This is the latest in the Cyrus Haven series with Evie Cormack. Although it can be read as a standalone novel, it definitely helps understand Evie if you can read the previous novel first.
In my opinion, this is the best in the series yet. There are 2 parallel story lines which unfold- one about the murder of a local woman and her father, the second about Cyrus' older brother Elias who is at Rampton, a secure mental hospital. The plot cleverly alternates between the 2 parts of Cyrus and Evie's lives as they become more and more sinister and disturbing. This book is a masterclass in understated tension and terror. Utterly compelling reading, you won't sleep til you've finished it! 5 stars from me!

I have not read the previous books in this series but this is a good standalone ,though it makes me want to catch up on the other two books to understand the relationship between Cyrus and Evie .This book is gripping and with a great plot .Cyrus is a Forensic Psychologist and Evie is his Lodger with a difficult past which I guess you need to read the previous books if you want to find out more .A man has been murdered and his daughter missing and Cyrus is on the case .I enjoyed this book very much and look forward to reading more in the series .Thank you to NetGalley for my ARC.

5⭐️

#3 Cyrus Haven

I have only read the 2nd book which I loved.
Cyrus is a forensic psychologist, with his own complicated past and ongoing issues.
Evie is a very troubled young woman who Cyrus both tries to help and protect. She has a special power. She can instantly tell if someone is lying.

A man is murdered and his daughter has gone missing, Cyrus has been asked to consult on the case.

I love both Cyrus and Evie with their complex unique damaged personalities and their commitment to each other. Although they frequently can’t be open or honest with each other which is heartbreaking.

For me the book is every bit as much about Cyrus and Evie and their journey through the story as it is solving the crime. Don’t get me wrong there are a couple of threads which give a good intricate plot.

I absolutely loved everything about it. It’s such easy enjoyable reading, I adore the characterisation. The plot was cleverly woven I was totally transfixed throughout.
It’s in my books of the year.

Well, Michael Robotham does it again! This story continues the tale of the talented psychologist we were introduced to in his previous book. This time he is handling both the trauma of his terrifying past and a professional challenge.

It is great to see the return of forensic psychologist Cyrus Haven and Evie, the young woman whose tragic backstory was told in the first two books in the series and for whom he continues to provide support and stability. His own demons now return to haunt him with the planned staged release from a mental hospital of his brother Elias, who brutally murdered their parents and young twin sisters when Cyrus was a child. He has to decide if he can forgive Elias, who is schizophrenic, and if his presence will cause problems for Evie, who shares his home. He is then called on for help with the murder of an elderly man and the disappearance of his daughter, which proves more complex than it first seems and begins to through up some strange coincidences. This can be enjoyed as a stand-alone book, but readers will certainly want to fill in the gaps after reading it by going back to the earlier ones. This is the best yet. Cyrus and Evie make a great double act and their characters really develop here, as both struggle to reconcile their past lives and to move forward in the present. Cyrus is courageous and humane, but still very human, while Evie is an original, distrustful and mentally scarred but feisty and intuitive. Her gift for knowing when someone is lying aligns with her own forthright honesty, and she both enriches and complicates Cyrus’s life and work. The crimes investigated here are gripping and keep the reader guessing, with the psychology aspect adding interest. Even Elias, whose shadow has hung over Cyrus for so long and whose monstrous crime is unforgtable, is portrayed with empathy and shade. A great read for fans of intelligent crime with strong character development.

Amazing as always. This can be read standalone or in the series. I love the characters and as always it's gripping but always funny. with his dark humour. Loved it xx

The third book in a series featuring Cyrus Haven, a forensic psychologist. Twenty years before the novel starts, Cyrus's family (his parents and twin sisters) were murdered - by Cyrus's older brother, Elias, who ended up in a secure psychiatric hospital.

Now Elias is being released and will move back to live with his brother and his brother's lodger, Evie, a troubled teenager with a difficult past. .

In the meantime, Cyrus is called to a crime scene in Nottingham. A man is dead and his daughter, Maya, is missing. Then another woman is abducted. and the only witness is Evie. Both missing women have dark secrets that Cyrus must unravel to find them.

The third book in a series, this can be read as a standalone. It's an absolute page-turner and, having not read the previous books, I do now plan to. This is deftly plotted with interesting characters - well worth reading.

Cyrus Haven's brother Elias is being released from a secure hospital , into the care of his brother .The trouble was the crime he was sent away for was the murder of his family but Cyrus had survived by hiding . On release day Cyrus , now a forensic psychologist , has to find out why a man is dead and his daughter missing . Another woman is abducted and the only witness is teenager Evie Cormac , who lives at Cyrus's house . Evie has a special gift for knowing when people are lying which can come in handy at times. There are a lot of twists along the way in this enjoyable book..

