Secrets from the past don't always stay there

 Perfect Lie – Book Review – 3.5 stars

This is a debut novel from author Claire Sheldon. As a writer, I know how hard it is to get a book over the finish line and out into the world, so I’d like to congratulate Claire on reaching this point.

 

The book tells the story of Jen Garner, who at the start, appears to be living an ordinary life with her husband and children and who runs to keep fit. While she is out running, she has to divert her course due to the police investigating a murder. In addition, Jen starts to receive unexpected items in the post that unnerve her. It is soon revealed that the murder victim is an ex-colleague of Jen’s and we discover that before she settled down with husband James, she led a very different life. But her secrets from the past are about to catch up with her.

 

I won’t give too much away about the rest of the plot, other than to say the book is well-paced and written from a variety of POVs which add interest to the story. I liked the characters, especially DI Chris Jackson, and I could see him being involved in another plot. Not sure if Claire is writing book two, but I’d definitely like to see more of him.

 

As well as as being a mystery thriller, the book also focusses on family relationships, and I thought this element was well done.

 

I’ve given the book a 3.5-star rating as for me; personally, I’d like to have seen more action at the end and potentially a few more red herrings dropped in to throw me off the scent.

 

Well done, Claire and thanks to you and the publisher for letting me have an ebook copy in exchange for an honest review.