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The Lies She Told
*****
Karly Winters has waited ten long years to have the man of her dreams, the handsome but duplicitous Jacob Cruthers. From her home in Glasgow she pines for the Londoner who casually keeps her dangling, never with a thought of giving her what she wants and never with any intention of leaving his wife.
*****
For her part, Karly has no intention of being second best any longer and she hatches an artful plan of devious intent that she is certain will work in her favor. Now, embarking on her dangerous game of high stakes, she is all too aware that someone is likely to get hurt. But for the winner, the prize will be incalculable.
*****
But Karly hasn’t reckoned for new and equally underhanded forces that are at work. Lurking in the shadows are others, with their own agendas to follow and equally ruthless in their objectives.
With various factions hurtling towards a confrontation that none of them saw coming, someone is going to pay the price of infatuation.
Karly Winters has waited ten long years to have the man of her dreams, the handsome but duplicitous Jacob Cruthers. From her home in Glasgow she pines for the Londoner who casually keeps her dangling, never with a thought of giving her what she wants and never with any intention of leaving his wife.
*****
For her part, Karly has no intention of being second best any longer and she hatches an artful plan of devious intent that she is certain will work in her favor. Now, embarking on her dangerous game of high stakes, she is all too aware that someone is likely to get hurt. But for the winner, the prize will be incalculable.
*****
But Karly hasn’t reckoned for new and equally underhanded forces that are at work. Lurking in the shadows are others, with their own agendas to follow and equally ruthless in their objectives.
With various factions hurtling towards a confrontation that none of them saw coming, someone is going to pay the price of infatuation.
363 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 10, 2020
845 people are currently reading
741 people want to read
About the author
Paula Johnston
28 books39 followersPaula Johnston is a Scottish writer from Glasgow, in her early thirties. Her debut novel, 'The Lies She Told', is a totally immersive psychological thriller that proves every prize has a price - especially desire. Soon to be released is her second novel, ‘All In Her Head’, a compulsive thriller with a supernatural edge.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 140 reviews
October 1, 2021
4☆ A Twisty, Compulsive, Tangled Web of Lies & Deceit.
The Lies She Told is a Twisty Thriller that definitely kept me on my toes. I loved it.
Karly has been " dating " Jacob for
10 years, but I'm not entirely sure you could call it dating as they have never met, he ghosts her when he feels like it, expecting her to wait around....but the final blow is, he is now newly married to Lauren.
Just as Karly tries to get over yet another ghosting from Jacob, he texts her and those feelings come gushing back.
But Karly is infatuated with Jacob.
So she hatches a crazy plan to worm her way into he's wife's girls only holiday, after Facebook stalking her, to find out where they will be.
But things are not quiet what they seem and Karly's plan to get rid of Jacob's wife and get him all to herself, may not be all it's cracked up to be.
I mean they do say don't mess with a woman scorned 🙊
I thoroughly enjoyed all the webs to this thrilling read. The twists were perfectly plotted and kept me turning the pages.
The Lies She Told is a highly Compelling story about relationships, infatuation, a web of deceit and lies, jealousy and revenge.
The characters were perfectly written, each one believable and provoked the right emotions for this type of book.
This is my first book by Paula Johnston and I'm looking forward to reading more!
If you love Gripping Thrillers that have juicy twists, a dash of suspense and plenty of Tangled lies then I definitely recommend you grab a copy of The Lies She Told!
Thank you to InstaBook Tours for my copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
You can Find this Review and all my Other Reviews on My Blog :-
https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2021/1...
The Lies She Told is a Twisty Thriller that definitely kept me on my toes. I loved it.
Karly has been " dating " Jacob for
10 years, but I'm not entirely sure you could call it dating as they have never met, he ghosts her when he feels like it, expecting her to wait around....but the final blow is, he is now newly married to Lauren.
Just as Karly tries to get over yet another ghosting from Jacob, he texts her and those feelings come gushing back.
But Karly is infatuated with Jacob.
So she hatches a crazy plan to worm her way into he's wife's girls only holiday, after Facebook stalking her, to find out where they will be.
But things are not quiet what they seem and Karly's plan to get rid of Jacob's wife and get him all to herself, may not be all it's cracked up to be.
I mean they do say don't mess with a woman scorned 🙊
I thoroughly enjoyed all the webs to this thrilling read. The twists were perfectly plotted and kept me turning the pages.
The Lies She Told is a highly Compelling story about relationships, infatuation, a web of deceit and lies, jealousy and revenge.
The characters were perfectly written, each one believable and provoked the right emotions for this type of book.
This is my first book by Paula Johnston and I'm looking forward to reading more!
If you love Gripping Thrillers that have juicy twists, a dash of suspense and plenty of Tangled lies then I definitely recommend you grab a copy of The Lies She Told!
Thank you to InstaBook Tours for my copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
You can Find this Review and all my Other Reviews on My Blog :-
https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2021/1...
