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Between the Lies

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How far would you go to protect the ones you love?

Jez Hook didn’t mean to kill the intruder he found snooping around the house.

But in a moment of panic he lost control.

He ought to call 999 and confess his crime.

But his girlfriend, Alice has other ideas.

She wants him to get rid of the body. She says no one will ever find out.

But when Alice vanishes without a trace, Jez finds his nightmare has only just begun.

What was her connection to the mysterious stranger in the house? And where has she gone?

As Jez begins to unravel Alice’s tangled web of lies, he discovers a past littered with dark secrets that threatens everything he holds dear.

Between the Lies is a taut, psychological thriller that twists and turns through a gripping plot guaranteed to keep you awake at night.

Remember: Somewhere between the lies, hides the truth.

Perfect for fans of Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl, BA Paris and Clare Mackintosh.

388 pages, ebook

First published February 1, 2018

1008 people are currently reading
581 people want to read

About the author

A.J. Wills

16 books418 followers

***Book bloggers join my ARC team and never miss getting your hands on a review copy of my latest books. You can sign up here: bit.ly/bloggersalert ***

AJ Wills writes standalone psychological thrillers with twisty plots.

He’s a former journalist who wrote in his spare time, before and after work for ten years, until he was finally able to fulfil his lifelong dream of becoming a fulltime author in May 2021.

He’s never looked back and now runs a small independent publishing company, Cherry Tree Publishing with his wife, AJ McDine, also a thriller writer.

He said: “I've always loved thrillers, but psychological thrillers hold a special interest for me because they're about the scary, insane, disturbing things that happen to ordinary people - and we can all relate to them on some level.”

He lives in Kent in the south east of England.

You can download AJ Wills’s psychological thriller, His Lost Wife, for free by visiting bit.ly/hislostwife

You can find out more about him on his website: ajwillsauthor.com, his Facebook page AuthorAJWills or on his Instagram account ajwills_author

Of course, you can always contact him directly at adrian@ajwillsauthor.com, where he loves to answer messages from genuine readers.

And don't forget to follow him on BookBub for his new releases: bit.ly/BookBubAJWills

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5 stars
554 (35%)
4 stars
503 (32%)
3 stars
317 (20%)
2 stars
124 (8%)
1 star
48 (3%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews
1 review
May 17, 2018
Not great

The plot was a good premise, but the writing was forced, choppy and lacked transition. Very unlikeable, inconsistent protagonist with shallow thoughts and emotions. Oh, and all the fighting and brawls was just too much. Too many convenient connections and coincidences with unnatural connections. I couldn’t wait for the book to end.
Profile Image for Kathi Defranc.
1,182 reviews498 followers
January 30, 2018
Wow, a very suspenseful story that I had to keep reading after just taking a look! I was putting it on my reading list, and all of a sudden it was 2am!
The story grabs your attention right away and does not let up! Jez Hook is in bed with his girlfriend, her young daughter,Lily, in a room close by. He hears a different noise in the old house, realizing someone is inside. He grabs a dumbbell that was close at hand and runs to protect his loved ones.
Here is where you must realize what you are doing, and how far would you go to protect your family!
His girlfriend runs off with her daughter, messing with Jez's head badly. There are so many twists you don't know which way to go, who to believe in!
I received an ARC of this story from author A.J.Wills, from which I give you my honest review of a great book!!
12.7k reviews189 followers
February 5, 2018
Wow what a book. Jez kills the intruder in his house by accident and his girlfriend doesn’t want him to call the cops. The web of lies keeps spinning out of control and the book has you caught until the end.
1 review
May 8, 2018
Not good

I cannot understand why there are high ratings for this book. The main character is dull, inept, and deals with situations in a completely bizarre way. He is not likeable in any way and neither are the other characters. Writing was ok, plot was promising but it just became silly to me and I could see the "surprising twist" coming a mile away.
Profile Image for L Cherry.
707 reviews19 followers
September 12, 2020
Expected more

This is the second book I have read by this author. I really loved the suspense in the first one, but this one just did not grab me the same way. I was bored with the details about half way, but I stayed with it because the puzzle that answered why things happened was still very exciting.
Profile Image for Lynsey.
29 reviews2 followers
May 15, 2018
This plot had potential, but the character development was so weak it ruined the whole story. As a whole, the novel felt quite amateurish, and I struggled to finish it. The ending was unsatisfying. I would skip this one.
Profile Image for Vicki Kirkman.
75 reviews
May 23, 2018
Not Good

Sorry, this was a terrible book. Highly unlikely and no surprises. It just wasn't good. The hero was a wimp too, not masculine at all. Nothing gripping or psychological about it. :-(
1,538 reviews5 followers
July 13, 2018
Not so gripping

I couldn't decide if Jez was a wimp, a jerk, or just selfish . Turns out he's a little of each. The story began with a stupid decision and shortly followed with many more. The last 1/4th of the book held all the action and kept me reading to the finish line.
Profile Image for Todd Simpson.
832 reviews35 followers
January 27, 2018
Wow, what a fabulous story. A.J. Wills has done an incredible job in creating this suspenseful and exciting read. Jez is a great character, and he is put through hell and back throughout the story. The plot is quite intense, and it just never lets up, which really made this book such a wonderful read.
Jez Hook wasn’t lucky enough that the noise he heard inside his house in the middle of the night, was something other than an intruder. Unfortunately, he came across a man that had no intention of leaving, and in fact seemed very interested in four-year-old Lily, and his partner Alice. It begs the question, what do you do if someone is inside your house, and how much violence is appropriate to protect your family. Jez went ballistic, and inflicted a fair amount of damage on the man, which in turn gave him another dilemma. Now he had to get rid of him. The stress is probably what caused the fight between Jez and Alice, but for the life of him, Jez can’t work out why Alice won’t forgive him, or even get in touch with him. His world really is turning into a nightmare, but he’s not prepared to give up without a fight. Hands down this is a must read. Especially if you enjoy Thrillers, as it’s definitely worth the 5/5 Star Rating.

I received this book for an open and honest review.
796 reviews9 followers
August 26, 2020
excellent!

thrilling, exciting, masterful! Although it has a slow start, it quickly gains momentum! what is Alice hiding? Why is she hiding it? You won’t believe how it turns out! There is definite suspense, and a huge twist that you definitely will not expect!
Profile Image for Kris.
543 reviews
March 20, 2018
Very good book, kept me pulled in and not wanting to put the book down. Some of it was a little far fetched, but nonthe less it kept my attention and I wanted to know what was going on.
Profile Image for Teresa Collins.
1,121 reviews19 followers
October 23, 2018
I received an ARC from the author at my request and this is my honest opinion. (Yes, I'm very late reviewing this, but when I say I'll do something, I do it; even if it takes forever.) The beginning and the ending of this book were good for the most part. The middle? I felt like I had stumbled into the literary version of Groundhog Day- the same thing over and over again. Jez keeps making the same dumb mistake and the same thoughts go round and round his head until I felt like I could write the dialogue myself. And I pray that if I ever have a health issue my sons will show more concern for me and their father than Jez ever showed to his.
When I first started the book I was really excited to see where it was going because this was a fairly original premise to me-burglary gone wrong and they decide to cover up the death. For a little while it was really good, but then the "mystery" starts and it all goes downhill from there. The one portion of the story I REALLY had a problem with was when Jez goes to the park and sees a woman he thinks is Alice. Through a series of "misunderstandings" he is labeled a pediophile and is chased by a group of angry dads. Fast forward to the next day and the police show up at his home to question him about the incident in the park. The police tell him he matches the description of the man the dads chased. Really? How many people on his street match that same description? Early 30's, tall, medium build with dark hair. The police happened to know him so well that they immediately came straight to the house to question him? I know I'm supposed to suspend disbelief when it comes to fiction, but we need to maintain at least one foot in the realm of reality here. All in all this was an ok read, but I think a lot more could have been done with it.
Profile Image for Cynthia.
2,097 reviews22 followers
February 2, 2018
A great story that is very suspenseful , holds your attention from page one, hooks you turning the pages not being able to put it down. The twists and turns are mind blowing and will keep you up at night wondering where the author will take it. You really should start this early or you are up for a long night of reading. I didn’t do that which make the next day a very long one so tired and couldn’t wait to get home to finish it.

Poor Jez isn’t having a good time he has been to hell and back and looks like he is going to take another trip. I know with the way the world is turning out it has been on a lot of our minds what if someone breaks in? Just what are you willing to do to keep your love ones safe? Is there a line you won’t cross over? These are the questions Jez will have to face and the outcome isn’t what he expected. Now with a dead body and his girlfriend going AWOL with no way to find her his nightmare just got worse. As he untangles the lies and secrets he finds things can and will keep getting worse. With no end to the nightmare in sight and nowhere to turn he learns to take it on the chin and ride it out to find the answers to his questions and hope he and the ones he loves will still be standing at the end.

