Download or read book The Lies We Hide written by S.E. Lynes and published by Bookouture. This book was released on 2019-12-04 with total page 404 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: ‘Just WOW! Totally unputdownable.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐, Goodreads reviewer ‘THE best book I've read this year.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐, Goodreads reviewer ‘Amazing book, her best yet!!!!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐, Goodreads reviewer ‘Gave me shivers – gripping, heart-wrenching, consuming.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐, Goodreads reviewer The truth can set you free, or make you a prisoner… Thirty years ago, Nicola Watson lived with her parents and older brother in a respectable suburb. At ten years old, she didn’t yet understand why her stomach tightened when she heard her father’s heavy tread as he returned home late at night, or why it made her brother Graham’s stammer get worse, or why one night her mother Carol woke them both, wide-eyed and whispering, and took them out of their home and into the unknown. Now a successful lawyer in the city, with a life poles apart from her dark beginnings, Nicola has returned home for her mother’s funeral. But as she stands in her mother’s house, remembering the woman who sacrificed everything for her children, Nicola has to confront the guilt that she feels for leaving her family behind. And the belief that she played a part in the events that led to her brother going to prison for murder. All Carol wanted was to protect her children, but escaping her husband was only the beginning of the story. And when Nicola learns the truth of what her mother did, it will change everything she thought she knew about herself and her family. A gripping, emotional story of family secrets, and the strength of a mother’s love in the darkest times. The next powerful read for fans of The Silent Wife, Kerry Lonsdale and Emily Bleeker. Readers are loving The Lies We Hide! ‘There are not enough stars in the world to describe my love for this book! A million stars and more from me!’ Goodreads Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘This book was beautifully written and brought me to tears. One of the best books I’ve read this year.’ Goodreads Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘This is one of those books that kept me on the edge of my seat from the beginning to the very end.’ Goodreads Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Amazing… a story so deep and heartbreaking with so many twists you won’t be able to put it down. I would give this book more stars if I could. Loved it and will be definitely recommending this to all my friends.’ Goodreads Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘You know when you find one of those books that you know you are going to love right from the first few pages? This is one of those, it’s fast paced and kept me up reading nearly all night last night, I couldn't stop! I can’t recommend it enough, it’s my favourite read this year so far.’ NetGalley Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘The Lies We Hide is a story that will take hold of you. When I wasn’t reading it, I was constantly thinking about it. … Absolutely outstanding!’ By the Letter Book Reviews ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A brilliant domestic thriller! WOW!! Loved this book – almost read it straight through… The end has a twist I did not see coming!!!’ Goodreads Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘This is such a moving story and one I would highly recommend. In fact, thanks to the author, I stayed awake far longer than was sensible in order to keep reading.’ Goodreads Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Wow, what a book. It grabbed me from the first page and I’m gutted that I’ve finished it. I’ve loved this author’s other books, however this is definitely my favourite so far.’ Goodreads Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘This is one of those books that kept me on the edge of my seat from the beginning to the very end.’ Goodreads Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘This book pulls at your heart. Grabs you from the very first page and doesn’t let go until the very last!’ Goodreads Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Download or read book Can You See Her written by S.E. Lynes and published by Bookouture. This book was released on 2020-04-22 with total page 384 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: ‘Amazing, wonderful and the best yet!!!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐, Goodreads Reviewer ‘Loved, loved, loved it!!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐, Goodreads Reviewer ‘Phew! I can breathe again!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐, Goodreads Reviewer ‘Wonderful!… devoured it in one sitting!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐, Goodreads Reviewer Rachel Ryder doesn’t understand how her life has changed so completely. When she was younger, heads would turn when she walked into a room. Her children needed her; her husband adored her. But somehow the years wore that all away. She was so busy raising her children, looking after her parents… She can barely remember the woman she used to be, the one whose husband told her she was out of his league. The woman she is now just does the laundry and makes the dinner, and can walk into a room without anyone knowing she’s there. She knows that she hated feeling invisible. She knows that she thought: what would it take for you to see me again? And now she’s worried that she did something terrible. Because she’s sitting in a room, being asked whether she killed someone. When no-one is watching, you can get away with anything… Can You See Her? is an utterly compelling and unputdownable psychological thriller, about how far you can push a woman before she will break. Perfect for fans of Gillian Flynn, A.J. Finn and The Silent Patient. Readers love Can You See Her?: ‘Outstanding!… had me hooked from the first page… totally absorbing… you need to read this book!’