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The Long Deception
The sudden death of a childhood friend forces a woman to rethink her own life—and make an impossible decision.
Alison Eastlake has come a long way from the wild days of her youth in England. Now, instead of streaking her hair purple, dreaming of becoming an artist, and sneaking cigarettes in her friend Sophie’s basement, she has a career in advertising in Los Angeles and attends black-tie dinners with her executive husband. She fears that she is fast becoming the type of person she once despised.
When Alison receives news that Sophie has died of a drug overdose, leaving behind a slew of unanswered questions, she must go back home. Once there, she unearths reminders of her unruly past, including feelings for Sophie’s brother, Matt—and finds that she is still powerfully attracted to him.
Careening dangerously close to a full-blown affair, Alison must now make an impossible decision. But when a long-buried secret about Sophie resurfaces, it shatters everything Alison had always believed about the past—and forces her to rethink her own life, her marriage, and her future.
Alison Eastlake has come a long way from the wild days of her youth in England. Now, instead of streaking her hair purple, dreaming of becoming an artist, and sneaking cigarettes in her friend Sophie’s basement, she has a career in advertising in Los Angeles and attends black-tie dinners with her executive husband. She fears that she is fast becoming the type of person she once despised.
When Alison receives news that Sophie has died of a drug overdose, leaving behind a slew of unanswered questions, she must go back home. Once there, she unearths reminders of her unruly past, including feelings for Sophie’s brother, Matt—and finds that she is still powerfully attracted to him.
Careening dangerously close to a full-blown affair, Alison must now make an impossible decision. But when a long-buried secret about Sophie resurfaces, it shatters everything Alison had always believed about the past—and forces her to rethink her own life, her marriage, and her future.
254 pages, Hardcover
First published January 30, 2018
185 people are currently reading
694 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
January 26, 2018
The Long Deception, the second novel of Mary McCluskey's that I've devoured, received in an ARC, is an excellent example of the style of writing that excites and soothes at the same time. I got an opportunity to read and edit/critique this manuscript before it went to her agent, as well. Her smooth and fluid prose gives total credence to the beautiful characterizations and intriguing plots that she creates in her work. I followed the main character with empathy in every step of her journey from her U.S. marriage back to her past in England where her memories and love have distorted her reality. I was pulling for her all the way, in spite of flawed thinking and confused choices. Couldn't put the book down until the surprising revelation at the end. Well worth the read!
January 5, 2018
The Long Deception is an interesting novel. When I got this from Netgalley I was under the impression it was a thriller, but it's not. I'm not disappointed by this at all because the novel works as literary fiction, or women's fiction which just sounds like a weird genre. I'm a guy and I loved this book, so why would you alienate men from reading this? That puzzles me a little and I hope men see this review and read the book. This a novel where the focus is on characters more than action. McCluskey is a talented author who tells a story with a huge twist at the end. Sophie's death changes things for Alison and you get to see her evolve and finally realize that the life she has isn't the life she wanted. We can all relate to that, and sometimes we have to make a choice that's terrible for others, but exactly what we need.
Matt seems to be the catalyst for all of this. It's a chance to reconnect and rekindle something she felt as a girl, but here's where everything goes a bit left. Nothing is how we see it, and Deception lives up to its title. I like the writing style, and the characters though older, never seem to lose sight of who they were. While a lot of novels would become stale without action, it's a novel that relishes in discovery. There's a bit of mystery here, but I don't think it would be enough to hold the attention span of a fan of white knuckled suspense which is unfortunate. It's easily one of my favorite novels and I couldn't put it down. There should be a warning here telling you that once you begin reading this there's no way to stop. I would close my Kindle app only to open it two seconds later. Highly addicting and the perfect novel to read when you want something that grabs you from the opening pages, and holds on until the final page is read.
