ITW Thriller Award winnerInternational Book Awards winner
Nina can never forgive Maggie for what she did. And she can never let her leave.
They say every house has its secrets, and the house that Maggie and Nina have shared for so long is no different. Except that these secrets are not buried in the past.
Every other night, Maggie and Nina have dinner together. When they are finished, Nina … dinner together. When they are finished, Nina helps Maggie back to her room in the attic, and into the heavy chain that keeps her there. Because Maggie has done things to Nina that can’t ever be forgiven, and now she is paying the price.
But there are many things about the past that Nina doesn’t know, and Maggie is going to keep it that way—even if it kills her.
Because in this house, the truth is more dangerous than lies.
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Wow!!! This book had so many twists and turns, I never knew what was going to happen or who to believe. This is a Great book!!!
Thank you John Marrs, Netgalley UK, and Amazon UK for the digital arc in exchange for my honest review.
John Marrs you devious devil, you write stories that worm their way into my brain and then refuse to leave! It’s a marvelous and irritating skill in equal measure because it means once I pick up one of your books, I can’t put it down – regardless of my *real* obligations or life-requirements… This latest novel is no exception. It’s a creepy horrifying tale of love and obligation and the insidious necrotizing power of lies. It’s a dark tale full of misdirection and red herrings and misunderstandings – and I LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT.
There were so many times when I thought I knew what was going on and underpinning a character’s decision, when I was sure I knew who the good guys were – and each and every time I was wrong. I don’t chalk this up to my reading but to Marrs’ phenomenal ability to misdirect and taunt his audience. I read a LOT of psychological thrillers. After a while, it gets pretty easy to see where things are going – there are usually not that many unique ways to hide the eight ball, after all… Or so I thought. Then, once again, Marrs showed me how wrong that statement can be.
This is a delicately woven, incredibly intricate tale of the dangers that love can represent. It’s told through a back-and-forth narration between the two main characters, and the format heightened the tension until each page was so fraught with it that I was almost afraid to turn them, for fear of what spanner would be thrown in the works next. I’ve become a bit jaded about the use of unreliable narrators as a plot device. It’s been done SO MANY TIMES by now, that it’s not (usually) effective any more to me. But clearly, it’s not the device that is the issue because Marrs uses an ongoing level of disturbing uncertainty in his narrators that kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the course of this fantastic tale.
If you don’t know Marrs’ work, this is an excellent place to start. It’s an insanely compelling tale and a grand introduction to an author who is at the top of his game…
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my obligation-free review copy.
More later. A good suspense-thriller. ok, I’m back.
4.5 Stars.
That was pretty intense! This was a well-paced slow burn full of secrets, lies, crimes and other skeletons in the closet. I enjoyed the two narrators approach, after a while wondering who to believe? Unreliable? There was much to sift through in this tight, attention-keeping plot. Such a great read, highly recommended for fans of these genres.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ebook ARC in exchange for an honest review.
#WhatLiesBetweenUs #NetGalley
John Marrs has done it again!
Holy cow, has he done it again.
Maggie and Nina are co-dependent, co-habitating and co-existing but the hatred between them throbs like a pulse. What terrible history has led Nina to chain Maggie up in her attic??
More twisted than my hair in the morning, this book is SO good that I simply could not adult until I had finished it. This book is all anyone will be talking about in May!!
Thank you to John Marrs, Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This is certainly my kind of read. Very twisted, sort of dark. A mother and daughter having a troubled relationship, with only the mother really knowing the underlying cause. A daughter thinking her mother is wrong and doing something that is pretty unthinkable by keeping her mother held captive in her own home. There are not very many characters throughout this tale of darkness, but there is just the right amount to be sure the reader keeps all their roles straight. Nina, the daughter, does have a job at the local library and presents to the world a normal personality, but when she gets home … Maggie, her mother, supposedly did what she did to “protect” her daughter, what mother wouldn’t? Enter the unveiling of the deepest secrets imaginable. A very good read indeed!
Vaguely and eerily reminiscent of the horror movie Whatever Happened to Baby Jane — except in Marrs’s book, it’s mother and daughter, not sisters. The book is unputdownable. What Lies Between Us has been nominated for Best Paperback Original Novel by International Thriller Writers Inc.
