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The Family Lie
You whispered goodnight to your daughter. You didn’t know that would be your last goodbye.
You wake up in the middle of the night.
Your five-year-old daughter is gone.
Your husband is nowhere to be seen.
Your family think he took her.
The police believe he’s guilty.
But he wouldn’t do that, would he?
He’s a loving father. A loving husband. Isn’t he?
An addictive and completely gripping psychological thriller with a twist that will blow you away. Fans of The Girl on the Train,K.L. Slater and Shalini Boland won’t be able to put down this jaw-dropping novel.
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You wake up in the middle of the night.
Your five-year-old daughter is gone.
Your husband is nowhere to be seen.
Your family think he took her.
The police believe he’s guilty.
But he wouldn’t do that, would he?
He’s a loving father. A loving husband. Isn’t he?
An addictive and completely gripping psychological thriller with a twist that will blow you away. Fans of The Girl on the Train,K.L. Slater and Shalini Boland won’t be able to put down this jaw-dropping novel.
<
305 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2019
945 people are currently reading
666 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
April 25, 2019
EXCERPT: The room is dark, but she can see that the patio door is halfway open, rain shooting in to soak the carpet, fast and loud, and that's all she can see.
Because there's no Nick, no Josie.
But she drags her eyes away from it. She stumbles across the room and peeks behind the floor to ceiling room divider, but she already knew that the dining room would be as black and lifeless as the rest of the house.
No Nick. No Josie.
Now she cannot avoid that patio door. She rushes outside, into the stinging rain, into the black. She calls their names, both of them, but of course there's no answer. The world is black, and the rain distorts everything like a sheet of frosted glass, but she can clearly see that there's ...
No Nick. No Josie.
Beyond the high back hedge her eyes latch onto a fragment of street, and cars, and houses belonging to neighbours floating in tranquil dreams. She can see these things because the back gate is wide open, which means it's as good as a sign. Big and bright and neon and undeniable: gone.
A light is on in a house across the garden and the street beyond, and she thinks she sees someone at the bedroom window, and then the pain in her throat makes her realize that she's been screaming. She turns, meaning to get back, get to her phone, get the police, but she trips on the half-moon concrete step. one bracing hand thuds onto the step with a squelch, not a splash. And when her hand comes away, her skin is greasy, and the moonlight catches it, and she knows she's looking at a palm coated in blood.
ABOUT THIS BOOK: You whispered goodnight to your daughter. You didn’t know that would be your last goodbye.
You wake up in the middle of the night.
Your five-year-old daughter is gone.
Your husband is nowhere to be seen.
Your family think he took her.
The police believe he’s guilty.
But he wouldn’t do that, would he?
He’s a loving father. A loving husband. Isn’t he?
MY THOUGHTS: I liked the premise of this book. It was the execution I found lacking.
The Family Lie is a dialogue driven book. It lacks atmosphere. At no time did I feel any suspense. In fact, several times I was on the point of abandoning this read, including at the 90% mark. The writing is often unwieldy and clumsy, e.g. (and this is by no means the worst example) 'They composed themselves and walked downstairs, where Nick planned to use the phone in reception. The concierge smiled as they appeared, and asked no questions. And that was when it happened.
She put her fingers in his eyes, and while he was distracted the disk was snatched from his hand.'
I felt absolutely nothing for any of the characters except Miller (think 'Vera'). So little is known about the snatched child, Josie, that she doesn't seem at all real.
Not a read that I will be recommending. I understand that reading is an entirely subjective experience and that, while this book wasn't one I enjoyed, you may well love it. So if the excerpt piques your interest and you like the sound of the plot synopsis, please get a copy and read it.
THE AUTHOR: Also wrote The Choice.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Bookouture via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Family Lie by Jake cross for review. All opinions expressed in this review are my personal opinions.
Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system. This review and others are also published on my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
Because there's no Nick, no Josie.
But she drags her eyes away from it. She stumbles across the room and peeks behind the floor to ceiling room divider, but she already knew that the dining room would be as black and lifeless as the rest of the house.
No Nick. No Josie.
Now she cannot avoid that patio door. She rushes outside, into the stinging rain, into the black. She calls their names, both of them, but of course there's no answer. The world is black, and the rain distorts everything like a sheet of frosted glass, but she can clearly see that there's ...
No Nick. No Josie.
Beyond the high back hedge her eyes latch onto a fragment of street, and cars, and houses belonging to neighbours floating in tranquil dreams. She can see these things because the back gate is wide open, which means it's as good as a sign. Big and bright and neon and undeniable: gone.
A light is on in a house across the garden and the street beyond, and she thinks she sees someone at the bedroom window, and then the pain in her throat makes her realize that she's been screaming. She turns, meaning to get back, get to her phone, get the police, but she trips on the half-moon concrete step. one bracing hand thuds onto the step with a squelch, not a splash. And when her hand comes away, her skin is greasy, and the moonlight catches it, and she knows she's looking at a palm coated in blood.
ABOUT THIS BOOK: You whispered goodnight to your daughter. You didn’t know that would be your last goodbye.
You wake up in the middle of the night.
Your five-year-old daughter is gone.
Your husband is nowhere to be seen.
Your family think he took her.
The police believe he’s guilty.
But he wouldn’t do that, would he?
He’s a loving father. A loving husband. Isn’t he?
MY THOUGHTS: I liked the premise of this book. It was the execution I found lacking.
The Family Lie is a dialogue driven book. It lacks atmosphere. At no time did I feel any suspense. In fact, several times I was on the point of abandoning this read, including at the 90% mark. The writing is often unwieldy and clumsy, e.g. (and this is by no means the worst example) 'They composed themselves and walked downstairs, where Nick planned to use the phone in reception. The concierge smiled as they appeared, and asked no questions. And that was when it happened.
She put her fingers in his eyes, and while he was distracted the disk was snatched from his hand.'
I felt absolutely nothing for any of the characters except Miller (think 'Vera'). So little is known about the snatched child, Josie, that she doesn't seem at all real.
Not a read that I will be recommending. I understand that reading is an entirely subjective experience and that, while this book wasn't one I enjoyed, you may well love it. So if the excerpt piques your interest and you like the sound of the plot synopsis, please get a copy and read it.
THE AUTHOR: Also wrote The Choice.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Bookouture via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Family Lie by Jake cross for review. All opinions expressed in this review are my personal opinions.
Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system. This review and others are also published on my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
April 16, 2019
I received a free e-copy of The Family Lie by Jake Cross from NetGalley for my honest review.
Anna Carter is woken up by a strange sound on one rainy night. She discovers that the sounds are coming from the baby monitor. Then she notices that her husband, Nick, is not in bed. She goes into Josie's room to see what is causing the noise. She notices the window is open, the floor is wet from the rain, and her child isn't in her room. She starts going from room to room looking for her daughter and her husband. A door is open on the patio along with the gate in her yard.
Anna is getting worried and then she realizes the wet spot on her porch is blood! She calls the police and reports them missing. When the police arrive and they ask her lots of questions. Where did they go? Something isn't right! Anna thinks someone took them and the police think that her husband, Nick has Josie.
Twists, turns, lies and thrills. Good read but I wanted more out of the last half of the book.
Anna Carter is woken up by a strange sound on one rainy night. She discovers that the sounds are coming from the baby monitor. Then she notices that her husband, Nick, is not in bed. She goes into Josie's room to see what is causing the noise. She notices the window is open, the floor is wet from the rain, and her child isn't in her room. She starts going from room to room looking for her daughter and her husband. A door is open on the patio along with the gate in her yard.
Anna is getting worried and then she realizes the wet spot on her porch is blood! She calls the police and reports them missing. When the police arrive and they ask her lots of questions. Where did they go? Something isn't right! Anna thinks someone took them and the police think that her husband, Nick has Josie.
Twists, turns, lies and thrills. Good read but I wanted more out of the last half of the book.
April 4, 2019
The book opens with the dramatic scene of a home invasion and abduction. Anna wakes in the middle of the night to find her daughter Josie and husband Nick missing, the patio doors open, rain streaming in and blood on the steps. From there the suspense doesn't let up in this twisty tale of family lies.
Nick is found later that day, drugged and confused on the street, but the police still suspect he may be involved in the plot, especially when a call for a ransom comes in. The police know Nick and Anna are struggling financially and that Anna's very wealthy father won't help them out, despite doting on his granddaughter. But is money the only motive for this kidnapping? The kidnappers have said it's time for Nick and Anna to pay their dues and one of them will soon work out what that means.
This was a really engaging read which kept up the tension all the way through. I liked that the police in this novel are organised and smart, even the middle aged DI Miller (who made me grit my teeth every time she called Anna 'Dear') and especially the foul mouthed DC Nabi (who turned out to be the smartest of all).
With thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for a digital ARC to read
Nick is found later that day, drugged and confused on the street, but the police still suspect he may be involved in the plot, especially when a call for a ransom comes in. The police know Nick and Anna are struggling financially and that Anna's very wealthy father won't help them out, despite doting on his granddaughter. But is money the only motive for this kidnapping? The kidnappers have said it's time for Nick and Anna to pay their dues and one of them will soon work out what that means.
This was a really engaging read which kept up the tension all the way through. I liked that the police in this novel are organised and smart, even the middle aged DI Miller (who made me grit my teeth every time she called Anna 'Dear') and especially the foul mouthed DC Nabi (who turned out to be the smartest of all).
With thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for a digital ARC to read
April 20, 2019
I picked up this book due to the cover and the missing child blurb, but I was left sorely disappointed with the way of writing.
The story went thus, child Josie was kidnapped from home, father tried to stop, was hit on the head and drugged and left elsewhere, the mother called the cops and investigations started, leading to twists.
My second and perhaps the last book by Jake Cross, the book left me disappointed as the prose didn’t read like a complete story, the dialogues were pretty bad. The twists were good, but they left me with more questions. There were many characters, at one point, I stopped trying to figure out who was who and just wanted to get to the part where the child was found.
The last reveal was exciting, though I wouldn’t say the author built it up well. There was hardly any suspense or thrill in the entire book which such a plot would warrant. The characters didn’t cosy up to me or make me want to root for them. A dialogue which haunted me, the mother was with the kidnappers and was afraid when one of them was about to put his hand between her legs but suddenly thinks she didn’t care as it might mellow him.
At that point, I stopped caring. I didn’t think the author understood how a woman or a mother would react when her child is gone. The love for the child was not shown well. So overall, it was an okay read, could have been so much better.
The story went thus, child Josie was kidnapped from home, father tried to stop, was hit on the head and drugged and left elsewhere, the mother called the cops and investigations started, leading to twists.
My second and perhaps the last book by Jake Cross, the book left me disappointed as the prose didn’t read like a complete story, the dialogues were pretty bad. The twists were good, but they left me with more questions. There were many characters, at one point, I stopped trying to figure out who was who and just wanted to get to the part where the child was found.
The last reveal was exciting, though I wouldn’t say the author built it up well. There was hardly any suspense or thrill in the entire book which such a plot would warrant. The characters didn’t cosy up to me or make me want to root for them. A dialogue which haunted me, the mother was with the kidnappers and was afraid when one of them was about to put his hand between her legs but suddenly thinks she didn’t care as it might mellow him.
At that point, I stopped caring. I didn’t think the author understood how a woman or a mother would react when her child is gone. The love for the child was not shown well. So overall, it was an okay read, could have been so much better.
