Great thriller with a hint of super natural,not what I was expecting at all. Bit of a slow burn at first but that ultimately added to the scene setting. Would have scored higher but parts of this story were a little far fetched

Okay. So this book wasn't exactly what I was expecting but I really rather enjoyed it. I like a book that tilts things on somewhat of an angle, where the root cause of a problem isn't just about the everyday criminal fraternity. Don't get me wrong - love those too - but variety is the spice of life, right. This is the first book I've read by this author, and perhaps if I'd read his previous title, Her Husband's Grave, I'd have maybe had an inkling as to some of the less traditional aspects of this story, but if anyone follows my blog, knows who one of my favourite authors is, and the kind of stories I love, then you will understand why having a character, Bella, with an unusual gift, was right up my street.

The book opens in a very intriguing, if somewhat disturbing way. None of it is gratuitous, but how can you start a story with a man literally on fire, without making readers sit up and wonder just what the heck is going on? It certainly worked for me and I was immediately in need of finding out the whys and wherefores of the situation, something which the author slowly reveals to both us, the reader, and Mitch, the son of the all too recently deceased. A (very recently) former, copper, Mitch knows that he needs to get to the bottom of his father's death, particularly when it seems that the local police are far from interested, even though everything points towards foul play. As Mitch soon learns, things in his home town are both the same and yet very, very different, and that leaves us with a whole host of suspects.

I liked the way the author has slowly built up this story. Yes, after the shocking opener, it takes a bit of a pedestrian turn, with Mitch trying to build up a picture of his father's last days. This actually works for this story - he's in a small town in the middle of nowhere with a very traditional approach to life, not a bustling city centre after all. If you are looking for that none stop action, then you won't find it here. The author allows us time to build a real picture of the residents of Green Acres, and the vibe of the place. The town, especially by the end, put me in mind of a particularly unusual community from a 2007 Somerset based action comedy movie, but a little less comedic and perhaps a touch more rural. if I am more explicit than that, I fear I'll be giving too much away about the plot and the potential conclusion. If you know, you know. We'll leave it at that.

Interspersed with the chapters from Mitch's point of view are those of his older sister Bella. Now, I believe that if you have read Her Husband's Grave you may be familiar with Bella and her particular talent, one that takes a very sinister turn this time around, creating a kind of foreboding about Mitch's safety. I liked the way the author has played this, and actually really enjoy that kind of twist(?) in a story, the foreshadowing and atmosphere that it creates. It was edgy but not overly so, making this a very accessible novel for even the most timid of reader. It does add an element of jeopardy, although by the time Bella figures out what her intuition is telling her, we as readers are pretty well clued in as to what size of a mess Mitch is in.

I really quite enjoyed this book, especially in the second half where the tension, and the action, started to pick up. With a local commune, some very suspect behaviour and another, rather unsavoury, murder, it's clear that there is something very dark around Green Acres, and as we race towards a pretty dramatic conclusion, the author still manages to spring a few surprises and catch readers unaware. The ending? Well all I can say is that there is a reason I really like cats. A great weekend's reading distraction and I'm going to go and check out some more of the author's books now, see what I've been missing.

Have read other stuff by this author which I had enjoyed. Unfortunately this was rather slow to get going and then very far fetched.
Not for me.

4⭐⭐⭐⭐




- first book read from this author and did not dissapoint . it gotten be hooked from the first chapter .
i think the ending was lacking and need more answer but probably best if there is a season 2 for this and it will be answered . well recommended thriller!

+thankyou netgalley for the opportunity

❤️shaye.reads

This book was everything I look for in a book. It was so exciting. The plot was fantastic. It really had me on the edge of my seat, and my heart racing. It was very well written and flowed well.

Brilliant, really liked this one, first from the author and one I’ll defo look out for again, a good mystery/thriller and one which I’ll recommend to others!

This book started off so well. The page was set and I was eager to keep reading to see what was going to happen. However, towards the middle of the book, I felt that it fell a little flat. Still a good thriller overall, with some good twists and turns, but the middle let it down for me.

