Len and Maggie have a house full of guests there to celebrate their anniversary, 25 perfect years. Maggie walks up to the loft to retrieve her big surprise for her husband but the surprise was on her. She discovers a woman’s scarf stuffed in a wall space. An expensive one with the perfume of its owner clinging to it and spots…. red spots……..blood? Who’s?
While this anniversary party is underway a gruesome discovery of the body of young influencer in the river and she was strangled………of course she is convinced it was with THAT scarf which she can no longer seem to find. What exactly did her husband do?
Thus starts Maggie's chain of events to find the scarf’s relationship with her family. Maggie’s family had history of mental health issues. At ten she discovered her mother’s body after she hung herself, her son has depression and Maggie’s hormones are raging as she goes through menopause, leaving her insecure about herself and her self image. So when she discovers this scarf she immediately thinks her husband is hiding something, she does a lot of assuming and most of it is inaccurate.
While I did get caught up in her theories, there was one person who seemed like a better candidate. I had a gut feeling as a reader and I was right. As all good books end, there is always an unexpected twist and this one was no different.
I had not read any of the other books in the Detective Dan Riley series but didn’t need to. I liked his detective skills, reasoning and personality and would like to meet him again.

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'The Lie In Our Marriage' by Anna-Lou Weatherley.

Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Anna-Lou Weatherley, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous

Publication date 18th January 2023.

This is the first book I have read by this author. It is also the sixth book in the 'Detective Dan Riley' series but can be read as a standalone.

I was originally drawn to this book by its stunning eye catching cover and intriguing sounding synopsis and title. The synopsis stated that this book is 'An utterly addictive and twisty read about the complex web of secrets within a family that will have you racing through to the mind-blowing end. If you love Lisa Jewell, Gillian Flynn and Behind Closed Doors, you won’t be able to put this down!' I am a huge fan of Lisa Jewell so am looking forward to seeing if this lives up to this statement. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).

This novel consists of 45 chapters. The chapters are short to medium in length so easy to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!

This book is based in Thornton Vale, Thornton, Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿. The bonus for me of books that are partly or fully based in the UK is that I live in the UK and have sometimes visited places mentioned in the book which makes it easier to picture.

This book is written in a mix of third and first person perspective and the protagonists are Detective Dan Riley and Maggie Wendover. The benefits of books written in first person perspective are as long as they are well written it makes you feel that you are being spoken to by the protagonist and it can create more of a bond between yourselves and them. If there are several protagonists you also get to see more of what is going on. The benefits of third person perspective with multiple protagonists are that it let's you see the bigger picture of what's going on and you get to know more characters more, what they are thinking and what they are doing. It feels like you get to see the whole picture and not miss out in anything. To have the benefit of both first and third person perspective ensures you don't miss out on anything.


AN ABSOLUTELY INTRIGUING, THOUGHT PROVOKING, UNPUTDOWNABLE HEART RACING AND EXPLOSIVE BOOK IN WHAT PROMISES TO BE AN ADDICTIVE SERIES!!

Wow!!! This book is fantastically written and had me hook, line and sinker from beginning to end. The descriptions were so in depth and vivid that the hair on my arms was standing on the ends and my heart was pounding throughout. The synopsis, title and cover were perfect for the storyline.

I absolutely loved this unique page turning explosive page turner. I was absolutely absorbed throughout this page turner. It is filled with tension, suspense, lies, secrets, murder and omg the twist!!! I DID NOT see that coming!!! A MASSIVE CONGRATULATIONS Anna-Lou Weatherley !! It is getting harder and harder to shock me but by God you did that over and over and over!!! What an ending!!! One of the most gripping unputdownable nerve wracking psychological thrillers I have EVER read!!! You lady have one hell of a talent and I cannot wait to get hold of your previous and future books in this series. I cannot remember the last time I was so hooked by a book but you managed that big time!!! The storyline is filled with crime, shocks, suspense, tension, deceit, and murder. There was so much going on and it was very fast paced and kept me on the edge of my seat throughout. It is also very thought provoking and intriguing!! The ending was absolutely heartbreaking and my heart really went out to Maggie who was just trying to do the best for her family. This book was an absolutely explosive start for me in what is promising to be an absolutely gripping series and I cannot wait to get stuck in to more books in this fantastic series.

