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The Lies She Told
Life in the village of Stonesend is pretty uneventful, that is until Detective Tom Miller is transferred there following a personal tragedy. He is not greeted well by local police officer Beth Harper, who feels he is not up to the job. The day of his arrival, Kate Marshall, a teacher at the local school, is beaten in her own home and left for dead. The villagers are left in a state of shock. Was it a random attack or something more personal?
358 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 29, 2021
17 people are currently reading
223 people want to read
About the author
Lynda Renham
41 books249 followersLynda Renham has been writing for as long as she can remember and had her first work published in a magazine at age nine and has continued writing in various forms since. She has had several poems published as well as articles in numerous magazines and newspapers. Recently she has taken part in radio discussions on the BBC.
She has studied literature and creative writing and has a blog on her web page: www.renham.co.uk
Lynda lives with her second husband and cat in Oxfordshire, England. She is Associate Editor for the online magazine The Scavenger and contributor to many others. When not writing Lynda can usually be found wasting her time on Facebook.
She has studied literature and creative writing and has a blog on her web page: www.renham.co.uk
Lynda lives with her second husband and cat in Oxfordshire, England. She is Associate Editor for the online magazine The Scavenger and contributor to many others. When not writing Lynda can usually be found wasting her time on Facebook.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 93 reviews
February 6, 2023
EXCERPT: Nothing made any sense. Kate Marshall came home from school on Friday afternoon after seeing her boys off with her husband. Some time between then and six, someone came and attempted to batter her to death. But why?
'Who'd want to kill a piano teacher?' said Alice.
ABOUT 'THE LIES SHE TOLD': Life in the village of Stonesend is pretty uneventful, that is until Detective Tom Miller is transferred there following a personal tragedy. He is not greeted well by local police officer Beth Harper, who feels he is not up to the job. The day of his arrival, Kate Marshall, a teacher at the local school, is beaten in her own home and left for dead. The villagers are left in a state of shock. Was it a random attack or something more personal?
MY THOUGHTS: The Lies She Told certainly lives up to its title!
Although I worked out early on what was going on with one thread in the plot, it simply never occurred to me that . . . No, I can't say, because that would be a spoiler. All I can say is that there are plenty of surprises and twists, and that Kate isn't the only one who is attacked. While Kate survives, the other victim isn't so lucky. And no, I am not about to tell you who the other victim is.
Renham had my mind working overtime trying to draw the various threads together into some sort of feasible solution, but although I guessed some things, she definitely bested me! I got the who, and the why, but the how? .... that I couldn't figure out.
I hope we get to read more of Detective Tom Miller and Beth Harper. They make a great team and I loved the village setting of Stonesend.
The Lies She Told is an enjoyable and sometimes shocking read that will have you pitting your wits against the author's expertise.
⭐⭐⭐.7
#TheLiesSheTold
I: @lyndarenham @raucous_
T: @LyndaRenham
#contemporaryfiction #crime #detectivefiction #murdermystery
THE AUTHOR: Lynda Renham has been writing for as long as she can remember and had her first work published in a magazine at age nine and has continued writing in various forms since. Lynda lives with her second husband and cat in Oxfordshire, England. She is Associate Editor for the online magazine The Scavenger and contributor to many others. When not writing Lynda can usually be found wasting her time on Facebook.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to author Lynda Renham and Raucous Publishing for providing a digital ARC of The Lies She Told 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/...
'Who'd want to kill a piano teacher?' said Alice.
ABOUT 'THE LIES SHE TOLD': Life in the village of Stonesend is pretty uneventful, that is until Detective Tom Miller is transferred there following a personal tragedy. He is not greeted well by local police officer Beth Harper, who feels he is not up to the job. The day of his arrival, Kate Marshall, a teacher at the local school, is beaten in her own home and left for dead. The villagers are left in a state of shock. Was it a random attack or something more personal?
MY THOUGHTS: The Lies She Told certainly lives up to its title!
Although I worked out early on what was going on with one thread in the plot, it simply never occurred to me that . . . No, I can't say, because that would be a spoiler. All I can say is that there are plenty of surprises and twists, and that Kate isn't the only one who is attacked. While Kate survives, the other victim isn't so lucky. And no, I am not about to tell you who the other victim is.
Renham had my mind working overtime trying to draw the various threads together into some sort of feasible solution, but although I guessed some things, she definitely bested me! I got the who, and the why, but the how? .... that I couldn't figure out.
I hope we get to read more of Detective Tom Miller and Beth Harper. They make a great team and I loved the village setting of Stonesend.
The Lies She Told is an enjoyable and sometimes shocking read that will have you pitting your wits against the author's expertise.
⭐⭐⭐.7
#TheLiesSheTold
I: @lyndarenham @raucous_
T: @LyndaRenham
#contemporaryfiction #crime #detectivefiction #murdermystery
THE AUTHOR: Lynda Renham has been writing for as long as she can remember and had her first work published in a magazine at age nine and has continued writing in various forms since. Lynda lives with her second husband and cat in Oxfordshire, England. She is Associate Editor for the online magazine The Scavenger and contributor to many others. When not writing Lynda can usually be found wasting her time on Facebook.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to author Lynda Renham and Raucous Publishing for providing a digital ARC of The Lies She Told 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/...
July 13, 2023
EXCERPT: Nothing made any sense. Kate Marshall came home from school on Friday afternoon after seeing her boys off with her husband. Some time between then and six, someone came and attempted to batter her to death. But why?