December 5, 2022
It’s really difficult to write about how good I found this book without giving anything away….it’s also hard not to write the word ‘twist’ that so many don’t like, I will say it’s one of the twistiest books I have ever had the pleasure to read and just when you think they have stopped, off they go again
The main character is deplorable, utterly bereft of any redeeming factors yet fascinating to read…as are all the characters
I could write more but it’s free at the mo so please give it a go and see what you think, for me it was a tremendous read that needs to be a TV series 😎
10 twists out of 10
5 bright stars
The main character is deplorable, utterly bereft of any redeeming factors yet fascinating to read…as are all the characters
I could write more but it’s free at the mo so please give it a go and see what you think, for me it was a tremendous read that needs to be a TV series 😎
10 twists out of 10
5 bright stars
January 10, 2021
I was really impressed with this book. The author kindly sent me a copy herself and I'm so glad she did as I would definitely read more of her work in the future. Karly has been waiting years to finally have the man of her dreams to herself, and when his wife is away on a girls' holiday, Karly takes her opportunity to get the wife out of the picture. But little does Karly know, things may not all be as they seem and someone is bound to pay a price.
I love a psychological thriller and this lived up to the mark, it was full of suspense, drama and exciting characters. The writing was really smooth and easy to read, I didn't want to put the book down and I read it really quickly. At times I felt that there could have been a little more showing as opposed to telling, but this was only on occasions and I appreciate that there was probably a little less description and subtleties included, in order to keep the incredible fast paced feel up. The ending was full of twists, and although it felt a little extreme for me, it still was believable based on the characters and events that had happened. I would definitely recommend for anyone who loves a twisted thriller and I can't wait to see what Paula does next.
I love a psychological thriller and this lived up to the mark, it was full of suspense, drama and exciting characters. The writing was really smooth and easy to read, I didn't want to put the book down and I read it really quickly. At times I felt that there could have been a little more showing as opposed to telling, but this was only on occasions and I appreciate that there was probably a little less description and subtleties included, in order to keep the incredible fast paced feel up. The ending was full of twists, and although it felt a little extreme for me, it still was believable based on the characters and events that had happened. I would definitely recommend for anyone who loves a twisted thriller and I can't wait to see what Paula does next.
November 17, 2020
The Lies She Told is the debut novel by Paula Johnston and for a contemporary psychological thriller it certainly packs a twisty, suspenseful punch.
This thriller features Karly Winters, a Scottish woman, who has waited long enough for the man of her dreams to finally pick her. After ten years of waiting for Londoner Jacob Cruthers to choose her and now having to share him with his relatively new wife, Karly takes matters into her own hands. However, Karly is unaware of outside forces that are working equally hard to thwart her own devious plans to have the life she has dreamt of for so long.
This is a thrilling ride from the start to the finish of this book. The characters in this story are so well put together that you both like, loath and root for them at the same time throughout the book. Questioning their sanity and behaviour became a constant for me as I turned the pages. I was surprised at times with the twists and turns to the story and was left with an adrenaline rush when the book was finished.
Despite the length of the book, I read it very quickly. The flow is fast and the suspense within the storyline kept me wanting to turn the page and see how the author wrapped up this story of lies, deceit, infatuation and secrets.
I would highly recommend this story to readers who love a psychological thriller that highlights the consequences of blind infatuation.
This thriller features Karly Winters, a Scottish woman, who has waited long enough for the man of her dreams to finally pick her. After ten years of waiting for Londoner Jacob Cruthers to choose her and now having to share him with his relatively new wife, Karly takes matters into her own hands. However, Karly is unaware of outside forces that are working equally hard to thwart her own devious plans to have the life she has dreamt of for so long.
This is a thrilling ride from the start to the finish of this book. The characters in this story are so well put together that you both like, loath and root for them at the same time throughout the book. Questioning their sanity and behaviour became a constant for me as I turned the pages. I was surprised at times with the twists and turns to the story and was left with an adrenaline rush when the book was finished.
Despite the length of the book, I read it very quickly. The flow is fast and the suspense within the storyline kept me wanting to turn the page and see how the author wrapped up this story of lies, deceit, infatuation and secrets.
I would highly recommend this story to readers who love a psychological thriller that highlights the consequences of blind infatuation.
August 12, 2021
The Lies She Told by Lisa Johnston
I give this book 4.5 stars
Karly Winters has waited ten long years to have the man of her dreams, Jacob.Then there’s Lauren his wife who Jacob has no intentions of leaving for anyone else! The two women end up meeting face to face and someone is going to pay the price of infatuation.......But who?
Jealousy,relationships,revenge,friends,deceit and........lies,lots of lies!
I loved the writing style with believable main characters who tell their version of the story through alternative chapters throughout the book.l was hooked from the start trying to keep up with all the twists and turns and couldn’t put it down.And wow what an ending, l was left sitting there in total disbelief!