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘Talk about an emotional gut punch!… it tore me apart and laid me out to dry… Pure genius! You need a section for infinity stars as five just doesn't cut it!’ Chapter in My Life, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘OMG this book was EVERYTHING!… absolutely adored… one of the best books I’ve read this year so far. Brilliant!’ Mychestnutreadingtree, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘There’s warmth and humour here… the suspense element is gripping.’ The Sunday Times Crime Club ‘What a jaw dropper!!!… absolutely could not put this book down!’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘From the very first page this book captured my attention… Each page reveals another shocking revelation, with a superb twist at the end. Absolutely must read!’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘What a twist it was!… amazing… worth way more than the maximum 5 stars I'm allowed’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I could not put this book down… as for the ending OMG!!!’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Absolutely brilliant!!… I really loved this one… sharp, powerful, and real’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘OMG! A clever, well-crafted read that kept me both reading and thinking… Wow! It threw me, it surprised me. Brilliant.’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘Had me racing through the pages for what I have to say is one ultimate reading climax!… deserves the highest of praise. Phenomenal read!’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘Oh my! Finished this last night… I was left a sobbing, snotty mess by the end. A five star read… an author with grace, depth and mastery.’ NetGalley Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘You know when you pick up a book and can't put it down because it has you gripped, and you read in bed until your eyes are closing and the book keeps falling from your grasp. Then you wake up at 3.30am and think I can't sleep because I am thinking about that book so I might as well finish it? Well this is one of those books!’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘OH THE TWIST!… It was SO perfect!… I could NOT put this one down… 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ thriller!’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘BRILLIANT!!!’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Download or read book Her Sister s Secret written by S.E. Lynes and published by Bookouture. This book was released on 2021-07-13 with total page 390 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: ‘WOW!!!… Will keep you on the edge of your seat to the final stunning ending!!… To say I loved this book is an understatement! This book is why I read thrillers! Kept me so captivated… A stunner!’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Why would you pretend your life is a dream when you’re living a nightmare? I thought my sister was happy. I thought what we all thought: that Annie and Dom led perfect lives in a lovely cottage in a quiet village by the sea, with flowers at the front gate and an apple tree in the garden. Everyone knew them: generous, loving Dom, creative, joyful Annie. But I never saw Annie as she sat waiting for Dom well into the night. I didn’t see her smiling through her tears. I didn’t know what the perfect couple were hiding. So when sirens break the silence of the night and flames rise against the dark sky, and I get the call I never expected, I’m left with a simple burning question: who was to blame? A brilliantly twisty tale of family secrets and the darkness that can lie behind closed doors, Her Sister’s Secret will keep you turning the pages till the final devastating revelation. Fans of Lisa Jewell, Gillian Flynn and Louise Candlish will love it. See what everyone’s saying about Her Sister’s Secret: ‘AMAZING… Susie Lynes is the one to blame for the bags under my eyes, for me being unable to focus on work because all I want to do is get back to reading… and for the palpitations in my heart as once again she spun her magical writing web and trapped me inside the pages!… Totally off the scale star rating for me!’ Chapter in my Life, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Incredible… Will stay with me for a loooooong time. Fantastic, Intense, Gripping, Phenomenal!!!!!!!… I loved it.’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Suspense, secrets, loss, lies and a shocking ending!!!… Absolutely gripping… I LOVED it’ Bookworm86, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Wow! Just wow… Grabbed me by the throat from the outset and didn't relinquish its grip until the very end… Will have you gasping (I did literally scream out loud at one point).’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Delicious prose, well rounded characters and mind-bending plot twists… Read it. Devour it. Share it!’ Jenny O’Brien, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘S.E. Lynes does it again!… I didn’t see the final twist coming AT ALL!’ @elizabethsbooks, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A total thriller that will grab you at page one and keep you locked in until you finish… Kept me up way past my bedtime to find out what happened – it is THAT good!’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Wow!… Kept me guessing until the reveal almost at the very end! Fantastic!’ Girl Who Reads, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I couldn’t put it down because I so needed to know what was going on!… A twisty plot with one hell of a good finish, a real didn’t-see-that-coming ending… Compelling and compulsive… Completely blowing my mind’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Absolutely stunning… Twisty and thrilling… The kind of novel that you can’t put down, but you don’t want to finish. I absolutely loved it.’ Motherhood for Slackers, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Wow!… Refreshingly brilliant… A killer twist which you will not predict… I absolutely love it… you are completely engrossed and invested.’ @iheartbooks1991, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Do not pick up this book unless you devote time to read it because once you start… there’s no going back… Will shock you and definitely leave you breathless!’ Two Girls and a Book Obsession, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Download or read book Call Me a Liar written by Colette McBeth and published by Headline. This book was released on 2019-04-18 with total page 319 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 'THRILLING . . . SHIFTS LIKE QUICKSAND UNDER YOUR FEET' Erin Kelly, author of HE SAID/SHE SAID 'SLICK AND PACEY' Renée Knight, author of DISCLAIMER 'CHILLINGLY CLAUSTROPHOBIC ... BRILLIANT.' Karen Hamilton, author of THE PERFECT GIRLFRIEND A new standalone psychological thriller from Colette McBeth, whose dark, twisty and hugely compelling novels are beloved of writers like Paula Hawkins, Clare Mackintosh and Marian Keyes. You could say it started with vanity. We believed we were special. But the truth is we were simply vulnerable. Months after landing their dream job, five brilliant young minds are sent on a remote retreat. But when one of them disappears, they're forced to question why they were brought there in the first place. And for the first time in their lives, they realise too much knowledge can be deadly . . . One of them is lying. One of them is guilty. No one is safe. 'TOPICAL, MORALLY AMBIGUOUS, WITH A PACE THAT NEVER LETS UP... BRILLIANT' Tammy Cohen, author of WHEN SHE WAS BAD 'COMBINES A FURIOUSLY TWISTY PLOT WITH UTTERLY BELIEVABLE CHARACTERS. A WINNER' Elly Griffiths, author of THE CROSSING PLACES 'BLOWN AWAY . . . GOOD LINE AFTER GREAT LINE, AND A BRILLIANT, TOTALLY CONTEMPORARY SETTING' Jane Casey, author of THE MAEVE KERRIGAN SERIES

Download or read book Mother written by S.E. Lynes and published by Bookouture. This book was released on 2017-11-22 with total page 379 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book The Girl Across the Street A Darkly Compelling and Absolutely Gripping Psychological Thriller written by Vikki Patis and published by Bookouture. This book was released on 2019-03-08 with total page 266 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: You're hiding a secret that only she can see. Her name is Beth. She came into my life when I needed her the most. We lead very different lives, but she's the only person who understands me. She was the only other witness to the terrible accident on the street between our homes. The only person who saw the cracks in my perfect life before I had the chance to cover them up. It's been so long since I've had a friend. Someone to talk to, to listen to, to laugh and dream with. Beth would never do anything to hurt me. She only wants what's best for me, for my marriage. Doesn't she? An unputdownable psychological suspense thriller that will grip you until the very last page. Perfect for fans of Gone Girl, The Girl on the Train and The Couple Next Door. What readers are saying about The Girl Across the Street: 'OMG! I was addicted to this book... This is one amazing psychological thriller and I give it 5 stars across the board... I loved it!!!' Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars 'Utterly compulsive reading!... A tense undercurrent runs throughout as you wait to find out just how all the threads of the story will come together, and when they do... phew... what an ending!' Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars 'I was completely gripped... will take you on a rollercoaster of emotions, come the end I wasn't ready to finish up... I loved it and would fully recommend it to anyone.' Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars 'Holy Moly. This book was brilliant. Seriously, I had to read it front to back. What a wild ride. Not a book to just read... you have to at times remember to breathe. Best book in a long while. I never saw it coming... I was involved and connected. Just amazing.' Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars 'Compulsively readable, I could not put this one down, as the tension continued to mount until the final explosive reveal.' Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars 'The story builds and builds racing to the final act... Vikki Patis is quickly becoming a favourite!' Goodreads reviewer 'Another phenomenal book... I thought I knew what would happen in the end, but how wrong I was.' Little Old Ginger Me, 5 stars 'Unputdownable. Stayed up late into the night to finish. Fantastic... Loved it!' Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

Download or read book White Lies written by Lucy Dawson and published by Bookouture. This book was released on 2018-04-20 with total page 313 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book The Shadows We Hide written by Allen Eskens and published by Mulholland Books. This book was released on 2018-11-13 with total page 289 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Journalist Joe Talbert investigates the murder of the father he never knew, and must reckon with his own family's past, in this "brilliant sequel" to the national bestseller The Life We Bury (Publishers Weekly) Joe Talbert, Jr. has never once met his namesake. Now out of college, a cub reporter for the Associated Press in Minneapolis, he stumbles across a story describing the murder of a man named Joseph Talbert in a small town in southern Minnesota. Full of curiosity about whether this man might be his father, Joe is shocked to find that none of the town's residents have much to say about the dead man-other than that his death was long overdue. Joe discovers that the dead man was a loathsome lowlife who cheated his neighbors, threatened his daughter, and squandered his wife's inheritance after she, too, passed away -- an inheritance that may now be Joe's. Mired in uncertainty and plagued by his own devastated relationship with his mother, who is seeking to get back into her son's life, Joe must put together the missing pieces of his family history -- before his quest for discovery threatens to put him in a grave of his own.

