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Your Beautiful Lies
What secrets are you keeping?
Annie Howarth is living a restless life in a restless town. It's 1984 and for a mining community in South Yorkshire, the strikes mean tensions are running high. Then a murdered girl is found on the moors and the anxiety levels are pushed to a dangerous breaking point.
Married to the Chief of Police, Annie should feel safe - William can be secretive, though surely whatever he's hiding is for her own good.
But Annie is keeping her own secrets. Ten years ago the man she loved was ripped from her life in a scandal that still haunts the both of them, and now his return will put her family, her marriage, even her life, at risk.
Annie Howarth is living a restless life in a restless town. It's 1984 and for a mining community in South Yorkshire, the strikes mean tensions are running high. Then a murdered girl is found on the moors and the anxiety levels are pushed to a dangerous breaking point.
Married to the Chief of Police, Annie should feel safe - William can be secretive, though surely whatever he's hiding is for her own good.
But Annie is keeping her own secrets. Ten years ago the man she loved was ripped from her life in a scandal that still haunts the both of them, and now his return will put her family, her marriage, even her life, at risk.
464 pages, Paperback
First published August 14, 2014
419 people are currently reading
648 people want to read
About the author
Louise Douglas
24 books826 followersHello and thank you for visiting my profile page. I write contemporary Gothic novels which are usually inspired by places close to where I live in the Mendips, close to Bristol in the UK, or by places I've visited, especially Italy and Sicily. The House by the Sea won the Jackie Collins Romantic Suspense Award in 2021. The Love of My Life, my first book, was longlisted for the Romantic Novel of the Year Award. My second book, Missing You, won the RNA Readers' Choice Award, and my third, The Secrets Between Us was a 2012 Richard and Judy Summer Read.
The next book, The Room in the Attic is due to be published in October 2021 and is a ghost story set in a Victorian asylum-turned-boarding school on Dartmoor.
If you'd like to connect, you'll find me on Facebook Louise Amy Douglas or Twitter: @LouiseDouglas3.
The next book, The Room in the Attic is due to be published in October 2021 and is a ghost story set in a Victorian asylum-turned-boarding school on Dartmoor.
If you'd like to connect, you'll find me on Facebook Louise Amy Douglas or Twitter: @LouiseDouglas3.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
February 25, 2018
This was an atmospheric and intriguing read. Louise Douglas was able to take me to the heart of her book, I was part of it, felt everything I should have, saw all that I could and loved every minute of it.
What's the book about?
Annie Howarth is living a restless life in a restless town. It's 1987 and for a mining community in South Yorkshire, the strikes mean tensions are running high. Then a murdered girl is found on the moors and the anxiety levels are pushed to a dangerous breaking point.
Married to the Chief of Police, Annie should feel safe – William can be secretive, though surely whatever he's hiding is for her own good.
But Annie is keeping her own secrets. Ten years ago the man she loved was ripped from her life in a scandal that still haunts the both of them, and now his return will put her family, her marriage, even her life, at risk.
My Review:
Annie is living the "perfect life" or so it seems to outsiders, married to the Chief of Police, William, having a beautiful big house, money to spend, prestige, position, but she's a women who is empty, something is missing, her marriage quite frankly would leave any woman cold on the inside, she's been pretending for a long time that she is happy.
"That night. William turned to Annie as she lay awake beneath the covers and his hand lifted the hem of her nightdress and then he was on top of her. She moved a little, to help him, and he came quickly, quietly, politely. He thanked her and he kissed her and then he went back to his side of the bed. He switched on the bedside light and passed her a tissue from the box he kept on his bedside table."
Wow, what would you feel or do? That's not the passionate, loving marriage anyone wants, I was so sad for Annie through a lot of this book, she's settled, but the question is what will really make her happy?
Set against the backdrop in the late 1980's of the height of Thatcher's reign and the Mining Strikes that stopped the country and nearly created a civil war. It's Miner against Police Officer, people are getting hurt at strike rallies, people close to Annie, but she's married to the Chief of Police, not easy when your loyalties are torn in two directions.
Enter the man from her past, the man who has served time in jail for a crime he still insists he did not do. The man she loved with all that she was, all that she had. He's back. And the series of events that is triggered from his return are nothing short of complex. A web of secrets and lies will be uncovered.
Annie has to make choices, she has to think carefully and look at the life she has around her, look into her heart. Ask herself who she really is. I think a lot of women in her position would actually do the same. She's only human, is it heart led, or logic led? I am not going to tell you what she does, but it's great reading. I was with her every step of the way. Mixed feelings at times.
A murdered woman is found on the moors and suddenly a man hunt is on for a killer, fingers point, accusations fly. But behind events there is much going on that is not reveled until the end of the book, I did not see the ending coming, had not even crossed my mind. But I won't spoil it for you.
This is not a fast paced book, it's dark at times, it's moody and gritty and very real. These were turbulent times, man pitted against man in the height of political conflict. The lives of the average family impacted. But Annie? She's married to the Chief of Police, surely all is well in her world? Not really, not even close. Complications you see, lots of them.
Read this book and let it reveal it's magic to you slowly. Be drawn in to the emotion, the angst, the torn loyalties, the heart of a woman on the edge of finding who she is. Go with her. No thrills in this book, but suspenseful and tense at times, secrets and deception at every turn.
I liked this one, I liked how real Annie was, how tangible, good characters, great atmospheric backdrop (second book I have read in a week set around the Miners Strikes in the UK), and just a well written, enjoyable book. What more could you want really?
I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher via NetGalley, my thanks for the opportunity to read and give an honest review.
What's the book about?
Annie Howarth is living a restless life in a restless town. It's 1987 and for a mining community in South Yorkshire, the strikes mean tensions are running high. Then a murdered girl is found on the moors and the anxiety levels are pushed to a dangerous breaking point.
Married to the Chief of Police, Annie should feel safe – William can be secretive, though surely whatever he's hiding is for her own good.
But Annie is keeping her own secrets. Ten years ago the man she loved was ripped from her life in a scandal that still haunts the both of them, and now his return will put her family, her marriage, even her life, at risk.
My Review:
Annie is living the "perfect life" or so it seems to outsiders, married to the Chief of Police, William, having a beautiful big house, money to spend, prestige, position, but she's a women who is empty, something is missing, her marriage quite frankly would leave any woman cold on the inside, she's been pretending for a long time that she is happy.
"That night. William turned to Annie as she lay awake beneath the covers and his hand lifted the hem of her nightdress and then he was on top of her. She moved a little, to help him, and he came quickly, quietly, politely. He thanked her and he kissed her and then he went back to his side of the bed. He switched on the bedside light and passed her a tissue from the box he kept on his bedside table."
Wow, what would you feel or do? That's not the passionate, loving marriage anyone wants, I was so sad for Annie through a lot of this book, she's settled, but the question is what will really make her happy?
