A dark and disturbing tale of two women from different backgrounds who share the same name. The story was a slow burn and I thought the two women were unlikable protagonists.

My thanks to Avon Books U.K. for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Friends Don’t Lie’ by Nell Pattison.

Well this was quite something! Isabella (Izzy) Butterworth lives in Lincoln, working from home as a virtual assistant. For the past couple of years she has occasionally received emails intended for another Isabella Butterworth. She ignores them.

Then one evening she is accosted outside her home by a man who demands to know where Isabella Butterworth is. It quickly becomes clear to Izzy that this man is dangerous. She manages to deflect him but continues to worry about the other Isabella (Bella).

As a result she uses the emails that she had received to track down Bella and after discovering that they live in the same town, Izzy hatches a plan to meet and then befriend Bella, using a fake identity, in order to protect her and then to discover why she had been targeted. No further details to avoid spoilers.

‘Friends Don’t Lie’ was packed with lies, deceptions, and satisfying twists. Murder also features… It was a gripping domestic noir/psychological thriller. I didn’t mind that some aspects of the plot were rather ‘out there’. I was happy enough to suspend my disbelief as the story played out.

★★★★★ 4.5 stars (rounded up)

Friends don't keep secrets...friends don't lie...

We've all heard of doppelgangers but what about someone not only the same name as you but who lives in the same town and is relatively a similar age? You wouldn't read about it...or would you? I guess I just did. Because we have not one but two Isabella Butterworths living in Lincoln, a great cathedral city of England. But that is about where the similarities end. Because the two women have equally separate lives vastly different from the other. And one woman would never have found about the other had she not been mistaken for her in the first place.

Izzy Butterworth lives a quiet and isolated existence. She once had a circle of friends at uni with whom she has since grown apart, made especially clear when Izzy began to lose her hearing and socialising became something she dreaded. A misheard word turned into an entire missed conversation and Izzy found it easier to stop frequenting those places she found it difficult to follow conversations, despite her hearing aids.

Then one day, an email lands in her inbox that is addressed to her but is obviously not for her as the email attachments contained photographs that were clearly not her nor the husband and family she doesn't have. But this isn't the first time she's received an email for Isabella Butterworth - another Isabella Butterworth - and she's just binned them, citing them having been sent to her in error.

And then something strange happens. As she leaves her flat to grab a takeaway for dinner, she is accosted by a stranger demanding to see Isabella Butterworth and threatening to kill her. The incident shakes her to the core as he obviously believes the woman he seeks to be living in her flat. He obviously knows the other Isabella Butterworth which is why he didn't mistake her for the other woman. So why is he so desperate to find her? And why did he say he wanted to kill her?

Izzy is so intrigued by the turn of events that she uses the emails sent to her in error to learn more about this Isabella Butterworth. And what she discovers is that the other Isabella has everything that she doesn't. A handsome husband. Two beautiful children. And a gorgeous palatial home. But what should she do with this information? Warn her that she is in danger? But what if she doesn't believe her? And what if her attacker comes back looking for her? Is she putting them both in danger? No...she befriends her. And discovers that she likes this woman called Bella and through her finds a new confidence she was otherwise lacking in her own lonely and isolated life.

What an amazing read this is! I certainly never expected things to play out as they did when I started it last night. In fact, a few of the reviews left me feeling a bit "meh" about it and wondering if this was going to be a waste of my time...but it most certainly wasn't. I absolutely loved this psychological thriller that is so unique but well played from start to almost the finish. The one thing letting it down from being a five start read was the ending. Without giving anything away and my reasons why I feel this way, I just felt a little cheated at the end. But aside from that, it was an outstanding read.

I have read one other of this author's thrillers, "The Silent House" , but have yet to read the rest of that series. I like the fact that it factors in hearing loss and the deaf community and how something like that may hinder one's ability in such a story. But the author uses it as an aid rather than a disability, which I find refreshing. Although in this story, Izzy's hearing impairment is really only featured in the beginning and doesn't actually play in the bigger picture...you will understand why that is in the end.

