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spersephone's review against another edition
2.0
Arrrgggghhhhh! Why do I bother reading Kathryn Croft? Her books sound awesome, brilliant ideas behind them, but slowly, they just get tedious.
All the characters have some deep, dark secrets. No-one is just real and flawed. What in God's name was the purpose of Josie's mother and the beating in her past? Exactly what did it add to the story? Was it going to be somehow connected to anything else?
Mia, as the main, innocent party of the story was relatively understandable and relatable most of the way through. However, there was no real explanation of how she ended up with her new boyfriend, and he seemed far too perfect to be true.
Zach also came across as being far too good, but there were all these snide comments about what he'd done. Except that it was never truly explained at all, until the end where it become somewhat clear what he was supposed to have done. It may have been helped by a newspaper clipping or similar that came out and said what he was accused of doing, much earlier in the story.
The main twist was so over the top and uncalled for. I mean you could write a story about a cat and dog who are friends, and then suddenly the cat rips out the dog's throat and then pretends to be innocent, blaming it all on the mouse. You'd just go, 'huh?' and shake your head at the stupidity of the way it was dealt with.
It could have worked.
Stop with all the over-dramatisation of every single character. Include nice, mundane scenes that remind us that this could happen to any of us!!
Unfortunately, it just ends up being a silly caricature of a story.
All the characters have some deep, dark secrets. No-one is just real and flawed. What in God's name was the purpose of Josie's mother and the beating in her past? Exactly what did it add to the story? Was it going to be somehow connected to anything else?
Mia, as the main, innocent party of the story was relatively understandable and relatable most of the way through. However, there was no real explanation of how she ended up with her new boyfriend, and he seemed far too perfect to be true.
Zach also came across as being far too good, but there were all these snide comments about what he'd done. Except that it was never truly explained at all, until the end where it become somewhat clear what he was supposed to have done. It may have been helped by a newspaper clipping or similar that came out and said what he was accused of doing, much earlier in the story.
The main twist was so over the top and uncalled for. I mean you could write a story about a cat and dog who are friends, and then suddenly the cat rips out the dog's throat and then pretends to be innocent, blaming it all on the mouse. You'd just go, 'huh?' and shake your head at the stupidity of the way it was dealt with.
It could have worked.
Stop with all the over-dramatisation of every single character. Include nice, mundane scenes that remind us that this could happen to any of us!!
Unfortunately, it just ends up being a silly caricature of a story.
sarahc823's review against another edition
4.0
Good story. Kept me on my toes and at the edge of my seat. The ending threw me off. Hopefully there will be a second book?
cosyupnread5's review against another edition
5.0
Oh my goodness!!! I'm left utterly shocked and speechless, what a brilliant, addictive read Silent Lies was, the storyline was amazing and I know that I will not be able to switch off from this book, absolutely brilliant!!
happycrafter207's review against another edition
4.0
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?
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.
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?
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.
namitakhanna's review against another edition
4.0
Told by two different POV’s Silent Lies by Kathryn Croft has great characters , is an excellent psychological thriller with lots of secrets and twists and turns to discover that keeps misleading the reader and a totally unexpected ending . Thoroughly enjoyed this one!
I would like to thank Bookouture & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review
I would like to thank Bookouture & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review
thephdivabooks's review against another edition
5.0
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 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***
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***
judithdcollins's review against another edition
4.0
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.
JDCMustReadBooks
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.
JDCMustReadBooks
cristelle_snyman's review against another edition
3.0
Audible version's narration was entertaining to listen to, don't think I'd enjoy reading it as much.