Set against the backdrop in the late 1980's of the height of Thatcher's reign and the Mining Strikes that stopped the country and nearly created a civil war. It's Miner against Police Officer, people are getting hurt at strike rallies, people close to Annie, but she's married to the Chief of Police, not easy when your loyalties are torn in two directions.
Enter the man from her past, the man who has served time in jail for a crime he still insists he did not do. The man she loved with all that she was, all that she had. He's back. And the series of events that is triggered from his return are nothing short of complex. A web of secrets and lies will be uncovered.
Annie has to make choices, she has to think carefully and look at the life she has around her, look into her heart. Ask herself who she really is. I think a lot of women in her position would actually do the same. She's only human, is it heart led, or logic led? I am not going to tell you what she does, but it's great reading. I was with her every step of the way. Mixed feelings at times.
A murdered woman is found on the moors and suddenly a man hunt is on for a killer, fingers point, accusations fly. But behind events there is much going on that is not reveled until the end of the book, I did not see the ending coming, had not even crossed my mind. But I won't spoil it for you.
This is not a fast paced book, it's dark at times, it's moody and gritty and very real. These were turbulent times, man pitted against man in the height of political conflict. The lives of the average family impacted. But Annie? She's married to the Chief of Police, surely all is well in her world? Not really, not even close. Complications you see, lots of them.
Read this book and let it reveal it's magic to you slowly. Be drawn in to the emotion, the angst, the torn loyalties, the heart of a woman on the edge of finding who she is. Go with her. No thrills in this book, but suspenseful and tense at times, secrets and deception at every turn.
I liked this one, I liked how real Annie was, how tangible, good characters, great atmospheric backdrop (second book I have read in a week set around the Miners Strikes in the UK), and just a well written, enjoyable book. What more could you want really?
I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher via NetGalley, my thanks for the opportunity to read and give an honest review.
August 18, 2014
In South Yorkshire during 1984 the miners were striking and the squeeze on small mining towns was being felt by everyone, not just the miners but the shopkeepers too as police were drafted in from other areas to keep the peace. Tensions mounted within small towns where some miners continued to work while others stood on the picket line.
Annie Howarth lives in a secluded large house on the edge of the moors with her daughter Elizabeth and her husband William who is the Chief of Police and his elderly mother Ethel. One morning Annie’s brother Johnnie brings some dreaded news, Tom Greenway, who had been her boyfriend ten years ago, has been released from prison returned to live in the area. Tom had been convicted of manslaughter and at that time William had provided a strong pair of arms to comfort Annie along with all the trappings of a world unimagined as she lived amongst the other miners with her parents.
This books starts by feeling like it is a romance with an edge with what I consider to be a realistic look at the life of a young married woman in the 1980’s. At that time if a woman didn’t work outside the home, she was dependent on her husband and while William provided the material things in life he was not the most exciting of life partners, either out policing or in his study, a place where Annie wasn’t welcome. Annie’s relationship with her parents and her peers was badly damaged by Tom being convicted of manslaughter and in a small town memories linger her only companions now are the worthy and the good, wives of William’s colleagues and I had some sympathy with the dreariness of her days.
This soon turns into a much darker tale with everything changing when a woman is found murdered up on the moors and William has a murder to solve as well as the logistical headache of policing the pickets at the colliery. Tensions run high and William becomes increasingly concerned for Annie’s safety while she is torn by her feelings for the newly returned Tom.
The characters were well-drawn, I particularly liked Ethel who was not immune to the fact that all was not rosy between her son and daughter-in-law and unwittingly spills secrets that perhaps a woman not gripped by dementia would have been left unsaid. I was less fond of Marie, Annie’s mother but again this was an accurate portrayal of a woman determined to keep the status quo amongst a long-fractured relationship with her daughter.
Louise Douglas ratchets up the tension carefully while staying firmly in the time period. There are frequent mentions of phone calls made from phone boxes, bands from this era along with the quaint notion of letters arranging meetings. By the time I was half-way through the book, I was sure I knew not only whodunit but why; I was totally off-track as the shocking ending revealed.
I’d like to thank the publishers Random House UK for my copy of this book which was published on 14 August 2014.
Annie Howarth lives in a secluded large house on the edge of the moors with her daughter Elizabeth and her husband William who is the Chief of Police and his elderly mother Ethel. One morning Annie’s brother Johnnie brings some dreaded news, Tom Greenway, who had been her boyfriend ten years ago, has been released from prison returned to live in the area. Tom had been convicted of manslaughter and at that time William had provided a strong pair of arms to comfort Annie along with all the trappings of a world unimagined as she lived amongst the other miners with her parents.
This books starts by feeling like it is a romance with an edge with what I consider to be a realistic look at the life of a young married woman in the 1980’s. At that time if a woman didn’t work outside the home, she was dependent on her husband and while William provided the material things in life he was not the most exciting of life partners, either out policing or in his study, a place where Annie wasn’t welcome. Annie’s relationship with her parents and her peers was badly damaged by Tom being convicted of manslaughter and in a small town memories linger her only companions now are the worthy and the good, wives of William’s colleagues and I had some sympathy with the dreariness of her days.
This soon turns into a much darker tale with everything changing when a woman is found murdered up on the moors and William has a murder to solve as well as the logistical headache of policing the pickets at the colliery. Tensions run high and William becomes increasingly concerned for Annie’s safety while she is torn by her feelings for the newly returned Tom.
The characters were well-drawn, I particularly liked Ethel who was not immune to the fact that all was not rosy between her son and daughter-in-law and unwittingly spills secrets that perhaps a woman not gripped by dementia would have been left unsaid. I was less fond of Marie, Annie’s mother but again this was an accurate portrayal of a woman determined to keep the status quo amongst a long-fractured relationship with her daughter.
Louise Douglas ratchets up the tension carefully while staying firmly in the time period. There are frequent mentions of phone calls made from phone boxes, bands from this era along with the quaint notion of letters arranging meetings. By the time I was half-way through the book, I was sure I knew not only whodunit but why; I was totally off-track as the shocking ending revealed.
I’d like to thank the publishers Random House UK for my copy of this book which was published on 14 August 2014.
February 22, 2022
(Review originally published on my blog, June 2014) What happened? Can this really be the work of the same author responsible for the hugely enjoyable The Secrets Between Us and In Her Shadow?
I've been unwell over the past week and wanted something to read that wouldn't ask much of me, or take a great deal of concentration to understand. I considered and rejected several 'light' books before I came to this, which I'd been saving for a rainy day, or at least some day closer to its 14 August publication date. Unfortunately, it was disappointing, and lacked the qualities that made the aforementioned Louise Douglas books so fun to read.