I started reading this book because I wanted to understand why someone would lock somebody up and only allow them out to eat dinner. But as I got into the story, I began to understand that somehow the one locked up would find a way to get free. And did she ever! The story became a roller coaster and then the reader is taken on a wild ride! I enjoyed this book! The plot is most unusual! And the ending is incredible! Read it!
It’s okay but couldn’t really connect with the story. Not for me I guess.
John has done it again. Loved, loved, loved this book. I thought I had it figured out, but the ending got me again. I loved the characters and at the same time hated them. I rooted for them, but wanted them to pay for th If you haven’t read this one yet, there’s no better time than now!eir deeds at the same time. I look forward to my next John Marrs book already!
My goodness….what can I say about this book. It has family disfunction, psychosis, lies, secrets, unthinkable actions and so much more. It is a story of twisted love and trying to protect those you love. It is sad, frustrating, unpredictable and a story I won’t forget for a long time. Some of the twists I thought I knew but found out I didn’t. It is a reminder how much life can change from just one simple action, belief or idea. The lengths some people will go just to protect their secrets. It is a dark story but oh so good.
This book had me riveted! It is quite possibly the most twisted book I read this year. The book is told from two viewpoints. First we have Maggie, the mother who is locked in the attic where her daughter intends to keep her for 21 years. Then we have Nina, the daughter who cannot forgive and wants revenge. They both love each other though. Oh the complexity of family relationships! This book is filled with that. I don’t even want to go into this book in the review because, trust me, this is one you have to read for yourself. My advice would be do not read the reviews until after you read the book. Some reviewers spill the story and you honestly want the surprises.
This is my second book by this author. I want to find everything he has written. I loved both books I read of his. The first book of his I read was The One. If you haven’t read it, grab that one, too. Both of the books have more than one narrator. Don’t let that deter you. He clearly marks who is narrating. You don’t get lost. This one jumps a bit from present to past and normally that does tend to irritate me if I choose to listen. I did get the audible version to see if it would irritate me. It did not bother me at all. I was so invested in the story it barely registered that we were jumping back and forth. Absolutely get this book! Then make time for it. I started with the intention of reading it over the course of a week. Did not happen. I did start it on Kindle and then stopped. I was making so much noise over it, my other half wanted to read it, too. So I had to wait and then we started it on audio, intending to listen in hourly spurts. Neither one of us wanted to turn it off. We had to, (I might have cheated a bit with the kindle version), but picked it up the next day and stayed up to finish it. The narrator, Elizabeth Knowelden, was awesome!
*I won the Kindle version in a Goodreads Giveaway. I purchased the Audible version. I voluntarily reviewed this book. The review is based on my experience with it, and, a bit of my other half’s enjoyment of it.*
Maggie and Nina .. mother and daughter .. have a somewhat unusual relationship. They live in the same house and every other night they share dinner together. Once finished, Nina takes Maggie back to her room in the attic and reattaches her to the waiting chains.
What has Maggie done to deserve this treatment by her daughter?
There are many things about the past that Nina doesn’t know, and Maggie is going to keep it that way—even if it kills her.
Told in chapters that alternate from 25 years ago to the present, both women voice their memories. But who is telling the truth … and who is lying?
Although a slow starter for me, this is well written with lots of twists and turns that kept me riveted to the pages. I didn’t care for either of the women, but I feel the author designed it that way. They were solidly drawn, but at times the back and forth 25 years got just a tad confusing. The conclusion was unexpected, quite surprising.
Many thanks to the author / Amazon Publishing UK / Netgalley for the digital copy of this psychological thriller. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
This book is just bonkers crazy, with two of the most devious and conniving women I’ve read in a long time! Dark, demented and dysfunctional are my three top words to describe it, with a toxic mother-daughter relationship at its core, it’s a very fun read with a sort of genius to the plotting. Compulsive and captivating, this is an intriguing read that will keep you entertained.
A twisted and evocative read. This is my first book by John Marrs and I didn’t know what to expect. I’ve heard nothing but glowing reviews about his books and decided to give this one a try. I’m very glad I did!
To say this is the worst thing that could ever happen between two people in a house is an understatement. It’s a sheer nightmare. It tested my perspective and interpretation to the max. Both women wreak havoc in each other’s lives, and both have a price to pay.
Maggie and Nina take crazy to a whole new level, harbouring secrets of the worst kind that unfurl meticulously with each page. You’ll be thrown back and forth sympathising and hating them both at the same time and you may think you’ve figured it all out. Think again.