Clear your schedule before you start as I read this in one sitting as I could not put it down!! Practically every chapter ended on a cliff hanger so no way could I put it down!! Absolutely hooked!! I would absolutely love to see this turned into a movie!!!!

Although this is the sixth book in the series I had would have had absolutely no problems reading it without the others. Any details or events that have previously happened are mentioned in just the right amount of detail to let a new reader know what has happened and yet not too much to bore a previous reader.

It is always worrying when starting a new series as you have no idea who the characters are. It is very important for me to bond with not only the lead protagonists but also any characters that may make repeat appearances during the series too.

The characters were all strong and realistic and thanks to Anna's absolutely fantastic writing skills they all come to life when you are turning the pages. My heart went out to Maggie whose life absolutely crumbled around her. It is really thought provoking and makes you wonder how far you would go to protect your family. Maggie has so much going on around her but has to try and stay strong for her children. It is hard to say too much about the characters as I am worried I will give too much away and I really don't want to spoil it for future readers. I really liked Detective Dan Riley who I really enjoyed getting to know. The way that Anna has written this book with the reader seeing both Anna and Dan's perspectives is fantastic as you can see everything that's going on and she has weaved the chapters and storyline perfectly. I was questioning many of the characters throughout but never did guess what had really happened. Anna portrays neighbourhood life perfectly with the different character traits. I cannot wait to meet Detective Dan Riley and the rest of his team in the previous and past books on what really does promise to be an absolutely addictive series!!!!

Welcome to my favourite author Anna-Lou! Bring on the next book in this gripping series!! I cannot wait to read all the previous and future ones!!! Here's to the next success 🥂

Make sure you read to the very end of the book to read the prologue and the first two chapters of Anna-Lou's 'The Couple On Cedar Close' which promises to be just as addictive as this book!

Overall an absolutely heart racing, nerve wracking, thought provoking, unputdownable addictive start to what promises to be an absolutely fantastic new series!!!


Genres covered in this book include Domestic Thriller, Domestic Fiction, , Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Police Procedural, Mystery, Suspense, Crime, Thriller & Mystery Adventures, Psychological Fiction, Crime Fiction and Psychological Thriller amongst others.


I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of 'Gone Girl', Shari Lapena, Karin Slaughter, Melinda Leigh, Kendra Elliot, Lisa Regan, Paula Hawkins, Lisa Jewell, Gillian Flynn, 'Behind Closed Doors' , Freida McFadden, Rachel Abbot and anyone who loves an explosive ending!!!


390 pages

This book is just £1.99 to purchase and £8.99 in paperback via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!

Rated 5 /5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.

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Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Another good read from this author. Full of suspense, twists and turns. Read as a standalone with no worries. A recommended read.

I really enjoyed this one. The plot twists were great and kept going throughout the book. First book by this author but won't be my last.

A good read, kept me guessing on who did it the whole way through! Thanks Netgalley & the author for the opportunity to read this book for an honest review!

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the r-arc in exchange for my honest review!

Last January, I read book 5 in this series, and absolutely loved it!

“Do any of us ever really know those closest to us?”

The Lie in Our Marriage is an eye-opening , heart-pounding, anxiety-inducing who-done-it. This psychological domestic thriller was such a wild ride. Len is Maggie’s “chickadee”and they seemingly have the perfect life — celebrating 25 years of marriage, have two thriving, grown children, and are going to be grandparents soon. However, life can sometimes appear to look a little too perfect on the outside.