Your Beautiful Lies is set in a South Yorkshire mining town in the 1980s. The story is about Annie Howarth, the young wife of the local Chief Superintendent, who at first glance seems reasonably happy: living in a grand, beautiful house named Everwell, she is a doting mother to seven-year-old Elizabeth and is one of the lucky few to enjoy a calm, safe existence in the midst of the miners' strike. But when her ex-boyfriend Tom is released from prison, after serving ten years for a manslaughter he still insists he was framed for, long-buried passions are stirred up. As Annie and Tom begin a risky relationship, a young woman with a striking resemblance to Annie is found murdered on the moors near to Everwell and it seems that Annie is playing an increasingly dangerous game.
This novel is markedly different in tone to the others I've read by Douglas. By a third of the way in I felt it was dragging me into a dreary, dispiriting world I didn't want to be a part of. Annie's life is so terribly repetitive it's boring to read about. She gets up, gets dressed, cares for her daughter and elderly mother-in-law, visits her parents, and cooks dinner, which is almost always described in minute detail. Perhaps all of this is intentional - to highlight how hard life was for the residents of a mining town at this point in history, to emphasise the dullness of Annie's life before the return of Tom - but either way, it was a hard slog to get through and made me feel trapped in a very limited world.
I kept waiting for something to happen; I kept waiting until something would make me really care about Annie and Tom. I am certainly not opposed to reading stories about 'cheating', or more specifically about women being unfaithful - on the contrary, I often really enjoy reading such stories. And I did find Annie's mother's moralising about her behaviour very irritating. But I just couldn't summon up any sympathy for Annie - she knew what she was doing and that a child was involved from the beginning, and she was hardly discreet about her assignations. How can she have been surprised that anyone figured out what she was doing when she hardly bothered to cover it up?
Certain omissions annoyed me: why does Annie never ask Tom what was going on with Selina? Her jealousy just evaporates into thin air and is never mentioned again. The 'Yorkshire'-ness of the characters - everyone's eating parkin and saying 'mithered' and taking their whippets for a walk, probably while wearing a flat cap - feels belaboured. And I thought it was bizarre that the reader was expected to believe Annie and Tom had never slept together, not once in a six-year relationship, for no apparent reason other than fear of pregnancy. Tom was 22 when he went to prison, and Annie presumably a similar age since it's mentioned they 'grew up together'; this all took place in the mid-1970s and neither character is portrayed as particularly religious. Seriously, six years and nothing? I just cannot imagine a deeply-in-love couple in their late teens/early twenties having the self-restraint to manage this unless there was a specific reason for it, such as religious beliefs or one of them having a serious aversion to sex (and it is strongly implied that this was very much not the case). It's a minor point, I guess, but it struck me as very odd.
And then the ending!! Without giving away what happens, it is quite shocking, but more shocking than what actually happens is that the book just suddenly ends; there is no real conclusion, only a very perfunctory deus-ex-machina-ish explanation of the murder, and many questions remain unanswered. The nature of the ending also suggests that the characters are getting some kind of comeuppance for their behaviour and that there is no guarantee of further happiness. I really don't know whether to think this ending makes the book better or worse. On the one hand, to take something that readers will expect to be a light, even chick-lit-like, romantic mystery and make it into something dark and depressing with a shocking, pitch-black ending and no real resolution - that is a bold move. Looked at in that light, it almost seems like an experimental piece of work. I feel like the author deserves some respect for this when she surely could have easily written something more similar to her other books. But on the other hand, does doing this make it a good book? Sadly, I don't think so. The quality of the writing doesn't match the darkness of the story, and it doesn't make for a satisfying whole.
Louise Douglas has written some great light reads which I have truly relished reading, but I'm sorry to say this can't be counted among them. I give the author credit for deviating from her usual template, but for me, Your Beautiful Lies wasn't a success, and I'm not sure who I would recommend it to.
I've been unwell over the past week and wanted something to read that wouldn't ask much of me, or take a great deal of concentration to understand. I considered and rejected several 'light' books before I came to this, which I'd been saving for a rainy day, or at least some day closer to its 14 August publication date. Unfortunately, it was disappointing, and lacked the qualities that made the aforementioned Louise Douglas books so fun to read.
Your Beautiful Lies is set in a South Yorkshire mining town in the 1980s. The story is about Annie Howarth, the young wife of the local Chief Superintendent, who at first glance seems reasonably happy: living in a grand, beautiful house named Everwell, she is a doting mother to seven-year-old Elizabeth and is one of the lucky few to enjoy a calm, safe existence in the midst of the miners' strike. But when her ex-boyfriend Tom is released from prison, after serving ten years for a manslaughter he still insists he was framed for, long-buried passions are stirred up. As Annie and Tom begin a risky relationship, a young woman with a striking resemblance to Annie is found murdered on the moors near to Everwell and it seems that Annie is playing an increasingly dangerous game.
This novel is markedly different in tone to the others I've read by Douglas. By a third of the way in I felt it was dragging me into a dreary, dispiriting world I didn't want to be a part of. Annie's life is so terribly repetitive it's boring to read about. She gets up, gets dressed, cares for her daughter and elderly mother-in-law, visits her parents, and cooks dinner, which is almost always described in minute detail. Perhaps all of this is intentional - to highlight how hard life was for the residents of a mining town at this point in history, to emphasise the dullness of Annie's life before the return of Tom - but either way, it was a hard slog to get through and made me feel trapped in a very limited world.
I kept waiting for something to happen; I kept waiting until something would make me really care about Annie and Tom. I am certainly not opposed to reading stories about 'cheating', or more specifically about women being unfaithful - on the contrary, I often really enjoy reading such stories. And I did find Annie's mother's moralising about her behaviour very irritating. But I just couldn't summon up any sympathy for Annie - she knew what she was doing and that a child was involved from the beginning, and she was hardly discreet about her assignations. How can she have been surprised that anyone figured out what she was doing when she hardly bothered to cover it up?
Certain omissions annoyed me: why does Annie never ask Tom what was going on with Selina? Her jealousy just evaporates into thin air and is never mentioned again. The 'Yorkshire'-ness of the characters - everyone's eating parkin and saying 'mithered' and taking their whippets for a walk, probably while wearing a flat cap - feels belaboured. And I thought it was bizarre that the reader was expected to believe Annie and Tom had never slept together, not once in a six-year relationship, for no apparent reason other than fear of pregnancy. Tom was 22 when he went to prison, and Annie presumably a similar age since it's mentioned they 'grew up together'; this all took place in the mid-1970s and neither character is portrayed as particularly religious. Seriously, six years and nothing? I just cannot imagine a deeply-in-love couple in their late teens/early twenties having the self-restraint to manage this unless there was a specific reason for it, such as religious beliefs or one of them having a serious aversion to sex (and it is strongly implied that this was very much not the case). It's a minor point, I guess, but it struck me as very odd.
