This is an unputdownable read! I got really sucked into the story of Rowan, her husband, Theo and Theo’s daughter, Ellie. I did wonder though that if Rowan was running from her past, why on earth would she change her name to ‘Rowan’ - something not common and likely to stand out! Anyway, the story kept me reading and I didn’t quite guess the ending. Thank you to NetGalley for letting me read this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I really enjoyed this book especially with the twists that kept me hooked, great pace and tension throughout.

Title: The Stepdaughter's Lie
Author: Teri Terry
Genre: Thriller, Domestic Suspense
Story :- The Stepdaughter's Lie by Teri Terry is a gripping thriller that explores the intricate dynamics of a newly blended family, set against the backdrop of a smart house with a mind of its own. Rowan, a woman in her late thirties to early forties, has recently married Theo, a man in his fifties, who has a seventeen-year-old daughter, Ellie, from his previous marriage. As Rowan navigates her new role in the family, she finds herself in a tense and unsettling situation, unsure about the man she married and increasingly wary of his manipulative daughter. Rowan's life takes a drastic turn when she discovers she is pregnant. Her husband, Theo, is not excited about the news, and Ellie vehemently opposes the idea, seeing it as a threat to her position in the family. As tensions rise, Rowan begins to experience haunting reminders of her traumatic past, fueling her anxiety and fear.Ellie, the manipulative teen, exerts control over the household, using the advanced technology of the smart house to her advantage. The house, equipped with sophisticated features, becomes a tool for Ellie’s manipulation, adding a unique and intriguing layer to the story.As Rowan delves deeper into the family’s secrets, she uncovers disturbing truths about Theo’s first wife, Naomi, and the true nature of the people she is living with. The characters are multi-dimensional, each harboring their own secrets and motivations, making them all the more compelling and enigmatic.Rowan’s journey is one of survival and protection, as she seeks to shield herself and her unborn child from the dangers lurking within the house. The closer she gets to the truth, the more perilous her situation becomes, leading to a gripping and suspenseful narrative.
Likes and Dislikes :-
Likes :- 1 Character Development:
a) Rowan: A relatable and resilient protagonist, Rowan’s struggle to protect herself and her baby amidst the chaos is compelling. Her traumatic past adds depth to her character, making her journey all the more poignant.
b) Ellie: A complex and manipulative antagonist, Ellie’s control over the smart house and her sinister motives create a chilling dynamic. Her interactions with Rowan are tense and unpredictable.
c) Theo: Theo’s enigmatic nature and hidden secrets add an additional layer of suspense. His true intentions and past remain shrouded in mystery, keeping readers guessing.
2 It's intricate plotting style.
Dislikes :-
1 Some readers might find certain plot twists predictable or feel that the pacing slows in parts. However, these are minor issues that do not significantly detract from the overall enjoyment of the book.
My Rating:- 4.8/5

I love it when an author takes me on a good roller coaster ride read and Terry did just that.
Good thing I was buckled in tight because the plot knocked me around with all the curves and loop de loos!
Terry practiced deceptive writing because readers are led to believe certain things that are very far from the truth.
One thing is for sure, I’m glad I don’t have a smart house, creepy galore!!! It was like Hal from 2001 Space Odyssey.

The Stepdaughter's Lie by Teri Terry is an absolutely gripping and addictive psychological thriller that kept me turning the pages late into the night. Terry's masterful storytelling and chilling premise drew me in from the very first page, and I was completely enthralled by the twists and turns of this suspenseful tale.

Thank You NetGalley and Bookouture for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Author Teri Terry returns following The Patient with another twisty sizzler, THE STEPDAUGHTERS LIE — a woman gets caught up in an intense marriage with a manipulative stepdaughter and a smart house, an unexpected pregnancy, with gaslighting, questioning her own sanity in this riveting domestic suspense thriller full of lies, deceit, and plenty of dark secrets.

The plot is filled with unexpected twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

About...

Rowan, a woman in her late thirties/early forties, has recently married Theo, a man in his fifties. Theo has a teen daughter, Ellie (17), from his previous marriage. Rowan finds herself in a complex situation, unsure about the man she married, who often travels, leaving her alone with his manipulative daughter.

When she discovers she is pregnant, things go from bad to worse. She experiences horrors from her past so she is anxious and fearful. Theo is not excited and Ellie hates the idea, thinking she wants to push her out.

