to get into this book. It was harder for me to read because of the characters. At least the story is somewhat wrapped up at the end, but not completely.

Overall, we give it 3 1/2 paws.

JFC.

I am destroyed.

This one has wrung me out completely and ravaged me to my core.

Where the Truth Lies is, by far, one of the best books I’ve read this year, but it is also among the hardest. It’s hard because it’s vile and horrific. It’s hard because it faces you head on with shit we don’t like to acknowledge. It’s hard because it reminds me so much of where I grew up and so many of the people I’ve been unfortunate enough to encounter.

There are trigger warnings for days, so please research that before diving in, but if you can handle some very powerful and violent topics, this book is a masterpiece that you won’t be sorry you read.

I can’t believe this is a debut, but I can promise you Anna Bailey has a forever fan in me.

5/5 ✨

Thank you to Atria Books, Simon & Schuster, and NetGalley for advanced copy!

Available in the US 03 August 2021

*Book Review*
Where the Truth Lies by Anna Bailey
⭐️⭐️

Review:
I was sent this ARC by @netgalley for my honest review.
There was a lot going on in this story. Between the racist community, religious “freaks”, abuse, missing teen, gossip and homophobes….just a lot to take in. It is definitely a heavy read, however, author writes beautifully. This story is told from multiple points of view and tells the story between past and present. Often times I was confused as to who was telling the story at different times because it jumped around so frequently. The author did an amazing job evoking emotions in me while I read this story. I don’t relate to any of the characters, nor did I really like or care about any of them, but I still felt anger, disappointment, hope, and fear. I felt the ending was easily figured out. Sadly, this was not one of my favorites.

I found this book very difficult to read. Content warnings for pretty much anything you can think of. I also found it hard to believe that one small town would contain all of these horrible people and events.