And then the ending!! Without giving away what happens, it is quite shocking, but more shocking than what actually happens is that the book just suddenly ends; there is no real conclusion, only a very perfunctory deus-ex-machina-ish explanation of the murder, and many questions remain unanswered. The nature of the ending also suggests that the characters are getting some kind of comeuppance for their behaviour and that there is no guarantee of further happiness. I really don't know whether to think this ending makes the book better or worse. On the one hand, to take something that readers will expect to be a light, even chick-lit-like, romantic mystery and make it into something dark and depressing with a shocking, pitch-black ending and no real resolution - that is a bold move. Looked at in that light, it almost seems like an experimental piece of work. I feel like the author deserves some respect for this when she surely could have easily written something more similar to her other books. But on the other hand, does doing this make it a good book? Sadly, I don't think so. The quality of the writing doesn't match the darkness of the story, and it doesn't make for a satisfying whole.
Louise Douglas has written some great light reads which I have truly relished reading, but I'm sorry to say this can't be counted among them. I give the author credit for deviating from her usual template, but for me, Your Beautiful Lies wasn't a success, and I'm not sure who I would recommend it to.
September 12, 2014
This has got to be a memorable read for me. Its a book that I will not forget in a hurry.
There are many things written that stood out to me either feeling in shock, awe or darn right flabbergasted.
My take on it is this:
The love of her life was accused of a crime he insists he didn't commit and that he was framed for. He is still saying this right out until the time he is released.
Whilst in prison Annie never hears from him.
She moves on with her life and marries Chief of Police William.
Right at the time I 'met' William in this book I thought him odd, insensitive and very power driven, however, we get to see why he is that way as the book moves along. He is precise in whatever he does. Even eating his meal would grate on my nerves.
There is a part in the book that sticks out among many....when he lifts her nighty up and just takes what he wants. OMG how would you react and why didn't Annie react?
Their little daughter would worry me endlessly, the pictures she draws, the obsession she has with death, crime and danger is so upsetting to read.
There are murders in this book, there is suspense in this read, it will keep you turning the pages very fast.
What I also loved about the way Louise Douglas has written this novel is how real it is. Each page was like I was watching a movie. Its was unravelling in my mind, I was sure I knew what was what.
At times I wanted to shout and shake or even knock William out! Then I got angry at Annie, for gods sake stand up to him. He wasn't a bully though out and out as you would expect.
I thought Annie's Mother was so not understanding her daughter. When she finds out Annie has rekindled her love for the man who has just come out of prison, she is not happy, not happy at all. Annie can't talk to her Mother.
Its a very compelling book to read. I really had to stick with this book from cover to cover, my eyes were dropping one evening before bed, but I needed to finish it. I really couldn't leave this book until the next day to see what was what.
Very good read, excellent remarkable work from this author.
I was granted this book to read by Random House UK, Transworld Publishers via Net Galley and I loved it more than words can say.
There are many things written that stood out to me either feeling in shock, awe or darn right flabbergasted.
My take on it is this:
The love of her life was accused of a crime he insists he didn't commit and that he was framed for. He is still saying this right out until the time he is released.
Whilst in prison Annie never hears from him.
She moves on with her life and marries Chief of Police William.
Right at the time I 'met' William in this book I thought him odd, insensitive and very power driven, however, we get to see why he is that way as the book moves along. He is precise in whatever he does. Even eating his meal would grate on my nerves.
There is a part in the book that sticks out among many....when he lifts her nighty up and just takes what he wants. OMG how would you react and why didn't Annie react?
Their little daughter would worry me endlessly, the pictures she draws, the obsession she has with death, crime and danger is so upsetting to read.
There are murders in this book, there is suspense in this read, it will keep you turning the pages very fast.
What I also loved about the way Louise Douglas has written this novel is how real it is. Each page was like I was watching a movie. Its was unravelling in my mind, I was sure I knew what was what.
At times I wanted to shout and shake or even knock William out! Then I got angry at Annie, for gods sake stand up to him. He wasn't a bully though out and out as you would expect.
I thought Annie's Mother was so not understanding her daughter. When she finds out Annie has rekindled her love for the man who has just come out of prison, she is not happy, not happy at all. Annie can't talk to her Mother.
Its a very compelling book to read. I really had to stick with this book from cover to cover, my eyes were dropping one evening before bed, but I needed to finish it. I really couldn't leave this book until the next day to see what was what.
Very good read, excellent remarkable work from this author.
I was granted this book to read by Random House UK, Transworld Publishers via Net Galley and I loved it more than words can say.
July 31, 2014
You will, I know, read other reviews that say they found it claustrophobic - there is a lot of detail about Annie's daily life, the routine and the boredom. Some people didn't like the Yorkshire setting and the background of the miners' strike, even thought it stereotyped. I really don't agree - the tedium of Annie's life and the very real domestic detail was what made it for me. The whole thing is just one enormous pressure cooker, against which the return of the love of Annie's young life creates a series of ripples and waves - and, finally, a tsunami of epic proportions - that are immensely shocking. Annie is difficult to like - she's irresponsible, careless, thoughtless, but driven by the passion that's so lacking in her daily existence. The characters are all exceptionally well drawn - Louise Douglas shows her characteristic deftness of touch with dialogue. Her relationship with William is quite fascinating, and I enjoyed the contrasts between his incorruptible and professional persona as a police officer, his coldness within his marriage, and his love and warmth with his daughter. And the era is - for me - perfectly recreated, as is the bleakness and hopelessness of the setting. The ending, when it comes, is explosive - and exceptionally well done.
If you've read Louise Douglas' books before, this one is very different. If you read The Love of my Life, you won't believe it was written by the same person. But it's different in a wholly good way. I really enjoyed it, and the books of this exceptionally gifted author will most certainly stay on my "must read" list.
Your Beautiful Lies will be published by Black Swan/Transworld in paperback and Kindle editions on 14 August. My thanks to netgalley and the publishers for my advance reading e-copy.
If you've read Louise Douglas' books before, this one is very different. If you read The Love of my Life, you won't believe it was written by the same person. But it's different in a wholly good way. I really enjoyed it, and the books of this exceptionally gifted author will most certainly stay on my "must read" list.
Your Beautiful Lies will be published by Black Swan/Transworld in paperback and Kindle editions on 14 August. My thanks to netgalley and the publishers for my advance reading e-copy.
October 16, 2018
I found this novel unremarkable, and a bit tiresome. It was too long, for one thing, as the story could have been effectively told in about a hundred fewer pages. However, I tried to abandon, to no avail. Had to know how things worked out, and so I skimmed along, and the ending was certainly unpredictable! However, this sort is not my forte, and probably others might have figured things out. To clarify, sheer length isn’t off-putting. On the contrary, I’m thrilled to find myself immersed in a tome! I just resent unnecessary pages.
