#ATBR2019 Review: One More Lie by Amy Lloyd @hanover_square @amylloydwrites @jessmapreviews
One More Lie
by Amy Lloyd
Publisher: Hanover Square Press
Publish Date: May 28, 2019
Paperback
336 Pages
Standalone
Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Suspense
A thrilling new novel of psychological suspense from the award-winning, internationally bestselling author of The Innocent Wife
Charlotte wants to start fresh. She wants to forget her past, forget prison and, most of all, forget Sean. But old habits die hard. Despite the ankle monitor she must wear as part of her parole agreement and frequent visits to her therapist, she soon finds herself sliding back toward the type of behavior that sent her to prison in the first place. The further down that path she goes, however, the closer she gets to the crime that put her in prison all those years ago. And that's the one memory she can't face. Until, one day, Sean tracks her down.
Amy Lloyd won theDaily Mail First Novel competition for her debut, The Innocent Wife. Now she returns with a chilling portrait of a woman trying to be good, even when she isn't sure she wants to be.
My Review:
With the intro before the main plot began, I was expecting something more regarding the new identity, cosmetic surgery party but this was never addressed throughout the read, which was a bit of a let down. However, I quickly managed to forget about this once I became engaged in Charlotte's story.
The POV goes back and forth from past to present and also through Sean's eyes at various moments. Charlotte's main line has her a bit of an unreliable narrator as she cannot remember the past to reconcile the present. It's a lonely existence and the only person she's close to is acting strangely and not there as she once was. What gives? How can she continue and is this really better than prison?
There were a couple things I felt were left a bit hanging, but overall I thoroughly was engaged and needing to know where this was going to head. At a moderate page and with short chapters, this was easy to fly through and I recommend this to anyone who likes a bit of somber feel to a psychological suspense story.
★★★★
Jessica's Review:
A snowy and rainy day in May (yes, you read that correctly, SNOW) was the perfect setting for a fast read through ONE MORE LIE. I started and finished this one in about 4 hours because I couldn’t put it down. This thriller/suspense is through the eyes of newly paroled Charlotte. She has a new name, a new history, and a new life she is trying to live. As long as Sean doesn’t find her, she should be able to carry on with her new persona.
We go back and forth between present day and to Charlotte’s past. Growing up wasn’t easy for her and she found her escape in her friendship with Sean. One night changed everything for them and led her to her new anonymous life after prison. We get alternating chapters between “Here: Now” and “Her: Then”. We also get some mixed in through Sean’s perspective in the present.
I don’t want to give away too much and risk spoiling anything, but this one was a fast read and was a great glimpse into the effects of strained and complicated relationships can have on children. Nothing seems to go right for Charlotte and Sean has also spiraled after his stint in prison – what really happened that night when they were kids?
Overall, I loved the writing and the pacing. The short chapters kept the pace up and held my attention. I liked the alternating chapters between past and present because it gradually revealed to us what Charlotte has been dealing with. This was my introduction to Amy Lloyd and it won’t be my last time picking up her books! If you want a quick and engaging read, then this needs to be on your TBR.
4 stars
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