This Much is True

by Jane Sanderson

'The best book I have read in a long long time' - Amazon review

The twisty, gripping novel about a shocking secret at the heart of a family, and a mother desperate to keep it hidden - perfect for fans of Kathryn Hughes' The Letter , Amanda Prowse's My Husband's Wife, and Liar by K L Slater

After decades in a deeply unhappy marriage, Annie Doyle can barely bring herself to care that her husband Vince is finally about to die.

But as the family gathers to see out his final days, Vince utters a single word that will change everyone's lives completely:

'Martha.'

Who is Martha? And why is Annie so quick to dismiss the mention of her name?

As Annie's long-held secrets start to emerge, the lives of everyone she holds dear will be changed forever...

If you like Kathryn Hughes, Jodi Picoult, Amanda Prowse, Katie Marsh, Kerry Fisher, Jenny Blackhurst, Rachel Abbott or Camilla Way then you will be gripped by this emotional, twisty story.

*******

PRAISE FOR THIS MUCH IS TRUE :

'What I loved most about this book was the characters' - EMMA CURTIS, author of One Little Mistake

'Shades of Joanna Trollope... But it turns into something much more mysterious' - DAILY MAIL

'This is a very special book and I greatly recommend it!' - JC, Amazon reviewer

'Hugely enjoyable, with a wonderful twist at the end, that I never saw coming' - BREW & BOOKS REVIEW

'I simply could not put my kindle away whilst reading this beautiful book' Joanne, Amazon reviewer

'A stunningly good read' Caroline, Amazon reviewer

'A brilliant and unforgettable novel' P, Amazon reviewer

Genres: Contemporary

432 pages, Paperback

First published April 20, 2017

About the author

Jane Sanderson was born in South Yorkshire in 1962. She studied English at Leicester University, then after graduating she became a journalist. After a series of jobs with local newspapers she joined the BBC where she worked as a producer for Radio 4, first on the World at One, and then on Woman's Hour. She lives with her husband, the Independent journalist and author Brian Viner, and their three children in rural Herefordshire.

Jane's first novel, Netherwood, is published by Sphere. She is now working on the sequel, Ravenscliffe, to be published in 2012.

Reviews

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Annie’s husband Vince is in a care home not expected to live for long, why doesn’t she seem that devastated about his impending death. On his deathbed he utters the name Martha. But who is she and why is she a secret?

This is a great family drama which draws you in. Its told over 2 timelines, the present time and over 50 years before and tells the story of how she meets and marries Vince.

It is an easy book to read full of family secrets, with strong characters. I loved the friendship between Josie, Sandra and Annie and how they supported each other.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.

[Megan Jones · Rating 1 out of 5]

Annie Doyle's husband Vince is about to die, after decades in a long suffering marriage, Annie hardly cares. But as the family gathers one last time, Vince utters Martha under his breath. No-one knows who Martha is, no-one except Annie, and that single name is going to change the lives of Annie and her sons, Michael and Andrew. 
I never got into this, it takes over a hundred pages for Sanderson to reveal the 'secret', maybe this would have worked had it not been for this novel being way too long and for the heavy focus on dogs. I really do think this has been mis-named and not described properly, Annie's dog ends up taking centre stage for the majority of the novel. Some of what is revealed is big stuff for a family to deal with but I did not think that Sanderson gave this enough space, the consequences are glossed over and everyone is okay with the secrets that are revealed, highly unrealistic I think. 
Despite this being from Annie's perspective, I never really got a sense of who she was and found her to be largely unsympathetic, I was not routing for her but was frustrated with the way she was behaving. As I said earlier Annie's dog, Finn, takes centre stage and in some ways is the main character. Perhaps this would have worked better if Finn had been the central character.
I really really did not like or enjoy this novel. The plot is obvious and under-developed and it held no appeal for me. 