October 2, 2014
Annie Howarth is living what should be the perfect life. She is married to William, who is a high ranking police officer in the South Yorkshire force; they have a beautiful daughter and a lovely home. On the surface life is good, but this is 1984 and the miners strike is in full swing and for the small mining communities of South Yorkshire, life is about to change forever. When Annie discovers that her former lover has returned to town after a ten year absence, a sense of restlessness starts to pervade and she finds that old memories run deep. When scandal threatens, Annie is haunted by the repercussions which follow.
The story is absorbing, entertaining and beguiling in equal measure. Annie’s story resonates and you very quickly become involved in her life, her family and share her simple joys and in the overwhelming dilemma of her life. There’s never a lull in the narrative, never a moment when the writing doesn’t draw you into situations which are plausible and realistic and which, undoubtedly, make you sit up and take notice. The restlessness of a community at odds with itself is well demonstrated and the agitation and unease of people living through an extraordinary time is shown in the almost indolent nature of the narrative and which reflects how the story is allowed to develop.
This author never puts a foot wrong and I know that whenever a new book beckons I am in for a real treat and that as soon as I start to read the first page, the outside world ceases to exist and I become lost in a plot which keeps my attention from beginning to end. I started to read Your Beautiful Lies at six o’clock on Friday evening and didn’t look up until the book was finished in the early hours of Saturday.
It was a Friday night well spent.
The story is absorbing, entertaining and beguiling in equal measure. Annie’s story resonates and you very quickly become involved in her life, her family and share her simple joys and in the overwhelming dilemma of her life. There’s never a lull in the narrative, never a moment when the writing doesn’t draw you into situations which are plausible and realistic and which, undoubtedly, make you sit up and take notice. The restlessness of a community at odds with itself is well demonstrated and the agitation and unease of people living through an extraordinary time is shown in the almost indolent nature of the narrative and which reflects how the story is allowed to develop.
This author never puts a foot wrong and I know that whenever a new book beckons I am in for a real treat and that as soon as I start to read the first page, the outside world ceases to exist and I become lost in a plot which keeps my attention from beginning to end. I started to read Your Beautiful Lies at six o’clock on Friday evening and didn’t look up until the book was finished in the early hours of Saturday.
It was a Friday night well spent.
October 10, 2014
Annie lives in a mining village in South Yorkshire and the books is set at the time of the strikes- where the communities and police clashed over the troubles.
She’s married to the Chief of police- but isn’t as happy as her life would suggest on the surface. She has a lovely house but her daily life is full of mundane chores and an emotionless husband.
In her youth she was in love with a lad called Tom. He went to prison on a manslaughter charge- and when he is released she is bothered by the news. But she is interested in him still. He’s maintaining his innocence.
A girl is found murdered on the Moors, which adds to the tension in the community. There is an investigation and the events really keep the pages turning.
With many thanks to Random House Uk and Net Galley for a copy of the book to review. I would highky recommend this one.
She’s married to the Chief of police- but isn’t as happy as her life would suggest on the surface. She has a lovely house but her daily life is full of mundane chores and an emotionless husband.
In her youth she was in love with a lad called Tom. He went to prison on a manslaughter charge- and when he is released she is bothered by the news. But she is interested in him still. He’s maintaining his innocence.
A girl is found murdered on the Moors, which adds to the tension in the community. There is an investigation and the events really keep the pages turning.
With many thanks to Random House Uk and Net Galley for a copy of the book to review. I would highky recommend this one.
July 9, 2014
Set in 1980s Yorkshire during the miner's strike, Louise Douglas expertly captured the mood of the period and her description of the landscape made me feel like I was there. Part relationship drama, part crime novel the pages crackled with repressed longing and I was desperate for Annie to escape her hum drum life with her daughter, Police Chief husband and elderly mother. The mystery of the body on the moors kept me guessing until the last few pages and the explosive ending took my breath away. I didn't see that coming!
August 14, 2021
Second book of hers I have read this month. Another GREAT one!
I enjoyed this one as much as I did "The House by the Sea". Louise Douglas really has a way of drawing you into the story right to the end. However, this ending left you to your own imagination as to what would happen to the other characters in the book. Died Ethel join her husband that night? Did Paul go to prison, and what happened to his wife and daughter? Did Annie, Tom and Elizabeth live happily ever after?
I enjoyed this one as much as I did "The House by the Sea". Louise Douglas really has a way of drawing you into the story right to the end. However, this ending left you to your own imagination as to what would happen to the other characters in the book. Died Ethel join her husband that night? Did Paul go to prison, and what happened to his wife and daughter? Did Annie, Tom and Elizabeth live happily ever after?
August 5, 2014
Your Beautiful Lies has a dark, brooding, almost menacing feel to it and is set in South Yorkshire during the miner's strike of the 1980s. Annie Howarth is married to William, the local police chief, they have a small daughter and live in one of the largest houses in the small mining town of Matlow.
Annie grew up in Matlow, her Dad works down the pit and her Mum cleans. As a youngster, Annie would look over at the house that she now calls home and imagine what it would be like to live there. Ten years ago, Annie was seeing local lad Tom, until he was found guilty of the manslaughter of an elderly lady and sent to prison.
Tom has served his time and been released, he's now back in Matlow and Annie is struggling with her innermost feelings, and then a young woman is found murdered on the nearby moors, and all eyes turn towards Tom once again.
Louise Douglas has cleverly created a woman who lives a fairly mundane, quite tedious life. Annie's day to day routines; the school run, caring for her increasingly frail mother-in-law, visiting the shops and entertaining the local vicar and Mayor become as familiar to the reader as they are to Annie, and her level of restlessness grows with each chapter.
The reappearance of Tom into Annie's life fires her up and her character becomes more rounded, although it's fair to say, she doesn't become any more likeable.
The Yorkshire setting and the 80s era are so familiar to me, and Louise Douglas has caught that small-town, everyone knows everyone else's business feeling so very well, and the reader is transported into the lives of the inhabitants of Matlow in an instant.
Your Beautiful Lies is a story of lost love, injustice and corruption. It is also a complex and multi-layered tale that deals with family dynamics and how choices and decisions can impact lives and communities for many years. The setting is bleak and cold, the characters are flawed yet authentic and the ending is shocking and unexpected.
Once again, Louise Douglas has written a book that engrossed me from start to finish. I am hugely impressed by her writing, and by her ability to produce such stunning novels - all so very different, but all so wonderful.
Annie grew up in Matlow, her Dad works down the pit and her Mum cleans. As a youngster, Annie would look over at the house that she now calls home and imagine what it would be like to live there. Ten years ago, Annie was seeing local lad Tom, until he was found guilty of the manslaughter of an elderly lady and sent to prison.
Tom has served his time and been released, he's now back in Matlow and Annie is struggling with her innermost feelings, and then a young woman is found murdered on the nearby moors, and all eyes turn towards Tom once again.
