Silent Lies

by Kathryn Croft

‘Your husband didn’t kill himself.’
Five years rebuilding your life. Five words will destroy it again.

Mia Hamilton lived the perfect life with her husband, university teacher Zach, and their two-year-old daughter. But everything changed when Zach committed suicide on the same night one of his students vanished. 

Five years later, just when Mia is beginning to heal, stranger Alison walks into her life, saying her husband didn’t kill himself. 

Fragile, slight Alison leads Mia on a path into Zach’s past, and Mia begins to think she never really knew her own husband. As the secrets revealed get darker, Alison becomes harder to read, and Mia starts to wonder – why is Alison so keen to help?

And then a piece of the puzzle appears in an impossible place, and Mia has to ask, is she losing her mind, or should she be afraid for her life?

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Audiobook, Mystery Thriller, Fiction, Psychological Thriller, Crime

294 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 25, 2017

Reviews

[Chelsea Humphrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve come to really look forward to each book Kathryn Croft releases; they all follow her typical formula of a banging beginning filled with many questions and the goal is to solve them as we go about the book. You could almost say that her books follow a typical detective style plotting, and we are placed into the view point of our protagonist, journeying alongside of her in “real time” and figuring out things as they do. This is one of my favorite type of stories; we all know how much I love to solve a mystery and I’m pleased to say I did not have this one figured out before the big reveal in the ending. While this isn’t the most important factor, it was one that caused me to enjoy this novel even more than the author’s previous one. This is the goal, right? To see an author surpass their talents with each book? If so, please take the time to pick up Silent Lies.

I found myself immediately empathetic for Mia; her initial becoming of a single mother to a young daughter was all too real for me and I couldn’t stop myself from wondering just what I would do in a similar situation. The premise is both mysterious and heartbreaking, which I think was important in creating a bond between reader and characters here. I’ll admit, I couldn’t stop running through every possible scenario in my head as I was reading; I was so determined to solve the mystery that I couldn’t slow down enough just to read through. This book is extremely fast paced and unputdownable; honestly my only concern is that some readers may not be able to get past the fact that some of the explanations and causes behind the entire mystery are a bit far fetched, but that’s what makes fiction exciting, and I was able to enjoy the story regardless.

If you enjoy the typical Bookouture mystery and are clamoring for more (honestly, aren’t we all?), this is a FANTASTIC choice to add to your TBR. I would highly recommend reading it at a time you aren’t busy or taking it with you on a trip where you have time to devote to it, because you aren’t going to want to put it down. This is an excellent choice for those who are fans of the ever popular psychological suspense in the domestic realm. Pack a bag and loads of caffeine with this one; you’ll have to stay up all night finishing it and will likely be a happy zombie by morning! ;)

*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my copy via NetGalley.

[Holly B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kathryn Croft has a writing style that I enjoy and this one has alternating timelines from present to past with two characters POVs where you feel like a fly on the wall as the story unfolds!

The story is told through Mia and Josie, two women who had a relationship with Mia's husband, Zach. He is a college professor and Josie is one of his students and is rumored to have had an affair with him, but Zach really does love his wife Mia and their daughter Freya. Would he really jeopardize his family who he truly loves?? He is a responsible adult, right?

Police have concluded that Zach committed suicide while in Josie's apartment, but where is Josie? She disappeared that night and no one has seen her since. Has she been murdered? Is she involved in Zach's demise? What does her roommate Alison know about that night? Did Alison see or hear something?

Mia has always accepted the police finding....until one day Alison walks into her office five years later and whispers..."Zach did not kill himself". Alison was Josie's roommate and she could know something!! Alison could have even been home!

Everyone has secrets and something to hide. Mia is committed to finding out what happened to her loving husband, but what it will cost her? Who does she trust? After all, Alison may have a motive in her little revelation.

I enjoyed this book and the constant guessing and analyzing of who to trust!! I went back and forth several times trying to see who the truth teller was! Loved the way it ended. Never saw it coming...
What just happened??

I think those who like K.L. Slater novels, will really enjoy this one as I did! Fast-paced and mind bending.

Thanks to Bookouture, Kathryn Croft and Netgalley for the ARC
Publication date October 25, 2017

[Sandysbookaday (taking a step back for a while) · Rating 4 out of 5]

EXCERPT: 'Who...who are you?'

Exactly who I said I was. I just didn't mention that I know who you are, or that I'm here to tell you your husband didn't kill himself.'

THE BLURB: ‘Your husband didn’t kill himself.’
Five years rebuilding your life. Five words will destroy it again.

Mia Hamilton lived the perfect life with her husband, university teacher Zach, and their two-year-old daughter, Freya. But everything changed when Zach committed suicide on the same night one of his students, Josie Carpenter, vanished.

Five years later, and Josie is still missing but Mia has finally found some happiness with new boyfriend Will.

Until one day when stranger Alison walks into her life and tells Mia that her husband didn’t kill himself.

Desperate to find out what really happened to Zach, Mia is forced to put her trust in Alison. But she soon discovers that Alison has her own agenda behind exposing the details of Zach’s death. Can Mia really believe anything Alison says?

Mia must decide how far she is willing to go to uncover the truth – even if she risks losing everything she loves.

MY THOUGHTS: 'How do you know who to trust?' This is the question that is the crux of Silent Lies by Kathryn Croft. And after reading this, I don't know that I am ever again going to believe anything I am told that I haven't seen with my own eyes.

Silent Lies is told from the viewpoints of Mia and Josie over two different timelines that gradually merge. There are more twists and turns than is likely to be found in a plateful of spaghetti. All the way through, I was wondering why........why Mia was taking such risks, why she couldn't just settle down with Will and be happy, why she couldn't look to the future instead of the past, why she was listening to Alison who was manipulative and scheming?