Matt seems to be the catalyst for all of this. It's a chance to reconnect and rekindle something she felt as a girl, but here's where everything goes a bit left. Nothing is how we see it, and Deception lives up to its title. I like the writing style, and the characters though older, never seem to lose sight of who they were. While a lot of novels would become stale without action, it's a novel that relishes in discovery. There's a bit of mystery here, but I don't think it would be enough to hold the attention span of a fan of white knuckled suspense which is unfortunate. It's easily one of my favorite novels and I couldn't put it down. There should be a warning here telling you that once you begin reading this there's no way to stop. I would close my Kindle app only to open it two seconds later. Highly addicting and the perfect novel to read when you want something that grabs you from the opening pages, and holds on until the final page is read.
February 7, 2018
I'm debating whether this is a 2 or 3 star rating. Closer to two. I won a Kindle copy of this novel in a Goodreads Giveaway.
I expected a mystery, but the majority of the book felt like an angsty pseudo - romance, with an adult character that constantly reminisces about her teenage crush. Other than her maudlin and sentimental memories, she doesn't do or think much that I found interesting. I finished the book, and it was readable, but not noteworthy. The women's shelter portion of the plot was the most interesting part of the novel, but it's secondary to the character's annoying obsession with her former not quite boyfriend.
I expected a mystery, but the majority of the book felt like an angsty pseudo - romance, with an adult character that constantly reminisces about her teenage crush. Other than her maudlin and sentimental memories, she doesn't do or think much that I found interesting. I finished the book, and it was readable, but not noteworthy. The women's shelter portion of the plot was the most interesting part of the novel, but it's secondary to the character's annoying obsession with her former not quite boyfriend.
January 20, 2018
The Long Deception
By
Mary McCluskey
What it's all about...
Sometimes a reader sort of falls into a book that moves along slowly yet has a steady build up. That’s this book. The characters in this book are tied together from their youth until their adulthood. They are bound by heartache and sadness. Allison is married, has a career and lives in LA with her husband Jake. Her childhood friend, Sophie, has died and Allison decides to return to England for the funeral. This is more complicated than it seems. Allison had an unresolved romantic love for Sophie’s brother Matt. So...life becomes rather messy.
Why I wanted to read it...
I am not sure if anyone remembers this movie called The Big Chill. But...that’s what this book reminded me of...friends gathering for the funeral of a beloved yet wounded friend. Sophie was into drugs. Sophie left three year old twins behind. Sophie’s life was not an easy one. Sophie had lots of secrets. So did her brother Matt.
What made me truly enjoy this book...
I really enjoyed the writing in this book. I loved the way key events were revealed. There is a subtle build up to important story issues. This just kept my interest in all aspects of this story. This also just kept me guessing.
Why you should read it, too...
Readers who enjoy a story about people and their flaws and their struggles and their secrets should enjoy this well told and well written book.
I received an advance reader’s copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley and Amazon. It was my choice to read it and review it.
January 15, 2018
McCluskey’s latest novel A LONG DECEPTION is an impressive and poetic exploration of loyalty. A group of childhood friends—the Savages—are drawn together for the funeral of Sophie, who has died of a drug overdose. Alison leaves her California high-powered advertising job to fly to England, indefinitely leaving her husband and stale marriage behind.
Sophie’s brother Matt, the boy who had invaded all of Allison’s teenage dreams, attends Sophie’s funeral with his chic French wife. Allison is overcome with desire for the boy she missed.
Faced with the question of loyalty— what is owed to the present and the past—Alison must reevaluate her relationships. As she struggles to resolve her feelings toward her childhood crush, she is also determined to find out why Sophie died. Her actions, however, cause her fragile marriage to weaken to the point of collapse.
McCluskey’s prose elevates the story beyond The Big Chill. Her poetic descriptions, combined with believable dialogue, kept me reading until I finished the book in two sessions. Her treatment of a difficult subject was light-handed, deft, and most of all, emotionally satisfying for this reader.
Sophie’s brother Matt, the boy who had invaded all of Allison’s teenage dreams, attends Sophie’s funeral with his chic French wife. Allison is overcome with desire for the boy she missed.
Faced with the question of loyalty— what is owed to the present and the past—Alison must reevaluate her relationships. As she struggles to resolve her feelings toward her childhood crush, she is also determined to find out why Sophie died. Her actions, however, cause her fragile marriage to weaken to the point of collapse.