I empathise with Maggie the most. With all her sacrifices – be they tragic and gruesome – I can’t help rooting for her. Locked in a room with a cuff and chain, she is a prisoner in her own home. Ironically, you could say this is the price she must pay for her choices, and an ingenuity that goes well beyond sanity. As a mother, I know I couldn’t have done half of what she did, nor would I have had the physical or emotional strength to go to such lengths.
Love is the driver, and to some this love might seem a little extreme. If you think baby wipes, a bucket and a plate of food is all she needs to sustain her, you’d be wrong. There is no way out of her attic room, and for nearly three years she has been held captive with no one to call for help. If scratching away at a tiny hole is the only hope she has, then freedom is her biggest stumbling block.
Nina is a conundrum from page one. You know there’s something sinister lurking beneath the surface, not only because of the part she plays, but the psychological unravelling of past and present. Nina allows her mother downstairs for dinner where Maggie is taunted no end, depending on Nina’s mood. I couldn’t help screaming inside for Maggie to tell her side of the story, but how much does Nina really remember? And if she remembers, how dangerous could that be for Maggie?
When you think help is on its way, it is very quickly dashed. To me, this book was like a house of mirrors – a puzzle with so many obstacles there seemed to be no way out. Just when you thought there was an escape, another challenge presented itself. Told in two perspectives, both Nina and Maggie are sensitively and beautifully drawn, bouncing from present day to 25 years ago. Their lives and their secrets are woven into this well-plotted novel, so much so, I wasn’t sure what to believe.
Toxic co-dependency and a serious case of DID, made my skin itch. There is so much to unpack, you’ll love every twist and turn this clever author has to offer. You could say it is a game of wits – a gaoler and a hostage each with their own agenda. But are both their stories reliable? Are they both prisoners in mind and spirit? I guess you’ll have to read it to find out.
I’m a fan of captive/abductor stories, to see the dynamic between the two of them, and how the captive tries to plan their escape. Normally the situation is a male/female one, but ‘What Lies Between Us’ is different in that it’s the daughter who is keeping the mother a prisoner in her attic! The book is cleverly written in that the author keeps you guessing about who is actually the baddie. My sympathies swung wildly from one character to the other throughout the entire book. Def a good book for those who like psychological thrillers!
I’m a fan of captive/abductor stories, to see the dynamic between the two of them, and how the captive tries to plan their escape. Normally the situation is a male/female one, but ‘What Lies Between Us’ is different in that it’s the daughter who is keeping the mother a prisoner in her attic! The book is cleverly written in that the author keeps you guessing about who is actually the baddie. My sympathies swung wildly from one character to the other throughout the entire book. Def a good book for those who like psychological thrillers!
Absolutely loved this book! Every time I would think I knew where the story was going and how it was going to end, wham!, John Marrs throws a new twist at you and I had to stay up and keep reading to see how it would end.
There’s a very haunting psychology within the story, a powerful mother-daughter connection, that at the end made me tell everyone I know, “Please read this book so we can talk about it! What would you do in mother/daughter’s position??”
And I promise, the very first couple of pages will draw you in and hook you. Definitely a great book to add to your summer must-read list!
Thank you so much NetGalley and Mr. John Marrs for the digital ARC and chance to read such a captivating book in exchange for my honest review.
#whatliesbetweenus #netgalley
This is my first book read by John Marrs and definitely will not be my last.
A few quotes from this book that jumped out at me:
AND SHOULD MY SOUL SOAR, I PROMISE THAT YOURS WILL SINK LIKE THE HEAVIEST OF ROCKS, NEVER TO BE SEEN AGAIN.
I DON’T BELIEVE ANYONE WHO CLAINS TO HAVE NO REGRETS. THEY’RE LYING TO THEMSELVES. WE ALL HAVE THEM.
I DON’T KNOW WHAT THAT WOMAN HAS LOST TO END UP TRAPPED IN THE LIFE SHE LIVES NOW, BUT I KNOW HOW IT FEELS TO HAVE YOUR WORLD THROWN FROM ITS AXIS THROUGH NO FAULT OF YOUR OWN.
I TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT MY REFLECTION IN THE GLASS AND STRUGGLE TO RECONISE MYSELF. HOW DID I BECOME THIS WOMAN.
BEING A MOTHER IS NO GUARANTEE OF ANYTHING.