The story unfolds through the alternating perspectives of both Izzy and Bella, but in blocks of several chapters rather than an alternating chapter each. I think maybe the author should have thus divided the book into Part One - Izzy, Part Two - Bella and so forth for easier identification for some. I didn't have a problem with the alternating perspectives and actually found Bella's life a lot more interesting than Izzy's, for good reason I expect. Though I hated Bella's husband Ian with a passion. The man was a self centred git. And I could sympathise with Izzy as well because I could relate to her in some ways also...and found her somewhat sad.

There are a couple of twists even I didn't foresee coming - one is just over halfway through and the others are closer to the penultimate climax. The first twist I was like...what?? I did not see that coming! The other couple I figured out just before they were revealed. But wow! I really loved this read. And I can see why it is compared to Ruth Ware and Lisa Jewell because the style is so very similar to the dark tone which is found in their writing.

The plot is very intricate and complex but not confusing. You always know at which point you are and whose narrative you are reading. But equally so, both characters do appear to be unreliable and there is that air of not knowing how much you can really trust them.

FRIENDS DON'T LIE is a dark psychological thriller that has a creepy and often sinister edge to it. I wanted to read it one sitting but I was too tired to finish overnight, completing it this morning. An outstanding thriller that's only flaw is the ending, for which I knock off a half star. Some readers may love it, but not me. But it still didn't ruin my overall enjoyment of this exceptional and intriguing read.

I would like to thank #NellPattison, #NetGalley and #AvonBooks for an ARC of #FriendsDontLie in exchange for an honest review.

This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Avon Books UK for the gifted digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Read this if you:

Have ever met someone with exactly the same name as yours
Love a thriller with great character built
Enjoy an unique ending
Don’t mind a slow first half in a book

My Thoughts:

I found the plotline of this book pretty unique and the mystery kept me curious and on the edge the whole time. The characters were very well built and I had the feeling I got to know them IRL, which is an amazing accomplishment, in my opinion. They weren’t necessarily likable (I guess that in a good thriller they rarely are), but I love stumbling on well built characters even though I don’t always like them.

The first half of the book was, unfortunately, kind of slow paced. Nothing interesting happened, there were a lot of mundane activities described and the plot wasn’t moving forward very much. At halfway, I even asked myself “Is it worth going on?!”

Well, it was definitely worth the ride. The second half of the novel is much more engaging, suspenseful and it is packed with twist after twist. Not all the twists were hard to guess, but there were two that I didn’t see coming at all.

The ending of the book was unexpected. On one hand I liked its uniqueness, but, on the other hand, it wasn’t what I would have liked for the main characters.

I really enjoyed the writing style and I found it to be pretty similar to another one I love. If you enjoy Claire Douglas’s books, I think that Friend Don’t Lie will be a great read for you.

All in all, this thriller is worth a shot. It has lots of twists and turns, great character built and some unique elements that set it apart from other reads.

3.5 stars

Isabella Butterworth, or Izzy, oftentimes received emails meant for another Isabella Butterworth. When she was confronted by a stranger whose target was ‘Isabella’, she had a feeling it was the other Isabella he was looking for. Izzy was intrigued. Bella seemed to have the perfect life; a successful husband, two gorgeous girls, a pretty house and great social life. Basically, everything Izzy didn’t have.

The premise of this book was great, and I thought the author did an amazing job writing two distinct character voices. I was always clear on whose chapter I was reading, Izzy or Bella.

The first part of Izzy’s chapters, though, felt a bit too long. After an intriguing prologue where we were presented with a teaser of the meeting of two Isabellas, it took quite a long time before they ended up actually meeting. The matter of having the exact same name also didn’t end up making sense to me.

After the slow start, however, the second part of the book was a lot better. Things were happening quickly, and I only managed to guess each story path a few chapters ahead of the characters, so I really enjoyed it.

Additionally, I had noticed that in her previous book, Pattison also had a character who lost her hearing, just like Izzy in this book. A quick search told me that Pattison herself actually began losing her hearing in her twenties and had since become a teacher, specialised in Deaf education. It was great to see her applying her knowledge and experience onto her characters.

