What do you think?
Rate this book
The Liar
Can you really trust what you see?
1935. A mother's journey to find out what really happened to her only daughter. Complex and intriguing, full of twists and turns. Perfect for the fans of Lesley Pearse and Dilly Court.
What would you do if you saw a girl in a crowd whose face had the same, identical birthmark as your only child? A child who, nearly ten years ago, you were told died?
It's 1935 and housewife Emma glimpses a face in a crowd – a little girl with a very unique birthmark.
Transfixed by the sight of a stranger; Emma becomes convinced that the girl is her long-lost daughter taken from her at birth. There is only one problem: Emma's daughter is dead. So who is the stranger?
The Liar follows Emma's journey as she tries to find out what really happened to her daughter – a journey that unearths secrets from the past and ends in obsession...
1935. A mother's journey to find out what really happened to her only daughter. Complex and intriguing, full of twists and turns. Perfect for the fans of Lesley Pearse and Dilly Court.
What would you do if you saw a girl in a crowd whose face had the same, identical birthmark as your only child? A child who, nearly ten years ago, you were told died?
It's 1935 and housewife Emma glimpses a face in a crowd – a little girl with a very unique birthmark.
Transfixed by the sight of a stranger; Emma becomes convinced that the girl is her long-lost daughter taken from her at birth. There is only one problem: Emma's daughter is dead. So who is the stranger?
The Liar follows Emma's journey as she tries to find out what really happened to her daughter – a journey that unearths secrets from the past and ends in obsession...
276 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 1, 2023
131 people are currently reading
184 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 29 of 34 reviews
May 7, 2021
A really good change of scenery for a book read from thrillers.
This was an outstanding historical fiction novel.
Loving the style of writing and definitely will read more of this authors work.
Set in 1935.
The Liar is her first novel and outstanding
This was an outstanding historical fiction novel.
Loving the style of writing and definitely will read more of this authors work.
Set in 1935.
The Liar is her first novel and outstanding
January 19, 2017
The Liar is set in the summer of 1935. We are first introduced to Emma, whose baby daughter sadly died 9 years ago, shortly after birth. Her baby, Violet, had a very distinctive birthmark on her face, that looked like red tears. From the very first page, I was hooked. I loved this book, I loved every aspect of it.
So, Emma is married to a respectable man, George, who is the village doctor. They live in a large house and she practically wants for nothing, nothing that is but her lost child. The loss of this child has caused a rift between E!ma and her husband, a rift that was probably there before the tragic death of their daughter, but it now appears that even though she lives in this wonderful house, with a wealthy and respectable man, she is in fact all alone in the world. She is locked into a loveless marriage. George believes that Emma should simply forget about the bsaby, and carry on with her life, but Emma cannot do as he asks.
The book begins when Emma spots a little girl, aged around nine years old, who has a red teared birthmark on her cheek. She is convinced that this girl is her dead daughter and so the story for seeking truth about what really happened begins. This girl is known as Ruby and lives a completely different lifestyle to that of Emma. She is brought up in extreme poverty, with her mother, Maude, having to resort to washing and dying aprons to make ends meet. The household is cruel and cold, and my heart ached for little Ruby.
Emma and Ruby both tell thrir own unique story, with the two stories inevitably becoming one. I enjoyed reading about both of these characters. Emma, at times could be a little infuriating, and I found her to be a little bit spoilt in her ways, but I did like her and I wanted her to get to the bottom of who Ruby really was. As for Ruby, well, this child had guts, a sharp tongue and a way of making everyone like her. She also deserved so much better in life.
This book is beautifully written. It is sensitive in its choice of topic matters, those about the death of a child, poverty and abuse. Even though the book is set in the 20s and 30s, for some reason I felt that I was reading about a modern day setting, and modern day issues, and I mean this in a good way. The issues that were relevant back then are still relevant today, those of love, lost love, death, poverty and human cruelty.
The Liar is also very different to what I perceived it to be, from the blurb and cover. I thought it would be a light, historical thriller. But what I got was a dark, psychological thriller of a read with an ending that was truly shocking... I really didn't see it coming. This really is a cracking debut novel, from beginning to end, and I can't wait to read the next novel by Jennifer Wells.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Aria, for an eBook review copy.
So, Emma is married to a respectable man, George, who is the village doctor. They live in a large house and she practically wants for nothing, nothing that is but her lost child. The loss of this child has caused a rift between E!ma and her husband, a rift that was probably there before the tragic death of their daughter, but it now appears that even though she lives in this wonderful house, with a wealthy and respectable man, she is in fact all alone in the world. She is locked into a loveless marriage. George believes that Emma should simply forget about the bsaby, and carry on with her life, but Emma cannot do as he asks.
The book begins when Emma spots a little girl, aged around nine years old, who has a red teared birthmark on her cheek. She is convinced that this girl is her dead daughter and so the story for seeking truth about what really happened begins. This girl is known as Ruby and lives a completely different lifestyle to that of Emma. She is brought up in extreme poverty, with her mother, Maude, having to resort to washing and dying aprons to make ends meet. The household is cruel and cold, and my heart ached for little Ruby.
Emma and Ruby both tell thrir own unique story, with the two stories inevitably becoming one. I enjoyed reading about both of these characters. Emma, at times could be a little infuriating, and I found her to be a little bit spoilt in her ways, but I did like her and I wanted her to get to the bottom of who Ruby really was. As for Ruby, well, this child had guts, a sharp tongue and a way of making everyone like her. She also deserved so much better in life.
This book is beautifully written. It is sensitive in its choice of topic matters, those about the death of a child, poverty and abuse. Even though the book is set in the 20s and 30s, for some reason I felt that I was reading about a modern day setting, and modern day issues, and I mean this in a good way. The issues that were relevant back then are still relevant today, those of love, lost love, death, poverty and human cruelty.
The Liar is also very different to what I perceived it to be, from the blurb and cover. I thought it would be a light, historical thriller. But what I got was a dark, psychological thriller of a read with an ending that was truly shocking... I really didn't see it coming. This really is a cracking debut novel, from beginning to end, and I can't wait to read the next novel by Jennifer Wells.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Aria, for an eBook review copy.
February 15, 2017
Who could have anticipated the twists and turns involved in a simple story of a woman in 1926 who lost her baby in the first few hours of its life.
Emma is married to a doctor, who is a nice enough fellow but the marriage seems loveless and lifeless. She can't move on from the loss of her child nine years previous. Unfortunately some very unsavory characters clue in to her obsession with her dead baby. These characters devise a plot to extort money from her while leading her to believe that her baby lived.
For the first half of the book I really had no idea how this story was going to unfold and I could never have predicted it. So unlike many reviewers who say that they could already tell "who done it", this was not the case with this book.
A well thought out plot and an intriguing read.
Emma is married to a doctor, who is a nice enough fellow but the marriage seems loveless and lifeless. She can't move on from the loss of her child nine years previous. Unfortunately some very unsavory characters clue in to her obsession with her dead baby. These characters devise a plot to extort money from her while leading her to believe that her baby lived.
For the first half of the book I really had no idea how this story was going to unfold and I could never have predicted it. So unlike many reviewers who say that they could already tell "who done it", this was not the case with this book.
A well thought out plot and an intriguing read.
September 28, 2019
Who can you believe?
Emma had given birth to a daughter, but was told she died . Ten years later she saw a girl with the same birthmarks on her face, and thinks that this is her daughter. So the search began, but with so many varying stories and lies, who could she believe?
This book is so well written, and the ending is certainly a surprise.
Emma had given birth to a daughter, but was told she died . Ten years later she saw a girl with the same birthmarks on her face, and thinks that this is her daughter. So the search began, but with so many varying stories and lies, who could she believe?
This book is so well written, and the ending is certainly a surprise.
December 16, 2016
An underlying current of sadness prevails with this book -- but you are rooting for Emma to find all the answers to the loss of her daughter. Jennifer Wells' easy writing style allows this story to rattle along at a fast pace -- and it twists and turns surprisingly.
4*
4*
July 1, 2017
I really enjoyed the time period and concept of this book and plenty twists & turns kept me reading to see if the little girl Emma glimpsed was in fact her Daughter. Sometimes when we want something so bad we can almost make ourselves believe something is real, is this girl her? could it be two girls the same age have the identical birthmark or is it Emma's imagination/obsession.
The characters were well thought out and written and I enjoyed the dual narration which made the story come alive. A great ending tied the book up nicely.
A brilliant debut and author to watch out for!.
My thanks go to the publisher, author and Netgalley in providing me with an arc in return for an honest review.
The characters were well thought out and written and I enjoyed the dual narration which made the story come alive. A great ending tied the book up nicely.
A brilliant debut and author to watch out for!.
My thanks go to the publisher, author and Netgalley in providing me with an arc in return for an honest review.
July 3, 2017
Rating: 3.5 stars
March 23, 2017
Published by: Aria (6 October 2016)
ISBN: 978-1786691071
Rating: 5*
Synopsis:
It's 1935 and housewife Emma glimpses a face in a crowd – a little girl with a very unique birthmark. Transfixed by the sight of a stranger; Emma becomes convinced that the girl is her long-lost daughter taken from her at birth. There is only one problem: Emma's daughter is dead. So who is the stranger? The Liar follows Emma's journey as she tries to find out what really happened to her daughter - a journey that unearths secrets from the past and ends in obsession. . .
Review:
I'm so pleased I got the opportunity to meet the author and find out about this book, because if I'd seen it in a book shop I'd probably have walked straight past; it just doesn't look like the sort of book I'd usually enjoy. I'm not into historical or family saga or even romance particularly, which is where you'd find The Liar on Amazon. The back cover blurb hinted at the mystery inside and piqued my interest enough for me to buy a copy there and then. I think it would work really well if it was re-branded...I'd describe it as a psychological thriller, and a pretty damn good one at that!
This is a tale told from two perspectives - Emma's and Ruby's, the little girl who resembles Emma's daughter. The author's clever use of vocabulary and writing style drew me in from the outset and made the environment come alive. I really felt as though I was there beside Emma as tried to find out what had happened to her daughter.
The complex characters are well written, and the relationships sensitively conveyed. I pretty much read this in one sitting, I just couldn't put it down! Just when i thought i had figured out what was going to happen next, along came another twist. What happened at the end is truly shocking! For a first novel, this is fantastic and I cannot recommend it enough! Jennifer Wells is one to watch!
ISBN: 978-1786691071
Rating: 5*
Synopsis:
It's 1935 and housewife Emma glimpses a face in a crowd – a little girl with a very unique birthmark. Transfixed by the sight of a stranger; Emma becomes convinced that the girl is her long-lost daughter taken from her at birth. There is only one problem: Emma's daughter is dead. So who is the stranger? The Liar follows Emma's journey as she tries to find out what really happened to her daughter - a journey that unearths secrets from the past and ends in obsession. . .
Review:
I'm so pleased I got the opportunity to meet the author and find out about this book, because if I'd seen it in a book shop I'd probably have walked straight past; it just doesn't look like the sort of book I'd usually enjoy. I'm not into historical or family saga or even romance particularly, which is where you'd find The Liar on Amazon. The back cover blurb hinted at the mystery inside and piqued my interest enough for me to buy a copy there and then. I think it would work really well if it was re-branded...I'd describe it as a psychological thriller, and a pretty damn good one at that!
This is a tale told from two perspectives - Emma's and Ruby's, the little girl who resembles Emma's daughter. The author's clever use of vocabulary and writing style drew me in from the outset and made the environment come alive. I really felt as though I was there beside Emma as tried to find out what had happened to her daughter.
The complex characters are well written, and the relationships sensitively conveyed. I pretty much read this in one sitting, I just couldn't put it down! Just when i thought i had figured out what was going to happen next, along came another twist. What happened at the end is truly shocking! For a first novel, this is fantastic and I cannot recommend it enough! Jennifer Wells is one to watch!
September 18, 2016
Set in 1935, The Liar tells the story of Emma Marks. Emma is visiting the local Lido with her friend Audrey and Audrey's children, when she see Violet, her daughter. 9 years old with a distinctive birthmark on her face. Violet runs when Emma screams her name, and Emma runs too.
Chasing Violet, falling and causing mild havoc while doing so, Emma is unable to catch her.
But Violet, isn't Violet. She is Ruby Brown. Emma's 'Violet' died at birth and The Liar, Jennifer Wells first novel, is a wonderful tale of sadness and obsession.
Told in parts by Emma and Ruby, we learn that Emma has,quite rightly, not been happy since the loss of her daughter and Ruby, well, she's just a confused kid, albeit very likable.
Emma's husband George is a Doctor, old fashioned and straight-laced, who thinks that his poor wife's confusion can be remedied with a house re-decoration.
The Liar is a fabulous read. It speaks of betrayal, deceit and Wells has written an emotive tale that really pulls at the heart-strings. Anyone who has lost a child at birth will know exactly how Emma feels.
So is Ruby Violet??
The plot is well drawn out, it takes you on a journey that is completely unexpected. the proprietary of the age and the differences of the well-to-do and the ne'er-do-wells are brilliantly penned.
I loved this book. These types of covers do tend to put me off, but I am so pleased I gave this a go. I feel as though I have a 'new friend', in Jennifer and book covers.
Chasing Violet, falling and causing mild havoc while doing so, Emma is unable to catch her.
But Violet, isn't Violet. She is Ruby Brown. Emma's 'Violet' died at birth and The Liar, Jennifer Wells first novel, is a wonderful tale of sadness and obsession.
Told in parts by Emma and Ruby, we learn that Emma has,quite rightly, not been happy since the loss of her daughter and Ruby, well, she's just a confused kid, albeit very likable.
Emma's husband George is a Doctor, old fashioned and straight-laced, who thinks that his poor wife's confusion can be remedied with a house re-decoration.
The Liar is a fabulous read. It speaks of betrayal, deceit and Wells has written an emotive tale that really pulls at the heart-strings. Anyone who has lost a child at birth will know exactly how Emma feels.
So is Ruby Violet??
The plot is well drawn out, it takes you on a journey that is completely unexpected. the proprietary of the age and the differences of the well-to-do and the ne'er-do-wells are brilliantly penned.
I loved this book. These types of covers do tend to put me off, but I am so pleased I gave this a go. I feel as though I have a 'new friend', in Jennifer and book covers.
October 13, 2017
2.5 Emma is damaged and dealing as a result of losing a child at birth - a child with a definitive birth mark on her cheek. Nine years later she spots a child with a definitive birth mark on her cheek and is convinced she was in fact duped and this child is her supposedly dead child. The twists and turns taking us on her journey of discovery and less than plausible at times. This book is a "time filler" at best.
May 4, 2019
The premise of the novel hooked me and I stayed fascinated to the end.
BUT the reading experience was spoiled for me by countless errors (typos and grammar), and the author's habit of writing things like "I was sat in the armchair," "he was stood by the door" and "we were sat in the truck."
Don't know if this is regional from somewhere in England, but without explanation it was irritating.
BUT the reading experience was spoiled for me by countless errors (typos and grammar), and the author's habit of writing things like "I was sat in the armchair," "he was stood by the door" and "we were sat in the truck."
Don't know if this is regional from somewhere in England, but without explanation it was irritating.
October 12, 2017
A journey of the heart
Liar is a good novel with a wonderful ending. A young woman seemed to have lost everything that was important to her. The tale of her one true love in life seemed fated for failure. Her husband, a well known doctor, had told her, after the death of her infant daughter, that he never really wanted children; it was just as well that the baby had died. The ending of this story may surprise you.
Liar is a good novel with a wonderful ending. A young woman seemed to have lost everything that was important to her. The tale of her one true love in life seemed fated for failure. Her husband, a well known doctor, had told her, after the death of her infant daughter, that he never really wanted children; it was just as well that the baby had died. The ending of this story may surprise you.
May 25, 2018
Mind gripping!
This author takes you in and captures your every fiber. The ride is incredibly fascinating. Every character captures your imagination. You feel every emotion. There’s not a wasted word in this fantastic book. Take the day the night put it aside to spend consuming this book because you won’t want to put it down till the end. And hen you’ll look for more.
This author takes you in and captures your every fiber. The ride is incredibly fascinating. Every character captures your imagination. You feel every emotion. There’s not a wasted word in this fantastic book. Take the day the night put it aside to spend consuming this book because you won’t want to put it down till the end. And hen you’ll look for more.
September 25, 2018
The main character's baby died shortly after birth in 1926. 9 years later she spots a child with an identical birthmark out playing at the local lido. She is therefore convinced that her daughter did not die after all and tries to find out the truth about this little girl. There was an interesting turn of events at the conclusion, which I did not see coming.
June 11, 2017
This book got many 4-5 star reviews but I really didn't like it. The story didn't draw me in at all and quite honestly throughout the book it was "is Ruby/Violet her daughter - she must be - oh no she's not. And then I don't care anymore I want this book to be over.
January 21, 2019
This book can be read in 5 hours and it kept my interest up to the end. I thought I had it all figured out and as it turned out it ended differently than I thought it would. If I had paid better attention maybe I would have figured it out. Easy read and could not put it down.
January 21, 2020
I just loved this book it was hard to put down. I thought there could have been more to the way the story ended. I loved how the plot kept on changing throughout the story. If you love mystery this is a book for you
January 1, 2017
I was excited for this book but wasn't thrilled by it. I thought the concept was interesting but it felt a little repetitive at times. It was good just not great.
Got this as an Arc from #netgalley
Got this as an Arc from #netgalley
January 22, 2017
Enjoyed
Thoroughly interesting good read. I couldn't, put it down till I had read it from front to back Aa aa
Thoroughly interesting good read. I couldn't, put it down till I had read it from front to back Aa aa
August 20, 2017
I was captivated right from the start. This book was well written and the mystery wasn't an obvious one.
April 26, 2019
I loved this book from the beginning to end ,l thought l had worked it out ,but clearly the author was far to clever , a well written novel .
October 8, 2019
From the very first page, I was hooked. I loved this book, I loved every aspect of it. That ending though, I did not see coming!
May 29, 2020
Wasn't expecting that.
May 11, 2025
Interesting enough, but I don't like any character. Just can't relate to, you know, affairs
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 23, 2019
I bought this book on Amazon - the time it took me to read it ie 5 months in between other books is indicative of what I thought about the flimsy plot. I made myself finish the book but it was hard going. I believe this is a first novel for this author so may be next might be better.
October 19, 2016
Emma has never recovered from the death of her newborn daughter, Violet. Emma's husband George is a local doctor who doesn’t even try to understand his wife’s pain, or is that merely seeing things from Emma’s perspective?
My first clue was that Violet’s conception is shrouded in mystery, giving Emma a sense of not being deserving of a live child.
Emma, and Ruby, the child who becomes the focus of her obsession, narrate their own stories with their unique perspective on their lives which accentuate the vast differences between the lonely wife of an affluent doctor and the child who suffers a different kind of neglect in a home where the matriarch earns pennies from sewing aprons.
The writing is beautifully woven and evocative, in that things we all see, hear and smell but don’t necessarily register as we walk through life are brought to our attention. By doing so Ms Wells conjures a place which is familiar on many levels, and especially to those brought up in the suburbs of London pre-WWII.
Emma and Ruby have their own paths which the reader must tread to discover the truth of who in this story is the Liar. Emma, Ruby, George, Maud, or maybe life itself has skewed everyone's truth so it's no longer recognisable? An intriguingly enigmatic story with an ending which is neither predictable nor obvious. Not a story to be rushed.
I received a digital copy of this novel via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
My first clue was that Violet’s conception is shrouded in mystery, giving Emma a sense of not being deserving of a live child.
Emma, and Ruby, the child who becomes the focus of her obsession, narrate their own stories with their unique perspective on their lives which accentuate the vast differences between the lonely wife of an affluent doctor and the child who suffers a different kind of neglect in a home where the matriarch earns pennies from sewing aprons.
The writing is beautifully woven and evocative, in that things we all see, hear and smell but don’t necessarily register as we walk through life are brought to our attention. By doing so Ms Wells conjures a place which is familiar on many levels, and especially to those brought up in the suburbs of London pre-WWII.
Emma and Ruby have their own paths which the reader must tread to discover the truth of who in this story is the Liar. Emma, Ruby, George, Maud, or maybe life itself has skewed everyone's truth so it's no longer recognisable? An intriguingly enigmatic story with an ending which is neither predictable nor obvious. Not a story to be rushed.
I received a digital copy of this novel via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
November 8, 2016
Emma never got over the loss of her baby Violet in 1925, she only ever saw her struggling for life in an incubator and never saw her after she had died, so when she sees a little girl of about the same age at the Lido with exactly the same birthmarks she is convinced that it is Violet
Ruby is about 9 years old when she is chased by a mad woman at the Lido she manages to run away but a few days later she turns up at her house and starts to do some sewing for her mother - she is the wife of a doctor living in the posh part of town so why would she be doing that!
As Ruby and Emma get to know each other Emma is convinced that Ruby is her daughter Violet and that she has been lied to all of the years and that the baby didn't die - her husband George was the doctor for the birth of Violet and Ruby and she has since found out that he didn't want children
A great story with lots of twists and turns making you think that you had it all worked out when you find out that you are wrong - life is so much easier now with DNA!
Ruby is about 9 years old when she is chased by a mad woman at the Lido she manages to run away but a few days later she turns up at her house and starts to do some sewing for her mother - she is the wife of a doctor living in the posh part of town so why would she be doing that!
As Ruby and Emma get to know each other Emma is convinced that Ruby is her daughter Violet and that she has been lied to all of the years and that the baby didn't die - her husband George was the doctor for the birth of Violet and Ruby and she has since found out that he didn't want children
A great story with lots of twists and turns making you think that you had it all worked out when you find out that you are wrong - life is so much easier now with DNA!
October 18, 2016
An amazing book that I really enjoyed. After reading many crime and psychological thrillers lately this was a welcome change.
The Liar is a emotional compelling story set in 1935, full of suspense, mystery and drama.
Jennifer Wells has written a fabulous story that will have you racing through the chapters, I was quickly sucked in by the story and was desperate to follow Emma's journey in her quest for the truth.
An extremely well-written enjoyable novel full of twists and turns, I highly recommend it especially to those who also enjoy books by Lesley Pearse, Kitty Neale etc. I will be on the look out for future releases from Jennifer Wells.
The Liar is a emotional compelling story set in 1935, full of suspense, mystery and drama.
Jennifer Wells has written a fabulous story that will have you racing through the chapters, I was quickly sucked in by the story and was desperate to follow Emma's journey in her quest for the truth.
An extremely well-written enjoyable novel full of twists and turns, I highly recommend it especially to those who also enjoy books by Lesley Pearse, Kitty Neale etc. I will be on the look out for future releases from Jennifer Wells.
October 31, 2016
Set in 1935 Emma needs to cope with the loss of her baby Violet but unexpectedly meets a little girl Ruby Brown. Is Ruby Brown, the daughter Emma thought died in child birth?
The story is full of suspense and drama, having you race from chapter to chapter, with complete and utter unexpected results.
A very well written novel.
The story is full of suspense and drama, having you race from chapter to chapter, with complete and utter unexpected results.
A very well written novel.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 34 reviews