McCluskey’s prose elevates the story beyond The Big Chill. Her poetic descriptions, combined with believable dialogue, kept me reading until I finished the book in two sessions. Her treatment of a difficult subject was light-handed, deft, and most of all, emotionally satisfying for this reader.
January 5, 2018
A childhood friend is found dead in a hotel in the UK so Alison flies back from LA to attend the funeral and establish what had gone wrong. The group of friends meet up again; apparently united in their grief, they help the bereaved brother and his wife apply for custody of the dead woman's twin daughters. A teen romance is ill advisedly rekindled and as the plot unfolds it appears that their childhood was not as idyllic as they all thought.
I enjoyed the story however I found some of the details unbelievable. Would a woman's refuge really let a complete stranger in to chat to the clients? Would those traumatised clients just relate their whole story to some woman who is in the kitchen for no apparent reason? Would a custody court really want the witness statement of someone who lived in another country and had not met the person in question for many years? Anyway nitty gritty aside, as an easy to read thriller it does the job.
I enjoyed the story however I found some of the details unbelievable. Would a woman's refuge really let a complete stranger in to chat to the clients? Would those traumatised clients just relate their whole story to some woman who is in the kitchen for no apparent reason? Would a custody court really want the witness statement of someone who lived in another country and had not met the person in question for many years? Anyway nitty gritty aside, as an easy to read thriller it does the job.
March 21, 2018
I received a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
This should have been a really quick read, but I found myself dreading picking it up because it was going nowhere fast. That never really improved until the last two or three chapters, and when it did, the whole thing just seemed like a quick ending because the author got tired of writing. The "big reveal" at the end was cheap and honestly kind of nauseating, and there was never a whole lot of chance to get to know any of the characters with the exception of Alison, who I kind of hated. I kept reading because I was hoping she would redeem herself, but she never really did, and the ending wasn't worth plodding through the rest of it.
This should have been a really quick read, but I found myself dreading picking it up because it was going nowhere fast. That never really improved until the last two or three chapters, and when it did, the whole thing just seemed like a quick ending because the author got tired of writing. The "big reveal" at the end was cheap and honestly kind of nauseating, and there was never a whole lot of chance to get to know any of the characters with the exception of Alison, who I kind of hated. I kept reading because I was hoping she would redeem herself, but she never really did, and the ending wasn't worth plodding through the rest of it.
March 9, 2018
I've just finished this literary/psychological/thriller, and by the end of it, I postponed everything and sat at the edge of the chair (armchair), needing to know how it ends. Mary's characteristic elegant writing style and insightful observations sparkle in Long Deception. She also deals with the ideas of subjective reality that forms our life and identity and observes a taboo--I'll let you discover on your own--without any righteousness
August 10, 2019
The Long Deception was a loonnggg book where I kept waiting for something to happen, and then it finally does, and then, big yawn, it’s over. DO NOT recommend. Boring as fuck.
December 23, 2017
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We all have memories of different times in our lives, some happy and others are sad. Mary McCluskey's new novel is about a memory that Alison Eastlake has of her childhood in a little town in England. Alison remembers her feelings for her friends, Matt, and his sister, Sophie. Liz, another neighbor, was part of a group who called themselves the Savages. They knew each other from the time they were seven years old. They were a tightly knit group of kids who grew up together and shared all kinds of experiences. They were inseparable.
Now, all the characters are grown up and have scattered to other places. Alison lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Jake, who is a pharmaceutical executive. He oversees funding of drug trials. Alison works at an advertising firm, making presentations to clients for commercials. They have both climbed the career ladder and have a good life, a bountiful life in material terms. When Alison gets a call that Sophie, one of her closest friends, has died, she gets on a plane and returns home.
