The Liar’s Daughter

This book is very atmospheric. It had me on the edge of my seat wondering at each turn what would happen next. Though i didn't love how the flash back scenes felt somewhat thrown in at times, I did think getting to see them and not just being told them was great. I will say the ending was a bit of a let down given that it somewhat came out of nowhere. I still overall enjoyed this book.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

#TheLiar'sDaughter #NetGalley
The most claustrophobic, tense and dark psychological thriller of 2020.
Joe McKee, pillar of Derry community is suffering from terminal cancer. The doctors give up on him and tell that he has some days or months have to live. His step daughter calls everyone when he asked her to do the same and one by one everyone came there. His daughter, Clara with her mother Marie to whom he left for another woman named Natalie, Heidi's mother. His sister, Kathleen.
One morning he found dead in his bed. On the day of his funeral, police arrived and told that his death was not natural.
Its a clever whodunit. All the characters are creepy and compelling. Claire Allan has proved it again that she's the queen of psychological thrillers. It was her masterpiece so far.
Thanks to AvonBooksUK and Netgalley for providing me an advance copy of this awesome psychological thriller.

I've read all the crime thrillers released by this author so far and have thoroughly enjoyed them. With each new book, I say it is the best, but honestly, The Liar's Daughter has now taken its place at the top of the list. It's a masterpiece that I will be recommending to everyone.

The Liar's Daughter is a dark read that had me feeling so many different emotions from start to finish. Anger, disgust, terror, pity, and all the uncomfortable emotions that come with reading dark fiction. It also made me cry towards the end as everything came out in the open.

The writing is, as always, superb, and the characters are so well done. Heidi was brilliantly written and the research and compassion it took to write such a real-life character really stood out. Ciara is another amazingly well written character that I wanted to smack at times. Her nastiness felt so real.

Even the side characters, and Joe himself, made everything come alive on the pages and I found myself sucked into the storyline. Questions circulated in my brain as I tried, unsuccessfully might I add, to figure out who the killer was. I thought I had it, but then Ms Allan twisted things to an extreme I hadn't even thought of. Brilliant execution of the story that in the end made perfect sense.

On a whole, I applaud Ms Allan for taking such sensitive topics and presenting them in a compassionate way. Such topics are not easy to deal with and yet rather than presenting the reader with blow by blow accounts, she takes the reader on an emotional journey through the minds of the characters, showing rather than telling, and allowing the reader to truly feel the horror that is exposed. The mind frames of the characters, Heidi and Ciara, are realistic and this is what makes this book such a great read. It's true to life and as a reader, I connected fully with all the cast.

The Liar's Daughter is another 5 star read from Claire Allan and one that kept me up way past my bedtime as I had to know who the culprit was. It's a page-turner that tackles a dark and delicate subject matter, but does so with compassion, empathy, and an emotional understanding that only a talented writer can master. Ms Allan has proven, once again, that she has the talent and skill to tackle every subject matter and with The Liar's Daughter, she takes the reader to uncomfortable places, and back again, with the perfect emotional depth and conclusion. Fabulous read, and one I can't wait to add to my bookshelves.

This was an excellent novel that drew me in. The storyline was well developed and the characters were sympathetic and realistic.

I received an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review

This one was pretty twisty- some more obvious than others but still an enjoyable ride. You really do you fall in love with the main female character.s Solid four

Joe McKee is DEAD. But grief is the last thing his two daughters feel. Only *they* know - Joe is NOT a good man, as everyone seems to believe. And now there’s doubt that he might’ve been murdered...and Heidi and Ciara have the perfect motive for killing him.

Claire Allan is an expert at evoking emotions in readers. That is what made this book stand out. I’m not sure whether I’m now obsessed with or afraid of Claire’s storytelling as I stayed up late at night finishing this book in one sitting (which I never do), and therefore getting 3 to 4 hours of sleep.

So warning, this story (and its characters) at one point will mess with your head and make you heart thump until you find out how the story ends. And I have to admit...the identity of the perpetrator - wow, It was smart! There’s also a dark subject matter lying within these pages and it really gave the plot line more meaning and depth! Definitely looking forward to reading more of this author’s work.

I have to be honesty and say that although I enjoyed this and read it quickly, such is Claire’s excellent writing style, I felt it wasn’t as good as her previous two. It had great moments of tension and the prose flowed really well at times. However there were some disjointed elements. Claire is still one of my favourite authors however!

Wow what a rollercoaster thrill of a book very heartwarming story. Joe McKee was the monster hiding in plain view and how manipulative he was in using people to destroy each other. A heart wrenching read but very thrilling q. Great author great book

Wow ! A powerfully written , emotional book that is much more than your average thriller. Told from the viewpoint of the main characters , switching from present to past, it is compelling reading. I got very involved with the characters and couldn’t put the book down. At times it made for uncomfortable reading due to the past events but I had to know what happened. Highly recommended.

The Liars’ Daughter’ is another highly readable offering from Claire Allen, who has provided some top titles this year.

I found this novel to be her darkest yet, quite a slow paced read and more of a ‘whodunnit’ than the psychological fiction to date.

Heidi and Ciara are 2 women brought together during the terminal illness of their father/stepfather. The relationship between the 2 is fraught, with their history unfolding through the novel. Neither character I found myself warming to, but given the gritty nature of the book I’m sure that’s intentional. The subject matter is dark, with child abuse at the core, but I felt this was sensitivity and sympathetically handled by the author.

Many thanks to NetGalley, publisher and author for an advance copy in return for an honest review.

Tense wild ride of a read.A book that drew me right in.Strong well written characters at times a dark read, a book that kept me on the edge of my seat.An author I will be following,#netgalley#avonbooksuk

Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy of The Liar's Daughter, an exciting new psychological thriller by Claire Allan.

I've been wanting to read one of Claire's books for a while so I was so happy when this landed on my Kindle! Set in Derry, The Liar's Daughter follows the story of Joe, and his daughters Ciara and Heidi. Joe is dying from cancer, and as his daughters answer his every need, they are both hiding some very dark secrets of his.

The Liar's Daughter is a twisty tale of family, Irish traditions, love, betrayal and lies, covering some very dark topics indeed. I really enjoyed reading this, and struggled to put it down. I'll definitely be reading more by this author!

Having read Her Name Was Rose I was already a fan of Claire Allan. However, I didn't like this book as much as I hoped I would. Like is a strange word to use as it's the harrowing tale of Joe McKee, a paedophile, who was loved and admired in his community, except by his daughter and step-daughter who both hated him. When he is dying they are asked to come and look after him but neither of them are understandably keen. What makes this book stand out though is the relationship between the two women - they hate each other. Joe left his wife and daughter Ciara to be with Natalie who has a daughter Heidi. But Natalie dies soon after and Heidi has to stay with Joe, who doesn't seem to have to legally adopt her or even apply to the court. Heidi's natural grandparents feel they are too old and their house is too small to take Heidi. And that's the bit that really annoyed me. If she were my granddaughter, I would take her in no matter how small my house or how old I was. Heidi is not a toddler. They would manage. Instead they leave her with a man who has already left one family and terrifies Heidi. Most of the story revolves around Ciara and Heidi fighting which got a bit tiresome after a while. There a few other characters who get involved when Joe dies and a number of clever twists but for me it wasn't enough.
Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for a review.

After getting an ARC of this book I thought the name of the author sounded familiar. Turns out I have bought two of her books in recent months but just not gotten around to reading them yet. Now that I have read The Liar's Daughter and enjoyed it thoroughly I will move those other two books up on my to read list.

This was another psychological thriller, but with a heavier subject of abuse, more specifically child abuse. It is scary how kids are affected and damaged long after the act of abuse is no longer taking place. It's even worse when it comes from someone who is supposed to be taking care of them, a dad or father figure. The twisted way the victim's mind can work, swinging between thinking they deserved it and maybe this is the only way of showing love.

This story is about Joe who is dying and whose daughter and step daughter don't seem to care, or rather can't wait to see him go, yet are pulled to him and cannot stay away when he asks them to visit and care for him his last months. Joe ends up dead, but was it a natural death or was one of the family members present in the house on that day responsible in some way. Was it murder or a mercy killing and who did it and why?

The latest book from Claire Allan is another edge of your seat, can't put it down read. Told from the point of view of various different characters as the story unfolds, this book deals with child abuse and paedophilia. As the story progresses, we're left trying to guess what really happened in the past and who is to blame for the events of the present.
I have to admit that I did guess where this one was going. It didn't really matter though, although there are twists and turns in the plot and there is a mystery to be revealed, that isn't really the main driving theme of the book. Instead, this book is all about the way that abuse can shape who someone is and the far-reaching effects of it years later.
The Liar's Daughter is a gripping read. I managed to get through it in one day, not because it was short, but just because once I started I couldn't put it down. I'm becoming a big fan of Claire Allan's books and this one certainly measures up to the previous ones that I've read.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Over all was a good read. Twisty and family drama included. Wasn't I can't put down but kept me interested enough to see who and why.
Thanks to the publisher and net galley for an early release of this book.