Two women both with the same name, who live near each other. One has a more charmed life than the other. A death threat opens up the question, which Isabella are they after? Told from a dual perspective, the story is intriguing. The plot had me hooked but the ending lacked excitement for me.

I enjoyed this book, it was easy to read and held my attention. I will be reading more from this author :)

What starts out as a bit of a slow burner that sucks you in with a bit of intrigue, turns into something you just can't put down!
The development of the characters throughout the book is exceptional, it's a slow drip, with dramatic twists that leave you desperate to read on.
It also gives you a glimpse into the world of a deaf person. It adds that extra dimension to the book and I found it really clever how you're reminded through small every day things that you wouldn't usually consider.

Another clever and tense read, I loved it!

I found Friends Don't Lie a slow starter, but stuck with it. When the viewpoint changes from Izzy to Bella, things began to get a little more interesting. They are two women with the same name. Not only has Izzy accidentally received Bella's e-mails, she has been threatened by a man clearly looking for her. Wanting to protect her, she assumes a false identity to befriend and get close to her. Bella's perfect life isn't all it seems. The handsome husband, the expensive home and car sand two beautiful children disguise what is an unhappy home life. The story works between Izzy and Bella's viewpoints, but I wouldn’t say the story gripped me. There was enough there, however, for me to want to see where this was all going. All in all, an entertaining read but without the impact the promotional blurb promised.

What did leave me sitting back and saying 'well I didn't see that coming and pushed the three stars I intended giving into a four, was an enormous and very clever twist towards the end of the book.


My thanks to Nell Pattison, Avon and Netgalley for an ARC of Friends Don't Lie in exchange for an honest review.

Well this was addictive! Utterly gripping with surprises in every shadow. I was actually disappointed when this ended.

Imagine if there were two women,  both with the same name, both living in the same city. Isabella Butterworth isn't a common name, but two women living not too far from each other share this name and lead totally different lives.

Izzy works from home and lives alone since her Brother left. She used to have a close group of college friends but they seem to have drifted apart from her.

Bella is married with two girls and is a stay at home mum. She has the mother in law from hell and is slowly drifting away from her husband. All they seem to do is argue.

One evening, Izzy is confronted by a man outside her flat. He's looking for Isabella Butterworth and asks Izzy if she knows where she is!

What follows is a totally twisted story involving secrets, lies and stalking beyond belief!

So cleverly written. Kept me guessing all the way through as to how these two women's lives were tangled together without either of them initially knowing.

Written from the point of view of both women.

A massive twist that blew my mind and totally confused me with a shocking ending!

I read Nell's last book "Hide", which was also brilliant and this one was equally as good. Absolutely loved it. Read in one sitting as I couldn't put it down. 

Many thanks to Netgalley, the publishers and author for an ARC.

This book is all about identity - the two main characters actually share the name Isabel Butterworth, although we know one as Izzy and the other as Belle which makes it slightly easier to follow.
You really need to go into this book with a whole chunk of time to dedicate to it as it is a tad on the confusing side if you don't read it carefully. I do have to admit to having to go back a re-read a few bits after discovering something and realised that I missed a key element which then made the confusion kinda make sense. I don't like having to do that - I can see why the author did, but it made the book more of a challenge to me rather than an escape, which is why I read in the first place. I do like to be challenged as a reader but not quite to the extent I was here.
So Isabella-1 (Izzy) gets weird emails for another Isabella Butterworth (Bella) - she thinks nothing of it. Until the day she is accosted by a man demanding to speak to Isabella Butterworth but not her. So, after reporting it and getting short shrift from the police, she starts to investigate her "name-twin" herself... And then the man is found dead.
I can't really say much more about anything as it is all a bit too convoluted and interconnected that anything I do say might give spoilers and that's not the done thing. Suffice to say that I did spend quite a lot of the book confused and confuddled and some of the "reveals" only actually made that worse rather than better. But, and I do stress this, if you can stand to read through some confusion, and get to the end, where it does all make sense, I would really try. Cos the reward will exceed the pain in getting there! I do fear however that many will fall by the wayside... Luckily, I didn't.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

This thriller was just "ok." It had a slow start, but eventually held my attention enough to keep me entertained. That said, one big twist seemed was almost too big of a twist to seem feasible. I had to go back and reread sections, and I am still not totally sold on its execution. Other parts I had kind of figured out along the way. Still, this wasn't my favorite thriller, and I think readers could pick better options.