April 3, 2019
This book is very suspenseful. Has you on the edge of your seat. Anna’s nightmare begins when in the middle of the night nick and their daughter are missing. Is it something from their pasts or just a coincidence? Nick is found drugged but their daughter is no where in sight.
April 22, 2019
The Family Lie is the second standalone psychological thriller/family drama by Jake Cross, but I'm afraid that although it starts out very strong and promising it never really gets off the ground. It started to drag and get quite tedious to read, however, I did eventually complete it and did find the storytelling sound and solid. The premise is a good one despite being well used so it most definitely could've been compelling, but sadly it was let down by the poor plot execution. Overall, this is certainly not a terrible read, however, there are much more gripping thrillers out there. Many thanks to Bookouture for an ARC.
April 25, 2019
Anna Carter wakes in the middle of the night to find that her daughter, 5-year-old Josie, and her husband, Nick are missing from the house. Though Nick later returns home, it appears that Josie has been kidnapped and a ransom demanded. Who has taken her and why? NO SPOILERS.
This was pretty typical domestic drama with characters I found annoying and dialogue that I found pretty lame. Who calls their child "little lady" and which police officers use the word, "dear" when addressing victim families? Constantly. I didn't care for either Anna or Nick and there were no big twists or surprises that make this stand out from all the rest of the stories that have a missing or kidnapped child. The premise for the plot was quite thin and I didn't much care for the conclusion.
So, this was not a favorite but I might be willing to try another book by this author as long as it wasn't more of the same style and topic.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the e-book ARC to read and review.
This was pretty typical domestic drama with characters I found annoying and dialogue that I found pretty lame. Who calls their child "little lady" and which police officers use the word, "dear" when addressing victim families? Constantly. I didn't care for either Anna or Nick and there were no big twists or surprises that make this stand out from all the rest of the stories that have a missing or kidnapped child. The premise for the plot was quite thin and I didn't much care for the conclusion.
So, this was not a favorite but I might be willing to try another book by this author as long as it wasn't more of the same style and topic.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the e-book ARC to read and review.
April 17, 2019
Anna wakes up to find her house broken into and her husband and daughter missing. In a panic, she dials 911. She then calls her father and sister. And soon they all join her in a race to find Nick and Josie.
The Family Lie is fast paced, edge of your seat action from page one. I was easily able to put myself there with the characters in their race to rescue Josie. The twists and turns had me guessing until the end. The main characters in the story were well written. I was able to connect with them and care about what happened to them. The passion that Nick had for his family was palpable.
Although the main characters were pleasant to read, I found that there were way too many additional characters in the story. I had a lot of trouble keeping up with who was who and how they were connected. The connections were sometimes confusing and hard to place.
There were a few problematic areas that need pointing out. The first: "...whacking the energy out of Jodie when the little lady cannot sleep..." Whacking feels like a poor choice of words here. It feels too abusive.
The second: Anna is afraid at one point that a man is about to put his hand between her legs and she "...doesn't even care because it might mellow him." This is NOT how any woman would react. Unless the woman has a past of sexual abuse or is a sex worker. Anna was neither of these things, so it would be very out of character for her to let a man put his hands between her legs, just so that he will calm down. This is a disturbing use of sexual assault with the woman accepting it.
The cover is nice. But, I don't think it reflects the content of the book well enough.
Despite a few hiccups, I would definitely recommend The Family Lie to a fellow reader.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the digital ARC of The Family Lie in exchange for an honest review.
The Family Lie is fast paced, edge of your seat action from page one. I was easily able to put myself there with the characters in their race to rescue Josie. The twists and turns had me guessing until the end. The main characters in the story were well written. I was able to connect with them and care about what happened to them. The passion that Nick had for his family was palpable.
Although the main characters were pleasant to read, I found that there were way too many additional characters in the story. I had a lot of trouble keeping up with who was who and how they were connected. The connections were sometimes confusing and hard to place.
There were a few problematic areas that need pointing out. The first: "...whacking the energy out of Jodie when the little lady cannot sleep..." Whacking feels like a poor choice of words here. It feels too abusive.
The second: Anna is afraid at one point that a man is about to put his hand between her legs and she "...doesn't even care because it might mellow him." This is NOT how any woman would react. Unless the woman has a past of sexual abuse or is a sex worker. Anna was neither of these things, so it would be very out of character for her to let a man put his hands between her legs, just so that he will calm down. This is a disturbing use of sexual assault with the woman accepting it.
The cover is nice. But, I don't think it reflects the content of the book well enough.
Despite a few hiccups, I would definitely recommend The Family Lie to a fellow reader.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the digital ARC of The Family Lie in exchange for an honest review.
March 24, 2019
Buckle up because this book does not slow down! Imagine you wake up, your husband and your daughter are gone, and the police think he took her. There are so many twists, turns, ups and downs! The ending was really good too, without giving anything away I felt like it wrapped up all the details, and the pieces and made a terrifying tale end happy (as happy as it could be, I should say). At times I found myself needing to flip back or re-read a few parts, the book moved so fast that I did get lost or confused in a few places, but all the parts that left me asking questions were eventually answered later in the book.
I was provided an uncorrected digital advanced copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
I was provided an uncorrected digital advanced copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
March 26, 2019
I couldn't get in to this book straight away and i think this was just down to the style of writing and how it was spoken,- sometimes having to re read the sentence a few times before I could work it out. Odd. That being said I'm so glad I kept with this book as it really did have a lot of plots to unravel and it really was a thriller, I couldn't really guess which way it would go. After the over use of DC Miller using the word "dear" at the end of every sentence, and the other officer Bennet constantly saying "my friend", I finally got used to the writing style and loved the plot and storyline of "The Family Lie" I had not previously read a book by Jake Cross and don't tend to go for male authors when selecting books but this book made me re think that choice and I would now go on to read more books by this author. This wasn't in no means gripping but it has a strong storyline that makes you want to find out what will happen next, and keep second guessing what's going to happen so forth.