I’m really excited to have been asked to be part of the blog tour for this book. The kindle version will be released on the 23rd January 2020. My blog will be published on the 8th of February 2020 at www.pinkanddizzy.com
I received a copy of the book in advance via NetGalley in return for an honest review as part of my blog.
I have read all of Claire Allan’s previous thrillers, and all have been different in their own way. This is no exception, even though it is quite a gradual progressive story, it still has enough intrigue to keep you wondering and reading to find out the outcome. The plot of the story is born from something quite simple, a man has discovered he is dying from cancer, and a few days later he is dead. This is only the basis, however, as there is so much more going on.
Joe has returned to the family home with a death sentence of only a few months. He knows he doesn’t have long and wants to spend the time with his family. However, do they want to spend time with him?
Heidi, his step-daughter, is downtrodden and defeated. There are so many skeletons in her closet that she is resigned to her life, but now that Joe is dying can she see an end to her suffering. Will she be able to move on with her husband Alex and her baby Lily and finally be happy? Ciara is Joe’s estranged daughter and has a long-standing grudge against Heidi for taking her dad’s affections away. She arrives with her partner Stella looking for an apology from Joe for the past. Kathleen, Joe’s sister, drops everything and travels from England to be by her brother’s bedside in his final hours.
These are the five main players, and when Joe’s death is suspicious, it can only be one of these five that gave him an early demise.
This is a true whodunit and psychological thriller. It reminded me a little of the game of Cluedo, as you know who the suspects are, it can’t be anyone else. They all have their motives; they all had their chance, but who was it and who is lying to us? The relationships between everyone are complicated and have a long and dark history. Heidi is portrayed as the typical psychological thriller protagonist whereby no-one will listen to what she has to say and everything happening around her points to her going mad.
Even though the main story is supposed to be about the death of Joe, there is a much deeper and sinister side to the story. Everyone is keeping secrets, but when they start to unfold, the reality of the situation and past events are both shocking and disturbing. The writer did a great job of dealing with this subject delicately and sympathetically.
Overall, this was an enjoyable and interesting read. It wasn’t entirely what I expected as it was certainly darker. It also progressed relatively slowly, but that didn’t mean I read it slowly. I had everyone pegged as the killer, and I honestly couldn’t call who it was, and I was shocked by the ending. It was all very well-developed and thought out. A solid four stars!

All of Claire Allen’s psychological thrillers have been absolute page turners, keeping me up way into the early hours to finish... The Liar’s Daughter was no different. This is dark and twisty look at a family with secrets and motives. I read this in 2 sittings and could not get enough. Although it deals with some tough subjects and is not always easy to read you will want to keep reading.

Joe McKee is dead. The pillar of his community. But his daughter Ciara and stepdaughter Heidi know differently. As the family reunite for the funeral Joe’s secrets are brewing and pushing them all to their limits. The girls know the real Joe and soon the police are knocking when the autopsy reveals it may not have been just the cancer that killed him. This book has an ending that you will not pick.

Thanks to Netgalley and Avon Books UK for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased

The Liar’s Daughter by Claire Allen is a taut, completely believable psychological thriller. It centres around the death of a man the community revered, but whose daughters despised him.

It’s an emotionally disturbing read with very sensitive themes that are all too real in our society. Mrs. Allen has written with clarity and compassion and the heartache in these pages is keenly felt. Redemption and forgiveness always comes with a price.

All the characters were well developed. Even the supporting characters added a depth to the story that wouldn’t have been felt otherwise. None of these people are very nice though, although that is hardly surprising.

The love and lies and family traditions kept the story interesting and although the ending wasn’t totally surprising, it felt satisfying.

A definite recommendation for psychological thriller fans!

#netgalley #theliarsdaughter #claireallen #avonbooks

I have read Clair Allan novels before and none have disappointed and neither did this one. As usual the author addresses issues which are usually hidden or skipped over but paedophilia is tackled head on with sensitivity and clarity.

Joe McKee is suffering from terminal cancer and is viewed as exceptional for taking care of Heidi, when her mother (who Joe was living with at the time) died even though he already had a wife and daughter. The situation brings together Heidi, Ciara (who is Joe’s daughter), Marie (Joe’s wife who he left) and Kathleen who is Joe’s sister to the house which has been left to Heidi by her dead mother although allowed Joe to live there while he was alive.

The complications of their relationships and the hatred from the past deceptions adds flavour to a traumatic storyline. This is a dark and sinister thriller which is written from different viewpoints switching between the present and the past. Clever plotting and the ability to ‘drip feed’ the information left me speechless at time.

Once again, a superb read from Claire Allan

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon Books UK and Claire Allan for my ARC in return for my honest review.

Superb read and highly recommended.

Joe McKee dies at his home and, although he was dying of cancer and close to death, the police were suspicious and murder was confirmed by the coroner. Five people were in the house at the time two of whom hated him because Joe was not a nice man, not a nice man at all.
This is a great whodunnit. I had my eye on one person who I thought had sneaked in and done the dirty deed but I was way off. The author weaves a crafty tale that leaves us guessing until the end. But this is more than just a mystery. This is also a dark family drama about child abuse. Ms Allan handled this so well - but even so it was uncomfortable reading - how could it not be.
Recommended.
Thanks to NetGalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review

When Joe McKee beloved husband, father, step-father, brother and much respected pillar of the community dies of natural causes arrangements start to be made for his burial but as the grieving process starts so does a criminal investigation. Perhaps things are not all that they seem? Shadows start to be cast on Joe’s life and the secrets he was trying to take to his grave, which make his daughter and step-daughter the most obvious suspects for killing him...

This is definitely a dark psychological thriller dealing with trauma and the breadth of feelings that come with such an experience. You really feel the characters pain, anger, guilt and hatred in this story from the beginning and get a real sense of darkness and the shadows that mar their life’s.

I got hooked into this book and couldn’t read it fast enough as I needed to get to the bottom of events. It does make for uncomfortable reading at times but I would highly recommend it.

Wow what a tough book to read. A dark twisted tale of secrets and lies. A well written heartbreaking thriller which was an excellent read.

The Liar's Daughter is a domestic noir which proved to be quite a dark read. Heidi is married with a small baby and is called upon to care for her stepfather, Joe, as he lays dying from cancer. Ciara is Joe's daughter who returns to visit him with her partner. When Joe dies suddenly the police investigate the family and tensions between the two women, already aroused, grow. There is no love lost between Heidi and Ciara but as the story progresses we learn they something in common besides their hatred of each other and Joe. It came as little surprise to me as to what this was and could be a trigger for some readers.

Although the setting is Derry in Ireland I felt it could have been anywhere and there was a lost opportunity to bring more Irishness into the narrative. Otherwise a solid 4* from me. With many thanks to NetGalley and Avon books for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I absolutely love this author's writing style and her creation of the characters in this book and the storytelling was excellent. The reader is taken to Derry in Ireland where we meet Joe who has been diagnosed with terminal cancer and his two (very different) daughters. They both seem to detest Joe, but why? When Joe dies, was it from natural causes? A fantastic thriller bursting full of family secrets and lies. An emotional but edge of your seat read! Thank you to NetGalley, Claire Allen and Avon Books UK.

Claire Allan continues to write compelling stories. This one is unfortunately a real take on real issues. The subject matter may be hard for some. The predictability of who done did not detract from the excellent story line. Believable and relatable characters. I love that the story was again set in Derry!

Joe McKee is dying, and he wants his family around him. Estranged daughter Ciara (and her partner Stella), de facto stepdaughter Heidi (and her husband and baby), and Joe’s sister Kathleen all converge on his Derry home, although none of them - except maybe Kathleen - really want to be there. Because Joe McKee, a fine upstanding pillar of the community, was a very different man behind closed doors.

Joe’s death is no great shock, but what is a surprise is the police ruling it suspicious. As the family start casting blame on each other, Heidi’s fragile mental health deteriorates and Ciara’s long held anger and bitterness start to get the better of her. It’s not surprising that things soon start to boil over.

Although there’s an element of mystery about Joe’s death, this is much more of a family/psychological drama than a thriller, with some dark themes. Heidi’s story, in particular, is heartbreakingly awful.

While the characters are in some ways well developed, I didn’t feel we learned much about the lives they have led away from Joe - the focus is very much on his house, which is where most of the action takes place, and his impact on the other characters.

