Lucy Harper has a talent for invention…
She was nine years old when her brother vanished in the woods near home. As the only witness, Lucy’s story of that night became crucial to the police investigation. Thirty years on, her brother’s whereabouts are still unknown.
Now Lucy is a bestselling thriller writer. Her talent for invention has given her fame, fortune, and an army of adoring fans. But her husband, Dan, has started keeping secrets of his own, and a sudden change of scene forces Lucy to confront some dark, unwelcome memories. Then Dan goes missing and Lucy’s past and present begin to collide. Did she kill her husband? Would she remember if she did?
Finally, Lucy Harper is going to tell us the truth.
Cross her heart.
And hope to die.
Stunningly Good! 
Well, I really thought I knew where this one was heading; was I right? Not a hope . . .
Thirty years ago, Lucy and her brother left their beds and went to the nearby woods but only Lucy came back. Her brother has never been seen again. Now, Lucy is a best-selling author with a support system provided by her husband to allow her to create her best-selling thrillers which are very popular. Then Dan upsets the equilibrium by forcing Lucy into life changes that she hadn’t planned on and suddenly the past looms large . . .
With superb timing (aka sheer luck) I read this book during the summer solstice which was exactly when the original case occurred, and I think it made the whole story just that little bit creepier! Lucy had trouble deciding who she could trust – and so did I. Every time I thought I had a handle on things, there was a turn of events which had me casting suspicion in entirely the wrong direction and I somehow managed to continue in this vein the whole way through! It’s fair to say that I had absolutely no idea where it was heading and was wrong-footed so often that I began to doubt my own sanity, never mind that of the characters. This is an amazingly well-crafted novel by an author whose name on the cover was enough to attract me, and I was thrilled with the unpredictability of the story . My powers of perception have had a thorough work-out and, I fear, been left wanting. A stunningly good read – exciting, enigmatic and completely unfathomable for the most part – resulting in an altogether satisfying and rewarding read. There is no doubt in my mind that this is a sparkling 5* novel, worthy of my highest recommendation.
My thanks to the publisher for my copy via NetGalley; this is – as always – my honest, original and unbiased review.
Tags: crime thriller
- Format: ebook, paperback, hardcover, audiobook
- Size: 368 pages
- Publisher: Cornerstone
- Publication Date: 25 June 2020 UK (22 September 2020 US)
- Links: Goodreads
- Google Play
- Barnes & Noble
- Kobo
- Waterstones
- amazon
Author Bio
Gilly Macmillan is the internationally bestselling author of six novels including WHAT SHE KNEW, THE PERFECT GIRL, ODD CHILD OUT, I KNOW YOU KNOW and THE NANNY. TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH is coming in 2020.
A former art historian and photographer, Gilly studied at Bristol University and the Courtauld Institute of Art in London. She lives in Bristol, UK, with her husband and three children.
Her first novel, WHAT SHE KNEW, was a Target pick, a LibraryReads pick, an Indie Next pick, an Edgar award nominee, and an International Thriller Writers award finalist. THE NANNY is a Spring 2020 Richard & Judy WHSmith Book Club pick.
Gilly’s novels have appeared on the New York Times, Sunday Times, Globe & Mail and Der Spiegel bestseller lists and have been translated into over 20 languages. She’s been described as ‘one heck of a good writer’ (Wall Street Journal) and her novels have been praised as ‘nuanced, completely addictive’ (People), ‘riveting’ (Publishers Weekly), and ‘visceral, emotionally charged…heart-wrenchingly well told’ (The Daily Mail).
Social Media
Website: gillymacmillan
Twitter: @GillyMacmillan
Facebook: @gillymacmillanauthor
Grace J Reviewerlady 