All my questions were answered in an absolutely unforseen ending.

If you are looking for a gripping psychological thriller, I can recommend Silent Lies.

Thank you to Bookouture via NetGalley for providing a digital copy of Silent Lies by Kathryn Croft for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the 'about' page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system. This review and others are also published on my blog sandysbookaday.wordpress.com https://wordpress.com/post/sandysbook... and on Twitter @SandraFayJones2

[Melisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kathryn Croft has weaved another suspenseful thriller.

The dual narrative of this story is really interesting, told in a past/present fashion from alternating perspectives. It is full of unreliable characters who will keep you guessing until the end.

I have to admit, I didn’t see the conclusion coming - I was definitely surprised by the resolution. This would have been a 4 star read for me had I not been left with so many unanswered questions (a reading pet peeve of mine.) I would like to sit down with a few of the characters and ask them some questions.

I thought this was a strong psychological thriller but was slightly let down by the conclusion. I enjoyed Croft’s previous book and will definitely be reading her upcoming works as well.

3.5 stars

Thank you to Netgalley, Kathryn Croft and Bookouture for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Five years ago Mia Hamilton's husband took his own life in the apartment of a student of his that also went missing that very night. There was blood at the scene but the girl or her body had never been recovered so rumors swirled that Mia's husband had done something to the girl and then felt guilty thus taking his own life in his grief. This left Mia alone to raise their young daughter with plenty of questions of just what could have really happened that night.

Now Mia has begun to heal and put the past behind her but suddenly a woman walks into her life that claims to have known her husband and details of that night. Alison also says she is now afraid of her own husband who had been a colleague of Mia's husband so Mia can't help but want to help out Alison along with hoping to get to the truth of just what had happened. But it's quickly clear that Mia should be wary of Alison and her motives and she wonders if she'll be able to trust anything Alison says.

Silent Lies by Kathryn Croft is a psychological thriller with plenty of twists and turns along the way as the secrets unfold. The story is told from the two main view points of Mia in the current time and then Josie from five years before to learn of just what happened to her to lead to her disappearance and Mia's husband's suicide. The alternating voices along with timelines were very easy to follow along with both leading the reader to the conclusion.

I had actually read a couple of other books from Kathryn Croft before so I already knew that I would completely enjoy her writing style and would be in for a good story. As usual I just didn't know who in here to trust and just what I would find at the end but completely enjoyed the ride along the way. I did guess a slight bit of the outcome this time but there were still some other surprises in store. In the end this would be one that I'd definitely recommend checking out.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....

[Liz · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mia’s husband, Zach, committed suicide five years ago on the same night one of his students vanishes. Now, there's a woman telling her her husband did not commit suicide. This book starts off strong with a good premise. It alternates in POV between present day Mia and the student, Josie, from five years ago. Unfortunately, I had trouble relating to either Mia or Josie. Mia seems to be stringing her new boyfriend along and I couldn't buy it was because she couldn't trust any men nowadays. Josie has a problematic relationship with her mother and is developing a crush on Zach.

This is one of those books when you have no idea who to trust. There is even a question of whether the characters are being honest with themselves. Several of the characters seem caricatures rather than fleshed out beings, for example, Josie’s mother. And I found a lot of what people did to just not make sense. There were times Mia reminded me of those gals in horror movies, always making what appears to be a stupid choice. As advertised, the ending is unexpected. Unfortunately, it also didn't really ring true. Too many leaps of faith required.

My thanks to netgalley and Bookouture for an advance copy of this book.

[Nazanin · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars

Mia’s husband, Zack, was a lecturer at a university. Five years ago they found his body in one of his students' house, Josie. Police decided he killed himself and they never found Josie but based on the blood on her house they think she is dead, too. Five years later, Mia is a counselor and have a partner and a seven-year-old girl. One of her clients claims Zack didn’t kill himself and she knew Josie but this woman is disturbed, so Mia can’t trust on her words. Therefore, she determined to find the truth herself!

Well, I liked this story and I enjoyed it except for the ending. I mean at the end we know all about the secrets but I need a neat closure in my books, just this! The writing was really good and I liked the characters so much. they were brave and smart. The story was unpredictable for me. Actually from the beginning I didn’t know what to expect!

Told in dual POV (Mia/Josie), 1st person, alternating between the past and the present chapter to chapter. It’s a stand-alone novel. It was an enjoyable read for me, hope you like it s well!

Thanks to Kathryn Croft, Netgalley and Bookouture for the advanced digital copy in exchange an honest review.

[Sam (Clues and Reviews) · Rating 5 out of 5]

My wedding is next week. Things are insane. Yet, when I found out the Bookouture would be doing a blog blitz for the newest publication by Kathryn Croft, I threw all caution to the wind and signed myself up! Kathryn Croft is one of my favourite writers of psychological thrillers. I couldn’t resist!

As I previously mentioned, Silent Lies, is the newest release by Kathryn Croft. A fast paced plot filled with multi-layered, manipulative characters had me binge reading this novel late into the night! From the moment I started the book, I was hooked by the prologue.

The story unfolds and is completely filled with tension. Mia, reeling from the loss of her husband, is still trying to make sense of his suicide and supposed involvement with one of his students, Josie. Five years, Josie is still missing and a mysterious woman, Allison, who tells her that her husband did not kill himself, visits Mia. With this revelation, Mia is pushed down the path of uncovering the truth.