Although it’s generally quite well written there are a few clunky moments (a “cold coolness” in her expression - really?).

I’ve had mixed feelings about Claire Allan’s books - I didn’t like Her Name Was Rose as much as many people seemed to, but thought Forget Me Not and Apple of My Eye were better. The Liar’s Daughter, despite the bandwagon-jumping title (why does everything have to have Lie, Lies or Liar in it? Enough!) is probably my favourite so far.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. First time I have read anything from this author but it won't be the last. A fantastic page turning thriller. Highly recommend.

This is a dark story describing twisted family relationships showing the effect of abusive behaviour on vulnerable family members.
Joe certainly is a horrific character, a seemingly devout family man and upstanding member of the Irish community, however, his treatment of his daughter Ciara and stepdaughter Heidi has damaged both of their lives. This is an excellently written character led novel which isn't so much a psychological thriller as a family drama/whodunnit. I did find it a bit unbelievable that Heidi's grandparents were unwilling to take over her care. Not my favourite book by this author but it is certainly a good read.

A deeply disturbing and emotional read. I couldn't put it down..
The plot was well thought out and the subject matter handled with sensitivity and care. It was definitely on the dark side, gritty realism at it's best. Possibly a little close to the bone for some readers.
The characters worked well within the plot and were very believable.
All in all a very good reas. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Wicked psychological thriller. Couldn’t put the book down. It was a dark read. Well written and flowed well. Top marks for the cover too

The ‘good’ man is very ill with cancer, and in his illness he is attended by his family - in good Irish fashion. He has cancer and has only months to live so they are gathered - his daughters, one by second marriage and one by the first are there to look after him. The husband and baby of the second daughter are there too as the baby is still being breast fed; and the sister arrives from England. All to say the last things they needed to him before...
But it is not a happy family.
In good traditional Irish family sagas there are dark secrets and they start to ooze out - and then he dies, and the police come calling and more emerge from the dark Irish boglands it seems. The text feels like you are wandering in a dark misty bog, where there is no solidity to your footsteps - the foreboding that there is something really wrong oozes from the book in a delightful fashion.
This is not a book to read if you want to be cheered up. This is a book that re-emphasised for me, the insidiousness of the way the Roman Catholic church offers forgiveness and sanctuary in return for a few prayers, no matter how heartfelt they are, your sins are forgiven if you only tell the priest in confession. Well I don’t believe that. It gives people too easy a way out of their deeds. And yes, our ‘good’ man had many sins to be forgiven and he thought becoming religious in his older age would help...
The style has the right quality for a book with this storyline and draws you in, and the characterisation is well done.

Strictly speaking, this novel is a “whodunnit” but it takes an unusual form. The deceased is not the victim: the suspects are his victims. Claire Allan has done a lot of research for this novel, but I believe it also draws on her journalistic experience of reporting what happens in secret in the real world -as it finally comes out, usually in court. So, in this novel, quite a lot has to happen before ANY of the characters admit what actually has happened, even when they are not to blame. They also spend a lot of time focusing anger and blame in the wrong directions -and this tallies very well with my own knowledge of what abuse victims do: not through any fault of theirs, but as a consequence of the manipulation they have invariably been subjected to. Manipulation leaves its own scars and since abuse almost never occurs without manipulation of the victim, investigators need to understand that even when the victims come forward and attempt to tell their story, their actual abuser may still be holding the reins and what comes out at first may be skewed to their advantage. This is not the same thing as fabrication -even though victims may have been prosecuted for perjury- and a wise investigator would persist awhile and try to untwist things rather than dismiss the whole story as false, if some bit of it does not ring true.

This book is at times confusing, because it is painting an accurate picture of victims not being able to communicate what has happened, even to each other. This book also paints a picture where the manipulation and emotional and psychological abuse that accompany sexual abuse do more lasting harm than the sexual abuse itself.

This is a very good book, but reading it is not a picnic and it is not as entertainment that I recommend it.

Two girls attend Joe”s funeral. His daughter and his step daughter. However, neither of them mourn this pillar of the community. What has happened to make them hate him so much.
Claire Allan has tackled a very difficult subject of Child abuse in a very emotive way. She lays bare the impact that it has on the emotions of those left in its wake. A clearly written book that kept me turning the pages.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.

A huge thanks to Avon and Claire Allan for the opportunity to read and review The Liars Daughter. I am an avid fan of Allan and she has delivered again with this new book. The book focuses on childhood abuse and the long lasting effects for years to come. Joe Mackay is dying and his two daughter are expected to rally round to provide care in his final weeks. What neither estranged sister know is that Joe abused both of the girls. When Hoe dies unexpectedly from unnatural causes the police must untangle this messed up family to find out what happened in Joe's last hours. This book will take you on an emotional rollercoaster.

I really enjoyed this book, a story of family and secrets and lies. Well drawn plot and characters, and I enjoyed the styling of the chapters being dedicated to one of the characters. This was my first novel by this author, and it certainly won’t be my last.

This is my last book of 2019 and my first book from Claire Allan but, it won’t be my last.
The Liars daughter is a dark psychological thriller about complicated relationships and child abuse. This is a very difficult subject and the author has written in it in a subtle way.
Joe Mckee is upstanding member of the community. But he is dying of Cancer. He is trying to get his family together for the inevitable. But his daughter and Stepdaughter are estranged. They can’t stand being in the same room as each other. So, when Joe dies, there is a sense of relief between them and they just want to sort the things out and sell the house. But when the police arrive, they discover that there is foul play. The girls are beside each other and the story continues regarding the girls and Joe who is not the pillar of the community that everyone thinks he is.
Although this is a difficult subject matter regarding abuse, mental health, paranoia. I thought this was brilliant. It was well written gripping thriller that I couldn’t put down. It showed shockingly how someone will keep secrets to the grave for someone they loved.
Thank you NetGalley and Avon for a copy of this book.

I could not put this down - if I didn't have to work, I would have finished it in one day. I liked how chapters were dedicated to each character and how the present & past were shown. I was shocked with the twists at the end - I didn't see those coming at all.

I'm honestly finding it difficult to review this. I have a lot of thoughts and feelings. Is the book well written? Yes. Is it engaging? Most definitely. I read it in a single sitting (stretching several hours). Did I find it enjoyable? Well... no. Enjoyable isn't the word for it, given the subject matter. In places, it's fair to say it was a difficult read. But, then, it was supposed to be; again, given the subject matter. I will say that I found the characters realistic and relatable, and I think Claire handled the hard themes in a sensitive manner. I would not have picked up such a book if it had been written by someone I didn't know, but I trusted Claire and have no hesitation in saying I will read her next book as well.

If you are wondering what to read in 2020, look no further than Claire Allan’s new thriller “The Liar’s Daughter. I was so caught up in the storyline, I read it all in one sitting. Right from the start she draws you in and you need to know how it will end. I felt the characters emotions and could imagine their pain and suffering. I definitely will be looking out for Claire’s next thriller as they never disappoint.

Having read all of Claire's previous books I was really eager to start reading The Liar's Daughter. This book is by far the stand out read of all of Claire's books and I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Joe McKee – pillar of the Derry community – has died. The community and close family begin to grieve that their beloved Joe has left them, however Joe’s daughter Ciara and step-daughter Heidi feel relief that he has finally left them in peace.
We see the lies that everyone has held close to their chest start to slowly unravel as the police investigate the nature of Joe's death. Mental health, troubled childhoods and complicated family dynamics are explored and as a reader you start to feel every inch of the tension and emotions that are woven through this suspenseful page-turner

Trigger warnings for self harm, mental health and sexual abuse.

Justice will be served!!

Another page turner from the brilliant talented Claire Allen!

The author handled the uncomfortable subject sensitively and with thought.

An emotional roller coaster of a ride with a twist at the end I didn't see coming a powerful read.

Having read some of this author's books and having enjoyed them quite abit, I was excited to have received an Advance Reader Copy of this novel from NetGalley. This book follows the life of Joe McKee, a seeming paragon of society. Joe is dying of cancer and summons his daughter, Ciara, and stepdaughter, Heidi, to his bedside in his last days.

Heidi, who was left under Joe's care when her mother died, and she has a marked ambivalence towards him. Ciara too resents him for abandoning her to take care of Heidi. As these two ladies are thrown together, their hostilitiy towards each other and towards Joe come to the surface, and old memories and secrets surface, begging the question - Just what did Joe McKee do in the past?

This book was an overall okay read. It touches on some dark topics, but the author handled them delicately. However, I didn't enjoy it as much as some of the author's previous books.

