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To Tell You the Truth
“One of the most unsettling — and unforgettable — heroines I’ve ever met.” —Shari Lapena
The acclaimed author of The Nanny and What She Knew—hailed by stalwarts including Ruth Ware, Liane Moriarty, Rosamund Lupton, Tess Gerritsen, and Shari Lapena—returns with another serpentine thriller that cleverly blends atmosphere, tarnished memories, mystery, and twisty secrets from the past into a potent, intense read that will leave you questioning everything you believe.
To tell you the truth . . . everybody lies.
Lucy Harper’s talent for writing bestselling novels has given her fame, fortune and millions of fans. It’s also given her Dan, her needy, jealous husband whose own writing career has gone precisely nowhere.
Now Dan has vanished. But this isn’t the first time that someone has disappeared from Lucy’s life. Three decades ago, her little brother Teddy also went missing and was never found. Lucy, the only witness, helplessly spun fantasy after fantasy about Teddy’s disappearance, to the detectives’ fury and her parents’ despair. That was the start of her ability to tell a story—a talent she has profited from greatly.
But now Lucy’s a grown woman who can’t hide behind fiction any longer. The world is watching, and her whole life is under intense scrutiny. A life full of stories, some more believable than others. Could she have hurt Teddy? Did she kill Dan? Finally, now, Lucy Harper’s going to tell the truth.
Cross her heart.
And hope to die.
The acclaimed author of The Nanny and What She Knew—hailed by stalwarts including Ruth Ware, Liane Moriarty, Rosamund Lupton, Tess Gerritsen, and Shari Lapena—returns with another serpentine thriller that cleverly blends atmosphere, tarnished memories, mystery, and twisty secrets from the past into a potent, intense read that will leave you questioning everything you believe.
To tell you the truth . . . everybody lies.
Lucy Harper’s talent for writing bestselling novels has given her fame, fortune and millions of fans. It’s also given her Dan, her needy, jealous husband whose own writing career has gone precisely nowhere.
Now Dan has vanished. But this isn’t the first time that someone has disappeared from Lucy’s life. Three decades ago, her little brother Teddy also went missing and was never found. Lucy, the only witness, helplessly spun fantasy after fantasy about Teddy’s disappearance, to the detectives’ fury and her parents’ despair. That was the start of her ability to tell a story—a talent she has profited from greatly.
But now Lucy’s a grown woman who can’t hide behind fiction any longer. The world is watching, and her whole life is under intense scrutiny. A life full of stories, some more believable than others. Could she have hurt Teddy? Did she kill Dan? Finally, now, Lucy Harper’s going to tell the truth.
Cross her heart.
And hope to die.
352 pages, Paperback
First published June 25, 2020
1174 people are currently reading
22847 people want to read
About the author
Gilly Macmillan
18 books5,422 followersGilly Macmillan is the New York Times & Sunday Times bestselling author of TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH, THE NANNY, WHAT SHE KNEW (previously published as BURNT PAPER SKY in some territories), THE PERFECT GIRL, ODD CHILD OUT & I KNOW YOU KNOW.
Gilly is Edgar Award nominated and an ITW award finalist. Her books have been translated into over 20 languages.
She grew up in Swindon, Wiltshire and also lived in Northern California. She studied History of Art at Bristol University and the Courtauld Institute of Art in London.
Gilly lives in Bristol, UK with her family and writes full time. She’s currently working on her seventh novel.
Gilly is Edgar Award nominated and an ITW award finalist. Her books have been translated into over 20 languages.
She grew up in Swindon, Wiltshire and also lived in Northern California. She studied History of Art at Bristol University and the Courtauld Institute of Art in London.
Gilly lives in Bristol, UK with her family and writes full time. She’s currently working on her seventh novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,066 reviews
October 27, 2025
Publication: September 22nd 2020
Lucy Harper is a famous writer whose best selling series of books feature DS Eliza Grey. Lucy knows Eliza well because she has been Lucy's imaginary companion as long as Lucy can remember. When Lucy was nine years old, she took her three year old brother, Teddy, out at night to watch a pagan summer solstice bonfire and only Lucy (and Eliza) made it home. Teddy was never seen again and Lucy's memory of that night and her behavior is suspect.
Now Lucy lives under a different name and only her husband Dan (and Eliza) know this dark blot on her past. But Dan is acting strangely, making decisions without consulting Lucy, and now he's disappeared. Lucy's past is about to come crashing down on her head, as her present and past meet. Even Lucy doesn't remember everything that has happened recently and she's seeing and hearing strange things. Not only that, she has written Eliza out of her latest book, in an effort to evict Eliza from her mind. Is Lucy responsible for Teddy and Dan's disappearances and who else knows about her past?
I really liked this book most of the way through it. Lucy is definitely an unreliable narrator. Even she doesn't trust herself. Is Eliza the better part of Lucy or is Eliza her dark side? It was only at the very end of the book that things fell apart for me, when we find out Dan's part in this story. Even so, I was glued to the book until then and will be reading more books by Gilly Macmillan.
Published June 25, 2020
Thank you to William Morrow/HarperCollins and Edelweiss for this ARC.
Lucy Harper is a famous writer whose best selling series of books feature DS Eliza Grey. Lucy knows Eliza well because she has been Lucy's imaginary companion as long as Lucy can remember. When Lucy was nine years old, she took her three year old brother, Teddy, out at night to watch a pagan summer solstice bonfire and only Lucy (and Eliza) made it home. Teddy was never seen again and Lucy's memory of that night and her behavior is suspect.
Now Lucy lives under a different name and only her husband Dan (and Eliza) know this dark blot on her past. But Dan is acting strangely, making decisions without consulting Lucy, and now he's disappeared. Lucy's past is about to come crashing down on her head, as her present and past meet. Even Lucy doesn't remember everything that has happened recently and she's seeing and hearing strange things. Not only that, she has written Eliza out of her latest book, in an effort to evict Eliza from her mind. Is Lucy responsible for Teddy and Dan's disappearances and who else knows about her past?
I really liked this book most of the way through it. Lucy is definitely an unreliable narrator. Even she doesn't trust herself. Is Eliza the better part of Lucy or is Eliza her dark side? It was only at the very end of the book that things fell apart for me, when we find out Dan's part in this story. Even so, I was glued to the book until then and will be reading more books by Gilly Macmillan.
Published June 25, 2020
Thank you to William Morrow/HarperCollins and Edelweiss for this ARC.
February 7, 2021
Be sure to visit Bantering Books to read all my latest reviews.
I love a good unreliable narrator.
If written well, an unreliable narrator adds an element of excitement to a novel. An extra layer of mystery and suspense. A touch of madness. It forces us, as readers, to think complexly, connect puzzle pieces, and draw independent conclusions. Our minds are put to work, so to speak.
And if you enjoy the challenge of an unreliable narrator as much as I do, then Gilly Macmillan’s latest mystery, To Tell You the Truth, may be just the book for you.
Lucy Harper, a bestselling mystery author, has a successful writing career and scores of admiring fans. Under the resentful gaze of Dan, her husband and a fellow writer, Lucy is hard at work putting the finishing touches on the next installment in her widely popular series of DS Eliza Grey crime novels.
When Dan shockingly vanishes one night, memories of another disappearance slowly surface for Lucy. Memories from over thirty years ago. Memories of the disappearance of her little brother, Teddy. Having never been found, the loss of Teddy incessantly haunts Lucy – especially since, as a young girl, she was the only witness to the crime.
Finding herself suspected of harming Dan, Lucy races to solve both his disappearance and that of Teddy. All while bravely reconciling the harsh realities of the present with her tormented memories of the past.
For starters, To Tell You the Truth far exceeded my expectations. Having never read a Macmillan novel, I had no idea I was in for such a terrific read. She has crafted a mystery that is extremely compelling and atmospheric. It is tense and riveting.
The novel is comprised of two separate narrative arcs – the present-day disappearance of Dan and the past disappearance of Teddy. Most of the novel focuses on Lucy and her plight to find Dan, but there are occasional, short chapters interspersed throughout that are dedicated to the night Teddy vanishes. The independent, rotating storylines work effectively, with both the past and present narratives being equally captivating.
And Macmillan’s writing is undoubtedly impressive. Her prose is polished. Intelligent. All signs indicate that Macmillan is an experienced and gifted author.
She keeps you on your toes, too. The reader is always left guessing, forever unsure of which direction the novel is headed. Macmillan never shows more than a fleeting glimpse of the cards in her hand, which makes it tricky, if not nearly impossible, to solve either of the two core mysteries.
I must point out, though, that the general, overarching plot of To Tell You the Truth rings a bit familiar. The story is not anything groundbreaking or new, and it is amply filled with many of the tropes that are typical of the genre. The solid writing and enthralling nature of the novel, however, make it easy to overlook the rather basic, recycled plot.
Also, Lucy helps. Plot mediocrity is quickly forgotten once you are immersed in her fascinating mind. She is the classic unreliable narrator, simultaneously frustrating and intriguing. Her sanity and emotional stability are questionable. She is dishonest, misleading, and secretive. One minute, she’s as strong as a lion. The next, she’s timid as a mouse. And she emits this pervasive aura of paranoia, which dually heightens the novel’s tension and blurs the edges of the truth.
Lucy makes for some fun reading. To be sure.
The only true criticism I have for the novel concerns the ending. Though completely unexpected, the solution to one of the mysteries is almost too surprising and random. While some readers may appreciate the ending for the simple fact that it is so startling, I found its lack of connection to either the past or present storyline to be jarring and, in some ways, nonsensical.
With To Tell You the Truth being my first Macmillan novel, I am unable to gauge how well it stacks up to her previous mysteries. But I do know that overall –
It is smart. It is gripping. It is highly entertaining.
And it will certainly not be the last novel I read by Gilly Macmillan.
My sincerest appreciation to William Morrow and NetGalley for the Advance Review Copy. All opinions included herein are my own.
Bantering Books
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I love a good unreliable narrator.
If written well, an unreliable narrator adds an element of excitement to a novel. An extra layer of mystery and suspense. A touch of madness. It forces us, as readers, to think complexly, connect puzzle pieces, and draw independent conclusions. Our minds are put to work, so to speak.
And if you enjoy the challenge of an unreliable narrator as much as I do, then Gilly Macmillan’s latest mystery, To Tell You the Truth, may be just the book for you.
Lucy Harper, a bestselling mystery author, has a successful writing career and scores of admiring fans. Under the resentful gaze of Dan, her husband and a fellow writer, Lucy is hard at work putting the finishing touches on the next installment in her widely popular series of DS Eliza Grey crime novels.
When Dan shockingly vanishes one night, memories of another disappearance slowly surface for Lucy. Memories from over thirty years ago. Memories of the disappearance of her little brother, Teddy. Having never been found, the loss of Teddy incessantly haunts Lucy – especially since, as a young girl, she was the only witness to the crime.
Finding herself suspected of harming Dan, Lucy races to solve both his disappearance and that of Teddy. All while bravely reconciling the harsh realities of the present with her tormented memories of the past.
For starters, To Tell You the Truth far exceeded my expectations. Having never read a Macmillan novel, I had no idea I was in for such a terrific read. She has crafted a mystery that is extremely compelling and atmospheric. It is tense and riveting.
The novel is comprised of two separate narrative arcs – the present-day disappearance of Dan and the past disappearance of Teddy. Most of the novel focuses on Lucy and her plight to find Dan, but there are occasional, short chapters interspersed throughout that are dedicated to the night Teddy vanishes. The independent, rotating storylines work effectively, with both the past and present narratives being equally captivating.
And Macmillan’s writing is undoubtedly impressive. Her prose is polished. Intelligent. All signs indicate that Macmillan is an experienced and gifted author.
She keeps you on your toes, too. The reader is always left guessing, forever unsure of which direction the novel is headed. Macmillan never shows more than a fleeting glimpse of the cards in her hand, which makes it tricky, if not nearly impossible, to solve either of the two core mysteries.
I must point out, though, that the general, overarching plot of To Tell You the Truth rings a bit familiar. The story is not anything groundbreaking or new, and it is amply filled with many of the tropes that are typical of the genre. The solid writing and enthralling nature of the novel, however, make it easy to overlook the rather basic, recycled plot.
Also, Lucy helps. Plot mediocrity is quickly forgotten once you are immersed in her fascinating mind. She is the classic unreliable narrator, simultaneously frustrating and intriguing. Her sanity and emotional stability are questionable. She is dishonest, misleading, and secretive. One minute, she’s as strong as a lion. The next, she’s timid as a mouse. And she emits this pervasive aura of paranoia, which dually heightens the novel’s tension and blurs the edges of the truth.