I love Anna-Lou Weatherley’s writing style. Her words just flow perfectly from chapter to chapter. I always love hearing from dual characters POV, and this book alternates between Maggie and Det. Dan Riley. Such an amazing page-turning book! Don’t miss out on reading this one! Even though it is part of a series, it can definitely be read as a stand-alone.

Maggie and Len Wendover are having a big party to celebrate their 25 years of marriage. They have a son, Lewis and his girlfriend, Casey, who is pregnant with their first child. They also have a daughter, Remy.

The night of the party, Maggie went to the loft to get a surprise for Len and found a woman’s scarf with what looked like blood stains. She is shocked but left the scarf there. It turns out that a young Instagram influencer, Amelie Fox, was found nude, strangled with her body and clothing dumped into a lake. A picture of her before she died shows her wearing those clothes but also with a scarf exactly like the one Maggie found. Now, she wonders if Len could have had something to do with the murder of Amelie.

DCI Dan Riley and DS Lucy Davis are investigating the case to find out who murdered this young woman. Their own lives comes into play in this book.

These are some of the best developed characters I have read in a long time. It’s heartbreaking at times leaving the reader wondering what they would do in these instances. However, emotional the book is, you must read it so you can get the full impact of the character Graham. Wow! His arrogance is hilarious! I loved this book and I am sure other readers will as well. Enjoy!

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

A twist filled gripping book which worked perfectly as a stand-alone for me! The twists kept me on my toes and fully engaged. This book left me wondering how/why I have not read this series before? I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will find time to read the previous books in the series.

What began as a beautiful evening as Maggie and Len celebrated their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary, ended in tragedy for others. Maggie was so happy. She was surrounded by friends and family and married to a man she loved. But across town, the body of a young woman has been spotted by a dog walker and pulled from a river.

Looking for the gift she made for her husband, Maggie discovers a pink scarf that was not there the day before. The scarf is scented with perfume - one she recognizes but can't quite place. But it's not the perfume that is the most shocking - it is the splashes of blood on the scarf.

Maggie catches a news flash on the television about the murder of a beautiful local girl who just happened to be wearing a scarf that looks just like the scarf Maggie found in her home!

This was a gripping, twist filled read in which a woman has doubts. What happens when you jump to conclusions, when doubt and suspicion consume you? I enjoyed how this played out in the book. I also enjoyed the hunt for the killer. I thought this book had the perfect amount of investigation and domestic drama. The mystery of who killed the young woman was intriguing and just when I thought I had things figured out, I had the rug pulled out from under me.

Shocking, gripping, twist filled and well written.

Weatherley. I read the last book in this series, so was eager to pick this one up and see what would happen next.

Maggie and Len are celebrating their 25th anniversary - That very same night, the lifeless body of a young woman is found in the local river. Why, on this night, does she find a bloody scarf in her attic? And why does Maggie later recognize the scarf when she sees a photo of the dead girl? It’s hers, and now it’s in their home.

Even though this is book 6 in the series it can be read as a standalone. I like Detective Dan Riley and enjoy seeing where his life takes him while he solves these cases. That being said, this one was just OK for me. The writing was good, but I was able to see the ending coming from a mile away on this one. For me, it was one of those books that had me screaming at Maggie - come on, seriously?! As a whole, I enjoy this author’s books and am looking forward to seeing what she comes up with next.

This was my first read from this author and even though its book 6 in a series it can be read.as a standalone.

The story was intriguing and peaked my interest from the very start.

It has a storyline full of plot twists, shocking truths and lies which will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end.

Book 6 in the Detective Dan Riley series and this is another excellent read. Right from the first page I was completely gripped and knew this was going to be a complete page turner. Detective Riley and his team are trying to find the killer of a twenty something beautiful social media influencer. The night her body was discovered Maggie Wendover was having a party at her house with her husband Len, family and friends. What, if anything have this family got to do with this case Detective Riley is trying to solve. This book will have you engrossed right from the start with plenty of twists and turns throughout.