Ellie, the manipulative teen, controls everything, including the functions of the smart house. The house's advanced technology becomes a tool for Ellie's manipulation, adding a unique and intriguing element to the story.

This is only just the beginning of the problems.

What really happened to Elile's mom (Theo's first wife, Naomi) and who is the real monster in the house, Elle or Theo? The characters are multi-dimensional, each with their own secrets and motivations, making them all the more intriguing.

Rowan has a traumatic past, and she must protect herself and her baby from the monsters in this house. The emotional depth of the characters will draw you in and keep you invested in their journey.

Who is trying to kill her? Rowan has secrets, but so does Theo. Is she trapped? How will she escape? The closer she gets to the truth, the more danger she and her unborn child are in.

Something is sinister and very wrong. What is happening?

My thoughts...

Teri Terry wowed readers with The Patient and she delivers another twisty suspense thriller that will keep you glued to the pages and on the edge of your seat. Expect the unexpected. Trust no one.

Wickedly delicious and atmospheric, this story is about dark secrets, lies, and deception told from the POV of Ellie, Rowan, and Grace. Being locked inside by someone controlling and manipulating a smart house gives a locked room-claustrophobic vibe.

The author also explores highly charged topics of teen pregnancy, abortion, trauma, abuse, social workers, adoption, gaslighting, and murder with a perfect ending with helpful resources in the author's notes.

Smartly written, I highly recommend this author!

Recs...

This is for fans of the author's previous book, The Patient, and those of Daniel Hurst, Miranda Rijks, and Freida McFadden.

Thanks to Bookouture for a gifted digital advanced review copy via NetGalley for an honest review.

blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: July 29, 2024
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Great thriller! Pacing was solid, & the twist wasn’t exactly what I was expecting! I love a book that isn’t predictable!! Great story line for real life blended family dynamic.

𝑰𝒇 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒌𝒔 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒅𝒐 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝒂𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒊𝒕--𝒔𝒉𝒆'𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒂 𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒑𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒆.

I think with if this book had been structured differently, I would have enjoyed it more. Let me explain. It begins with a familiar story line...Theo has lost his wife and has raised his daughter Ellie on his own until Rowan entered the picture, becoming Theo's wife and Ellie's step-mother. I was anticipating the tension between Rowan and Ellie, but it quickly became over the top when elements of the smart house started taking center stage. There was also a serious issue that wasn't treated with the gravity I felt it deserved, and that's when I found my attention wandering.

I think this writer has talent, and I know that I would have enjoyed the story more if there hadn't been so much to wade through. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this early copy. At the time this review was written, this title was slated to release July 29, 2024.

First, I wanted to say that even if it’s surprising I actually really liked Ellie and reading from her POV.

This thriller was a page turner, I couldn’t put it down and I just wanted to figure out the truth. And I have to admit I had it all wrong. With its technology aspect this book has a slightly creepy setting, living in a house that knows and controls everything sounds kind of crazy!

I have mixed feelings about Rowan, she annoyed me at some points and I totally understand that it was because of everything that happened in her past so her present actions are understandable.

This was so well written and easy to read.

Thank you Teri Terry, Bookouture & NetGalley for an e-ARC copy.

#TheStepdaughtersLie #NetGalley

Rowan is surprised to find out she is pregnant. It is all her and husband Theo have wanted. One problem stands in the way, step daughter Ellie. Ellie has always caused trouble for Rowan, playing pranks and manipulating situations. Rowan is scared how Ellie will react to the pregnancy and how far Ellie will go to destroy it all.

Having read the authors previous novel, The Patient and enjoying it, I was keen to read this one. I also found the cover striking! After finishing I can say that this was another entertaining thriller with interesting characters. The author does a great job creating tension and paranoia and there is an eerie atmosphere as the novel builds up suspense.

Although there are some twists, I didn’t get any major surprises, however I enjoyed the way they were done and the drama surrounding them. The book takes a while to get going but by the end it is a fast paced, fun psychological thriller. I look forward to more by this author! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.

This was my first book by Teri Terry, It had an extremely gripping storyline but gutted that I guessed the twist very early on. 3/5

I stayed up an entire night after picking this up one evening and I was literally unable to tear myself away from it. I had to end to the end, I was desperate to find out what was going to happen.
It’s terrifyingly good and extremely gripping honestly my heart was pounding.
Superb storyline.
A book I will be recommending!