Absolutely loved this debut novel and very much looking forward to Paula’s next book.
I give this book 4.5 stars
Karly Winters has waited ten long years to have the man of her dreams, Jacob.Then there’s Lauren his wife who Jacob has no intentions of leaving for anyone else! The two women end up meeting face to face and someone is going to pay the price of infatuation.......But who?
Jealousy,relationships,revenge,friends,deceit and........lies,lots of lies!
I loved the writing style with believable main characters who tell their version of the story through alternative chapters throughout the book.l was hooked from the start trying to keep up with all the twists and turns and couldn’t put it down.And wow what an ending, l was left sitting there in total disbelief!
Absolutely loved this debut novel and very much looking forward to Paula’s next book.
February 28, 2021
Someone please proofread this book.
June 19, 2022
I constantly tell myself I’m not that big into thriller novels but every now and then I’ll decide I want to read one for a change and end up really either enjoying it or hating it but I love the change of pace of them. This one I absolutely loved from start to finish.
This was more of a psychological one and I kept trying to figure out what was what constantly and I love that in a book. I love a good twist and this had so many. So many in fact, I think my mouth was agape for most of the second half of the book.
I love how descriptive the author is with everything. Everything was so clearly painted in my mind, I felt like I was in the room with the characters at points.
I would highly recommend this for fans of thrillers, it was a very fast paced book and gripped me from the get go, full of twists.
This was the authors debut novel which makes me very excited to see what she comes up with next because this was very good. She has set the bar very high for herself.
TW: Gaslighting, toxic relationship.
This was more of a psychological one and I kept trying to figure out what was what constantly and I love that in a book. I love a good twist and this had so many. So many in fact, I think my mouth was agape for most of the second half of the book.
I love how descriptive the author is with everything. Everything was so clearly painted in my mind, I felt like I was in the room with the characters at points.
I would highly recommend this for fans of thrillers, it was a very fast paced book and gripped me from the get go, full of twists.
This was the authors debut novel which makes me very excited to see what she comes up with next because this was very good. She has set the bar very high for herself.
TW: Gaslighting, toxic relationship.
August 9, 2021
I really, really hate giving bad reviews but I just can’t believe how this book has so many 4 or 5 star reviews. It is bad- like, really bad; to the point that I really didn’t want to finish it but some sadistic part of me felt I had to as I thought surely it could get better. It didn’t. If anything it got worse.
Ok, so in fairness there were a couple of good points. I’ll list them first before I tell you what is wrong with it.
Good points:
1. The beginning felt very juicy- and I like how the author tied together the beginning and the end. It really kept me going through the book, as I wanted to know what would lead up to that quote.
2. The writing in the beginning of the book isn’t too bad- not ‘good’ but better than the latter end of the book. Some of it was okay.
3. I can see how some of the ideas would be seductive to write about, but it just went a bit daft!
Ok, bad bits:
Poor writing. Sloppy. Overuse of cliches.
Unlikely and unlikeable characters. Too many of them are similar and some of it is confusing.
Totally unrealistic plot line- the ending was absolutely mind boggling. Yes, theoretically all of it *could* happen, but come on?! It was just utter bonkers.
Poor editing. In fact, I don’t think this book had been edited at all.
Honestly, I read all sorts of different type of ‘low brow’ books and I don’t really have high standards, but this one takes the cake.
I think the author does have an ability to write; I’m not sure if she rushed this book, got carried away with a silly idea or just didn’t care (especially towards the end), but if she is going to write any more books she really needs to take her time on it and think about the plot, style and the characters. This strikes me as a first draft based on a runaway idea that got out of hand and she didn’t know when to stop with the ridiculous plot!
I feel like a right baddie writing this but I am just baffled by the amount of decent reviews out there and I wish someone had told me not to read this. (Incidentally I ordered this off Amazon based on the positive reviews).
I’m very very happy to be corrected and I’d love someone who enjoyed this book to tell me what they liked about it.
Ok, so in fairness there were a couple of good points. I’ll list them first before I tell you what is wrong with it.
Good points:
1. The beginning felt very juicy- and I like how the author tied together the beginning and the end. It really kept me going through the book, as I wanted to know what would lead up to that quote.
2. The writing in the beginning of the book isn’t too bad- not ‘good’ but better than the latter end of the book. Some of it was okay.
3. I can see how some of the ideas would be seductive to write about, but it just went a bit daft!
Ok, bad bits:
Poor writing. Sloppy. Overuse of cliches.
Unlikely and unlikeable characters. Too many of them are similar and some of it is confusing.
Totally unrealistic plot line- the ending was absolutely mind boggling. Yes, theoretically all of it *could* happen, but come on?! It was just utter bonkers.
Poor editing. In fact, I don’t think this book had been edited at all.
Honestly, I read all sorts of different type of ‘low brow’ books and I don’t really have high standards, but this one takes the cake.
I think the author does have an ability to write; I’m not sure if she rushed this book, got carried away with a silly idea or just didn’t care (especially towards the end), but if she is going to write any more books she really needs to take her time on it and think about the plot, style and the characters. This strikes me as a first draft based on a runaway idea that got out of hand and she didn’t know when to stop with the ridiculous plot!
I feel like a right baddie writing this but I am just baffled by the amount of decent reviews out there and I wish someone had told me not to read this. (Incidentally I ordered this off Amazon based on the positive reviews).
I’m very very happy to be corrected and I’d love someone who enjoyed this book to tell me what they liked about it.
January 28, 2021
[REVIEW] The Lies She Told by Paula Johnston
Recommend Yes/No: Yes
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ [3/5]
Firstly, thank you so much Paula for this ebook in exchange for an honest review on your debut novel.
I read the blurb and knew straight away that this would be right up my street! It was fast paced, full of suspense with lots of twists and turns; everything a psychological thriller should be.
I whizzed through this in two days as I was so eager to know what would happen!
Lots of strong characters which I loved and I love how the author painted such a great picture of the characters in your mind, I could imagine exactly what they looked like.
I don’t know whether it’s because I read so many thrillers or I have a habit of constantly guessing but apart from one of the reveals, I guessed the rest of them. 🙈
This is by no means any reflection on the authors writing as I have a habit of second guessing EVERYONE and EVERYTHING! 😂 When I look back there are only subtle hints throughout but I must have grabbed onto them!
Overall a great debut by Paula! I can’t wait to see what your next book is 😊
Recommend Yes/No: Yes
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ [3/5]
Firstly, thank you so much Paula for this ebook in exchange for an honest review on your debut novel.
I read the blurb and knew straight away that this would be right up my street! It was fast paced, full of suspense with lots of twists and turns; everything a psychological thriller should be.
I whizzed through this in two days as I was so eager to know what would happen!
Lots of strong characters which I loved and I love how the author painted such a great picture of the characters in your mind, I could imagine exactly what they looked like.
I don’t know whether it’s because I read so many thrillers or I have a habit of constantly guessing but apart from one of the reveals, I guessed the rest of them. 🙈
This is by no means any reflection on the authors writing as I have a habit of second guessing EVERYONE and EVERYTHING! 😂 When I look back there are only subtle hints throughout but I must have grabbed onto them!
Overall a great debut by Paula! I can’t wait to see what your next book is 😊
December 23, 2020
Excellent
Loved this book,twists and turns all the way till the end.
Very good couldn’t put this down,finished in two days.
Highly recommend
Loved this book,twists and turns all the way till the end.
Very good couldn’t put this down,finished in two days.
Highly recommend
April 5, 2021
*3.5*
I don’t read much of the thriller genre, but when the opportunity came for me to read and review Lies She Told for an upcoming book tour, I just had to sign up!
I loved the synopsis of this, and it set the gears in my head turning and churning of what could possibly happen. And trust me, this is not your run of the mill love thriller. There are twists, turns, shocks and gasps all the way through that Paula throws at us, and I loved them all!
Rated just shy of 4 stars as I’m quite new to this genre, and found things a bit too far fetched right at the end! Many thanks to @lovebookstours and to the author for sending me a gifted ebook copy of Lies She Told for the book tour!
I don’t read much of the thriller genre, but when the opportunity came for me to read and review Lies She Told for an upcoming book tour, I just had to sign up!
I loved the synopsis of this, and it set the gears in my head turning and churning of what could possibly happen. And trust me, this is not your run of the mill love thriller. There are twists, turns, shocks and gasps all the way through that Paula throws at us, and I loved them all!
Rated just shy of 4 stars as I’m quite new to this genre, and found things a bit too far fetched right at the end! Many thanks to @lovebookstours and to the author for sending me a gifted ebook copy of Lies She Told for the book tour!
July 3, 2022
This is one of those books that is really hard to review without giving too much away, so this will be brief. What I can say about this one is that it is filled with plenty of twists and turns to keep us readers guessing at what exactly is going on. What seems a straight forward affair coming to light turns into something much darker than I expected.
Karly is clearly infatuated with Jacob and I had to feel sorry for her at times because he could see that he was obviously stringing her along. He was lapping up the attention and was happy to keep their communication at a distance. When Karly takes things into her own hands we see just how far she will go to get her man once and for all and I was quite concerned for Jacob’s wife, Lauren.
Told in alternating POV this gripping, twisted and dark story will have you second guessing everything and everyone. It has a fantastic ending and just when you think you’ve figured it all out Paula Johnston pulls out another cracker!
Karly is clearly infatuated with Jacob and I had to feel sorry for her at times because he could see that he was obviously stringing her along. He was lapping up the attention and was happy to keep their communication at a distance. When Karly takes things into her own hands we see just how far she will go to get her man once and for all and I was quite concerned for Jacob’s wife, Lauren.