A well written and heart-wrenching story that kept me hooked till the end.
I liked the setting and the well written cast of characters.
It's the first story I read by this author and won't surely be the last.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

I love me some Claire Allan and have read a number of her books within the past year. So when this book came up as an ARC I was all over it like Donkey Kong. Thank you to Avon Books UK and Claire Allan for this ARC in return for an honest review.

Description 🔖

Relationships are strained within the McKee family. Sisters Heidi and Ciara do not get on for complicated reason, however there is one thing that they have in common; their feelings towards their father Joe. Joe McKee is seen as a pillar in the community and valued within the church. However Heidi and Ciara know the real Joe that exists behind closed doors. When Joe dies from cancer, secrets along with the police surface and it would appear that someone other than the cancer wanted to put an end to Joe Mckee.

General Thoughts 🤔

I’ll be completely honest, I got through about 20% of this book and thought that it just wasn’t living up to Claire Allan’s previous work. The storyline felt a little predictable and I felt like the story was running far too quickly. But I soon settled in and my opinion changed. There are a lot of complex emotions to pick through in this book and I was soon drawn into the lives of Heidi and Ciara and was struggling along with them.

The story covers a sensitive subject matter and I think Claire Allan has done a fabulous job of handling it with care.

Characters 👫👭👬

The characters were what ended up making this book for me. I had so many internal back and forth from beginning to end. I started off really empathising with Heidi and not being able to stand Ciara. I then switched. And switched again. And switched again. Ending up feeling ok with both of them.

Though Joe is so central to the story, he isn’t in the book an awful lot but you still get a sense of his character, his capabilities and the pure evil that ran through him. I always like it when an author can write a character that a reader can quite easily have so much hatred for.

Writing Style ✍🏽

As mentioned above, it was the characters that made this book for me. They are written so cleverly that I always felt like I was on the back foot and was never sure if I knew the real Heidi or the real Ciara. I never quite knew if I really did know their secrets and I think that’s such clever writing to make a reader so doubtful.

I also liked that the unravelling of all of the characters and the end of the story didn’t feel rushed. All bases were covered, all threads tied off. I like a nice, neat ending.

Conclusion & Scoring 🎖

I devoured this book within a few hours. Once I got over my very early hurdle, I was in deep and I couldn’t put it down. I can always trust in Claire Allan for a gripping read and this book 100% delivered.

The Liars Daughter is a tough book to read as it deals with child abuse. I think this is probably Claire Allans best book yet. Her writing seems to improve with each book. I enjoyed reading about the relationship between the two sisters, I thought it was the best part of the story.

Thanks to NetGalley for my copy.

Loved this! I had heard of this author but had not actually read any of her books before (although members of my online book club had raved about her previous work). I was not disappointed. I read this book in one sitting, which is a testament to how much I enjoyed it. I can't wait to now go back and read Claire Allan's back catalogue!

I loved my first experience with Claire Allan's psychological thrillers last year and I've been looking forward to read more of her work ever since... I was going to read her thriller debut Her Name Was Rose next, but of course I couldn't say no to reading her newest story The Liar's Daughter first when the opportunity arose. I admit I was sold as soon as I read the blurb and guessed there would probably be something dark and ominous about this psychological thriller.

The Liar's Daughter is by no means an easy read and incorporates difficult topics including child abuse, manipulation, cancer and mental health. Especially the first is trigger warning worthy, as it plays a big role in the story and can be hard to stomach in points... That said, I think that Claire Allan did an excellent job both describing and shining a light on the effects and consequences on the victims even years later. Shame, fear and manipulation often force victims to stay silent about their suffering and this story shows just how much it can destroy a life as well as affect those close to the persons involved. I do have to say that I wasn't a fan of any of the characters though and that includes Ciara and Heidi, who should be easy to feel sympathy for. Joe McKee is of course the true villian despite him being on his deathbed, and he definitely will not win your sympathy (quite the contrary!). Ciara's partner Stella is probably the most easy to like, although she doesn't really play a big role in the story as a whole.

Unlikeable characters aside, there is no doubt that The Liar's Daughter is a super engaging, quick and intriguing read. I literally started and finished it in less than a day! The prose is easy to read and you will find yourself flying through the pages as you want to discover if your guesses turn out to be right. I have to admit that I found the plot to be quite predictable and I guessed a lot of the plot twists really early on. It might just be that I've read too many thrillers in recent years, but it did put a minor damper on things... As a whole it was still a very entertaining read though.

The Liar's Daughter is one of those psychological thrillers you will find yourself reading in record speed despite a somewhat predictable plot. Some parts are quite uncomfortable, especially those related to child abuse and Joe's character in general, but the situation is well described and used to help shine a light on the problem instead of just looking for a way to 'spice up' the plot. If you are looking for a quick and engaging psychological thriller and don't mind some troubling moments and heavy elements, The Liar's Daughter is an excellent choice.

Love everything by Claire Allan, and her latest book did NOT disappoint. It is twisty, thrilling, compelling and will not let you put it down until the last page. Highly recommend for a great thriller!

Thank you to netgalley in exchange for this arc.

Heidi and Ciara are stepsisters. Ciara has a special kind of hate for Heidi. She is always bulling and tormenting her. Heidi has always been a quiet, introverted person. No w they are grown. Heidi is married with a baby girl of her own. Ciara is living with her partner Stella.
The only thing Ciara and Heidi have in common is Joe. Joe the stepfather that raised Heidi after the death if her mother. Joe the father that left Ciara and his wife for Heidi's mother. Such convoluted relationships breed hate and disdain amongst them all.
Joe has cancer, he is dying, he doesn't have long to live. As always Heidi is the one that has stuck by his side. She is the one caring for him. Not that she wants to, but due to a distorted sense of having to.
When Joe finally dies, to everyone's relief. The burial and wake should be small details.
The coroner's report states differently.
Joe was smothered. Which of the people there took the opportunity to finish a sick and twisted old man's life?
Great and surprising ending. How well do you know your friends and family?

*Thanks to NetGalley and Avon for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.* My favourite genre of books is domestic thriller. One of my favourite political/historical topics is Northern Ireland. As such, Claire Allan's recent thrillers, all set in Derry and surrounds are a match made in Heaven. I first came across Claire's work when I stumbled across 'Her Name Was Rose' in 2018 and have been a fan ever since. 'The Liar's Daughter' did not disappoint and provides the usual intrigue, suspense and complex relationships that we have come to expect from Claire. The book focusses on the death of Joe McKee, a supposed paragon of virtue and pillar of society and his daughter Ciara and step-daughter's responses to his death. Joe was an old man, but the police start to question whether his death was natural, or if it was hastened along by someone near and dear to him. The book is fast-paced and held my attention until the very end. I can't wait to read what Allan writes next.

Does anyone really deserve to die before their time? There apears to be suspicious circumstances regarding their father's death. With flashbacks we discover there is more than one person who may have wanted him dead - but who?
Must admit I didn't see the end coming.

Thanks to Netgalley for a digital copy of this book

A very powerful, emotive and evocative read

Joe is dying of cancer and wants his family to be around him for his final few weeks
His daughter Ciara and step daughter Heidi feel differently, they will be there BUT don’t want to be, how can they when Joe ruined their lives and relationship?

Joe feels settled that he has them there but he goes to meet his maker even quicker than expected, well he was dying after-all, it was to be expected, wasn’t it?

What follows is a ‘whodunit’ with recriminations, hurt, lies and anger on all sides with the truth being buried with Joe, but it cant stay like that forever

A moving story, set in Ireland, of a family coming to terms with ( although not wanting to ) a father, step father and brother’s evil past told, as always, brilliantly by this author, as said a very emotive and powerful read, it reads very personal from the characters and is haunting as it is unforgettable

10/10
5 Stars

This thriller is well written and researched. The main topic of pedophilia I found difficult to read about but it was dealt with in a very sensitive manner.

Joe McKee is dead. A fine upstanding man to the outside world but to those close to him especially his daughters he’s a monster. As the family who have been torn apart reunite for his funeral they are left shocked by the police investigation into Joes death. Could he have been murdered? Who if anyone is guilty?

The utter devastation and long lasting consequences of abuse is far reaching and this was apparent in this book. This wasn’t an easy read for me but nevertheless was fantastically written and showed understanding of the difficult subject .

Thank you to the publishers and netgalley for my chance to read this gripping read

This is not the first of Claire Allan’s books that I’ve read and it definitely won’t be the last !!

Joe McKee is dead. He had cancer and was given only weeks to live. His stepdaughter Heidi is taking on most of his care but then Ciara, Joe’s estranged daughter arrives. It soon becomes apparent that Heidi and Ciara do not get on but they do have one thing in common, they both despise Joe.

