Lies Between Friends

by A.A. Abbott

She can’t trust her husband. She can’t trust her friends. Can she trust herself?Gail puts up with her toxic marriage. She accepts it’s the price of giving her kids a perfect childhood. Then her controlling husband is exposed as a fraudster, and her life falls apart.

A desperate Gail flounders to keep her family together. But she puts her faith in the wrong friends, and finds herself alone on a remote island with a killer. Can she escape, or will she never see her children again?

If you like simmering secrets, puzzling murder mysteries and resourceful women turning their lives around, you’ll love AA Abbott’s tense psychological thriller.

Join Gail on her quest for freedom, and buy ‘Lies Between Friends’ today!

218 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 15, 2025

About the author

Who doesn’t love a page-turner packed with mystery, twists and suspense? Those are the books I yearn to read, and I enjoy writing them, too. I’m British thriller writer A.A. Abbott – known to friends as Helen – and I believe a good read is one of life’s greatest pleasures. As a city girl, I've lived and worked in London, Bristol and Birmingham, so it’s no surprise that my books are often set there.

Like 10% of us, many of my family are dyslexic. While I'm not, I want my books to be enjoyed by readers with dyslexia and visual impairment too. That's why I publish my thrillers in a LARGE PRINT dyslexia-friendly edition as well as the standard paperback and ebook versions. Don't forget, when you’re reading an ebook, you can adjust the font on your Kindle to suit your needs. Some titles are published in a conventional large print font too. Bright Lies is also available as an audiobook, recorded by amazing voice actor Eilidh Beaton.

I like speaking to book groups, business networks and social circles, and reading my thrillers and short stories at live fiction events and on Zoom. If you're a book blogger, litfest organiser, reviewer or simply adore books, I'd love to hear from you.

I'm a member of the Alliance of Independent Authors, Bristol Fiction Writers' Group, and Birmingham's New Street Authors.

Find out more about the books I love to read and write, and get free short stories, at https://aaabbott.co.uk

Reviews

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a story of a manipulative,toxic,basically terrible man and the suffering and chaos he causes to his poor wife,Gail,and literally everyone who has the misfortune to come into contact with him…..and trust him,Nick really is dire and his character you will loathe from pretty much the first meet with him

But life is about to change for Nick and for Gail,both in ways they could never have imagined

Set in the leafy suburb of Clifton I loved the mainly shortish chapters with a full on story and enjoyed getting to know the various characters who had a literal axe to grind and trying to work out who had done what to who,I failed ( good ) and so the ending was a welcome surprise

I read this in one day as it just was natural to keep on reading as there was no points I felt I had had enough,a really good involving read that will keep any reader invested,but be aware Nick is a character to raise emotions in the reader!

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. It was one of those stories I picked up and just couldn’t put down. I had to keep reading to find out what had really happened to the despicable Nick !

The characters were fantastic in that “love to hate them” kind of way. Everyone had something to hide and I was constantly changing my mind about who I trusted and what was really going on. Every time I thought I’d figured it out, something else happened that threw me completely.

It’s such a clever, twisty story that is full of lies, tension and secrets and I honestly didn’t know which way it was going to go right up until the end. Totally addictive.

I’ll definitely be recommending Lies Between Friends to everyone who loves a good psychological drama with plenty of twists and characters that keep you guessing.

[Susan Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fast paced psychological thriller. Lots of interesting characters intertwined together. Lots of tension and twists which keep you guessing.

[Karen Peterman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gail is married to Nick - a successful but controlling philanderer. She puts up with him because she has two children and a nice life.

When things start to fall apart and Nick’s fraud starts to impact on their friends and neighbours, Gail relies on her best friend Daisy for help and support. Daisy’s brother is one of Nicks old school friends and as things fall apart Daisy finds herself caught up in a kidnap plot that leaves her stranded with a killer on a remote island.

Loved this book - a great plot and a rich cast of characters. It took me a few short chapters to get into but then I was hooked. Lots of twists and turns and Gail has to face a lot of uncomfortable truths about not just Nick but Daisy too.

5 stars from me and an unputdownable read as Gail deals with disappointments, deceipt and revelations but also finally breaks free. An ending that I didn’t predict and a really good read!