Download or read book Good Me Bad Me written by Ali Land and published by . This book was released on 2017-09-05 with total page 303 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How far does the apple really fall from the tree when the daughter of a serial killer is placed with a new, normal foster family? Room meets Dexter in this dark, voice-driven psychological suspense.

Download or read book The Pact written by S.E. Lynes and published by Bookouture. This book was released on 2018-02-27 with total page 406 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: You made a promise to your sister. It could destroy your daughter. The Daughter 15-year-old Rosie lies in hospital fighting for her life. She’s trying to tell her mother what happened to her, but she can’t speak the words out loud. The Mother Toni is a doting and over-protective mother, terrified for her daughter’s life. Having lost her husband in a tragic accident, Toni has dedicated her life to keeping Rosie safe from harm. She needs to know what secrets Rosie has been keeping, and how she ended up in a hospital bed – but Toni has a secret of her own… The Pact Thirty years ago, Toni and her sister Bridget made each other a promise: never to speak of their childhood; to protect each other without asking for help from others, no matter what… But in order to save Rosie, Toni may have to break her lifelong promise to her sister… and open doors to her past she hoped would remain closed forever. The Pact is a chilling psychological thriller about the lies we will tell to save our children. Perfect for fans of Gone Girl, Apple Tree Yard and The Sister. What readers are saying about The Pact: 'Wow, wow, wow... I absolutely devoured this book. An absolute must read.' Into the Reading Corner 'Oh my! So many twists and turns in this book! I couldn’t stop reading just waiting to see what’s next! Then, oh my goodness, I didn’t see that coming! I literally couldn’t put it down... Exhilarating!' Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars 'S.E. Lynes has become one of my must-read authors... Clear your diary and settle down with The Pact; once you start there's no stopping. Another belter of a book!' Bibliophile Book Club, 5 stars 'WOW I can't stop thinking about The Pact. The author grabbed my attention at the very beginning and brilliantly kept me on the edge of my seat as I tried to figure out what was going on... I would definitely read more from S.E. Lynes and recommend The Pact to anyone who loves a good psychological thriller. Five out of five stars.' Lady J's Bookish Nook 'A thrilling read, this book has twists and turns galore and I devoured it in one sitting!' Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars 'A brilliant, beautiful book which leaves the reader simultaneously shattered and full of hope… Perfection.' Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars 'Full of tension and shocks. The twists and turns were fired out like a salvo of ammunition and what happened was truly terrible and unthinkable... I loved the fast paced storytelling, the wonderfully crafted characters and the cleverly plotted all action, all guns blazing story. Lovers of modern psychological thrillers will lap up this novel.' Goodreads reviewer ‘An unnerving psychological thriller… had me on the very edge of my seat, whilst holding my duvet up covering one eye from the horrors I was reading, but at the same time not able to turn the pages quick enough.’ The Glass House, 5 stars ‘I found myself turning faster and faster as I had to find out what was going on… One brilliant book.’ Nicki’s Book Blog, 5 stars ‘I didn't want to put it down and by 80% I was knocking it back like tequila… pure genius… I will be shouting it's praise from the rooftops for a long time to come.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars ‘Wow! Another amazing, unputdownable, brilliantly written, fast paced and page turning story… One of the best thrillers I have read from an author to watch. Brilliant. Unforgettable.’ Renita D’Silva, 5 stars

Download or read book Charm Strange written by Stephanie Kuehn and published by Macmillan. This book was released on 2013-06-11 with total page 224 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A haunting debut, "Charm & Strange" is the story of a young man discovering who he is and how to keep a dark past from defining his future.