Joe suddenly dies and although his diagnosis was very poor suddenly the police are suspecting that Joe was murdered. Joe is a pillar of the community so who would want him dead and why ? Heidi and Ciara know only too well what Joe was really like but will others discover the truth about the pillar of their community.

This is a great book with such a harrowing storyline. You really feel for Heidi and Ciara and just wish that they would support each other rather than push each other away. I loved the characters and the style of the book, with the past and present been told in alternating chapters. We also get to see the story from both Heidi and Costa’s viewpoint. Definitely one to read !!

Thank you to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for a digital copy of this book.

Another well written and complex story by one of the greatest authors out there. A tragic story with an unexpected ending.

Joe McKee is dying. As the family start to gather past tensions spring to the surface. His biological daughter, Ciara, detests his step-daughter Heidi as she believes Heidi & her Mother took Joe away from her. Heidi on the other hand detests Ciara for the way she behaved towards her as a child. His sister Kathleen sees him as some kind of saint, whilst his ex-wife Marie (Ciara's Mother) is obviously still in love with him. The community love Joe Mckee, an upstanding pillar of the church, and mourn when he dies of natural causes......or does he?
I really enjoyed the tension within this book. Ciara & Heidi have a very toxic relationship which is centred around Joe & his behaviour when they were children. This tension is mentally crippling for them both & has serious effects on their partners Stella & Alex. When the police come sniffing around it is obvious that something has to give. I love the way that although Heidi hates Joe she slips back into the role of a dutiful step-daughter around him. How often do family get togethers become difficult because people slip into their childhood roles? Families getting together for weddings, funerals, Christmases etc are ripe grounds for old feelings and behaviours to spill over into the present. The author captured this brilliantly.
I really enjoyed this book. The plot was good and the suspense built up really well. I feel that this worked particularly well with the background of the Catholic church which added an extra dimension. A great plot with fantastic characters - a great read. I shall certainly be keeping an eye out for other books by this author.

I received a free copy of this book via Netgalley.

I’d like to thank Avon Books UK and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘The Liar’s Daughter’ by Claire Allan in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Joe McKee, a highly-regarded member of his Irish community, has terminal cancer and only has a short time to live. As the members of his family gather, his step-daughter Heidi who’s been left with most of his care and daughter Ciara feel only hatred for the man who was supposed to love and protect them but instead ruined their lives. Following Joe’s demise the police inform them that his death doesn't appear to be from natural causes and they question the family. Ciara and Heidi both have reasons for wishing Joe dead but did one of them prematurely put an end to his life?

‘The Liar’s Daughter’ is a thought-provoking and disturbing novel that encompasses subjects including child abuse, cancer and self-harm into a well-written and powerful family drama. The plot is intricately woven, the characters convincing although not all of them are likeable, and the tension intensifies with every twist and turn. The story becomes increasingly chilling until the conclusion when the guilty person is revealed and all is explained. This novel is compulsive reading, well-deserving of five stars, and definitely shouldn’t be missed.

⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2

Wow! A really good and emotional read!

"Pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death"

"I wanted to scream that I didn't deserve this. But it was like there was a tiny voice, or a chorus of voices, whispering that this is exactly what I did deserve. In fact, I deserved much, much more."

Joe is dying. His body is riddled with cancer. He has been giving 3 to 6 months. Heidi has to look after him but she can barely stand being in the same room as Joe. He is estranged from his daughter Ciara who reluctantly goes to see him before it's too late but she also hates him with a passion. Both these woman are damaged in so many ways. Then Joe dies but was it of natural causes or not? Will his death heal them in some way or will everything boil over?

This is a story that might upset sensitive readers. It tackles some really difficult and upsetting issues of abuse and the consequences of keeping quiet. At times its tough to read because although I cannot put myself in the shoes of these woman, I can feel the pain and loneliness and frustration. It also makes you think.... how well do you really know people close to you and how quickly do you judge people who act out without knowing the real reason for their behaviour.

A book I will definitely recommend to my customers and a story that will stay with me for a while.

Thank you to netgalley and AvonBooksUK for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

No one deserves to be taken before their time. Do they?

Joe McKee – pillar of the Derry community – is dead. As arrangements are made for the traditional Irish wake, friends and family are left reeling at how cancer could have taken this much-loved man so soon.

But grief is the last thing that Joe’s daughter Ciara and step-daughter Heidi feel. For they knew the real Joe – the man who was supposed to protect them and did anything but.

As the mourners gather, the police do too, with doubt being cast over whether Joe’s death was due to natural causes. Because the lies that Joe told won’t be taken to the grave after all – and the truth gives his daughters the best possible motive for killing him…

Claire Allan really knows how to pull her audience in and in her latest book, The Liars Daughter, she succeeds once again when she tells a tale about a man who isn't what people think he is, but because his daughter and stepdaughter have kept their secrets buried, Joe goes to his grave an honoured and much loved man, but every picture tells a story and all it needs is these two girls to reveal all.

The story is told mainly from Ciara and Heidi's perspectives and, as the story unfolds, you can see why they have issues with each other and with Joe, and I felt for both of them when their secrets emerged and could sympathise with them both if either one had killed him, but all is not as it seems and the ending took me by surprise. It's a very dark plot and a hard subject to write about but Claire Allan covered it perfectly, with emotion in all the right places. I thoroughly enjoyed this one and would definitely recommend.

I'd like to thank Avon Books and Netgalley for the approval, I will post my review on Goodreads now and on Amazon on publication day.

The Liar's Daughter by Claire Allan
As a fan of Claire Allans previous books I was looking forward to reading this book and I really enjoyed it. The story is told by Heidi and Ciara and between the past and the present. Joe is father to Ciara and stepdad to Heidi, and Joe has died, as the family prepare to bury him secrets start to emerge, then the police arrive, did someone kill Joe?
While reading the story of the family dynamics which were very well written it is almost easy to forget the police investigation as the story was so interesting. I flew through this book and enjoyed every page.

What a story!!!! I’ve read a few of this authors books but this has now become my favourite.

Joe McKee is a real nasty character. Behind closed doors is was nothing like what the community thought he was. He’s now dying and wants his family with him. When he dies the police are suspicious.

Not a subject that everyone wants to read about. The author wrote it in such a way it was hard to put the book down.

Brilliantly written dark, psychological read. Can’t wait to read more from this author.

With thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books for the ARC.

This is a dark, psychological thriller about an estranged extended family.
Joe McKee is a pillar of the Derry community, religious, friendly and always there to help.

His daughter and step daughter have an entirely different view of him.

When Joe is told he has months to live due to terminal cancer, his family come together to come up with a plan for his final months.

Within days, he is dead.
At first it seems like natural causes but the police soon announce that he was murdered.

Family tensions that have been bubbling away for decades all immediately come to the fore.
Accusations are made, fists are thrown and every slight and grudge is brought to the surface.

A brilliant whodunnit with tensions and dark secrets.

An excellent read.

Something tells me I will never stop enjoying stories about dysfunctional movies and hoo boy, is this a dysfunctional family.

Joe McKee is dying and he wants nothing more than having his family around him. His sister Kathleen, his daughter Ciara and Heidi, the daughter of a woman Joe used to live with. But Ciara and Heidi would much rather be as far away from Joe as possible. As much as Joe appears to be liked by the Derry community, Ciara and Heidi know the real man behind the mask. And then Joe dies but doubt is being cast over whether his death was due to natural causes. Or did someone help him on his way?

I must say, this was a bit of an uncomfortable read. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out what caused the tension in this household. I was constantly wondering what I would have done had I been in Heidi’s or Ciara’s shoes. Could I put my own life on hold to take care of a dying man who failed to protect me? Or would I simply walk away and leave him to his own devices?

This is not a fast-paced story but the slower pace really works here and I still ended up reading this book in one sitting. If there’s anything Claire Allan does well, it’s writing an addictive page-turner and The Liar’s Daughter is definitely that. Not only do we get this incredible insight into the psychological impact of the dark and disturbing secret Ciara and Heidi have been carrying around with them, but there’s also the mystery surrounding Joe’s death to solve. My attempts in trying to figure things out were constantly muddled by a cast of quite unlikeable characters. It could have been anyone, it could have been no-one. I just didn’t have a clue and was left guessing until the end, desperate to find out.

With tempers flaring and paranoia rearing its ugly head, the suspense and tension build up to an almost unbearable level. As I said, this is an uncomfortable story to read but it’s also immensely gripping and I flew through the pages as if my life depended on it. The Liar’s Daughter is a dark, powerful and twisty psychological thriller that will keep you glued to the pages.

Loved the writing style by this author. I felt emotionally connected to the characters . Had me guessing the whole way through. Full of secrets and lies. Loved it. The topic is a very sensitive topic so it was dealt in a very sensitive way.