I love this book. I love the style of writing, the characters, the storyline. I want to read it all again, right now. The very first sentence pulls the reader in with the efficiency of a fish hook. Elias and Cyrus are brothers, but a shattering event over twenty years ago left a massive chasm between them. Cyrus has made his own life; exceptional intelligence has led him to a career as a psychologist working with the police. Along the way, he has found Evie, a housemate who has lost her family and been through the care system, a traumatic route to say the least. She is full of self doubt and has an extraordinary ability to spot lies. When Cyrus is called to assist with a murder case, it is as though a tap has been turned and suddenly everything comes rushing out and mixes together. A brilliant piece of work with some fixes required for the Kindle version, but I could forgive this book anything.

Wow this book hits you like a ton of bricks from the 1st few pages.

Twenty years ago, Cyrus Haven's family was murdered by his brother. Cyrus only survived because he hid. Elias claimed it was his schizophrenia and he was placed in secure psychiatric hospital. 

Now Elias is being released and he will be living with Cyrus, who is now a forensic psychologist. Can Cyrus ever forgive Elias? 

Whilst Cyrus is preparing for Elias to come back into his life he is called to a crime scene in Nottingham. A man is dead and his daughter is missing. Then a second woman is abducted and the last person to see her is Evie, who lives with Cyrus, and she has a gift for knowing if a person is lying or not.

Both woman have dark pasts and as Cyrus and Evie know sometimes the past can come back and haunt you.

I honestly thought I’d guessed the ending but nope I got it completely wrong. Twists aplenty and I loved it. What a brilliant well written thriller that had me gripped throughout.

Although this is the third novel in the series, it can be read as a stand alone. In fact, I wasn't aware that it was the third novel until I read other reviews after completing the book. As a result, I don't know whether there are any spoilers in this book.

Robotham writes very engagingly and the characters are well drawn and fully fleshed out. I am The plot holds together well and all the loose ends are tied up nicely by the end of the book.

The book is written in the present tense, which is something I generally dislike, but in this instance the writing was of a quality that I was able to read and enjoy the book.

Lying Beside You is the third book in the Cyrus Haven series by award-winning Australian author, Michael Robotham. While Evie Cormac tries to please Cyrus by getting a job and completing her schooling, DS Lenny Parvel requires his opinion in the case of a murdered father and a missing daughter. It’s not her case, and Cyrus is not exactly welcome, but his input is noted.

Police can’t initially decide if Maya Kirk is on the run for patricide, or has been abducted, but Cyrus is quickly convinced that she is also a victim. When a second young woman is abducted from outside the bar where Evie works, she is the only reliable witness. At the same time, Evie manages to get herself into trouble with the police while trying to prove the innocence of someone falsely convicted.

Cyrus, while distracted by his brother’s day release from Rampton, tries to puzzle out motive: “I am starting to understand this crime. The details have been floating in front of me like snippets from a film that needs to be edited into a story. The person responsible is no longer a mystery. I can see the world through his eyes.” While the reader is privy to all the important facts that Cyrus or Evie discover and, unaware of their relevance, don’t immediately share, the lightbulb moments are very satisfying.

In this instalment, Cyrus has his Identity stolen, reluctantly attends a car race, climbs up a lift shaft, and employs a handyman. Evie’s safe haven, being Cyrus’s house, is invaded by guests of whom she is understandably wary: a schizophrenic brother and a newly-released prisoner; but her unique ability to detect lies directs her trust. With each book, the reader gets to know Cyrus and Evie a little more, as they grow and develop.

Robotham again gives the reader a tightly plotted story liberally sprinkled with enough misdirection to keep the reader guessing right up to the nail-biting climax. There’s plenty of dark humour and the banter is often entertaining. This third dose of Cyrus and Evie is, if that’s actually possible, even better than the first two, and one tiny incident promises fans that the story of this pair is not yet over. Brilliant crime fiction.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK

Thanks to Michael and NetGalley for allowing me to read Lying Beside You before the publication date.
This is the first of Michael’s books which I have read and it won’t be the last.
He has skilfully crafted several interwoven storylines which tease the reader into thinking they know what is happening, only to reveal another part of the puzzle.

Criminal profiler Cyrus Haven experienced trauma growing up when his older brother, Elias, murdered his parents and twin sisters. After 20 years, the medical team have deemed that Elias’ condition is under control and that he can be released from the secure unit to return home to Cyrus, to the house where he committed the murders.

Cyrus has been a foster parent for a teenage girl known as Evie Cormac who was a ward or the court and is the subject of a protection order. Now aged 21, Evie continues to live in Cyrus’ large family home. Evie has an unusual skill, the ability to determine whether someone is lying. Understandably, she is worried about being in the house with Elias.

Nottingham police are called to a house where they find the body of a man, Rohan Kirk. Then his daughter, Maya, is reported missing.
When a second woman is reported missing, Evie realises that she had helped the woman when she became ill in the bar where Evie worked. Evie had put her into a cab, making her a potential witness.
As the investigation uncovers connections to previous crimes, secrets are revealed and the suspect list continues to grow.

This was the first time that I have read a Michael Robotham book and I was very impressed. I liked the way the story was portrayed from the prospective of the two main unforgettable characters Cyrus and Evie. The interaction and banter between these two made the story skip along whist maintaining interest in a truly great plot. This was areal page turner with action all the way through to the end. I am now looking forward to reading more from this author.