Alison's visit back to the place that meant everything to her jogs her memories and the feelings she had for that boy next door, Matt. She inexplicably delays her return back to L.A. and seems to be on a quest to answer questions that have been bothering her. Does she have to return to a job she didn't really love when art was her first passion? Is her marriage to Jake as happy as it appears or has it become a habit that automatically keeps going without any nurturing to keep it alive? Alison's first glimpse of Matt sends her reeling, and the novel becomes that page turner that kept me going to the end.
The Long Deception holds many surprises for the reader, most of which I couldn't guess were coming. The secrets people keep make the world a treacherous place. Mary McCluskey deftly wove a terrific novel with secrets running through a family and a community that made my heart ache. I loved the book and want to thank NetGalley, the author, and Little A for the opportunity to read and review this e-ARC which will be published in January.
We all have memories of different times in our lives, some happy and others are sad. Mary McCluskey's new novel is about a memory that Alison Eastlake has of her childhood in a little town in England. Alison remembers her feelings for her friends, Matt, and his sister, Sophie. Liz, another neighbor, was part of a group who called themselves the Savages. They knew each other from the time they were seven years old. They were a tightly knit group of kids who grew up together and shared all kinds of experiences. They were inseparable.
Now, all the characters are grown up and have scattered to other places. Alison lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Jake, who is a pharmaceutical executive. He oversees funding of drug trials. Alison works at an advertising firm, making presentations to clients for commercials. They have both climbed the career ladder and have a good life, a bountiful life in material terms. When Alison gets a call that Sophie, one of her closest friends, has died, she gets on a plane and returns home.
Alison's visit back to the place that meant everything to her jogs her memories and the feelings she had for that boy next door, Matt. She inexplicably delays her return back to L.A. and seems to be on a quest to answer questions that have been bothering her. Does she have to return to a job she didn't really love when art was her first passion? Is her marriage to Jake as happy as it appears or has it become a habit that automatically keeps going without any nurturing to keep it alive? Alison's first glimpse of Matt sends her reeling, and the novel becomes that page turner that kept me going to the end.
The Long Deception holds many surprises for the reader, most of which I couldn't guess were coming. The secrets people keep make the world a treacherous place. Mary McCluskey deftly wove a terrific novel with secrets running through a family and a community that made my heart ache. I loved the book and want to thank NetGalley, the author, and Little A for the opportunity to read and review this e-ARC which will be published in January.
January 26, 2019
Childhood friends reunite under solemn circumstances.
What soon follows is a piecing together of fragmented truths and sweet deceptions.
**
This year I made it a promise to go outside my comfort zone and read authors and books I have never heard of before. At the library, I grabbed this audiobook without so much as a glance at the back description and set off with fingers crossed.
Mary McCluskey has done what many others have failed to do in the area of suspense; created a story that weeds out the fat and gets right to the meat and potatoes.
Without giving anything away.....
Although this is a quick read (or listen as it is only 5 discs), I do fear that at the topic at the climax of the story will hold a sour taste for a majority of readers. I, myself was not a fan of it BUT the story ends shortly thereafter.
Regardless, this wasn't the worst (audio)book I've come across. I still have high hopes and 11 months to get at least one right this year!
What soon follows is a piecing together of fragmented truths and sweet deceptions.
**
This year I made it a promise to go outside my comfort zone and read authors and books I have never heard of before. At the library, I grabbed this audiobook without so much as a glance at the back description and set off with fingers crossed.
Mary McCluskey has done what many others have failed to do in the area of suspense; created a story that weeds out the fat and gets right to the meat and potatoes.
Without giving anything away.....
Although this is a quick read (or listen as it is only 5 discs), I do fear that at the topic at the climax of the story will hold a sour taste for a majority of readers. I, myself was not a fan of it BUT the story ends shortly thereafter.
Regardless, this wasn't the worst (audio)book I've come across. I still have high hopes and 11 months to get at least one right this year!
February 4, 2018
Very well done
I enjoyed this, it was well written , flowed to the right pace. It was a slow start for me but began to pick up . I love it
I enjoyed this, it was well written , flowed to the right pace. It was a slow start for me but began to pick up . I love it
October 31, 2017
Thank you Netgalley and Little A for the eARC.