Atmospheric, claustrophobic and intense... So cleverly compelling I had to rush through to find out what happened!

Claire Allan is a favourite author of mine so I was thrilled to be given the opportunity to read this talented author's latest novel, The Liar’s Daughter. This is my third book by this author, having previously read Her Name was Rose and Apple of my Eye both of which were outstanding five-star reads for me, and I was not disappointed. There was a lot for Claire Allan to live up to!

The Liar’s Daughter is a compulsive and digressive thriller that has been well put together, with malice, deviousness and deep-rooted secrecy at its core. It brings to life an incredible family account of mistrust, paranoia and suspicion. It is a book containing themes of paedophilia, child abuse and rape, and the reader is categorically and unequivocally made aware of how these affect the lives and relationships of various family members. It is also a divulgence of desperation, and all the different layers of hatred.

This book has many of the components that make a really good story: from the mood and undercurrents to the very clever writing and the experience of family secrets and incredibly tense relationships.

For myself, the one thing that made this a memorable read was Claire Allan’s ability to regularly send me off course. Set mostly in one house in Ireland, this is a dual narrative story that switches between the dark past of Joe, and his death in the present. Readers are also furnished with a story that moves between Ciara and Heidi’s perspectives. This added depth to the story, particularly as these women are so different in personality. Claire Allan managed to create so much suspicion and mistrust through her story-telling and there was an overpowering sense of menace that emanated from the pages of this addictive read which is brimming with mystery. Another of my favourite aspects of this novel was the fluidity of the writing. The details and twists of the plot were brilliantly executed and every chapter left me with a compelling need to read on.

The Liar’s Daughter is a supreme accomplishment, mixing general fiction with a chilling, sharp slice of thriller, culminating in an emotive and justifiable ending. I absolutely adored every chapter of this pacey novel and I would certainly recommend it.

With thanks to Avon Books and NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book.

I read this book in a single day. I absolutely could not tear myself away from it, so caught up was I in the intricacies of the relationships going on between the pages. I hadn’t expected this, as the subject matter of the book isn’t the easiest of topics to read about, but the author deals with it very sensitively and the plot itself was full of tension.

I have to say, the vast majority of the characters in this book are unsympathetic to say the least, save the main protagonist Heidi, who had me on side from the start, and her husband, Alex, who seemed to be the only genuinely sane and undamaged soul in the whole book. However, this antipathy towards almost everyone else paid off throughout the course of the novel as the mystery surrounding Joe’s death unfolds and we, the readers, leap from one character to the next in our pursuit of suspects.

The author does a magnificent job of unfurling the information piece by relevant piece to keep our perspective on the story changing from chapter to chapter and tweezing out the stress unbearably to the end of the book. Just when we think we know what is happening, there is another subtle twist in perspective and we have to rethink what is going on.

This book made for an uncomfortable but gripping read, dealing as it does with the worst in human nature and the lasting damage that does to everyone who comes into contact with it. The author is skilled at straining every nerve of the reader through the structure of the book and the prose and I defy anyone to be able to put this book down for long before needing to go back to it and end the tension. One for people who likes their thrillers with some bite.

This is an emotive and powerful read; since the first page you’ll be absorbed by this story and their characters. Ready to discover “The Liar’s Daughter”?
I was surprised from the beginning by this story, how it is possible that two daughters hate so much their father, Joe McKee, that after discovering that he is dying they don’t want to take care of him. This is much more than resentment, something much deeper and it has been setting for years… From the title of the book the reader can get a clue, but what kind of clue? Why so much hate?
The story is told between the two daughters, Heidi and Ciara, the daughter and the daughter-in-law, how they become a family and how are things now after they’ve discovered that their father is dying.
I really don’t want to make any spoilers, but the author has done an amazing job with the emotions and creating controversy in the readers mind. The characters and their problems felt real: realistic, painful and easy to understand. Making the reader to feel the emotions on their own skin, raw and without filters, a rollercoaster that will stay with you for a long time.
This is a book that any reader will love, be advised that you’ll not be able to put it down, once you start you’ll want to know the truth no matter what! Ready?

Unfortunately I was hoping to read this book before publication date, but life got in the way I have read the NetGalley reviews which make this book sound like a must read, so I’m hoping to get to it in The not to distant future, when I will update my review.

Oh this is a very disturbing and emotional book; I experienced a range of emotions whilst reading but mainly those in the anger and rage end of the spectrum. Claire Allan tackles a difficult subject head-on as we see first hand the long term effects of Joe McKee's terrible actions.

From the start, we are warned not to feel sorry for Joe as the reader is told in Joe's own voice that he deserves the death sentence he has been handed through his cancer diagnosis. He is released into the care of his step-daughter, Heidi, who clearly doesn't want anything to do with him but Joe's own daughter, Ciara, can't stand the sight of him either. It's not hard to work out why his two daughters hate him but what really got to me was reading about their past and the devastation that Joe left in his wake.

My heart went out to both Heidi and Ciara. Heidi for losing her mother at such a young age and being left with a virtual stranger to bring her up, and Ciara who idolised her father and was crushed when he left. It's no surprise that Ciara was jealous of Heidi when they were children as, in her mind, Heidi had replaced her in Joe's affections. Ciara's tormenting of Heidi was pretty despicable and I don't know how Heidi could even bear to be in the same room as her childhood bully; she's a better woman than I am, that's for sure.

Joe's death shouldn't come as a surprise but it would appear that someone in the house helped him on his way a little earlier than expected. As the police are called in and the family line up like characters on a Cluedo board, each of them with motive, it is for the reader to work out 'whodunnit'.

The Liar's Daughter is a disturbing portrayal of a family hiding the darkest of secrets. With heightened emotions they turn on each other before realising that they are stronger together, and only by sharing their pain can they ever find some kind of peace.

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

Hot off the press! The Liars Daughter by Claire Allan just came out and its a well-written story that is tough to take in parts, but all in all, an excellent read. Claire is an excellent writer and I’ve read several of her books and really enjoyed each one. She knows how to build suspense, create sympathetic characters and construct a storyline that keeps the tension tight and the pages turning.

Joe McKee – a pillar of the Derry community – is dead. As arrangements are made for the traditional Irish wake, friends and family are left reeling at how cancer could have taken this much-loved man so soon.

But grief is the last thing that Joe’s daughter Ciara and step-daughter Heidi feel. For they knew the real Joe – the man who was supposed to protect them and did anything but.

As the mourners gather, the police do too, with doubt being cast over whether Joe’s death was due to natural causes. Because the lies that Joe told won’t be taken to the grave after all – and the truth gives his daughters the best possible motive for killing him…

You will be caught up in this story from the first page until the last. Abuse is such a difficult subject and Clarie deals with it well.

Less than five dollars, what a deal! Go here to buy it for $3.99.

Joe McKee has recently been told that he has incurable cancer and roughly 3-6 months left to live. His step-daughter Heidi collects him from the hospital and takes him home. He might be frail but she is still afraid of the man who made her childhood a complete misery. She won’t allow him to touch her and she is wondering how you behave towards a person who is dying at yet you truly hate them.

Joe asks Heidi to call his daughter Ciara. She too doesn’t have any kind of relationship with her father and dislikes him also. Putting her own emotions to one side she visits him with her partner Stella. Ciara is too waiting for an apology that never comes just like Heidi.

Because of the hard work looking after Joe now he is mainly bedridden, Heidi asks her Aunt Kathleen to come over from England to help look after him. One afternoon with a house full of people Joe dies and is found by Heidi’s husband Alex. The undertakers remove his body and as the family is waiting for him to be returned, ready to be laid out before his funeral the police arrive.

They have reason to believe that it wasn’t cancer that killed Joe. There are marks on his body and it would seem like he has been asphyxiated, but who hated Joe the most that they were willing to commit murder rather than wait the 3-6 months for him to die naturally?

The Liar’s Daughter is a novel about family, past hurts, and hidden secrets. It is told from the points of view of Heidi and Ciara and a few from Joe and in two different timelines, Now and Then. For those of you who read my reviews you will know that multiple POV books are not really my go-to reads and adding in two different timelines I was expecting myself to give up on this book just partway through, but I stuck with it and actually read it in just two sittings.

From the detail in the synopsis I expected Joe to die earlier in the book than he did at 25% of the way through, but it was good to hear some chapters in his own words. He was a nasty man to his girls and yet the people outside of his house thought he was a lovely man and adored him. I’ve known a couple of people just like this so it was perfectly realistic to me.

The characters were well developed and the plot kept me guessing as to which person wanted Joe dead the most. The main setting of the book is Joe’s house and there are plenty of conversations between all of the characters which help you to analyse them if you are trying to work out the culprit.

