I have read plenty of domestic thrillers over the years and at first I thought that this was all that My Word Against His was. That was my first mistake.

Two couples become great friends. A triangle emerges, and then a fourth is added to the mix - and one night, just before he disappears the wrong husband whispers the wrong thing into Celia's ear.

Fast forward 12 years and Lucie contacts Celia and asks her to come and visit. On the way Celia is carjacked. I can't tell you more because the twists and turns will keep you on the edge of your seat.

An interesting component of this book is that each chapter starts with some Facebook banter. Given the world in which we live it is a treat to see real life woven into fiction in this matter. Is this a commentary on social media?
Read the book and decide for yourself.

Thank you Bookouture and NetGalley for an early copy of My Word Against His. Soooo confusing but Gripping! I stuck with it and it didn't make sense to me until the end when all my questions were answered but I don’t like to be so confused when reading a book. I felt bad for ALL the characters. Not one of the best books I’ve read, I’m sorry.

Thanks Bookouture and NetGalley for the arc of this book. Thanks to the author and publisher. Buckle up, hold your breath and trust no one! All I can say is, read this book!

I love a good story where you can trust no one! This book definitely delivered on that! I honestly didn’t see most of what happened coming. Another thrill ride I got to enjoy!

Really loved this book, first one I have read by the author and it won’t be the last.
A twisty turny book that keeps you guessing till the end.
Celia is driving home one evening when Sam jumps into her car and makes her drive at knife point to Leeds from her home in Essex. This ends up having consequences for both of them. The scenes of Sam in the police cells were very claustrophobic and added to the tension.
Alongside this Celia’s home life is far from normal and Lucie a face from the past threatens her family life with her son Henry.
Thanks to netgalley for this advance copy.

Hold your breath, jaw dropping read? Definitely!

Oh my gosh! More twists in this peppered read than a pretzel. Cohesive control, and then some, stalks the pages until you don’t know who’s what, and where you’re headed.
This is a five star read but in my head I found it hard to come to grips with that because I don’t like the subject matter. Cohesive control is real and creepy. This novel is brimming with both.
If you’re looking for a psychological thriller that turns you inside out and more, this is the read for you. Who is the predator and who is the prey? Hmmm! Find out—maybe!

A Bookouture ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

This was an easy 5 stars! it got me hooked after the first couple chapters and i couldn't get enough of it after that. It had plot twists after plot twists and kept you on edge the whole time. I thought i knew what was happening just for everything to change the next chapter, that's exactly what i love about a thriller. It was maybe a little confusing reading it at first because of the amount of twist but it was super easy to get back in again and i loved that personally! I highly enjoyed this book. Thank you so much for the ARC!

One of my favorites reads so far this year!!! I was on the edge of my seat the whole time and the twists kept coming. I never saw the ending coming. Wow, this was so well written! The transition from part 1 to part 2 had me at a loss of words. I will definitely be reading more Lauren North books in the future.

Buckle yourself in as Lauren North takes you on a twisted journey through this thrilling read. A phone call from Celia's past sets the reader on a journey back and forth through past and present. Celia must wrestle with decisions made from her past throughout the book and how they will impact not only her future but that of her son and the person who suddenly calls her out of nowhere.

My Word Against His is a real page turner. The writing is fast paced. Even though the majority of Part One takes place in the front seat of a car you are still anxious to learn more about what happened 13 years ago and more importantly what is going to happen now in this car. The ending of Part One leaves the reader with a real pay off. You have to read on.

Celia's teenage son, Henry, is another important character throughout. In the earlier pages of the book Henry is seen through Celia's eyes to the reader but as we progress further our own impression of Henry develops. Lauren North adds another layer of nuance with Henry's small acts of independence as he gets ready to go to college.

Celia tries to protect Henry from telling her the details of her car crash and the dangerous man she was with. She will do anything to keep Henry safe.

Lauren North's latest book will keep you guessing until the very end. Be warned that this is a book that is difficult to put down. The characters are well written. The book's pacing is superb and the pays off are worth it.
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This is the first Lauren North book I have read and I will be digging into her catalogue immediately

Run to your local bookstore and get your copy.

Thanks to NetGalley for the Arc of this book.

The book’s premise, cover, and title all drew me to it and made me excited to get to it. Unfortunately, the start of the book did not make me care enough to keep reading past the fourth chapter. I don’t think this means that it’s a bad book per se, but this is for sure not what I expected and it fell flat for me. I think it could still be a good read if someone is willing to give it a try!

Thank you to Lauren North and @bookouture for letting me read and review this advanced copy. Wow!! What a ride this book is! I managed to feel sympathy for each character at some point during the story and there were some twists and turns that made me literally gasp out loud! Explosive reading which makes you constantly question everything you’ve already know about the characters. Short fast paced chapters which kept the action snappy.

This was a fascinating psychological thriller! From the very beginning, I was suspicious and hooked. What I really enjoyed about this book was that there were multiple twists. You never knew who to trust and who was telling the truth! Highly recommend!

