Be careful what you write
Emilia Ward always dreamt of becoming a crime writer but, after leaving university and being flat broke, she chose to be a journalist instead. Unfortunately, having then met and married her first husband Jonas – after unexpectedly becoming pregnant – she soon found there was little time to pursue either career. However, when Jonas then decided to leave her for her best friend Kristin, Emilia used the time she had while her daughter Jasmine was at school to start writing her first detective novel, which culminated in the success of her DI Miranda Moody series. Finally, she had achieved her dream.
Now, happily married to her second husband Elliot, with whom she has a son Wilfie, Emilia has decided to kill off her detective heroine and concentrate on a standalone novel – a concept she is not sure will go down well with her publisher. However, while she waits for a verdict on her latest manuscript, she begins to experience a series of strange incidents, all mimicking events from her new novel. It is only when she realises that the manuscript had only been read by a few close friends and family, that she begins to suspect someone close to her must be responsible and that, if they stick to the story, it will ultimately end in the death of DI Moody … and therefore potentially her own.
I really enjoyed this novel as its complicated format challenged my powers of deduction. Once the initial mystery has been established, the story then divides into three threads. The first follows Emilia’s gradual decline into paranoia as she struggles to understand who is threatening her. The second thread follows a storyline from Emilia’s manuscript, while the third follows the investigation of Emilia’s stalker through the eyes of the detective in charge of her case. This might sound confusing but as the story nears its conclusion, everything falls into place.
‘The Woman Who Lied’ is written in such a clever way that everyone is a plausible suspect. Each time I thought I knew the guilty party, another plausible suspect presented itself to change my mind, keeping me engrossed to the very end when all is revealed. The whole novel is a rollercoaster of action and suspense, and one which I can thoroughly recommend.
Now, happily married to her second husband Elliot, with whom she has a son Wilfie, Emilia has decided to kill off her detective heroine and concentrate on a standalone novel – a concept she is not sure will go down well with her publisher. However, while she waits for a verdict on her latest manuscript, she begins to experience a series of strange incidents, all mimicking events from her new novel. It is only when she realises that the manuscript had only been read by a few close friends and family, that she begins to suspect someone close to her must be responsible and that, if they stick to the story, it will ultimately end in the death of DI Moody … and therefore potentially her own.
I really enjoyed this novel as its complicated format challenged my powers of deduction. Once the initial mystery has been established, the story then divides into three threads. The first follows Emilia’s gradual decline into paranoia as she struggles to understand who is threatening her. The second thread follows a storyline from Emilia’s manuscript, while the third follows the investigation of Emilia’s stalker through the eyes of the detective in charge of her case. This might sound confusing but as the story nears its conclusion, everything falls into place.
‘The Woman Who Lied’ is written in such a clever way that everyone is a plausible suspect. Each time I thought I knew the guilty party, another plausible suspect presented itself to change my mind, keeping me engrossed to the very end when all is revealed. The whole novel is a rollercoaster of action and suspense, and one which I can thoroughly recommend.
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