Louise Douglas has cleverly created a woman who lives a fairly mundane, quite tedious life. Annie's day to day routines; the school run, caring for her increasingly frail mother-in-law, visiting the shops and entertaining the local vicar and Mayor become as familiar to the reader as they are to Annie, and her level of restlessness grows with each chapter.
The reappearance of Tom into Annie's life fires her up and her character becomes more rounded, although it's fair to say, she doesn't become any more likeable.
The Yorkshire setting and the 80s era are so familiar to me, and Louise Douglas has caught that small-town, everyone knows everyone else's business feeling so very well, and the reader is transported into the lives of the inhabitants of Matlow in an instant.
Your Beautiful Lies is a story of lost love, injustice and corruption. It is also a complex and multi-layered tale that deals with family dynamics and how choices and decisions can impact lives and communities for many years. The setting is bleak and cold, the characters are flawed yet authentic and the ending is shocking and unexpected.
Once again, Louise Douglas has written a book that engrossed me from start to finish. I am hugely impressed by her writing, and by her ability to produce such stunning novels - all so very different, but all so wonderful.
August 29, 2014
I’ve loved everything Louise Douglas has written previously and I had great hopes for this book – thankfully I wasn’t disappointed as it is a great read!
Annie grew up in Matlow, the daughter of a miner. Whilst in her teens she was in love with local lad Tom, who was imprisoned for the manslaughter of an old lady. She is now married to William, the local police chief who has a reputation for being incorruptible, and although she has an affluent lifestyle her days are repetitive and tedious, consisting of cooking, the school run and caring for her frail mother-in-law. Annie is troubled by the news that Tom has served his time and is back in the area insisting he is innocent. Despite her initial reservations, Annie is drawn to Tom and seeks to find the passion that is so lacking in her life.
Set in the 1980’s miner’s strike the atmosphere of the book is bleak and claustrophobic. Being from that area and living through the strike, I thought it was very well written and captures the despondency and hopelessness of the whole situation. It’s a gritty read and all the main characters are seriously flawed; Annie in particular is not a sympathetic character, she’s childish and self-absorbed. The only character I felt any warmth towards was William’s mother who has flashes of clarity amidst her increasing confusion and bewilderment of senility.
All the threads are skilfully brought together and culminates in a shocking ending.
It’s a fantastic book, more serious in tone and scope than her early novels, and I look forward to her next one.
Thank you to Netgalley and Random House UK, Transworld for my review copy.
Annie grew up in Matlow, the daughter of a miner. Whilst in her teens she was in love with local lad Tom, who was imprisoned for the manslaughter of an old lady. She is now married to William, the local police chief who has a reputation for being incorruptible, and although she has an affluent lifestyle her days are repetitive and tedious, consisting of cooking, the school run and caring for her frail mother-in-law. Annie is troubled by the news that Tom has served his time and is back in the area insisting he is innocent. Despite her initial reservations, Annie is drawn to Tom and seeks to find the passion that is so lacking in her life.
Set in the 1980’s miner’s strike the atmosphere of the book is bleak and claustrophobic. Being from that area and living through the strike, I thought it was very well written and captures the despondency and hopelessness of the whole situation. It’s a gritty read and all the main characters are seriously flawed; Annie in particular is not a sympathetic character, she’s childish and self-absorbed. The only character I felt any warmth towards was William’s mother who has flashes of clarity amidst her increasing confusion and bewilderment of senility.
All the threads are skilfully brought together and culminates in a shocking ending.
It’s a fantastic book, more serious in tone and scope than her early novels, and I look forward to her next one.
Thank you to Netgalley and Random House UK, Transworld for my review copy.
October 5, 2014
Annie is married to a Chief Constable in a Yorkshire mining area during the miners' strike. It is clear from the start of the book that it is a fairly humdrum marriage and while Annie isn't actively unhappy living with her husband, daughter Elizabeth and her mother-in-law Ethel it wouldn't take very much to push her into unhappiness. The strike itself is producing tensions in the community and problems for the police.
Then a young woman's body is found on the moors and someone from Annie's past - Tom Greenaway reappears. He has served a prison sentence for manslaughter and has just been released. Gradually the story of the past and the present is unravelled and it seems though no one is being quite honest with themselves or with everyone else. Can Annie's marriage to William survive? More importantly can Annie herself survive?
I found this book absorbing reading and it was interesting to see how people's lives on the surface were very far from matching their actual lives. I thought the background tension of the miners' strike was very well done, especially the way it divided families.
The book is well written and I thought the characters were well developed too. I shall be looking out for the author's next book and if you enjoy books which cross several genres you may well enjoy this one. I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley for review purposes.
Then a young woman's body is found on the moors and someone from Annie's past - Tom Greenaway reappears. He has served a prison sentence for manslaughter and has just been released. Gradually the story of the past and the present is unravelled and it seems though no one is being quite honest with themselves or with everyone else. Can Annie's marriage to William survive? More importantly can Annie herself survive?
I found this book absorbing reading and it was interesting to see how people's lives on the surface were very far from matching their actual lives. I thought the background tension of the miners' strike was very well done, especially the way it divided families.
The book is well written and I thought the characters were well developed too. I shall be looking out for the author's next book and if you enjoy books which cross several genres you may well enjoy this one. I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley for review purposes.
August 8, 2014
A gripping story set in a small Yorkshire town during the 1980's miners strike, Your Beautiful Lies kept me enthralled from the first page to the last!
Annie is married to the local Police Chief and they live with their daughter in Everwell, the house Annie has admired since she was young. Their life appears perfect, but when a lover from Annie's past reappears, a lover who has been convicted of murder but claims his innocence, her life begins to take a different turn as they pick up their romance.
It is half crime novel half romance, but both parts perfectly meld to bring together a well rounded story packed full of tension that depicts the bleak times experienced by miners and their families during the strikes, as well as the daily minutiae of everyday life. A very unexpected ending completed this great book!
*I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Annie is married to the local Police Chief and they live with their daughter in Everwell, the house Annie has admired since she was young. Their life appears perfect, but when a lover from Annie's past reappears, a lover who has been convicted of murder but claims his innocence, her life begins to take a different turn as they pick up their romance.
It is half crime novel half romance, but both parts perfectly meld to bring together a well rounded story packed full of tension that depicts the bleak times experienced by miners and their families during the strikes, as well as the daily minutiae of everyday life. A very unexpected ending completed this great book!
*I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 4, 2019
I'm really struggling with my rating for this because I was able to finish it, but I have some issues. Actually, I have a bunch of issues.
First off, Annie is a horrible person. I feel zero sympathy for her throughout the entire book. At one point, she decides she is going to leave her husband so she can run away with her old boyfriend/current booty call (who, by the way, she believed was a murderer for a very long time until she just decided that wasn't a thing anymore because Tom is good at sex or something...) and she flat out says - paraphrased - "this will destroy my husband and my daughter, make my mother angry and I'll feel guilty about it for the rest of my life"...BUT DOES IT ANYWAY!