The story is told in two different perspectives: the first one is told through the eyes of Mia as she tries to figure out the truth and combat her many feelings about her husband and the gossip surrounding his death. The second perspective comes from Josie as she discusses her roommate and life on campus. I do not want to reveal too much more about the plot, but the style of the story makes you feel as if you are an insider into both perspectives. I loved watching the parallels.

Croft’s writing style is easy to become lost in and I found myself flipping the pages frantically by the time I neared the end of the story.

Overall, if you are a fan of psychological thrillers with a sort of “chick lit” vibe, then I feel like this will absolutely appeal to you.

5/5 stars from me!

[Sarah Joint · Rating 3 out of 5]

My three stars are going to make me an outlier here but I just wasn't as into this one as I would have liked. Interesting story, shifting timelines and perspectives, lots of secrets. I just didn't connect with the characters the way I wanted to and had a difficult time relating to them. It's still worth a read for many, and I'm not surprised it's getting lots of four and five star reviews.

"Your husband didn't kill himself."

These words are uttered by a nervous young woman who has come to Mia for counseling. Mia has spent the past few years raising her daughter without her husband and trying to move on... to accept that there were many things she didn't know about Zach. Like he would want to kill himself. Like he would have an affair with a student. Like she didn't know him that well at all. Now Allison is telling her that many of the things she convinced herself were true are lies... but can this mysterious woman be trusted?

Mia should be focusing on her daughter and kind boyfriend Will, but she can't. She's become obsessed with figuring out exactly what happened that horrible night... what could have led to a bloody apartment with a missing student occupied only by the body of her husband? Could he have been in any way innocent?

Intriguing story with a surprising ending. I didn't quite buy it though, so I had to take some stars away for my problems with it and the characters.

I received a copy of this book from Net Galley and Bookouture, thank you! My review is honest and unbiased.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

SILENT LIES by Kathryn Croft is her sixth psychological thriller, a real treat to read, and will keep you guessing right to the end with the shocker in the final chapter. I have to admit I did not believe it was going to be as good as it was, and I saw I was in for a real treat!

This novel is all about trust, and deciding who you can trust. Who is telling the truth and who is lying?

‘Your husband didn’t kill himself.’
Five years rebuilding your life. Five words will destroy it again.

Mia Hamilton had a perfect life with her husband, university teacher Zach, and their two-year-old daughter, Freya. But everything changed when Zach committed suicide on the same night one of his students, Josie Carpenter, vanished.

Five years later, Josie is still missing but Mia has finally moved on and found some happiness with new boyfriend Will. But she still needs to know what happened with Zach…in order to allow her to move on with Will.

Then one day, a perfect stranger, Alison Cummings comes in for an appointment, to Mia’s recently set up counselling business, and tells Mia that her husband didn’t kill himself.

Mia looking for answers for her husband’s suicide, puts her trust in Alison. But she soon discovers that Alison has her own agenda behind exposing the details of Zach’s death. Can Mia really believe anything Alison says?

Mia must decide how far she is willing to go to uncover the truth.

This story is told from two points of view in alternating chapters, Mia’s in the present and Josie’s five years previous. This process works well in the book, as it allows the reader to try to gain an understanding of What Happened? And everything comes together in the end with a surprise ending chapter.

Details are disclosed on a need to know basis, and raise the thrill level.

As I read this book I found myself not trusting anyone. I was so suspicious of everyone Mia came in contact with.

This was a well written book full of gripping suspense I'd highly recommend.

Thank you to Bookouture via NetGalley for providing me with my copy.

[BIBLIOMANIAC MJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one had all the ingredients of a great story... intriguing plot, great writing and cliffhangers that made me want to read a tad more. But just like a cake baking in the oven, growing beautifully, whilst you salivate in anticipation for the perfect mouthful of cake, it can disappointingly still end up falling flat right at the end.

Five years after Zach commits suicide at the same time his student, Josie, disappears, Mia ( Zach's wife) receives disturbing news from Alison, Josie's former roommate, when she proclaims 'Your husband didn't kill himself.'

With such an intriguing opening, I dove right in, enjoying the ride with every page turned.

The story alternates between the perspective of Mia and Josie, with many chapters ending with a teaser, leaving you desperate to find out more.

I was thoroughly entertained by this great story but alas, that ending ... Although I didn't see it coming and granted, it was shocking, it was sadly a huge let down, as it deviated too drastically from the path the author painstakingly led us down throughout the entire book.

Also, the author did such a great job of filling the reader's mind with questions throughout the novel, however some of the answers provided didn't make sense or were too vague to offer a satisfactory explanation, leaving me confused and agitated.

I am getting rather frustrated with book endings that boast a jaw dropping twist, yet they don't make sense in relation to the entire build up of that story. Shocking your reader to the point of frustration should not be the end goal. The result being a very disgruntled customer...can you tell?

Such a pity, as I was really enjoying this one until it flopped right at the end.

I would like to thank Netgalley, Bookouture and Kathryn Croft for the opportunity to read Silent Lies in exchange for my honest opinion.

["Avonna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Check out all of my book reviews at: http://www.avonnalovesgenres.com

I really enjoy psychological thrillers, but I was starting to feel burnt out on the genre and felt all the characters and plots where the same. I switched to other types of books for a while and came back to these thrillers with a winner and an author that did not deliver a great ending for me in “While You Were Sleeping”, but WOW did Katheryn Croft deliver in SILENT LIES!

Five years ago, Mia Hamilton and her two year old daughter were thrust into the middle of a media frenzy when her husband, university lecturer, Zach Hamilton committed suicide in the flat of one of his university students, Josie Carpenter, who disappeared on the same night. With Josie’s blood throughout the apartment, Zach was accused of killing Josie and then committing suicide in remorse.