This was a fun read! It kept me entertained and interested throughout the entire book. There was an unreliable narrator aspect to the book which I always enjoy, as well as aspects of each character that was likable and unlikeable. However, this book has a storyline that makes it a 3-star read for me rather than a 4-star read as I felt it was somewhat distracting to the plot. Overall a good read and I would recommend it to someone looking for something quick and enjoyable!

Solid thriller kept me entertained and engaged for the most part. I do feel like too many truth bombs were given early on, I was able to guess the truth really on. The multiple character perspective made the tension in the book really good. I do wish we were guessing the murder along with the police so I do feel like the suspense/ mystery part of the story was a little lackluster.
But it was a solid read overall just not my favorite.
I did like the complexity of the characters no one was truly good or evil. And I’m the end of you are trying to protect someone you love or get to them or their death bed are evil if you’re willing to stop at nothing to make that happen?

‘𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐦𝐞,’ 𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞. 𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐭. 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠. 𝐒𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞. 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐚 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐝. ‘𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡. 𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐨𝐫 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡.’

I've read many thrillers so far this year that feature overprotective mothers, but the plot of MY WORD AGAINST HIS was wholly original. Told in alternating points of view with dual timelines that all lead to a character's last day, just about every chapter is prefaced with Facebook messages. Who are they from, and what do they mean?

Cecilia, Lucie, and Sam are entangled in a fatal triangle that will have disastrous results, especially when a fourth person is added to the mix. Cecilia is a career advisor who takes lonely grade school aged Lucie under her wing. She not only gives her career advice but she also makes sure she is fed and offers her tips on how to wear her hair. Lucie feels fortunate to have encountered such a kind woman, but after spending time at Cecilia's home with her young son, she is shocked when Cecilia's husband Martin comes home early to find her there and leans in to whisper something in her ear. Lucie feels certain that Martin is abusive, but when he disappears just a few days later, she can't help but wonder about what he told her.

Thirteen years later Celia gets a call from Lucie out of the blue requesting a meeting. As she is on her way to meet Lucie, a boy named Sam jumps into her car, threatens her with a knife, and demands that she drives him to a city three hours away. Cecilia purposely wrecks the car in front of police officers, and they are shocked to find a body in the trunk.

Then things get really wild! I kept changing my opinion on the characters because something was revealed about them with each action. I never would have guessed in a million years where this story was headed. Excellent, twisty thriller that kept me engaged the entire time. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this early read. Publishes May 26, 2023.

I made the colossal mistake of starting this before bed. Don't do that. It immediately grabs you, sucks you in, and doesn't let go until the shocking ending. Which you will never guess. It's scream inducing. The characters are believable . The action is non stop. Lauren North just gets better all the time. This is a cat and mouse story done in a unique and highly satisfying way. Rounding up to 4.5 stars. Thank you Bookouture and NetGalley for an ARC.

Celia gets a call from someone from her past and knows she must do whatever she can to help, but then a man forces his way into her car and things take an unexpected turn... What will happen? Who is lying? Nobody is who they seem to be in this addictive and tense thriller. It was brilliant! Full of twists and turns, there were plenty of shocks! Loved it! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of the book in return for my honest feedback.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

A triangle of people, Celia, Sam, and Lucie. And one of them is lying.

This story was jaw dropping. There’s so many twists and turns you just don’t see coming. It’s a psychological thriller, read from different perspectives and various timelines. I’ve read many psychological thrillers but none like this. The characters were well written, some were perfectly awful. The plot was so clever, and really well thought out.
An excellent read, which I read in just a few hours.

Celia is in her car after receiving a call from someone she hasn't heard from in several years- someone who needs help. As she sits at some traffic lights she is car jacked and held at knifepoint. The man Sam, makes her drive to Leeds which is several hours away. Once there, the car crashes and Celia is injured. When the police arrive they find more than a man on the run. Years before hand Celia was working at a school and befriended one of the pupils Lucie, whom she felt needed some care and guidance. Lucie came to Celia’s house for dinner occasionally and babysat her son Henry. Celia always ushered her out of the house before her husband came home and there were clues in the house as to something not being quite right. The “ my word against his” is Sam’s version of events versus Celia’s. Who is telling the truth or can the liar get away with it?

OMG! This is one heck of a read. A slightly dark, sinister one at times where the reader is left to make their own judgement on things- such as the things in Celia’s house- a cleverly written ploy to add twists, skilfully done. I alternated from liking Celia and her looking after Lucie to feeling I had been deceived as to her real personality- or had I ? Again masterfully written. It's a read I wanted to race through, I couldn’t wait to find out what happened next. A magnificent read that kept me hooked and one I thoroughly enjoyed.

For more reviews please follow me on Twitter@nickisbookblog #blogtour

I was given this book by NetGalley for an honest review-
OMG what a book! And the ending- who could have guessed?
Thirteen years ago Lucie was a little girl struggling to fit in, her mama always gone, not much money to live. Then she meets a woman who invites her to lunch. She meets her little boy and so begins their relationship. Little things begin to bother her like the little boy has a bruise on his arm, there are locks in the cupboard, locks on the doors- and she doesn’t want her to meet her husband. And then the husband is gone and the boy has questions and Lucie disappears —- what is going on? Thirteen years later a text from Henry, the little boy — asking - where is my dad?
Should Lucie get involved ? And then— the startling conclusion!