Thoroughly enjoyed this come the end, and the ending was perfect for the storyline. Would recommend this book.
Thoroughly enjoyed this come the end, and the ending was perfect for the storyline. Would recommend this book.
April 24, 2019
This month seems a month full of ‘meeting’ unknown (at least unknown to me) authors. It’s always a pleasure reading a story written by a favourite author because you know you will be in for a treat. But I also love being surprised by what new authors have in store.
The blurb is already sending chills down my spine and the book’s opener is very promising.
Maybe the story is not the most suspenseful I have read, but you certainly need to keep focused because the twists and turns make your head spin and if you do not pay attention you will have missed out on something. You are thrown into the past and dragged back into the present so fast you feel like you are sitting in a time machine. 4 stars.
Thank you, Jake Cross, Bookouture and Netgalley.
https://bforbookreview.wordpress.com
The blurb is already sending chills down my spine and the book’s opener is very promising.
Maybe the story is not the most suspenseful I have read, but you certainly need to keep focused because the twists and turns make your head spin and if you do not pay attention you will have missed out on something. You are thrown into the past and dragged back into the present so fast you feel like you are sitting in a time machine. 4 stars.
Thank you, Jake Cross, Bookouture and Netgalley.
https://bforbookreview.wordpress.com
April 27, 2019
I didn't find the flow of this book as easy as I would have liked. I found it messy in places. The story on whole could be really good with abit more tweaking. 2.5*
March 16, 2019
The Family Lie by Jake Cross is like a runaway train of intrigue and suspense. If you enjoy a high speed thriller, this one is for you.
Anna Carter awakens to find her husband Nick, and five year old daughter Josie, missing from their home. Following a preliminary investigation, police are convinced that Nick is responsible for taking Josie. Anna is adamant that he is innocent. When Nick is discovered drugged and unable to explain his daughter's whereabouts, it is a race against the clock to find the 'little lady'.
Told in a continuous running narrative as the drama unfolds, this novel is a rollercoaster that does not let up from the very first page. I read this in a single sitting, primarily because there was no break in the action that would allow you to pause for even a second. The narrative pulls you in and carries you along at a breakneck speed, and I found this frantic pace to be highly effective, and well in sync with the subject of finding an abducted child before time runs out. This is a thrilling read that will keep you guessing, with lots of twists thrown in before you reach the dramatic conclusion.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC.
Anna Carter awakens to find her husband Nick, and five year old daughter Josie, missing from their home. Following a preliminary investigation, police are convinced that Nick is responsible for taking Josie. Anna is adamant that he is innocent. When Nick is discovered drugged and unable to explain his daughter's whereabouts, it is a race against the clock to find the 'little lady'.
Told in a continuous running narrative as the drama unfolds, this novel is a rollercoaster that does not let up from the very first page. I read this in a single sitting, primarily because there was no break in the action that would allow you to pause for even a second. The narrative pulls you in and carries you along at a breakneck speed, and I found this frantic pace to be highly effective, and well in sync with the subject of finding an abducted child before time runs out. This is a thrilling read that will keep you guessing, with lots of twists thrown in before you reach the dramatic conclusion.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC.
March 16, 2019
Well this book turned out to be chock full of twists and I had started it thinking I was going to figure out pretty quick what was happening and it was just going to be another run of the mill mystery thriller....well I was wrong it turned out to be a brilliant read. The book is written in a very distinctive style, compulsive and very clever in leading you down one path only to find yourself going nowhere making it a very different story from the one I was expecting, the pace doesn’t let up at all right until a thrilling end and I thoroughly enjoyed it
My one small gripe with the book was the incessant and condescending use of the word “dear” by DCI Miller it drove me crazy and I didn’t like her character at all, but overall all a solid 4 Star read.
My thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for giving me the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
My one small gripe with the book was the incessant and condescending use of the word “dear” by DCI Miller it drove me crazy and I didn’t like her character at all, but overall all a solid 4 Star read.
My thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for giving me the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
July 8, 2019
*thank you to Netgalley, Bookouture and the author for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
1 star.
This was a let down. The description sounded so good but I found it a struggle to get through. I ended up sskimming parts because I didn't want to DNF it but I also wasn't enjoying it.
It started off ok and was interesting but then at about the 30% mark, it just got boring. The use of the word. "Dear" as a term of affection from Miller was way over used to the point where it was annoying. I'm all for affectionate words and people being affectionate but it was too much.
I also didn't really like the main character, Anne. She annoyed me also. I didn't connect with her at all.
The ending was a big shocker like I had expected from the beginning. The writing was also a bit of a mess and at times it didn't make much sense.
Unfortunately this wasn't for me.
1 star.
This was a let down. The description sounded so good but I found it a struggle to get through. I ended up sskimming parts because I didn't want to DNF it but I also wasn't enjoying it.
It started off ok and was interesting but then at about the 30% mark, it just got boring. The use of the word. "Dear" as a term of affection from Miller was way over used to the point where it was annoying. I'm all for affectionate words and people being affectionate but it was too much.
I also didn't really like the main character, Anne. She annoyed me also. I didn't connect with her at all.
The ending was a big shocker like I had expected from the beginning. The writing was also a bit of a mess and at times it didn't make much sense.
Unfortunately this wasn't for me.
March 27, 2019
The family lie is such a fast paced book!! From the first chapter until the end. This book does not slow down!
Anna wakes up to find her husband nick, and daughter josie, missing.
The police immediately think nick is to blame. Which of the family is holding a deep secret though? All through the book you’re second guessing Anna or nick. I love the way the author makes you think each could be guilty of different things.
So many twists and turns, couldn’t put it down.
