A SHOCKING DISAPPEARANCE. A VILLAGE FULL OF SECRETS.Ten years ago, a family lost their son in the quiet village of Buckthorpe and he was never found.Rosie Sharpe cried over her missing friend for weeks after.But her little sister Heather knows that Rosie’s tears hide the truth. Because the night Samuel was last seen, Heather watched her older sister climbing back through the window of their … climbing back through the window of their childhood bedroom. Her jacket torn, her eyes wild and her body trembling with fear.
Heather never told anyone what she saw, but secrets can’t stay buried forever…
A decade later, Rosie and Heather return to the home they grew up in when their mother falls ill. But when their house is ransacked and they receive a threatening note, it becomes clear that someone in the close-knit village doesn’t want them there.
When Heather finally confronts her sister about what really happened on the dark, rainy night Samuel vanished, Rosie’s version of the truth is more shocking than she could ever have imagined. But can she trust her sister? And who broke into their house that night? As the lies of the past begin to unravel, they have the power to put the lives of both women in terrible danger…
This twist-filled, page-turning psychological thriller from the million-copy-bestselling author of Silent Child will keep you hooked until the final, jaw-dropping pages. Perfect for fans of Behind Closed Doors and The Girl on the Train.
Why readers are gripped by The Liar’s Sister:
‘Absolutely fantastic! I was so engrossed in reading this book that I missed my favourite band at a festival because I just couldn’t put this down. While dark, it was also realistic. I loved the setting and could picture it perfectly. I will 100% be keeping an eye out for other books by Sarah. When I thought I finally had it all figured out I was totally shocked and horrified… exactly what you want from a thriller.’ NetGalley Reviewer, 5 stars
‘I found myself capable of doing nothing more than fully immersing myself in this story… It was a truly riveting tale that was a pleasure to read in one sitting. Masterfully done.’ NetGalley Reviewer, 5 stars
‘Well this is just something else!! Wow, what a read. I loved it from the start and the ending was amazing! This is a brilliant novel.’ NetGalley Reviewer, 5 stars
‘I was well and truly glued to the pages… There are so many secrets and lies and when those shocking revelations start to come out, well they just don’t stop. No way was I putting this book down for anyone or anything until I turned that last page and the author made sure that she made it worth my while. The Liar’s Sister is one hell of a psychological thriller… Towards the end I was literally hanging off every word whilst being shocked and thrilled by what was happening before my eyes. This is one author who just goes from strength to strength.’ By The Letter Book Reviews, 5 stars
‘What a great book!… incredibly fast-paced… I couldn’t put it down! The shock of finding out what really happened to Samuel and who was involved will leave you speechless up until the very last page!’ Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars
‘I loved this book! It drew me in right away… you will find yourself shocked right up to the last page. Just when you think you know how it ends, you find you are… dead wrong.’ NetGalley Reviewer, 5 stars
‘I am a big fan of this author and was not disappointed by her new book. This book gave me the chills. Fantastic and creepy story. I sped through this. Five stars’. NetGalley Reviewer, 5 stars
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Jealousy is the root of all evil
Two young sisters, Rosie and Heather Sharpe, befriend an ostracized boy and their lives are forever changed.
Rosie is older than her sister and new friend Samuel Murray. She is flamboyant and often impatient with Heather’s more mindful ways. With another long and boring summer on the way, the girls are excited to work on the Murray’s farm for seed money. This starts a relationship between Heather and Samuel that grows over the next few years.
As a teenager, Rosie’s nervous energy transmits itself into sometimes promiscuous behavior and earns her condescending looks from the villagers. None of that matters to her though, what does is her growing attraction to Samuel.
Things come to a head one night when Rosie stumbles home claiming Samuel tried to rape her. Heather is shocked and horrified and not sure who she should believe, her boyfriend or her sister?
Then Samuel goes missing.
Ten years later, Heather has returned to the village to care for her cancer-ridden mother. She reaches out the the sister she’s had little to do with for the last decade, all the while fighting the mistrust she’s carried in her heart since Samuel’s disappearance.
After their mother dies the girls begin the task of going through her things, but some of their findings raise more questions about the past. Heather is obsessed with learning the truth, but at what cost? If Rosie killed Samuel she could go to jail, and if she didn’t…
This book started out so good for me. It travels between the early years when the girls met Samuel and later, when everything falls apart. I enjoyed the tension and mystery aspect between Rosie and Heather, but it soon became repetitive. There were some questionable elements introduced about halfway through the story and from there on it just got weird for me.
The author does a good job of reeling in the reader, but in my opinion she dropped too many hooks to make this a truly great novel.
I give The Liar’s Sister 3.5 lovely kisses
“I voluntarily read an ARC of this book which was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.”
