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I'll Never Tell
Keep your family close, and your secrets closer…
To the outside world, the Goodlights are perfect.
Julia is a lawyer, Paul a stay-at-home dad who has dedicated his life to helping their daughter Chrissie achieve her dreams as a talented violinist.
But on the night of a prestigious music competition, which has the power to change everything for Chrissie and her family, Chrissie goes missing.
She puts on the performance of a lifetime, then completely disappears. Suddenly every single crack, every single secret that the family is hiding risks being exposed.
Because the Goodlights aren’t perfect. Not even close.
To the outside world, the Goodlights are perfect.
Julia is a lawyer, Paul a stay-at-home dad who has dedicated his life to helping their daughter Chrissie achieve her dreams as a talented violinist.
But on the night of a prestigious music competition, which has the power to change everything for Chrissie and her family, Chrissie goes missing.
She puts on the performance of a lifetime, then completely disappears. Suddenly every single crack, every single secret that the family is hiding risks being exposed.
Because the Goodlights aren’t perfect. Not even close.
336 pages, Paperback
First published January 5, 2023
83 people are currently reading
611 people want to read
About the author
Philippa East
8 books194 followersPhilippa East is a fiction writer with HQ/HarperCollins and she also works as a clinical psychologist.
Philippa East grew up in Scotland before moving to Oxford and then London to train as a Clinical Psychologist. In 2015, she left the NHS to work in private practice and dedicate more hours to writing. The result was her debut LITTLE WHITE LIES, which was longlisted for The Guardian's Not-The-Booker Prize and shortlisted for the CWA "New Blood" Award for best debut of 2020.
Philippa’s has since released three further psychological thrillers: SAFE AND SOUND, I’LL NEVER TELL and A GUILTY SECRET. If you’ve read all of those, don’t worry! Philippa is already busy working on her next.
Philippa lives in the beautiful Lincolnshire countryside with her spouse and cat. She loves reading (of course!) and long country walks, and she also performs in a local folk duo called The Miracle Cure. Alongside her writing, Philippa continues to work as a psychologist and therapist.
You can find Philippa on Bluesky: @philippaeast.bluesky.social and on Facebook: @philippa_east_author. Also, don’t forget to click the “Follow” button on her Amazon Author page to keep up to date with Philippa’s book news and brand new releases.
Philippa East grew up in Scotland before moving to Oxford and then London to train as a Clinical Psychologist. In 2015, she left the NHS to work in private practice and dedicate more hours to writing. The result was her debut LITTLE WHITE LIES, which was longlisted for The Guardian's Not-The-Booker Prize and shortlisted for the CWA "New Blood" Award for best debut of 2020.
Philippa’s has since released three further psychological thrillers: SAFE AND SOUND, I’LL NEVER TELL and A GUILTY SECRET. If you’ve read all of those, don’t worry! Philippa is already busy working on her next.
Philippa lives in the beautiful Lincolnshire countryside with her spouse and cat. She loves reading (of course!) and long country walks, and she also performs in a local folk duo called The Miracle Cure. Alongside her writing, Philippa continues to work as a psychologist and therapist.
You can find Philippa on Bluesky: @philippaeast.bluesky.social and on Facebook: @philippa_east_author. Also, don’t forget to click the “Follow” button on her Amazon Author page to keep up to date with Philippa’s book news and brand new releases.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 143 reviews
August 25, 2022
4-5 stars
Why did Julia Montrose and Paul Goodlight’s talented musician daughter Chrissie rush from the concert hall after her performance? Furthermore, did she trigger the fire alarm? They search for her then drive home to Oxford hoping, hoping that she’ll have made her way there. Did Chrissie run because of intense expectations? Is she hiding things? Does it go wider than Chrissie herself to things within her family network? Chrissie’s flight really does stir up a hornets nest the consequences of which are revealed by Julia and Paul from eight weeks prior to the concert and beyond.
This is another riveting and powerful psychological thriller from this talented author. It starts with a concern, a worry, a frisson of something disturbing and builds layer on layer.
We view tension in multiple areas and puzzle over strange dynamics which strike distinctly off notes. There are hints of less than salubrious behaviour, thinly veiled threats and expectations which feels claustrophobic in its intensity and pressure.
There is strange behaviour that is obsessively secretive and trauma that is buried deep and covered up with delusion and lies and yet more lies. Some reveals come as such an unexpected shock which feels like a slap which shakes you to the core as the fear, invasive threat and menace you have sensed all along reveals itself and scales fall from characters eyes as well as your own.
The characterisation is excellent throughout from Paul’s good, solid devotion (though he does make mistakes) to Julia‘s absence and strange behaviour to Chrissie’s sensitivity and concerns.
The ending is powerful, it’s unexpected though the signals are definitely there but there’s optimism too and survival.
This is a well written clever novel which is a perfectly paced domestic thriller.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to HQ for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
Why did Julia Montrose and Paul Goodlight’s talented musician daughter Chrissie rush from the concert hall after her performance? Furthermore, did she trigger the fire alarm? They search for her then drive home to Oxford hoping, hoping that she’ll have made her way there. Did Chrissie run because of intense expectations? Is she hiding things? Does it go wider than Chrissie herself to things within her family network? Chrissie’s flight really does stir up a hornets nest the consequences of which are revealed by Julia and Paul from eight weeks prior to the concert and beyond.
This is another riveting and powerful psychological thriller from this talented author. It starts with a concern, a worry, a frisson of something disturbing and builds layer on layer.
We view tension in multiple areas and puzzle over strange dynamics which strike distinctly off notes. There are hints of less than salubrious behaviour, thinly veiled threats and expectations which feels claustrophobic in its intensity and pressure.
There is strange behaviour that is obsessively secretive and trauma that is buried deep and covered up with delusion and lies and yet more lies. Some reveals come as such an unexpected shock which feels like a slap which shakes you to the core as the fear, invasive threat and menace you have sensed all along reveals itself and scales fall from characters eyes as well as your own.
The characterisation is excellent throughout from Paul’s good, solid devotion (though he does make mistakes) to Julia‘s absence and strange behaviour to Chrissie’s sensitivity and concerns.
The ending is powerful, it’s unexpected though the signals are definitely there but there’s optimism too and survival.
This is a well written clever novel which is a perfectly paced domestic thriller.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to HQ for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
March 22, 2024
I’ll Never Tell by Phillipa East narrated by Emily Pennant Ray & Cieran Saward was a domestic thriller that I enjoyed the characters flawed & well written. It was a fast paced read that I couldn’t put down.
Paul & Julia Goodlight had the perfect life , the perfect home their daughter Chrissie plays the violin she was on centre stage giving it her all when suddenly she disappears & runs off Why Would She Run 🏃♀️When She Was going To Win A Prize?