The subjects covered in the book were done very sensitively and handled well. The Liar’s Daughter is the first book by author Claire Allan that I have read and her writing style, including short snappy chapters, kept this book moving along at a nice pace. I now look forward to reading more from her in the future.

I never doubt that when I receive a copy of author Claire Allan's book's, I know I am in for such a great read.
This book had me hooked completely from the very beginning.
I read this book feeling an undercurrent to the story. I knew it was so much bigger than what I was reading if I'm honest.
I really enjoyed her characters, the story line and the relationships each daughter had with their father and each other.
Death of a loved one gives us so much time to analyse, to assess and wonder could we have done something different.
When their father Joe dies under suspicious circumstances, everyone seems to have a reason to want him dead.
Everyone wants to blame the other which makes for a gripping read.
Thoroughly enjoyed this one

This is a hard-hitting, dark story of Joe, his daughter, Caira, and his stepdaughter, Heidi. Joe finds out he has cancer and not much time left. He wants to reconcile with his estranged daughter Caira. Heidi, his stepdaughter has become his main carer but she doesn’t like Joe any more than Caira does. Heidi and Caira haven’t got too good a relationship either. Perhaps unsurprisingly since Joe walked out on Caira and Marie, her mother and Joe’s wife, to live with Heidi’s mother. Moreover, when Heidi’s mum died, also of cancer, Joe stayed to raise Heidi. So why dislike him so much?

His sister, Kathleen, comes back from England to see Joe, Caira comes to see Joe, Heidi carries on and they all help with Joe.

Joe dies. They prepare for the funeral. The funeral directors are preparing the body but they find something of concern. The police are brought in. So did someone kill Joe? Apart from the Priest and the doctor only the family saw Joe. Why would someone kill a man dying from cancer?

As we read and find out about the various characters in the story we learn that, if Joe was killed, there are several candidates who could have done it. We understand why as we read devastating things from Heidi and Caira as they recall the past. How they were so badly damaged by Joe.

Claire Allan has written sensitively whilst unfolding a complicated story of experiences and dark, hidden secrets that are exposed as the characters remember what Joe did. The story builds to a tense confrontation between Caira and Heidi, revealing how their scarred lives have shaped their relationships with those closest to them and then a surprising admission is revealed. Can it really be true? When more devastating truths are exposed it leads to an appalling and deeply affecting conclusion.

A breathtaking and remarkable book from Claire Allan.

Thanks

Thanks to Sanjana Cunniah at Avon for the invitation to review The Liar’s Daughter by Claire Allan, join the BlogTour and providing an eCopy of The Liar’s Daughter via NetGalley.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for this ARC. Compellingly dark story that will keep you guessing til the very end.

This is a book I enjoyed. The premise was good, the plot better and the ending fabulous.

It portrays Joe who is the father of one daughter from his marriage and dad to another daughter of the women he moved in with.
We learn early on that he abused one of them. The trouble is, he needs her to look after him now that he’s on his death bed.

There’s a lot of consequences in this book while the author allows us to unravel the dynamics of this broken dysfunctional tainted family which I found engrossing.

It’s not perfect, there’s a flaw as it dipped my interest here or there but the story is too powerful for it to matter.

I have loved this authors previous work, so I’m always eager for her releases.

The Liar’s Daughter was a tense thriller dealing with sensitive subjects well.
Joe McKee is the pillar of the community, god knows how but he is, but unfortunately he has only a few months to live as cancer is killing him. His step daughter, Heidi, has made sure he is looked after calling in everyday to cook, clean and see to his basic needs but it’s getting too much for her and she’s contacted his sister and his daughter to come and help out and say their goodbyes but after only a couple of days of them all being there together, tensions are already running high due to past history between them all, Joe has taken a sudden turn for the worst and has died. The police are involved as there are marks on his body suggesting he was aided at the end, but who has done it and why?
This book dealt with a very sensitive subject well, it kept moving forward at a good pace and I enjoyed the fairly short chapters. The chapters were told from either daughter and were in the past or present, this was easy to follow and helped a great deal with getting to know why the characters were like they were.
I would like to thank Netgalley and Avon Books UK for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

There's a claustrophobic vibe to the story from the beginning. It impacts intensifies, as the plot reveals its secrets. The suspense builds steadily to a shattering conclusion, as all the dark secrets are revealed, but will justice prevail?

A dark story of abuse, and unforgivable betrayal of trust. Joe is dying and he wants his family with him, but why are they so reluctant to come? Why does he want them to? Is it to share what time he has left? Or to ensure their continued silence?

Heidi and Ciara are both emotionally damaged, they share a bond of hate, mostly directed at each other. As the story progresses they have more in common than they realise. Told from multi-points of view, in the past and the present day. Mostly from Heidi and Ciara's but also Joe, Alex and Kathleen's. The reader becomes immersed in their anger and pain. The setting is beautifully described and the culture and traditions add an extra layer of tension in an already fraught and intense environment.

The plot is not overly complex, what draws the reader into this story is their empathy and in some cases disgust for the characters, who are both authentic and relatable. I guessed the twist, but the sense of dramatic irony, of knowing something the characters in the story didn't, gave the story an added twist, rather than spoiling it.

The last chapters are both emotionally draining and satisfying. It's not a story you enjoy but is one that you can believe in.

I received a copy of this book from Avon Books UK via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

This is a multi-layered psychological story that is cleverly told. First, you feel sympathy for a character only to have the rug pulled from under your feet and then it's all turned on its head again. In fact, just about everyone has a motive in this book and just when you think you've worked it out, you find you are mistaken. It is only after Joe's death that the truth can emerge and it's a story of lies, cover-ups and grief. It's the story of a small, close-knit community and what goes on behind closed doors. Very clever but not pleasant reading as so many people are touched by the events in this story, a story that is all too closely reflected in real life.

Joe McKee lay dying. The last stage. He had a daughter and a step daughter. Ex wife, sister all around but the atmosphere was so dark, so heavy, so ominous that from the first page you knew that everything was awry.

For atmosphere you can give this book a hundred percent. For deep down anger and sadness and the inability to throw these feelings off was very hard to read about. I almost gave up mid way as the book made me angry and mad at family who were blind, and in the end not just blind but actually wicked.

Ciara and Heidi are the two girls involved and their story is told in alternate chapters. They detest each other, with and without reason. Despite being adults the feelings of animosity and hatred have not gone away. The story builds up to a crescendo between these two with plenty of emotion provided by secondary characters.

I want to start off by saying thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book, it was a very good read easy to follow along with storyline and characters. This was a new author for me but I very much enjoyed it, thank you for the opportunity and I look forward to reading more by this author again. I highly recommend this book to everybody.

I’ve really enjoyed Claire Allan’s previous books and she’s one of those authors whose books I want to read without knowing very much about them. I actually think, after reading The Liar’s Daughter, that she’s getting better with every book.

This is the story of two women: Heidi and Ciara. Ciara is Joe McKee’s daughter and Heidi is his stepdaughter. As Joe lays dying each woman feels compelled to return to help care for him, despite the fact that there is no love lost between any of them at all. I had a really good idea about why this was, and I wasn’t wrong, but the unfolding of this dark tale of twisted relationships still moved me emotionally.

It’s not an easy book to read because of the subject matter, and I imagine it wasn’t an easy book to write too, but Allan has done a brilliant job at portraying not only what the women have been through but also the knock-on effects of it, of how they both felt alone and how they dealt with their inner demons.

Joe’s death wasn’t a natural one in the end and part of the story concentrates on what happened to him. However, the larger part focuses on how those around him dealt with his life and his death. It’s such a sad story to read and I found it absolutely compelling from beginning to end.

With the exception of the odd flashback scene, almost all the action takes place in Joe’s house as his family gather before his death and then deal with the aftermath. This makes for a quite claustrophobic setting, and given that there are only a few people there, almost a locked room mystery as to the nature of his death.

The Liar’s Daughter is a powerful and absorbing story and a triumph for the author.

Claire Allan is back with a sensational new thriller that is sure to chill readers to the bone and keep them reading all through the night: The Liar’s Daughter.

Joe McKee was a pillar of the Derry community. Loved, respected and admired by everyone in town, the news that he was terminally ill had shocked and saddened every single person who knew him and when he had succumbed to his illness, his friends and family were deeply saddened that cancer had taken this much-loved man so prematurely. The entire community is reeling from this tragic loss and everyone is grieving and mourning a man who had done so much for Derry. However, there are two people who are not the slightest bit sorry that Joe is dead. Two people who know the real Joe McKee and who lived with the dark demons that consumed and overwhelmed him: his daughter Ciara and stepdaughter Heidi. Joe was meant to love and protect his children, but Ciara and Heidi had to endure untold horrors at the hands of a man who behind closed doors was worlds apart from the man revered by the entire Derry community.