In LA, Alison Eastlake is married to a successful businessman, has a career in advertising and is living the good life. But is she? Attending black tie dinners and selling products people don't need is far from the artistic future she foresaw in the UK as a teen. When she gets a message from an old friend, one of her old 'gang', that Sophie, the closest friend of her youth, has died of a drug overdose, leaving behind her twins, she's shocked to the core. Despite her husband Jake's misgivings, Alison hops on a plane to England.
She decides to rent a place for a week or so to try and find out what on earth happened to Sophie.
Sophie's brother Matt and his chic French wife have flown in from France for the funeral and plan to adopt Sophie's twins.
Matt was Alison's big love, but she hasn't seen him in years. As soon as she sees him again, her old feelings come back with a vengeance and she fights hard to dismiss them...without success.
When the adoption court proceedings commence, Alison discovers a shocking secret which will change the course of her life completely.
This book is lovely; well written and totally absorbing, I had a hard time putting it down. Highly recommended for readers of intelligent current literary fiction with a heart.
In LA, Alison Eastlake is married to a successful businessman, has a career in advertising and is living the good life. But is she? Attending black tie dinners and selling products people don't need is far from the artistic future she foresaw in the UK as a teen. When she gets a message from an old friend, one of her old 'gang', that Sophie, the closest friend of her youth, has died of a drug overdose, leaving behind her twins, she's shocked to the core. Despite her husband Jake's misgivings, Alison hops on a plane to England.
She decides to rent a place for a week or so to try and find out what on earth happened to Sophie.
Sophie's brother Matt and his chic French wife have flown in from France for the funeral and plan to adopt Sophie's twins.
Matt was Alison's big love, but she hasn't seen him in years. As soon as she sees him again, her old feelings come back with a vengeance and she fights hard to dismiss them...without success.
When the adoption court proceedings commence, Alison discovers a shocking secret which will change the course of her life completely.
This book is lovely; well written and totally absorbing, I had a hard time putting it down. Highly recommended for readers of intelligent current literary fiction with a heart.
December 27, 2017
Thank you Netgalley and LittleA for the ARC.
I'm not sure what to make of this book. The dialogue is well written, the characters are believable, it has the right pace. It just didn't do anything for me. Almost halfway and still nothing more than a trip down memory lane. I gave up at 43%.
I'm not sure what to make of this book. The dialogue is well written, the characters are believable, it has the right pace. It just didn't do anything for me. Almost halfway and still nothing more than a trip down memory lane. I gave up at 43%.
January 1, 2018
I read a lot of mysteries - it's my favorite genre. This one has a uniqueness about it that made it a very appealing read. Family secrets, a death that may or may not have been a suicide, a schoolgirl crush that threatens to destroy a marriage - - - lots of different plot threads to make this book interesting.
The writing is very good and the characters are believable. Some of the storyline is a bit shocking and unexpected but there were clues all along.
A very satisfying read.
The writing is very good and the characters are believable. Some of the storyline is a bit shocking and unexpected but there were clues all along.
A very satisfying read.
April 12, 2018
A great story that i enjoyed reading. The book is well written and the flow of the story you can follow. The book plot maybe taboo for some people but the characters are great to the whole book. A great page turner that has some surprises that you did not expect. A must read for any and all book lovers everywhere.
November 4, 2018
There is something about the people you grew up with. The ones who knew you when you were all kids and so much seemed possible--a time when you felt could grow up to be anybody. As you get older, you develop tender feelings toward those people and toward yourself at that age, almost as if YOU were another person then. Maybe you go to a school reunion and seeing them again--well, the reality is mixed. But imagine you go, not to a reunion, but to a funeral for one of a tight group of friends who has died suddenly and much too young. And imagine that you find yourself coping with all kinds of new realities, at the same time unable to escape the feeling that you are being drawn back to becoming who you once were. That's what McCluskey asks us to consider and she takes us along on a tense ride as Alison plucks herself from her very adult life in LA to return to England and the friends from her teenage years for what starts as a simple visit but soon threatens to become much more. The author skillfully brings us into Alison's mind and we experience her insecurities and sense of confusion. Facing a mystery--how did their friend die?--that no one seems to have an answer to, Alison picks and pokes at the problem until she reveals something wholly unexpected. And worse, she finds herself in a position to influence the lives of two innocent young children. The Long Deception is a fast read, drawing you in right from the start and never letting the pace slacken. It is thoroughly enjoyable!