EXCERPT: 'We follow the evidence,' says Lenny. 'We track her phone. We study the CCTV cameras. We identify the car. We investigate.'

I wish I could share her confidence, but I keep remembering the bondage marks on (view spoiler) body, the rope corset designed to subjugate and humiliate. I picture Daniela similarly bound and gagged. Waiting for his return. Terrified he will. More terrified he won't.

ABOUT 'LYING BESIDE YOU': When a man is murdered and his daughter disappears, forensic psychologist Cyrus Haven must decide if Maya Kirk is running, hiding, or a hostage. Cyrus understands how killers think better than anyone; after all, he's a survivor.

Evie is a troubled teenager with an incredible gift: she knows when someone is lying. She is working at a Nottingham bar when a second woman goes missing, a nurse with links to Maya Kirk. Both women have a secret they have tried to hide, but the past is never history.

Evie witnesses the second abduction, glimpsing the driver, but only two people believe her.

One is Cyrus.

The other is the killer.

MY THOUGHTS: Robotham is an extraordinary writer who has crafted a gripping crime thriller, a worthy third installment in the Cyrus Haven series. Before I go any further, you do need to read this series in order, in order to fully understand the characters, their relationships and backgrounds.

Cyrus is a wonderful character. He is astute, kind, and has the patience of a saint, especially with Evie, who is enough to try the patience of a saint. Often sullen, resentful and petulant, she makes it near impossible to like her or to form any sort of relationship with her. She has mastered the art of keeping everyone at arms length, and even further away if possible. Despite this, Evie is incredibly perceptive and possesses the uncanny ability of knowing when someone is lying, something Cyrus finds useful and something he would love to be able to do.

In Lying Beside You, Cyrus and Evie have to come to terms with a third person in their midst, with the release of Cyrus's brother from a secure psychiatric facility, so the dynamics of their relationship are changing again.

This is an intricately plotted read, full of suspense and red herrings. I am a late comer to this author, but he is now firmly entrenched in my top ten list.

Great cover art and truly relevant.

⭐⭐⭐⭐.4

#LyingBesideYou #NetGalley

I: @michaelrobotham @littlebrownbookgroup_uk

T: @michaelrobotham @LittleBrownUK

#contemporaryfiction #crime #murdermystery #thriller

THE AUTHOR: Michael Robotham was born in Australia in November 1960 and grew up in small country towns that had more dogs than people and more flies than dogs. He escaped in 1979 and became a cadet journalist on an afternoon newspaper in Sydney.

For the next fourteen years he worked for newspapers in Australia, Europe, Africa and America. As a senior feature writer for the UK’s Mail on Sunday he was among the first people to view the letters and diaries of Czar Nicholas II and his wife Empress Alexandra, unearthed in the Moscow State Archives in 1991. He also gained access to Stalin’s Hitler files, which had been missing for nearly fifty years until a cleaner stumbled upon a cardboard box that had been misplaced and misfiled.

In 1993 he quit journalism to become a ghostwriter, collaborating with politicians, pop stars, psychologists, adventurers and showbusiness personalities to write their autobiographies.

Michael writes in what his daughters' refer to as his 'cabana of cruelty' on Sydney's northern beaches where he slaves away daily to cater to their every expensive whim. Where is the justice?

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Little Brown Book Group UK, Sphere, via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of Lying Beside You by Michael Robotham for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage

A gripping, dark, tense and twisty story with flawed characters that make for addictive reading. Really enjoyed this book! 5 stars

Loved this. I am such a fan of the series and this one did not disappoint one bit. Highly recommend if you are looking for a enthralling mystery that will keep you turning the pages

I ended up really enjoying this book. I did however find the start a bit slow to get moving, but I’m glad I persevered with it, as the second half took off with a bang and actually kept me up reading last night.
I didn’t realise this was the third in a series when I started it, but there were a signs as I read on that it was.
I think I will go back and read the others, it would be good to find out a bit more about Cyrus and Evie

What an amazing book, by a brilliant author. Keeps you wanting more page after page. Can’t wait for the next one.

Many thanks to Net Galley and Little Brown Book Group UK for an ARC of this book in exchange for a review
Wow!!! What a page turner. Michael Robotham’s readers will not be disappointed with the 3rd book in his Cyrus Haven series.
A sensational, intense read! Several stories within the book, two woman are missing and a man is dead. Both the missing woman have secrets which Cyrus will need to unravel if he is to find them. Evie, who has the gift to tell if someone is lying or not, was a witness when the second young woman went missing and she becomes involved in the case. (
I love the relationship between Cyrus and Evie, their dry wit and humour. Evie lives with Cyrus, she is a lodger and she has a troubled past, as does Cyrus, and now Cyrus’s brother Elias has been released from the psychiatric hospital, for home visits, where he has been a patient for 20 years,and this brings more problems to Cyrus’s home. Evie is uncomfortable around Elias and does not like or trust him . This is a fast paced read which I read in one sitting. My top book so far in 2022!!