Rowan is married to her husband, Theo, who is often working and not home, and has a stepdaughter, Ellie. When Rowan finds out that she is pregnant, the news isn't exactly well received by everyone, especially Ellie, who believes that Rowan is trying to push her out of the family, and there issues with Theo start forming as well.

This book is multi-POV. Some chapters follow Rowan as she attempts to play the perfect wife for her husband, in front of their family and friends, while also trying to make things work when things just kept seeming to work against her, and things happen that she does not remember and she feels like she is going crazy. Other chapters follow Ellie as she expresses her feelings about Rowan, who she does not like, and is doing everything she can to show Rowan as a terrible step mother and wife. There are also chapters from Grace's POV, who is introduced later in the book, and gives more insight to the story.

I often found myself not enjoying Rowan's chapters, which unfortunately took up most of the book. I found her quite boring and one dimensional. At some point, it started to reference a possible story line to bring this book into "thriller" territory rather than just "my step daughter hates me"/"my step mother wants me gone" territory, which was a much needed plot change and I do wish it came sooner. Things don't start picking up until about halfway through the book.

The ending was great, even though it was a bit expected, but I'm glad about how things turned out in the end. I also enjoyed the technology aspect of this story. It's not something that I've seen in a thriller before, and it definitely added more to the story. I mean, who wouldn't be more interested in a story with a house that's basically automated through an app, voice recognition, or facial recognition, and can turn on or off lights, lock or unlock doors, or track your location or your phone's location.

Thank you to Teri Terry, Bookouture, and NetGalley for the eARC of this book. This is my honest opinion.

Rowan and her teenage stepdaughter can't stand each other. Both keep taking steps to escalate the conflict and it's hard to decide which of them is more awful. I found myself struggling to get through this one, although it picks up towards the end with a couple of extremely unlikely twists to the plot. Rowan's past was what interested me most and it was barely hinted at over the course of the book.

FIVE SOLID STARS! This book is a riveting page-turner. The characters are extremely well developed, and bring all sorts of tension elements: a surprise pregnancy, insomnia, gaslighting, panic attacks, stepdaughter conflict, and recklessness.

The main character, Rowan, becomes pregnant at 42, has issues sleeping at night and develops mommy brain. Rowan has a backstory about pregnancy that makes her constantly doubt herself, much as she tries to convince everyone she's OK. She is certain her tech saavy stepdaughter Ellie is using the house built-in technology (called "VERA") to mess with her, but can't convince her husband of this. If you love a psychological thriller, this is a must read.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC.

Absolutely cracking thriller, with twists along the way.
Things are not always as they seem as the main character in this book is about to find out.
If this is your chosen genre, then give this one a go.
You won't be disappointed.

I really enjoyed this book. I must admit it didn't grab me straight away but after the first chapter or so it really gripped me. I thought the storyline was very good but I kind of guessed what would happen! Overall a thoroughly enjoyable thriller.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this e-arc.

This book had me feeling a lot of different emotions. Mainly annoyance at Ellie, I know you hate your stepmom but sometimes she took things way way too far. I really enjoyed the book in general, but the ending was predictable.

I loved Teri Terry’s The Patient and this was another thrilling ride of a novel, exploring a toxic stepmother- step daughter - relationship. Packed with twists and turns, Also - I knew there was a reason why I don't use Alexa... The ending wasn’t what I’d expected at all… Make sure you have time set aside to binge read this one!

Rowan faces a dilemma when she finds out she's pregnant. She already has a contentious relationship with her stepdaughter, but now Ellie has even more reason to hate her. Because Ellie knows more than Rowan thinks. And Theo, her husband is no help, because he's never home, and when he is, Ellie is in his ear about how crazy her stepmom is. And who do you think he believes? Hormonal, sleep-deprived Rowan, or Ellie, the daughter he dotes on since her mother disappeared?

Added into the mix is the overarching technology - a house that can track your every move, lock or unlock doors through facial recognition, find your phone, or control the music. Sounds a little too realistic not to be scary, right?

I went back and forth between liking Rowan and feeling like she was manipulative which I believe was the author's intent! Ellie was a typical teenager and I loved her sense of humor even when she was misguided. This was a great thriller about blended families, reinvention, and the ways that technology can be used for evil ends.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture Books on Tour for an advance reader's copy.