Told in alternating POV this gripping, twisted and dark story will have you second guessing everything and everyone. It has a fantastic ending and just when you think you’ve figured it all out Paula Johnston pulls out another cracker!
February 6, 2021
I love unreliable narrators and stalking situations. I saw one of the twists coming a mile off, but the final twist at the end totally threw me.
An enjoyable thriller, with detestable characters and a zinger of a twist at the very end. Chef’s kiss.
An enjoyable thriller, with detestable characters and a zinger of a twist at the very end. Chef’s kiss.
March 30, 2021
I don’t read much psychological thrillers and I really should change that. Johnston has increased my appetite to read more of this genre as her story was carefully crafted to ensure a thought provoking read. It is clear that a lot of effort and dedication has been adopted to create such a thoughtful debut. This is apparent with the twists in the story. Johnston takes the plot in unexpected directions, certainly proving an original take and a refreshing read in the sense of it feeling completely new. Maybe this is because my psychological thriller repertoire is limited, but still I am sure avid readers of the genre will be shocked by the events in this book.
The narrative was fast paced and not rushed. I am glad Johnston asserted this writing style because revealing the outcomes couldn’t come quick enough. It helped the nature of the story to unravel, and satisfy my curious mind. Throughout the novel I had my subconscious playing detective, trying to piece together what will happen. The unpredictability epitomised the genre, but there were some elements the reader will be able to guess. This is no reflection of the writing, and instead, I found this actually provided a wholesome read. I enjoy working out the direction of some aspects and being satisfied that the outcome matched mine. If the plot is constantly bouncing around the effectiveness can be lost, so this combatted that and allowed for a balanced read. With that being said, some hints are subtle and certainly juxtapose predictability. The ending. That is all I have to say to evidence that. Having a successful ending is something that has to be executed well and Johnston achieves this. The ending is probably the most important segment that needs to grasp the reader for a final time and leave a strong enough impression of wanting more.
The characters are presented clearly to the reader, causing for multiple emotions to be felt. I think it is safe to assume that Jacob will be universally disliked. I mean, what a horrible man. Then we have Karly, bordering crazy and confusing. The other characters like Lauren and Hannah are equally explored, further fuelling the various reactions for the reader in conjunction to certain aspects of the story. I do believe writing characters that stir strong, negative emotions will cause for more investment. I find that hating a character is more powerful than loving one as it triggers a new sense in me which is waiting for them to receive their comeuppance. Johnston sets this up brilliantly throughout. This also adds a sense of realism too, which is better than false expectations of something being too good to be true. Perhaps this is a feature of the genre, and I am yet to be exposed to more to validate this point. But it certainly makes a change to all the romance tropes I read.
Overall, this is a fabulous debut and I am certain amazing things will await Johnston. I am eager to read more from this author and hope we will be blessed with another story soon.
The narrative was fast paced and not rushed. I am glad Johnston asserted this writing style because revealing the outcomes couldn’t come quick enough. It helped the nature of the story to unravel, and satisfy my curious mind. Throughout the novel I had my subconscious playing detective, trying to piece together what will happen. The unpredictability epitomised the genre, but there were some elements the reader will be able to guess. This is no reflection of the writing, and instead, I found this actually provided a wholesome read. I enjoy working out the direction of some aspects and being satisfied that the outcome matched mine. If the plot is constantly bouncing around the effectiveness can be lost, so this combatted that and allowed for a balanced read. With that being said, some hints are subtle and certainly juxtapose predictability. The ending. That is all I have to say to evidence that. Having a successful ending is something that has to be executed well and Johnston achieves this. The ending is probably the most important segment that needs to grasp the reader for a final time and leave a strong enough impression of wanting more.
The characters are presented clearly to the reader, causing for multiple emotions to be felt. I think it is safe to assume that Jacob will be universally disliked. I mean, what a horrible man. Then we have Karly, bordering crazy and confusing. The other characters like Lauren and Hannah are equally explored, further fuelling the various reactions for the reader in conjunction to certain aspects of the story. I do believe writing characters that stir strong, negative emotions will cause for more investment. I find that hating a character is more powerful than loving one as it triggers a new sense in me which is waiting for them to receive their comeuppance. Johnston sets this up brilliantly throughout. This also adds a sense of realism too, which is better than false expectations of something being too good to be true. Perhaps this is a feature of the genre, and I am yet to be exposed to more to validate this point. But it certainly makes a change to all the romance tropes I read.
Overall, this is a fabulous debut and I am certain amazing things will await Johnston. I am eager to read more from this author and hope we will be blessed with another story soon.
February 24, 2021
This book was legitimately infuriating as a reader for multiple reasons:
1) The proofing was atrocious and I mean ATROCIOUS - constant punctuation errors (basic punctuation - not quibbles over comma usage and whatnot), random capitalization of words that were not proper nouns and incredibly poor sentence structure. I am not including dialogue or text exchanges in this assessment as they obviously follow different vernacular and patois.
2) The last 1/3 of the book was incredibly lazy and disjointed and the ending made no sense. None. Ever since “Gone Girl”, many authors feel like they can just stick in a “twist” at the end - this is not true. A true plot twist is a clever mechanism that either puts all the pieces before into place or casts them in a new light. NOT THE LAZY AND RANDOM INTRODUCTION OF REVELATIONS THAT MAKE NO SENSE, NO CONTEXT, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY ARE BORING.
3) The first 2/3 of this book were well-written - the same events told from Karly and Lauren’s opposing viewpoints and all leading to a final confrontation. Then the last part comes along and it’s so confusing and boring that you just don’t care and you’re basically angry that the first 2/3 were written so well to end in this nonsense. Another instance of an author either losing control of the story or trying so hard to be edgy that it was just bad.
4) The thriller with a twist genre is marked by subtle breadcrumbs scattered throughout the story leading up to the twist or conclusion - this book had none of that. There were about 5 “breadcrumbs” and they were presented like a sledgehammer to the face with blinking red arrows and sirens so you wouldn’t miss them. Zero nuance and also contributed to the final 1/3 being that much more ridiculous.
THRILLER AUTHORS: Please do better. Take the time to plot out your basic story, use spellcheck, and to paraphrase Coco Chanel - before you publish, read it again and take at least one thing out.
*DISCLAIMER* I try to review books on their own merit or against the author’s other works. I recognize that it is not equitable or useful to compare emerging authors against long-established authors.
1) The proofing was atrocious and I mean ATROCIOUS - constant punctuation errors (basic punctuation - not quibbles over comma usage and whatnot), random capitalization of words that were not proper nouns and incredibly poor sentence structure. I am not including dialogue or text exchanges in this assessment as they obviously follow different vernacular and patois.
2) The last 1/3 of the book was incredibly lazy and disjointed and the ending made no sense. None. Ever since “Gone Girl”, many authors feel like they can just stick in a “twist” at the end - this is not true. A true plot twist is a clever mechanism that either puts all the pieces before into place or casts them in a new light. NOT THE LAZY AND RANDOM INTRODUCTION OF REVELATIONS THAT MAKE NO SENSE, NO CONTEXT, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY ARE BORING.
3) The first 2/3 of this book were well-written - the same events told from Karly and Lauren’s opposing viewpoints and all leading to a final confrontation. Then the last part comes along and it’s so confusing and boring that you just don’t care and you’re basically angry that the first 2/3 were written so well to end in this nonsense. Another instance of an author either losing control of the story or trying so hard to be edgy that it was just bad.
4) The thriller with a twist genre is marked by subtle breadcrumbs scattered throughout the story leading up to the twist or conclusion - this book had none of that. There were about 5 “breadcrumbs” and they were presented like a sledgehammer to the face with blinking red arrows and sirens so you wouldn’t miss them. Zero nuance and also contributed to the final 1/3 being that much more ridiculous.
THRILLER AUTHORS: Please do better. Take the time to plot out your basic story, use spellcheck, and to paraphrase Coco Chanel - before you publish, read it again and take at least one thing out.
*DISCLAIMER* I try to review books on their own merit or against the author’s other works. I recognize that it is not equitable or useful to compare emerging authors against long-established authors.
August 30, 2021
This book is predictable. The characters couldn’t be more annoying. These aren’t adults, they act like immature teenagers. The book is based on the author’s real life experience with a guy with the same story. She’s blocked now because she says “I’m blocked because I wrote a great book.” And there’s going to be a sequel. So save yourself some time and don’t bother reading this book. Please don’t ever let me be in the minds of people who think like bully teenagers who have everything they want and they’re just mean and spoiled. It’s gross. The worst part is the book is so predictable. I was outed for saying that I think the book would have been better if it were more surprising, which make sense WHY the book was so predictable. I bet her editor and SO many other people told her the same thing and she just was not having it. The author also is not impressive as a person. I won’t support this book, her, or any other book she writes, which is hopefully not anymore. Minus all the stars. Do NOT recommend.
March 27, 2021
Great story, very ridiculouly stupid ending
This book would have deserved a five-star except for the ridiculous way it ended it really pissed me off. The epilogue doesn't explain the real ending to this story
This book would have deserved a five-star except for the ridiculous way it ended it really pissed me off. The epilogue doesn't explain the real ending to this story
October 28, 2020
Enjoyable
A few wee twists enjoyable enough, will follow author to see what else is in store, enjoyed recognising some locations.
A few wee twists enjoyable enough, will follow author to see what else is in store, enjoyed recognising some locations.
February 9, 2021
I'm so glad Paula asked me if I would like to read this because I loved this book, it was very current and despite the darkness behind it I found it quite refreshing especially with the realistic characters that could literally people you walk past on the street. It was quite interesting because the characters aren't likeable at all but if they had have been this wouldn't have made it the book it is for me, I wanted to slap them all because they made me so angry but because of this I couldn't put it down. It is extremely readable and very much a page turner and I'm pleased to say that this book is true to it's word, I'm not usually a lover of books that are labelled with words like 'wickedly twisted' as they usually always fall short but this didn't, there are subtle twists along the way but the twist at the end was very welcomed and brilliantly executed and certainly one I wasn't expecting.
An absolute awesome debut
An absolute awesome debut
September 23, 2021
This book definitely had me hooked from beginning to end. The first half of the book is told from POV of Karly Winters. She's infatuated with Jacob and waited ten years to have him. One day she decides to take some dramatic action to have him.
The second part of the book is told from POV of Lauren, Jacob's wife. The events are the same but told in different perspective. What an absolute page turner!
The writing style was good and the story was definitely fast paced. I didn't really like any of the chapters but I supposed that is the point of this story.
This novel is cleverly written and such a good read. Definitely recommend.
The second part of the book is told from POV of Lauren, Jacob's wife. The events are the same but told in different perspective. What an absolute page turner!
The writing style was good and the story was definitely fast paced. I didn't really like any of the chapters but I supposed that is the point of this story.
This novel is cleverly written and such a good read. Definitely recommend.
September 4, 2021
Holy moly, what did I actually just read…
This book was just wow, right from the get go, I did struggle to read it in parts as we were doing this as a readalong arranged by the fantastic @instabooktours and we even had @paulajohnstonauthor with us for a discussion after each part. I know for sure we all struggled to keep to the parts for the discussion because we were so hooked.
The character development in this book was off the charts, I was gripped and hooked by each of the characters and to be honest, I couldn’t actually guess where this was going and who was going to be the accused?
I thought the storyline to be very original with a sadistic twist throughout that keeps the reader gripped. I honestly never wanted to put the book down. It took me a good few days to read it, however, that was simply down to work and shifts. I love how each time I thought I knew what was going to happen and Paula expertly changed course of action and threw a twist in!
Thanks to @paulajohnstonauthor for allowing me a gifted copy of your amazing debut book, I am thrilled to have been part of this book tour. @instabooktours thank you for letting me on this book tour, I absolutely loved it and your wee surprise of Paula joining us for a chat!
This book was just wow, right from the get go, I did struggle to read it in parts as we were doing this as a readalong arranged by the fantastic @instabooktours and we even had @paulajohnstonauthor with us for a discussion after each part. I know for sure we all struggled to keep to the parts for the discussion because we were so hooked.
The character development in this book was off the charts, I was gripped and hooked by each of the characters and to be honest, I couldn’t actually guess where this was going and who was going to be the accused?
I thought the storyline to be very original with a sadistic twist throughout that keeps the reader gripped. I honestly never wanted to put the book down. It took me a good few days to read it, however, that was simply down to work and shifts. I love how each time I thought I knew what was going to happen and Paula expertly changed course of action and threw a twist in!
Thanks to @paulajohnstonauthor for allowing me a gifted copy of your amazing debut book, I am thrilled to have been part of this book tour. @instabooktours thank you for letting me on this book tour, I absolutely loved it and your wee surprise of Paula joining us for a chat!
September 2, 2021
Wow, what an ending!
This psychological thriller by Paula Johnston had an ending that I really didn’t see coming.
Written in two parts, this tells the story from the POV of Karly in part one and Lauren in part two. The two women are so different but so similar at the same time, it’s scary.
I liked how the sequence of events were the same, but slightly different depending on who was retelling the story. It depends who was wearing those rose tinted glasses at the time.
It kept me guessing all the way though and as I said, the ending I wasn’t expecting.
I don’t want to say too much in case I ruin this for anyone but as a debut novel it was brilliant. I’d definitely read more from this author and I’d highly recommend this one. A perfect pool read as you wouldn’t want to put it down.
January 27, 2021
Fast-Paced good book. A philandering husband picks the wrong woman and finally things explode. Surprise ending! Read this book in one day - held my interest.
There were so many annoying statements though - one character in the book made references to her dainty feet, her tiny wrist, her smooth legs, her tiny size 3 sandals and so on. Who talks like that?
And most annoying of all - I don't think there was a page in the book without numerous f-bombs. Very foul language. Got old and annoying fast. Unnecessary.
There were so many annoying statements though - one character in the book made references to her dainty feet, her tiny wrist, her smooth legs, her tiny size 3 sandals and so on. Who talks like that?
And most annoying of all - I don't think there was a page in the book without numerous f-bombs. Very foul language. Got old and annoying fast. Unnecessary.
February 21, 2021
Betrayal
A very well written page-turner! Once I got past the beginning where the author was building Karly’s background, I lapped it up greedily!
Lauren & Jacob, a beautiful perfect marriage.
Hannah, Karly’s red-headed best friend.
Georgia, an odd behaving companion of Lauren.
Jacob, handsome Jacob, what a mess you made! Not one woman alive deserves to get caught in the messy web of lies you carried on. Perhaps the book should be dubbed, “The Lies HE Told”.
A very well written page-turner! Once I got past the beginning where the author was building Karly’s background, I lapped it up greedily!
Lauren & Jacob, a beautiful perfect marriage.
Hannah, Karly’s red-headed best friend.
Georgia, an odd behaving companion of Lauren.
Jacob, handsome Jacob, what a mess you made! Not one woman alive deserves to get caught in the messy web of lies you carried on. Perhaps the book should be dubbed, “The Lies HE Told”.
March 24, 2021
⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
"She's many things: impulsive, mischievous, and sometimes a little dangerous but one thing I will give her credit for is that she is painfully honest."
I know this one has had a lot of good reviews so I went into it with high expectations, and I was not disappointed.
The first half of the book I was OBSESSED with and could not put it down. I loved Karly and still do and I was rooting for her the whole way through. (Can I have her job please?)
I wasn't as obsessed with the second half but I've read the book in two days, so as you can tell, I still loved it! But I think it's just because I really disliked Lauren and wanted her to shut up 😂
This 100% could be a Netflix series and one that I would definitely binge. A great combination of characters, great twists and just so enjoyable from start to finish.
Outstanding debut 👏🏻
"She's many things: impulsive, mischievous, and sometimes a little dangerous but one thing I will give her credit for is that she is painfully honest."
I know this one has had a lot of good reviews so I went into it with high expectations, and I was not disappointed.
The first half of the book I was OBSESSED with and could not put it down. I loved Karly and still do and I was rooting for her the whole way through. (Can I have her job please?)
I wasn't as obsessed with the second half but I've read the book in two days, so as you can tell, I still loved it! But I think it's just because I really disliked Lauren and wanted her to shut up 😂
This 100% could be a Netflix series and one that I would definitely binge. A great combination of characters, great twists and just so enjoyable from start to finish.
Outstanding debut 👏🏻
January 23, 2021
The lies she told ⭐⭐⭐⭐
I really enjoyed this book & I enjoyed how the author wrote the characters sounded authentic, I enjoyed reading about their wicked actions & the storylines kept me interested throughout the book, it also kept me wanting more & not wanting it to end.This is a debut novel,I have been reading today & hopefully there will be more to come. Paula Johnston an author I will definitely read more from⭐⭐⭐⭐
I really enjoyed this book & I enjoyed how the author wrote the characters sounded authentic, I enjoyed reading about their wicked actions & the storylines kept me interested throughout the book, it also kept me wanting more & not wanting it to end.This is a debut novel,I have been reading today & hopefully there will be more to come. Paula Johnston an author I will definitely read more from⭐⭐⭐⭐
January 24, 2021
Hard to put down!
I absolutely loved this book. It keeps you guessing to the very end. I look forward to reading more of Paula's books.
I absolutely loved this book. It keeps you guessing to the very end. I look forward to reading more of Paula's books.
July 23, 2021
The Webs they Weave!
I bought this with the intent of reading it on my September holiday, but couldn't resist wading in early. Its wonderful cover kept giving me the come hither, showing me a bit of ankle, and before I knew it, I'd totally succumbed and was speeding through the pages like the clappers.
For a debut novelist, this is an outstanding piece of work with intricate plotting, Formula One pace and crying out to be made into a film.
I note a few other commentators have bemoaned the fact they didn't like any of the characters, but for my ten bob's worth, I don't believe we're supposed to; each is as Machiavellian as the other, and I found it refreshing to read a novel full of flawed characters with each weaving their own tangled web of deceit.
I look forward to reading Paula Johnston's next offering.
Recommended.
I bought this with the intent of reading it on my September holiday, but couldn't resist wading in early. Its wonderful cover kept giving me the come hither, showing me a bit of ankle, and before I knew it, I'd totally succumbed and was speeding through the pages like the clappers.
For a debut novelist, this is an outstanding piece of work with intricate plotting, Formula One pace and crying out to be made into a film.
I note a few other commentators have bemoaned the fact they didn't like any of the characters, but for my ten bob's worth, I don't believe we're supposed to; each is as Machiavellian as the other, and I found it refreshing to read a novel full of flawed characters with each weaving their own tangled web of deceit.
I look forward to reading Paula Johnston's next offering.
Recommended.
September 25, 2021
Well what can I say, this is one of the most psychotic reads I have ever experienced.
It’s complete madness, that this storyline can become real.
There are some proper nutty women out there for sure 😳
It’s everything you want and more in a thriller.
It’s very dark, addictive, just a fantastic read.
Absolutely loved this book, highly addictive.
Can’t get enough of this cover, just pure genius 💋
It’s complete madness, that this storyline can become real.
There are some proper nutty women out there for sure 😳
It’s everything you want and more in a thriller.
It’s very dark, addictive, just a fantastic read.
Absolutely loved this book, highly addictive.
Can’t get enough of this cover, just pure genius 💋
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