Look, her husband isn't perfect. He's a little cold, a little standoffish...but he's not a bad guy. I felt more sympathy for him even though I'm not sure I was supposed to. Especially when Annie tries to make him the bad guy for spying on her while she was cheating on him.
I felt like the ending was incredibly rushed, and there were so many little plot points that never ended up being addressed. The whole big mystery of what happened to Annie's brother doesn't seem to matter. The actual murderer seemingly has no real motive and comes out of nowhere. I like a good twist but at least have it make sense.
Also, there are no consequences for anyone! The ending has the shock factor but it leaves way too many things unaddressed. Tom is just left bleeding somewhere and Paul gets to walk free I guess because the only person who knows the truth just shot himself.
I have so many issues with this book. Character issues...plot issues...pacing issues. We can't wrap up important plot lines but we can describe every meal Annie cooked in detail!
Why?
I really enjoyed the last Louise Douglas book I read, but this one was disappointing.
First off, Annie is a horrible person. I feel zero sympathy for her throughout the entire book. At one point, she decides she is going to leave her husband so she can run away with her old boyfriend/current booty call (who, by the way, she believed was a murderer for a very long time until she just decided that wasn't a thing anymore because Tom is good at sex or something...) and she flat out says - paraphrased - "this will destroy my husband and my daughter, make my mother angry and I'll feel guilty about it for the rest of my life"...BUT DOES IT ANYWAY!
Look, her husband isn't perfect. He's a little cold, a little standoffish...but he's not a bad guy. I felt more sympathy for him even though I'm not sure I was supposed to. Especially when Annie tries to make him the bad guy for spying on her while she was cheating on him.
I felt like the ending was incredibly rushed, and there were so many little plot points that never ended up being addressed. The whole big mystery of what happened to Annie's brother doesn't seem to matter. The actual murderer seemingly has no real motive and comes out of nowhere. I like a good twist but at least have it make sense.
Also, there are no consequences for anyone! The ending has the shock factor but it leaves way too many things unaddressed. Tom is just left bleeding somewhere and Paul gets to walk free I guess because the only person who knows the truth just shot himself.
I have so many issues with this book. Character issues...plot issues...pacing issues. We can't wrap up important plot lines but we can describe every meal Annie cooked in detail!
Why?
I really enjoyed the last Louise Douglas book I read, but this one was disappointing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 14, 2022
I have recently found Louise Douglas and I have devoured three of her books. I love her writing, characters, settings, and so much more.
Annie is married to the chief of police and lives the picture perfect life....as an outsider looking in. All is far from perfect. Annie manages their home and their young daughter while looking after William's ailing mother. Taking place in more recent times, but feeling much like the 1950's for me, this little mining community seems to be left in the past, sheltered from all the comfort of present time. A young woman is found murdered in the moors and the town police are scrambling to find the killer. Meanwhile the local miners are set to strike and chaos is found everywhere. No place is safe to be. But just as Annie's day to day couldn't get any more mundane, here comes Tom fresh from the prison where he served time for murdering a local grandmother. In her heart, she always knew he didn't kill that woman. How could someone she loved be a cold-blooded murderer? As Annie and Tom rekindle a love from their past, the town continues to fall apart. Annie knows her husband suspects something. She knows she is being followed. Hoe can she make this right?
Your Beautiful Lies by Louise Douglas just hits all the feels. So many passages I had to read over and over again; she just nails it! I truly felt for Annie's inner turmoil. I will be recommending Your Beautiful Lies by Louise Douglas to all my book loving friends and will be looking for other works by Louise Douglas. She is quickly becoming one of my favorites! Special thanks to NetGalley, Louise Douglas, and Boldwood Books for the advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest opinion. 5 stars for me!
#YourBeautifulLies #NetGalley
Annie is married to the chief of police and lives the picture perfect life....as an outsider looking in. All is far from perfect. Annie manages their home and their young daughter while looking after William's ailing mother. Taking place in more recent times, but feeling much like the 1950's for me, this little mining community seems to be left in the past, sheltered from all the comfort of present time. A young woman is found murdered in the moors and the town police are scrambling to find the killer. Meanwhile the local miners are set to strike and chaos is found everywhere. No place is safe to be. But just as Annie's day to day couldn't get any more mundane, here comes Tom fresh from the prison where he served time for murdering a local grandmother. In her heart, she always knew he didn't kill that woman. How could someone she loved be a cold-blooded murderer? As Annie and Tom rekindle a love from their past, the town continues to fall apart. Annie knows her husband suspects something. She knows she is being followed. Hoe can she make this right?
Your Beautiful Lies by Louise Douglas just hits all the feels. So many passages I had to read over and over again; she just nails it! I truly felt for Annie's inner turmoil. I will be recommending Your Beautiful Lies by Louise Douglas to all my book loving friends and will be looking for other works by Louise Douglas. She is quickly becoming one of my favorites! Special thanks to NetGalley, Louise Douglas, and Boldwood Books for the advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest opinion. 5 stars for me!
#YourBeautifulLies #NetGalley
March 13, 2022
After the love of her life gets sent to prison, still claiming his innocence, Annie doesn't hear from him for ten years. She settled for a comfortable and safe marriage with older man, William, and lives a rich, yet dull life with her young daughter. William Howarth is chief of police in their small South Yorkshire village and now in 1987, the tensions in this mining town are high as the workers are striking, protesting the possible closing of the mines. When Annie's former love Tom returns and reconnects with her, still proclaiming his innocence, she believes him...until a woman is found murdered on the moors. A woman that looks remarkably like Annie.
While I felt bad for Annie and Tom, separated for all those years, I didn't really like to read about her sneaking around on William. Seemingly a really good man, though unemotional, her only objection to him seemed to be that he was so much older, which she obviously knew before they married. This was just an ok read for me, not even about the mystery of the dead girls, but focused more on Annie's affair. The plot pretty much followed exactly what I expected with no surprises.
I received an advance reader copy of this book. The views and opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and given voluntarily
While I felt bad for Annie and Tom, separated for all those years, I didn't really like to read about her sneaking around on William. Seemingly a really good man, though unemotional, her only objection to him seemed to be that he was so much older, which she obviously knew before they married. This was just an ok read for me, not even about the mystery of the dead girls, but focused more on Annie's affair. The plot pretty much followed exactly what I expected with no surprises.
I received an advance reader copy of this book. The views and opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and given voluntarily
June 21, 2018
This was a light read...light in the sense of not requiring much of my mind. The language was everyday rather than poetic and once I'd started, it was easy to keep reading and because I wanted to see what happened.
I won't say much about the plot because you can read that on the blurb of the book and because it would be too easy to create spoilers.