One of the not so good books that I have read in a long, long time. There was hardly any suspense and none of the characters propelled me along down the book. A complete waste of my time.

Sorry, this was boring to me. It was classified as a thriller, but there was no thrill I’m it. I could. It finish this one.

This would have so nearly been a 4 star read if it hadn’t been for what felt like a really slow start. There’s a lot of description and setting the scene at the beginning which now that I’ve finished it I realise is very important to the overall story but I wonder if the pace could have been quicker, it would get going and then lose momentum, the second half for me was brilliant!

The unexpected (not mentioned in the synopsis) supernatural and cult themes, which I won’t say too much about for fear of any spoilers were like nothing I’ve ever read before and for that I’ll remember this story for a while to come, they definitely added real substance to the story!

There are a few twists to the story, neither of which I saw coming and at times the author really built up the suspense to the point if I was watching it play out on the television I’d probably be hiding behind a cushion!

Overall I did enjoy this and I’m so glad I persevered with the slow start, it turned out to be a good book!

Thanks to @netgalley and @hqstories for my gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

I love this cover! It’s so beautiful! The story was anything but! Lol! But I definitely loved it! so good! One twist after the other!

This is a psychological thriller that from the opening chapter managed to set the stage and pull me straight into the given narrative capturing my attention and compelling me to keep heading forward. What a ride this book was to read. I sailed thru the pages and had a great time reading it. It was just what I needed.

The plot of the book was such a great page turner. The plot of the book was very well written. I truly cannot wait to read another wonderful book from this new yo me great author. This was a truly great book.

This was one difficult book to read as there was no story, no suspense, and I had to DNF as it was really not worth the time I had already spent on it.

I had high expectations after reading the blurb and the first scene was excellent, promising a gripping story.
Unfortunately it didn't keep my attention as I felt it was dragging.
Not my cup of tea
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

The way this book starts?! I grabbed me by the wrists and didn’t let go, I couldn’t put the book down, I just had to KNOW! Anyway, we meet Mitchel, his father passed away, he had to run home and handle his estate, there is so much going on, but it’s slowly burning, and I’m not going to lie I am not a huge fan of slow burns but the way this author wrote this book she was prepping us for the Family DRAMA that was about unfold, and the mystery about this town he grew up in. CREEPY STUFF GOING ON IN HERE! There are characters that you lesser expect also there is Cult-ish things going on, urban legends, witchy things. It’s a great mix of things, but don’t give up on this book, give a chance, I was left with my mouth open still in shock on what I was reading. I think because I’m into all of this stuff that I enjoyed it so much.

Thanks Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

I have loved everything about this one. This is well-written and a book that I have been completely unwilling to put down. I am a huge fan of this author and cannot wait for more.

Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book started off well but then became a little slow. I think the plot could have been better written and the whole thing proofread and edited better, but an entertaining read nonetheless.

The Family Lie is a dark thriller from P. L. Kane, following Police Officer Mitchel Prescott, who returns to his hometown following the death of his father. When Mitchel learns his father died in mysterious circumstances he tries to uncover the truth behind his death. The townspeople are reluctant to get involved and the local police force are no help. As Mitchel delves deeper into the goings-on in Green Arces, he uncovers something even more deadly.

This book had such an intriguing premise and the first chapter completely hooked me. I thought this was going to be a fast-paced thriller, but unfortunately, this one just wasn't for me. Some of the twists I guessed quite early on and some of the story felt just a little bit too far-fetched for me. I also felt the first half of the book was a lot slower than the second half, which made the pacing of the story feel quite off.

The other thing that I struggled with in this book was the characters. Mitchel is quite an unlikeable main character. As I didn't really like him I found it difficult to care about what was happening to him and this meant I wasn't as intrigued by the mystery as I thought I would be. I'm sure there are thriller fans who will really enjoy this one, but ultimately it just wasn't for me.

Reading this was like reading the sterling abridged children's version of The Wicker Man. Further, instead of being creepy or atmospheric or making me feel the dread the character was experiencing, this author went with exclamation points- hundreds and hundreds of exclamation points. I wondered, initially, if it had been edited by a fifteen year old girl whose only experience with written language was texting.