In the present, Mia and her daughter Freya have moved on. Mia has a boyfriend and has become a counselor. A new client shows up for an appointment and Mia’s world is thrown into chaos once again when the client tells her that her husband did not commit suicide, he was killed. Can this client be telling the truth and does Mia want to discover what really happened to her husband?

This story is told from two points of view in alternating chapters, Mia’s in the present and Josie’s five years previous. I had a hard time taking a break from this one! You have two women with completely different lives that converge in an ending that surprised me so much, I had to go back and make sure I was reading it correctly. I really thought I knew where the author was going. Wrong!

This is a well written psychological thriller that has plenty of plot twists, lies and secrets. The characters are realistic and believable. I highly recommend this book and author!

Thanks to Bookouture and Net Galley for allowing me to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Mackenzie - PhDiva Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 5 wonderful stars for this book!

This is my first Kathryn Croft book, and I enjoyed it so much. I had seen a few of my Goodreads favorite reviewers post about it in the fall around publication, and I ordered it from Amazon right away. It went into my growing stack of books to read, and I'm so glad I finally picked it up. The pacing of this book is good, I didn't have parts that felt slow or too drawn out, which surprised me with the changes in time and perspective.

5 years ago...

Mia's husband Zach is a college professor who teaches writing. They have an adorable daughter, Freya, and seem happy. But then, to Mia's surprise, Zach commits suicide. His body is found in the apartment of one of his college students, and the student has gone missing. The public goes after Mia, they know her husband is to blame for the girl's disappearance, and without him there to take their anger out on, the anger turns to Mia.

Present day...

Mia has slowly moved forward with her life. Freya is now an adorable 7 year-old, and Mia has an amazing boyfriend Will who is patient with Mia's reluctance to dive all in on their relationship after what happened with Zach. Mia has also become a counselor. She sees patients out of the front office in her and Zach's house. Mia has come to terms with Zach's suicide and betrayal. She has accepted she never really knew him at all.

But then one afternoon, Mia has an appointment with a new patient, Allison. Allison is tiny and meek, and is being abused by her boyfriend. Mia's heart goes out to this woman. But then Allison reveals the other reason she came to see Mia. Allison knows for a fact that Zach did not commit suicide, and she thinks she knows who is responsible...

5 and a half years ago...

Zoe is a college student who is barely surviving by working at a coffee shop, and living with a roommate who she does not get along with. Zoe has had a terrible life, and has no support from her family. But Zoe is also a survivor. She is someone who life has cast aside at every turn, but she doesn't give into it. One night Zoe is closing up at the coffee shop, and a familiar face shows up across the counter-her writing professor, Zach...

Zach gives Zoe the one thing that no one else in her life has given her...encouragement. Zach says Zoe's writing is very good, and she must continue with her degree. To a lost soul like Zoe, this kindness and support is foreign and wonderful. Zoe begins to think maybe she can do something with her life after all. Maybe she isn't destined to be outcast, scraping by to make ends meet, and never really living.

Present day...

Mia doesn't know what to think about Allison's revelation. She has accepted that Zach did a terrible thing, and that she didn't know what was going on in his life outside of their marriage. And yet, maybe Allison does know something... Now that Allison has reopened old wounds that Mia thought had healed, Mia knows she must follow this thread and find out the truth once and for all. But what if she can't handle it?

Reflection

All of what I posted is spoiler free. The basic premise of this book is Mia's storyline in the present, contrasted with the months leading up to Zach's suicide in the past, told from Zoe's point of view. In the middle of it all is Allison. Allison is just a fantastic character. She is bewildering! I hated Allison, then I pitied Allison, and then I was left not knowing what to make of her at all. Mia and Zoe were also so frustrating at times, and yet I enjoyed them. In completely different ways, they are women who show strength despite what life has thrown at them.

The switch in perspectives is wonderful. because it kept the story moving forward. Something weird would happen to a character in one, and then it would switch and the other character's story would be progressing, and then it would pick back up again the first story.

There are also lots of twists and turns along the way. I never could make up my mind about who to trust and what storyline to trust. Right along with Mia and Zoe, I questioned so many things happening in each of their lives. Kathryn Croft did a fantastic job of writing their inner monologues as events unfold. You can ride along with each of them and understand them questioning if they interpreted someone else's actions or words correctly.

And the ending was just perfect, I enjoyed it very much. It was a "just one more page" kind of night, until I was up way past my bedtime! I found myself thinking about the ending for many days, which is a sign of a truly great read.

***Trigger warning: there is some non-graphic child abuse at parts in this book. Though disturbing, it is not described in any sort of way that is too graphic or raw. It is told more in back story***

[Debra - can't post any comments on site today grrr · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book took me by surprise, in a really good way. I have gone back and forth in my mind..4 stars are 4.5 so I am rounding up to 4.5 stars

The premise is really interesting. A woman is rebuilding her life after her husband dies causing a scandal. Mia Hamilton and her husband were happily married with a young daughter. Mia thought she had it all and then her husband was found dead in the apartment of one of his students, a young woman with a troubled past named Josie. The student's blood is everywhere but Josie is no where to be found. Investigators believe that her husband had something to do with the missing student, and as a result committed suicide in her flat.

Five years have passed and Josie is still missing. Mia has suffered through the public's outrage and negative opinion of her husband. She has had to cope with the suspicions as to why her husband was even in a students flat while raising her daughter alone. Finally she has found happiness with her boyfriend Will. Then one day a young woman enters Mia's world and tells her, ‘Your husband didn’t kill himself.’ Needless to say this sends Mia on a tailspin. The woman's name is Alison and she begins to tell Mia that she once lived with Josie, that she saw Mia's husband the day he died and that she wants to set the record straight.