[Sam Burrows · Rating 2 out of 5]

I started this book looking forward to a twisty, gripping tale full of shocking secrets - this is what the blurb promised, it also said that if you love KL Slater, Rachel Abbott and Kathryn Hughes the this would be perfect, well I do so yippee!! I couldn't wait to read it. I started it whilst sunbathing in the Whitsundays - the perfect book for the perfect holiday .... Well the holiday was indeed perfect - the book sadly was not. I really wasn't keen on any of the characters especially the leads Annie and Micheal. I found them unpleasant, rude and prissy. The story bored me to tears - it was just so laborious to read I really really wanted to give up but that's so unfair with an arc so I had to stick with it, yes there were one or two secrets that came to light but they were neither twisty nor gripping or indeed shocking. Not for me I'm afraid.

[Susan Duthie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this fictional story. Our storyteller is Annie who is a lady in her 70's. She keeps herself to herself and dotes on her dog. The story is set in the present and 50 years ago. It tells why Annie is the way she is. However when Annie makes some new friends, while walking her dog, her world opens up and old secrets come to the surface.

[Penny Fenton · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little on th be slow side...

An easy read, a little predictable and slow paced for me . Ok for a bit of easy paced escapism.

[Angela Mellor · Rating 3 out of 5]

This Much Is True is an ok read and I enjoyed the characters in this novel.
This took me the longest it’s ever taken to finish a book and I can’t really put into words why. Yes the storyline was sssssllllloooooowwwww but there was something about it that kept me going. The title says “a gripping story of a shocking secret” but there was nothing gripping and there wasn’t really a shocking secret, it would be in normal life but because it took so long to get to the point it didn’t seem shocking. The characters were all believable and that is the reason I stuck at this book as Annie, the main character had a lot going on in her life but although she was 73 years old there were a lot of sides to her life.
I have given this book three stars but wouldn’t rate it any higher as the blurb built this up to be a really suspenseful read that I would devour in a day but I was left disappointed.
I would like to thank Netgalley and Orion Publishing Group for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read

Hooked - a somewhat sad but good read. Give it a go you'll be glad you did. All in all enjoyable.

[Payal · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book, even though the blurb was slightly misleading. It was mostly about Annie, a lonely, unsure 73-year-old whose life revolves around her dog and her incredibly unpleasant grown-up son who lives with her, and about the things in her past that led up to the present. I know this description sounds like it's a terribly dreary read, but it was actually quite wonderful.
The "Martha" in the blurb only makes an appearance well after the first third of the book, and while that thread is important in the story, I feel it was more about Annie herself. Annie's developing friendships with Josie, Sandra and Mr Dinmoor, she shenanigans of her dog Finn, her relationships with her sons, her childhood and her past with Vince -- everything came together very nicely in the end.
The book is mostly from Annie's perspective, though the PoV jumped from head to head, depending on who was in the scene. This usually annoys me, but it sort of went well with the languid pace of the book. Despite being somewhat slow, it was still a compelling read.
(Review copy received from NetGalley)

[Suganiya Sivabalan · Rating 1 out of 5]

This Much is True 🧳

⭐️/5

As many of you know, this was by far the worst SLOW BURN of my life. I have never wanted to stop and call “quits” on a book so badly. I have never left a book unfinished and I refused to let this one win. Even though it took everything in me, I have finally finished this one .. three months later😔

This novel felt like there was absolutely no story line for the first 75% of it. It was incredibly difficult to follow along, and the several “fluff” chapters did not help. This nov does take place in the UK, so there is a small adjustment required for the English lingo the author uses.

This one gets one star only because it was finally able to pick up in the last 100 pages. Near the end, it became a decent page turner. That’s about it.

