This book started off very slowly. I found the storyteller kept changing and it became confusing. I struggled to connect with the characters.

This one is quite slow but it really picks up towards the end. Neither of the main characters are at all likeable, which coupled with the slow pace dropped it down a star for me. But a good read nonetheless.

This book takes us from what happened in the past in France (the murder of Alexis) to the present day in England (the death of Patrick) and how the two events are connected. It's the journey of Jessica, Louise and their friends with lots of twists and secrets along the way.

If you like murder mystery psychological thrillers then this one could be for you. I'll definitely be on the look out for more books by this author.

2.5 star rating - Jessica is a spoilt little rich girl and Louise is a parasite, poor but determined to be part of the in crowd in Cannes. Neither of them are particularly pleasant and it’s a bit of a stretch as to how or why Louise managed this when she so obviously didn’t belong in such a setting. The book was overly long for what happened and there was some repetition. A slow burner plus a few times when the flame rose higher. I preferred the last two or three chapters to the preceding “then and now’s” from the pair. Definitely shows the lengths people will go to get what they want! I liked the book enough to try another from this author.

Jessica returns home one day to find her husband, Patrick, dead. It’s unclear what caused his death and though the shock is huge, she cannot pretend it’s entirely unexpected. The police have questions, and Jessica knows that once they hear the answers her fate may well be sealed.

Eight years ago, Jessica was living another life. She was a different person, and despite what people think, she has changed. Anyway, there was never any proof that she harmed anyone back then. Yet on the day she loses her husband, a ghost from the past reappears.

Louise was her friend once, but that was then. Now, they are strangers. Except Louise seems very familiar – so familiar that it’s like peering into a mirror. Why would she go out of her way to look just like Jessica? Unless more than one person has been keeping deadly secrets…

The book was a fast paced thriller that kept me gripped throughout.

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.

This book was good but I cant say it was great. I did predict alot of things so that kind of made it disappointing for me. It also was a bit confusing in places which made me loose concentration.

I wasn’t sure about this book when I first started reading it, it was a little slow and didn’t seem to be going anywhere but then… the twists and turns near the end had you gripped! Told in the past and the present by the two main characters , had you thinking that you knew where the storyline was going only to cast a massive curveball at the end !

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is my first novel by author J.M. Hewitt and it was a intriguing read. Nothing is as it seems - can't wait to read more by this author.

I couldn’t get into this book. The story and the characters were not believable. The plot and text were slow paced, I found the book boring.

When Jessica returns home one day she finds her husband Patrick dead. The police have questions and Jessica believes her fate is sealed as 8 years ago she was arrested for murder. Though evidence led her to be released. On the day of Patrick's death a familiar face appears from the past. Louise was once her friend, a young 19 year old staying in France as a photographer. Now she looks and dresses and acts like Jessica. Is she hiding something? Will this end in tragedy too?

This is written in alternating perspectives from now and then with Louise telling us about the past and Jessica telling us about now. These characters are very unlikeable and unreliable.

The whole story line is very far fetched and unbelievable and I struggled with reading this.

My thanks to NetGalley and publisher Canelo for the electronic copy.

This is an "intriguing" story but overall I found the characters to be very shallow and the dialogue and storyline really quite unbelievable in the main.

Jessica and Patrick King had been living in a Suffolk village for 8 years. One day she finds him dead, lying on the bed, with no obvious cause to his demise. But Jessica can't escape her past and the police investigation uncovers her involvement in a murder enquiry in France 8 years previously.

Then - Louise Wilshire is 19yrs-old, a photographer, she's struggling financially until she lands a job photographing the opening night of a new hotel/casino in Cannes - Jensen Coast. It's successful but almost inexplicably she finds herself part of the "inner circle": Marco Cooper who has a thriving drugs trade; Andrew Jensen, his partner, and friend Ben Albin. Then Jessica, aged 25, breezes in, and Louise is besotted with her. They become "friends" but always on Jessica's terms. Jessica only has eyes for Ben and Louise is so scared that Jessica will leave her. One night Louise is engaged to photograph a party at Alexis Dubois' home and Jessica accompanies her, only for Alexis to be found dead and Jessica injured. Patrick King becomes her lawyer and eventually they end up in England.

Eight years later, the lie that changed the course of Jessica's life is unearthed - and she wants revenge on Louise - with life-threatening consequences.

Yes, this story has some chilling and sinister moments, but really I felt the dialogue, especially, left a lot to be desired as well as the rather incongruous ease with which we're supposed to believe that Louise inserted herself with these strangers. No, sorry - way too far-fetched for me.

I found this book very slow and confusing, and I didn't like any of the characters. Unfortunately, I couldn't finish it either. Sorry, its not for me
Thanks to NetGalley for the Advance copy to review for my honest opinion.

The cautionary tale of a woman running from her past that comes home to find her husband dead and her best friend from years ago coming back into her life in quite an odd way. A great mystery!

The Eight Year Lie by J.M. Hewitt was full of surprises! I really enjoyed this book. The story was interesting and engaging. The ending will not disappoint. The characters were flawed and complex, not necessarily likeable but not unlikable – the perfect mix to suspect all the twists. I do enjoy a present/past story told from different perspectives. I think this allows the story to unfold gradually, heightening suspense. This is my first J.M. Hewitt novel, and I will be looking for more.

***** I received an ARC from NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for my honest review. *****

Wow! This book cast suspicion on two characters that I had no idea how it would turn out! The definition of the perfect suspense novel! Lots of family secrets…. Loved it!

Thank you to Netgalley and Canelo for this advanced readers copy and can honestly say that i did enjoy the read but it took my a while to grasp the storyline

8 years ago Jessica was suspected of murder and when her Husband is murdered she becomes the main suspect and her past life comes back

This is my first novel by author J.M. Hewitt and it was a riveting read.

We meet two friends, Jessica and Louise. Jessica's husband is found killed and both women appear to be suspects.

The police work hard to try and unlock these women's' secrets and their obviously twisty path. The narrative is from both women's point of views and the writing style kept me hooked. Full of past and present secrets and some great thrills this is a novel for lovers of a good thriller.

I enjoyed reading about these characters who both have intense secrets and loved their point of views.

Thanks to JM Hewitt, NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Patrick, Jessica's husband is dead found in their cottage. The police believe Jessica is involved in his death because someone died eight years ago and they think she had something to do with that too. Louise turns up again in Jessica's life; the two women met in Cannes, France when Jessica was twenty-five and became friends. This was tense, unpredictable and twisty. I found the storyline fascinating and the characters were well-drawn. Highly recommended.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Canelo via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

The eight year lie by J. M. Hewitt.
Jessica returns home one day to find her husband, Patrick, dead. It’s unclear what caused his death and though the shock is huge, she cannot pretend it’s entirely unexpected. The police have questions, and Jessica knows that once they hear the answers her fate may well be sealed. Eight years ago, Jessica was living another life. She was a different person, and despite what people think, she has changed. Anyway, there was never any proof that she harmed anyone back then. Yet on the day she loses her husband, a ghost from the past reappears. Louise was her friend once, but that was then. Now, they are strangers. Except Louise seems very familiar – so familiar that it’s like peering into a mirror. Why would she go out of her way to look just like Jessica? Unless more than one person has been keeping deadly secrets…
A very very good read with some good characters. Twisty and tense. 4*.