Lucy makes for some fun reading. To be sure.
The only true criticism I have for the novel concerns the ending. Though completely unexpected, the solution to one of the mysteries is almost too surprising and random. While some readers may appreciate the ending for the simple fact that it is so startling, I found its lack of connection to either the past or present storyline to be jarring and, in some ways, nonsensical.
With To Tell You the Truth being my first Macmillan novel, I am unable to gauge how well it stacks up to her previous mysteries. But I do know that overall –
It is smart. It is gripping. It is highly entertaining.
And it will certainly not be the last novel I read by Gilly Macmillan.
My sincerest appreciation to William Morrow and NetGalley for the Advance Review Copy. All opinions included herein are my own.
Bantering Books
March 25, 2021
Yesss! I love this author’s works and I devoured it at one sit. It’s so much better than her latest work “Nanny” which I also enjoyed it.
Here are the tempting, captivating ingredients of this freshly produced from writer’s creative and disturbing mind :
Unreliable, blurry minded heroine is our narrator: a bestseller author Lucy Harper who keeps her past connected to the disappearance of 3 years old brother Teddy as secret, using her imaginary friend as a tool: main detective character Eliza Grey, of her bestselling thriller series !
An adult can still keep her/his imaginary friend if she helps to destroy the writer’s block: And guess what, she is still her imaginary friend/ her consciousness/ her confidante who is taking control of her body when she finds herself under extreme pressure. And did I say, she also can see her! Yes! We have creative and a little batshit crazy heroine who still suffers with her guilt feelings about her brother’s disappearance which is related to her secret bunker she denies to talk about!
We have still some suspicions about her involvement to his case but even though she already lost huge amount of marbles we keep empathizing with her because she’s married one of the biggest assholes of literature universe.
Yes, her husband/ social media coordinator/ a kind of her manager Dan spends her money without discussing with her, throwing tantrums, acting jealous of her success and criticizing her writer skills! He forces her to move to a house where her childhood trauma has taken place and of course he bought the place with her money without asking her decision! ( Douchebag!)
And after an argumentative night they attended to a neighbor’s house party, Dan leaves the house and he never comes back.
I don’t you guys, I hoped he would be death as soon as I read that part and I didn’t care if Lucy killed him because he deserved my million punches from the beginning.
So what happened to Dan? Why was he so obsessed with bunker and why he insisted to buy house where Lucy’s brother disappeared?
Is Lucy telling the truth or we sympathize with a woman who tells bunch of lies from the beginning?
All the neighbors act creepy and everyone around Lucy act suspicious, ruthless villains. Any of them can be connected with Dan’s disappearance or maybe Eliza did the job to save Lucy from the gaslighting of the douchebag?
We don’t know for sure what’s the truth or who is perpetrator till the end? This is well executed story with riveting, exciting and well balanced mind tricks which pulled the plug of my spidey spider senses!
The conclusion of the story was also satisfying , fair and a little sad.
I’m giving four mind bending, delusional, twisty, surprising stars!
It’s a great thriller to get in lost, guessing conspiracy theories and exercising your grey cells! I’m looking forward to read upcoming works of the author!
Here are the tempting, captivating ingredients of this freshly produced from writer’s creative and disturbing mind :
Unreliable, blurry minded heroine is our narrator: a bestseller author Lucy Harper who keeps her past connected to the disappearance of 3 years old brother Teddy as secret, using her imaginary friend as a tool: main detective character Eliza Grey, of her bestselling thriller series !
An adult can still keep her/his imaginary friend if she helps to destroy the writer’s block: And guess what, she is still her imaginary friend/ her consciousness/ her confidante who is taking control of her body when she finds herself under extreme pressure. And did I say, she also can see her! Yes! We have creative and a little batshit crazy heroine who still suffers with her guilt feelings about her brother’s disappearance which is related to her secret bunker she denies to talk about!
We have still some suspicions about her involvement to his case but even though she already lost huge amount of marbles we keep empathizing with her because she’s married one of the biggest assholes of literature universe.
Yes, her husband/ social media coordinator/ a kind of her manager Dan spends her money without discussing with her, throwing tantrums, acting jealous of her success and criticizing her writer skills! He forces her to move to a house where her childhood trauma has taken place and of course he bought the place with her money without asking her decision! ( Douchebag!)
And after an argumentative night they attended to a neighbor’s house party, Dan leaves the house and he never comes back.
I don’t you guys, I hoped he would be death as soon as I read that part and I didn’t care if Lucy killed him because he deserved my million punches from the beginning.
So what happened to Dan? Why was he so obsessed with bunker and why he insisted to buy house where Lucy’s brother disappeared?
Is Lucy telling the truth or we sympathize with a woman who tells bunch of lies from the beginning?
All the neighbors act creepy and everyone around Lucy act suspicious, ruthless villains. Any of them can be connected with Dan’s disappearance or maybe Eliza did the job to save Lucy from the gaslighting of the douchebag?
We don’t know for sure what’s the truth or who is perpetrator till the end? This is well executed story with riveting, exciting and well balanced mind tricks which pulled the plug of my spidey spider senses!
The conclusion of the story was also satisfying , fair and a little sad.
I’m giving four mind bending, delusional, twisty, surprising stars!
It’s a great thriller to get in lost, guessing conspiracy theories and exercising your grey cells! I’m looking forward to read upcoming works of the author!
February 17, 2022
EXCERPT: 'Your work is compromised because it's commercial. You gave up any integrity your writing might have had when you decided to write for this market. It's so disappointing. And don't even get me started on Detective Sergeant Eliza Grey. She's a cliche if I ever met one.'
'Are you finished?' I asked.
'Do you not see it? How can you not see it? Don't you ever despair that you've sold out? Or perhaps you can't see it. I wonder about that sometimes.'
I stared at him, hoping there was a way those words could just retreat right back into his mouth and down into his stomach where the acid would fry them. I was outraged that he would sit here in this house, that he'd bought with my money, and suggest that writing thrillers was any easier than any other kind of novel, that I was a lesser writer because of it. That I was inferior to him. That Eliza was inferior. That my readers were.
I stood and picked up my plate. It gave me sweet pleasure to hurl it at the wall. Dan ducked out of the way dramatically as it flew past him, though it would never have hit him, I'm certain it wouldn't.
My towering outrage flew through the air with the plate, frisbeed alongside it, helped it create a deep dent in the plasterwork before shattering on the floor beside it, creating an unaccountable number of tiny shards like sharpened grains of spilled rice. The steak landed on the kitchen surface with a dull smack and peppercorn sauce dripped down the handmade tiles. I watched, with satisfaction, and thought, if this was in a book, depending on the scene, I might describe those as 'glutinous rivulets' and that would be okay with my readers and me.
I hated Dan so very much in that moment.
ABOUT THIS BOOK: To tell you the truth . . . everybody lies.
Lucy Harper’s talent for writing bestselling novels has given her fame, fortune and millions of fans. It’s also given her Dan, her needy, jealous husband whose own writing career has gone precisely nowhere.
Now Dan has vanished. But this isn’t the first time that someone has disappeared from Lucy’s life. Three decades ago, her little brother Teddy also went missing and was never found. Lucy, the only witness, helplessly spun fantasy after fantasy about Teddy’s disappearance, to the detectives’ fury and her parents’ despair. That was the start of her ability to tell a story—a talent she has profited from greatly.
But now Lucy’s a grown woman who can’t hide behind fiction any longer. The world is watching, and her whole life is under intense scrutiny. A life full of stories, some more believable than others. Could she have hurt Teddy? Did she kill Dan? Finally, now, Lucy Harper’s going to tell the truth.
Cross her heart.
And hope to die.
MY THOUGHTS: This is my first encounter with Gilly Macmillan, and it won't be my last! I read this over two nights - it would have been one had my three year old grandson not kept me occupied all day - my mind spinning, wondering, is this woman mad? Did she kill her little brother? Did she kill her husband? Are we ever going to know the truth? I didn't know if I could trust what she was telling me, or if she lived in the fantasy world where she creates her books.
The inability to trust plays a huge role in this book. People Lucy thought she could trust, turn on her. Even Eliza seems to be playing games with her. And those neighbours...they all seem to have their own agendas. 'Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not watching you.' Sometimes it seems like everyone is watching Lucy. And just who is #MrElizaGrey?
Gilly Macmillan can certainly create atmosphere. To Tell You the Truth is an excellent piece of writing. The ending is unexpected and well done, the chapters short and taut.
❤❤❤❤
#ToTellYoutheTruth #NetGalley
We humans like to look at the dark side of things, don't we? At the most twisted things. We like that feeling of shock and horror. It makes addicts of us.
THE AUTHOR: She grew up in Swindon, Wiltshire and also lived in Northern California. She studied History of Art at Bristol University and the Courtauld Institute of Art in London.
Gilly lives in Bristol, UK with her family and writes full time.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Random House, UK, Cornerstone, for providing a digital ARC of To Tell You the Truth by Gilly Macmillan for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
'Are you finished?' I asked.
'Do you not see it? How can you not see it? Don't you ever despair that you've sold out? Or perhaps you can't see it. I wonder about that sometimes.'
I stared at him, hoping there was a way those words could just retreat right back into his mouth and down into his stomach where the acid would fry them. I was outraged that he would sit here in this house, that he'd bought with my money, and suggest that writing thrillers was any easier than any other kind of novel, that I was a lesser writer because of it. That I was inferior to him. That Eliza was inferior. That my readers were.
I stood and picked up my plate. It gave me sweet pleasure to hurl it at the wall. Dan ducked out of the way dramatically as it flew past him, though it would never have hit him, I'm certain it wouldn't.
My towering outrage flew through the air with the plate, frisbeed alongside it, helped it create a deep dent in the plasterwork before shattering on the floor beside it, creating an unaccountable number of tiny shards like sharpened grains of spilled rice. The steak landed on the kitchen surface with a dull smack and peppercorn sauce dripped down the handmade tiles. I watched, with satisfaction, and thought, if this was in a book, depending on the scene, I might describe those as 'glutinous rivulets' and that would be okay with my readers and me.
I hated Dan so very much in that moment.
ABOUT THIS BOOK: To tell you the truth . . . everybody lies.
Lucy Harper’s talent for writing bestselling novels has given her fame, fortune and millions of fans. It’s also given her Dan, her needy, jealous husband whose own writing career has gone precisely nowhere.
Now Dan has vanished. But this isn’t the first time that someone has disappeared from Lucy’s life. Three decades ago, her little brother Teddy also went missing and was never found. Lucy, the only witness, helplessly spun fantasy after fantasy about Teddy’s disappearance, to the detectives’ fury and her parents’ despair. That was the start of her ability to tell a story—a talent she has profited from greatly.
But now Lucy’s a grown woman who can’t hide behind fiction any longer. The world is watching, and her whole life is under intense scrutiny. A life full of stories, some more believable than others. Could she have hurt Teddy? Did she kill Dan? Finally, now, Lucy Harper’s going to tell the truth.
Cross her heart.
And hope to die.
MY THOUGHTS: This is my first encounter with Gilly Macmillan, and it won't be my last! I read this over two nights - it would have been one had my three year old grandson not kept me occupied all day - my mind spinning, wondering, is this woman mad? Did she kill her little brother? Did she kill her husband? Are we ever going to know the truth? I didn't know if I could trust what she was telling me, or if she lived in the fantasy world where she creates her books.
The inability to trust plays a huge role in this book. People Lucy thought she could trust, turn on her. Even Eliza seems to be playing games with her. And those neighbours...they all seem to have their own agendas. 'Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not watching you.' Sometimes it seems like everyone is watching Lucy. And just who is #MrElizaGrey?
Gilly Macmillan can certainly create atmosphere. To Tell You the Truth is an excellent piece of writing. The ending is unexpected and well done, the chapters short and taut.
❤❤❤❤
#ToTellYoutheTruth #NetGalley
We humans like to look at the dark side of things, don't we? At the most twisted things. We like that feeling of shock and horror. It makes addicts of us.
THE AUTHOR: She grew up in Swindon, Wiltshire and also lived in Northern California. She studied History of Art at Bristol University and the Courtauld Institute of Art in London.
Gilly lives in Bristol, UK with her family and writes full time.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Random House, UK, Cornerstone, for providing a digital ARC of To Tell You the Truth by Gilly Macmillan for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
September 22, 2020
In general, I thought the mystery of what happened to famous author Lucy's husband Dan to be intriguing and I liked the ultimate resolution even though it was a rather quick wrap-up. It wasn't a conclusion that I would have guessed, so I appreciated the surprise.
The things I didn't like:
Lucy annoyed me for most of the book. For as celebrated an author and as strong as she seemed at the beginning when she was finishing her novel, she was a frantic, wishy-washy personality when she was talking to others, especially her husband. How on earth was he able to qualify for a mortgage solely in his own name when he basically had no income? Why didn't she demand to deal with it right then instead of meekly standing by and letting him walk all over her while she dithered around?
And her personality doesn't get better throughout. She is so timid that she won't even go to the grocery store and so basically is starving, but supposedly she's this amazing bestselling author that everyone admires? I have more questions than answers in this book, I just can't stand characters that act differently than they are depicted.
I felt like, for such a strong start, it just kind of went nowhere quickly after Dan disappeared. I wanted more revelation throughout rather than dumping it all at the end and some important things left hanging.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
The things I didn't like:
Lucy annoyed me for most of the book. For as celebrated an author and as strong as she seemed at the beginning when she was finishing her novel, she was a frantic, wishy-washy personality when she was talking to others, especially her husband. How on earth was he able to qualify for a mortgage solely in his own name when he basically had no income? Why didn't she demand to deal with it right then instead of meekly standing by and letting him walk all over her while she dithered around?
And her personality doesn't get better throughout. She is so timid that she won't even go to the grocery store and so basically is starving, but supposedly she's this amazing bestselling author that everyone admires? I have more questions than answers in this book, I just can't stand characters that act differently than they are depicted.
I felt like, for such a strong start, it just kind of went nowhere quickly after Dan disappeared. I wanted more revelation throughout rather than dumping it all at the end and some important things left hanging.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
September 3, 2020
To tell you the truth, I really enjoyed this book. Bestselling Author, Lucy Harper has written a successful series featuring Detective Eliza Grey. Fans adore this series and can't wait for the next book. Her husband, Dan, a man who hoped to be a writer himself, has bought them a new home and enjoys spending the money Lucy makes. But when Lucy writes a book that her publishers are less than impressed with, she is feeling down, she and Dan argue then one evening, Dan goes missing.
With Dan missing, Lucy must also confront a night from her childhood from when her younger brother went missing after she took him out into the woods to watch a pagan ceremony. Now, with her husband missing, her fans, neighbors, police and the world is looking at Lucy. As her past catches up with her present, what secrets will be revealed? Has Lucy been harboring a dark secret? Where is Lucy's brother? What happened to Dan?
I found this to be an enjoyable book with some twists and turns. Making this book even more interesting is Lucy herself. She and her imaginary friend Eliza speak to each other. Is this the product of an overactive imagination? Is she mentally ill? Does she suffer from dissociative identity disorder? Either way, she is unreliable. Does she remember things correctly? Is someone messing with her? What's with all her neighbors?
I found this to be an engaging, fast, and entertaining read. Will you figure this book out? I didn't! With the twists, turns, and revelations, she had me riveted to the pages and swiping those kindle pages to see how Macmillan would wrap things up. This one kept me on my toes while spiking my curiosity.
Thank you to Harper Collins Publishers - William Morrow and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this email in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
With Dan missing, Lucy must also confront a night from her childhood from when her younger brother went missing after she took him out into the woods to watch a pagan ceremony. Now, with her husband missing, her fans, neighbors, police and the world is looking at Lucy. As her past catches up with her present, what secrets will be revealed? Has Lucy been harboring a dark secret? Where is Lucy's brother? What happened to Dan?
I found this to be an enjoyable book with some twists and turns. Making this book even more interesting is Lucy herself. She and her imaginary friend Eliza speak to each other. Is this the product of an overactive imagination? Is she mentally ill? Does she suffer from dissociative identity disorder? Either way, she is unreliable. Does she remember things correctly? Is someone messing with her? What's with all her neighbors?
I found this to be an engaging, fast, and entertaining read. Will you figure this book out? I didn't! With the twists, turns, and revelations, she had me riveted to the pages and swiping those kindle pages to see how Macmillan would wrap things up. This one kept me on my toes while spiking my curiosity.
Thank you to Harper Collins Publishers - William Morrow and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this email in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
August 3, 2020
Best selling mystery writer Lucy Harper has just completed the next chapter in her DS Eliza Grey series, based on her imaginary childhood friend by the same name.
But when her husband Dan suddenly goes missing, it comes to light, that her 3 year old brother, Teddy, had also disappeared, when Lucy was just 9 years old.
The story of "what happened to Teddy" is interspersed throughout the current day narrative, of a writer who is starting to wonder what is fact, and what is fiction...
Is she being gaslighted?
Is she losing her mind?
Is her "character" Eliza taking over?
Could the Past and the Present be related?
I wanted to kill Dan, myself at the 15% point, so, I wondered if his disappearance was part of an elaborate scheme or if he had finally gone too far!
Gilly Macmillan never lets me down! I have read all but one of her books now, and all have been 4 and 5 star reads for me.
I would like to thank William Morrow Publishing for providing me with a digital ARC through Edelweiss in exchange for a candid review!
Available Sept. 22, 2020
But when her husband Dan suddenly goes missing, it comes to light, that her 3 year old brother, Teddy, had also disappeared, when Lucy was just 9 years old.
The story of "what happened to Teddy" is interspersed throughout the current day narrative, of a writer who is starting to wonder what is fact, and what is fiction...
Is she being gaslighted?
Is she losing her mind?
Is her "character" Eliza taking over?
Could the Past and the Present be related?
I wanted to kill Dan, myself at the 15% point, so, I wondered if his disappearance was part of an elaborate scheme or if he had finally gone too far!
Gilly Macmillan never lets me down! I have read all but one of her books now, and all have been 4 and 5 star reads for me.
I would like to thank William Morrow Publishing for providing me with a digital ARC through Edelweiss in exchange for a candid review!
Available Sept. 22, 2020
April 8, 2021
4+
Lucy Harper is a very successful author of a crime series featuring DS Eliza Grey. She is married to Daniel who has aspirations of literary success but has not succeeded so he manages aspects of Lucy’s life. Daniel is jealous of her success which manifests itself in various ways and then one night after a disagreement Daniel disappears. Lucy has a past she has kept hidden. When she was nine her younger brother Teddy, aged three also disappears at solstice celebrations in Stoke Woods near her family’s home near Bristol. Now her past and present collide and separating truth from lie, suspicion and disbelief and fact from fiction is a fascinating quest. The story is told by Lucy and is interspersed with the night of Teddy’s disappearance and the search to find him.
The characters are very well portrayed. Lucy’s alter ego is Eliza and this is fascinating as there’s often a power play between them. You question Lucy’s reliability and honesty as a narrator as she seems very controllable by Daniel and Eliza. Daniel is probably one of the most loathsome spouses I have read in fiction recently. Some of his actions are so outrageous it makes my fists clench, he has the sensitivity of a charging rhino, the perception of an earthworm or is it all calculation on his part? The setting of the book is excellent as the woods where Teddy disappears are both colourfully magical yet also threatening and menacing which provides a great atmosphere. The storyline is good, you feel Lucy’s pain about Teddy, her confusion over Daniel and her conflicted feelings about him. It’s a well written novel and it’s fast paced with plenty of unexpected twists and turns. This is a good suspense thriller although I’m not entirely certain about the resolution with regard to Daniels disappearance but I did like the other ambiguities so it’s make your own mind up, reader!
Overall, I enjoyed this very much, I like the ways it’s written and it keeps to guessing to the end. Highly recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House UK/Cornerstone for the arc.
Lucy Harper is a very successful author of a crime series featuring DS Eliza Grey. She is married to Daniel who has aspirations of literary success but has not succeeded so he manages aspects of Lucy’s life. Daniel is jealous of her success which manifests itself in various ways and then one night after a disagreement Daniel disappears. Lucy has a past she has kept hidden. When she was nine her younger brother Teddy, aged three also disappears at solstice celebrations in Stoke Woods near her family’s home near Bristol. Now her past and present collide and separating truth from lie, suspicion and disbelief and fact from fiction is a fascinating quest. The story is told by Lucy and is interspersed with the night of Teddy’s disappearance and the search to find him.
The characters are very well portrayed. Lucy’s alter ego is Eliza and this is fascinating as there’s often a power play between them. You question Lucy’s reliability and honesty as a narrator as she seems very controllable by Daniel and Eliza. Daniel is probably one of the most loathsome spouses I have read in fiction recently. Some of his actions are so outrageous it makes my fists clench, he has the sensitivity of a charging rhino, the perception of an earthworm or is it all calculation on his part? The setting of the book is excellent as the woods where Teddy disappears are both colourfully magical yet also threatening and menacing which provides a great atmosphere. The storyline is good, you feel Lucy’s pain about Teddy, her confusion over Daniel and her conflicted feelings about him. It’s a well written novel and it’s fast paced with plenty of unexpected twists and turns. This is a good suspense thriller although I’m not entirely certain about the resolution with regard to Daniels disappearance but I did like the other ambiguities so it’s make your own mind up, reader!
Overall, I enjoyed this very much, I like the ways it’s written and it keeps to guessing to the end. Highly recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House UK/Cornerstone for the arc.
October 20, 2020
If you are a frequent reader of psychological thrillers, no doubt you are familiar with unreliable narrators. This book managed to take it to a whole nother level. With everything going on in the main character's head, it felt like the author could go in many directions and therefore I just sat back and enjoyed watching it all unfold.
Lucy Harper is the author of the best selling mystery series featuring DS Eliza Grey. Lucy's husband goes missing and that stirs up memories of when she was a child and her younger brother, Teddy, disappeared. The story alternates between the present day as well as the time period when Teddy snuck out of the house with his sister but never came home.
I always like it when it feels like you are getting 2 mysteries for the price of one. With this story you are trying to figure out what happened to Dan as well as poor little Teddy. Now at some point in the second half, I did start getting nervous the author wouldn't be able to pull off a decent ending. I have to say though I was relatively satisfied with the conclusion. There was an aspect I didn't particularly love but at least the author went in a creative direction.
To me this book fits the definition of a mindless read, but don't take that as negative thing. I just mean the story doesn't require extreme concentration levels in order to keep you entertained. Definitely recommend reading it if you have enjoyed other books by this author.
I received a copy of this book from William Morrow. All views expressed are my honest opinion.
Lucy Harper is the author of the best selling mystery series featuring DS Eliza Grey. Lucy's husband goes missing and that stirs up memories of when she was a child and her younger brother, Teddy, disappeared. The story alternates between the present day as well as the time period when Teddy snuck out of the house with his sister but never came home.
I always like it when it feels like you are getting 2 mysteries for the price of one. With this story you are trying to figure out what happened to Dan as well as poor little Teddy. Now at some point in the second half, I did start getting nervous the author wouldn't be able to pull off a decent ending. I have to say though I was relatively satisfied with the conclusion. There was an aspect I didn't particularly love but at least the author went in a creative direction.
To me this book fits the definition of a mindless read, but don't take that as negative thing. I just mean the story doesn't require extreme concentration levels in order to keep you entertained. Definitely recommend reading it if you have enjoyed other books by this author.
I received a copy of this book from William Morrow. All views expressed are my honest opinion.
March 17, 2021
3.5 stars. Pure entertainment!
Lucy Harper is the author of a best selling crime fiction series staring Detective Eliza Grey. Eliza’s character has created a huge fan base and Lucy often has trouble separating her real life from the one she creates in her books. Lucy has a dark secret from her past that she has only begun to disclose to her husband Dan. Dan is an aspiring author who assists Lucy but also aims to gain stardom in the writing industry. After an argument one night, Dan goes missing and the police come calling on Lucy to help solve the mystery.
The narrative flows through Lucy’s perspective as well as an unknown book outlining details from Lucy’s past. I love the book within a book concept so this worked really well for me. I also really enjoyed the publishing industry aspect of this novel. Lucy was a great character. She was fragile and unreliable and I loved rooting for her.
The atmosphere was tense and foreboding. I felt unease throughout the novel constantly wondering what was going to happen next. The short chapters made this easy to fly through.
There are several plot points that were far fetched which is usually a total turn off for me. I need to believe what is happening in the books I read. However, there is something about this authors writing that consumes me and keeps me hanging on every word which is a huge feat. I simply loved sitting back and being entertained.
Overall, this was a quick and easy, suspense-filled story that kept me engaged from start to finish. Did I love this as much as her previous novel, The Nanny? No. Would I recommend this as a mindless, fun, twisty and dramatic thriller that is easy to lose yourself within? Yes! I remain a huge fan of this author and look forward to what she comes out with next!
Thank you to William Morrow and Edelweiss for my review copy!
Lucy Harper is the author of a best selling crime fiction series staring Detective Eliza Grey. Eliza’s character has created a huge fan base and Lucy often has trouble separating her real life from the one she creates in her books. Lucy has a dark secret from her past that she has only begun to disclose to her husband Dan. Dan is an aspiring author who assists Lucy but also aims to gain stardom in the writing industry. After an argument one night, Dan goes missing and the police come calling on Lucy to help solve the mystery.
The narrative flows through Lucy’s perspective as well as an unknown book outlining details from Lucy’s past. I love the book within a book concept so this worked really well for me. I also really enjoyed the publishing industry aspect of this novel. Lucy was a great character. She was fragile and unreliable and I loved rooting for her.
The atmosphere was tense and foreboding. I felt unease throughout the novel constantly wondering what was going to happen next. The short chapters made this easy to fly through.
There are several plot points that were far fetched which is usually a total turn off for me. I need to believe what is happening in the books I read. However, there is something about this authors writing that consumes me and keeps me hanging on every word which is a huge feat. I simply loved sitting back and being entertained.
Overall, this was a quick and easy, suspense-filled story that kept me engaged from start to finish. Did I love this as much as her previous novel, The Nanny? No. Would I recommend this as a mindless, fun, twisty and dramatic thriller that is easy to lose yourself within? Yes! I remain a huge fan of this author and look forward to what she comes out with next!
Thank you to William Morrow and Edelweiss for my review copy!
October 8, 2020
To Tell You the Truth is like a House of Mirrors......
Let me explain.
Gilly Macmillan has placed her main character, Lucy, on a footstool before us. We lean in and try to make sense of Lucy Harper's persona. From all indications the woman before us wears a shy smile and shifts awkwardly on that stool. From all of her unsure movements, we know that Lucy has something simmering and festering inside of her. And as those dripping drops begin to stain the surface, we realize there's quite the story here.
Lucy is embellished with distortions just like that House of Mirrors. What you see is not always what you see. Lucy is a highly successful writer of a detective/crime series. She's just clicked on the Send key to transport her latest novel to her publisher. Finished and done.....just like what she did to her famous main character in this final edition. Killed her off just like that.
Said publisher is far from ready to attend the funeral of fictional Eliza Grey. Fans will be having a meltdown and no one will be accumulating dollar signs hereafter. Max meets with Lucy and tries to persuade her to change the outcome of her novel. Not even Dan, her husband, knows what Lucy has done. And, oh by the way, he's signed a contract to buy a mansion near where Lucy grew up. Kinda jumpin' the gun so to speak.
And remember that depth about Lucy? Gilly Macmillan fills us in about Lucy from years ago. When she was nine, Lucy took her little four year old brother, Teddy, into the woods in the middle of the night. Lucy wanted to watch the bonfires of the summer solstice. Lucy made it home. Teddy didn't.
No one ever knew what happened to Teddy.
The loss of her brother has affected Lucy into her adulthood. As she and Dan move into their new house, they will be surrounded by some very strange neighbors. Lucy feels that Dan may be getting too close to one of them in particular. Then Dan goes missing. Was it Teddy time once again?
I've loved Gilly Macmillan's writing and will always be a fan. To Tell You the Truth is quite the read, but it doesn't have the impact of her What She Knew. I'd say it was a 3.5 kicked up to 4 stars. Although there are many characters within these pages, Macmillan does an exceptional job with the character of Lucy. She's added some additional facets that make the reader sit up and take notice.
Grab it and see exactly where Lucy takes you in that creepy House of Mirrors.
Let me explain.
Gilly Macmillan has placed her main character, Lucy, on a footstool before us. We lean in and try to make sense of Lucy Harper's persona. From all indications the woman before us wears a shy smile and shifts awkwardly on that stool. From all of her unsure movements, we know that Lucy has something simmering and festering inside of her. And as those dripping drops begin to stain the surface, we realize there's quite the story here.
Lucy is embellished with distortions just like that House of Mirrors. What you see is not always what you see. Lucy is a highly successful writer of a detective/crime series. She's just clicked on the Send key to transport her latest novel to her publisher. Finished and done.....just like what she did to her famous main character in this final edition. Killed her off just like that.
Said publisher is far from ready to attend the funeral of fictional Eliza Grey. Fans will be having a meltdown and no one will be accumulating dollar signs hereafter. Max meets with Lucy and tries to persuade her to change the outcome of her novel. Not even Dan, her husband, knows what Lucy has done. And, oh by the way, he's signed a contract to buy a mansion near where Lucy grew up. Kinda jumpin' the gun so to speak.
And remember that depth about Lucy? Gilly Macmillan fills us in about Lucy from years ago. When she was nine, Lucy took her little four year old brother, Teddy, into the woods in the middle of the night. Lucy wanted to watch the bonfires of the summer solstice. Lucy made it home. Teddy didn't.
No one ever knew what happened to Teddy.
The loss of her brother has affected Lucy into her adulthood. As she and Dan move into their new house, they will be surrounded by some very strange neighbors. Lucy feels that Dan may be getting too close to one of them in particular. Then Dan goes missing. Was it Teddy time once again?
I've loved Gilly Macmillan's writing and will always be a fan. To Tell You the Truth is quite the read, but it doesn't have the impact of her What She Knew. I'd say it was a 3.5 kicked up to 4 stars. Although there are many characters within these pages, Macmillan does an exceptional job with the character of Lucy. She's added some additional facets that make the reader sit up and take notice.
Grab it and see exactly where Lucy takes you in that creepy House of Mirrors.
September 30, 2020
A twisty thriller with a disappointing ending
Lucy Harper is a famous writer, known for her crime fiction stories featuring her beloved character, Eliza. Her work has made her wealthy, something that particularly pleases her husband, Dan, a once aspiring writer who now "manages" Lucy's career and money. Lucy and Dan's life and marriage look perfect from the outside, but they are anything but. Then Dan suddenly goes missing. His disappearance reminds Lucy of another time someone vanished from her life: her younger brother, Teddy, who was lost in the woods very near the house Lucy and Dan now live in. Soon Lucy finds herself reminded more and more of her past, which seems to be quickly and dangerously colliding with her present.
"After all, what kind of person creates a character who walks right out of their books and into their life? He would think I'd lost my mind."
I absolutely adore Gilly Macmillan and her books, but this was not one of my all-time favorites. It's still good, though, and twisty, and I will admit that I didn't guess the (rather bizarre) outcome. However, the ending leaves much to be desired and does not wrap everything up, which left me frustrated. (And seemed to kick off a trend in my recent thrillers, where things end with plot pieces left hanging--I'm not okay with this.)
Lucy is an unreliable narrator extraordinaire--ever since she was small, she's had a best friend named Eliza. Why yes, Eliza happens to be the name of her fictional character, as well. Lucy talks to her imaginary friend, who seems to have untold power over her. If this sounds weird and creepy, it is, and Macmillan does a good job with the eerie oddity of it all and allowing us to wonder if we can trust anything that Lucy--or Eliza--say. Knowing who and what to believe is certainly a central theme here.
Dan, meanwhile, is absolutely despicable, and I was not too sad when he disappeared, honestly. The story alternates between present-day, with Lucy's point of view, and the past, around the time Teddy disappeared. It's certainly compelling. All in all, I would have probably rated this 4-stars if there had been a better ending, versus one that felt rushed and forced, without tying up all the loose ends. This is still a good, atmospheric thriller, with plenty of twists. 3.5 stars. And if you want to read more from Macmillan, I highly recommend The Perfect Girl or her Jim Clemo series--all books that I adore.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and HarperCollins/William Morrow in return for an unbiased review.
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Lucy Harper is a famous writer, known for her crime fiction stories featuring her beloved character, Eliza. Her work has made her wealthy, something that particularly pleases her husband, Dan, a once aspiring writer who now "manages" Lucy's career and money. Lucy and Dan's life and marriage look perfect from the outside, but they are anything but. Then Dan suddenly goes missing. His disappearance reminds Lucy of another time someone vanished from her life: her younger brother, Teddy, who was lost in the woods very near the house Lucy and Dan now live in. Soon Lucy finds herself reminded more and more of her past, which seems to be quickly and dangerously colliding with her present.
"After all, what kind of person creates a character who walks right out of their books and into their life? He would think I'd lost my mind."
I absolutely adore Gilly Macmillan and her books, but this was not one of my all-time favorites. It's still good, though, and twisty, and I will admit that I didn't guess the (rather bizarre) outcome. However, the ending leaves much to be desired and does not wrap everything up, which left me frustrated. (And seemed to kick off a trend in my recent thrillers, where things end with plot pieces left hanging--I'm not okay with this.)
Lucy is an unreliable narrator extraordinaire--ever since she was small, she's had a best friend named Eliza. Why yes, Eliza happens to be the name of her fictional character, as well. Lucy talks to her imaginary friend, who seems to have untold power over her. If this sounds weird and creepy, it is, and Macmillan does a good job with the eerie oddity of it all and allowing us to wonder if we can trust anything that Lucy--or Eliza--say. Knowing who and what to believe is certainly a central theme here.
Dan, meanwhile, is absolutely despicable, and I was not too sad when he disappeared, honestly. The story alternates between present-day, with Lucy's point of view, and the past, around the time Teddy disappeared. It's certainly compelling. All in all, I would have probably rated this 4-stars if there had been a better ending, versus one that felt rushed and forced, without tying up all the loose ends. This is still a good, atmospheric thriller, with plenty of twists. 3.5 stars. And if you want to read more from Macmillan, I highly recommend The Perfect Girl or her Jim Clemo series--all books that I adore.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and HarperCollins/William Morrow in return for an unbiased review.
Blog ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Instagram ~ PaperBackSwap ~ Smashbomb
June 24, 2020
I do love a Gilly MacMillan book, she always delivers the goods! To Tell You The Truth was a fantastic read, full of twists and unlikeable characters that the ending was not at all predictable. I read this over 2 nights, completely lost in the story.
Lucy Harper was 9 years old when her 3 year old brother went missing in the woods near her home. He has never been found and it has left her traumatised. She is now a successful crime writer and her books sell millions. Her husband goes behind her back and buys them a new home, right near the woods from her childhood. After they move in things are not good between them, and then he goes missing and she is the prime suspect.
Thanks to Random House UK, Cornerstone and Netgalley for my advanced copy of this book to read
Lucy Harper was 9 years old when her 3 year old brother went missing in the woods near her home. He has never been found and it has left her traumatised. She is now a successful crime writer and her books sell millions. Her husband goes behind her back and buys them a new home, right near the woods from her childhood. After they move in things are not good between them, and then he goes missing and she is the prime suspect.
Thanks to Random House UK, Cornerstone and Netgalley for my advanced copy of this book to read
April 24, 2021
3.5 stars rounded down.
Despite having some issues with this book, I really felt for Lucy. She seemed so vulnerable, so fragile and I totally get how she got overwhelmed by too many people demanding things from her. And Dan, well he was a total jerk!
Lucy Harper is now a very successful author having written five books featuring DS Eliza Grey. The public loves her character and are already eagerly awaiting the next book. Dan is Lucy’s husband. When they met he, too, was an aspiring author but with Lucy’s success he now works for her full time doing admin, accounting, organising her public events and running the house. And also going behind her back to purchase a place near her childhood home, which scares the bejeebies out of her, and writing a book about her awful childhood experience with an ex girlfriend who may not be so ‘ex’ any more.
When Lucy was 9 years old she snuck out one night to spy on a summer solstice event in the nearby woods where pagans danced around a bonfire. Her little brother insisted on coming with her or he would have given the game away. Of course little Teddy being only 3 or 4 was soon too tired and Lucy settled him into her secret place - an old bunker from WWII that no one else seemed to know of. She promised to come back after watching more of the festivities. But when she returns Teddy is no longer there. the child was never seen again nor was his body ever found.
Lucy’s alter ego, Eliza, always the stronger one told Lucy what to tell her parents and the police. It was all very traumatic and now it seems that Dan wanted to profit from things she had told him about that time in absolute confidence. But that comes later. She hates the house he has bought, it reminds her too much of the tragic disappearance of her brother. As her stress levels rise, she fractures and Eliza has to bail her out more and more. But when Dan goes missing naturally she becomes a person of interest.
The whole story was quite claustrophobic. I could feel Lucy’s anxiety acutely. Nothing that happened after the move to the new house seemed good. She was constantly on edge, sometimes with good reason but we were not aware at the time. Was Dan just gaslighting Lucy? Did she really see the people she thought she did? The neighbours all feel a bit ‘off’ and she doesn’t know who to trust. In the end we got answers to some of the questions but not all. I didn’t find the story particularly exciting but I found Lucy’s character to be wonderfully complex and it was good to get an insight into how difficult some people find it to navigate many fairly ordinary social and professional situations. But I do think she was better off without Dan. I don’t think this was a thriller, it worked better as a psychological thriller with some very unreliable narrators. Thanks to Netgalley, Random House UK, Cornerstone and Gilly Macmillan for providing an ARC. My opinions are my own.
Despite having some issues with this book, I really felt for Lucy. She seemed so vulnerable, so fragile and I totally get how she got overwhelmed by too many people demanding things from her. And Dan, well he was a total jerk!
Lucy Harper is now a very successful author having written five books featuring DS Eliza Grey. The public loves her character and are already eagerly awaiting the next book. Dan is Lucy’s husband. When they met he, too, was an aspiring author but with Lucy’s success he now works for her full time doing admin, accounting, organising her public events and running the house. And also going behind her back to purchase a place near her childhood home, which scares the bejeebies out of her, and writing a book about her awful childhood experience with an ex girlfriend who may not be so ‘ex’ any more.
When Lucy was 9 years old she snuck out one night to spy on a summer solstice event in the nearby woods where pagans danced around a bonfire. Her little brother insisted on coming with her or he would have given the game away. Of course little Teddy being only 3 or 4 was soon too tired and Lucy settled him into her secret place - an old bunker from WWII that no one else seemed to know of. She promised to come back after watching more of the festivities. But when she returns Teddy is no longer there. the child was never seen again nor was his body ever found.
Lucy’s alter ego, Eliza, always the stronger one told Lucy what to tell her parents and the police. It was all very traumatic and now it seems that Dan wanted to profit from things she had told him about that time in absolute confidence. But that comes later. She hates the house he has bought, it reminds her too much of the tragic disappearance of her brother. As her stress levels rise, she fractures and Eliza has to bail her out more and more. But when Dan goes missing naturally she becomes a person of interest.
The whole story was quite claustrophobic. I could feel Lucy’s anxiety acutely. Nothing that happened after the move to the new house seemed good. She was constantly on edge, sometimes with good reason but we were not aware at the time. Was Dan just gaslighting Lucy? Did she really see the people she thought she did? The neighbours all feel a bit ‘off’ and she doesn’t know who to trust. In the end we got answers to some of the questions but not all. I didn’t find the story particularly exciting but I found Lucy’s character to be wonderfully complex and it was good to get an insight into how difficult some people find it to navigate many fairly ordinary social and professional situations. But I do think she was better off without Dan. I don’t think this was a thriller, it worked better as a psychological thriller with some very unreliable narrators. Thanks to Netgalley, Random House UK, Cornerstone and Gilly Macmillan for providing an ARC. My opinions are my own.
January 7, 2021
I did enjoy this New York Times Best Thriller of 2020, “To Tell You The Truth”. What intrigued me was that our protagonist, Lucy, is definitely an unreliable narrator, but is she certifiably insane? Is she just your basic crazy, or is she a person who could benefit from some anti-psychotic meds?
When Lucy was nine years old, her brother disappeared. Lucy’s young curiosity was piqued when an anticipated summer solstice celebration enraged the neighbors, including her parents, who bordered the woods that the celebration was to occur. There was to be a pagan celebration with bawdy dancing and a bond fire…all very interesting things to a creative nine-year-old girl. So on the night of the summer solstice, Lucy snuck out of her house to run through the woods to witness this dreamy event. Her younger brother woke up and insisted on joining her. Lucy, being nine, didn’t keep proper tabs on her brother, and he disappeared while she was enthralled in the event.
Her brother’s disappearance haunted Lucy, and the neighbors all thought she was a bit “strange”. Well, she had an imaginary friend, Eliza, who was her confidant. Simply because her imaginary friend was known to all the adults, and Lucy was the last to see her brother, she was always considered to be a bit suspect.
As an adult, she changes her last name to distance herself from her past. She becomes a notable and successful author of a series of novels featuring Eliza. Yet as an adult, her imaginary friend Eliza still plays a significant role in her life, and of course her novels. Add to that, she marries a man who appears to be questionable in character…or is it that Lucy is just a bit crazy? Is he awful or is Lucy’s mind concocting strange events? Is Lucy living in fiction of her mind or are bizarre things occurring around her?
When Lucy’s husband disappears, Lucy becomes the main suspect. Lucy’s life becomes upended and she responds with erratic behavior.
Gilly Macmillan writes a chilling and well-paced thriller. Towards the last third of the novel, it’s difficult to stop reading. The plot twist at the end I did not see coming. There are many twists and turns and unsavory characters. This deserves the accolades.
When Lucy was nine years old, her brother disappeared. Lucy’s young curiosity was piqued when an anticipated summer solstice celebration enraged the neighbors, including her parents, who bordered the woods that the celebration was to occur. There was to be a pagan celebration with bawdy dancing and a bond fire…all very interesting things to a creative nine-year-old girl. So on the night of the summer solstice, Lucy snuck out of her house to run through the woods to witness this dreamy event. Her younger brother woke up and insisted on joining her. Lucy, being nine, didn’t keep proper tabs on her brother, and he disappeared while she was enthralled in the event.
Her brother’s disappearance haunted Lucy, and the neighbors all thought she was a bit “strange”. Well, she had an imaginary friend, Eliza, who was her confidant. Simply because her imaginary friend was known to all the adults, and Lucy was the last to see her brother, she was always considered to be a bit suspect.
As an adult, she changes her last name to distance herself from her past. She becomes a notable and successful author of a series of novels featuring Eliza. Yet as an adult, her imaginary friend Eliza still plays a significant role in her life, and of course her novels. Add to that, she marries a man who appears to be questionable in character…or is it that Lucy is just a bit crazy? Is he awful or is Lucy’s mind concocting strange events? Is Lucy living in fiction of her mind or are bizarre things occurring around her?
When Lucy’s husband disappears, Lucy becomes the main suspect. Lucy’s life becomes upended and she responds with erratic behavior.
Gilly Macmillan writes a chilling and well-paced thriller. Towards the last third of the novel, it’s difficult to stop reading. The plot twist at the end I did not see coming. There are many twists and turns and unsavory characters. This deserves the accolades.
December 5, 2023
Meh. Plus, the ending is a doozy of a hot mess.
September 21, 2020
2.5 stars
In comparisons to August (during which time I surprised myself by reading a record 7 books in a month!), September is shaping up to be a slower reading month for me. The past 2 weeks were unexpectedly busy and I had a few things going on that occupied my time. I’m back into my regular reading schedule now though and have a few books lined up already so hopefully nothing else comes up between now and end of the month so I can use this last week and a half to “make up for lost time” where my reading is concerned.
During this time period, the one book I was able to finish was Gilly Macmillan’s latest psychological thriller To Tell You the Truth (scheduled for release 9/22). Initially, I was excited going into this one, as the previous work of this author’s that I’d read ( I Know You Know from 2018), I had really enjoyed, so I was thinking this would be in the same vein. It turns out I was completely wrong, and not in a good way either. With this newest work, I actually came out of it confused, disappointed, and super annoyed — obviously a way different reaction from previous. The main reason for my annoyance were the characters, all of whom were despicable and hugely unlikable, which, for me, isn’t usually a problem as long as the rest of the story is done well — unfortunately, I can’t say that was the case here. I’ll get into the issues I had with the story and plot later. First though, the characters...
One of my biggest pet peeves when it comes to psychological thrillers / suspense novels with an adult female protagonist at the center of the story is for her to be written in such a way that she comes across as wishy-washy, overly emotional, incapable of thinking rationally, lacking any sense of self-preservation and common sense, etc. This is usually portrayed through the protagonist deciding to still go forward with things that she has already determined (through an inner dialogue with herself via first person narrative) are bad or will result in negative consequences — basically, the dialogue goes along the lines of “I knew I shouldn’t, but I went along with it anyway” or “I should tell him no but the word yes comes out of my mouth instead”. The frustrating part is that the protagonist nonsensically makes these kinds of bad decisions repeatedly throughout the story and therefore keeps getting herself in predicaments that are entirely preventable. Even if the protagonist is only like this for part of the story and they seem to “wisen up” somewhat later on, it still taints the entire story for me.
Unfortunately for me, the main protagonist of To Tell You the Truth , Lucy Harper, is exactly this type of character. In a way, it made me mad the way she was portrayed, since technically, the characterization could’ve gone several ways. Lucy is a best-selling author who is supposedly smart and talented as heck and who has enjoyed a decades-long career writing multiple books that sold millions, but when she’s not writing, she’s basically walking around in a fog most of the time, willfully oblivious to anything that happens where her husband Daniel is concerned. For example, Daniel uses Lucy’s money to buy a million dollar mansion, puts only his own name on the deed, swiftly gives notice on the place where they are currently living so that they are forced to move within only a few days, etc. (yes, there is more, I just didn’t list it all). Here’s the catch though: he does all this behind Lucy’s back without discussing it with her. What’s worse is that the mansion is located just down the street from where Lucy lived as a child — a place that Lucy never wanted to go back to because of what had happened to her brother Teddy 30 years ago (Daniel has full knowledge of this and also knows full well the impact that Teddy’s disappearance had on her). When Daniel casually springs the sale of the house and the move, etc. on Lucy as though it’s something perfectly normal that a doting husband does for his wife and she would be a fool not to go along with it, Lucy is supposedly angry (at least that’s what she tells herself), but instead of making her disdain and objections known or confronting him about it or calling out his obvious selfishness, she just stands idly by and let’s him do what he wants. Even though she is seething inside and pissed off and can already see the train wreck waiting to happen financially (we know all this because the narrative is in first person), her actions speak otherwise, as she chooses the “naive, docile wife” route and basically ignores all the red flags starring her in the face. It’s also maddening that at various points in the story, it is inferred that Lucy’s behavior is a result of her being psychotic or paranoid or whatnot and that she is not “right in the head.” To me, the entire characterization felt too stereotypical and convenient (not to mention downright annoying and frustrating). I think it’s interesting that this is the third psychological thriller / suspense novel I’ve read so far this year with this type of protagonist — either this is starting to become a trend now with this genre for some reason or I’m having incredibly bad luck with choosing the wrong thrillers to read.
To make matters worse, Lucy actually wasn’t the only annoying character. I already mentioned earlier that nearly all the characters were unlikable — Daniel was obviously a douchebag, all of Lucy’s neighbors were hateful people, and most of the other characters were either incompetent or insignificant in terms of the story. All of them were honestly really frustrating to read about — which brings me to the issues I had with the execution of the story. I don’t want to go too much into the plot, as I don’t want to give the story away, but there were quite a few plot holes involving some of the characters that honestly didn’t make much sense and in the end, were left unresolved. It was to the point where it made me wonder why those scenes with those characters were included in the first place. The other thing I didn’t like was that the last third of the story felt like a rushed exercise in “plot dumping” — essentially the plot details were dumped on the reader in swift succession, one right after the other, but some of it didn’t make sense based on the progression of the story up to that point. I also felt like some of the threads were left hanging in that some significant detail would get cryptically brought up in a scene that points to the thread going in a certain direction, but then the story ends without any reference back to it. When I read mystery / thriller / suspense novels, I of course don’t expect a straightforward, easy-to-figure-out ending delivered nicely in a box with a pretty bow on top (in fact, the opposite is true in that there should be some twists and turns and the plot should be unpredictable). With that said though, one thing I do expect is closure, especially with the main story arc, which I didn’t feel that I got in this instance (I don’t want to say more — those who read the book will probably understand what I’m referring to).
With all that said, this one wasn’t all bad. Parts of it truly were intriguing, plus I actually didn’t guess the ending or what happened to Daniel, so I guess from a thriller perspective, it did its job. The premise also had a lot of potential — I think Gilly Macmillan had the right idea, it’s just she tried to cover too much ground and the story ended up getting away from her. From her past works, I know she is capable of writing a cleverly crafted, compelling thriller with interesting and complicated characters — unfortunately, this one isn’t it. Despite the not-so-good experience with this one, I’m still interested in reading other works by this author, especially since I did have a good experience with her previous work. Hopefully her next one will work out better for me.
Received ARC from William Morrow (HarperCollins) via NetGalley.
In comparisons to August (during which time I surprised myself by reading a record 7 books in a month!), September is shaping up to be a slower reading month for me. The past 2 weeks were unexpectedly busy and I had a few things going on that occupied my time. I’m back into my regular reading schedule now though and have a few books lined up already so hopefully nothing else comes up between now and end of the month so I can use this last week and a half to “make up for lost time” where my reading is concerned.
During this time period, the one book I was able to finish was Gilly Macmillan’s latest psychological thriller To Tell You the Truth (scheduled for release 9/22). Initially, I was excited going into this one, as the previous work of this author’s that I’d read ( I Know You Know from 2018), I had really enjoyed, so I was thinking this would be in the same vein. It turns out I was completely wrong, and not in a good way either. With this newest work, I actually came out of it confused, disappointed, and super annoyed — obviously a way different reaction from previous. The main reason for my annoyance were the characters, all of whom were despicable and hugely unlikable, which, for me, isn’t usually a problem as long as the rest of the story is done well — unfortunately, I can’t say that was the case here. I’ll get into the issues I had with the story and plot later. First though, the characters...
One of my biggest pet peeves when it comes to psychological thrillers / suspense novels with an adult female protagonist at the center of the story is for her to be written in such a way that she comes across as wishy-washy, overly emotional, incapable of thinking rationally, lacking any sense of self-preservation and common sense, etc. This is usually portrayed through the protagonist deciding to still go forward with things that she has already determined (through an inner dialogue with herself via first person narrative) are bad or will result in negative consequences — basically, the dialogue goes along the lines of “I knew I shouldn’t, but I went along with it anyway” or “I should tell him no but the word yes comes out of my mouth instead”. The frustrating part is that the protagonist nonsensically makes these kinds of bad decisions repeatedly throughout the story and therefore keeps getting herself in predicaments that are entirely preventable. Even if the protagonist is only like this for part of the story and they seem to “wisen up” somewhat later on, it still taints the entire story for me.
Unfortunately for me, the main protagonist of To Tell You the Truth , Lucy Harper, is exactly this type of character. In a way, it made me mad the way she was portrayed, since technically, the characterization could’ve gone several ways. Lucy is a best-selling author who is supposedly smart and talented as heck and who has enjoyed a decades-long career writing multiple books that sold millions, but when she’s not writing, she’s basically walking around in a fog most of the time, willfully oblivious to anything that happens where her husband Daniel is concerned. For example, Daniel uses Lucy’s money to buy a million dollar mansion, puts only his own name on the deed, swiftly gives notice on the place where they are currently living so that they are forced to move within only a few days, etc. (yes, there is more, I just didn’t list it all). Here’s the catch though: he does all this behind Lucy’s back without discussing it with her. What’s worse is that the mansion is located just down the street from where Lucy lived as a child — a place that Lucy never wanted to go back to because of what had happened to her brother Teddy 30 years ago (Daniel has full knowledge of this and also knows full well the impact that Teddy’s disappearance had on her). When Daniel casually springs the sale of the house and the move, etc. on Lucy as though it’s something perfectly normal that a doting husband does for his wife and she would be a fool not to go along with it, Lucy is supposedly angry (at least that’s what she tells herself), but instead of making her disdain and objections known or confronting him about it or calling out his obvious selfishness, she just stands idly by and let’s him do what he wants. Even though she is seething inside and pissed off and can already see the train wreck waiting to happen financially (we know all this because the narrative is in first person), her actions speak otherwise, as she chooses the “naive, docile wife” route and basically ignores all the red flags starring her in the face. It’s also maddening that at various points in the story, it is inferred that Lucy’s behavior is a result of her being psychotic or paranoid or whatnot and that she is not “right in the head.” To me, the entire characterization felt too stereotypical and convenient (not to mention downright annoying and frustrating). I think it’s interesting that this is the third psychological thriller / suspense novel I’ve read so far this year with this type of protagonist — either this is starting to become a trend now with this genre for some reason or I’m having incredibly bad luck with choosing the wrong thrillers to read.
To make matters worse, Lucy actually wasn’t the only annoying character. I already mentioned earlier that nearly all the characters were unlikable — Daniel was obviously a douchebag, all of Lucy’s neighbors were hateful people, and most of the other characters were either incompetent or insignificant in terms of the story. All of them were honestly really frustrating to read about — which brings me to the issues I had with the execution of the story. I don’t want to go too much into the plot, as I don’t want to give the story away, but there were quite a few plot holes involving some of the characters that honestly didn’t make much sense and in the end, were left unresolved. It was to the point where it made me wonder why those scenes with those characters were included in the first place. The other thing I didn’t like was that the last third of the story felt like a rushed exercise in “plot dumping” — essentially the plot details were dumped on the reader in swift succession, one right after the other, but some of it didn’t make sense based on the progression of the story up to that point. I also felt like some of the threads were left hanging in that some significant detail would get cryptically brought up in a scene that points to the thread going in a certain direction, but then the story ends without any reference back to it. When I read mystery / thriller / suspense novels, I of course don’t expect a straightforward, easy-to-figure-out ending delivered nicely in a box with a pretty bow on top (in fact, the opposite is true in that there should be some twists and turns and the plot should be unpredictable). With that said though, one thing I do expect is closure, especially with the main story arc, which I didn’t feel that I got in this instance (I don’t want to say more — those who read the book will probably understand what I’m referring to).
With all that said, this one wasn’t all bad. Parts of it truly were intriguing, plus I actually didn’t guess the ending or what happened to Daniel, so I guess from a thriller perspective, it did its job. The premise also had a lot of potential — I think Gilly Macmillan had the right idea, it’s just she tried to cover too much ground and the story ended up getting away from her. From her past works, I know she is capable of writing a cleverly crafted, compelling thriller with interesting and complicated characters — unfortunately, this one isn’t it. Despite the not-so-good experience with this one, I’m still interested in reading other works by this author, especially since I did have a good experience with her previous work. Hopefully her next one will work out better for me.
Received ARC from William Morrow (HarperCollins) via NetGalley.
October 24, 2020
This was one of those books where I didn't have a set rating until it was fully complete. Throughout, my rating would have been different depending on where I was in the book's progress, mostly it went downhill. And here I am at the end, and it was just ok..
Lucy Harper is a best selling crime story author and we see this story unfold from her point of view. Her childhood was marred by her younger brother going missing. She has an imaginary friend/alter ego, who is the very popular star of her books. Now her husband Dan is missing... What is happening to everyone in Lucy's life, has she played a part in this, is her past connected to her present?
An unreliable narrator and the plot as above should have made this a slam dunk for me but there were many reasons that it fell flat.
The primary one is that I didn't feel connected to Lucy at all, I don't need to feel similar to a character or agree with their choices but I do need to feel that I "see" them and Lucy was just not someone I caught interest in. I can think of many books where the main has some mental stability issues or is just not good with people and I generally love that perspective, but it just didn't jive for me here. And her husband Dan... suffice to say that I was glad that he went missing lol.. I didn't feel connection to any of the characters really and that made it difficult for me to enjoy this book. I should have known when at so many points I had to remind myself to get back to finishing it that things weren't going to end up good for me. I was just really confused by her reactions to things and Gilly Mamillan's reasoning behind her reactions didn't make me agree with them or understand them better.
The flashbacks were disconcerting and not in a good way, I didn't feel unease or pity, I felt disbelief.
I felt that the story was confusing and a bit slow moving but the ending was more fast paced and involved. I just felt like it wasn't at all the ending that I needed and left me with questions. There were parts where I had hoped that it was leading one way and then was unhappy to see the direction that it took. There was just a lot missing for me throughout this book and the end brought it down to a 2 star for me.
One caveat is that I listened to the audiobook and really disliked the voice that Emma Fryer, the narrator, used for Eliza, the "imaginary friend/alter ego" and that may have caused some of the disconnect? Although it still wouldn't have increased my satisfaction with the story much.
So unfortunately not one that I would recommend to friends but I'm sure that others have read and enjoyed so be sure to check out all the reviews, just my 2 cents 😄
Lucy Harper is a best selling crime story author and we see this story unfold from her point of view. Her childhood was marred by her younger brother going missing. She has an imaginary friend/alter ego, who is the very popular star of her books. Now her husband Dan is missing... What is happening to everyone in Lucy's life, has she played a part in this, is her past connected to her present?
An unreliable narrator and the plot as above should have made this a slam dunk for me but there were many reasons that it fell flat.
The primary one is that I didn't feel connected to Lucy at all, I don't need to feel similar to a character or agree with their choices but I do need to feel that I "see" them and Lucy was just not someone I caught interest in. I can think of many books where the main has some mental stability issues or is just not good with people and I generally love that perspective, but it just didn't jive for me here. And her husband Dan... suffice to say that I was glad that he went missing lol.. I didn't feel connection to any of the characters really and that made it difficult for me to enjoy this book. I should have known when at so many points I had to remind myself to get back to finishing it that things weren't going to end up good for me. I was just really confused by her reactions to things and Gilly Mamillan's reasoning behind her reactions didn't make me agree with them or understand them better.
The flashbacks were disconcerting and not in a good way, I didn't feel unease or pity, I felt disbelief.
I felt that the story was confusing and a bit slow moving but the ending was more fast paced and involved. I just felt like it wasn't at all the ending that I needed and left me with questions. There were parts where I had hoped that it was leading one way and then was unhappy to see the direction that it took. There was just a lot missing for me throughout this book and the end brought it down to a 2 star for me.
One caveat is that I listened to the audiobook and really disliked the voice that Emma Fryer, the narrator, used for Eliza, the "imaginary friend/alter ego" and that may have caused some of the disconnect? Although it still wouldn't have increased my satisfaction with the story much.
So unfortunately not one that I would recommend to friends but I'm sure that others have read and enjoyed so be sure to check out all the reviews, just my 2 cents 😄
August 5, 2020
4 Twisty Author Stars
This one was a terrific spin down the rabbit hole! We have best-selling crime author Lucy Harper at the heart of this one. She’s created a great fictional detective – Eliza Grey– and her fans can’t wait to read more about the crimes she’s solving. Lucy’s husband, Dan, is a frustrated writer and is starting to drive Lucy crazy.
Lucy has some secrets in her past that she’d like to keep there, but the truth is just dying to get out. This one features the fun element of a “book within a book” and I enjoyed those chapters that told many of Lucy’s secrets, centering around what happened to her little brother Teddy back when Lucy was a child. There’s an atmospheric wood nearby that holds some dark secrets.
Dan has now disappeared, and Lucy’s life seems to be spiraling out of control. Can she get to the bottom of everything before it’s too late? The reporters camped out are just waiting for her to slip up. What would Eliza do in this case? I did not predict this ending at all.
I’ve heard so much about this author, but this is the first one I’ve read of hers, it won’t be the last that’s for sure!
Thank you to Gilly Macmillan, NetGalley, and Book Club Girl Early Read program/Harper Collins/William Morrow for the early copy of this one. Schedule to release on 9.22.2020.
This one was a terrific spin down the rabbit hole! We have best-selling crime author Lucy Harper at the heart of this one. She’s created a great fictional detective – Eliza Grey– and her fans can’t wait to read more about the crimes she’s solving. Lucy’s husband, Dan, is a frustrated writer and is starting to drive Lucy crazy.
Lucy has some secrets in her past that she’d like to keep there, but the truth is just dying to get out. This one features the fun element of a “book within a book” and I enjoyed those chapters that told many of Lucy’s secrets, centering around what happened to her little brother Teddy back when Lucy was a child. There’s an atmospheric wood nearby that holds some dark secrets.
Dan has now disappeared, and Lucy’s life seems to be spiraling out of control. Can she get to the bottom of everything before it’s too late? The reporters camped out are just waiting for her to slip up. What would Eliza do in this case? I did not predict this ending at all.
I’ve heard so much about this author, but this is the first one I’ve read of hers, it won’t be the last that’s for sure!
Thank you to Gilly Macmillan, NetGalley, and Book Club Girl Early Read program/Harper Collins/William Morrow for the early copy of this one. Schedule to release on 9.22.2020.
October 15, 2020
Another fantastic Sweetreads Box pick!
I absolutely loved this book! Gilly Macmillan does it again. So twisty! The dual timelines between the past and present were brilliant. The characters were fantastic ... some you love to hate, others you'll find yourself rooting for! A unique storyline that will keep you guessing and an ending that will leave your mouth hanging open. All the stars!
I absolutely loved this book! Gilly Macmillan does it again. So twisty! The dual timelines between the past and present were brilliant. The characters were fantastic ... some you love to hate, others you'll find yourself rooting for! A unique storyline that will keep you guessing and an ending that will leave your mouth hanging open. All the stars!
June 22, 2023
This was my first mystery/thriller by author Gilly MacMillian and I ate it up in one sitting. The MC, author Lucy, is an introvert who immerses herself so deeply in her bestselling mystery crime novels that she sometimes can’t tell fact from fiction. The book is told in split timelines. In the past timeline, Lucy is a child, recounting the story of how she and her little brother Teddy got lost one night in the woods… and Teddy never came home. In the present-day timeline, Lucy is in a somewhat tempestuous marriage with her husband Dan, who had wanted to write books of his own, but is now stuck serving as her personal assistant. But when Dan goes missing, and all eyes turn to Lucy, can she prove her innocence? This was an interesting novel, and especially well executed as the main character in Lucy’s book is also the voice she’s heard in her head as a child. You don’t really know who you can trust.
I really enjoyed this novel, particularly the surprising twists.
I really enjoyed this novel, particularly the surprising twists.
January 22, 2021
3.5 rounded up. Another solid thriller/murder mystery by MacMillan that I would recommend with caution as there may be a few triggers for some (child harm, mental health).
Lucy Harper is the bestselling author of the Det. Srgt Eliza Grey series, and it's afford her and her husband Dan a lavish, luxurious lifestyle. A lifestyle so grand that unbeknownst to Lucy, Dan has in fact just purchased them (with Lucy's money, mind you!) a McMansion in Lucy's old neighborhood of Charlotte Close. Little do they both know, this will be the beginning of the end for them! The very first night in fact, Dan vanishes after staying behind at a neighborhood get-together. Lucy seems to have lost some time (which she seems to do from time to time) from the prior evening, and can't explain how all that blood got on the foot of her staircase! Does it have anything to do with Dan's disappearance? Even more, does any of this have anything to do with the disappearance of her younger brother Teddy, in this same neighborhood several years earlier? The police almost immediately suspect Lucy, but was she actually responsible for either incident? If not, who was? I wasn't quite sure, and these questions kept me intrigued throughout, as I sensed that there was much more to the story than met the eye!
I really enjoyed the plot, most of the characters and also the pacing, however I found myself a bit dissatisfied by how everything was wrapped up so quickly at the end, it just felt rushed, and a bit unresolved, or is it just me?! Without spoiling, this was most definitely the most frustratingly dumb and in fact unreliable (to an extent) protagonist I've read in quite some time and I wanted to reach through the pages and shake her into growing a backbone and developing some common sense! At the same time I couldn't help but feel sorry for it, as it was obvious to me she was suffering from various mental health issues. I remained engaged throughout the entirety of this novel, and I didn't exactly predict the reveal at the end but at the same time I wasn't that shocked or gagged by it either. To a certain extent I expected more. It's getting harder and harder to impress me when it comes to thrillers, and I'm not sure if that's on me or the authors of such novels?! Overall this was solid but it most likely won't stand out as far as the genre goes by the end of 2021, which is already looking like it's going to be a great year of reading! I would give this one a try, especially if you are already a fan of Macmillan, however I do believe her previous novel, The Nanny, was more enjoyable. On to the next great read!!
Lucy Harper is the bestselling author of the Det. Srgt Eliza Grey series, and it's afford her and her husband Dan a lavish, luxurious lifestyle. A lifestyle so grand that unbeknownst to Lucy, Dan has in fact just purchased them (with Lucy's money, mind you!) a McMansion in Lucy's old neighborhood of Charlotte Close. Little do they both know, this will be the beginning of the end for them! The very first night in fact, Dan vanishes after staying behind at a neighborhood get-together. Lucy seems to have lost some time (which she seems to do from time to time) from the prior evening, and can't explain how all that blood got on the foot of her staircase! Does it have anything to do with Dan's disappearance? Even more, does any of this have anything to do with the disappearance of her younger brother Teddy, in this same neighborhood several years earlier? The police almost immediately suspect Lucy, but was she actually responsible for either incident? If not, who was? I wasn't quite sure, and these questions kept me intrigued throughout, as I sensed that there was much more to the story than met the eye!
I really enjoyed the plot, most of the characters and also the pacing, however I found myself a bit dissatisfied by how everything was wrapped up so quickly at the end, it just felt rushed, and a bit unresolved, or is it just me?! Without spoiling, this was most definitely the most frustratingly dumb and in fact unreliable (to an extent) protagonist I've read in quite some time and I wanted to reach through the pages and shake her into growing a backbone and developing some common sense! At the same time I couldn't help but feel sorry for it, as it was obvious to me she was suffering from various mental health issues. I remained engaged throughout the entirety of this novel, and I didn't exactly predict the reveal at the end but at the same time I wasn't that shocked or gagged by it either. To a certain extent I expected more. It's getting harder and harder to impress me when it comes to thrillers, and I'm not sure if that's on me or the authors of such novels?! Overall this was solid but it most likely won't stand out as far as the genre goes by the end of 2021, which is already looking like it's going to be a great year of reading! I would give this one a try, especially if you are already a fan of Macmillan, however I do believe her previous novel, The Nanny, was more enjoyable. On to the next great read!!
February 17, 2021
Lucy Harper is a bestselling author, creator of beloved Detective Eliza Grey, a character with legions of devoted fans. Her husband Dan, who is also an aspiring writer, is baffled when Lucy makes the surprising decision to remove Eliza from her latest book in the Eliza series...and Lucy's editors aren't too happy about it either. But none of these people know the truth about Eliza. She is very, very close to Lucy. As in, Lucy carries Eliza not on paper, but actually WITH her at all times. And Eliza has been with Lucy since childhood and the mysterious disappearance of Lucy's young brother Teddy, an unsolved case. Eliza's voice is always in Lucy's ear, coaching, urging, and whispering clues about Teddy's disappearance...or are they memories? When Dan also goes missing, Lucy is thrust headfirst back into her past and is forced to look at all the buried secrets that remain.
I mean, she only knows how to cover up a murder due to her extensive and careful research as a crime writer...right?
This book hooked me pretty early, as I am a huge fan of the multiple personality/dissociative disorder type thriller when it's done well, and I loved that the reader had no idea how much of reality was stranger than fiction or vice versa at the beginning. As the tale wore on, though, this interesting interplay between Lucy and Eliza took a bit of a backseat to a bunch of characters that weren't particularly interesting or likable, and although they all related to the main arc of the story, I didn't find their presence memorable. The further the story went on, the less interested I got in BOTH mysteries, which was really disheartening. This was such a great concept, and I don't feel it was fully realized. Since this was my first Macmillan, I'm not sure if this is the author's style or not, but this book didn't really feel twisty to me, although ostensibly there ARE a few twists.
I was really hoping for an unreliable narrator thriller story that was going to knock my socks off, but this wasn't it. However, Gilly Macmillan is a writer I fully intend to keep reading in the hope that her creativity will click with me in a different novel!
3.5 ⭐, rounded down from 4
I mean, she only knows how to cover up a murder due to her extensive and careful research as a crime writer...right?
This book hooked me pretty early, as I am a huge fan of the multiple personality/dissociative disorder type thriller when it's done well, and I loved that the reader had no idea how much of reality was stranger than fiction or vice versa at the beginning. As the tale wore on, though, this interesting interplay between Lucy and Eliza took a bit of a backseat to a bunch of characters that weren't particularly interesting or likable, and although they all related to the main arc of the story, I didn't find their presence memorable. The further the story went on, the less interested I got in BOTH mysteries, which was really disheartening. This was such a great concept, and I don't feel it was fully realized. Since this was my first Macmillan, I'm not sure if this is the author's style or not, but this book didn't really feel twisty to me, although ostensibly there ARE a few twists.
I was really hoping for an unreliable narrator thriller story that was going to knock my socks off, but this wasn't it. However, Gilly Macmillan is a writer I fully intend to keep reading in the hope that her creativity will click with me in a different novel!
3.5 ⭐, rounded down from 4
September 18, 2020
”There are the facts, and then there is the truth.”
This psychological thriller includes a fiesty little firecracker of an imaginary friend. I love reading about imaginary friends and Eliza is fascinating!!
Lucy is a successful author that has based her bestselling book series on her childhood imaginary friend—Detective Eliza Grey is the main character and heroine in her novels. But the more popular Eliza becomes, the more she injects herself in Lucy’s real life. Lucy decides to write her out of her latest thriller and stick her back where she belongs.
No one is happy about the beloved Eliza’s disappearance from the series. Especially Lucy’s husband—Dan—who is quite pleased to be spending Lucy’s money. After an argument between Dan and Lucy, he goes missing. The arrogant douchebag wasn’t missed by me, but Lucy and the police thought it necessary to investigate, haha!
Eliza was, by far, my favorite character and the most interesting to read about. I had mixed feelings about Lucy. She was an introvert, slightly bizarre, timid and insecure. Her husband was the opposite. A repulsive narcissist!
This was a 5-star read until the ending. It was exciting, suspenseful and page-turning, so I was expecting an elaborate twist, expanding on the details of Eliza. I might be expecting too much, but I think the ending could have been better. Ms. Macmillan is such a fabulous writer, the ending felt too blah.
Thank you to Edelweiss, Gilly Macmillan and William Morrow for this free digital ARC, in exchange for my honest opinion!
Another incredible group read with No Rules - Just Thrills!
My Rating: 4 ⭐️’s
Published: September 22nd 2020 by William Morrow
Pages: 320
Recommend: Yes!
@GillyMacmillan @WmMorrowBooks @weiss_squad
#psychologicalthriller #NoRulesJustThrills #ImaginaryFriend #MustReadThriller2020 #InExchangeForReview #JustFinished #BookReview #Edelweiss
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BN.com, BookBub
This psychological thriller includes a fiesty little firecracker of an imaginary friend. I love reading about imaginary friends and Eliza is fascinating!!
Lucy is a successful author that has based her bestselling book series on her childhood imaginary friend—Detective Eliza Grey is the main character and heroine in her novels. But the more popular Eliza becomes, the more she injects herself in Lucy’s real life. Lucy decides to write her out of her latest thriller and stick her back where she belongs.
”I obsessed over the impossibility of knowing what to do about Eliza. I didn’t know if I could ever work out a way to keep her in the books, but out of my life. I thought about how ironic it was that the first time Eliza appeared to me “in person,” it had felt as if something amazing was happening. I was writing my third novel at the time and I actually believed that Eliza’s physical manifestation meant that I’d reached a kind of peak writerly success. I could visualize my character in three dimensions! Hold conversations with her in person, not just in my mind! It was more than just a little intoxicating.”
No one is happy about the beloved Eliza’s disappearance from the series. Especially Lucy’s husband—Dan—who is quite pleased to be spending Lucy’s money. After an argument between Dan and Lucy, he goes missing. The arrogant douchebag wasn’t missed by me, but Lucy and the police thought it necessary to investigate, haha!
Eliza was, by far, my favorite character and the most interesting to read about. I had mixed feelings about Lucy. She was an introvert, slightly bizarre, timid and insecure. Her husband was the opposite. A repulsive narcissist!
This was a 5-star read until the ending. It was exciting, suspenseful and page-turning, so I was expecting an elaborate twist, expanding on the details of Eliza. I might be expecting too much, but I think the ending could have been better. Ms. Macmillan is such a fabulous writer, the ending felt too blah.
Thank you to Edelweiss, Gilly Macmillan and William Morrow for this free digital ARC, in exchange for my honest opinion!
Another incredible group read with No Rules - Just Thrills!
My Rating: 4 ⭐️’s
Published: September 22nd 2020 by William Morrow
Pages: 320
Recommend: Yes!
@GillyMacmillan @WmMorrowBooks @weiss_squad
#psychologicalthriller #NoRulesJustThrills #ImaginaryFriend #MustReadThriller2020 #InExchangeForReview #JustFinished #BookReview #Edelweiss
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BN.com, BookBub
June 27, 2020
"To tell you the truth" was my first Gilly Macmillan read and a pretty enjoyable one, although truth be told that may be in part cause I love stories where the main character is a writer him/herself.
When Lucy was a kid her little brother Teddy went missing and police suspected she wasn't telling the truth about what happened that night. Now she is a bestselling thriller writer and is married to Dan, another aspiring writer. When Dan goes missing history seems to be repeating itself. Was she involved in his disappearance?
As the story unfolds we find some of the typical tropes of this genre:
- Unreliable narrator: ✔️
- Gaslighting: ✔️
- Despicable husband: ✔️✔️✔️ (I seem to be on a roll of books with despicable husbands).
I found interesting Lucy's character and her interactions with Eliza. Is she just a fictional character brought to life by her creator or is Lucy suffering from split personality?
This was tense and gripping all throughout the story but the ending fell a bit flat and weak for me as it felt a little out of the blue. I would have like for the resolution to be more of a link between both past and present lines and to have some answers to some secondary plots that were left hanging there. Also that last chapter left some things open to reader's interpretation.
Overall it was a well written, quick and easy read that kept me guessing till the end so I would recommend it no doubt.
Thanks to Netgalley and Random House UK/Cornerstone for providing and eARC in exchange for an honest review.
When Lucy was a kid her little brother Teddy went missing and police suspected she wasn't telling the truth about what happened that night. Now she is a bestselling thriller writer and is married to Dan, another aspiring writer. When Dan goes missing history seems to be repeating itself. Was she involved in his disappearance?
As the story unfolds we find some of the typical tropes of this genre:
- Unreliable narrator: ✔️
- Gaslighting: ✔️
- Despicable husband: ✔️✔️✔️ (I seem to be on a roll of books with despicable husbands).
I found interesting Lucy's character and her interactions with Eliza. Is she just a fictional character brought to life by her creator or is Lucy suffering from split personality?
This was tense and gripping all throughout the story but the ending fell a bit flat and weak for me as it felt a little out of the blue. I would have like for the resolution to be more of a link between both past and present lines and to have some answers to some secondary plots that were left hanging there. Also that last chapter left some things open to reader's interpretation.
Overall it was a well written, quick and easy read that kept me guessing till the end so I would recommend it no doubt.
Thanks to Netgalley and Random House UK/Cornerstone for providing and eARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 9, 2020
I have started to never read a Gilly Mackmillon blurb before starting her books, as I know it be will an amazing story with twists galore!! She never disappoints, I was completely hooked from the start.
Lucy Harper was 9 when her 3 year old brother Teddy went missing, after she had taken him out one night into the woods for Solstice night. They never find him.
Lucy is now grown up and is a successful crime writer living with her husband Dan. Dan surprises Lucy by buying them a new home right by the woods where Teddy disappeared, Lucy has never gotten over the trauma and is reluctant at first to move into their new home.
When Dan disappears the police suspect her and the story gathers speed with twists galore. Is Lucy telling the truth?
The story goes back to the night of Teddy’s disappearance her parents suspected her but only she knows the truth about what happened that night and has only ever told Dan. Is there a link between the 2 disappearances?
A must read book that will keep you guessing.
10 out of 10 from me.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
Lucy Harper was 9 when her 3 year old brother Teddy went missing, after she had taken him out one night into the woods for Solstice night. They never find him.
Lucy is now grown up and is a successful crime writer living with her husband Dan. Dan surprises Lucy by buying them a new home right by the woods where Teddy disappeared, Lucy has never gotten over the trauma and is reluctant at first to move into their new home.
When Dan disappears the police suspect her and the story gathers speed with twists galore. Is Lucy telling the truth?
The story goes back to the night of Teddy’s disappearance her parents suspected her but only she knows the truth about what happened that night and has only ever told Dan. Is there a link between the 2 disappearances?
A must read book that will keep you guessing.
10 out of 10 from me.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
June 3, 2021
Initially I was completely caught up in this story, I was intrigued by the unreliable narrator and the 2 mysteries that were presented, unfortunately however, my enthusiasm gradually waned. By two thirds of the way in, the story was becoming repetitive, and the main character ever more irritating, she drove me crazy with her wishy washy, irrational behaviour, it was hard to believe she was supposed to be a very successful writer. And then came the ending, a massive info dump, rushed, and completely bonkers - Guy Ritchie meets middle class suburbia - I wasn't rolling with it at all, though if there's a positive it's that you'd never guess it in a million years. Too many loose ends that needed clearing up, I'm afraid I'm left with just too many questions, 2.5 stars from this unsatisfied customer.
May 17, 2020
“Fiction isn’t just what you find in books, it’s the lies we tell ourselves. [...] The only way to avoid creating your own fiction is not to think at all.”
Ever since she broke my heart with BURNT PAPER SKY, Gilly Macmilland has been on my list of favourite mystery writers. Whilst all her books are vastly different, they share the same sense of tension and urgency that makes for a compulsive all-night readathon. It’s funny how sometimes you just know within the first few pages that you’re going to be in for a treat – here it took only a couple of paragraphs to get me hooked.
Lucy Harper, a crime writer whose main character has taken on a life of her own, must be one of the most disturbing and yet compelling women I have ever encountered in a mystery. If you like an unreliable narrator, then rest assured that Macmillan has run with this theme and taken it to new heights. On one hand, Lucy is a woman whose past is still haunting her. She may have settled into a comfortable marriage, but her guilt and insecurities have always given Dan the upper hand in their marriage. How would you feel if your husband bought a house with your money without consulting you? Or, even worse, if the house was in the very neighbourhood of your worst childhood memories surrounding the disappearance of your baby brother, a fact that Dan is fully aware of?
So here is Lucy, a lonely woman, a bit frumpy, a bit insecure, tucked away in her studio working on a sequel to her famous Eliza Grey detective series. Her fictional character Eliza has been with Lucy since childhood. Starting off as her imaginary friend, Eliza has become a star in Lucy’s novels and a key to her success. On the shadow side of her fame, Eliza has taken on a life of her own, an almost flesh-and-blood quality who is with Lucy all the time. Unlike Lucy, she is strong, focused and capable. So can you blame Lucy if she lets Eliza take control sometimes when she needs her most?
When Dan disappears in the same mysterious way Lucy’s brother did all those years ago, the police come looking for answers. From here on, the book is a heck of a ride. Tense and atmospheric, with a backdrop of the sinister woods bordering Lucy and Dan’s property, the suspense and constant underlying thread of menace and danger had me reading late into the night. I could not put this book down! Could I trust Lucy? Supported by a rich support cast of characters who are all hiding something themselves, and the mysterious figure of Eliza always hovering in the periphery, the tension gradually mounted to its satisfying finale. I applaud the author for finding the perfect ending for this tale, which will keep the story in my mind for a long time to come.
All in all, TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH was a fantastic read. Taut, gripping, multi-layered and unbearably tense, it constantly challenged my perception of reality and the trustworthiness of each and every character. With the shadowy figure of Eliza, a fictional character, always hovering in the peripheries, the book took on a haunting quality that made me frantically turn the pages. And whilst some writers may have been tempted to insert that infamous “killer twist”, the ending here was like a breath of fresh air and satisfying in every way. Making TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH one of the best mysteries I have read this year, and cementing Gilly Macmillan firmly on my list of favourite mystery writers.
all the stars!
Thank you to Netgalley and Random House UK for the free electronic copy of this novel and for giving me the opportunity to provide an honest review.
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Ever since she broke my heart with BURNT PAPER SKY, Gilly Macmilland has been on my list of favourite mystery writers. Whilst all her books are vastly different, they share the same sense of tension and urgency that makes for a compulsive all-night readathon. It’s funny how sometimes you just know within the first few pages that you’re going to be in for a treat – here it took only a couple of paragraphs to get me hooked.
Lucy Harper, a crime writer whose main character has taken on a life of her own, must be one of the most disturbing and yet compelling women I have ever encountered in a mystery. If you like an unreliable narrator, then rest assured that Macmillan has run with this theme and taken it to new heights. On one hand, Lucy is a woman whose past is still haunting her. She may have settled into a comfortable marriage, but her guilt and insecurities have always given Dan the upper hand in their marriage. How would you feel if your husband bought a house with your money without consulting you? Or, even worse, if the house was in the very neighbourhood of your worst childhood memories surrounding the disappearance of your baby brother, a fact that Dan is fully aware of?
So here is Lucy, a lonely woman, a bit frumpy, a bit insecure, tucked away in her studio working on a sequel to her famous Eliza Grey detective series. Her fictional character Eliza has been with Lucy since childhood. Starting off as her imaginary friend, Eliza has become a star in Lucy’s novels and a key to her success. On the shadow side of her fame, Eliza has taken on a life of her own, an almost flesh-and-blood quality who is with Lucy all the time. Unlike Lucy, she is strong, focused and capable. So can you blame Lucy if she lets Eliza take control sometimes when she needs her most?
When Dan disappears in the same mysterious way Lucy’s brother did all those years ago, the police come looking for answers. From here on, the book is a heck of a ride. Tense and atmospheric, with a backdrop of the sinister woods bordering Lucy and Dan’s property, the suspense and constant underlying thread of menace and danger had me reading late into the night. I could not put this book down! Could I trust Lucy? Supported by a rich support cast of characters who are all hiding something themselves, and the mysterious figure of Eliza always hovering in the periphery, the tension gradually mounted to its satisfying finale. I applaud the author for finding the perfect ending for this tale, which will keep the story in my mind for a long time to come.
All in all, TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH was a fantastic read. Taut, gripping, multi-layered and unbearably tense, it constantly challenged my perception of reality and the trustworthiness of each and every character. With the shadowy figure of Eliza, a fictional character, always hovering in the peripheries, the book took on a haunting quality that made me frantically turn the pages. And whilst some writers may have been tempted to insert that infamous “killer twist”, the ending here was like a breath of fresh air and satisfying in every way. Making TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH one of the best mysteries I have read this year, and cementing Gilly Macmillan firmly on my list of favourite mystery writers.
all the stars!
Thank you to Netgalley and Random House UK for the free electronic copy of this novel and for giving me the opportunity to provide an honest review.
*blog* *facebook* *instagram*
March 20, 2021
2.5⭐
My first Gilly Macmillan novel and it was too weird for my taste. The story follows Lucy Harper, a bestselling author. She's married to Dan who's also in literary business, but not as successful and is her personal assistant/manager. I love to hate Dan if that makes any sense so when he disappeared the story was sorta ho hum all the way to the end.
My first Gilly Macmillan novel and it was too weird for my taste. The story follows Lucy Harper, a bestselling author. She's married to Dan who's also in literary business, but not as successful and is her personal assistant/manager. I love to hate Dan if that makes any sense so when he disappeared the story was sorta ho hum all the way to the end.
August 17, 2020
A dazzling thriller with a compelling and unreliable narrator, To Tell You The Truth is fresh, bold and ferociously smart.
The story begins with our protagonist, Lucy, a successful thriller author with a dark past – her little brother Teddy went missing after she took him out in the woods for a Solstice festival when she was nine. When her husband, Dan, unexpectedly buys a house in her old neighborhood, old memories are drudged up. But Lucy doesn’t know if she can trust her memories at all. She’s so used to making up stories, she barely knows what was real then and what wasn’t. So of course, when Dan goes missing, Lucy is the first that the police suspect. But is she telling the truth? Or is everything she says just make believe?
Throughout the story we also get to meet Lucy’s best and only friend, an imaginary girl called Eliza. But is Eliza Lucy’s better half? Or her worse half?
Compelling and clever, To Tell You The Truth had me gripped to the end. Every twist felt fresh and unpredictable, every scene atmospheric and moody. I highly recommend this pacey and intriguing thriller.
The story begins with our protagonist, Lucy, a successful thriller author with a dark past – her little brother Teddy went missing after she took him out in the woods for a Solstice festival when she was nine. When her husband, Dan, unexpectedly buys a house in her old neighborhood, old memories are drudged up. But Lucy doesn’t know if she can trust her memories at all. She’s so used to making up stories, she barely knows what was real then and what wasn’t. So of course, when Dan goes missing, Lucy is the first that the police suspect. But is she telling the truth? Or is everything she says just make believe?
Throughout the story we also get to meet Lucy’s best and only friend, an imaginary girl called Eliza. But is Eliza Lucy’s better half? Or her worse half?
Compelling and clever, To Tell You The Truth had me gripped to the end. Every twist felt fresh and unpredictable, every scene atmospheric and moody. I highly recommend this pacey and intriguing thriller.
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