Needless to say this book had all the elements to grab my attention. The book is full of secrets, a character with a troubled past, a troubled character, relationship issues, hidden agendas, etc. It had enough juice to keep me reading. I read this entire book pretty much in one sitting. It was a page turner for me. The story is told through both Josie (in the past) and Mia (in the present) points of view. This is brilliant but I also wanted to hear that thoughts of Alison. As the book progresses it becomes clear that there is more to most of the characters than meets the eye. One of the characters presents as being unreliable; but is this person unreliable or is there something more going on. Plus, there are quite a few revelations and twists in this book to keep things interesting. This also helps to keep the reader guessing as characters do not always seem trustworthy and the mystery is not only what really happened the night Zach died and Josie went missing, but who can you trust in this book? I LOVE this. I say it a lot, but I love putting on my super sleuth hat and trying to figure out who did what, who is to blame, etc.

My one BIG complaint: in the kindle description of the book the reader is told there is a "shocking twist" Why, oh Why say this????? I find the beauty in shocking twists is that I do not see them coming. I want to surprised by the twist. The description of this book is inciting enough, you don't need to tease the shock factor. Having said that, I was surprised by the twist. I thought I had a few things figured out, I was wrong.

This was a fun book for me to read. Fun, may not be the right word, but I like when I am not 100% in the know of what is going on in a book. I like being surprised and shocked. I love a good twist and turn here and there as I am reading. I also liked that not everything was quite tided up by the end of the book. This may annoy some readers but I kinda liked it.

I thought the Author did a great job of weaving the past and the present. This really helped set the mood and add to the mystery. As little spinets of information are presented, the suspense builds. The writing was solid and the pacing was great. Nothing dragged in this book. This is a book that can easily be read in one sitting - time permitting,as the story is compelling.

This was my first time reading this Author and it certainly will not be my last.

I received a copy of this book from Bookouture and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for making this book available.

See more of my reviews at www.openbookpost.com

[Nicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everything in Mia Hamilton's perfect life changed when her Husband,university teacher Zach committed suicide on the same night one of his students Josie Carpenter vanished.

Five years later,Mia is just beginning to heal when a stranger Alison walks into her life and claims that Zach didn't kill himself.

As fragile Alison leads Mia on a path into Zach`s past,more and more dark secrets are revealed and Mia begins to wonder if she really knew her husband.As the truth about what happened that night begins to unfold,Alison becomes harder to read,and Mia starts to wonder - why is Alison so keen to help?

Then a piece of the puzzle appears in a impossible place,and Mia has to ask,is she losing her mind,or should she be afraid for her life?

This riveting thriller is narrated from the alternating perspectives of Mia and Josie with Mia`s chapters being set in the present and Josie`s in the past.The characters are all complex,well developed,mostly untrustworthy and nothing is ever what it seems.What really happened that fateful night was totally unexpected,I honestly didn't see that twist coming but my shock at that twist was nothing compared to how I felt when I got to the final chapter,I was so shocked I nearly dropped my kindle.Throughout the whole book Kathryn Croft had been leading me down a certain path and then suddenly I learnt that what I thought I knew was absolutely wrong.

I loved this well written,riveting,twist packed tale of secrets,lies,mental illness,obsessions and misinterpretation.I love Kathryn Croft`s books and wouldn't hesitate in recommending this to anyone who enjoys a gripping thriller.

Many thanks to Bookouture for a arc of this book via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.

[Melissa (Mel’s Bookshelf) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars
Kathryn Croft is one of my favourite thriller authors! I have enjoyed every one of her books that I have read! The Girl with No Past and The Girl You Lost were both fantastic! I want to read them all! I listened to the audio version of Silent Lies to bump it up my TBR!

When counsellor Mia takes an appointment with a woman named Alison, little did she know her life would take an incredible turn. “Your husband did not kill himself” Alison said to Mia. How does Alison know this? What is Mia about to find about her husband who killed himself 5 years ago after doing something awful.

Gripping! Fantastic! Such a great read! I absolutely LOVED it!

I loved all the messed-up characters, I loved the awful ones, and I loved the good ones!

There were heaps of twists and turns! Although I did guess the major one, It didn’t take too much away from the story.

I must admit the ending didn’t really do it for me, but again, it didn’t take much of the story away. I just absolutely love her writing!

Did I enjoy the audio version?
Absolutely! I love it when there are two narrators. I really enjoyed each woman’s portrayal of each character! It was one of the better ones I have listened to lately! It would be a great thriller to start on audio!

Would I recommend Silent Lies?
I think most thriller fans will enjoy this one. There is something great about Crofts writing, give it a go and see for yourself!

I purchased Silent Lies at my own expense at audible.com

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[Holly in Bookland · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've had great luck with mysteries lately. This was another good one that I read. It has definitely kept me up late tonight. This is told with dual pov's: Mia--who's is the wife of the suspect and Josie--the victim. Mia's world comes to a shocking stop when her new client, Alison, makes the claim that Mia's husband didn't commit suicide. Alison happens to be the ex- roommate of Josie's. Mia can't decide whether she trusts Alison claims but wants so desperately to have the answers about what happened between Luke and Josie. It's hard as the reader to trust Alison,as well, because you hear all about her from Josie's pov. Do we trust her? Or is there something else going on? I thought the writer did a great job of keeping you guessing throughout the novel. Through Mia's and Josie's journey, I hardly knew who to believe nor did I see the ending coming. That was a great surprise!

*Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Louise Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mia Hamilton's husband Zach was a university teacher. Five years ago Zach committed suicide the same night one of his students, Josie Carpenter, went missing. Zach's daughter was just two years old. Now Mia has a new man in her life, her boyfriend Will, and has finally found happiness. That is until one day when a stranger, Alison, tells Mia that her husband Mia did not kill himself. Mia soon finds out that Alison has her own agenda for exposing the details of Zach's death. Can Mia believe anything Alison tells her?

There are plenty of twists as this story unfolds. There is two main points of view in this storyline, Alison's from five years ago and Mia's is told in the present. The characters are mostly untrustworthy. I can honestly say I never saw the twist coming. The book is well written, full of secrets and lies, covers mental health illness and obsession.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and the author Kathryn Croft for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Mandy White (mandylovestoread) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well... I did not see that coming! So many secrets and lies... I wasn't trusting any of the characters. A fantastic book that hooks you in from the start and leaves you wanting more!! Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for a copy of this book to read and review. I am a fan of Kathryn Crofts books and can't wait to see what she brings out next.

[Eva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Five years ago, Mia's husband Zach committed suicide in the flat of one of his students on the same night this same student, Josie, goes missing. Mia had a hard time putting her life back together again but now she's found happiness again with a new partner. Until one day, Alison arrives on her doorstep and claims Zach didn't kill himself at all. But Alison seems to have some issues. Can she be trusted? Will Mia ever find out what really happened to her husband?

Man, I do so love it when an author can keep me guessing until the very end and Kathryn Croft managed it effortlessly! This, to me, is always the mark of an excellent story! There were times where I felt I should have figured things out but I couldn't, which just made me flip the pages faster until I found myself completely and utterly blindsided by a jaw-dropping ending that left me spinning! Talk about not seeing something coming! Cor!

Silent Lies is incredibly intense and full of intrigue. Its gripping and compelling plot had me hooked from the very first page. The story is told through alternating chapters, switching between Mia in the present and Josie in the past. My only niggle is that maybe, just maybe, some things were a tad "out there" and I couldn't quite find myself in some of the motives of the characters but none of this hampered my enjoyment for one second and I raced through this brilliant psychological thriller.

This is only the second book I've read by Kathryn Croft but I'll definitely be catching up now and I look forward to whatever is next.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my second book by Kathryn Croft, I was super impressed with While You Were Sleeping and I’ve been eager to read more of her work ever since. I loved the premise of this, the idea of not truly knowing your spouse always hooks me and knowing that Mia had zero closure after her husband’s death both saddened and fascinated me. Knowing full well that Croft would have several tricks up her sleeve just added to my anticipation and I’m happy to report that this was another amazing read!

This is told via alternating timelines, first you have Mia today and then Josie five years previously in the months leading up to her disappearance and Zach’s death. The chapters are not super short but the pacing is spot on, almost every chapter ends on a cliffhanger, then it flips to a different time period so each time you’re desperate to find out what’s next for Mia or Josie. It was a clever tactic that kept me flipping pages quickly and I found myself desperate as well to untangle the web of lies and discover the truth myself!

This keeps you on your toes, it was a constant guessing game and I had my suspicions about every single character at some point. I kept changing my mind and second guessing everything which I always love in a psychological thriller. The ending was a total surprise and really well executed, I do love a killer twist and this one delivered.

[Gary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoy the consistently high standard of writing by author Kathryn Croft so it is not surprising that this book proved another winner for me.
Mia Hamilton was living with her husband university teacher Zach. Together with their 2 year old daughter Freya life is good. But then everything changed when Zach committed suicide on the same night one of his students, Josie Carpenter, vanished. Now five years later, Josie is still missing but Mia has finally found happiness with new boyfriend Will.
After finding a new love and with life finally getting back to some kind of normality, a stranger named Alison walks into Mia's life and tells her that Zach didn’t kill himself.
Mia feels the need to uncover the truth and find out what really happened to Zach so is forced to put her trust in Alison. But when Mia discovers that Alison has her own agenda behind exposing the details of Zach’s death, she no longer knows whether she can really believe everything she is told.
Mia wants to know the truth but risks losing everything she loves.
This is a good psychological thriller with the obligatory twists and turns. Good characters and maybe a few hard to believe parts but hey it is fiction. An entertaining read.

[Stacey Camp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. I did not see that ending coming! Kathryn Croft’s Silent Lies starts off as a somewhat unsuspecting thriller; there are characters who make slightly poor choices, but no one seems capable of the murder (or murders?!).

The book begins with a funeral. Mother and child are mourning the death of their dearly beloved husband and father. We quickly learn that the mother, Mia, lost her university professor husband to what is believed to be a murder suicide. The running theory is that her husband, Zach, committed suicide after killing his college student and lover, Josie.

The second narrator is Josie, Zach’s supposed college-aged lover. The book tacks back and forth between Mia and Josie’s stories. You start to sympathize with both of the narrators, both leading you to form different, and sometimes contradictory, opinions of up to the two narrators, Mia and Josie. You develop feelings for both of them despite the years separating them and the man in between them.

Josie has led a hard life. She was raised by a teenage mother who really didn’t want her. As a result, Josie was beat, starved, and taunted by her mother, Liz, to the point that she nearly died by her mother’s boyfriend’s hands (while her mother stood by watching).

I won’t spoil this book for future readers, but I would encourage readers to think about Mia’s motivations for telling her story. I tended to sympathize more with Mia, but then I started to question why she was telling me her story and the narrative conventions upon which she was relying. I’d also encourage the reader to think about Josie’s story as well. Why is she sharing it?

I really loved the shocker of an ending, and how it wrapped up so neatly.

Thank you to the author, Kathryn Croft, the publisher, Bookouture (one of my favorites!), and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of Silent Lies.

[Monnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you enjoy reading about female characters who are totally consumed by angst, paranoia and self-doubt, do not - repeat, do not miss this book. Not only is there one such character here, but three - and until the end, it's virtually impossible to tell who's telling the truth. It's a story with a past that began five years prior to the present day, when Mia Hamilton has finally come to grips - almost - with her husband Zach's suicide. He died on the same day that Josie, one of his university students, disappeared (he was a professor); the claim was that he and his student were having an affair that somehow went awry. The unfortunate result, it appears, is that he murdered her and took his own life in remorse.

Despite a few misgivings, Mia never believed Zach was a murderer; and now, she's getting by at their London home with help from their young daughter, Freya, her close personal boyfriend Will and Zach's ever-loving parents, who live nearby. She's undergone training as a personal counselor, seeing clients in her home office, and her life after Zach is back on a track toward normalcy. That changes, though, when a young woman named Alison seeks her out and makes an appointment. Clearly, Alison is seriously disturbed, but she makes a claim that chills Mia to the core: She knew both Josie and Zach, and more to the point, she insists Zach did not kill himself. That said, she abruptly runs off, leaving Mia to deal with the fallout and start questioning Zach's death, and just about everything else she's come to believe in, all over again.

But can what Alison says and does be trusted? Just as Mia begins to think she's the real deal, something happens that make her think she's delusional. As Mia tries to separate fact from fiction, what really happened back then is revealed to readers through flashback chapters narrated by Josie, the student supposedly murdered by Zach (I've grown weary of this technique, in all honestly, but the author does it very well). After a number of twists and turns, everything comes together in a surprising end.

That ending was not, however, all that satisfying. I'm not totally sure why, except perhaps that I never really related to any of the three women (hey, that's just me, but I prefer my female characters to be strong and mentally stable, I guess). Still another reason is that I guessed wrong - make that way wrong - so maybe my let-down is just a touch of sour grapes to compensate for being fooled. The bottom line is that this is a well-written, easy-to-read book that I really didn't want to put down. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read it in exchange for an honest review.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

With police investigations and media reportage of crime stories, the public can usually get an accurate account as to what happened in these cases. In Kathryn Croft’s riveting psychological crime thriller “Silent Lies” (2017)-- the real story or the truth isn’t as obvious as it seems, especially when a scandal erupts followed by swift public scorn and judgement.

As a popular instructor/lecturer at the University of West London, Zach Hamilton was happily married to Mia and the father of a young daughter. Zach was impressed with the writing of his student Jose Carpenter, and spoke with her in a coffee shop where Carpenter worked to discuss her underdeveloped talent. Was Zach’s interest in Carpenter inappropriate? Clearly, Carpenter became infatuated with her handsome teacher, and was keeping a low profile from her troubled and violent past. When Zach’s body was found at a grizzly crime scene in Carpenter’s apartment, all hell broke loose! It seemed that everyone had an opinion as to what might have happened there. To make matters worse, Carpenter, was missing and presumed dead, her body was never found. Had the darkness from her past caught up with her?

Five years later, widow Mia Hamilton was still haunted by the aftermath of Zach’s death, ruled a suicide by investigators. News reports kept the case alive online, the shame and humiliation related to unknowing subsided with a loving supportive relationship with Will. Mia had also opened a successful counseling and therapy practice at her home office. When a new mentally disturbed client Alison Cummings sought Mia’s help for emotional distress related to an abusive relationship; Mia learned Cumming’s long term partner was a former friend/colleague of Zach’s, then there was her mysterious connection to Jose Carpenter. Cummings had direct knowledge of Zach’s unsolved case, and stated outright that Zach’s death wasn’t a suicide. Despite Cummings mental instability, Mia was determined to help her and find out what actually happened to her husband. Croft, a mesmerizing storyteller, developed believable characters and multiple narratives with an unpredictable twist readers will not soon forget.
Silent Lies is Kathryn Croft’s sixth novel, as a bestselling British author Croft writes full time and lives in Guildford, Surrey with her husband and son. **With special thanks to Bookouture via NetGalley for the e-book copy for the purpose of review.

[☆Dani☆ ☆Touch My Spine Book Reviews☆ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to give a huge thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for a honest and unbiased review.

Synopsis: Mia thinks that after five years she is over the tragic death of her husband Zach. She has finally made peace, has a healthy daughter and a loving partner. Working as a counselor she has a new patient come in and is surprised when the woman says "your husband didn't kill himself." After all this time she is thrown through a whirlwind and she wonders what is on this woman's agenda. Was her husband guilty of having an affair with a student and then killing himself and his student? How did her husband die? Read this suspenseful and twisty psychological thriller to find out!

Review: This book receives 4.5 stars out of 5! This book had me on the edge of my seat the whole time! I didn't know which way to think or what was going to happen next. This book was split between two point of views and usually I don't enjoy that much but definitely did with this book! I didn't see the ending coming at all. I was in complete shock! I read this book in less than a day. The only reason I am not giving this book 5 stars is because I felt a little left hanging in the end but that could've just been my preference of wanting more! I will definitely be checking out the author's previous work! I am so glad that I read Silent Lies by Kathryn Croft. Highly Recommended!

[L A i N E Y (will be back) · Rating 2 out of 5]

So. What is the deal with Alison?? Are we not going to go into that?? Apparently not.

I mean does the woman suffer from multiple personalities or something. Things just don’t track when it comes to her and she is one of the three core players here so I am quite piqued about the unexplained/unresolved nature of her story.


rating: ★★½

[Gabrielė|Kartu su knyga · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ši knyga mano akį patraukė savo pavadinimu bei tokiu paprastu, bet labai dailiu viršeliu. O ir anotacija pasirodė kaip tik tokia, kokias knygas aš ir mėgstu. Tad nekantraudama ėmiausi šios istorijos.

Istorija prasideda tiesiog tobulu Mijos Hamilton bei jos šeimos gyvenimu. Jos vyras universiteto dėstytojas Zakas. Su kuriuo ji augina dviejų metų dukterį Frėją.
Tačiau netikėtai Zakas nusižudo.. Tai buvo visiškai netikėta bei šokiravo artimuosius. Dar daugiau klausimų sukėlė tai, jog tą patį naktį dingo viena iš jo studenčių.
Praėjus kiek daugiau nei penkeriems metams Mia pradeda atsigauti bei pagaliau vėl mažais žingsnellais grįžti į gyvenimą. Mia padeda ir kitiems žmonėms, kuriems reikia pagalbos. Taip į jos namus užsuka Elison, kuri teigia, jog jos vyras nenusižudė. Tuomet Mia pradeda abejoti viskuo, ką iki šiol žinojo apie savo vyrą bei jo mirties aplinkybes..
Kuo toliau, tuo labiau Elison atrodo lyg beprotė.. Jos elgesys pradeda kelti nerimą bei įtarimą. Galbūt ji sino, kas tą lemtingąją naktį nutiko Džouzei bei Zakui? Panašu, jog ji žino tikrai daugiau nei iš tikrųjų pasako…

Tikrai mėgstu psichologinius trilerius, tad tikėjausi, jog ir mis mane kažkuo nustebins. Perskaičius daugiau nei pusę knygos, pradėjo darytis šiek tiek įdomiau. Iki tol skaitant atrodė, jog kažką panašaus jau teko skaityti ir pati istorija jau girdėta. Jeigu skaitote mažai tokio žanro knygų, manau, jog ir ši knyga turėtų patikti. Man asmeniškai joje pritrūko šiek tiek daugiau įtampos. Tačiau apskritai su šia knyga maloniai praleidau kelis vakarus ir nesigailiu, jog ją skaičiau.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars.

This is my second Kathryn Croft book I have read.

I did not see the ending coming. Full of twists and turns. It was pretty good. I really wasn’t sure who I could trust. The book is told in alternating POVs, which I love. Past and present.

Five years ago, Mia Hamilton’s husband took his own life. He was found in an apartment where one of his students lived. The students’s blood is there but she is missing. The police believe that Zach had something to do with Josie’s disappearance and out of guilt killed him self.

Five years later, Mia is trying to get on with her life until a woman named Allison seeks out Mia and tells her Zach did not kill him self. Hmmm, what really happened?! Twisty!

Again, I found it hard to trust anyone in Silent Lies but I did enjoy this one!



Thank you, Netgalley and Bookouture

[Judy Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kathryn Croft returns following While You Were Sleeping (2016) with SILENT LIES — a twisty psychological thriller of big secrets and silent lies, with an ending you do not see coming.

As the novel opens to five years earlier, at a funeral. Zach. The husband of Mia and father of Freya. This is no normal funeral. There are angry people. A monster. Suicide. They were married for ten years.

People are asking her if she knew what her husband was up to? How could she have comprehended what he was capable of? She never really knew the man she married.

Presently we hear from Mia Hamilton. Her daughter now is seven years old. Mia owns a counseling business and is dating Will. He would like for them to move in together. She is not ready. He is the kindest man she could ever meet and so good with Freya.

She thinks someone is watching her. Her world as she knows will never be the same.

Mia is meeting a client, Alison Cummings (a young woman). She works from her home office. However, she tells Mia that her husband did not kill himself. Alison is Josie’s former roommate and Alison’s partner is Dominic Bradford. She says he is a violent man.

Alternating from past to present we hear from Josie Carpenter (past) and Mia (present).

Josie was a student of Zachs at the university. Dominic was Zach’s colleague. At the time he never believed Zach was capable of the things people said.

Zach’s parents (Pam and Graham) love their granddaughter and they even like Will. They think it is time for her to move on.

Mia has been unable to tell them for the last five years, that she does not think Zach was innocent. The evidence stacked against him was too compelling to ignore. They think he was just depressed and nothing to do with that girl.

But why would Alison say he did not kill himself, now five years later? Why would Zach risk his life and family for this girl?

Josie supposedly had an affair with her college professor. However, Zach committed suicide while in Josie’s apartment. Or did he? Innocent or guilty of an affair.

Josie disappeared. The police could never determine what happened to her. There was blood. Did Zach kill her, or what really went down that evening?

What does her former roommate Alison know about that night?` What did Zach do to that girl?

Who is telling the truth and who is lying?

Mia has fought so hard to start over and build a new life for herself and her daughter. Now she feels she is getting sucked back into the past. She will not involve Will. She will not allow Alison or Dominic to ruin it for her.

Mia has a strong feeling Alison knows exactly what happened to Josie. Josie is one troubled, messed up gal with a past of horrors; abuse, both verbally and physically. Zach sympathized. Alison and Mia— your feeling will change from the beginning to the ending.

“Who knows what is within us?”

Unreliable narrator (s) and red herrings. A tangled web of deceit and lies. From obsession, jealousy, suspicion, mental illness to justice. The author keeps you guessing until you are not sure if any character is trustworthy. Nothing is as it appears.

Do not ever think you have gotten away with something. Karma is a bitch. The silence and the past will come back to haunt you. You are not safe.

No real likable characters here. Not one of my favorites of Crofts; however, entertaining. Some readers may come away feeling a little cheated or let down while some may like the 360-degree twist. A perfect title.

If you have read Alessandra Torre's The Ghost Writer, you may see a similarity, with a different twist.

A special thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for an advanced reading copy.

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