'Who'd want to kill a piano teacher?' said Alice.
ABOUT 'THE LIES SHE TOLD': A brutal attack in a quiet English village sets one police detective against another, in this thriller by the bestselling author of Remember Me.
In the quiet Cotswold village where DS Beth Harper has lived for most of her life, the crime rate is extremely low, and that’s how everyone likes it. Then, soon after her new boss, DI Tom Miller, arrives from London, a local schoolteacher is brutally attacked and left for dead in her home. The victim—a friend of Beth’s—remembers nothing.
Beth finds herself clashing with Tom and worrying that a recent tragedy will affect his judgement as a police officer. But there may be an even bigger question: Is it a burglary gone wrong that’s turned the village upside down—or could the violence be connected to something far more deadly?
MY THOUGHTS: The Lies She Told certainly lives up to its title!
Although I worked out early on what was going on with one thread in the plot, it simply never occurred to me that . . . No, I can't say, because that would be a spoiler. All I can say is that there are plenty of surprises and twists, and that Kate isn't the only one who is attacked. While Kate survives, the other victim isn't so lucky. And no, I am not about to tell you who the other victim is.
Renham had my mind working overtime trying to draw the various threads together into some sort of feasible solution, but although I guessed some things, she definitely bested me! I got the who, and the why, but the how? .... that I couldn't figure out.
I hope we get to read more of Detective Tom Miller and Beth Harper. They make a great team and I loved the village setting of Stonesend.
The Lies She Told is an enjoyable and sometimes shocking read that will have you pitting your wits against the author's expertise.
⭐⭐⭐.7
#TheLiesSheTold
I: @lyndarenham @bloodhound.books
T: @LyndaRenham @BloodhoundBook
#contemporaryfiction #crime #detectivefiction #murdermystery
THE AUTHOR: Lynda Renham has been writing for as long as she can remember and had her first work published in a magazine at age nine and has continued writing in various forms since. Lynda lives with her second husband and cat in Oxfordshire, England. She is Associate Editor for the online magazine The Scavenger and contributor to many others. When not writing Lynda can usually be found wasting her time on Facebook.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to author Lynda Renham and Raucous Publishing for providing a digital ARC of The Lies She Told for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
'Who'd want to kill a piano teacher?' said Alice.
ABOUT 'THE LIES SHE TOLD': A brutal attack in a quiet English village sets one police detective against another, in this thriller by the bestselling author of Remember Me.
In the quiet Cotswold village where DS Beth Harper has lived for most of her life, the crime rate is extremely low, and that’s how everyone likes it. Then, soon after her new boss, DI Tom Miller, arrives from London, a local schoolteacher is brutally attacked and left for dead in her home. The victim—a friend of Beth’s—remembers nothing.
Beth finds herself clashing with Tom and worrying that a recent tragedy will affect his judgement as a police officer. But there may be an even bigger question: Is it a burglary gone wrong that’s turned the village upside down—or could the violence be connected to something far more deadly?
MY THOUGHTS: The Lies She Told certainly lives up to its title!
Although I worked out early on what was going on with one thread in the plot, it simply never occurred to me that . . . No, I can't say, because that would be a spoiler. All I can say is that there are plenty of surprises and twists, and that Kate isn't the only one who is attacked. While Kate survives, the other victim isn't so lucky. And no, I am not about to tell you who the other victim is.
Renham had my mind working overtime trying to draw the various threads together into some sort of feasible solution, but although I guessed some things, she definitely bested me! I got the who, and the why, but the how? .... that I couldn't figure out.
I hope we get to read more of Detective Tom Miller and Beth Harper. They make a great team and I loved the village setting of Stonesend.
The Lies She Told is an enjoyable and sometimes shocking read that will have you pitting your wits against the author's expertise.
⭐⭐⭐.7
#TheLiesSheTold
I: @lyndarenham @bloodhound.books
T: @LyndaRenham @BloodhoundBook
#contemporaryfiction #crime #detectivefiction #murdermystery
THE AUTHOR: Lynda Renham has been writing for as long as she can remember and had her first work published in a magazine at age nine and has continued writing in various forms since. Lynda lives with her second husband and cat in Oxfordshire, England. She is Associate Editor for the online magazine The Scavenger and contributor to many others. When not writing Lynda can usually be found wasting her time on Facebook.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to author Lynda Renham and Raucous Publishing for providing a digital ARC of The Lies She Told for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
July 9, 2021
Book Reviewed on www.whisperingstories.com
In this brand new thriller from author Lynda Renham, we meet Detective Sergeant Beth Harper who works in the quiet village of Stonesend in Oxfordshire. Nothing much normally happens in the quaint village where everyone knows everyone else and often people leave their homes unlocked. That is until local woman Kate is attacked and left for dead in her own home.
Beth is quickly on the case with newcomer to the village, Detective Inspector Tom Miller, who has just transferred from London stating he needed a quieter place.
Victim Kate is loved by all according to the locals. No one saw anything or anyone suspicious or new to the village that day, leaving the detectives to believe that one of the villagers is the attacker, but who would want to hurt Kate and why? It is up to the two detectives to work the case and to try and keep their personal feels about one another away from their jobs.