I totally loved this book, suspense at it’s finest. I enjoyed handing on the edge through every delighted twist and turn. The author held me in the palm of his hand asking for more. You are so going to love this fast pace, exciting, thrilling nightmare.
************
6 reviews
September 12, 2018
An easy read

I enjoyed this book enough to read it over two nights but just found the plot, and the lead character a little implausible. Also, I think by halfway through the book the reader is kind of getting ahead of themselves and seeing where the plot is taking them. That said, it's an easy read, fairly enjoyable, and one I'd place on the same shelf as 'The girl on the train' if you're looking for a comparison.
57 reviews
May 29, 2018
Just ok

This story seemed to drag on for me. There were a lot of things that happened and everything was wrapped up at the end, but it all seemed pretty contrived to me. I was very frustrated with Jez when he didn't give all the details to the police-not about the break in but about Alice changing her name and other things.
Profile Image for Kelly.
5 reviews1 follower
May 7, 2018
Could not waste another minute reading this book. Jez is an whiny idiot. I can't believe he even had a girlfriend. Don't waste your time.
Profile Image for Libby.
83 reviews2 followers
June 9, 2018
Fun but predictable

I read this in one day. Even though the plot wasn’t that unique, it was enjoyable. I would recommend reading.
Profile Image for Donna Bell.
89 reviews1 follower
April 25, 2018
Great work!

I found this to be one of the most fast paced, action filled mysteries I’ve ever read and that’s saying something because I’ve read thousands.

Jez is the main character, and what a character he is. I’m not at all surprised he was still living with Mum and Dad at the age of 31 (?) because he is such a bumbling idiot that they probably still had to tie his shoes. He’s got to be smarter than he appears most of the time.

Jez makes such a mess of things everywhere he goes. He’s also very persistent. Even at the end of the book he’s not paying attention when Alice asks him to stop insisting on something he thinks is right. Not a good harbinger for a continued relationship. Perhaps a sequel?

Alice is a smart girl, but she’s doesn’t use very good judgement. Mick was one of my favorite characters. Wish I had a buddy like him.

The story rollicks along, with hardly a break between Jez’s brawls and arrests, he can’t even go to a kid’s park without being chased. He spends a lot of time hiding from police and people that want to lynch him, he’s very persistent - did I say that already - and has a bad habit of grabbing people, intruding into their space. Maybe that’s why they’re always trying to beat him up.

The ending is very satisfactory, maybe not happily ever after, but a great ending. I’ll definitely read more by this author.
Profile Image for Lyndsey Gallagher.
Author 16 books246 followers
January 11, 2020
This book was recommended to me by a friend and it certainly did not disappoint.
An intruder breaks into Jez's home in the middle of the night, as he confronts him, Jez realises the mans intentions are far more alarming than just a simple robbery. This is a scenario that any of us could find ourselves in, immediately demanding the readers attention.
As the plot developed I found myself hooked, desperate to discover how things would progress. Initially, Jez wasn't an entirely likeable character, but as he faced his own challenges throughout the story he developed and matured into the protagonist we could root for.
Without giving too much away, the ending wasn't something that I actually would have predicted, it was better. But then again, I'm an eternal sucker for the HEA!
Great job Adrian Will's. I would highly recommend this book and will definitely be reading more from this exceptionally talented author.
Profile Image for HornFan2 .
767 reviews46 followers
April 7, 2018
I received a free advance copy, from the author for my honest review and also purchased it from amazon.com.

This was my first read from A.J. or Adrian Wills, although I do have his entire Tom Blake series on my TBR and definitely will have to get caught up on his writing.

With Between the Lies, the author hooks you from the first paragraph, just keeps you turning pages, with this suspenseful read and storyline that could be ripped right out of today's headlines.

Who can't relate to Jez Hook, an out of shape character, who with a cheesy pickup line at the grocery store and ends up with a hot girlfriend Alice. Wills spins a really good tale with them, add her daughter Lilly into the mix, a mix of both good and bad characters, add an extra heaping helping of twist and turns, mix in a few lies and your in for a good heart pounding psychological read.
Profile Image for Pete.
895 reviews7 followers
February 1, 2018
For me, this book started quite slowly, but it very quickly developed into a gripping and suspenseful tale with lots of twists and turns. The characters are very believable, especially the lead character Jez, who is really put under the cosh in this adventure, accused of being a paedophile, and of murder, getting drugged and nearly losing his job and at the same time trying to cope with a rather helpless father and his mother having a stroke. One has to admire his resolve in not giving up!
The ending was explosive, dramatic and unexpected.
This book is well worth a read if you like your suspense and drama in large helpings.
I received an advance copy of this book from the author, but I have voluntarily written this review based on my own opinion.
Profile Image for David Taylor.
1,539 reviews24 followers
February 2, 2018
Between the Lies is advertised as a psychological thriller – Adrian Willis certainly delivers on this promise. Additionally, there are enough twists and turns in this book to keep the reader fully engaged in getting to the resolution of the story and to see how each of the individual threads ties into that resolution. I can honestly say it has been quite a while since I read a story that kept me so engaged in trying to figure it out before the end, and it took until the end to finally see how it all fit together.
If you enjoy thrillers that challenge your abilities to deduce the resolution this is a must read. I’m looking forward to more books from this author.
I received an Advance Reader Copy and chose to provide an honest review
4 reviews
April 9, 2021
Predictable.

I could not wait until I finished this book and almost couldn't be bothered with the ending, but I struggled to get there.
This could have been a brilliant read, but the rather convoluted and unbelievable plot is compounded by poor writing and a predictable narrative The irony of this book that the bare bones of this story is really good, but like many modern thrillers of today, they go too far in the direction of fantasy.
Needless to say that I will not be reading any further work by Adrian Wills- nothing personal, but I always held the view that less is more.
Profile Image for David Luton.
Author 60 books1 follower
April 2, 2023
This was my first book by this author, and I'm sure I will try more after reading this one. I really like the way he developed the story line in a way that defied my expectations, or better said, what I normally expect from this type of novel. Many thrillers like to include a big twist at the end, but this one had lots of little twists that kept me on my toes. I usually don't care much for "action" scenes that involve hand to hand struggles, but I felt that even such scenes were well-described, and therefore, tolerable for a wuss like me. Please note that the original title of this book was "The Intruder".
66 reviews
February 10, 2021
Forget this one - go directly to A J Wills second book

Dear A J Wills, Please forgive the two stars I awarded this, your first book. I'm sorry, but I have NEVER encountered such a STUPID male protagonist. It's a good story, but Jez seems to do everything in his power to screw it up!
I truly enjoyed your second book, expecting to feel the same about this. However, I am looking forward to your next, knowing you will only get better!
Profile Image for Sheryl Wolford.
238 reviews2 followers
March 4, 2021
When Things go Wrong

This writer has some talent that occasionally shows up while reading this mystery. The main character "Jez" is unlikable 98% of the time and just dumb 100% of the time. He does finally get something right only to stumble and fumble into the next stupid decision. The book was ok enough for me to try at least one more read from this author....preferable something written after this book
41 reviews
Read
April 9, 2021
What would you do if you found a stranger in your lounge asking for your daughter?

What starts out as a possible break in and abduction attempt soon spirals out of control. Jez finds himself in all sorts of predicaments when his partner goes missing and he is suspected of her murder. Somehow he traces his partners past and finds out things he doesn't want to hear. A surprising twist in the tale at the end.
Profile Image for Nan Christine  Borton-Smith.
559 reviews12 followers
May 4, 2018
Authors first foray into this genre. He got it in one!

Wills first step into the psych suspense genre and he Nailed It. Alice & Jez were victims of a burglary that ended with catastrophic consequences. Alice dissppears with her daughter & Jez realizes he knows nothing about the woman H Ed is living with....
7 reviews1 follower
August 2, 2020
Good pass the time reading

An ok read. Good for passing the time. Interesting story. No sex which I think is not needed in a book or movie. No foul language. It's funny though I can always tell the difference between American and English writers without mentioning of pubs and stuff.
2 reviews1 follower
September 6, 2020
Another great read

The start of the book really had my imagination going as to where this story was going to go, what I originally thought would be the outcome soon changed as the plot thickened. I normally only read in bed but found myself grabbing my kindle and reading a few pages during the day!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews

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