The Lie in Our Marriage is the best thriller I've read this year! Wow, what a fantastic book. This is my first book by Anna Lou Weatherley but I look forward to reading lots more by her. The book starts out with Maggie and Len celebrating their 25th anniversary by having a huge party with music, caterers, open bar, and lots of family and friends at their house. Maggie's big gift to Len is a slideshow she's put together on her laptop of the many memories they've shared through the years. She has hidden the laptop in the eaves of the attic. When Maggie goes to get the laptop, she reaches into the eaves, and touches something different. When she pulls it out it's a woman's scarf that has a very strong perfume smell. The scarf is bright pink with little black skulls all over it. Maggie notices there's dark spots on the scarf that look like blood!! What is this scarf doing here and who put it here? Maggie was just up here yesterday and knows that this had to be placed here very recently. Maggie puts it back and pulls out her laptop as she has to get back to the party.

Len makes a heartfelt speech to the crowd about Maggie and their years together. It's a wonderful speech that includes funny stories as well as sentimental ones. Maggie sets up her laptop for her slideshow surprise and it's a big hit. Sometime during the evening, people are talking and gasping inside at the tv. A news show has reported that a body of a young woman has been pulled out of the nearby river. Maggie and Len's son arrives late to the party because of all the police investigation. When Maggie goes inside by the tv, she is shocked at the news. Once the woman's family is notified, they show pictures of her and list her name on tv. Maggie is watching when she sees a photo of the young woman wearing the same scarf she found earlier in the attic!!!! Maggie and Len are the only people that use the attic as her son lives with his pregnant girlfriend and their daughter lives away at college. Could someone else have come up to the attic during the party? Why would that young woman's scarf be in Maggie's attic?

Len is restoring an old Cadillac that he bought and had delivered a few weeks ago. He works in the garage for hours on end working on his latest car restoration. His brother, Bob, helps him when he has time. One of Maggie's neighbors is wearing the same perfume as the scarf and she's always flirting with Len. Could they be having an affair? Could this scarf be hers? Can you really know someone even after living with them for 25 years? Maggie sure thought so. Was she right?

I can't recommend The Lie in Our Marriage enough. If you love a good thriller filled with suspense and twists throughout, don't hesitate to read this book! I did not see the murderer in this one coming! I love books that keep you on the edge of your seat and keep you guessing. This book does both and you'll race to the end of the book to find out the truth. I'd like to thank NetGalley and Bookouture for an advanced copy of The Lie in Our Marriage in exchange for a fair review. #TheLieinOurMarriage

Wow!! This was full of twists and kept me guessing the whole time. A wild ride I highly recommend! Read this!!

Thoroughly enjoyed this suspenseful domestic thriller. The story held me captive and turning pages quickly to see what would happen next. The main character is very relatable and it was easy to see how and why she made the choices she did. The detective is one who trusts his instincts and also has a heart; I liked that. Secondly characters are all well developed with just enough back story to be realistic. They bring a lot to the storyline. Loved the little “life lesson” tidbits scattered throughout as well. Have to say this is one of my favorite reads so far this year.

This was a twisty, well written thriller. The story is told from two perspectives – Meggie, a wife and Dan, a detective who is investigating the murder of a local influencer. There are lies, secrets and assumptions that kept me engaged in the story and I could not put this book down. I must admit that I guessed pretty early who the actual killer was but the story was so good that I kept reading to find out how it would all end. I was really impressed with this author and her writing that I will definitely check out her other books.
Thank you NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Lie in Our Marriage is the 6th book in the Detective Dan Riley series. I have read some of the previous books but find each one can easily be read as a stand alone book. There are many unexpected twists and turns in this story that kept me on the edge of my seat, turning the pages. I really enjoyed it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for my ARC.

The Lie in Our Marriage is book number six in the Detective Dan Riley series. But (as with previous books) Anna Lou Weatherley strikes a great balance between psych thriller and crime thriller.
You can get the gist of the story from the blurb. What I like most about the author’s way of writing is that there is a clear delineation between the psych thriller and crime procedural chapters, but they weave together for a cohesive story. The transitions between the two are seamless.
I thought this plot, in particular, was engaging. The author manages to make the characters relatable to multiple ages. Older readers will relate to Maggie and her perspectives on marriage and middle age. Younger readers will embrace the social media/influencer aspect that her daughter Remy is caught up in. Again – great balance here.
One of the most striking things about the plot is the choice that Maggie forces herself to make. It is every married woman’s nightmare, and what she contemplates is almost unfathomable. But in the context of the story, her choices make sense, and one can understand them.
I also thought the crime procedural parts of the story were well-done. They were not too technical – just enough to understand what was happening. And I appreciate how each of the characters in that thread is an individual. They’re not just lumped together as “law enforcement.”
I did guess part of the “reveal” fairly early, but the author threw in enough red herrings that I second-guessed myself a few times. I didn’t know I had guessed correctly until the actual climax.
If one wants to deep-dive into a pleasure read, I think readers could also take a lesson in trust and reliability from Len and Maggie’s situation. That’s all I am going to say about that.
I really enjoyed The Lie in Our Marriage. Anna Lou Weatherley has definitely found a winning formula between psych thriller and crime procedural, and I’ll be looking for the next Dan Riley book.

This review was written based on a digital copy of the book from Bookouture. For more reviews, please visit Fireflies and Free Kicks.

Oh boy. Maggie and Len celebrate their 25th anniversary, but then everyone is buzzing about the body that just surfaced.
Maggie is sickened and worried by some of her discoveries and her mind struggles with the reality it is building.
Detective Dan’s family is expanding but he has to find Angel’s killers.
We all lie, small ones and large ones. Both Maggie and Len lied to each other. Maggie lies to the police.
The question is what’s the price of those lies.
A good who done it. Not all is what it appears… the ending was sad.

Before reading The Lie in Our Marriage, i didn't realise it was part of a series as it stands up very well as it's own story. It's a gripping whodunnit that will keep you guessing. Great plot and character development with some very sharp commentary on the modern world and how small things can make you reassess what you think of your friends and family. Really well written, the mother is the main narrator and her unease and confusion is written incredibly well. Loved it.

4 rounded up to 4.5.

During the party to celebrate her twenty-fifth wedding anniversary, Maggie Wendover climbs the ladder to her loft to retrieve a special surprise she has planned for her beloved husband Len. While there, she finds something so shocking that it has her questioning Len’s love for her – and their, up-until-now, picture perfect marriage.

I think I’ll leave it there, as I went into this one blind, and don’t regret it. The Lie in Our Marriage is the sixth book in the Detective Dan Riley domestic thriller/police procedural series, and can be read as a standalone, although there were small spoilers pertaining to Dan’s background and home-life. Having read, and enjoyed, two previous books in the series, The Couple on Cedar Close (#2) and The Stranger’s Wife (#3), which were both as twisty as a corkscrew, I gleefully prepared myself for what was to come. So, I was quite disappointed when I thought I had it all worked out fairly early on. However, I should have had more faith in Anna-Lou Weatherley’s ability to surprise me, as the part I had guessed correctly wasn’t the biggest shock. Also, that last line gave me chills.

The amount of emotion I felt during this book also really surprised me, as I don’t normally feel sorry for character’s in marriage noir due to their unreliable, untrustworthy nature, but I really grew attached to Maggie. This one was an easy-to-follow, quick read, perfect for when you’re busy, or on the move. I own book one, and will definitely be adding instalments #4 and #5 to my tbr. This is a reliable series, and Anna-Lou Weatherley always manages to drop bombshell after bombshell. Check out her books!

I’d like to thank Netgalley UK, Bookouture, and Anna-Lou Weatherley for the e-ARC.

Release Date: 18th January, 2023.