The Lies She Told is a compelling thriller that is told from various points of view and different time periods. Our main characters DS Beth Harper and DI Tom Miller don’t exactly see eye to eye. Kate dislikes Tom even with the issues surrounding the death of his wife. Tom knows Beth doesn’t like him and you get the feeling at times he enjoys making her have to work with him.
The pair though are a good team and are damn good at their jobs. Beth wears her heart on her sleeve and does get emotionally involved in the case but then she did know the victim. She also isn’t afraid to say what she thinks and add reason to her thoughts when she is convinced someone is charged for a crime they didn’t commit.
Alongside the main case, we also meet mother and daughter Mae and Blanche Lethbridge who are friends with Kate. The two stories ran side by side and you get the hint from the beginning that they are connected in some way, but how?
In all honesty, I had worked out pretty early on some of the details that came to light later in the book. This didn’t subtract from my enjoyment as I liked watching the pieces come together. This is a book that I flew through, reading it in just one day. With its likeable characters, suspenseful plot, and realistic crimes I was sucked into the story and was gripped from beginning to end.
In this brand new thriller from author Lynda Renham, we meet Detective Sergeant Beth Harper who works in the quiet village of Stonesend in Oxfordshire. Nothing much normally happens in the quaint village where everyone knows everyone else and often people leave their homes unlocked. That is until local woman Kate is attacked and left for dead in her own home.
Beth is quickly on the case with newcomer to the village, Detective Inspector Tom Miller, who has just transferred from London stating he needed a quieter place.
Victim Kate is loved by all according to the locals. No one saw anything or anyone suspicious or new to the village that day, leaving the detectives to believe that one of the villagers is the attacker, but who would want to hurt Kate and why? It is up to the two detectives to work the case and to try and keep their personal feels about one another away from their jobs.
The Lies She Told is a compelling thriller that is told from various points of view and different time periods. Our main characters DS Beth Harper and DI Tom Miller don’t exactly see eye to eye. Kate dislikes Tom even with the issues surrounding the death of his wife. Tom knows Beth doesn’t like him and you get the feeling at times he enjoys making her have to work with him.
The pair though are a good team and are damn good at their jobs. Beth wears her heart on her sleeve and does get emotionally involved in the case but then she did know the victim. She also isn’t afraid to say what she thinks and add reason to her thoughts when she is convinced someone is charged for a crime they didn’t commit.
Alongside the main case, we also meet mother and daughter Mae and Blanche Lethbridge who are friends with Kate. The two stories ran side by side and you get the hint from the beginning that they are connected in some way, but how?
In all honesty, I had worked out pretty early on some of the details that came to light later in the book. This didn’t subtract from my enjoyment as I liked watching the pieces come together. This is a book that I flew through, reading it in just one day. With its likeable characters, suspenseful plot, and realistic crimes I was sucked into the story and was gripped from beginning to end.
August 1, 2021
THE LIES SHE TOLD is a crime/thriller by bestselling author Lynda Renham.
Following a retirement party held the night before in the village of Stonesend, DS Beth Harper arrives at work a little hungover and found that someone had parked in her parking space at work. It turned out that this someone was her new boss, DI Tom Miller, replacing her partner, Geoff after his retirement.
Beth recognizes her new partner, as having a drinking problem, and mentions this to the Chief. The Chief tells Beth that Tom had been transferred from London to a quieter division with less pressure. Beth is fuming because she could have applied for Tom’s job, but didn’t because she had a few problems in her personal life.
It turns out both parties had their own baggage: Beth’s husband had walked out on her, and now they are divorced, and Tom had lost his wife and child in an automobile accident, and had turned to alcohol. Now Tom no longer drinks. Both had suffered pain and managed to move on with their lives, but their initial dealings are electric. Tom is not greeted well by officer Beth Harper, who feels he is not up to the job.
Then in this quiet friendly village there is a brutal attack. Kate Marshall, a piano teacher at the local school, is beaten with a hammer in her own home and left for dead. Beth having grown up in this village knows the victim. The villagers are left in a state of shock.
DI Tom Miller and DS Beth Harper are called in to investigate the murder. There doesn’t appear to be any motive. Kate was happily married with children. Who? or Why? would someone do such a thing?
This was a well-written crime thriller, with well-developed characters and gripping plot. Even though I guessed the culprit, half way through the novel, it did not take away my enjoyment of the novel. I can only hope that this is the start of a new series, so I can touch base with the characters again. Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the author and The Book Club Reviewer Request Group (FB) for my digital copy.
Following a retirement party held the night before in the village of Stonesend, DS Beth Harper arrives at work a little hungover and found that someone had parked in her parking space at work. It turned out that this someone was her new boss, DI Tom Miller, replacing her partner, Geoff after his retirement.
Beth recognizes her new partner, as having a drinking problem, and mentions this to the Chief. The Chief tells Beth that Tom had been transferred from London to a quieter division with less pressure. Beth is fuming because she could have applied for Tom’s job, but didn’t because she had a few problems in her personal life.
It turns out both parties had their own baggage: Beth’s husband had walked out on her, and now they are divorced, and Tom had lost his wife and child in an automobile accident, and had turned to alcohol. Now Tom no longer drinks. Both had suffered pain and managed to move on with their lives, but their initial dealings are electric. Tom is not greeted well by officer Beth Harper, who feels he is not up to the job.
Then in this quiet friendly village there is a brutal attack. Kate Marshall, a piano teacher at the local school, is beaten with a hammer in her own home and left for dead. Beth having grown up in this village knows the victim. The villagers are left in a state of shock.
DI Tom Miller and DS Beth Harper are called in to investigate the murder. There doesn’t appear to be any motive. Kate was happily married with children. Who? or Why? would someone do such a thing?
This was a well-written crime thriller, with well-developed characters and gripping plot. Even though I guessed the culprit, half way through the novel, it did not take away my enjoyment of the novel. I can only hope that this is the start of a new series, so I can touch base with the characters again. Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the author and The Book Club Reviewer Request Group (FB) for my digital copy.
July 31, 2021
DS Beth Harper starts her day with a hangover following a retirement party she attended the night before. Now she's running late and her supervisor is a stickler for people showing up in time. When she manages to get there, someone has parked in 'her' parking space .. the one she's used forever. And then, the finally agony, she's introduced to her new boss ... DI Tom Miller.
Harper and Miller immediately have a confrontation .. it's his car that's parked in her parking space. And the fact that Miller was transferred to this small village from London because of a personal trauma which led to his drinking excessively doesn't set too well with her. She's of the mind that Miller's judgment will be clouded. The upside is this is a small town with very little crime .. until ...
As Beth has grown up in this village, she knows the victim, as well as most other residents, quite well. Talking to her family, friends, neighbors, Harper and Miller learn nothing about any kind of a motive. Any suspect was immediately looked at, but all their alibis seem to be aboveboard.
A very well-liked teacher is savagely beaten with a hammer and left for dead in her home. A robbery gone bad? A personal assault? Or is this one of those random attacks with no rhyme nor reason.
Well-written with a solid story line, had twists and turns that rival a roller coaster ride. Along with trying to solve the case with the detectives, it was interesting to see how their relationship bounced from their first meeting to having to work together to catch the person responsible. The characters are solidly drawn .. I can see where this could be the start of a very cleverly written series.
Many thanks to the author for the digital copy of this British Crime Fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
Harper and Miller immediately have a confrontation .. it's his car that's parked in her parking space. And the fact that Miller was transferred to this small village from London because of a personal trauma which led to his drinking excessively doesn't set too well with her. She's of the mind that Miller's judgment will be clouded. The upside is this is a small town with very little crime .. until ...
As Beth has grown up in this village, she knows the victim, as well as most other residents, quite well. Talking to her family, friends, neighbors, Harper and Miller learn nothing about any kind of a motive. Any suspect was immediately looked at, but all their alibis seem to be aboveboard.
A very well-liked teacher is savagely beaten with a hammer and left for dead in her home. A robbery gone bad? A personal assault? Or is this one of those random attacks with no rhyme nor reason.
Well-written with a solid story line, had twists and turns that rival a roller coaster ride. Along with trying to solve the case with the detectives, it was interesting to see how their relationship bounced from their first meeting to having to work together to catch the person responsible. The characters are solidly drawn .. I can see where this could be the start of a very cleverly written series.
Many thanks to the author for the digital copy of this British Crime Fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
July 27, 2021
This is my first book by Lynda Renham and I absolutely loved it ! A brilliant twisty plot, with great character development it made for a highly entertaining read . Looking forward to reading more by Lynda Rehman
I would like to thank the TBC Reviewers request group & the author for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review
I would like to thank the TBC Reviewers request group & the author for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review
August 1, 2021
Lynda never fails to entertain, be it with a rom com or a thriller... every thing she writes is perfect and her audiance love it. This is no exception with all the twists and turns, the plat and the characters. Lyndas style of writting is second to none, with discriptions that transport yoou to the place. With this book you go into many characters feet and are consistantly learning all the stories that are unravelng to them.
Not a long review as dont want to give to much away..... just know this is a bloody brilliant book and lynda has not let her fans down in anyway shape or form
Not a long review as dont want to give to much away..... just know this is a bloody brilliant book and lynda has not let her fans down in anyway shape or form
July 20, 2023
Nothing ever happens in sleepy village Stonesend. Detective Tom Miller has just transferred there following a personal traumatic event involving a gang seeking revenge. He is partnered with local Beth Harper who has recently split from her husband. Kate Marshall is a local teacher and respected local. She is attacked and left for dead in her own home. Her best friend Mae is shocked and upset. She is fundraising for her disabled seriously ill daughter. Several plots weave together to form a brilliant thriller.
August 4, 2021
A quiet village is shocked by a savage attack that leaves a woman for dead. Disgraced police officer Tom Miller is assigned to the crime but will his past get in the way of solving the case...?
The Lies She Told is an engaging police thriller with likeable lead detectives and a complex crime.
Beth Harper wanted to go for a promotion but decided she wasn't in the right place emotionally afte the breakdown of her marriage. She is outraged when another officer gets the job who has a traumatic event in his past which turned him to drink.
I warmed to Tom Miller as the book progressed. He is a stickler for the rules but his tragic past overshadows his attempts to move on. Together, Beth and Tom are determined to solve this seemingly inexplicable crime and reassure the villagers. But they also develop a trust with each other which allows them to finally face the secrets they are hiding.
The book is written from the third person perspective of the village in 2019 as well as first person viewpoints of Rob and Mae from the 2000s. This latter feature prepares us for their significance in the plot developments. Mae and the attack victim are close friends. Mae has had a troubled life with an ill mother and then her own ill health followed by her daughter Blanche's alarming symptoms. Her marriage to Rob grows increasingly volatile as he feels pushed out and unloved.
There are some pretty big twists and I did manage to guess them but this did not spoil my enjoyment of the book as it was masterfully written with the right tone and pace. The characters are well developed and the importance of the past for the police and their suspects is very engaging.
There are some episodes of violence but they are not gratuitous or too graphic. The climax of the subplot about Tom's past is action packed and dramatic!
The Lies She Told is the third book I have read and loved by this author
The Lies She Told is an engaging police thriller with likeable lead detectives and a complex crime.
Beth Harper wanted to go for a promotion but decided she wasn't in the right place emotionally afte the breakdown of her marriage. She is outraged when another officer gets the job who has a traumatic event in his past which turned him to drink.
I warmed to Tom Miller as the book progressed. He is a stickler for the rules but his tragic past overshadows his attempts to move on. Together, Beth and Tom are determined to solve this seemingly inexplicable crime and reassure the villagers. But they also develop a trust with each other which allows them to finally face the secrets they are hiding.
The book is written from the third person perspective of the village in 2019 as well as first person viewpoints of Rob and Mae from the 2000s. This latter feature prepares us for their significance in the plot developments. Mae and the attack victim are close friends. Mae has had a troubled life with an ill mother and then her own ill health followed by her daughter Blanche's alarming symptoms. Her marriage to Rob grows increasingly volatile as he feels pushed out and unloved.
There are some pretty big twists and I did manage to guess them but this did not spoil my enjoyment of the book as it was masterfully written with the right tone and pace. The characters are well developed and the importance of the past for the police and their suspects is very engaging.
There are some episodes of violence but they are not gratuitous or too graphic. The climax of the subplot about Tom's past is action packed and dramatic!
The Lies She Told is the third book I have read and loved by this author
July 26, 2021
Stonesend is a quiet place. Everyone knows each other and everyone likes each other. Secrets don't remain secret in Stonesend.
So when Kate, a quiet school teacher, is attacked in her own home, everyone is shocked. Who could have done this horrible act in such a quiet village? A place where even burglaries don't happen?
Tom Miller is the new DI. He has a history. He has been transferred to Stonesend from London after a public disgrace. The day he arrives is the day the attack happens.
Do these two events have a connection? DS Beth Harper does not think so. All she knows is that there is a killer at large. And he might strike again...
This tight thriller was fabulous. Though I guessed the killer around halfway, I still wanted to keep going to see how it all ended. The ending still came as a surprise.
My most favorite part was that the book ended with the title and it pleased me so much that it tipped the scales to the 5-star mark.
Will read the other books by Lynda Renham.
5 stars
So when Kate, a quiet school teacher, is attacked in her own home, everyone is shocked. Who could have done this horrible act in such a quiet village? A place where even burglaries don't happen?
Tom Miller is the new DI. He has a history. He has been transferred to Stonesend from London after a public disgrace. The day he arrives is the day the attack happens.
Do these two events have a connection? DS Beth Harper does not think so. All she knows is that there is a killer at large. And he might strike again...
This tight thriller was fabulous. Though I guessed the killer around halfway, I still wanted to keep going to see how it all ended. The ending still came as a surprise.
My most favorite part was that the book ended with the title and it pleased me so much that it tipped the scales to the 5-star mark.
Will read the other books by Lynda Renham.
5 stars
June 14, 2021
Got to admit,not one for thrillers but this one had me gripped only downside I had to go to work leaving my kindle at home.As always Lynda doesn't disappoint and this as now got my reading mojo going again.
Loved the characters,felt sorry for Rob being pushed away from baby Blanche.I highly recommend this book.Thank you Lynda for choosing me to pre read this brilliant book xx
Loved the characters,felt sorry for Rob being pushed away from baby Blanche.I highly recommend this book.Thank you Lynda for choosing me to pre read this brilliant book xx
July 3, 2021
I have to admit this is the first book I've read of Lynda Renham but I literally devoured it in less than 24 hrs. Love the characters and the story line and the time swaps. Just all in all a great suspense and the two main characters were intriguing too. Highly recommend and I'll be buying more books from Lynda Renham.
October 26, 2021
The Lies She Told is a gripping tale and I read the whole book in two sessions.
A sleepy Oxfordshire village forms the backdrop to a gruesome attack on a much-loved resident. The characters are distinctive and we hear the voices of several of them as they relay their own accounts of events. I worked out early on what was simmering behind the scenes but that didn’t spoil my enjoyment and at least the author left a clear ‘breadcrumb’ trail rather than bring in a surprise stranger at the end. (Yes, it does happen…)
The suspense was built up well and kept me reading despite the lateness of the hour. I will certainly read more by this author.
A sleepy Oxfordshire village forms the backdrop to a gruesome attack on a much-loved resident. The characters are distinctive and we hear the voices of several of them as they relay their own accounts of events. I worked out early on what was simmering behind the scenes but that didn’t spoil my enjoyment and at least the author left a clear ‘breadcrumb’ trail rather than bring in a surprise stranger at the end. (Yes, it does happen…)
The suspense was built up well and kept me reading despite the lateness of the hour. I will certainly read more by this author.
June 22, 2021
Stonesend Oxfordshire and the hot sun is beating down in the village, the Butchers is opening and the Newsagents is busy with children on their way with weary mothers popping in before heading to the village school. D.S. Beth Harper is running late after a big hang over making her way into the police station, D.I. Tom Miller is her new boss and he's only gone and taking her parking space and she's not happy why bring him back from London, Churchfields and Alice Tobiac is taking her daughter Faith over for piano lessons at Kate Marshall's house and is shocked to find her lying in a pool of blood she has been badly beaten and left for dead this is a big shock to the community in this very quiet village nobody ever locks their doors. Beth and Tom are both called in. Mae Lethbridge and her sick daughter Blanche they are all best friends. The characters all have stories to tell as the book goes back and forth in time from London, Leeds and Stonesend. this is one exceptional read that I enjoyed right through to the end, it lives up to it's title big time with some massive twists that will shock readers, that I found heart Breaking as we came to the end. it's everything I like in a good book that the author did a blinder with, and I'm rating 5stars.
July 8, 2021
I loved this book and am definitely going to be downloading some more of Lynda Renham's books after this read. Fast paced action, realistic characters and a crime that you keep thinking you have solved until something else happened. This was read over a super quick time as I just kept thinking 'just one more chapter for the whole evening' - a bit like a Netflix series. The sleepy village atmosphere and mix of well meaning and nosy neighbours, along with the hardworking detectives made this a great read. I am looking forward to the next book in the series - surely there has to be!
Thank you for letting me read this pre-publication.
Thank you for letting me read this pre-publication.
June 17, 2021
I have loved all of Lynda Renham's books and this is no exception. Set in a seemingly quiet village the story takes the reader through a thrilling murder case. The clues are there but can it be worked out? A brilliantly written thriller.
June 26, 2021
Great build up setting the scene. I very sleepy village one where doors did not need to be locked. All is perfect or is it? A vicious crime takes place so its then a case of who did it. The police rarely have a real crime to solve but a jaded London detective who has transferred takes the lead.
Every character has a story. Behind each door are secrets. You will change your mind of who is guilty. A twist here and there. I enjoyed the build up of the characters. Does any of their back story leave clues?
I loved the relationship of Tom and Beth the coppers. I'd like to see them solve more crimes.
Great read well written. Lynda Renham never disappoints.
Every character has a story. Behind each door are secrets. You will change your mind of who is guilty. A twist here and there. I enjoyed the build up of the characters. Does any of their back story leave clues?
I loved the relationship of Tom and Beth the coppers. I'd like to see them solve more crimes.
Great read well written. Lynda Renham never disappoints.
July 24, 2021
Kate is the vision of a perfect neighbour, wife, teacher and friend but she's been viciously attacked for no apparant reason.
Beth and Tom must find a way to solve a crime there seems to be no motive for.
The plot for this thriller I solved very early on., having read a true life story which has strong similarities, however the writing is brilliant and drew me in the point I couldnt but the book down.
There are plenty of twist in this story and I felt very sorry for Rob who was pushed away from his daughter life.
I do hope we see more of Tom and Beth as I feel their working relationship is a strong one with plenty more stories to share
Beth and Tom must find a way to solve a crime there seems to be no motive for.
The plot for this thriller I solved very early on., having read a true life story which has strong similarities, however the writing is brilliant and drew me in the point I couldnt but the book down.
There are plenty of twist in this story and I felt very sorry for Rob who was pushed away from his daughter life.
I do hope we see more of Tom and Beth as I feel their working relationship is a strong one with plenty more stories to share
July 5, 2021
When I first started reading Lynda Renham the books were quirky, fun, and easy to read. I love that she has branched into the thriller, mystery genre. This is the second thriller style book of hers that I have read and LOVED! Her writing talent shines through with the way the characters come to life, the setting becomes real, and the storyline pulls me right in.
The village of Stonesend is the quiet little community where everyone knows everyone and nothing exciting happens. Until it does. I could picture the quaint houses and the close friendships. I liked that even when things get scary the town sticks together and does not let it tear them apart. They continued to protect and support each other while also being careful to stay safe.
The thriller/mystery of the story had me guessing as to who would want to hurt anyone in this town. I had guesses, Lynda led me right down a path then changed directions that had me wondering if I really had any clue as to who was responsible for Kate’s attack. I will happily admit that I had no clue who-dun-it. I love when I am left guessing until the author finally reveals the truth.
The village of Stonesend is the quiet little community where everyone knows everyone and nothing exciting happens. Until it does. I could picture the quaint houses and the close friendships. I liked that even when things get scary the town sticks together and does not let it tear them apart. They continued to protect and support each other while also being careful to stay safe.
The thriller/mystery of the story had me guessing as to who would want to hurt anyone in this town. I had guesses, Lynda led me right down a path then changed directions that had me wondering if I really had any clue as to who was responsible for Kate’s attack. I will happily admit that I had no clue who-dun-it. I love when I am left guessing until the author finally reveals the truth.
July 21, 2021
This thrilling page-turner is addictive from the very first chapter. The main character, Beth works as a police officer in the village of Stonesend where life ticks along without any major incidents. She learns she has a new partner, detective Tom Miller, who she greets frostily after he parks in her space at work. They don’t get off to a very good start but when the bloodied body of local teacher Kate is discovered by chance they are both sent along to investigate.
No-one in the village seems to know why on earth anyone would want to cause Kate any harm and as we get to know some of the villagers I was left wondering who on earth could have wanted her dead.
The story is told through different eyes and viewpoints, in particular we are introduced to villager Mae and her daughter. Quite how the two are linked isn’t known straight away but I had a hunch that they might be involved in Kate’s attempted murder.
This book is so entertaining and well written. Because the characters are so well described and detailed you get drawn in. The action and suspense is plentiful and I couldn’t put the book down, devouring it in a couple of days.
I didn’t guess what was going to happen and as I read on things got more and more interesting with a very gripping climax. This story is truly entertaining I enjoyed every page!
No-one in the village seems to know why on earth anyone would want to cause Kate any harm and as we get to know some of the villagers I was left wondering who on earth could have wanted her dead.
The story is told through different eyes and viewpoints, in particular we are introduced to villager Mae and her daughter. Quite how the two are linked isn’t known straight away but I had a hunch that they might be involved in Kate’s attempted murder.
This book is so entertaining and well written. Because the characters are so well described and detailed you get drawn in. The action and suspense is plentiful and I couldn’t put the book down, devouring it in a couple of days.
I didn’t guess what was going to happen and as I read on things got more and more interesting with a very gripping climax. This story is truly entertaining I enjoyed every page!
August 13, 2021
Oh my goodness, what a page turner. I have stayed up till midnight 5 nights in the row ploughing through this book as I could not put it down. It’s so well written, keeps you guessing and is filled to the brim with drama and suspense.
When Kate is attacked, the whole village is shocked. She’s a lovely teacher, family girl and would not hurt a fly. She also lives in a small village, where crime just doesn’t happen. What’s worse, although Kate survives the horrific attack, she can’t remember anything about it or what preceded it. She’s stuck in limbo, hoping one day the truth will come to the surface enough for her to grasp it and remember.
As no leads come to light for DS Beth Harper and DI Tom Miller, the village slowly returns to normal, but Beth is a good cop and just knows this is not the end. Whilst tackling the mystery attack, Beth also fights the newly transferred DI and his own ghosts from the past. They make an unlikely team, but I was rooting for them right from the start. The are two separate stories within the book, cleverly interwoven, so as to add more suspense and mystery.
When another attack happens, things start to unravel pretty quickly. I cannot recommend this book enough. It’s brilliant.
Thank you to TBConFB for access to this fab book.
When Kate is attacked, the whole village is shocked. She’s a lovely teacher, family girl and would not hurt a fly. She also lives in a small village, where crime just doesn’t happen. What’s worse, although Kate survives the horrific attack, she can’t remember anything about it or what preceded it. She’s stuck in limbo, hoping one day the truth will come to the surface enough for her to grasp it and remember.
As no leads come to light for DS Beth Harper and DI Tom Miller, the village slowly returns to normal, but Beth is a good cop and just knows this is not the end. Whilst tackling the mystery attack, Beth also fights the newly transferred DI and his own ghosts from the past. They make an unlikely team, but I was rooting for them right from the start. The are two separate stories within the book, cleverly interwoven, so as to add more suspense and mystery.
When another attack happens, things start to unravel pretty quickly. I cannot recommend this book enough. It’s brilliant.
Thank you to TBConFB for access to this fab book.
June 18, 2021
STONESEND is a quite little village not a lot of crime happens /Detective Beth harper is very hung over and someone has took her parking space at the station not very happy and the person that has took it is Di Tom Miller and he her new boss she is not happy at all as he had a drink problem in London after he lost his wife who was killed in a road Accident but the London gangster was behind it , Beth s marriage has broken up and he has moved in with someone else but Beth has a big secret that she can not tell her sister then one day someone breaks in to Katie s house and leaves her for dead who would do something like this ? Katie is found covered in blood buy Alice who s children was having a piano lesson . Katie is best friends with Mae whos daughter Blanche is very ill she left her husband Rob and never told him where they had moved to . Katie wakes up but has no memory what happened i wont say no more but it is so good and the London gangster still has an axe to gring with Tom the twist and turns so good lies and deceit
June 28, 2021
This is another winner from Lynda Renham, a real thriller with so many twists that you keep suspecting different people.
This is set in the sleepy village of Stonesend, a place where everyone knows everyone else, where doors are never locked and nothing bad ever seems to happen.
DS Beth Harper goes into work to find she has a new boss DI Tom Miller, a moody soul who it turns out lost his wife and unborn child in a car crash that was caused by the father of a criminal he put in prison.
Suddenly the sleepy village goes into shock when one of it's residents is attacked in her kitchen and left for dead. Luckily she survived but who did this awful crime? was it something to do with Tom Miller's past? Now no one leaves their doors unlocked and the village is suspicious of everyone.
One resident Mae Lethbridge had moved to Stonesend to escape her marriage and look after her seriously ill child. The whole village is behind Mae and tries to fundraise for her and her daughter. However nothing is quite what it seems.
I loved this book and couldn't work it out until the end, which is the sign of a great novel. Ten stars from me!
This is set in the sleepy village of Stonesend, a place where everyone knows everyone else, where doors are never locked and nothing bad ever seems to happen.
DS Beth Harper goes into work to find she has a new boss DI Tom Miller, a moody soul who it turns out lost his wife and unborn child in a car crash that was caused by the father of a criminal he put in prison.
Suddenly the sleepy village goes into shock when one of it's residents is attacked in her kitchen and left for dead. Luckily she survived but who did this awful crime? was it something to do with Tom Miller's past? Now no one leaves their doors unlocked and the village is suspicious of everyone.
One resident Mae Lethbridge had moved to Stonesend to escape her marriage and look after her seriously ill child. The whole village is behind Mae and tries to fundraise for her and her daughter. However nothing is quite what it seems.
I loved this book and couldn't work it out until the end, which is the sign of a great novel. Ten stars from me!
July 5, 2021
I loved getting stuck into this book, I love the way Lynda writes with so much description. This story is set in the village of Stonesend and nothing much happens around here in this quiet, sleepy village well not until a new detective is sent there. Detective Tom Miller is trying to cope with his own personal situation when he has to be moved to this quiet village, but is this really what he needs after all he has been through? When other things start happening in the village is it just a coincidence that Tom has arrived or is it something closer to home? I loved this book, it was fast paced and I couldn't work out what was going to happen. There is lots of drama and secrets and you will not guess what is going to happen. The ending was brilliant and I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to the next one.
July 13, 2021
I was "in " this story from the first chapter. I really liked the main character Beth and absolutely adore a police crime drama so this was exactly my cup of tea. The way the characters interacted in the small village portrayed in the novel was so true to life. The arrival of the new Policeman with a past just added to the intensity of the storyline and gave room for the two narratives of both present and past to run alongside each other perfectly.
I could visualise quite easily the location settings and the characters were written with great depth so that I almost felt like I knew them personally
I read this book in two sittings and was thankful for the rain so it meant I had to stay in.
I cannot recommend enough, it is clever and unpredictable so it had me guessing until the end whodunnit!
I could visualise quite easily the location settings and the characters were written with great depth so that I almost felt like I knew them personally
I read this book in two sittings and was thankful for the rain so it meant I had to stay in.
I cannot recommend enough, it is clever and unpredictable so it had me guessing until the end whodunnit!
July 30, 2021
My first book by this author and a great introduction. This is a fast paced, well thought out book and it feels like it should be the start of a series “The Stonesend Mysteries - detectives Miller and Harper”. Just a suggestion.
Briefly, Mae Lethbridge moved to the village of Stonesend with her disabled daughter Blanche following the break up of her marriage. Detective Tom Miller has been transferred from London to the quiet little village following the death of his wife and a problem with a local gangland boss. His new partner Beth Harper isn’t happy that he’s joined the team and makes her feelings clear. However, on the day he arrives a local woman, Kate, is seriously beaten and left for dead. Is this just an isolated incident? Can the detectives find the perpetrator?
There are plenty of red herrings although I did work out quite early on one of the main threads of the story but there is so much going on it in no way affected my appreciation of the book. The characterisations are excellent and I enjoyed trying to work out the various plot lines as they interwove. I enjoyed the book and will look for more by this author 4.5⭐️
Briefly, Mae Lethbridge moved to the village of Stonesend with her disabled daughter Blanche following the break up of her marriage. Detective Tom Miller has been transferred from London to the quiet little village following the death of his wife and a problem with a local gangland boss. His new partner Beth Harper isn’t happy that he’s joined the team and makes her feelings clear. However, on the day he arrives a local woman, Kate, is seriously beaten and left for dead. Is this just an isolated incident? Can the detectives find the perpetrator?
There are plenty of red herrings although I did work out quite early on one of the main threads of the story but there is so much going on it in no way affected my appreciation of the book. The characterisations are excellent and I enjoyed trying to work out the various plot lines as they interwove. I enjoyed the book and will look for more by this author 4.5⭐️
August 1, 2021
Absolutely fantastic read. Kate is a Mum attacked and left for dead in her own home. Sometime later another person is attacked and is murdered. Presumed to have been attacked by the same person. The quiet village has never seem so many crimes and they believe it is down to the new police detective arriving. I had the character of Mae figured out very early on. I was almost right in figuring out who the attacker was too (well I was half right in my assumption). Loved this book and it kept me gripped throughout.
August 15, 2021
The book is easy to follow...
There are 2 main characters DS Beth Harper and DI Tom Miller they get off to a rocky start working together...Beth lives in the village but tom is transferred there .....Nothing really happens in the village till a savage murder takes place that rocks the village...
The storyline is great and has twists and turn and didn't guess the ending either which is a bonus.
Kate gets attacked but has no memory of what happened so its up to beth and tom to sort out but Tom has his own dark past to contend with which we also get to learn about brilliant...
There are 2 main characters DS Beth Harper and DI Tom Miller they get off to a rocky start working together...Beth lives in the village but tom is transferred there .....Nothing really happens in the village till a savage murder takes place that rocks the village...
The storyline is great and has twists and turn and didn't guess the ending either which is a bonus.
Kate gets attacked but has no memory of what happened so its up to beth and tom to sort out but Tom has his own dark past to contend with which we also get to learn about brilliant...
July 6, 2021
I loved the storyline which was told from 3 different perspectives and time periods. It is set in a unremarkable village in Oxfordshire where nothing much happens. I know it's fiction and this may have been me but I couldn't understand why they had a police station with a plethora of detectives as well as the boys in blue. It did turn out that they needed the combination when Kate Marshall a mother, wife and well liked member of the community was bludgeoned to within an inch of her life. When she eventually started to recover she had no memories of the awful day. The book is well written, suspenseful and emotional a great combination for a fab. read.
July 31, 2021
Great book. Really liked the lead characters and the fast paced story. The village sounded exactly like a village is with everyone knowing everyone’s business. I worked out who the attacker was but this did not ruin how good the book was. Hope this is going to be a series as something definitely could develop. Will look for more from this writer.
Thank you
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