#Bookstgrammer #PsychologicalThriller #MurderMystery #Thriller #ThisMuchIsTrue #Bookish #BookReview #ReadWithMe #TBR2023 #HonestReview

[Brigid Gallagher · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Much is True did not grab my attention in the early chapters. I almost put it aside. However, I am so glad I changed my mind.
Annie Doyle lives a very lonely life with her dog Finn and her reclusive son Michael. However, her life transforms when she meets fellow dog walkers Sharon and Josie. The secrets Annie carries can no longer be avoided as her husband Vince nears the end of his life in a care home, and her son Andrew and his family travel from Australia to say goodbye.
The story gathers pace as the family finally face the truths of the past. It is a very poignant read at times laced with black humour as the real Annie emerges from the shadows to embrace a better future.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read a second JS book after enjoying The Mix Tape so much and I wasn't disappointed!
The characters really came to life, the story wasn't really gripping as such, but the characters were compelling to read about and discover their flaws and imperfections.
I am starting a third JS book and really looking forward to it - characters are as well-described as I think Joanna Trollope's.
Don't often give 5stars but well-deserved and a lovely lovely ending.

[Dawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you netgalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

Seventy three year Annie lives with her dog and her middle aged son while her husband is in a nursing home. She refuses to join the technological age.

This jumped between Annie now and when she was a child but to be honest it didn't hold my interest and although I persevered it wasn't an astounding read

[Ann · Rating 1 out of 5]

an awful book.

[Vivien Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy read story

I enjoyed this book. It was easy to read, even though the plot was not obvious. The story was nothing like I imagined it would be. The ending was lovely.

[Beth · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5

[Piisa · Rating 1 out of 5]

What utter misery. If I had to judge Sanderson's production by this book I wouldn't go near them again. However, apparently Mix Tape is very good, so I'll give it a go.

[Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Much is True is a story that I devoured in a few sittings. It is a tale of family, love and protecting everything that is most dear to you... at any cost. I loved this book, as it brought home to me the importance of family and friendship, as well as highlighting the strength and resilience of women. It was also an engaging and thought provoking read.

Annie Doyle is the narrator and protagonist of the story, it is her story, or rather her two stories that she shares with us. The Annie of the present day and, the Annie who she was when she first met her now husband, Vince. Both stories are fascinating, and it is as we learn about her past, that we come to understand why things are as they are in the present. We come to understand why she no longer loves Vince, so that the once cold appearing woman we meet at the beginning of the novel, is given perspective and meaning. We gradually understand why she acts and feels this way.

The book is full of wonderful characters, that I grew to know very well throughout the story. We meet the two sons, Michael and Andrew. Michael still lives at home with Annie and comes across a rude and dislikable character. However, through the chapters that describe Annie's past, we soon learn why he acts the way he does, and I thought that this part of the book was well written and well researched. In direct contrast, Andrew lives on the other side of the work, in Australia, with his wife and two young sons. He is the more likeable and caring of the two brothers, and there is certainly no love loss between them. The whole family dynamics between the brothers, plus Annie and Vince, fascinated me, as the way in which all families do. What was particularly fascinating was how they interacted with each other, and then, of how they all responded to the word, 'Martha' on Vince's deathbed. This is when the story really begins, as we watch how they all react to each other, and the resulting changes that are then set in motion between them.

This book is also about friendship, or rather lack of friendship, as Annie finds it difficult to confide in otters and to form friendships. It is through her dog, that she finds the friendship of two very different women, Josie and Sandra. Now, Josie I liked instantly, but Sandra took some getting used to, which just taught me that you need to really get to know someone before you judge them.

This book is very much about the ties that bind, the issue of making and keeping a family and ultimately a mother's love and the limits she will stretch to in order to keep her family together.

This Much is True is hugely enjoyable, with a wonderful twist at the end, that I never saw coming. If you love family dramas and books that explore why people act the way they do, then this is the book for you. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The Kindle edition is published by Orion on 20 April, paperback on 1 June. It is available for pre order on Amazon here.

With thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an Advances Reader Copy.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very gripping read, a roller coaster ride of emotions, shock after shock in the secrets that are uncovered in the life of Annie Doyle. who appears initially as a quiet, mousy, introspective woman, mother of two sons, and a husband noticeable by his absence, and the reader soon discovers that Vince is not a nice person.