The author used language and events to create a sense of menace and suspense. The twist in the plot wasn't something I had guessed, although the eventual ending was predictable.
I didn't get any 'wow' factor from reading this book and generally felt a little underwhelmed.
I didn't really warm to any of the characters apart from the child and the senile mother who were caught up in the events unfolding around them.
Although I was able to read to the end, I can't honestly say I liked the book, hence my 2 stars, but it should really be about 2.5 or 2.75.
I won't say much about the plot because you can read that on the blurb of the book and because it would be too easy to create spoilers.
The author used language and events to create a sense of menace and suspense. The twist in the plot wasn't something I had guessed, although the eventual ending was predictable.
I didn't get any 'wow' factor from reading this book and generally felt a little underwhelmed.
I didn't really warm to any of the characters apart from the child and the senile mother who were caught up in the events unfolding around them.
Although I was able to read to the end, I can't honestly say I liked the book, hence my 2 stars, but it should really be about 2.5 or 2.75.
February 16, 2021
Annie grew up a poor coal miner's daughter. She becomes involved with Tom Greenaway & falls in love. When he is convicted of murdering an elderly widow & sentenced to prison, it is the end of their love affair. Annie winds up marrying William Howarth, the local chief of police. They have a daughter, Elizabeth, & life continues in a dull, predictable way for Annie. That is, until Tom is released from prison & they meet up. Annie doesn't love her husband, but she enjoys all the perks of being his wife. When a young woman is found murdered in the moors at the same time as Annie & Tom resume their relationship, life for Annie begins to take on sinister tone.
This was my first time reading a book by Louise Douglas & it was quite good. I enjoyed the characters & the story line, all the way up to the unexpected ending. I look forward to reading more of Ms. Douglas' books.
This was my first time reading a book by Louise Douglas & it was quite good. I enjoyed the characters & the story line, all the way up to the unexpected ending. I look forward to reading more of Ms. Douglas' books.
August 6, 2019
I have previously read "The love of my life" and "The secrets between us" by Louise Douglas. Both of which I really enjoyed so I thought I'd try another. Even though overall I did like this story I found it to be a lot slower than the others, it took me longer to get into the characters and plot. It was easy in the end to sympathise with the main character and the difficulties in her relationships and the ending did surprise me somewhat. I was a little disappointed by the ending as it was very blunt and I would have liked to have seen how things played out between Annie and her family after the truth was out. However it does leave you thinking which is always a good end to a book!
February 13, 2021
I’m not really sure what to say about this book because I found it to be anticlimactic until the end, and even then I was still left underwhelmed. I was surprised when the truth was revealed because I honestly didn’t see it coming. Looking back, there were little hints that alluded to it, but it still caught me by surprise. Also, the book ended too abruptly. There wasn’t anything that really brought the story together or left me feeling like it was complete. I’m sorry to say, but this is not my favorite book from Louise Douglas.
*I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
*I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
March 20, 2022
Really great read
Brilliantly written and enjoyable read set during the miners strike in South yorkshire. Great ending and brilliant characters. Annie who comes from a mining family and is married to a high ranking police officer suddenly finds herself drawn back to her first love when he is released from prison after serving 10 years for manslaughter and claiming he was framed. This and murders of two young women and dealing with a family tragedy and an unhappy married life causes Annie to think her life will be one of extreme unhappiness.
Brilliantly written and enjoyable read set during the miners strike in South yorkshire. Great ending and brilliant characters. Annie who comes from a mining family and is married to a high ranking police officer suddenly finds herself drawn back to her first love when he is released from prison after serving 10 years for manslaughter and claiming he was framed. This and murders of two young women and dealing with a family tragedy and an unhappy married life causes Annie to think her life will be one of extreme unhappiness.
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April 21, 2021I was so, so disappointed with this book. I have read many other books by this author so I bought this one...over £8 as well. It had so much potential initially, but the development and fragmentation of the story, not to mention its conclusion left me baffled. I cannot believe that this book was written by the same author as the other books which I have read. I am unlikely to read, and will certainly be very slow to buy anything else by this author who I had previously considered top class.
May 28, 2025
deep and dark
This is a brilliantly crafted book that draws you in completely. From a seemingly perfect life we are drawn deeper into conflict, the setting of a South Yorkshire town at the time of the miners strike added layers of emotion and social divide, add in a love story and three murders. Deep characters that you love, hate, pity and want to rescue all at the same time, and an ending that you don’t expect except there could be no other.
This is a brilliantly crafted book that draws you in completely. From a seemingly perfect life we are drawn deeper into conflict, the setting of a South Yorkshire town at the time of the miners strike added layers of emotion and social divide, add in a love story and three murders. Deep characters that you love, hate, pity and want to rescue all at the same time, and an ending that you don’t expect except there could be no other.
July 27, 2017
Absolutely fantastic, I loved this story, it was gripping for me from the very beginning and kept me until the very end, totally resonates with stories of people being put away for crimes they did not commit and who come out to try and prove it and this story, proves the case. I be reading more from this author.
May 15, 2018
I really wanted to give this two and a half. It was more than 'OK', but I wouldn't go as far as to say I liked it .... mainly because there are far better books out there!
I found it a little dull and predictable, dated in not a good way. But interesting to remember how difficult it must have been to try to engage in a clandestine relationship in the days before mobile phones!
I found it a little dull and predictable, dated in not a good way. But interesting to remember how difficult it must have been to try to engage in a clandestine relationship in the days before mobile phones!
May 21, 2021
This is the fourth book I've read by this author. If I had read this one first I probably wouldn't have read any more. The book drags so much. There is no real mystery like the author's other books. And the protagonist is very difficult to like. If that wasn't enough it had a terrible ending. I am giving it 2 stars because I finished it. But, I don't recommend it.
June 28, 2021
I love Louise's work, but this one had me frustrated. The movement was slow in building, and that's okay. Let this one simmer along for the full story. The question of whether Annie will stick to her decisions made me want to shake her. I could see where I thought the story was going, but was wrong in my prediction. The explosive ending was worth the wait.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 17, 2021
Great mystery read!
This book hooked me from page 1. I recall the time frame during the miners strike. Storyline is brilliant and I just had to get to the end!! I was completely shocked!
This book hooked me from page 1. I recall the time frame during the miners strike. Storyline is brilliant and I just had to get to the end!! I was completely shocked!
October 26, 2022
Good however.......
No spoilers. I've enjoyed reading Louise Douglas books and Your Beautiful Lies is quite good. Well written and easy to lose track of everything else that's how good the story is. Have to say I honestly didn't think the ending would turn out like it did.
No spoilers. I've enjoyed reading Louise Douglas books and Your Beautiful Lies is quite good. Well written and easy to lose track of everything else that's how good the story is. Have to say I honestly didn't think the ending would turn out like it did.
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