Only reason I gave this 4 stars was because there were a lot of characters in book so I kept having to back track on who was who but maybe that’s just me.
Will definitely be reading from the author again.
Thank you to #netgalley for letting me have this book for an honest review.
#TheFamilyLie #NetGalley #JakeCross
Anna wakes up to find her husband nick, and daughter josie, missing.
The police immediately think nick is to blame. Which of the family is holding a deep secret though? All through the book you’re second guessing Anna or nick. I love the way the author makes you think each could be guilty of different things.
So many twists and turns, couldn’t put it down.
Only reason I gave this 4 stars was because there were a lot of characters in book so I kept having to back track on who was who but maybe that’s just me.
Will definitely be reading from the author again.
Thank you to #netgalley for letting me have this book for an honest review.
#TheFamilyLie #NetGalley #JakeCross
April 28, 2019
Review can be found on my blog here:https://booksonthebookshelf.wordpress...
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Thank you to the publisher for the eARC via NetGalley.
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Gripping, thrilling and wildly entertaining. The Family Lie is packed full with lies, betrayal, deception and secrets. I loved it. What better than a family drama full of surprises.
This book was a page turner for me. I was always wanting to know what would happen next and was eager to find out who took the little girl and if the father was responsible. Where have the girl and her father disappeared? It would be a mother’s worst nightmare to discover her child and husband both gone without a trace. And to make matters worse, could the husband truly be responsible for your child’s disappearance or is something more sinister at play here?
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Thank you to the publisher for the eARC via NetGalley.
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Gripping, thrilling and wildly entertaining. The Family Lie is packed full with lies, betrayal, deception and secrets. I loved it. What better than a family drama full of surprises.
This book was a page turner for me. I was always wanting to know what would happen next and was eager to find out who took the little girl and if the father was responsible. Where have the girl and her father disappeared? It would be a mother’s worst nightmare to discover her child and husband both gone without a trace. And to make matters worse, could the husband truly be responsible for your child’s disappearance or is something more sinister at play here?
May 2, 2019
This author never disappoints! Brilliant writing, great characters, a fast paced, tense and emotional story that never loses its grip. LOVED this amazing book and cannot wait for more from this incredibly talented author who is, in my opinion, one of the top crime writers of today.
April 22, 2019
Like many others, I chose this book for the cover and the missing child description. It's a common theme with thrillers these days - the missing child concept - but it is also one that never grows old as each writer puts a different spin on it. However, while I liked the idea behind this story, it was the execution and delivery I found inadequate.
THE FAMILY LIE begins with mother Anna Carter waking in the middle of the night to find daughter Josie and husband Nick missing, window and patio doors open, rain pouring in and blood on the step. She phones the police in a panic to report them missing and before long it becomes obvious that the police suspect Nick of taking Josie. Particularly when she receives a message from Nick stating as much and that he hopes she has enough pictures of Josie because that's all she has of her now. Or words to that effect.
Nick becomes prime suspect in little Josie's disappearance. But Anna doesn't believe Nick is responsible. Someone else has taken her child. But all the evidence points to Nick. That is, until the police receive information that Nick has been found - reported to be drunk and disorderly. Tests later confirm that he was drugged with ketamine and his confusion was due to the heavy dose given. Under heavy questioning, the police manage to get some semblance of a story of what actually happened from Nick.
The police move in to their house, set up an incident room in their dining room and from then on it seems to be a race to nowhere. The kidnappers call and list their demands - among them, £50,000 in a plastic bag inside a shoebox, delivered by Anna, and ONLY Anna. Anna complies and follows their instructions...only to be told "We want Nick to deliver the money" and that it was "time to pay his dues". I'm guessing this was to send police into a flurry and to look into Nick's past to see what it was he had done to warrant this. But apart from a few questions about "what did that mean?", it simply went overlooked. If it was meant to be a red herring for the reader then looking into Nick's past was warranted. So when the police failed to follow it up, as a reader I wasn't particularly interested...but it stayed at the back of my mind in case their lack of investigation WAS the red herring and they were really looking into it "on the QT". Whatever.
The entire "money drop" by Nick was in part intriguing as well as being a seemingly wild goose chase. The kidnappers just appeared to be toying with him for the fun of it. I admit, there was suspense in the running around to estate agents and charity shops, changing trains, tossing phones and picking up another and racing here there and everywhere. But it was a little drawn out. When suddenly the drop was made, that was it. Now what?
Then Anna disappears and Nick receives a text from her stating that he was not Josie's real father and apologies for the way she went about getting their money to run away. Ending with she hoped HE had enough pictures of Josie in his mind because he will never see her again. Really? Nick wasn't even slightly suspicious? Questioning is this what it's really about?
And so begins another race for the truth...whatever that is...
I admit that I struggled with this book. I found it hard to get into the story and the style of writing was incredibly hard to follow. I often found myself having to re-read sentences and/or paragraphs several times before I could work out what was going on. It was not just odd, it was frustrating. Then there were the "flashbacks" or past events that weren't even indicative as such. The reader was taken back and forth constantly without any real clear guidance that I had to keep flipping back pages and re-reading parts to work out what was happening. Most authors title such events to separate them from the present, making it far easier for the reader to follow.
But that was not the only thing. There was just so much going on in the story that it too made it hard to keep up and to follow. Mostly this can be incorporated in such a way that everything flows and blends together but not this book. Everything was just so convoluted. It was confusing and all over the place. Half of what was in this book could have been reduced and still kept the pace of the story intriguing enough for the reader.
Then there was my biggest hate - long chapters. I use the Kindle app where it tells you how long is left in the chapter, and honestly, chapters that went for not just 45 minutes but and hour and 3 minutes? That just drags the whole thing out and made reading this book a real chore. Long chapters do NOT make for fast paced or exciting reading. And then within each of these long chapters, were little parts broken up for each separate scene between Nick, Anna, the police etc. All of this could have been done in separate chapters! Not parts separated with a decorative filigree within a huge long chapter. And as the book is broken into two parts, I didn't see the point of that. There was no great shift in perspective to warrant Part One and Part Two, in my opinion. For that to work, a Part Three should have been added in that case for the real story to unfold in.
And then there's the writing. I had to agree with a few other reviewers of the poor choice of words on many occasions. The biggest being where the the kidnapper Anna refers to as "ball cap" puts his hand between her legs and she "doesn't even care because it might mellow him." No way. I'm a woman. Instinct would have us thrust his hand away, no matter the cost. It's instinct. No woman would let a man put his hand between her legs without invitation unless she had been a past victim to sexual abuse or, as one reviewer stated, was a sex worker. And being neither of those, it was too out of character for Anna to allow this just to mellow him. This is not how a woman would react. I don't think the writer understands women or how they, or a mother, would react in such a situation.
Words. The writer must love words. The book is too wordy. Too much monologuing and description. Not enough dialogue. Where's the connection between the characters? Where's the conversation? The dialogue? This is what connects people. This is what connects the readers to the characters. Not overt descriptions of action. I could't connect with any of the characters. The closest I could was DCI Miller, and even she annoyed me with her constant use of "dear" at the end of every sentence and always adding "apologies for that, but" into the middle of a conversation. Police don't generally apologise for everything. The use of both words was patronising.
DCI Miller did remind me a little of "Vera" but not as motherly and a lot more patronising. While it was only hinted at once during a phone call Nick inadvertently overhead, it appears Miller was gay with the use of the other person's name being Liz. It could be a child but instinct told me the way the conversation was carried it was a partner. However, this was not built on. I found he writer did a lot of that. Threw tidbits of information about a character without actually following through with it, so we as readers don't actually get the full picture to connect with the character. I know it was paramount to the story, but it helps give the character more depth. When she suddenly disappeared at the end, I kind of felt like Nick did in his reaction to her no longer being there.
None of the characters had much depth. They all just seemed to just be there, a little wooden, many without focus or purpose.
And all the while the reader could be forgiven for forgetting that this story was about a missing child because there was nothing to connect you with her. The story seemed to be mostly about the chase and the games the kidnappers seemed to be playing, as well as secrets coming to light. Nothing about Josie at all. All the rubbish on the drive back from London to Sheffield was a load of bollocks!
"On the M1 four things happened..." This confused me. Four things? What four things. It was then broken down into driver locations, but these things could have been woven into the story subtly or eliminated altogether. They weren't mind-blowing. In fact some were even unnecessary. And what of Anna saying she doesn't want a funeral for Josie? There is no evidence to suggest she is dead! Then jumping out of the car to suddenly throw herself off a cliff.
However, while there was a lot I didn't like about THE FAMILY LIE, I did enjoy the second half more as the pace picked up in the excruciatingly hour long chapter detailing Nick's race to drop the ransom and the kidnapper's taunting. But only marginally. There was a lot of unnecessary additions that could have been left out.
The writer's use of the same words or phrases throughout the book wore a little thin. "And then it happened" and the over-use of "my little lady" when referring to Josie made my skin crawl. It was creepy. This, on top of Miller's constant "dear" and "apologies for this" as I said were a little patronising. It didn't endear her to me. In fact, she spoke to Anna and Nick like they were children.
Then there was DC Nadi, who was foul-mouthed and rude, and would have been on report for the way he treated and spoke to the family. While he may have ended up saving the day, his indifference STILL at the end did not endear me to him at all. Of course, his attitude was explained away...but only seemingly in passing and still didn't make me sympathise with him at all.
And in the end, what was it all for? Something from the past that suddenly came to light in a messy and convoluted way. THE FAMILY LIE had the potential to be a great and compelling read but it failed on more than one count.
I will say that one clever piece woven into the story was the secret messages from Anna to her sister and the kidnapper's to Anna. I thought that was a touch of brilliance.
This is my second book by Jake Cross and I couldn't even get a quarter of the way through the first one, The Choice. And I had to struggle my way through this one. Needless to say, I will not be seeking out any more books by this author.
I would like to thank #JakeCross, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheFamilyLie in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
THE FAMILY LIE begins with mother Anna Carter waking in the middle of the night to find daughter Josie and husband Nick missing, window and patio doors open, rain pouring in and blood on the step. She phones the police in a panic to report them missing and before long it becomes obvious that the police suspect Nick of taking Josie. Particularly when she receives a message from Nick stating as much and that he hopes she has enough pictures of Josie because that's all she has of her now. Or words to that effect.
Nick becomes prime suspect in little Josie's disappearance. But Anna doesn't believe Nick is responsible. Someone else has taken her child. But all the evidence points to Nick. That is, until the police receive information that Nick has been found - reported to be drunk and disorderly. Tests later confirm that he was drugged with ketamine and his confusion was due to the heavy dose given. Under heavy questioning, the police manage to get some semblance of a story of what actually happened from Nick.
The police move in to their house, set up an incident room in their dining room and from then on it seems to be a race to nowhere. The kidnappers call and list their demands - among them, £50,000 in a plastic bag inside a shoebox, delivered by Anna, and ONLY Anna. Anna complies and follows their instructions...only to be told "We want Nick to deliver the money" and that it was "time to pay his dues". I'm guessing this was to send police into a flurry and to look into Nick's past to see what it was he had done to warrant this. But apart from a few questions about "what did that mean?", it simply went overlooked. If it was meant to be a red herring for the reader then looking into Nick's past was warranted. So when the police failed to follow it up, as a reader I wasn't particularly interested...but it stayed at the back of my mind in case their lack of investigation WAS the red herring and they were really looking into it "on the QT". Whatever.
The entire "money drop" by Nick was in part intriguing as well as being a seemingly wild goose chase. The kidnappers just appeared to be toying with him for the fun of it. I admit, there was suspense in the running around to estate agents and charity shops, changing trains, tossing phones and picking up another and racing here there and everywhere. But it was a little drawn out. When suddenly the drop was made, that was it. Now what?
Then Anna disappears and Nick receives a text from her stating that he was not Josie's real father and apologies for the way she went about getting their money to run away. Ending with she hoped HE had enough pictures of Josie in his mind because he will never see her again. Really? Nick wasn't even slightly suspicious? Questioning is this what it's really about?
And so begins another race for the truth...whatever that is...
I admit that I struggled with this book. I found it hard to get into the story and the style of writing was incredibly hard to follow. I often found myself having to re-read sentences and/or paragraphs several times before I could work out what was going on. It was not just odd, it was frustrating. Then there were the "flashbacks" or past events that weren't even indicative as such. The reader was taken back and forth constantly without any real clear guidance that I had to keep flipping back pages and re-reading parts to work out what was happening. Most authors title such events to separate them from the present, making it far easier for the reader to follow.
But that was not the only thing. There was just so much going on in the story that it too made it hard to keep up and to follow. Mostly this can be incorporated in such a way that everything flows and blends together but not this book. Everything was just so convoluted. It was confusing and all over the place. Half of what was in this book could have been reduced and still kept the pace of the story intriguing enough for the reader.
Then there was my biggest hate - long chapters. I use the Kindle app where it tells you how long is left in the chapter, and honestly, chapters that went for not just 45 minutes but and hour and 3 minutes? That just drags the whole thing out and made reading this book a real chore. Long chapters do NOT make for fast paced or exciting reading. And then within each of these long chapters, were little parts broken up for each separate scene between Nick, Anna, the police etc. All of this could have been done in separate chapters! Not parts separated with a decorative filigree within a huge long chapter. And as the book is broken into two parts, I didn't see the point of that. There was no great shift in perspective to warrant Part One and Part Two, in my opinion. For that to work, a Part Three should have been added in that case for the real story to unfold in.
And then there's the writing. I had to agree with a few other reviewers of the poor choice of words on many occasions. The biggest being where the the kidnapper Anna refers to as "ball cap" puts his hand between her legs and she "doesn't even care because it might mellow him." No way. I'm a woman. Instinct would have us thrust his hand away, no matter the cost. It's instinct. No woman would let a man put his hand between her legs without invitation unless she had been a past victim to sexual abuse or, as one reviewer stated, was a sex worker. And being neither of those, it was too out of character for Anna to allow this just to mellow him. This is not how a woman would react. I don't think the writer understands women or how they, or a mother, would react in such a situation.
Words. The writer must love words. The book is too wordy. Too much monologuing and description. Not enough dialogue. Where's the connection between the characters? Where's the conversation? The dialogue? This is what connects people. This is what connects the readers to the characters. Not overt descriptions of action. I could't connect with any of the characters. The closest I could was DCI Miller, and even she annoyed me with her constant use of "dear" at the end of every sentence and always adding "apologies for that, but" into the middle of a conversation. Police don't generally apologise for everything. The use of both words was patronising.
DCI Miller did remind me a little of "Vera" but not as motherly and a lot more patronising. While it was only hinted at once during a phone call Nick inadvertently overhead, it appears Miller was gay with the use of the other person's name being Liz. It could be a child but instinct told me the way the conversation was carried it was a partner. However, this was not built on. I found he writer did a lot of that. Threw tidbits of information about a character without actually following through with it, so we as readers don't actually get the full picture to connect with the character. I know it was paramount to the story, but it helps give the character more depth. When she suddenly disappeared at the end, I kind of felt like Nick did in his reaction to her no longer being there.
None of the characters had much depth. They all just seemed to just be there, a little wooden, many without focus or purpose.
And all the while the reader could be forgiven for forgetting that this story was about a missing child because there was nothing to connect you with her. The story seemed to be mostly about the chase and the games the kidnappers seemed to be playing, as well as secrets coming to light. Nothing about Josie at all. All the rubbish on the drive back from London to Sheffield was a load of bollocks!
"On the M1 four things happened..." This confused me. Four things? What four things. It was then broken down into driver locations, but these things could have been woven into the story subtly or eliminated altogether. They weren't mind-blowing. In fact some were even unnecessary. And what of Anna saying she doesn't want a funeral for Josie? There is no evidence to suggest she is dead! Then jumping out of the car to suddenly throw herself off a cliff.
However, while there was a lot I didn't like about THE FAMILY LIE, I did enjoy the second half more as the pace picked up in the excruciatingly hour long chapter detailing Nick's race to drop the ransom and the kidnapper's taunting. But only marginally. There was a lot of unnecessary additions that could have been left out.
The writer's use of the same words or phrases throughout the book wore a little thin. "And then it happened" and the over-use of "my little lady" when referring to Josie made my skin crawl. It was creepy. This, on top of Miller's constant "dear" and "apologies for this" as I said were a little patronising. It didn't endear her to me. In fact, she spoke to Anna and Nick like they were children.
Then there was DC Nadi, who was foul-mouthed and rude, and would have been on report for the way he treated and spoke to the family. While he may have ended up saving the day, his indifference STILL at the end did not endear me to him at all. Of course, his attitude was explained away...but only seemingly in passing and still didn't make me sympathise with him at all.
And in the end, what was it all for? Something from the past that suddenly came to light in a messy and convoluted way. THE FAMILY LIE had the potential to be a great and compelling read but it failed on more than one count.
I will say that one clever piece woven into the story was the secret messages from Anna to her sister and the kidnapper's to Anna. I thought that was a touch of brilliance.
This is my second book by Jake Cross and I couldn't even get a quarter of the way through the first one, The Choice. And I had to struggle my way through this one. Needless to say, I will not be seeking out any more books by this author.
I would like to thank #JakeCross, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheFamilyLie in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
April 19, 2019
My type of story: a fast-paced thrill ride that unfold over a short period of time. I love the title. Highly recommend!
March 28, 2019
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for gifting me this ARC of The Family Lie in exchange for my honest review.
Imagine waking up to find your daughter and husband are missing, the police theory doesn't jive with what you know in your heart is true and time is ticking quickly!
I love an intense, suspenseful, twisty-turny thriller and this is what this was. It kept me on my toes and caught me by surprise a number of times. I was never able to guess any of the plot twists in advance either which makes for an enjoyable thriller! There were a few times that the flow of the story threw me off and I had to take a minute to figure out what was going on but everything eventually came together for me. I would have loved to see the time stamp used more often - perhaps at the start of each new chapter - to get more of a feel how quickly time was passing. This was my first Jake Cross book and I will definitely check out more!
Imagine waking up to find your daughter and husband are missing, the police theory doesn't jive with what you know in your heart is true and time is ticking quickly!
I love an intense, suspenseful, twisty-turny thriller and this is what this was. It kept me on my toes and caught me by surprise a number of times. I was never able to guess any of the plot twists in advance either which makes for an enjoyable thriller! There were a few times that the flow of the story threw me off and I had to take a minute to figure out what was going on but everything eventually came together for me. I would have loved to see the time stamp used more often - perhaps at the start of each new chapter - to get more of a feel how quickly time was passing. This was my first Jake Cross book and I will definitely check out more!
March 25, 2019
So many feelings. This had me on the edge of my seat
I could not put it down once I started... Only sleep kept me from staying up late last night to finish it
I've never read a book like this before and at times I was close to tears considering the subject...
The characters were all deep and I enjoyed seeing views from both Nick and Anna, made it much easier to be confused too...
So many things could have happened and just when you think you have it figured out, it took a turn and was completely unexpected, so to say I was on the edge of my seat the entire time is an understament.
I could not put it down once I started... Only sleep kept me from staying up late last night to finish it
I've never read a book like this before and at times I was close to tears considering the subject...
The characters were all deep and I enjoyed seeing views from both Nick and Anna, made it much easier to be confused too...
So many things could have happened and just when you think you have it figured out, it took a turn and was completely unexpected, so to say I was on the edge of my seat the entire time is an understament.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 20, 2019
A really great thriller.
You are instantly hooked with Anna waking to find her partner Nick and daughter gone. She immediately thinks they've been taken and contacts police. At this point I wondered why she didn't just think her husband had run off with his daughter, the police think this too, but soon he shows up drugged and confused.
The story focuses on Anna and Nick working with the police to try and find out who has their daughter and why. It is full of twists and turns, at times I thought maybe too many, but each one serves a purpose and its all tied up well.
Very well written and I liked the flashbacks for explanation.
Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC.
You are instantly hooked with Anna waking to find her partner Nick and daughter gone. She immediately thinks they've been taken and contacts police. At this point I wondered why she didn't just think her husband had run off with his daughter, the police think this too, but soon he shows up drugged and confused.
The story focuses on Anna and Nick working with the police to try and find out who has their daughter and why. It is full of twists and turns, at times I thought maybe too many, but each one serves a purpose and its all tied up well.
Very well written and I liked the flashbacks for explanation.
Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 20, 2019
Young Josie is kidnapped from her bed while her mum sleeps but her dad has disappeared. Everything points to her dad, Nick, being the main suspect but mum, Anna, doesn’t believe he would do this. With the police setting up in their home can Josie be found before it’s too late.
This was a thrilling read and had me really gripped. Really enjoyed it. Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review.
This was a thrilling read and had me really gripped. Really enjoyed it. Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review.
March 21, 2019
Thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book. A thrilling, exciting read with many twists and turns that keeps you guessing until almost the end.
March 16, 2019
Multi-layered domestic family thriller beginning with a kidnapped child and missing husband. What follows is a roller coaster ride of twists and turns where the truth is not discovered until the very end. Distinctive writing style but compulsively readable.
May 22, 2019
That blurb caught my eye and I couldn't wait to dig in. Sadly, the book didn't deliver. There were too many characters to keep track of, too much clutter, unlikely scenarios and the middle part dragged.
Thank you Netgalley for providing me with a copy.
Thank you Netgalley for providing me with a copy.
March 21, 2019
oh What a story there little girl is taken the police think they want money but all is not as it seems is it the husband will say no more it is brilliant but is all lies and the past catches up with you a cried very well put together twisty gripping so recommend
Merged review:
oh What a story there little girl is taken the police think they want money but all is not as it seems is it the husband will say no more it is brilliant but is all lies and the past catches up with you a cried very well put together twisty gripping so recomend
Merged review:
oh What a story there little girl is taken the police think they want money but all is not as it seems is it the husband will say no more it is brilliant but is all lies and the past catches up with you a cried very well put together twisty gripping so recomend
March 17, 2019
A gripping page turner with a solid pacey plot.
What happens when both your husband and child go missing?
The investigation starts and so does a flood of twists and turns and no one to trust.
A cracking mystery thriller that I recommend without reservations.
Thanks #Netgalley, #Bookouture, and author Jake Cross for a chance to read this book.
What happens when both your husband and child go missing?
The investigation starts and so does a flood of twists and turns and no one to trust.
A cracking mystery thriller that I recommend without reservations.
Thanks #Netgalley, #Bookouture, and author Jake Cross for a chance to read this book.
March 14, 2019
An excellent theiller that draws you in and doesn't let go. Highly recommended ! I especially enjoyed the description of the characters, all of which were fascinating in their own way.
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