Holy cow…this book sounded so good, and I was lucky to be invited on the book tour for it! I thought this was going to be a decent popcorn thriller. Turns out, I was wrong - it was actually an original and deep psychological thriller.

Rowan is our protagonist. She’s 42 years old, a former foster child turned career woman, and a stepmother. She’s married to fifty-year-old Theo, who works in the technology sector and has a seventeen-year-old daughter named Ellie from his first marriage. Ellie’s biological mother walked out on them soon after the birth, and was never seen again.

Ellie is a VERY bright girl, perhaps too smart for her own good. She is also very calculating, manipulative and angry - normal teenage girl angry, but also angry at her mother for leaving her, and angry she now has a stepmother who she can’t stand. This anger comes out in “pranks” she plays with her father’s invention: Vera.

Vera is like Alexa, but fully integrated into the home. It can make your house a smart home and more with just one program. Ellie has easily figured out how to hack into the system her father built, and has fun locking Rowan out of the house, turning on and off lights, playing music, etc. Rowan is worried; what if Ellie’s bad behavior intensifies? Then something happens that takes her worry to panic - she is pregnant, and she’s terrified of how Ellie will react to the news.

There is SO MUCH MORE to this story, but you’ll want to go into this not knowing much but the synopsis. Rowan is a slightly unreliable character, as her pregnancy (and her past) gives her severe insomnia and anxiety, but I thought all of the characters were written well, except for Theo - I wish we could have heard more of what was happening in his head, but that’s my only minor complaint about this book. Otherwise, it was fresh, unique and the ending was both shocking and heartwarming. 4.5 stars, rounded up!

(Thank you to Bookouture for the ARC and including me in this book tour. The Stepdaughter’s Lie is slated to be released on July 29, 2024.)

Teri Terry has successfully painted a complex psychological plot that gives the reader the emotionally and psychologically charged storyline with strong and well expressed characters. Closely connected thoughts about mystery, espionage, and family conflict make the show engaging and quite unique which will surely grab your attention. In my view, this book is very interesting and when you read it, you find yourself turning the pages wanting to know what is going to happen next.

Thank you to Bookouture, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

This book wasn't really my cup of tea. It was interesting, but not enough to truly hold my attention. I didn't dislike it, I just had a hard time connecting with it. I'm sure there will be other readers that love it, though! It just wasn't for me.

Damn!!! This was eerie, riveting and devious.

Rowan and her step daughter Ellie do not get along and as you read the chapters you realise how perspectives play a big role in relationships.
As Rowan gets pregnant she starts getting panic attacks, elevated insomnia and is getting reckless in her behaviour. Ellie doesn't make things easy for her and is always at the corner gaslighting.

As the story progresses, your perspectives about different characters start to change and you realise that some people are just rotten from the core.

I was able to guess the culprit but it's the way the story is written that you do not want to put the kindle away. That's a huge feat achieved by the author.

For such a stimulating plot, I give the book 5 stars.

I thank NetGalley and Bookouture for the E-Arc and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Absolutely amazing! This kept me hooked throughout. The writing is so easy to get lost in, the characters well written (and very hateable) and the tension is built perfectly!!! Towards the end I couldn't read fast enough to see it all coming the perfect conclusion and a nice wee happy ending aswell which I loved. I'd definitely recommend

The Stepdaughter’s Lie is the latest psychological thriller by Teri Terry that had me on the edge wondering how everything was going to get resolved.

Rowan who is married to Theo finds out she is pregnant. Her stepdaughter Ellie is less than thrilled, so much so that she decides she will mess with Rowan in hopes of ruining Rowan and Theo’s relationship and their baby.
Rowan has a past that she wants to keep secret, but with this pregnancy she is finding herself having nightmares of her past. Will her past and her current situation be too much for her?

The three of them live in a high tech smart house where everything inside is controlled by voice command or app. This gives Ellie an edge over Rowan because she has access to the control panel along with Theo. She can have the house deny her entrance or be locked in a room. These things only last momentarily and appear to be system failures that resolve but it starts affecting her mentally. She is also always finding herself extremely sleep deprived because of these “tricks”, and she starts to question her own sanity but never admitting anything is wrong besides being sleep deprived. This and her past start to haunt her questioning if she will even be able to care for a baby when she can’t care for herself.

I really liked Rowan and felt for her with everything going on and when she would try to be involved with her stepdaughter. It really felt like she was alone in everything. I found myself frustrated with Ellie. She just was not even giving her stepmom a chance. It was hard to like someone who continues to do mean things. She came across as a bratty entitled teenager. As we learn more of her past I found my opinion of her change. Theo is a workaholic and always away on business trips or working late. He came across as unlikeable. His concerns seemed fake since he seemed to never be there for Rowan.

Although there weren’t many surprises for me, I did predict how this book would end. That being said, I did really enjoy reading it. It was very easy to read in the POV of two characters….Rowan and Ellie. This book does touch on the subject of abandonment, religious extremism and abuse (Rowan’s past), and lies. This is an easy book to read as it just flows and makes you want to keep reading to see what will happen next. I also liked that the chapters are short, so if you’re someone who has limited time to read here and there throughout the day, you can easily pick up, pause, and start back again.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for sending this book for review consideration.
All opinions are my own.
Release date: July 29, 2024.

Think the cover for this book is great, really enticing
A really well written fast paced thriller
I was hooked from page one and the ending was an absolute belter.
Very highly recommended

Another new author for me but a great read about a married woman who finds out she is pregnant after years of trying. Turns out she is much further along than she imagined but as the baby starts to awaken things from her past that she has tried to hide and a step daughter seems to be hell bent on driving her out she starts to feel she is loosing her mind. As she struggles to keep awake during the day even her own husband is questioning if everything is ok and why has he been so off with her lately. As secrets from everyone’s past seem to be coming to the surface can she really trust anyone closest to her and is her biggest darkest secret about to come out and the world she has built herself about to disappear.

WOW, just wow!! It is hard for a book to live up to the thriller/mystery title and let me say this book did it. The characters were so well developed. I have actual emotions about each of them, disgust, love, sadness, anger, etc. just when I thought I had figured it out - I was wrong. Teri Terry hit it out of the park with this one.

“The Stepdaughter’s Lie” is a gripping psychological thriller that hits in all the right places. It follows a woman named Rowan with a hidden past who lives with her husband Theo and 17-year-old stepdaughter Ellie. They all live in a smart home developed by Theo himself. Ellie despises Rowan and the hatred grows when Rowan unexpectedly becomes pregnant. Ellie torments Rowen to the point she is convinced she has lost her mind. Sleepless nights, unfortunate “accidents”, forgetfulness, etc. has Rowan’s past caught up to her? Is Ellie really the tormentor after all? Has the smart home become a prison for everyone?

Initially I despised Ellie and her temper tantrums but throughout the book she began to grow on me to the point where my hear hurt for her too. The characters had so much depth to them and as each layer was pulled back you got to see how perfectly they were designed. Looks are always deceiving.

This book is so much more than the description. It explores religious group abuse, drugs, manipulation, grief, family drama, and gaslighting. Everything meld together seamlessly and the result is an expertly crafted psychological thriller. If you are looking for a book that will suck you in and keep you in suspense then this is for you.

*Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC. I will be definitely buying a hard copy when it is released!!

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange of an honest review.

I got into the story easily because you ask yourself from the beginning... who is Rowan and why does her stepdaughter hate her so much?

You can get through the book in just a few sittings and it is exciting the whole time.

The writing style was great and also really easy to read.

For anyone who needs something exciting, this book is the right one.

The cover def catches the eye and draws you in. Rowan finds out she is pregnant after she assumed it would never happen. She is constantly tired and appears to be losing her mind. She falls asleep on the train, while driving, in the bath rub. Her stepdaughter Ellie is livid that she is preg and uses the app to make VERA mess with her mind. Suddenly. things start happening. Rowan finds things, Ellie finds things. They start investigating what happened to Ellie's mom. Theo, Rowans' husband, is treating her not so nice, but her friend from work is always willing to help her. Secrets come out and Rowan must fight to protect herself and her baby. Good book; not amazing.

I like the cover. It's a simple design but that does not mean it is any less intriguing and attractive. A title with the word 'lie' in it, makes my brain run through a whole lot of scenarios immediately. Questions like why does she lie and what does she lies about and who does she lie to, ... I was ready to sit back, dive in and enjoy.

And enjoy it I did! I feasted on the way a person can and will use every trick in the book in order to achieve their goals, not caring one bit what this will do to their victim. One thing the culprits always seem to forget is that Miss Karma is never far away. She is lurking around the corner, waiting for the perfect time to strike and bring them down.. 

A great read that captivated me from the beginning until the end. There was nothing I did not like. The writing style was fluent, the characters were perfect and the premise was top notch.  5 stars

Thank you

It’s I was blown away by all the secrets and twists that kept coming… The ending completely blew me away. I raced through the pages as fast as I could a dark and tense read, of which the author had no problem pulling me into the story and keeping me there. There are some nice little twists that gives the reader bursts of adrenaline rushes as they take them in. Highly recommended

Oh this book was GOOD! So suspsenful and just all around good. It kept the reader on their toes and was wonderful. I loved the main character.

📖 The Stepdaughter's Lie
✍️ Teri Terry
🗓️ Jul 29 2024
📝 Bookouture

<b>Genre:</b>
Thriller , domestic drama

<b> Series or standalone: </b>
Standalone
<b> Tropes: </b>
✨ step daughter
✨ unexpected pregnancy
✨ family drama
✨ secret past

⚠️: domestic abuse, strict religious upbringing, talk about abortion , gaslighting

<b> POV </b>
First persons POV, multiple narrations, now and then

<b> 💭 Summary 💭</b>
Rowan thinks she has it all. A great husband, the job she worked so hard for. If only her stepdaughter wouldn’t make her life so much harder. When Rowan finds out she’s pregnant, things get even more uncomfortable. Is she losing her mind, or is it Ellie’s doing? Are things really as they seem to be?

<b> Cover: </b>
I like the red on the white. It’s a clean cover that screams thriller.

<b> Heroine: </b>
Rowan Blackwood (42)

<b> Side cast: </b>
Rowan’s husband Theo (50) and his daughter Ellie (17)
<b> Diverse cast of characters?: </b>
I like that the focus is on the family with only a few additional characters. You constantly get the feeling that not everything is alright and everyone is having secrets of their own.

<b> character development </b>
I liked the dual POV that we had for the first half of the book and how differently Rowan and Ellie see each other’s behaviour. The family dynamics are really interesting here and you definitely see some red flags along the way. At the halfway mark, that’s where things changed and my interest doubled. It was a solid read before, but it got so, so much more interesting. It hit one of my favourite tropes.

<b> Location: </b>
Richmond, UK 🇬🇧

<b> Fluency/Writing: </b>
This is my first novel by Teri Terry. I easily got into the story and was intrigued from the get go. I loved the dual narration, it was so interesting how mother and stepdaughter danced around each other and what they read into the conversations. Ellie was so deliciously annoying at first. When we hit the halfway mark, the tone of the book changed and I ate it up. I thought this to be a solid thriller, but then things started to happen that I did not necessarily see coming. I had my own theories and waited anxiously to see if I was right! Turns out that I wasn’t completely right, but I guessed some things!

Range of emotions: 🫣🤔😱
🌶️: 0/5
😱: 4/5
⭐️: 4/5

<b> Do I recommend: </b>
If you like a solid thriller, yes, definitely go for it! This surprised me positively! A very well done psychological thriller that I binge read in one day!

⭐️Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my advanced copy. All opinions are my own, I was under no obligation to review.

I said it before and I'll say it again, Teri Terry is one of my all-time favorite authors. I have read and reviewed her other psychological thriller, which I loved. This is her second psychological thriller, and it is even better than the first.

"The Stepdaughter's Lie" by Teri Terry is a gripping psychological thriller following Rowan, a woman with a troubled past and present. She is married to Theo and lives with him and his 17-year-old daughter Ellie in a smart house. Unfortunately, her stepdaughter hates her and makes her life miserable. The plot thickens when Rowan finds out she is pregnant, and she is plunged into a whirlpool of confusing emotions. She starts to suffer from fainting spells, insomnia, and nightmares, and something seems off with her husband. When her past catches up with her, things start to go south.

I loved the book! The story is told from the first-person points of view of Rowan and Ellie, alternating between the two. I liked Rowan and rooted for her. Her character is easily the most interesting in the book—her dilemmas, her nightmares, and her mindset are all dealt with superbly by the author. I didn't like that she let herself be convinced to quit her job and didn't stand up for herself more. I loved that Rowan volunteered at a dog rescue center and the connection she had with one of the dogs there.

Ellie, I didn't like at first—she was childish and blamed Rowan for all her troubles—but over time, she grew on me. I loved the role reversal (wicked stepdaughter instead of wicked stepmother) and the build-up of suspense. I connected with Rowan and found myself tensing up when things seemed to take an ominous turn. Theo was a different kettle of fish altogether and not very likable either (like father, like daughter?). The lack of open communication between him and Rowan worked against them.

The tale is intricately plotted and there is more to it than my summary. The book explores issues of grief, abuse, religious fanaticism, abandonment issues, lies, manipulation, and gaslighting. It also details problems that can arise from smart home systems. I said it before and I'll say it again: I don't have a smart home and certainly won't get such a system. Too many loopholes for my peace of mind.

This is a gripping psychological read with characters that reach out and grab you. With a seamless blend of suspense, intrigue, and family drama, Teri Terry spins an absorbing tale I couldn't stop reading. I recommend the book to anyone looking for a surprisingly refreshing thriller. If you are into psychological thrillers that make you think and feature a masterful buildup of suspense, this is definitely a book for you!

* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc. All opinions are my own.

Rowan has a past and secrets. Her husband does also. Her stepdaughter has secrets. Is anything the truth? The past meets the present and influences the future. Rowan is expecting a baby. This novel of intrigue has red herrings that trick the reader, at times. I guessed, early on, what happened to her husband's first wife. That being said, there were still so many avenues to follow...to guess what really happened and how. This talented author has written a page turner. I read to the end without stopping, except short breaks. Thanks Netgalley.

Loved this domestic thriller; it was a well-paced, easy read with great outrageous twists!! Can’t wait to read another by this author!
Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read this advanced copy. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Great book to read on a stormy night or at the beach. Quick summer read with plenty of action and suspense. Always be aware of step children especially if they are jealous.