May 31, 2018
I sum this book up this way: foolish woman makes foolish decisions for much more foolish reasons, resulting in wholly predictable consequences and fallout (though not nearly enough), which she entirely deserves.
This book was just well-written enough to make me get to the end, but once I got there, all I could do is sigh with exasperation at the utter, complete stupidity of the heroine. I can forgive the stupidity of a character if I believe their motivation, and on some level 'get it' but I really didn't with this one. I had trouble believing the reasons for anything she did. And in the end, I didn't even want her to get the reprieve she hoped for. She was way too silly to deserve it, and even at the very end, I was unconvinced she even wanted it for the right reasons.
Am reluctant to recommend this one, honestly.
This book was just well-written enough to make me get to the end, but once I got there, all I could do is sigh with exasperation at the utter, complete stupidity of the heroine. I can forgive the stupidity of a character if I believe their motivation, and on some level 'get it' but I really didn't with this one. I had trouble believing the reasons for anything she did. And in the end, I didn't even want her to get the reprieve she hoped for. She was way too silly to deserve it, and even at the very end, I was unconvinced she even wanted it for the right reasons.
Am reluctant to recommend this one, honestly.
April 15, 2019
To be honest with you, half of the books story was going great till the end. It left me with a really weird after taste. The story is not that bad, but it was ruined when the protagonist slept with her crush, Matt, for a lousy affair that I actually didn't like, plus she even faked it with his old crush, like really!? I just didn't agreed with it, I felt she was not very smart person either, the story is really all over the place, I thought it was more centered on finding what really happened to Sophie but went straight away to both Sophie and Matt, in which they had a relationship together.
Everything got so messed up, that I just. Blaugh.. I just don't like the story line...
It took me a month and a week to finish, everything was going great until the end.. It went completely Flat!!
Everything got so messed up, that I just. Blaugh.. I just don't like the story line...
It took me a month and a week to finish, everything was going great until the end.. It went completely Flat!!
January 28, 2018
Sometimes the worst lies are the ones we tell ourselves. Sophie's death sends Alison back to her hometown in the UK from Los Angeles. Sophie, her brother Matt, and Alison were so close as kids but time and space separated them less than the secrets they held. Alison's return and her longing for positives from the past lead her to make decisions you likely will not agree with but that doesn't mean you won't understand what she's thinking. This is well written and plotted and not really what I expected. It can seem a bit slow in spots, especially if you're thinking this is a thriller. It's not. It's a portrait of a woman struggling with past and present. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.
February 10, 2018
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
I rarely ever read books in a day, but this one I read in less than 18 hours (while at work...whoops). It does not beat around the bush and take forever to get around to the story, but Mary McCluskey writes in a way that makes you feel immersed and never bored.
The underlying plot is a bit taboo, so be aware that not everyone can handle it. I especially would not recommend this for younger people who have a hard time with uncomfortable topics. Or anyone who has issues with being uncomfortable.
Overall, it is an amazing book, but I wish there was a sequel coming out because I want to know how certain relationships fix themselves...
I rarely ever read books in a day, but this one I read in less than 18 hours (while at work...whoops). It does not beat around the bush and take forever to get around to the story, but Mary McCluskey writes in a way that makes you feel immersed and never bored.
The underlying plot is a bit taboo, so be aware that not everyone can handle it. I especially would not recommend this for younger people who have a hard time with uncomfortable topics. Or anyone who has issues with being uncomfortable.
Overall, it is an amazing book, but I wish there was a sequel coming out because I want to know how certain relationships fix themselves...
July 31, 2018
A previous reviewer urged the reader not to give up too soon, and she was right. Reading this on Kindle, the first 65% or so is disjointed, confusing and irritating.
Sophie has been found dead in a hotel room, and her old friends gather for her funeral. Rather than the story focussing on why poor old Sophie met her maker in a hotel near Birmingham airport, we get confusing relationships between friends . No one seems to display normal grief behaviour.
Throw in a Women’s Refuge centre which just lets a perfect stranger come in, and there you have it.
However, there are a few twists in store, and the pace picks up somewhat, so I’m kind of glad I carried on.
But the end was rushed and unsatisfactory, why do authors so often rush the end of books?
Sophie has been found dead in a hotel room, and her old friends gather for her funeral. Rather than the story focussing on why poor old Sophie met her maker in a hotel near Birmingham airport, we get confusing relationships between friends . No one seems to display normal grief behaviour.
Throw in a Women’s Refuge centre which just lets a perfect stranger come in, and there you have it.
However, there are a few twists in store, and the pace picks up somewhat, so I’m kind of glad I carried on.
But the end was rushed and unsatisfactory, why do authors so often rush the end of books?
December 27, 2021
The sudden death by overdose of Sophie, who a few years earlier was the golden girl, the most beloved of the company, brings Alison back to England and puts her in touch with Matt, Sophie's brother, himself the best-looking guy around, with whom she was in love. In the few days before and after Sophie's funeral, Alison is forced to come to terms with her feelings for Matt and her relationship with her American husband. This will lead her to uncover a monumental manipulation, begun in their teenage years and created to protect a sordid secret.
An excellent story about distorted family relationships and how they can poison everyone involved.
An excellent story about distorted family relationships and how they can poison everyone involved.
July 22, 2018
Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC. Alison travels back to England for a childhood friend's funeral, while there she is conflicted by feelings from her past that make her question everything from her job to her relationship. The characters and the mystery surrounding Sophie's death drew me in, I couldn't put it down. The story flowed nicely and was unpredictable. Overall, a good read, 3.5 stars rounded up.
February 18, 2018
I liked the book, but Alison was so stupid I could have slapped the sox off her. Who obsesses about someone they had a crush on as a teenager? Please don't answer that -- have some dignity. And did Matt not know he was an awful person and needed therapy? Apparently if he knew he didn't care. Makes you wonder about that saying "old friends are best". MAYBE NOT. Still, I did enjoy it and loved the Scottish descriptions -- would love to stay in that B & B.
August 16, 2018
Was misled by the Amazon synopsis of this book, expected a thriller. Unfortunately, since 70% of it is memories of growing up with a gang of friends, it reads like a YA novel. A well-written YA, give it that. Though I am not readily accepting of lines like "Her head teemed with questions." And there are many.
December 8, 2019
Well - didn't see that coming!
The name of the book is well phrased; everyone involved knows that something isn't as it should be, to do something they are uncomfortable with - but everyone wants to behave as they feel they are expected to, until finally they can't.
Not my usual read but enjoyed this - pleased with the outcome as well!
The name of the book is well phrased; everyone involved knows that something isn't as it should be, to do something they are uncomfortable with - but everyone wants to behave as they feel they are expected to, until finally they can't.
Not my usual read but enjoyed this - pleased with the outcome as well!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 7, 2024
"The Long Deception" by Mary McCluskey was an interesting and surprising novel, as very dark secrets and tangles are revealed, following a friend's suicide, as family and friends explore the past. Compelling and suspenseful. Thank you NetGalley, the author and publisher for the review copy, all opinions are my own.
April 5, 2018
I struggled through this one. It wasn't worth it. A lot of it was predictable and smarmy, quite frankly. I didn't care about any of the characters. The payoff was not worth the investment of my time.
June 6, 2018
Heartstrings
Thoroughly enjoyed the story once characters were established. Easy read with many thought provoking emotional story lines. Descriptions of the cities and countries are awesome. Easily recommend.
Thoroughly enjoyed the story once characters were established. Easy read with many thought provoking emotional story lines. Descriptions of the cities and countries are awesome. Easily recommend.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews