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The Night She Lied
Every family has secrets. Would you kill to keep yours?
It’s midnight in the hospital when Jude ’s phone rings, interrupting her precious fifteen-minute break. When she sees it’s her seventy-year-old mother, Margaret , she braces herself for the usual complaints. But her blood runs cold at four words that will change everything... ‘Something terrible has happened.’
Margaret has been accused of an unspeakable crime committed twenty years ago. She insists she’s not guilty, and begs Jude to help her prove it. But as Jude is drawn into the dark secrets of her family’s past, she starts to question whether her mother is really as innocent as she claims to be.
Soon, Jude realises what happened twenty years ago is more entangled with her own life than she could ever have imagined. And as she stands face-to-face with her mother’s accuser, she knows the cost of protecting her family will be someone else’s life...
It’s midnight in the hospital when Jude ’s phone rings, interrupting her precious fifteen-minute break. When she sees it’s her seventy-year-old mother, Margaret , she braces herself for the usual complaints. But her blood runs cold at four words that will change everything... ‘Something terrible has happened.’
Margaret has been accused of an unspeakable crime committed twenty years ago. She insists she’s not guilty, and begs Jude to help her prove it. But as Jude is drawn into the dark secrets of her family’s past, she starts to question whether her mother is really as innocent as she claims to be.
Soon, Jude realises what happened twenty years ago is more entangled with her own life than she could ever have imagined. And as she stands face-to-face with her mother’s accuser, she knows the cost of protecting her family will be someone else’s life...
330 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 16, 2023
280 people are currently reading
536 people want to read
About the author
Lucy Dawson
26 books658 followersLucy studied Psychology at Warwick University before becoming a children’s magazine editor. Her first bestselling book – His Other Lover – was published in 2008. Since then she has published four other novels and her work has been translated into numerous other languages. She lives in Exeter with her husband and children. Lucy finds writing in the third person uncomfortable.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 148 reviews
December 29, 2023
EXCERPT: 'Mr Foreman,' says the clerk, barely audible above the noisy panic in my head, 'answer my question: yes or no. Have you reached a verdict in respect of the defendant upon which you are all agreed?'
'Yes.'
I swallow at the crescendo of shrill alarm. Guilty.
'On the count of murder . . .'
This is it. I start to breathe, deeply and quickly, in preparation for the moment of pain and shock that have finally arrived and are going to hurt. It's going to hurt. I close my eyes and brace for the verdict to slam into me. Guilty, guilty, guilty. I can smell it.
'STOP!' shouts a voice, and my eyes snap open.
What just happened?
ABOUT 'THE NIGHT SHE LIED': Every family has secrets. Would you kill to keep yours?
It’s midnight in the hospital when Jude ’s phone rings, interrupting her precious fifteen-minute break. When she sees it’s her seventy-year-old mother, Margaret , she braces herself for the usual complaints. But her blood runs cold at four words that will change everything... ‘Something terrible has happened.’
Margaret has been accused of an unspeakable crime committed twenty years ago. She insists she’s not guilty, and begs Jude to help her prove it. But as Jude is drawn into the dark secrets of her family’s past, she starts to question whether her mother is really as innocent as she claims to be.
Soon, Jude realises what happened twenty years ago is more entangled with her own life than she could ever have imagined. And as she stands face-to-face with her mother’s accuser, she knows the cost of protecting her family will be someone else’s life...
MY THOUGHTS: This is one complicated and totally f***ed up family, which means plenty of twists and turns in the plot.
Dawson has written a cast of complex characters. I was never quite sure just how stable Jude was, and therefore how reliable her narration, which only added to the thrill of the read.
The story is told over several different non-linear timelines by Jude in the first person, and other characters in the third person. This may sound confusing but it's not. I was quickly drawn into the story and remained enthralled almost until the end.
It is a dark and twisty tale. A tale of the monied and privileged upper class and their 'entitlements'. A tale of parental neglect and abuse. A tale of manipulation, cover ups and denial. A tale of mother/daughter relationships. I loved it.
It was the ending that left me feeling confused, bewildered and befuddled. I went back and read it again, and again, but it still made no more sense to me. This would have been a five-star rating, if not for the ending . . .
⭐⭐⭐⭐
#TheNightSheLied #NetGalley
THE AUTHOR: After reading psychology at Warwick University I edited a magazine for Oxford and Cambridge universities, then a national one for 6-12 year old girls called Star Girl. By then I’d realised I wanted to write, so I qualified as a personal trainer and pilates teacher, writing my first book between classes and clients. Thirteen years later and now living in Devon with my husband and two children, I still enjoy writing just as much as I did then.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Bookouture via NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of The Night She Lied by Lucy Dawson for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
'Yes.'
I swallow at the crescendo of shrill alarm. Guilty.
'On the count of murder . . .'
This is it. I start to breathe, deeply and quickly, in preparation for the moment of pain and shock that have finally arrived and are going to hurt. It's going to hurt. I close my eyes and brace for the verdict to slam into me. Guilty, guilty, guilty. I can smell it.
'STOP!' shouts a voice, and my eyes snap open.
What just happened?
ABOUT 'THE NIGHT SHE LIED': Every family has secrets. Would you kill to keep yours?
It’s midnight in the hospital when Jude ’s phone rings, interrupting her precious fifteen-minute break. When she sees it’s her seventy-year-old mother, Margaret , she braces herself for the usual complaints. But her blood runs cold at four words that will change everything... ‘Something terrible has happened.’
Margaret has been accused of an unspeakable crime committed twenty years ago. She insists she’s not guilty, and begs Jude to help her prove it. But as Jude is drawn into the dark secrets of her family’s past, she starts to question whether her mother is really as innocent as she claims to be.
Soon, Jude realises what happened twenty years ago is more entangled with her own life than she could ever have imagined. And as she stands face-to-face with her mother’s accuser, she knows the cost of protecting her family will be someone else’s life...
MY THOUGHTS: This is one complicated and totally f***ed up family, which means plenty of twists and turns in the plot.
Dawson has written a cast of complex characters. I was never quite sure just how stable Jude was, and therefore how reliable her narration, which only added to the thrill of the read.
The story is told over several different non-linear timelines by Jude in the first person, and other characters in the third person. This may sound confusing but it's not. I was quickly drawn into the story and remained enthralled almost until the end.
It is a dark and twisty tale. A tale of the monied and privileged upper class and their 'entitlements'. A tale of parental neglect and abuse. A tale of manipulation, cover ups and denial. A tale of mother/daughter relationships. I loved it.
It was the ending that left me feeling confused, bewildered and befuddled. I went back and read it again, and again, but it still made no more sense to me. This would have been a five-star rating, if not for the ending . . .
⭐⭐⭐⭐
#TheNightSheLied #NetGalley
THE AUTHOR: After reading psychology at Warwick University I edited a magazine for Oxford and Cambridge universities, then a national one for 6-12 year old girls called Star Girl. By then I’d realised I wanted to write, so I qualified as a personal trainer and pilates teacher, writing my first book between classes and clients. Thirteen years later and now living in Devon with my husband and two children, I still enjoy writing just as much as I did then.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Bookouture via NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of The Night She Lied by Lucy Dawson for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
November 24, 2023
NO LIES #1:
Lucy Dawson is one of my favorite authors.
NO LIES #2:
To say that "THE NIGHT SHE LIED" was a huge disappointment is an understatement.
WHY?
I dislike books showcasing explicit details about child abuse and the sexual exploitation of children.
At 70%, readers learn that child abuse and the sexual exploitation of children were two major elements of the book's plotline.
The publisher's blurb included a " Warning: Contains violence and graphic content" disclaimer that should have referenced child abuse and the sexual exploitation of children.
Another TW in this book was suicide.
NO LIES #3:
This 10-hour and 41-minute book could have easily been a 6-hour audiobook.
The book was very, very slow burn with rambling and convoluted text.
I listened to the audiobook read by Rachel Atkins.
Although Rachel Atkins did a superb job with the narration, the book would have benefited from multiple narrators.
1 star, rounded up.
December 19, 2023
Just now looking back on the other books I’ve read buy this author, I realise I haven’t loved them, and this should be a reminder to myself should I pick up another. I found this while perusing BorrowBox and it must have sprung out at me. It held my audio attention well enough, but I was not captured, nor did I like the characters. Possibly a cousin was a nice man, that in the end was a victim of one of the plot twists, which was a good herring I suppose.
Jude is a night shifter, who doesn’t sleep well regardless of her shift rota, and now is setting her body clock to be nocturnal. During a break from her roster as a registered nurse, her paths cross with Richard. This is a sinister story of abuse, lies and deception. Of wealth and privilege and the messy lives these people seem to get themselves into. Jude seems a nice enough woman, her mum is awful and she pretty much goes into night shifts to avoid this mother of hers.
Childhood sexual abuse is a theme, so this is a warning. The author chooses to shift to and fro in timelines, which isn’t an issue, but the unreliability of narrators given sleep deprivation and drug uses makes for some confusion. Jude’s mother seems to care in tiny ways, but the flip to callousness and depravity is sad. The lengths she would go to look after number one was very worrying.
Johnny, a childhood friend who seems to be there at every moment when Jude’s mother is facing the court over historical sex offences, then when Jude finds herself in a perilous legal situation all seems a bit neat.
I was admittedly confused but this is also a product of an audio read when I am not invested. It’s easy not to worry. I won’t look for this author anymore; I need to like some characters and it was all a bit bleak, causing me to lack investment.
I listened to this audio book via the BorrowBox platform and my public library.
Jude is a night shifter, who doesn’t sleep well regardless of her shift rota, and now is setting her body clock to be nocturnal. During a break from her roster as a registered nurse, her paths cross with Richard. This is a sinister story of abuse, lies and deception. Of wealth and privilege and the messy lives these people seem to get themselves into. Jude seems a nice enough woman, her mum is awful and she pretty much goes into night shifts to avoid this mother of hers.
Childhood sexual abuse is a theme, so this is a warning. The author chooses to shift to and fro in timelines, which isn’t an issue, but the unreliability of narrators given sleep deprivation and drug uses makes for some confusion. Jude’s mother seems to care in tiny ways, but the flip to callousness and depravity is sad. The lengths she would go to look after number one was very worrying.
Johnny, a childhood friend who seems to be there at every moment when Jude’s mother is facing the court over historical sex offences, then when Jude finds herself in a perilous legal situation all seems a bit neat.
I was admittedly confused but this is also a product of an audio read when I am not invested. It’s easy not to worry. I won’t look for this author anymore; I need to like some characters and it was all a bit bleak, causing me to lack investment.
I listened to this audio book via the BorrowBox platform and my public library.
November 5, 2023
It's midnight in the hospital when Jude's phone rings, interrupting her precious fifteen-minute break. When she sees it's her seventy-one-year-old mother, Margaret, she braces herself for the usual complaints. But her blood runs cold at four words that will change everything.... "Something terrible has happened." Margaret has been accused of an unspeakable crime committed twenty years ago. She insists she's not guilty, and begs Jude to help her prove it. But as Jude is drawn into the dark secrets of her family's past, she starts to question whether her mother is really as innocent as she claims to be.
I was quickly pulled into this story. It was hard to tell what was a lie. I quite liked Jude to begin with, but I couldn't stand her mother, Margaret. Margaret has been accused of a historical sex crime, but she denies that she had anything to do with it. The story has been descriptively written. The characters are a mix of likable and unlikable. Filled with twists and family secrets, it's also quite a dark read. I quite enjoyed the courtroom scenes. The story flips back and forth between the past and present day.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #Bookouture and the author #LucyDawson for my ARC of #TheNightSheLied in exchange for an honest review.
I was quickly pulled into this story. It was hard to tell what was a lie. I quite liked Jude to begin with, but I couldn't stand her mother, Margaret. Margaret has been accused of a historical sex crime, but she denies that she had anything to do with it. The story has been descriptively written. The characters are a mix of likable and unlikable. Filled with twists and family secrets, it's also quite a dark read. I quite enjoyed the courtroom scenes. The story flips back and forth between the past and present day.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #Bookouture and the author #LucyDawson for my ARC of #TheNightSheLied in exchange for an honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 16, 2023
Full of twists and turns, this book instantly pulls you in and doesn't let go. This is a great thriller with the plot lines revealed over time and will keep you guessing right until the end.
When Rik runs into Jude during her lunch break at work he immediately gave me the creeps. Jude was way too trusting of someone she had only just met. Jude's mom was a piece of work, wow what a nut job. I can't really say that I liked Jude that much either. I didn't know who to trust!
I look forward to reading more by Lucy.
Thank you NetGalley, Bookouture and Lucy Dawson for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
When Rik runs into Jude during her lunch break at work he immediately gave me the creeps. Jude was way too trusting of someone she had only just met. Jude's mom was a piece of work, wow what a nut job. I can't really say that I liked Jude that much either. I didn't know who to trust!
I look forward to reading more by Lucy.
Thank you NetGalley, Bookouture and Lucy Dawson for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 18, 2024
Jude, an A&E nurse, is supporting her 74 year old mother through a court case. Lady Margaret Fawkes is on trial for historic abuse charges. But how does Jude end up the one in the dock? And can she make the jury believe she’s not guilty?
This is dark. A really twisty psychological thriller. I really enjoyed the court proceedings at the end and the flitting between past and present. Oh my, there’s some really nasty characters in this book. Jude was a bit too naive for my liking, but I liked Johnnie and their relationship and also the twist with Yas.
This is dark. A really twisty psychological thriller. I really enjoyed the court proceedings at the end and the flitting between past and present. Oh my, there’s some really nasty characters in this book. Jude was a bit too naive for my liking, but I liked Johnnie and their relationship and also the twist with Yas.
November 1, 2023
Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for access to this arc in exchange for my honest review.
I really wanted to love this book, the prologue gripped me and I wanted to know what happened. I loved the start of the book. But then, it became a bit confusing, sometimes first person, sometimes 3rd person, different time frame. The twists were surprising to say the least. But the ending, I'm not even sure what happened. I read the end twice but still confused about that happened.
I really wanted to love this book, the prologue gripped me and I wanted to know what happened. I loved the start of the book. But then, it became a bit confusing, sometimes first person, sometimes 3rd person, different time frame. The twists were surprising to say the least. But the ending, I'm not even sure what happened. I read the end twice but still confused about that happened.
October 25, 2023
“This was not the tale of two people who were always destined to meet, finally finding each other by moonlight, rather the darkest stuff of nightmares”
Jude, an A&E nurse, is supporting her 74 year old mother through a court case. Lady Margaret Fawkes is on trial for historic abuse charges. But how does Jude end up the one in the dock? And can she make the jury believe she’s not guilty?
This is dark! A really twisty psychological thriller. I really enjoyed the court proceedings at the end and the flitting between past and present. Oh my, there’s some really nasty characters in this book! Jude was a bit too naive for my liking, but I liked Johnnie and their relationship and also the twist with Yas.
“It was a hot, late-summer night… but make no mistake, this was a very cold-blooded murder indeed”
Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for my advanced copy.
Jude, an A&E nurse, is supporting her 74 year old mother through a court case. Lady Margaret Fawkes is on trial for historic abuse charges. But how does Jude end up the one in the dock? And can she make the jury believe she’s not guilty?
This is dark! A really twisty psychological thriller. I really enjoyed the court proceedings at the end and the flitting between past and present. Oh my, there’s some really nasty characters in this book! Jude was a bit too naive for my liking, but I liked Johnnie and their relationship and also the twist with Yas.
“It was a hot, late-summer night… but make no mistake, this was a very cold-blooded murder indeed”
Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for my advanced copy.
Read
April 29, 2024Unfortunately, I just can’t get into this one. I’m almost halfway and it’s not grabbing my attention, too slow and none of the characters feel particularly real or intriguing. I no longer feel bad about abandoning a book I don’t like, so that’s what I’m going to do. Too many other books on my towering tbr!
February 19, 2024
This one really wasn't for me, which is a real pity because I have loved Lucy's work in the past. It just moved too slowly, I like a fast paced story, especially in the thriller genre. The characters weren't fleshed out enough.
I also felt that the ending was a bit confusing and I had to read other reviewers take on it to try and get some clarification.
I also felt that the ending was a bit confusing and I had to read other reviewers take on it to try and get some clarification.
January 15, 2024
The Night She Lied by Lucy Dawson is a psychological thriller.
First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Bookouture and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
My Synopsis: (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
Jude has decided to try working nights at the hospital where she works as a nurse. So far it's not going too well. Neither her body nor mind seems to be adapting.
She gets an anxious call from her mother Margaret that something terrible has happened, and then the call disconnects. As Jude is an hour away, she calls the police. Her mother is furious (as she often is these days), and denies the phone call. A few days later, Margaret is accused of a crime from 20 years ago. She insists on her innocence, but Jude is not so sure.
Meanwhile, it turns out that Jude knows the accuser, but decides to keep that information to herself. When she eventually tells her mother, things go from bad to worse, and Jude is now really unsure as to who to believe.
My Opinions:
Not fond of the characters. Margaret was a pretentious and arrogant bully. Her daughter Jude was an insecure and naive woman who has been trod upon by her mother her entire life. I really hate reading about domineering women almost as much as I hate to read about the gullible ones. Both set my teeth on edge.
I don't appreciate conflict in my own life, and I don't like reading about it either. This book was full of conflict. As well, I don't normally read "jury" books for the same reason. Needless to say, I must have missed all of this in the blurb when I chose to read this.
Basically the whole book was a family drama of lies, deceit, and people thinking they are better than everyone else. Topics also include sexual abuse and suicide. Not really my cup of tea.
On the other hand, the actual plot, twists, and writing were very well done. Although I really felt repulsed by most of the characters, I liked Johnnie and Timothy, so that helped.
Overall, the book was okay. So, although this one wasn't really for me, I feel others may love it.
For a more complete review of this book and others (including the reason I chose to read/review this book, as well as author information), please visit my blog: http://katlovesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
November 19, 2023
All families are complicated and full of secrets. Suddenly Jude is thrown deep into the darkest depth of her mothers.. her mither is arrested for a hirrific historic sex crimes and is begging Jude for help. The fuether she us pulled in the more line betwern truth and lies are blurrd.
The characters are well written and tge story is told in an nonlinear way. It draws tou on as you are pulled in different directions searching fir tge truth. Clever writing made me like hate and pitu the mum all at the same time. At times the story seems ott but thats what compelled me to carry on. Very complex characters and dealing with hofgic topics from a character perspective made thi a must read.
Right to the end i wasnt sure what the lie was and if there was more. It took a bit of time to fet going but this was to create understanding of the characters.
Thank you netgallery and publisher for a solid 4 star tead
The characters are well written and tge story is told in an nonlinear way. It draws tou on as you are pulled in different directions searching fir tge truth. Clever writing made me like hate and pitu the mum all at the same time. At times the story seems ott but thats what compelled me to carry on. Very complex characters and dealing with hofgic topics from a character perspective made thi a must read.
Right to the end i wasnt sure what the lie was and if there was more. It took a bit of time to fet going but this was to create understanding of the characters.
Thank you netgallery and publisher for a solid 4 star tead
November 28, 2023
Another great read from Lucy Dawson but did take me a little while to get into it and then I was hooked.
November 30, 2023
★★★ 3.5 stars
How far will she go to hide the truth...?
I'm not sure about the night she lied...depending on who you're talking about, they lie throughout the entire book it seems! Well, one character in particular anyway. I mean, every family have complex dynamics and hold their own secrets. But those that are facing Jude, threaten to turn her entire world on its axis.
Jude is an A&E nurse working the endless night shifts, at her behest, having lost of her partner a year before and suffering insomnia ever since. Becoming nocturnal is her way of coping. During the break of one of her shifts, she meets charasmatic Rik who is also nocturnal by choice and the two form a kind of understanding and, dare she say it, friendship. Until one night, she receives a troubling phone call from her mother prompting her to drop everything and race up to Berkshire. What awaits her is nothing short of a nightmare.
Lady Margaret Fawkes has been evicted from her lifelong home at Highcombe (Hall, Manor...I can't remember which - a big stately house at any rate), in which she had grown up as a child and spent her married life there alongside her newspaper mogul husband Benedict, at her father's and then her brother's discretion. Highcombe is entailed to pass down to the next male heir in the line and after the death of Lady Margaret's brother Anthony, the estate is then passed down to her nephew Timothy who has returned from his home in South Africa with his family to restore Highcombe and make it a working/running estate gaining income from functions and open days. Lady Margaret is appalled at the idea. But Lady Margaret has been evicted to a cottage on the estate, which is still a mansion by most people's standards...but not Lady Margaret.
When Jude arrives at Highcombe, it is to the devastating news that her mother Lady Margaret has been arrested and charged with historic sexual abuse. Jude is shocked. Her mother? This cannot be true. But there is an even bigger shock to come. And the hole that Lady Margaret pushes for Jude to dig herself just gets bigger and bigger...until she is left to flounder alone!
From the cliffhanger the prologue left us with as it then rewound a couple of years, readers know that something jawdropping is going to happen before the end. So it is expected. But is it what we expected? Or something else entirely? For me, it was a mixture of both while at the same time I didn't find it to be as earth shattering as I thought. Maybe because I knew it was coming? I don't know. At any rate, it does throw a different spin on things although right from the life-changing event happening, we knew what really happened but what everyone else got was lie after lie after lie. The shocker was Jude's cousin Timothy's testimony in court. That threw a whole new light on things. But did it change anything?
The characters are a complex bunch. I didn't really warm to Jude though I did sympathise with her. Rik, I wasn't too sure about as his appearance seemed a little too coincidental, but at first glance I liked him. But was he to be trusted? Johnnie was the poor hapless solicitor friend of the family who I found endearing. Timothy was caught in the middle of Lady Margaret's complex drama and then there was Lady Margaret herself. She was something else. A complex but completely horrible character. The way she treated everyone as if they were dirt on her shoe, the way she could take a character trait and turn it into a failing, especially when it came to her daughter, was appalling. She was a completely horrible character.
The story unfolds through the past and present, with a few flashback chapters to 1994 when the alleged abuse occurred. It is mostly told in Jude's first person narrative but also switches to the third person perspective of the cold and aloof Lady Margaret as well as detailing childhood scenes from 1994. It is quite a dark read and while it does feature child sexual abuse it is not graphic in nature and is only alluded to in part.
This is a hard book to rate. I enjoyed it for the most part but it's not one of Dawson's best. I'm not sure why. I was certainly engaged throughout though I did feel it dip a little and drag out some, but on the whole there was something missing. Maybe the characters being so unlikeable it was hard to connect with any of them though it was still an interesting read. I wanted to love this book but by the end, it did fall a little flat for me.
I would like to thank #LucyDawson, #Netgalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheNightSheLied in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
How far will she go to hide the truth...?
I'm not sure about the night she lied...depending on who you're talking about, they lie throughout the entire book it seems! Well, one character in particular anyway. I mean, every family have complex dynamics and hold their own secrets. But those that are facing Jude, threaten to turn her entire world on its axis.
Jude is an A&E nurse working the endless night shifts, at her behest, having lost of her partner a year before and suffering insomnia ever since. Becoming nocturnal is her way of coping. During the break of one of her shifts, she meets charasmatic Rik who is also nocturnal by choice and the two form a kind of understanding and, dare she say it, friendship. Until one night, she receives a troubling phone call from her mother prompting her to drop everything and race up to Berkshire. What awaits her is nothing short of a nightmare.
Lady Margaret Fawkes has been evicted from her lifelong home at Highcombe (Hall, Manor...I can't remember which - a big stately house at any rate), in which she had grown up as a child and spent her married life there alongside her newspaper mogul husband Benedict, at her father's and then her brother's discretion. Highcombe is entailed to pass down to the next male heir in the line and after the death of Lady Margaret's brother Anthony, the estate is then passed down to her nephew Timothy who has returned from his home in South Africa with his family to restore Highcombe and make it a working/running estate gaining income from functions and open days. Lady Margaret is appalled at the idea. But Lady Margaret has been evicted to a cottage on the estate, which is still a mansion by most people's standards...but not Lady Margaret.
When Jude arrives at Highcombe, it is to the devastating news that her mother Lady Margaret has been arrested and charged with historic sexual abuse. Jude is shocked. Her mother? This cannot be true. But there is an even bigger shock to come. And the hole that Lady Margaret pushes for Jude to dig herself just gets bigger and bigger...until she is left to flounder alone!
From the cliffhanger the prologue left us with as it then rewound a couple of years, readers know that something jawdropping is going to happen before the end. So it is expected. But is it what we expected? Or something else entirely? For me, it was a mixture of both while at the same time I didn't find it to be as earth shattering as I thought. Maybe because I knew it was coming? I don't know. At any rate, it does throw a different spin on things although right from the life-changing event happening, we knew what really happened but what everyone else got was lie after lie after lie. The shocker was Jude's cousin Timothy's testimony in court. That threw a whole new light on things. But did it change anything?
The characters are a complex bunch. I didn't really warm to Jude though I did sympathise with her. Rik, I wasn't too sure about as his appearance seemed a little too coincidental, but at first glance I liked him. But was he to be trusted? Johnnie was the poor hapless solicitor friend of the family who I found endearing. Timothy was caught in the middle of Lady Margaret's complex drama and then there was Lady Margaret herself. She was something else. A complex but completely horrible character. The way she treated everyone as if they were dirt on her shoe, the way she could take a character trait and turn it into a failing, especially when it came to her daughter, was appalling. She was a completely horrible character.
The story unfolds through the past and present, with a few flashback chapters to 1994 when the alleged abuse occurred. It is mostly told in Jude's first person narrative but also switches to the third person perspective of the cold and aloof Lady Margaret as well as detailing childhood scenes from 1994. It is quite a dark read and while it does feature child sexual abuse it is not graphic in nature and is only alluded to in part.
This is a hard book to rate. I enjoyed it for the most part but it's not one of Dawson's best. I'm not sure why. I was certainly engaged throughout though I did feel it dip a little and drag out some, but on the whole there was something missing. Maybe the characters being so unlikeable it was hard to connect with any of them though it was still an interesting read. I wanted to love this book but by the end, it did fall a little flat for me.
I would like to thank #LucyDawson, #Netgalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheNightSheLied in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
February 29, 2024
A bit to soon to leave a review for this book as I’m still very angry! Good twists and good pace, no complaints there but… cause there is always a but.. the characters are so well written that I totally love some, dislike others and could kill some myself!
This book is 5 ⭐️ plus!
Thank you to the author
This book is 5 ⭐️ plus!
Thank you to the author
November 2, 2023
Phew! I’ve done nothing today except read this book from start to finish. What I absolutely loved about it was the writing. Superb. At one point my partner asked me if I was enjoying the story. I answered that I was, but even if I wasn’t I would continue reading because the writing was so incredible. Brilliant descriptions of everything, and the court scenes were amazing. I really felt as if I was there.
Some of the characters in the book were loathsome, particularly Margaret and Benedict, but I very much warmed to Johnnie and Timothy. Not so sure about Jude. I had some empathy with her at the beginning but she made some stupid decisions, and would she really have put up with such a horrible mother?
The only reason I can’t quite give this 5 stars is that I am frustratingly left with lots of unanswered questions, all beginning with ‘Why did …?’. I can’t list them here because I don’t reveal the story to others in my short reviews, and I can never understand others who do. Why bother reading the book if you know what happens? Anyway, this was a fabulous read and it’s one that I’ll be reading again at some point to try and work out the answers to my questions! Highly recommended, and thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review. Fabulous!
Some of the characters in the book were loathsome, particularly Margaret and Benedict, but I very much warmed to Johnnie and Timothy. Not so sure about Jude. I had some empathy with her at the beginning but she made some stupid decisions, and would she really have put up with such a horrible mother?
The only reason I can’t quite give this 5 stars is that I am frustratingly left with lots of unanswered questions, all beginning with ‘Why did …?’. I can’t list them here because I don’t reveal the story to others in my short reviews, and I can never understand others who do. Why bother reading the book if you know what happens? Anyway, this was a fabulous read and it’s one that I’ll be reading again at some point to try and work out the answers to my questions! Highly recommended, and thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review. Fabulous!
April 2, 2024
I am so confused by the ending of this book.
Why did they come back with a not guilty verdict?
Why did Jude really not use that message? Is anyone really that noble?
What was on the third message? I thought they alluded to the murder being recorded as part of a voicemail?
It just ended so abruptly without so many unanswered questions.
Lady Margaret was an excellent character to hate, and I can understand how Jude was so dominated by her, but I still don't get the focus on why she was running at night because of safely etc etc? Maybe it's a big city thing?
So many unanswered questions. Blergh.
And I still don't get the verdict.
I reread it three times, but I'm still questioning if I've read it wrong. It makes no sense.
Why did they come back with a not guilty verdict?
Why did Jude really not use that message? Is anyone really that noble?
What was on the third message? I thought they alluded to the murder being recorded as part of a voicemail?
It just ended so abruptly without so many unanswered questions.
Lady Margaret was an excellent character to hate, and I can understand how Jude was so dominated by her, but I still don't get the focus on why she was running at night because of safely etc etc? Maybe it's a big city thing?
So many unanswered questions. Blergh.
And I still don't get the verdict.
I reread it three times, but I'm still questioning if I've read it wrong. It makes no sense.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 20, 2023
Ugh I loved to hate this book. I needed to get to the final outcome but let me tell you, I hated every character (except the dead guy and Johnnie).
Do not get me started on Margaret, because she was a terrible excuse of a mother. Then there is Jude who was just so spineless and allowed her disgusting mother to control every aspect of her life.
Hate for the main characters aside, I needed to keep coming back to this book to see what the truth actually was.
Do not get me started on Margaret, because she was a terrible excuse of a mother. Then there is Jude who was just so spineless and allowed her disgusting mother to control every aspect of her life.
Hate for the main characters aside, I needed to keep coming back to this book to see what the truth actually was.
November 22, 2023
The characters were either vile or incredibly dumb and the whole story made no sense.
November 3, 2023
Initially, I felt a connection with Jude as a character, and I liked the way she seemed to connect with the other characters. As I carried on reading though, I found I didn't really connect with any of the other characters, and the story in general didn't really hold my interest, even though the writing was good.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free copy to review.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free copy to review.
November 19, 2023
This is another decent offering from one of my favourite authors. It feels very different from Lucy's previous novels - a sure sign that it is a very original plot!
The story is that of Jude, a nurse, who working a nightshift on the anniversary of her ex-fiances untimely death, has a chance encounter with Rik, a man who routinely turns night into day! A tentative relationship follows, but abruptly ends when Rik drives Jude to her family home as Jude is informed that her mum has been arrested on historic sexual assault charges - yikes! Cue Risk swift departure!
The story plays out with Jude, Rik and Jude's mum all playing starring roles - there is a strong legal proceeding / judiciary angle to this novel. The ending is utterly on point and well worth waiting for!
The character development is a done exceptionally well - Jude's mother in particular, is necessarily a somewhat vile character, and this is portrayed with aplomb.
Alongside the present, there is a historic timeline, both are essential to the portrayal of this story, and both are equally well executed.
My thanks to NetGalley, author and publisher for the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an advance copy.
The story is that of Jude, a nurse, who working a nightshift on the anniversary of her ex-fiances untimely death, has a chance encounter with Rik, a man who routinely turns night into day! A tentative relationship follows, but abruptly ends when Rik drives Jude to her family home as Jude is informed that her mum has been arrested on historic sexual assault charges - yikes! Cue Risk swift departure!
The story plays out with Jude, Rik and Jude's mum all playing starring roles - there is a strong legal proceeding / judiciary angle to this novel. The ending is utterly on point and well worth waiting for!
The character development is a done exceptionally well - Jude's mother in particular, is necessarily a somewhat vile character, and this is portrayed with aplomb.
Alongside the present, there is a historic timeline, both are essential to the portrayal of this story, and both are equally well executed.
My thanks to NetGalley, author and publisher for the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an advance copy.
November 28, 2023
Always a Dawson fan I couldn’t wait to get into this one. Actually it does start a bit slow, but hang in there as it will pick up as the pieces fall into place.
This is a suspenseful domestic thriller that goes back and forth in time and is constructed quite well, keeping the reader engaged. The mother of our protagonist, is one of those selfish narcissistic characters you love to hate. The daughter Jude, our protagonist, I wanted to slap upside the head sometimes as she allows her manipulative mother to …well, manipulate her. Admittedly, I was engaged.
Secrets and twists keep you committed and wondering what the heck is going on as it keeps you flying through the second half. I liked this a lot but for me it left a few things dangling that I would have liked closure to, but no spoilers here. A solid 4-star read, imo.
My thanks to Net Galley and Bookouture for my review copy. Get yours today at your favorite retailer.
This is a suspenseful domestic thriller that goes back and forth in time and is constructed quite well, keeping the reader engaged. The mother of our protagonist, is one of those selfish narcissistic characters you love to hate. The daughter Jude, our protagonist, I wanted to slap upside the head sometimes as she allows her manipulative mother to …well, manipulate her. Admittedly, I was engaged.
Secrets and twists keep you committed and wondering what the heck is going on as it keeps you flying through the second half. I liked this a lot but for me it left a few things dangling that I would have liked closure to, but no spoilers here. A solid 4-star read, imo.
My thanks to Net Galley and Bookouture for my review copy. Get yours today at your favorite retailer.
November 10, 2023
Super interesting read!! This had great suspense throughout while weaving in the complexities of mother and daughter relationships among other family dynamics. Read in a day and a half.
November 5, 2023
This one left me a bit puzzled. Yes, I know the “verdict” but I’m not sure I know what “really” happened. I wish I had more clarity on the guilt or innocence of the main character. This moved a bit slowly for the first half of the book and then picked up a bit.
December 20, 2023
2.5 stars.
I listened to the audio version of this book and it just dragged on so much, it could have easily been a lot shorter. I couldn’t relate to the characters and I found Margaret to be absolutely vile. Sorry this book was not for me
I listened to the audio version of this book and it just dragged on so much, it could have easily been a lot shorter. I couldn’t relate to the characters and I found Margaret to be absolutely vile. Sorry this book was not for me
February 4, 2024
I loved this book. I was gripped from the very start. What starts off as a story of an exhausted nurse, quickly becomes a tangled tale of English socialites
Lady Margaret gets arrested for historical crimes. She’s in her 70’s and so unlikable that I loved her. She’s completely intolerant and is rude to everyone, especially daughter Jude
Meanwhile, Jude is struggling with hospital night shifts and grief over losing her partner
Over half way through we suddenly go back in time and the reveals and twists just floored me - it’s brutal, but explains so much about Margaret and her current situation with the law
I was truly gripped and so excited that my first 2024 read was so good… sadly the end didn’t live up to expectations
Although there was a resolution, it was abrupt and didn’t make sense. We’re also left with a lot of unanswered questions. After such a well written, layered plot, it makes no sense to me that the ending was so unresolved 😖
Lady Margaret gets arrested for historical crimes. She’s in her 70’s and so unlikable that I loved her. She’s completely intolerant and is rude to everyone, especially daughter Jude
Meanwhile, Jude is struggling with hospital night shifts and grief over losing her partner
Over half way through we suddenly go back in time and the reveals and twists just floored me - it’s brutal, but explains so much about Margaret and her current situation with the law
I was truly gripped and so excited that my first 2024 read was so good… sadly the end didn’t live up to expectations
Although there was a resolution, it was abrupt and didn’t make sense. We’re also left with a lot of unanswered questions. After such a well written, layered plot, it makes no sense to me that the ending was so unresolved 😖
October 25, 2023
Rounding up to 3.5 ⭐️
The beginning of The Night She Lied immediately sucked me in and I enjoyed the ending however the middle fell flat to me. I couldn’t find anything relatable in the main character as she seemed weak and more naive as the book went on. The twists were a hit predictable and I found myself to be quite confused at what exactly happened, what was real & what was a lie. While I enjoyed the concept of this book, I don’t believe it packed the punch I was looking for.
THANK YOU to the author, Netgalley & Bookouture for this ARC in return for my honest review.
The beginning of The Night She Lied immediately sucked me in and I enjoyed the ending however the middle fell flat to me. I couldn’t find anything relatable in the main character as she seemed weak and more naive as the book went on. The twists were a hit predictable and I found myself to be quite confused at what exactly happened, what was real & what was a lie. While I enjoyed the concept of this book, I don’t believe it packed the punch I was looking for.
THANK YOU to the author, Netgalley & Bookouture for this ARC in return for my honest review.
January 4, 2024
Absolutely loved this book. It originally seemed to be a slow burning story but suddenly, it ignited into a remarkably sinister and harrowing tale of secrets, lies and consequences.
The reader is literally bait and once hooked, well, there is simply no escape.
Brilliantly written characters and shocking revelations, this one is well worth a listen.
Beautifully narrated by Rachel Atkins who has a natural ability to breathe life into the pages make this audiobook perfect for when you want to sit back and relax, despite the tense and chilling storyline.
Highly recommended and worthy of 5 stars.
The reader is literally bait and once hooked, well, there is simply no escape.
Brilliantly written characters and shocking revelations, this one is well worth a listen.
Beautifully narrated by Rachel Atkins who has a natural ability to breathe life into the pages make this audiobook perfect for when you want to sit back and relax, despite the tense and chilling storyline.
Highly recommended and worthy of 5 stars.
November 8, 2024
I enjoyed this far more than I was expecting too. Listen to on audio and found it really easy to listen to and follow. Will definitely read more from this author.
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