If I Were You | A totally gripping domestic thriller with a heart-pounding twist

by Helen Matthews

She needs your help. But the truth she is hiding could destroy you both.
A jaw-dropping thriller about two sisters that will keep you up all night

Tessa, a former career woman with long Covid and depression, lives a reclusive life in a London suburb. When her long estranged younger sister Maddie suddenly turns up with a baby, events spiral. Maddie claims she’s fled a controlling partner who is threatening to take the child. Overwhelmed at first, Tessa wants to help—both her sister and, by acting, herself.

But the situation grows murkier. Maddie speaks of a man named Zak, the baby’s father, who isolated and manipulated her. Her story has gaps and contradictions. Flashbacks and Maddie’s behavior plant doubts. Is she really just a victim? As Tessa gets pulled deeper into Maddie’s account, she begins to question her own reality.

Between old loyalty and new mistrust, the sisters’ relationship frays. When Maddie suddenly disappears and leaves the baby with Tessa, Tessa faces a Should she believe Maddie’s warnings? Or is she caught in a game she can’t control?

359 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 5, 2026

About the author

Delighted to announce that domestic suspense novel The Sisters is out soon from Bloodhound Books. They also recently republished my prize-winning suspense thriller Girl Out of Sight.

Lies Behind the Ruin, family noir set in France, is available from Amazon. A new edition of The Girl in the Van, winner of the Pageturner prize 2022 in the suspense and thriller category, will be out in January 2025.

I'm originally from Cardiff, studied English at Liverpool University and hold an MA in Creative Writing from Oxford Brookes. I've won prizes for flash fiction and short stories and been published in 'Artificium', Reflex Fiction, 1k story, ElipsisZine, Love Sunday, Scribble and in an eBook 'Garage 54 and other stories'.

Long ago in a galaxy far away (before I focused on fiction) I had some articles published in the Guardian, on the BBC and in lifestyle magazines. I love travelling and you can read about some quirky encounters and places on my blog. I'm an ambassador for the charity , Unseen that fights to end modern slavery.

Reviews

[Mary Polzella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tessa is a former career woman with long Covid and depression. Her long estranged younger sister turns up with a baby, claiming she’s fled a controlling partner who is threatening to take the child. Overwhelmed at first, Tessa wants to help. Maddie tells Tessa that Zak, the baby’s father, isolated and manipulated her but her story has gaps and contradictions and Maddie’s behavior plant doubts. When Maddie suddenly disappears leaving the baby with Tessa, she starts to suspect that Maddie may have been speaking the truth all along.

A domestic thriller about two estranged and very different sisters who reconnect when the younger sister turns up unexpectedly with her five month old son. The narrative is well paced and the tension slowly builds over the course of the story to its twist and conclusion. This is a slow burn thriller that keeps you on edge and feeling a sense of disquiet about what is really going on. I will definitely be interested in reading more by this author! ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thank you @digitalpublishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

[book_thimble · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you @digitalpublishers for sending me this ARC in return for an honest review. It was so good! Reminded me a bit of Claire MacKintosh novels, twisty, turny and a little bit unexpected! Due out tomorrow! (5 Feb)
The story follows two sisters, Tessa and Maddie thrown together after years apart. Expect surprises, suspense, elements of coercive control, lies, deceit and unexpected bravery!