As the mourners gather to celebrate his life and mourn the loss of this great man, they are left gobsmacked by the shocking news that the police are treating Joe’s death as suspicious. Joe was a man whose life had been claimed by illness and it is preposterous that the police cannot see that, but as doubts start to be cast about his last few days, everyone in Derry starts wondering who was the real Joe McKee? What secrets has he taken with him to his grave? As the twisted and tangled web of lies and deceit begin to unravel, it soon transpires that Ciara and Heidi might have just had the best possible reason for killing him…

Just what part did Ciara and Heidi pay in Joe’s demise? Did he die of natural causes? Or were the secrets of the past so sinister that murder was the only option?

Claire Allan is on top form once again with The Liar’s Daughter. A top-notch thriller that grabs a hold of readers from the very first page and keeps them on the edge of their seats throughout, The Liar’s Daughter has more twists and turns than a rollercoaster and plenty of shocking secrets and jaw-dropping revelations to keep the pages turning from dusk till dawn.

Terrifying, captivating and impossible to put down, The Liar’s Daughter is another winner from the fantastic Claire Allan.

I've pretty much read all of Claire Allan's books and I can safely say without any doubts that this author never disappoints she writes complete page turners and this for me was the best of them all! I read this in 2 sittings at break neck speed of was just so compelling i had to know how this would all unfold and it definitely gave me hard core Agatha Christie vibes it's just a sheer fast paced whodunit, perfection!

The story begins with the death of Joe Mckee, a man who appears to be a pillar of the community expect his daughter Ciara and step daughter Heidi seem not to sad about the fact that there father is dead and so begins the clever, fast paced page Turner that is often hard to read yet just as hard to put down story of a man who hides his evil well.

Heidi was just such a strong character i loved her fighting spirit although she appears not as strong as Ciara i felt like she was, she had dealt with so much at such a young age i just really felt for her the most she was so brave! I had an idea of whodunit all the way through and I was right in the end but it was such an excellent ending i won't forget this book for a long while.

Honestly this was just so well done, I was so angry at times reading this and at other points it totally made me cry, cannot rate this high enough.


I voluntary reviewed this book Thank you so much to the publishers who sent me a ecopy of this book via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Liar’s Daughter is a powerful, emotional thriller which has stayed with me long after reading.

I have to admit I wasn’t expecting this to be as much of an emotional read as it was. The author has written about a distressing subject with compassion without ever over dramatising things. Some of the scenes were really heartbreaking and very poignant which made them hard to read at times.

This was a bit if a slow build though there was enough mystery and intrigue to want me to keep reading. I was very glad I did as the pace soon picked up and the many twists kept me firmly gripped. I liked how the author kept me guessing until the end, where the huge twist had me gasping in shock which I always love!

Huge thanks to Sanjana from Avon for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book. If you like gripping, haunting thrillers then you’ll love this book.

A very emotive and powerful story told as always, brilliantly by this author. Not a subject that everyone wants to read about but the author wrote it in such a way it was hard to put the book down.

The Liar’s Daughter is the kind of thriller that I absolutely love to read – and I did absolutely love this book! The first thing that pulled me in was the easy narration which was first person. You jumped between the two main characters but you could really tell that each was different and unique which is always good. On top of that, the words just hooked me straight in. The story pulled at my curiosity and had me itching to continue reading and find out what was happening.

I flew through this book in the end. I think it took me about two days to read in the end because I simply could not put the book down. This may not seem like much but I am the kind of person that often takes a week to finish a book because I get distracted or want to read a different book. So the fact that I didn’t is a good testament to how much this book was addictive and intense.

The atmosphere in the book was truly incredible. You could feel the tension between all of the characters. I was thrown off on who did it just once but my second guess was on the money – which may seem like a bad thing but it also added to the suspense while you watch the characters try and sort through everything that was happening.

If there are four people in the house when a murder occurs – who can you trust? This is essentially how this book played out and the lack of trust between the characters was so fascinating to read. I would highly recommend this book if you like claustrophobic type thrillers!

This book is about the very dark subject of child abuse. About grooming and shame and the impact it has on the victims even years later. How it infects with its poison.

It is about family dynamics and jealousy and also has a mystery running through its core. The characters are raw and written with such emotion you will feel pity, love and hate for them. Joe was such a monster I think I would have killed him myself if someone else hadn’t beaten me to it.

This is very much a character driven book with a slow pace rather than a fast paced thriller. But in this case that is a massive compliment as you are drawn into their lives and the writing is so exquisite I was sad when it had finished even though the ending was utterly perfect. For such a dark subject that is very rare.

I loved Claire’s book Her name was Rose but this is in a different league. She really knows how to capture families and all their quirks and foibles and draw them out until you are completely hooked in their stories. I know abuse is a subject many readers try to avoid but this has been written in such a delicate manner with tender loving care that I hope they just give it a try.

This is such a compelling book.

Everything in this book contributes to the chilling plot. There is an atmosphere in the house, you can just feel that it is a house of secrets and unhappiness. Even the season, with its dark and cold weather, storms and rain, creates the ideal setting for the events that take place. It’s a dark and disturbing plot, and the scene is perfectly set for this.

The pace is a real slow burner, building the tension all the while. It makes for page-turning stuff.

The story is told from several points of view, but predominately from Heidi and Ciara’s. I didn’t particularly like Ciara at the start, but as I got to know her, I began to understand her. The timeline switches from past to present, giving us hints as to what happened.

I’ve often heard of jaw dropping plot twists, but this one genuinely did make my jaw drop! I thought I had it all figured out, but I hadn’t.

A superbly written, dark and compelling novel. This is a book that pulls you in and doesn’t let go, even beyond the last page. So good.

The Liar’s Daughter is a novel about family lies and terrible secrets that I found incredibly compelling. I really don’t want to give anything away but the big issue was relatively easy to guess from the beginning, however the twists and turns kept the suspense high. The characters in this story are all very different and each have their own motive for wanting Joe dead. This gives the story an almost Agatha Christie feel to it, with a closed cast of characters in the middle of the ‘whodunnit’

The story is told mainly from the viewpoints of Ciara and Heidi, both in the present day and when growing up. We also hear from Joe at the beginning which gives an additional element to the story. This is quite a dark and emotional story and deals with some hard issues, the murder of Joe is almost a secondary story. Therefore using the term enjoyable in a review doesn’t feel quite right, but I would recommend it. The issues are dealt with sensitively and the quality of the writing means that the story flows easily.

I’d never heard of the author before I decided to read this. What kind of rock have I been living under? Consider me better informed now. First off, I love that the book is set in Ireland. I love Ireland. Yeah, Derry! The Liar’s Daughter is structured differently than the usual thrillers I read. In a typical thriller (if there is such a thing), a body is found, police declare they were murdered and hunt the killer. This terrific book takes a slightly different approach. A man is dead, a man who’s been dying of cancer. His death isn’t a surprise. Until the police suspect foul play. This is when the story moves back and forth between the present and the memories of his daughter Ciara and step-daughter Heidi, gradually revealing what kind of man Joe was and the powerful motive to kill him. This structure worked really well and kept me hooked. I didn’t have a clue who really killed Joe and was on edge when this is finally revealed. The Liar’s Daughter is a terrific book.

This is a book full of secrets . I was gripped from the start. I have read Claire Allan's previous books and she just gets better and better. This is the best one so far. Highly recommended

I am a huge Claire Allan fan and have read all her previous books both thrillers and light reading, the Liar’s Daughter didn’t disappoint, it had me hooked from the first chapter. Thanks to Netgalley and Claire Allan for the privilege of reviewing this ARC.

Wow, what a book. If you have triggers about sexual abuse on minors, then you need to steer clear of this book, as it’s a prevalent part of the book. While this book was not very shocking, it was absolutely well written, dark, disturbing, chilling, and thrilling. I would not recommend if the themes mentioned above will bother you, but if you are not triggered by the subject I think you will find yourself immersed in this dark world Claire Allen built.
Will make sure to buzz it up on all the different platforms; while a tough subject, Allen did well in tackling it with respect!

Pillar of the community Joe McKee has cancer everyone is in shock.He wants his family around him but his daughter Ciara and step daughter Heidi feel as if they don't want to be there but decide too. Joe ruined their lives and their relationships
Joe died quicker than they thought was it natural or had somebody helped him along.
This book was very dark in places and everyone seemed to have secrets.
Another well written book by Clare Allen
Thanks NetGalley

The pace of this book left me frustrated. Although I was intrigued to find out what was going on, I did want more from it. I liked the way it jumped from past and present and each character and I did feel for them.
Thank you Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.