I SHUT MY EYELIDS TIGHT UNTIL THEY HURT. IF I HAVE MY WAY, THEY WIL NEVER OPEN AGAIN.
This book was one deep, dark, emotional thriller. It was tough in some parts but vital to the story. It has a touch of horror to it in a way that I can’t quite describe. It’s one that will keep you turning the pages to find out what is coming. What will happen next and why. Why is it happening. Who is bad and who is good. Is it the daughter or the mother who is bad. Maybe both. It’s told from the two main character’s POV and a few different timelines that are way important to the story.
Maggie would do anything for her daughter, Nina. She loves her more than life and has basically sacrificed her own happiness for her. To what extent does a mother do this though? Is she willing to give up her freedom for things her daughter does or has done? Or is Nina a product of her mother’s making. By covering things is Nina bad or just being what she was made into? What would you do to keep your daughter safe? Would you risk your freedom? Would you give up the most important people in your life? Or would you force her to acknowledge things even at a very young age? That is a hard one for a mother. When faced with decisions that will possible haunt you for the rest of your life how can you know if you made the right decision at the time. Later you will know, but then it’s to late.
Nina is a child of 13 when her dad goes missing from her life. She will never be the same again either. She blames her mother and goes a bit wild. Sleeping around, getting drunk and lying at every turn. But Nina’s mum loves her unconditionally and tries everything to be there for her. Though she makes big mistakes you don’t doubt that Maggie loves her daughter and that Nina loves her mum. But is love enough? Is love enough to make the things that happen between these to ok. Ever?
Through lots of turmoil this book keeps you turning the pages. It’s like that train wreck that you can’t look away from. You have to know what happens next and why. Why does Nina feel the way she does toward her mum. Why does Maggie allow Nina to do the things she does. Until Maggie no longer has a choice.
Truly this book is exceptional. It’s one that you just can’t stop reading. You will feel the pain, the anger, the love, the hate. You will even have a couple of laughs. It is well written and the characters are ones you will love to hate. In parts. You’ll love them one minute and hate them the next. A well developed story. A well written story. It even makes you wonder what kind of person can think like this. Much like I do with Steven King books… What kind of mind does this author have to think this way? I loved it. It’s very good.
Thank you to #NetGalley, #JohnMarrs, #AmazonPublishinUK for this ARC. This is my review in my own words.
I had to give it a big 5 stars and a high recommendation.
What a ride! This is sure to be one of the best psychological thrillers of the year. I was in suspense the entire time.
The story is told from the alternating perspectives of Maggie and Nina. With each shift my empathy would shift along with it. Maggie and Nina are both horribly treated by the other, so who is to blame? Normally I am not a fan of flashbacks, but this is the best use of them that I have seen. Each time the author took us back 20+ plus years, he revealed another shocking crumb that made me rethink my theory of what was happening. With excellent pacing, the tension builds with each dark, twisted chapter. And there are plenty of surprises throughout the book.
This review is a bit difficult to write because I absolutely do not want to post any spoiler. Just know that every little bit of the story is important. So many secrets kept. Easy and quick to read. Great for a weekend.
I loved Marrs’ “The Passengers” but, in my opinion, “What Lies Between Us” is far superior because the plot is totally believable. Now I am eager to read his earlier book “The Good Samaritan”.
Thanks to the publisher for the eARC. My review expresses my honest opinion of the book.
‘What Lies Between Us’ was my first John Marrs book and holy cow have I been missing out! This is a brilliantly dark psychological thriller about a toxic, codependent relationship between Maggie and Nina.
I’ve had a really difficult time starting this review because I feel like the less you know, the better. This book takes you on one hell of an insane ride.
Marrs wastes no time getting into your head. I was asking questions while reading the prologue and saying wtf as early as the the first chapter and all throughout the book. The pacing kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time.
I loved reading the perspectives of both Maggie and Nina (present and past) and seeing both their truths unfold. While I may have known some of the things that were to come (let’s face it, hard not to when you’ve read a bazillion thrillers), it didn’t take away from the story at all. Between the writing style and just how absolutely insane so much of it was, I was hooked and needed to know everything and how it ended. And the ending, just wow! That ending is what took me from a 4.5 to a 5 star rating.
I recommend this to anyone looking for a disturbing, dark psychological thriller!
Many thanks to Netgalley, Amazon Publishing UK, and John Marrs for the e-ARC and the opportunity to provide my thoughts.