Julia is a lawyer & Paul is a stay at home dad dealing with the day to day duties of being a father & husband But What Are The Secrets That Paul & Julia Don’t Want revealed?
This was definitely a compulsive book that had everything red herrings everywhere you looked a must read for domestic reader fans highly recommended
This all took place in Oxford England.
Paul & Julia Goodlight had the perfect life , the perfect home their daughter Chrissie plays the violin she was on centre stage giving it her all when suddenly she disappears & runs off Why Would She Run 🏃♀️When She Was going To Win A Prize?
Julia is a lawyer & Paul is a stay at home dad dealing with the day to day duties of being a father & husband But What Are The Secrets That Paul & Julia Don’t Want revealed?
This was definitely a compulsive book that had everything red herrings everywhere you looked a must read for domestic reader fans highly recommended
This all took place in Oxford England.
January 26, 2023
"I'll Never Tell" is a psychological thriller about secrets, secrets, and more secrets.
A couple's "perfect world" quickly implodes when their musical virtuoso teen daughter goes missing after a recital.
Did their daughter leave willingly or was she abducted?
Although the book started off with a bang, the book's pacing was uneven.
The first 75% of the book suffered from repetitive text and very, very, very slow pacing.
All of the book's real "action" occurred in the latter portion of the book and it was this "action" that helped elevate my star rating.
I listened to the audiobook read by Emily Pennant-Rea and Ciaran Saward.
I always love audiobooks with multiple narrators and both narrators did an over-the-top job with the narration.
Quite frankly, it was the two narrators who stopped me from pushing my phone's "stop" button early on.
3.5 Stars.
A couple's "perfect world" quickly implodes when their musical virtuoso teen daughter goes missing after a recital.
Did their daughter leave willingly or was she abducted?
Although the book started off with a bang, the book's pacing was uneven.
The first 75% of the book suffered from repetitive text and very, very, very slow pacing.
All of the book's real "action" occurred in the latter portion of the book and it was this "action" that helped elevate my star rating.
I listened to the audiobook read by Emily Pennant-Rea and Ciaran Saward.
I always love audiobooks with multiple narrators and both narrators did an over-the-top job with the narration.
Quite frankly, it was the two narrators who stopped me from pushing my phone's "stop" button early on.
3.5 Stars.
May 18, 2023
2.5 / 5
This was just a dead story, a disappointing one with many promises but failed to deliver. At the start, I enjoyed reading this book, I had high hopes and felt as though the author was building up a good plot and story line.
But as continued reading, the book started to fall off. The constant reminders of secrets and issues between Julia and Paul which could be resolved if they were honest to one another and cut the bs. I am not a fan of the two perspectives at different time frames which made it super confusing.
I also felt as though the build up was failing, and the reveal in the end was like really???. Overall, I felt like I wasted my time reading this book. A forgettable plot which I won’t remember. But I wouldn’t recommend it, it felt like going on a rollercoaster ride and it was just a flat ride throughout. The only good thing about the paperback book is the quality which is why the rating is high. But based on the general reviews, I am definitely an outliner with my opinion.
This was just a dead story, a disappointing one with many promises but failed to deliver. At the start, I enjoyed reading this book, I had high hopes and felt as though the author was building up a good plot and story line.
But as continued reading, the book started to fall off. The constant reminders of secrets and issues between Julia and Paul which could be resolved if they were honest to one another and cut the bs. I am not a fan of the two perspectives at different time frames which made it super confusing.
I also felt as though the build up was failing, and the reveal in the end was like really???. Overall, I felt like I wasted my time reading this book. A forgettable plot which I won’t remember. But I wouldn’t recommend it, it felt like going on a rollercoaster ride and it was just a flat ride throughout. The only good thing about the paperback book is the quality which is why the rating is high. But based on the general reviews, I am definitely an outliner with my opinion.
December 15, 2022
4.5 stars rounded up
Julia is a lawyer. Paul is a stay-at-home dad who has dedicated his life to helping their daughter Chrissie achieve her dreams as a talented violinist. But on the night of a prestigious music competition, which has the power to change everything for Chrissie and her family, Chrissie goes missing. She puts on the performance of a lifetime, then completely disappears. Suddenly every single crack, every single secret that the family is hiding risks being exposed.
This is a gripping psychological thriller. The story is told from Paul and Julia's perspectives. The story has a dual timeline, the past - eight weeks before the competition, and the present day. Everyone in the family is hiding secrets from each other. When the truth finally comes out, it's quite disturbing. This is such a well written book. I was hooked by the end of the first chapter. I needed to find out what had happened to Chrissie, to find out the truth from the lies. There were some shocking reveals. The characters were well developed but I didn't like Julia or Paul. The pace is steady in this easy-to-follow plotline. But I wasn't expecting that ending.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #HQ and the author #PhilipaEast for my ARC of #IllNeverTell in exchange for an honest review.
Julia is a lawyer. Paul is a stay-at-home dad who has dedicated his life to helping their daughter Chrissie achieve her dreams as a talented violinist. But on the night of a prestigious music competition, which has the power to change everything for Chrissie and her family, Chrissie goes missing. She puts on the performance of a lifetime, then completely disappears. Suddenly every single crack, every single secret that the family is hiding risks being exposed.
This is a gripping psychological thriller. The story is told from Paul and Julia's perspectives. The story has a dual timeline, the past - eight weeks before the competition, and the present day. Everyone in the family is hiding secrets from each other. When the truth finally comes out, it's quite disturbing. This is such a well written book. I was hooked by the end of the first chapter. I needed to find out what had happened to Chrissie, to find out the truth from the lies. There were some shocking reveals. The characters were well developed but I didn't like Julia or Paul. The pace is steady in this easy-to-follow plotline. But I wasn't expecting that ending.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #HQ and the author #PhilipaEast for my ARC of #IllNeverTell in exchange for an honest review.
August 14, 2023
Julia is a lawyer, Paul is a stay at home dad who dedicates his time to helping their daughter Chrissie achieve her dreams as a talented Violinist.
On the night of a big competition after Chrissie has given the performance of a lifetime she goes missing. Julia and Paul think she has gone home but back at home her room is empty and has been ransacked.
The police are called, suddenly every single crack, secret, that the family are hiding risks being exposed.
The story goes back eight weeks before the competition, where we get a real feel for this family and discover what lies and deception they have been hiding.
For me the book started well but the pace was slow and I found it to be a bit long winded. I'm glad I persevered as the pace did pick up at the end.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for an honest review.
On the night of a big competition after Chrissie has given the performance of a lifetime she goes missing. Julia and Paul think she has gone home but back at home her room is empty and has been ransacked.
The police are called, suddenly every single crack, secret, that the family are hiding risks being exposed.
The story goes back eight weeks before the competition, where we get a real feel for this family and discover what lies and deception they have been hiding.
For me the book started well but the pace was slow and I found it to be a bit long winded. I'm glad I persevered as the pace did pick up at the end.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for an honest review.
January 24, 2023
★★ 2.5 stars
A missing teenager...a family with secrets...
This family drama-psychological thriller started out interesting when teenager Chrissie goes missing after a concert in London. Mum Julia is a lawyer and dad Paul is a stay-at-home dad and this rich suburban family lives in an affluent part of Oxford with Chrissie going to a private academy for school. At 16 years old, Chrissie is incredibly gifted having started playing the violin when she was barely at school.
Paul had dreams of becoming a musical virtuoso but his family came from modest beginnings and therefore didn't have the means. He encourages Chrissie to pursue of what he thought were her dreams too...playing, practising and performing...and hopefully gaining a place at an exclusive boarding school academy for musicians. He spends hours upon hours practising with her in her practise room, set up solely for that purpose. And over the ensuing eight months, Chrissie performs and achieves the next step to becoming Young Musician of the Year.
So when they head to London for her to perform in the finals for this prestigious event, the last thing Paul and Julia expect is for Chrissie to disappear. But after an impromptu fire alarm, there is no sign of their daughter and so they head back to Oxford in the hope she has returned home.
But upon arrival, despite Chrissie's bedroom light on, they find her empty room in disarray with her pohne smashed on the floor...and no sign of Chrissie.
As the story flips between "before" and "after" the event, we find her parents' lives are also littered with secrets (some of which make no sense) and a deluge of lies and deception. Little by little, these secrets begin to break the surface as Paul and Julia are put under intense pressure in the wake of Chrissie's disappearance.
The story started off well but then it just meandered off into...I'm not quite sure. The story was weird, as were the family, and I found it all just a little bit confusing. The family is seriously dysfunctional but their level of dysfunctionality was not overly riveting and I found myself longing for it to end. And when it did...I still found there were unanswered questions.
I'LL NEVER TELL is an average read that started off well but lost its pace and spark. In the end I found it was a little waste of my time because I felt nothing was really resolved.
I'm sure it will appeal to readers who enjoy stories of complex family dramas with a slow building tension throughout.
I would like to thank #PhilippaEast, #Netgalley and #HQStories for an ARC of #IllNeverTell in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
A missing teenager...a family with secrets...
This family drama-psychological thriller started out interesting when teenager Chrissie goes missing after a concert in London. Mum Julia is a lawyer and dad Paul is a stay-at-home dad and this rich suburban family lives in an affluent part of Oxford with Chrissie going to a private academy for school. At 16 years old, Chrissie is incredibly gifted having started playing the violin when she was barely at school.
Paul had dreams of becoming a musical virtuoso but his family came from modest beginnings and therefore didn't have the means. He encourages Chrissie to pursue of what he thought were her dreams too...playing, practising and performing...and hopefully gaining a place at an exclusive boarding school academy for musicians. He spends hours upon hours practising with her in her practise room, set up solely for that purpose. And over the ensuing eight months, Chrissie performs and achieves the next step to becoming Young Musician of the Year.
So when they head to London for her to perform in the finals for this prestigious event, the last thing Paul and Julia expect is for Chrissie to disappear. But after an impromptu fire alarm, there is no sign of their daughter and so they head back to Oxford in the hope she has returned home.
But upon arrival, despite Chrissie's bedroom light on, they find her empty room in disarray with her pohne smashed on the floor...and no sign of Chrissie.
As the story flips between "before" and "after" the event, we find her parents' lives are also littered with secrets (some of which make no sense) and a deluge of lies and deception. Little by little, these secrets begin to break the surface as Paul and Julia are put under intense pressure in the wake of Chrissie's disappearance.
The story started off well but then it just meandered off into...I'm not quite sure. The story was weird, as were the family, and I found it all just a little bit confusing. The family is seriously dysfunctional but their level of dysfunctionality was not overly riveting and I found myself longing for it to end. And when it did...I still found there were unanswered questions.
I'LL NEVER TELL is an average read that started off well but lost its pace and spark. In the end I found it was a little waste of my time because I felt nothing was really resolved.
I'm sure it will appeal to readers who enjoy stories of complex family dramas with a slow building tension throughout.
I would like to thank #PhilippaEast, #Netgalley and #HQStories for an ARC of #IllNeverTell in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
January 12, 2023
A missing teenager. Family with secrets.
This thriller started out well when a teenage girl goes missing. The anguish that follows and the parents with their secrets and I was completely hooked. But then it lost its pace.
Overall, I enjoyed this thriller, but nothing memorable.
This thriller started out well when a teenage girl goes missing. The anguish that follows and the parents with their secrets and I was completely hooked. But then it lost its pace.
Overall, I enjoyed this thriller, but nothing memorable.
June 10, 2024
This was bad. I wouldn't have finished this book if I had found some spoilers somewhere. So, to save someone else some time, I will spoil the book for the rest of this review.
Paul, the dad, is controlling, misogynistic, and using his daughter's talent for his own ego. While his whole character is disgusting, I think the writer meant to portray him as a caring, protecting father who would do everything for his daughter. This includes checking his daughter's phone and messages and planning everything seconds of Chrissie's days. He also wants to send her to some fancy art school, without discussing this with her mother mind you, that cost thousands of pounds and to get that money he invests in some shady stocks and loses everything. This last thing has no repocusions for him when his wife found out. During all of this, he constantly feels sick because someone sent his daughter a text saying, "Sexy girl." This poor man.
Meanwhile, Julia was having an affair with a man who turned out to be abusive and kept on bothering her after she tried to break things off. Her father was also abusive, and she never really fell off the stairs when she was pregnant. Instead, her asshole shitbag misogynistic father beat her half to death because women should be pure.
Chrissie, the daughter, had enough of her parents, so she ran away to some community in the woods with her friend Reese. She left her parents some clues behind and faked a struggle so they would call the police. She knew about the affair and the school. The whole thing was orchestrated to make her parents think about the thing they had done.
The men from the affair had assaulted her a few weeks before, and the night she ran away, he followed her, leading her parents and the police to believe they ran away together. But in reality, the man had died in the meantime due to an overdose. They found her and returned back home where Julia's parents were waiting for her. Her father started beating Chrissie, and Julia stood up to him. The mother moved in with Paul and Julia, and everything was fine again 🙂.
Paul, the dad, is controlling, misogynistic, and using his daughter's talent for his own ego. While his whole character is disgusting, I think the writer meant to portray him as a caring, protecting father who would do everything for his daughter. This includes checking his daughter's phone and messages and planning everything seconds of Chrissie's days. He also wants to send her to some fancy art school, without discussing this with her mother mind you, that cost thousands of pounds and to get that money he invests in some shady stocks and loses everything. This last thing has no repocusions for him when his wife found out. During all of this, he constantly feels sick because someone sent his daughter a text saying, "Sexy girl." This poor man.
Meanwhile, Julia was having an affair with a man who turned out to be abusive and kept on bothering her after she tried to break things off. Her father was also abusive, and she never really fell off the stairs when she was pregnant. Instead, her asshole shitbag misogynistic father beat her half to death because women should be pure.
Chrissie, the daughter, had enough of her parents, so she ran away to some community in the woods with her friend Reese. She left her parents some clues behind and faked a struggle so they would call the police. She knew about the affair and the school. The whole thing was orchestrated to make her parents think about the thing they had done.
The men from the affair had assaulted her a few weeks before, and the night she ran away, he followed her, leading her parents and the police to believe they ran away together. But in reality, the man had died in the meantime due to an overdose. They found her and returned back home where Julia's parents were waiting for her. Her father started beating Chrissie, and Julia stood up to him. The mother moved in with Paul and Julia, and everything was fine again 🙂.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 5, 2023
A completely breathtaking read with an ending the knits together and very satisfyingly makes sense of everything that has happened before.
The story has lots of areas of focus and interest, not least the world of an immensely talented young classical musician and the sacrifices and demands this entails and the strains on her relationships with those who are mentoring her to reach her full potential. As the reader I could really feel the tensions this put upon her and the amount of focus and fragility on other aspects of the relationships.
Her parents lives were also littered with secrets and deep rooted lies and these secrets slowly and stealthily start to be revealed as they’re put under the intense pressure of their daughter going missing. Some of the issues then start to link back to the previous generation and the consequences for which are being deeply felt now. Fantastic human psychology and food for thought about how families interact and affect other and how honesty and understanding can go a long way to heal. A riveting read and a definite recommend from me.
The story has lots of areas of focus and interest, not least the world of an immensely talented young classical musician and the sacrifices and demands this entails and the strains on her relationships with those who are mentoring her to reach her full potential. As the reader I could really feel the tensions this put upon her and the amount of focus and fragility on other aspects of the relationships.
Her parents lives were also littered with secrets and deep rooted lies and these secrets slowly and stealthily start to be revealed as they’re put under the intense pressure of their daughter going missing. Some of the issues then start to link back to the previous generation and the consequences for which are being deeply felt now. Fantastic human psychology and food for thought about how families interact and affect other and how honesty and understanding can go a long way to heal. A riveting read and a definite recommend from me.
December 28, 2022
This is a good read that is centred around Julia, Paul and their daughter Chrissie.
Chrissie is a brilliant violin player and on the night of a big competition, she goes missing after the performance.
Julia and Paul thinks she’s gone home but when they get there, they find her room has been ransacked and there’s no sign of her.
We then have chapters from before the night of the disappearance and we learn what Julia and Paul have been hiding from each other.
It’s a bit confusing with the time jumps but it all comes together at the end.
This is a good family drama that I really enjoyed.
Thanks to HQ and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
Chrissie is a brilliant violin player and on the night of a big competition, she goes missing after the performance.
Julia and Paul thinks she’s gone home but when they get there, they find her room has been ransacked and there’s no sign of her.
We then have chapters from before the night of the disappearance and we learn what Julia and Paul have been hiding from each other.
It’s a bit confusing with the time jumps but it all comes together at the end.
This is a good family drama that I really enjoyed.
Thanks to HQ and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
January 23, 2023
The Goodlights seem the perfect family. Julia is a successful lawyer. Paul is a stay-at-home Dad, devoting his life to their sixteen year old daughter Chrissie who plays the violin & is a talented musician. Paul accompanies her on the piano. They live in a nice area of Oxford & seem to have no worries. Chrissie is taking part in the Young Musician of the Year & after another audition disappears. Julia & Paul are devastated- what has happened to her & why.
The narrative switches between Paul & Julia & over the weeks before the audition. This made for some confusion & certainly shattered the idea of the perfect family. I disliked Julia intensely, although when looking at her family one could understand a bit more of how she ended up the way she was. Paul I found difficult to really get a handle on.
This was an enjoyable read , For me it was a 3.5 rounded up to a 4. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book,
The narrative switches between Paul & Julia & over the weeks before the audition. This made for some confusion & certainly shattered the idea of the perfect family. I disliked Julia intensely, although when looking at her family one could understand a bit more of how she ended up the way she was. Paul I found difficult to really get a handle on.
This was an enjoyable read , For me it was a 3.5 rounded up to a 4. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book,
January 19, 2023
This family drama/ psychological tale follows a rich suburban family, the Goodlights, Julia who is a lawyer, and Paul, a stay-at-home dad. They have a gifted daughter called Chrissie. I found I’ll Never Tell compelling, well-written and riveting with themes that include abuse, secrets and bullying. Really immersive and very highly recommended.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from HQ via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from HQ via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
June 24, 2025
Good twist at the end that surprised me.
February 13, 2023
I really enjoyed Philippa East's previous books Safe and Sound and Little White Lies.
I was intrigued by the description of I'll Never Tell and thought it was an interesting story. Whilst it was well written and had lots of twists and turns, I didn't particularly like any of the characters so I wasn't as invested in the book as I was with her previous 2.
I was intrigued by the description of I'll Never Tell and thought it was an interesting story. Whilst it was well written and had lots of twists and turns, I didn't particularly like any of the characters so I wasn't as invested in the book as I was with her previous 2.
December 20, 2022
Okay, so this is a complicated book to read with all the different points of view and timelines but it works in the end as it all comes together. Added to the complication is the backstories of the main characters and their secrets which have an impact on Chrissie.
I spent an afternoon reading this book as I had to keep reading and didnt want to go back to it as the story was so complicated, if that makes sense.
The mind to come up with such a convoluted story is amazing and how the author can put it all in a story and still remember all the twists and turns is amazing and I am in awe.
I was given an advance copy by the publishers and netgalley but the review is entirely my own.
Audio version
Okay, so this is a complicated book to read with all the different points of view and timelines but it works in the end as it all comes together. Added to the complication is the backstories of the main characters and their secrets which have an impact on Chrissie.
Listening to it on audio meant that you had to really concentrate but it was worth it. My dogs had lots of strokes whilst I curled up and listened. The narration really worked and suited the story and helped with the different points of view.
The mind to come up with such a convoluted story is amazing and how the author can put it all in a story and still remember all the twists and turns is amazing and I am in awe.
I was given an advance copy by the publishers and netgalley but the review is entirely my own.
I spent an afternoon reading this book as I had to keep reading and didnt want to go back to it as the story was so complicated, if that makes sense.
The mind to come up with such a convoluted story is amazing and how the author can put it all in a story and still remember all the twists and turns is amazing and I am in awe.
I was given an advance copy by the publishers and netgalley but the review is entirely my own.
Audio version
Okay, so this is a complicated book to read with all the different points of view and timelines but it works in the end as it all comes together. Added to the complication is the backstories of the main characters and their secrets which have an impact on Chrissie.
Listening to it on audio meant that you had to really concentrate but it was worth it. My dogs had lots of strokes whilst I curled up and listened. The narration really worked and suited the story and helped with the different points of view.
The mind to come up with such a convoluted story is amazing and how the author can put it all in a story and still remember all the twists and turns is amazing and I am in awe.
I was given an advance copy by the publishers and netgalley but the review is entirely my own.
January 20, 2023
This is an intense thriller based around a wealthy family, whose teenage daughter goes missing.
16 year old Chirssie is a talented and dedicated violinist and her life centres around her music. Her stepfather Paul, also a music lover, devotes his time to her talent, accompanying her on the piano and organising a strict practice regime. However, when Chrissie reaches the finals of a prestigious youth music compeition she runs away and her parents frantically try to work out where she has gone, and why..
This is a clever story, that goes abck and forth in time, revealing the story from the viewpoint of Chrissie, Paul and her mother and keeps us guessing! I couldn't putb this down until the end and then it all seemed so obvious (even though it wasnt!)
16 year old Chirssie is a talented and dedicated violinist and her life centres around her music. Her stepfather Paul, also a music lover, devotes his time to her talent, accompanying her on the piano and organising a strict practice regime. However, when Chrissie reaches the finals of a prestigious youth music compeition she runs away and her parents frantically try to work out where she has gone, and why..
This is a clever story, that goes abck and forth in time, revealing the story from the viewpoint of Chrissie, Paul and her mother and keeps us guessing! I couldn't putb this down until the end and then it all seemed so obvious (even though it wasnt!)
February 24, 2023
Wealthy couple, Julia and Paul, have the kind of life that many envy. Their daughter, Chrissie, is an accomplished violinist. However, when she goes missing after a competition lots of secrets come out. Nobody in this family is what they claim to be.
While the story kept my interest, I have to confess that the characters were all quite unpleasant. It was obvious that there were numerous issues and these were compounding the problems featuring in the narrative.
The story depended on us not knowing the full extent of the problems, but there were so many hints that it felt unlikely nobody outside the family would have worked out any of these things.
Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the chance to read and review this.
While the story kept my interest, I have to confess that the characters were all quite unpleasant. It was obvious that there were numerous issues and these were compounding the problems featuring in the narrative.
The story depended on us not knowing the full extent of the problems, but there were so many hints that it felt unlikely nobody outside the family would have worked out any of these things.
Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the chance to read and review this.
September 14, 2022
I absolutely loved the authors last novel Safe and Sound and so I was looking forward to reading I’ll Never Tell. It’s the story of Julia a lawyer and Paul a stay at home dad, and Chrissie their teenage daughter, a hugely talented musician. On the night of a major music competition Chrissie disappears and her disappearance reveals the secrets within the family.
The novel is told from the dual points of view of Julia and Paul and moves from the time of Chrissie’s disappearance back to the weeks and months preceding it.
East writes well and the plot was intriguing. There is a tension running underneath the narrative and I was never sure of who to trust in Paul and Julia’s relationship. However, I also found it to be so slow paced that it was challenging to completely involve myself in it. I did find the timeline confusing at times and wasn’t really invested in any of the characters. I kept reading as I wanted to find out what happened to Chrissie, and it did pick up pace towards the end and explored some serious and important issues.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.
The novel is told from the dual points of view of Julia and Paul and moves from the time of Chrissie’s disappearance back to the weeks and months preceding it.
East writes well and the plot was intriguing. There is a tension running underneath the narrative and I was never sure of who to trust in Paul and Julia’s relationship. However, I also found it to be so slow paced that it was challenging to completely involve myself in it. I did find the timeline confusing at times and wasn’t really invested in any of the characters. I kept reading as I wanted to find out what happened to Chrissie, and it did pick up pace towards the end and explored some serious and important issues.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.
December 15, 2022
Thank you HarperCollins UK Audio, HQ and Netgalley for this audio.
It was a fantastic listening in many timelines and so many secrets that are hided. It makes sense all, you just need to be patient. Layer over layer of possible scenaries. It was really one of books I suspected right but not all the way. And it was tothaly better then expected.
It was a fantastic listening in many timelines and so many secrets that are hided. It makes sense all, you just need to be patient. Layer over layer of possible scenaries. It was really one of books I suspected right but not all the way. And it was tothaly better then expected.
October 5, 2023
Suspenseful
October 6, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for a review.
I really loved the premise of this book and was excited to read it, but it didn’t quite have the oomph/wow factor that I was expecting.
The story centres around the Goodlight family - Julia, a wealthy and successful lawyer with a beautiful home in Oxford; her stay-at-home-dad husband Paul; and their daughter Chrissie, an exceptionally talented 16-year-old violinist.
The family seem perfect from the outside. But on the night of a prestigious music competition, Chrissie goes missing and the family’s secrets begin to unravel.
Sadly they unravelled at a slow, at times predictable and anticlimactic, pace.
But saying that, I really liked the writing style and how it starts with Paul looking back to 8 weeks ago and slowly bringing us to the present day, alongside Julia telling the story from the present day backwards to 8 weeks ago. Then when they both return to present day, the pace picked up dramatically and the contrast did work quite well.
The difficulty for me was that the slower main part of the book was a bit of a slog to work through. The characters were unpleasant - Paul constantly felt overbearing and controlling, Julia cold and uncaring and Chrissie just mostly only there in other people’s mentions. All of that made sense in the end but it didn’t make for easy reading.
I really loved the premise of this book and was excited to read it, but it didn’t quite have the oomph/wow factor that I was expecting.
The story centres around the Goodlight family - Julia, a wealthy and successful lawyer with a beautiful home in Oxford; her stay-at-home-dad husband Paul; and their daughter Chrissie, an exceptionally talented 16-year-old violinist.
The family seem perfect from the outside. But on the night of a prestigious music competition, Chrissie goes missing and the family’s secrets begin to unravel.
Sadly they unravelled at a slow, at times predictable and anticlimactic, pace.
But saying that, I really liked the writing style and how it starts with Paul looking back to 8 weeks ago and slowly bringing us to the present day, alongside Julia telling the story from the present day backwards to 8 weeks ago. Then when they both return to present day, the pace picked up dramatically and the contrast did work quite well.
The difficulty for me was that the slower main part of the book was a bit of a slog to work through. The characters were unpleasant - Paul constantly felt overbearing and controlling, Julia cold and uncaring and Chrissie just mostly only there in other people’s mentions. All of that made sense in the end but it didn’t make for easy reading.
February 20, 2024
Woah! This was a ride and a half! I had so many different scenarios going about in my head! Fantastic characters that draw you into analysis everything they have done!
The different POVs and timelines were addictive, I didn’t quite enjoy the Chrissie reveal and had my heart on set on something a bit more sinister.
This author is a must and I’m excited to read her new book which Is out soon.
The different POVs and timelines were addictive, I didn’t quite enjoy the Chrissie reveal and had my heart on set on something a bit more sinister.
This author is a must and I’m excited to read her new book which Is out soon.
February 22, 2023
"A sense of horror begins to creep through him, a sense of reality cracking apart. It feels as though the last forty-eight hours is unravelling backwards, all the dot-to-dot connections coming apart. He thought he had this; he thought he knew what he was doing... Now everything he's assumed has been flipped on its head."
To everyone they know, the Goodlights seem like the perfect, happy family. Julie is a lawyer, Paul is a stay-at-home dad who is committed to helping their daughter Christie, a talented violinist, achieve her dreams. But the truth is completely different and the Goodlights are each hiding secrets that could tear them apart. And when Christie goes missing, their secrets risk being revealed. Can they find their daughter while keeping their secrets safe? Or will their perfect facade finally be exposed?
I’ll Never Tell was the January pick for the Squadpod Book Club. And what an incredible way to start our 2023 reading! Tense, twisty and unexpected, I devoured this book. I loved Philippa East’s debut, Little White Lies, but this one surpassed my already high expectations. The fast-paced plot kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish and I loved that it was so hard to predict, my mind swimming with a multitude of questions and possibilities as the story unfolded. And that ending! It came out of the blue and left my jaw on the floor. I did not see it coming.
It’s no secret how much I love an unreliable narrator, and this book has two of them. Paul and Julie are not only hiding secrets from the police, but each other. Secrets that threaten to tear their happy family apart if discovered. The air is thick with suspicion and suspense, the lies they are trying to keep concealed threatening to choke them. They are flawed, shady and broken, but utterly compelling to read. And while I had my misgivings about them, I was hoping to be proven wrong and rooting for them to get their daughter back safely. And though Chrissie is at the centre of the story, we only really see her through the eyes of others, which I felt was a great decision by the author as it made her character even more cryptic and elusive, adding to the veil of mystery that surrounds her. The fact that we don’t know if she has been taken or run away also adds to the mystery, all coming together to create an awful, inescapable tension.
Atmospheric, gripping and nerve-shatteringly tense, this is a thriller you need on your TBR.
To everyone they know, the Goodlights seem like the perfect, happy family. Julie is a lawyer, Paul is a stay-at-home dad who is committed to helping their daughter Christie, a talented violinist, achieve her dreams. But the truth is completely different and the Goodlights are each hiding secrets that could tear them apart. And when Christie goes missing, their secrets risk being revealed. Can they find their daughter while keeping their secrets safe? Or will their perfect facade finally be exposed?
I’ll Never Tell was the January pick for the Squadpod Book Club. And what an incredible way to start our 2023 reading! Tense, twisty and unexpected, I devoured this book. I loved Philippa East’s debut, Little White Lies, but this one surpassed my already high expectations. The fast-paced plot kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish and I loved that it was so hard to predict, my mind swimming with a multitude of questions and possibilities as the story unfolded. And that ending! It came out of the blue and left my jaw on the floor. I did not see it coming.
It’s no secret how much I love an unreliable narrator, and this book has two of them. Paul and Julie are not only hiding secrets from the police, but each other. Secrets that threaten to tear their happy family apart if discovered. The air is thick with suspicion and suspense, the lies they are trying to keep concealed threatening to choke them. They are flawed, shady and broken, but utterly compelling to read. And while I had my misgivings about them, I was hoping to be proven wrong and rooting for them to get their daughter back safely. And though Chrissie is at the centre of the story, we only really see her through the eyes of others, which I felt was a great decision by the author as it made her character even more cryptic and elusive, adding to the veil of mystery that surrounds her. The fact that we don’t know if she has been taken or run away also adds to the mystery, all coming together to create an awful, inescapable tension.
Atmospheric, gripping and nerve-shatteringly tense, this is a thriller you need on your TBR.
January 27, 2023
This was probably one of the books in my lifetime that I took time to read. Nearly 20 days to finish the book. That was practically unheard of from me.
A musically talented daughter was pushed to play the violin by the father so that he could bask in her reflected glory. A mother who was virtually absent from her daughter's life, apparently due to work and sometimes snorting cocaine. A set of grandparents of whom all of them were wary.
One fine evening, post a musical presentation, the daughter disappeared. The cops were called. The parents, though devastated, had many other things to hide. That formed the crux of the storyline.
Written in different timelines, the book showed me the complete lives of the parents. Once the cops were called, the book focussed on the past, showing me the individual lives of the parents in the days leading up to the disappearance.
Initially, the subplots were lined up well, with the right amount of intrigue in the words. Then the story unraveled with different clues that both parents reacted differently to.
There were many subplots that felt intriguing initially, but then as the book grew to an end, I was left wondering what childish wordplay that was. Believe me, in the end, I got to know that some things were deliberately added to provide some sort of mystery when there was really nothing to it.
Barring the daughter, who rightfully disappeared from this dreadful set of caricatures, I wished all of them would roll over and die. Believe me, rolling over was kinda important. Not to the story, but to me, since it would provide me with entertainment that the book didn't offer.
In trying to be different to make the atmosphere dark and mysterious, the author forgot to keep a tight rein on the plotline. Unfortunately for her, all her characters ran amok in the story, leaving me with nothing to sink my teeth into and plenty of unanswered questions.
The only thought that ran through my mind when I finished the book was - What the f**k did I read? and Why did I waste so many hours trying to finish the book? DNF DNF DNF should have been my tagline.
Maybe I'll Never Tell should have never been told from the very beginning.
Read it at your own risk
Complete review on my blog www.digitalreadsmedia.com/ill-never-tell
A musically talented daughter was pushed to play the violin by the father so that he could bask in her reflected glory. A mother who was virtually absent from her daughter's life, apparently due to work and sometimes snorting cocaine. A set of grandparents of whom all of them were wary.
One fine evening, post a musical presentation, the daughter disappeared. The cops were called. The parents, though devastated, had many other things to hide. That formed the crux of the storyline.
Written in different timelines, the book showed me the complete lives of the parents. Once the cops were called, the book focussed on the past, showing me the individual lives of the parents in the days leading up to the disappearance.
Initially, the subplots were lined up well, with the right amount of intrigue in the words. Then the story unraveled with different clues that both parents reacted differently to.
There were many subplots that felt intriguing initially, but then as the book grew to an end, I was left wondering what childish wordplay that was. Believe me, in the end, I got to know that some things were deliberately added to provide some sort of mystery when there was really nothing to it.
Barring the daughter, who rightfully disappeared from this dreadful set of caricatures, I wished all of them would roll over and die. Believe me, rolling over was kinda important. Not to the story, but to me, since it would provide me with entertainment that the book didn't offer.
In trying to be different to make the atmosphere dark and mysterious, the author forgot to keep a tight rein on the plotline. Unfortunately for her, all her characters ran amok in the story, leaving me with nothing to sink my teeth into and plenty of unanswered questions.
The only thought that ran through my mind when I finished the book was - What the f**k did I read? and Why did I waste so many hours trying to finish the book? DNF DNF DNF should have been my tagline.
Maybe I'll Never Tell should have never been told from the very beginning.
Read it at your own risk
Complete review on my blog www.digitalreadsmedia.com/ill-never-tell
January 12, 2023
‘Keep Your Family Close … and Your Secrets Closer’ - cover tagline.
My thanks to HQ for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘I’ll Never Tell’ by Philippa East.
This family drama focuses on the Goodlights, who from the outside appear to be the perfect family. Yet as readers of domestic noir/psychological thrillers know that it is very likely that things are different once the curtain is lifted.
Julia is a high flying lawyer, while Paul is a stay-at-home father, who has dedicated his life to helping their daughter Chrissie achieve her dreams as a violinist. Then on the night of a prestigious music competition Chrissie goes missing. Did she run away or was she abducted?
It soon becomes clear that the family is deeply dysfunctional. Judith is completely driven by her legal career, has a troubled past, and is holding back a major secret. Meanwhile, Paul is filling all of Chrissie’s time with violin practice. Poor kid.
Judith is also covertly monitoring Chrissie’s online activity as well as reading her personal diary. In this day and age I am sure this happens. Yet Judith is writing summary reports every fortnight to Chrissie’s grandfather. That certainly doesn’t seem right. That sense of wrongness increases when in Judith is in the presence of her father.
The story is told through the perspectives of Judith and Paul moving from the Now to various weeks in the past. Each is plainly indicated on the chapter heading. The shifting between various weeks was a little confusing at times, though I did manage to keep up with the various revelations and piece them together.
I complemented my reading with its unabridged audiobook edition. It was narrated by Emily Pennant-Rea and Ciaran Saward, reading the Judith and Paul chapters respectively. Having two distinct narrators was very helpful as the change in voice signalled a shift in time as well as perspective.
Overall, ‘I’ll Never Tell’ proved an engaging read. I felt that Philippa East kept her narrative on track, avoiding the kind of melodramatic elements that some domestic dramas/psychological thrillers can fall into. I definitely will be reading more of her novels.
My thanks to HQ for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘I’ll Never Tell’ by Philippa East.
This family drama focuses on the Goodlights, who from the outside appear to be the perfect family. Yet as readers of domestic noir/psychological thrillers know that it is very likely that things are different once the curtain is lifted.
Julia is a high flying lawyer, while Paul is a stay-at-home father, who has dedicated his life to helping their daughter Chrissie achieve her dreams as a violinist. Then on the night of a prestigious music competition Chrissie goes missing. Did she run away or was she abducted?
It soon becomes clear that the family is deeply dysfunctional. Judith is completely driven by her legal career, has a troubled past, and is holding back a major secret. Meanwhile, Paul is filling all of Chrissie’s time with violin practice. Poor kid.
Judith is also covertly monitoring Chrissie’s online activity as well as reading her personal diary. In this day and age I am sure this happens. Yet Judith is writing summary reports every fortnight to Chrissie’s grandfather. That certainly doesn’t seem right. That sense of wrongness increases when in Judith is in the presence of her father.
The story is told through the perspectives of Judith and Paul moving from the Now to various weeks in the past. Each is plainly indicated on the chapter heading. The shifting between various weeks was a little confusing at times, though I did manage to keep up with the various revelations and piece them together.
I complemented my reading with its unabridged audiobook edition. It was narrated by Emily Pennant-Rea and Ciaran Saward, reading the Judith and Paul chapters respectively. Having two distinct narrators was very helpful as the change in voice signalled a shift in time as well as perspective.
Overall, ‘I’ll Never Tell’ proved an engaging read. I felt that Philippa East kept her narrative on track, avoiding the kind of melodramatic elements that some domestic dramas/psychological thrillers can fall into. I definitely will be reading more of her novels.
January 29, 2023
The Goodlights seem to be living the good life in the leafy suburbs of Oxford. Julia is a high-flying lawyer, leaving all things domestic to her stay-at-home husband Paul, who has been nurturing their daughter Chrissie in her dream to become an accomplished violinist.
On the night of an important performance for the Young Musician of the Year competition, Chrissie goes missing after wowing the audience with her talent. Her parents are frantic with worry, but she seems to have vanished into thin air.
As a police investigation proceeds, the cracks in this family begin to show, and their dirty little secrets come to light. Perhaps their life is not so perfect after all?
The story plays out from the points of view of Julia and Paul, flipping between the events in the weeks leading up to the night Chrissie goes missing, and the aftermath of her disappearance. East does a splendid job of directing you how to think about what Julia and Paul have been up to, dropping subtle little hints about the dynamics of the relationships between the Goodlights, and also with Julia's affluent parents Celina and Duncan. However, among the truth there is a lot of clever misdirection, and ultimately the story twists in unexpected ways, completely changing your perspective on the characters.
This is very much an unsettling family drama, with story lines steeped in secrets and lies, but what is most striking about it is the way East draws on her own experience as a clinical psychologist to get under the skin of these characters and explore the reasons why they behave as they do. She examines dysfunctional relationships with keen insight, threading themes of control, insecurity, and expectation throughout. The adult characters are all unlikable, but I found it fascinating to see how they were trapped in patterns of behaviour that they seemed unable to break free from, playing their parts in a way that damaged themselves and those around them. Celina is particularly interesting, as there is a lot to delve into behind that elegant facade!
One to devour in a single sitting, before a calming lie down in a darkened room!
On the night of an important performance for the Young Musician of the Year competition, Chrissie goes missing after wowing the audience with her talent. Her parents are frantic with worry, but she seems to have vanished into thin air.
As a police investigation proceeds, the cracks in this family begin to show, and their dirty little secrets come to light. Perhaps their life is not so perfect after all?
The story plays out from the points of view of Julia and Paul, flipping between the events in the weeks leading up to the night Chrissie goes missing, and the aftermath of her disappearance. East does a splendid job of directing you how to think about what Julia and Paul have been up to, dropping subtle little hints about the dynamics of the relationships between the Goodlights, and also with Julia's affluent parents Celina and Duncan. However, among the truth there is a lot of clever misdirection, and ultimately the story twists in unexpected ways, completely changing your perspective on the characters.
This is very much an unsettling family drama, with story lines steeped in secrets and lies, but what is most striking about it is the way East draws on her own experience as a clinical psychologist to get under the skin of these characters and explore the reasons why they behave as they do. She examines dysfunctional relationships with keen insight, threading themes of control, insecurity, and expectation throughout. The adult characters are all unlikable, but I found it fascinating to see how they were trapped in patterns of behaviour that they seemed unable to break free from, playing their parts in a way that damaged themselves and those around them. Celina is particularly interesting, as there is a lot to delve into behind that elegant facade!
One to devour in a single sitting, before a calming lie down in a darkened room!
December 13, 2022
Last year I read Safe And Sound by Philippa East and so I was delighted to get the opportunity to read this new book from her. In my review of Safe And Sounds I commented on how as a child you can enter a world of make-believe, and how nowadays, through social media you can still enter that make-believe world. With this book a got a similar feeling but with a twist in that things that you believe as a young child can stay with you right through to adulthood in that your childhood thoughts become real and overwrite the reality of what you may have seen as a child.
Safe And Sound was in my top 10 reads for 2021 and this book has to be in my top reads of 2022, This is a strong psychological thriller and as you read it you will try to place yourself in the mind of each of the main characters. The author is a Clinical Psychologist so understands how we think and believe and she intricately links this knowledge into her books. The book does swap and change timelines quite a bit early on and that does take some getting used too. I used to hate books that did that but I can now understand, in most cases, why it is done and why it is necessary to get the story across. Psychology is the main focus of this book, you may read a lot of crime fiction as I do and you may think there is little crime in this book but stick with it, it will be worth it.
There are some possible trigger points in the book but that is to be expected in a book that really gets into the minds of a family of strong characters.
For me, the only negative point I can make about the book is the front cover. I do not feel that it really tells you the complexities, tensions and extremes of this story.
Many thanks to Philippa East, HQ (Harper Collins) and Netgalley for providing me with and advanced electronic copy of the book in return for a honest, unbiased review.
The book is published on the 5th January 2023 and will be available in e-book, paperback and audiobook formats.
#IllNeverTell #NetGalley
Safe And Sound was in my top 10 reads for 2021 and this book has to be in my top reads of 2022, This is a strong psychological thriller and as you read it you will try to place yourself in the mind of each of the main characters. The author is a Clinical Psychologist so understands how we think and believe and she intricately links this knowledge into her books. The book does swap and change timelines quite a bit early on and that does take some getting used too. I used to hate books that did that but I can now understand, in most cases, why it is done and why it is necessary to get the story across. Psychology is the main focus of this book, you may read a lot of crime fiction as I do and you may think there is little crime in this book but stick with it, it will be worth it.
There are some possible trigger points in the book but that is to be expected in a book that really gets into the minds of a family of strong characters.
For me, the only negative point I can make about the book is the front cover. I do not feel that it really tells you the complexities, tensions and extremes of this story.
Many thanks to Philippa East, HQ (Harper Collins) and Netgalley for providing me with and advanced electronic copy of the book in return for a honest, unbiased review.
The book is published on the 5th January 2023 and will be available in e-book, paperback and audiobook formats.
#IllNeverTell #NetGalley
August 4, 2022
I'll Never Tell - Philippa East
I've been patiently waiting for a new book from Philippa East.
I read her previous book Safe And Sound when it came out in paperback, trust me, that's one helluva anxiety driven thriller, then enjoyed her debut Little White Lies and have been waiting for a new one ever since.
I'll Never Tell is a missing teenager thriller. Chrissie is the missing daughter, a talented violinist caught up in a whirlwind of auditions, competition performances and endless practice. Mum Julia is a lawyer, while stay-at-home dad Paul is devoted to helping Chrissie achieving her potential.
There's a lot of missing child or teenager thrillers. I'll Never Tell stands out with a very original setup, (Chrissie disappears from a high-profile competition performance), very polished character writing and excellent psychological progression in the characters as their stress levels rise, and the secrets are gradually revealed.
Told using a past and present narrative, the past covering the run up to the disappearance, the present sees Julia and Paul distraught at realising Chrissie is gone, and starting the search.
Both Paul and Julia have secrets and obsessions, and fears to fret over. It's very unusual to have such a fully developed male main character in a Psychological Thriller, and as a male voracious reader of the genre I greatly appreciated it.
The plotting is really quite refined and subtle, the tension builds up nicely. When the threads come together and the knots pull tight I was surprised by the very strong twists which came from unexpected directions.
I can't even mention some of my favourite elements for fear of potential spoilers.
Read it! This is an original, high-quality take on a missing child, distraught parents plot.
Thanks to Netgalley and HQ
I've been patiently waiting for a new book from Philippa East.
I read her previous book Safe And Sound when it came out in paperback, trust me, that's one helluva anxiety driven thriller, then enjoyed her debut Little White Lies and have been waiting for a new one ever since.
I'll Never Tell is a missing teenager thriller. Chrissie is the missing daughter, a talented violinist caught up in a whirlwind of auditions, competition performances and endless practice. Mum Julia is a lawyer, while stay-at-home dad Paul is devoted to helping Chrissie achieving her potential.
There's a lot of missing child or teenager thrillers. I'll Never Tell stands out with a very original setup, (Chrissie disappears from a high-profile competition performance), very polished character writing and excellent psychological progression in the characters as their stress levels rise, and the secrets are gradually revealed.
Told using a past and present narrative, the past covering the run up to the disappearance, the present sees Julia and Paul distraught at realising Chrissie is gone, and starting the search.
Both Paul and Julia have secrets and obsessions, and fears to fret over. It's very unusual to have such a fully developed male main character in a Psychological Thriller, and as a male voracious reader of the genre I greatly appreciated it.
The plotting is really quite refined and subtle, the tension builds up nicely. When the threads come together and the knots pull tight I was surprised by the very strong twists which came from unexpected directions.
I can't even mention some of my favourite elements for fear of potential spoilers.
Read it! This is an original, high-quality take on a missing child, distraught parents plot.
Thanks to Netgalley and HQ
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