Ten years ago, the rural village of Buckthorpe was rocked by the disappearance of sixteen-year-old Samuel Murray after the most popular girl in the village, Rosie Sharpe accused him of trying to rape her. No one knows what happened to Samuel, but Rosie’s younger sister, Heather believes she knows exactly who is responsible for his disappearance. On the night that he vanished, Heather saw Rosie sneaking back into the house, her clothes were torn and she was trembling with fear. She never told anyone what she saw that night. Not even Rosie knows that she was seen by Heather. Now, they are both back in the village to be with their dying mother. But when their house is ransacked and they receive a threatening note, it becomes obvious that someone wants them gone from the village. Heather is convinced that what’s happening now is connected to Samuel, and decides to finally confront her sister about that night. But the question is -Will Heather be able to handle the truth? What a brilliant, suspenseful thriller! The story is well written and the creepy, sometimes scary rural setting was perfect for this twisty thriller. This is a dark tale of lies, family secrets, betrayal, and I was hooked from the first page to the last. This book is full of twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat. I am still reeling from the shocking ending. I did not see it coming! This is my first time reading a book by Sarah A. Denzil and it’s certainly not going to be the last. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was a great thriller book. it was entertaining and had lots of twists and turns. Right when you think you figured it out it changed again. it was a quick read due it being a total page turner. Overall I would recommend the book.
A twisty, addictive thriller about secrets and lies, grief and trauma.
Dot O, Reviewer
Last updated on 17 Sep 2019
My Recommendation
#TheLiar’sSister
#NetGalley
So many secrets and so many lies fill the pages of this new psychological thriller, The Liar’s Sister! On a dark and rainy night in the woods surrounding the small village of Buckthorpe, sixteen year old Sammy Murray went missing. Family and friends searched for days, weeks, and even months, but he had seemed to have vanished. What happened to Sammy? Did he run away? Was he taken for nefarious purposes? Ten years later And still no answers. He was never seen again!
Heather Sharpe, a very close friend of Samuels, could never believe that her sister, Rosie, was telling the truth about that night. Heather thought that Rosie either did something to her friend, or either was hiding secrets. The mistrust between the sisters led them to become estranged. Then when their mother was terminally ill and called for them, they reunited to care for her. Over the years, Heather’s quest for the truth about Samuel had continued to grow, and her determination to find answers had become an obsession. Her mistrust for Rosie grew and eventually led her on a quest for the truth about Samuel’s disappearance that eventually involved the whole village. The story evolves around this search for the truth, the relationship between the sisters, and the danger that ensues. The woods around their home become menacing as Heather realizes that someone wants her dead! Everyone in the village becomes a possible suspect.
The points of view alternate between Heather and Rosie on different time lines. The characters and the story line are easily followed by the reader. Heather’s frantic race for the truth unveils a multi-layered and complex plot with plenty of suspense, surprises, twists and turns. The characters are so well developed that they practically jump off the pages!! When the truth was finally revealed I was in shock! What an exciting and unexpected ending to a great book!
Five big stars to Sarah A. Denzil and for her newest book, The Liar’s Sister! And also a big thank you to the publisher, Bookouture, for the opportunity to read an advanced copy. Watch for this new book to be published on September 25, 2019.
I highly recommend this book to those who love great thrillers!
Put this book on your TO BE READ LIST!!!
4.5 out of 5 stars
I want to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
This is the first time I have ever read a novel by Sarah A. Denzil and I really enjoyed it. Ten years ago a boy named Samuel Murray went missing after Heather’s sister Rosie accused him of something terrible. Though Heather really didn’t want to she couldn’t help but believed that Rosie had something to do with Samuel’s disappearance. She never really was able to forgive her sister for what she thinks Rosie has done.
With their Mother in the hospital close to death Heather knows she has no choice but to contact her sister and ask her to return home to their tiny English village that seems to agree with Heather’s hidden fear that Rosie killed Samuel.Heather and her Mother have not seen Rosie since she passed out behind the sofa at the girl’s Father’s wake. Rosie who is a recovering addict doesn’t want to return home and face what changed her life all those years ago. She knows the village hates her and doesn’t want her to ever return but her Mother and sister need her so she packs up and returns.
A complex thriller wrapped around a family tragedy this novel will keep you reading late into the night. There are aspects of this story that you may very well figure out but there is a twist that will certainly surprise you and entertain you. For all the sweet small towns you find in cozy mysteries there is a darkness that some small towns carry with them. They share secrets, blame the most likely suspects and often have a pact mentality that can ruin a life. I loved the way this book tackled that. I also loved the relationship between the sisters. Both of the pushing and pulling each other. Desperate to share their truths but extremely scared to really open up.
Old secrets, lies and a small-town mentality weave into a story that spans 10 years within a small village where the residents tend toward hostility from those “outside”. Sisters Rosie and Heather return home after a ten-year absence for their mother’s last days and run into the old secrets and lies. There are surprises and twists throughout.