My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I have probably just one another book by Jane Corry that is to be read, so that definitely shows how much of a fan I am of her writing skills.
She does it again! The domestic thriller that is The Lies We tell takes its time to grab you but once it does, there’s not a moment to be lost.
Sarah and Tom are as unlike a pair as chalk and cheese. They come together at a time when they both are at their lowest, Sarah needing solidity and steady life, while Tom is lonely and wants to feel loved and share his life with someone. Both of them have past baggage and in Sarah’s case, more than one past secret effectively waiting to pop out of a Chinese puzzle box. It is the birth of Freddie that forces them to continue to work at their marriage even when it becomes clear that once the trust is lost, there’s no way it can be rekindled again.
There’s an in-depth and detailed look into a mother’s psyche as Sarah struggles to give birth, losing babies one after another, and finally the exultant joy in holding Freddie in her hands and the smothering love that binds them both, how it becomes so much focussed that she loses sight of the drift in the relationship with her husband, how Tom effectively hands over the upbringing of the child into Sarah’s hands. It is only when the 15-year-old Freddie commits a crime that the rift becomes one of the gargantuan proportions and all the further decision just adds on to the chaos.
The story unravels at a steady pace alternating between the present in Truro Crown Court and the past of Sarah’s and Tom’s life, it is definitely not an intense gasp for breath ride, but as the court proceedings are kept as vague as possible, the reader is compelled to continue reading with tension mounting up as the two timelines merge and the truth is finally out.
What I absolutely loved is the thought-provoking theme of how far a mother can go to protect one’s child especially when faced with a situation that you have already endured.
Emotional!
Many thanks to Net Galley, Penguin Group, and the author for a chance to read and review this book. All opinions are expressed voluntarily.
WHAT IF YOUR SON HAD MURDERED SOMEONE?
Sarah always thought of herself and her husband, Tom, as good people. But that was before their son Freddy came home saying he’d done something terrible. Begging them not to tell the police.
Soon Sarah and Tom must find out just how far they are willing to push themselves, and their marriage, to protect their only child . . .
As the lies build up and Sarah is presented with the perfect opportunity to get Freddy off the hook, she is faced with a terrifying decision . . .
Save her son . . . or save herself?
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Sounds like an intriguing read!
It was Elizabeth, made me think a lot!
Moms will do anything to protect their children. This sounds like a great read! Wonderful review ❤️
Thanks Tessa, this one is quite thought-provoking, made me think as to what my choices would be?