Annie's growing friendship with Josie and Sandra, through their dog walking activities and her love for Finn, her dog help to bring her out of her shell, but it takes a serious mishap to trigger off some sad memories for Annie.

This is a well rounded heroine, who the reader will have sympathy for, her friends, very different to herself, Josie, an artist who has travelled extensively and Sandra, who beneath her gruff exterior, is a sensitive soul.

Here is an excellent novel, with poignancy, tragedy, moments of pure joy and comedy, which will keep the reader on the edge of their seats, racing through the pages, as the novel picks up pace. Forgetting about the housework in an effort to discover what happened next (that's my excuse anyway!)

Can heartily recommend this to readers who enjoy an exciting and intriguing read.

[Kerrygibson1hotmail.Com · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book

New author I had heard great things about. Gripping to the end. Will look to read more of her books.

[Emma Curtis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was very lucky to be given and ARC by the publisher. What I loved most about this book was the characters, particularly Annie herself and the wonderful, terribly Michael who looms over the story like a big black hawk. Annie is saddled with an exceedingly grumpy fifty-year-old son who still lives at home and a husband who has had dementia for thirty years, and is also very disagreeable. When Annie is befriended by two dog-walkers she begins to come out of her shell and to gain in confidence. However, the past is about to catch up with her, threatening to ruin her peaceful life. What did Annie Doyle do fifty years ago to keep her family together? Well, it's all about to come out.

[Pat Simpson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a brilliant book if you enjoy family sagas. The first few chapters seemed a litt slow but then I found that I couldn't put it down. It is a story of Annie Doyle, her family and her friends and alternates between her past and present day life and all the events that have shaped her life. A thoroughly recommended read with an unexpected twist at the end. Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

[EG · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. A quiet, bittersweet story about the secrets that can lurk beneath a veneer of propriety and placidness. I liked the characterisation of the three female leads, as well as all the air time given to dogs!

[Patricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I found it a little slow and wanted to give up I kept going, cause it would be disrespectful to,the publisher who gave me this ARC.

I cant say its a bad book. It just wasnt for me. Annoying main character, slow storyline. But others may like it.

[Kelly West · Rating 3 out of 5]

Didn't like this book 1 bit the only reason I carried on was the reviews said a good twist at end, there was no twist in my eyes. Glad I've finished and can now start a new book

[Deb]

The one thing keeping her family together is the lie that could tear them apart…

Meet Annie Doyle, this is her story, her past as she first met her husband Vince and her present, caring for her husband who has had dementia for thirty years.

Married life didn’t turn out quite like how she imagined, it has been an unhappy marriage so when she gets the news her husband is about to pass away Annie finds herself not really caring!

But as we learn about her past, we come to understand why things are as they are in the present and understand why she acts and feels as she does.

As the family come together to say their goodbyes we meet her two sons two sons, Michael and Andrew.

Michael still lives at home and comes across in the beginning as rude and indifferent.
Her other son Andrew lives on the other side of the world, in Australia, with his wife and two young sons. He is the more likeable and caring of the two brothers, and there is certainly no love loss between them.

The only other people in Annie’s life is her beloved dog Finn and her tentative friendship with two dog walking friends, Sandra and Josie.
Annie’s dog Finn becomes one of the main characters throughout the book and surprisingly it works really well.

On his deathbed Vince utters one last word ‘Martha.’
It is from there that the story starts to pick up pace, Who is Martha?

No-one knows who Martha is, no-one except Annie, and that single name is going to change the lives of Annie and her sons, Michael and Andrew forever.

What did Annie Doyle do fifty years ago to keep her family together?
The truth starts to emerge the book sweeps as along and leaves us ending with a twist that you may not see coming!!

It is a very well written book, the characters are given real depth, even the dogs 🙂
Quite a slow starter so it takes some time to really connect with the book but i do recommend sticking with it and you will be rewarded in the end!

[Katherine Wells · Rating 2 out of 5]

I persevered but it was a decent to mediocre read.