[Helen the Bassist · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75*
I'd be surprised if A.A. ever writes a really bad book and again this is extremely readable, and it gets a whole lot more interesting at around Page 126 when a key revelation is made (no peeking!) but it all seemed a bit 'rushed', or possibly a little over-edited, with key plot development simply introduced as having happened 'off page'.
This seemed to me to be a book about the assumptions we make about others and how quickly we can form rigid mindsets, alongside how idiotic we can be when our world is turned upside down...and there are some seriously 'dumb ass' actions by various of the cast in this murder mystery, occasionally straying into the world of 'Oh come off it...as if!'
Overall, still a very worthwhile expenditure of my time, but maybe we need an 'Author's Cut'!

[Nadine-Sue Sargent · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book I've read by A.A Abbott. I read Run for your lies a while ago now and really enjoyed it so couldn't say no to this one.

This is similar in that it's not a huge book but it is jam packed with detail, adventure and emotive themes. It keeps you tense and in suspense throughout. I didn't move until I'd finished it as I needed to know who'd done what!

It isn't obvious and you can easily jump to the wrong conclusions with this but that makes it all the more enjoyable as it proves you wrong - and throws up the odd surprise along the way.

I like the switch between characters and it shows different perspectives although Gail's is the main and most pronounced. A great read and a must for lovers of psychological thrillers!

[Clare Brack · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant read from start to finish! Gail is in a toxic abusive marriage to Nick who is floundering duecto money issues His life comes crashing down when his PA tells all to his wife. I loved that each chapter was told by different characters in the book and the murderer was a complete surprise! Brilliant

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do like this author’s style of writing; it washes over you without you
realising that you are being sucked in to a taut psychological thriller.
Thank goodness this one is a standalone, I’m not sure I could endure the
company of this disparate group again.

Set in & around upmarket Clifton in Bristol with occasional forays into
London, we meet the aforementioned interconnected group. Gail is married to
Nick; Mike & Daisy are siblings; Jonathan is married to Tilly. The men went
to boarding school together which was not the best days of their lives,
particularly for Jonathan. Nick plays away from home whilst Gail keeps the
home running but her next door neighbours know that there is trouble
brewing. Mike is under the thumb of his sister & Jonathan appears a changed
man.
Nick is heading for a fall - personally & professionally - as he can’t keep
it in his trousers. Jonathan’s world is also about to collapse & as for the
siblings? Well, you’ll just have to wait & see.

Starting with a prologue at Day 12 of the story, the tale is then told
through chronological chapters from different characters POV. Gail is
likeable & so is Jonathan to a degree, but the others are vile. Who gets
their comeuppance? Read it & find out, I certainly didn’t guess the
perpetrator.

[Becky Wallace · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 🌟

Meet Gail, living in Bristol with her husband, Nick. Her marriage is toxic and extremely unhappy, but Gail stays with him for the sake of her two children and giving them a good life. But when Nick is exposed as a fraudster, Gail’s life falls apart.
 
The story opens on day twelve from Gail’s pov, before rewinding to day one to unravel the events leading up to that moment and then beyond. There is an array of characters in this book, and we have the pleasure of hearing from all their perspectives throughout the story. Well, I say pleasure … Some of these people were absolutely vile.
 
At only 211 pages and with short snappy chapters I found I read this book relatively quickly. It had a very twisty premise with plenty of intrigue and unreliable characters to get your teeth into. I was drawn into the crazy world that Abbott created. A web of lies, untrustworthy individuals, unsavoury pasts, and poor Gail who was just trying to find her footing.
 
There was a lot going on in this story, some of it slightly outlandish, but I felt this was surprisingly compelling.
 
An enjoyable read. Lies, secrets, affairs, complicated backgrounds, and some extremely repulsive characters. Oh … and a cheeky little twist to keep you on your toes.
 

[Lynda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set largely in Clifton, an upmarket area of Bristol, where the Honourable Gail Masterson appears to have it all. Herself an accomplished interior designer she is married to Nick, an extremely wealthy and successful Investment manager and they have two children. Told from multiple POV’s over a two week time period this is compulsive reading.

Briefly, Nick treats Gail like dirt so life is not as cosy as it seems. In fact the marriage is going down the pan and Gail only realises this when Nick is exposed as a fraud and both her family finances and her friends disappear in a flash. As Gail desperately tries to find her way out of the mess she mistakenly relies on supposed friends but as things spiral out of control she finds herself marooned on an isolated island off Scotland.

There is a pretty unpleasant group of characters in this book, apart from Gail and Jonathan, but the worst of the worst is nasty Nick (I know wrong media but it fits) who will make your skin crawl. A brilliant storyline with some unexpected twists and a surprising antagonist made for an exhilarating read.

[Elaine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book packs a lot of story into just over 200 pages! There’s plenty going on, and because it’s told through multiple points of view over a two-week period, it wasn’t quite the easy, flowing read I expected to escape into.

That said, I did enjoy the short, punchy chapters, each one ended at just the right moment to keep me turning the pages. The descriptive writing really stood out, especially the vivid depictions of Bristol (the Clifton area in particular) and the remote Scottish island. The plot twists and deepening subplots added welcome layers of intrigue and kept the story moving.

However, I didn’t really connect with any of the many characters. None of them felt particularly fleshed out or memorable to me, which was a bit disappointing given how rich the story itself was.

Overall, if you enjoy a fast-paced mystery with multiple perspectives, plenty of twists, and a large cast of characters, Lies Between Friends might be one for your list.

I read this book as part of the Random Thing Tours book tour and am grateful to have received a copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I like the way it was structured with chapters from individual characters perspectives and I liked that the chapters were short - this made it very easy to read.

Nick truly believed he was a successful, charming business man with a talent for getting people to invest in his company. He was married to Gail, they lived in Clifton and had two children. In reality Nick was floundering, he physically abused his wife, his business was failing, he’d ripped off friends and family members and he was having an affair with his PA.

Nick’s life was falling apart. He was taking drugs and pretending everything was okay while he furiously called round asking everyone he could think of to invest further into his company. Nobody would invest and things started spiralling.

A fab read about toxic relationships, family issues, friendship issues and a man who thought he was untouchable. This book kept me guessing right until the very end, I would definitely recommend their book to others.

[What-Rian-Read · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

A self-obsessed Husband, manipulating those around him to achieve his needs and goals. A wife, down trodden by her husband desperate not to get on his bad side, surviving in her toxic marriage for the sake of their children.

School “friends” find themselves caught in one of their old school friends failed financial opportunities, on the verge of huge debts or loss, all have motive to take things into their own hands to reclaim what is owed. Then there is the jilted mistress, out for revenge.

Back-stabbing, manipulation, mistrust, deceit and murder and that is just the start! Twists, turns and unexpected events which left me questioning who is good and who is bad, a short book but packed with drama.

This book is written from multiple points of view and crams a lot into the 211 pages. I enjoyed some of the characters more than others. There were some areas which I thought could have been developed more mainly as I love getting into the gritty details of a thriller. Overall an enjoyable read.

[Debbie Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've really enjoyed the first three of A A Abbott's psychological thrillers with "Lies" in their titles, all set at least partly around Clifton, the affluent suburb of Bristol, so I was keen to read this one as soon as it came out.

As ever, in the familiar setting of Clifton, Abbott creates an engaging set of flawed characters and a complex web of intrigue - including, as you might guess from the title, betrayal by longstanding friends and acquaintances.

Through fast-paced, short chapters, she propels the reader through the endless twists, turns and surprises that regular readers expect from her books. Her polished, succinct style is peppered with witty turns of phrase that make me smile without detracting from the seriousness of the plot issues.

I particularly like the way that she always finds a positive way to wrap up the story, with heartwarming redemption for the most deserving, without ever being sentimental. Highly recommended.

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had a lot of fun with this book! I love any book where I feel something for the characters. Could be that I love them. Could be that I love to hate them. As long I care one way or the other, I'm sold. In the case of this book, it was hard to even like most of them, let alone love them.

Nick is simply awful, as are his friends (also characters in the book). Daisy is a selfish, entitled, horrible woman. And Michael is also awful.

When Nick is murdered, all hell breaks loose. What was cool about the book is that almost all of the characters could have potentially done it, so as a reader, it was a constant guessing game. And the varying POVs definitely added to the story (and the suspicions as a reader).

There were definitely some twists thrown in for good measure too, which made it hard to put down.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes a good psychological thriller!

[Karen Cuddy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliantly paced, twist-filled domestic thriller that kept me glued to the pages. Gail Masterson seems to have the perfect life — a beautiful home, successful husband, and loving family — but behind the polished image lies a web of deceit. When she discovers her husband Nick’s affair has resulted in a pregnancy, her world begins to unravel. Then Nick is found murdered, and it quickly becomes clear that almost everyone in his life has a motive.

I really enjoyed how the story was told through multiple perspectives and short, punchy chapters that made it impossible to stop reading. The fractured relationships and secrets running through both Gail and Nick’s worlds were handled brilliantly. The twists were well-timed, and that ending completely caught me off guard. Another fantastic read from A.A. Abbott! Thanks to TBC Reviewer group and author for the opportunity to read and review.

[Suzanne H Ferris · Rating 4 out of 5]

A A Abbott - Lies Between Friends.

The lies series continues with Lie Between Friends, another standalone novel from Abbott, this story sees a cluster of boys grown to men, married, children, businesses, entrepreneurial journeys - maybe. The crux of the story is a circumstance now scenario versus a bitter past.

Cling on, readers, Abbott's well-entrenched style of multi-character chapter shift keeps those pages turning. Oh, the frustration of losing the story, to find next chapter is another character story. Oh no, I must read on. I can't not know what happens. It's so twisted, but still you turn those pages.

Some of Abbott's stories teach us something but this latest, I think, makes us reflect on how a sharp word can come back to screw you over. I'm guessing this is the end of the Lies series and next year we can look forward to Abbott's next well-fermented creation.

[Elsbookshelf · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has multiple POVs told over a two week period.
Gail and her husband Nick are the main focus but Johnathan is the character I liked the most. Nick is just awful and that comes across immediately. Gail has a lot to overcome and the storyline centres around whether or not she’s able to do that.

I loved the Clifton setting. I visited a few years back and actually stayed at Avon Gorge Hotel, with a bridge view. It’s a beautiful area.

There was a lot I liked about the book. It packs a lot in to 211 pages. I enjoyed the short chapters. The writing style is great.
The ending is tied up brilliantly.

I just didn’t connect to the characters or storyline as much as I wanted to unfortunately.

[Nimalee Ravi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Abbott's writing style and how the author handled the plot. It was engaging and thrilling.

It was very enjoyable getting to know all the characters. Gail is married to Nick. Their relationship is in trouble but she puts up with it because of their children.
As things get really bad, she seeks the help of Daisy. Daisy is the sister of one of Nick's old school friend. Soon Gail finds herself entangled in kidnap plot and leaves her stranded with a killer.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and couldn't put it down. There are some characters that I really enjoyed and some really unlikeable characters.

Lies Between Friends is a well written thriller about toxic relationships, friendship issues and trust. I definitely recommend this book.

[Vicky Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gail stays with her toxic husband Nick in the belief this will give her children a better childhood. When Nick's lies begin to unravel she finds their picture perfect life beginning to fall apart. Who can she trust when her world is collapsing around her?

This story has it all betrayl, deceit, murder and twists galore. I found the blurb a little misleading and actually think it is a poor reflection for the twists involved in this story. Due to the lack of information relevant to the story in the blurb it is difficult to say all I would love to in this review other than please give this story a try it was brilliant and I truly didnt see the end coming.

would definitely recommend

[Emma Langford · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s not very often you read a story and take a dislike to most of the characters but that was certainly what happened here. The exception to this is Gail and Johnathon. Nick is an intolerable character who is toxic, abusive, manipulative and an adulterer - these traits in themselves lead you to feel sorry for his wife Gail. Gail’s best friend Daisy - if you can call her that, is insufferable. Nicks actions soon catch up with him, and this causes Gail and Johnathon to be embroiled in investigations. I thought I had the ending figured out… I was partly right, but with one final twist I didn’t see coming. A good read overall.

[Zoe Forever Reading 16 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has been my first book by A.A. Abbott and it definitely won’t be my last. I had such a fun time reading this and I thought it was really well laid out with the time lines and the different POVs. This also kept my interest and made it difficult to put down. Being set in the UK made it easy to picture where they were.

The cast of characters were brilliant yet you couldn’t really trust anyone no matter how convincing they were trying to be. I loved trying to solve what was going on and what people’s true intentions and motives were.

There were so many twists and turns and jaw dropping moments. That ending. A lot of the characters are very unlikable, especially Nick, but that all adds to the atmosphere in the book. It’s been done well as sometimes unlikable characters can have a negative impact on the reading experience but not here. There were parts that really played with the emotions, what a rollercoaster.

If you are looking for your next physiological thriller look no further.
I definitely will be picking up more books from A.A. Abbott.

[Hollie Payne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a relatively short thriller (for me), at around 200 pages. But boy did it pack a punch!
I managed to finish this in a day, I just couldn't put it down and was so invested in who our killer was going to be.
Helen (our author) wrote the characters so well that I genuinely despised some of them, and hoped there might be another death😂
Im normally quite good at guessing the twists, but the ending actually shocked me. I had no idea! Im still trying to grasp it even now.
If you want a fast gripping thriller, i highly recommend! I'll definitely be checking out Helen's other books

[Kelly Hollingworth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in Clifton, Bristol this psychological thriller had me gripped from the first chapter. Gail and Nick Masterton seem to have it all but behind closed doors there are both financial and relationship issues. Nick is not the clean living family man and successful fund manager he appears to be and Gail is trapped in this toxic marriage. With short, sharp chapters keeping the pace lively this book had me wanting to read more to know the outcome. There were many interesting twists and turns throughout the book and I would definitely read another book by this author.

[Lauren Griffiths · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a nice, quick read with lovely little short chapters which kept you turning the pages and it was done before I knew it!

I don’t think I’ve ever disliked a main character as much as I did Nick… he was something else! In fact, I don’t think I actually liked any of the characters in this book and it really set the vibe for this book… and I loved that I hated them so much!

There were a good few twists thrown in too which kept me on the edge.

Overall, a really enjoyable, fast paced psychological thriller!

[Angie Petty · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book follows Gail and her toxic marriage to Nick. He was a school bully and remains a bully today. Always nice to have a character to really dislike. I like the way the book tells the story from different perspectives. Even the policeman Neil gets a few chapters. Written in the way I like, plenty of chapters with the story flowing. The main protagonist Gail is a likeable character and you want her to succeed. Nicely written and rounded off. I like this author’s style. Will read more.

[Sue Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nick is toxic he is married to Gail who he abuses, he is having an affair with his PA. But most of all he is a bully always has been even in school. When his successful business which he inherited off his father starts to have money problems Nick loses his temper but how will that end? I really enjoyed this book the ending was unexpected but kept me gripped from the start. A good read can't wait to read more by this author.

[Staceywh_17 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've never read a book by Abbott and been disappointed.

Lies Between Friends is the story of how one man's manipulations and deceit open up one helluva can of worms, the impact, and repercussions it has on his family.

Nice life or not NO woman deserves to put up with a narcissist! What a vile specimen of a man Nick turned out to be.

I found it easy to read in one sitting...it's that good! Pace is fast, the twists were endless and the tension frayed beyond belief.

Thoroughly enjoyed it.

[Nicola · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my second A.A Abbott book and it definitely won't be my last. This was a very enjoyable book that kept me hooked throughout. The characters are well thought out and I really enjoyed learning about them.

Nick is married to Gail, and they live with their two children in a large house in Bristol. However, from the first couple of chapters you realise that their life isn't as idyllic as it sounds. Secrets are lurking!

Just my type of book...short chapters and a great story!

[Lin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book definitely grew on me! I started off thinking I didn't like any of the characters but it was fascinating to see how they interacted and I wanted to see what happened. Then eventually it became a little clearer who the good guys/bad guys were.
A great book, with plenty of twists - I had to concentrate to remember how they were linked (I'm terrible at that usually!) but as the characters' lives intertwined the story was compelling and I really enjoyed the ending.