Well the description to Friends Don't Lie had me intrigued and I could not wait to dive in. What I found was a fantastic story with so many twists and turns that I could not stop turning the pages - I needed to read more. It was tense, it had me gripped and what an ending - I did not see that coming at all.
I have read many books by Nell Pattison and this is the best yet. I highly recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for my ARC.

Two women with the same name get involved in a friendship. But are they really friends? Looking back after I finished the book I decided that you either figured out the twisty twists right at the beginning or, like me, you were kind of oblivious until the author spelled it out for you. Depending on your temperament, either is fine. Usually I don't like figuring things out too early because then I'm waiting for the book to catch up to me. This time, I felt a little off kilter being caught off guard by events. I had to stop and think and piece things together. That made for an interesting and engaging read! However, as is the case with a lot of books, I could have done without the excessively explanatory epilogue. The rest of the book outlined most of the things explained and a much shorter epilogue would have sufficed, or none at all. You know me and my not-so-neatly-wrapped-package endings!

What a read. I spent most of my time laughing out loud while reading this. It perfectly sums up the life of a teacher and I recognised a lot of things that I've said and experienced in the classroom.

I love listening to the two Mr P's podcasts so it was a no-brainer that I'd want to read this book.

It's not only good for educators but it would also give parents an insight into life in a primary school setting.

On a serious note the chapter on the pandemic was very touching as again it summed up everything that educators experienced during a very stressful time.

I'm hoping for a third instalment at a later stage. 100% would recommend.

Friends Don't Lie is the story of Isabella Butterworth. Both of them

You see there are two women in the same town with the same name.
One of them, (Izzy) sometimes gets emails meant for the other Isabella (Bella). One night Izzy is attacked by a man looking for Isabella Butterworth. But he knows this is not her. He threatens to kill the correct Isabella when he finds her. Izzy then becomes obsessed with learning as much as she can about the other woman in order to protect her from the man. Things start to change when the man is later found dead.

Lots of twists in this one. Some I saw coming and some I did not. It's always a big bonus when a book manages to surprise me.

The characters are all interesting and difficult to figure out at the same time. You feel sorry for some and not so much for others. Everything is not at it appears for sure. There was some confusion on my part later in the book, but I believe this was intentional by the author.

Another great story by Pattison.

Thanks to netgalley and Avon Books, UK for the arc.

I see that a lot of people enjoyed this book but being perfectly honest, I could NOT wait for this to end. Both Isabelle's were just miserable people and I didn't care about either of them or the mystery or the giant twist (never mind the plot holes).

It's fine if you like a mystery but you will find that you read and read and read, and you are only 30% of the way through....

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

A psychological thriller with a domestic setting, Friends Don’t Lie by Nell Pattison is a standalone tale. Two women meet in a prison visitors centre amidst tension and ill feeling. Sharing the same name, Isabella Butterworth, their two stories are recounted in alternative chapters respectively, as their lives and connections are gradually revealed. Both have their secrets and hidden motivations as their friendship grows and the death of a man in their suburb hovers menacingly in the background. With plenty of twists and turns and surprise revelations, this is an enjoyable enough mystery, making for a three and a half star read rating. With thanks to Avon Books UK and the author, for an uncorrected advanced reader copy for review purposes. As always, the opinions herein are totally my own and freely given.

Two ladies with the same name Isabella Butterworth , one only knows of the others existence due to occasionally receiving emails for the other Isabella.
What unfolds from these chance emails makes for a roller coaster of a read with plenty of twists and turns , the book is written in the perspective of both of the main characters and is easy to follow .
It is a tense psychological thriller , although it was quite slow to start it gained pace and I didn’t envisage the conclusion.
I don’t think this is Pattison’s best work but it’s certainly a solid read.
Thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK.