Someone Is Lying by Jenny Blackhurst
Published by Headline
Publication Date: 14th November 2019
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Book Description:
One year after Erica Spencer trips and falls down a flight of stairs at a lavish Halloween party, the residents of the exclusive gated community where she lived have comes to terms with her death and moved on with their lives.
Until one day, a post on the school's website announces there will be a podcast to expose what really happened on the night of the accident. Six suspects are named, with the podcaster promising to reveal the murderer by the end of the series.
Everyone in this community has secrets to keep, and one of them is already a killer...
My Review:
Keep your friends close, but your enemies in your pocket. Never was a statement more fitting. The residents of the gated luxury community of Severn Oaks all know each other well - or so they thought until a mysterious social media post threatens to blow apart the friendships they work so hard to maintain.
One of their number, well respected community organiser Erica fell from her neighbour's tree house during a Halloween party the previous year; an accident so the police and coroner decided some months before the podcasts started. Whoever the author of these announcements is sees it differently, and not only that wants the world to know "the truth" of what happened that night - and states they have evidence to back up their claims. This book follows events from the first podcast, predominantly from one of the resident's points of view but also spotlighting various other neighbours' involvements too. At first the local constabulary are reluctant to get involved with the social media circus which the podcasts create but when another resident goes missing they are forced to start asking questions.
The pace of this book is perfect, with virtually every person who lives behind the gates seeming to have an influence on events at the Halloween party or a possible motive for wanting to cause Erica harm. It's a very flowing read with lots of possible scenarios being pitched at the reader throughout the book which keeps the pages turning quickly. Just about any one of them could be responsible for Erica's demise - including the latest missing person. After all, why else would they disappear - unless they are the one recording the podcasts? The more questions the detectives ask, the more secrets are uncovered which only leads to more head scratching back in the incident room.
I felt this book to be quite reminiscent of The Couple on Cedar Close by Anna Lou Weatherley where the residents appear to be good friends however under that veneer of friendship nobody properly trusts one another. The final chapters certainly shocked me, the plotting throughout the book definitely managing to throw me well and truly off the scent. I look forward to being able to discuss the ending with people once this book is published and I can see it being a popular book club choice over the coming months.
One of their number, well respected community organiser Erica fell from her neighbour's tree house during a Halloween party the previous year; an accident so the police and coroner decided some months before the podcasts started. Whoever the author of these announcements is sees it differently, and not only that wants the world to know "the truth" of what happened that night - and states they have evidence to back up their claims. This book follows events from the first podcast, predominantly from one of the resident's points of view but also spotlighting various other neighbours' involvements too. At first the local constabulary are reluctant to get involved with the social media circus which the podcasts create but when another resident goes missing they are forced to start asking questions.
The pace of this book is perfect, with virtually every person who lives behind the gates seeming to have an influence on events at the Halloween party or a possible motive for wanting to cause Erica harm. It's a very flowing read with lots of possible scenarios being pitched at the reader throughout the book which keeps the pages turning quickly. Just about any one of them could be responsible for Erica's demise - including the latest missing person. After all, why else would they disappear - unless they are the one recording the podcasts? The more questions the detectives ask, the more secrets are uncovered which only leads to more head scratching back in the incident room.
I felt this book to be quite reminiscent of The Couple on Cedar Close by Anna Lou Weatherley where the residents appear to be good friends however under that veneer of friendship nobody properly trusts one another. The final chapters certainly shocked me, the plotting throughout the book definitely managing to throw me well and truly off the scent. I look forward to being able to discuss the ending with people once this book is published and I can see it being a popular book club choice over the coming months.
About the Author:
Jenny lives in Shropshire where she grew up dreaming that one day she would get paid for making up stories. She is an avid reader and can mostly be found with her head in a book or hunting Pokemon with her son, otherwise you can get her on Twitter @JennyBlackhurst or Facebook. Her favourite film is Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe, but if her children ask it's definitely Moana.
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