Book Review: My Sister’s Lies.

Every so often while reading My Sister’s Lies, a big dinner gong felt like it went off right beside my ear.

‘Wait, what?’ I would think and then have to scroll back through everything I’d previously read in my head, asking myself why I hadn’t added up the clues before.

They were definitely there but S D Robertson is a master of dropping little morsels of information that might seem insignificant but you realise are all clearly relevant in the end.

Here’s the blurb:

For a decade, Hannah’s life has been pretty close to perfect – she has a great job, she’s married to Mark, and her child-free existence means she’s free as a bird. The only sadness in her life is a fall-out with her sister Diane, who hasn’t spoken to her in over ten years. But now Diane is on her doorstep – and this time, she’s got her teenage daughter Mia in tow.

When Diane asks if Mia can stay with Hannah and Mark for a few days, Hannah is glad of the chance to get to know her niece. But as the days turn into weeks and Diane doesn’t return, Hannah begins to worry. Why hasn’t her sister been in touch?

Diane is carrying a devastating secret that will destroy Hannah’s carefully constructed life. But how much is she willing to reveal – and when will she pick her moment?

There’s no gentle easing in to this book, Stuart smacks you in the face with the story right from the start. I was lounging on the sofa but it made me sit up straighter. I really like it when something dramatic happens right at the beginning (no spoilers) but you’re not sure who is speaking and it keeps you guessing through the book.

This is an emotional tale that delves deep into family relationships, not just between Hannah and Diane but everyone connected to them too. It was very dark in several places and I think it would be easy to get weighed down by it but the writing keeps it engaging.

I also liked the way the book included transcripts between patient and therapist, it felt like it helped give a bit of necessary breathing space – although there never seemed to be a good point to put it down.

This was one of those stories where I really wasn’t sure how it would end. I felt like it could go several ways but I was satisfied with how everything was resolved.

Another powerful novel to add to Stuart’s growing list.

Format: Kindle.

Price: £2.99 (via Amazon).

My rating: Four stars.

With thanks to Avon (via NetGalley) for the ARC in return for an honest review.

This time last year, Stuart kindly agreed to take part in my Behind The Book series. You can find out more about his writing here.