Download or read book The Women written by S E Lynes and published by Bookouture. This book was released on 2019-05-22 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 'Wow, just wow.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐, Goodreads reviewer 'Blew me away and I'm still gasping for air.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐, Goodreads reviewer 'Totally jaw-dropping.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐, Goodreads reviewer 'Had me on the edge of my seat.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐, Goodreads reviewer 'One of the must-read books of the year. I could not put this book down.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐, Goodreads reviewer The night she moves in with Peter, she's so happy, so exhilarated, so in love. Later, she will remember a much smaller feeling, a tiny one percent in her gut. And she will remember pushing that feeling aside... Samantha Frayn doesn't know why Peter Bridges picks her - a nobody with bitten fingernails and a troubled childhood behind her - but she falls quickly. He's older, charming, likes fine wine and French films, and his beautiful home has real art on its walls. Peter transforms Samantha's life in an instant. He sees the better version of herself - the one she's always wanted to be. It's only normal that there's a little friction, when she moves in, over domestic matters like where things are kept, or the proper times to eat, sleep and shower. She's lucky to be with someone who can help her find a new job, move on from childish friends, and speak with greater sophistication. But as Samantha notices, more and more, Peter's temper, she starts to wonder if there might be consequences to breaking the rules of the world he has so quickly built around her. And then she receives an anonymous note that makes her ask: is she the first woman to feel trapped by Peter? Is she being paranoid, manipulated, or could she be in danger? You can tell the truth about your life, but someone needs to be listening. Someone needs to trust you. And someone needs to save you from the man you thought you loved. Readers love The Women! 'Wow... Devoured in one sitting!!! Loved it.' Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars 'Had me reading this in one sitting, as there was no way I was going to stop until I had finishedit. That to me is what makes a book great! I really loved this book' Once Upon a Time Book Reviews, 5 stars 'I absolutely loved this page turner of a novel... I cannot recommend it highly enough.' Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars 'This is a writer who just keeps getting better and better. The Women is S.E Lynes' fifth book and for me it is the best yet... a novel of exceptional skill.' Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars 'I literally could not stop reading this book.' Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

Download or read book The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly written by Stephanie Oakes and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2016-11-01 with total page 402 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: **THE BOOK THAT INSPIRED SACRED LIES, DEBUTING JULY 27 ON FACEBOOK WATCH** A hard-hitting and hopeful story about the dangers of blind faith—and the power of having faith in yourself. Finalist for the Morris Award. The Kevinian cult has taken everything from seventeen-year-old Minnow: twelve years of her life, her family, her ability to trust. And when she rebelled, they took away her hands, too. Now their Prophet has been murdered and their camp set aflame, and it's clear that Minnow knows something—but she's not talking. As she languishes in juvenile detention, she struggles to un-learn everything she has been taught to believe, adjusting to a life behind bars and recounting the events that led up to her incarceration. But when an FBI detective approaches her about making a deal, Minnow sees she can have the freedom she always dreamed of—if she’s willing to part with the terrible secrets of her past. Gorgeously written, breathlessly page-turning and sprinkled with moments of unexpected humor, this harrowing debut is perfect for readers of Emily Murdoch's If You Find Me and Nova Ren Suma's The Walls Around Us, as well as for fans of Orange is the New Black.

Download or read book Valentina written by S.E. Lynes and published by Bookouture. This book was released on 2018-08-13 with total page 424 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Silent Scream written by Angela Marsons and published by Bookouture. This book was released on 2015-02-20 with total page 425 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Never Simple written by Liz Scheier and published by Henry Holt and Company. This book was released on 2022-03-01 with total page 242 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This gripping and darkly funny memoir “is a testament to the undeniable, indestructible love between a mother and a daughter” (Isaac Mizrahi). Liz Scheier’s mother was a news junkie, a hilarious storyteller, a fast-talking charmer you couldn’t look away from, a single mother whose devotion crossed the line into obsession, and—when in the grips of the mental illness that plagued her—a masterful liar. On an otherwise uneventful afternoon when Scheier was eighteen, her mother sauntered into the room and dropped two bombshells. First, that she had been married for most of the previous two decades to a man Liz had never heard of and, second, that the man she had claimed was Liz’s dead father was entirely fictional. She’d made him up—his name, the stories, everything. Those big lies were the start, but not the end; it had taken dozens of smaller lies to support them, and by the time she was done she had built a fairy-tale, half-true life for the two of them. Judith Scheier’s charm was more than matched by her eccentricity, and Liz had always known there was something wrong in their home. After all, other mothers didn’t raise a child single-handedly with no visible source of income, or hide their children behind fake Social Security numbers, or host giant parties in a one-bedroom Manhattan apartment only to throw raging tantrums when the door closed behind the guests. Now, decades later, armed with clues to her father’s identity—and as her mother’s worsening dementia reveals truths she never intended to share—Liz attempts to uncover the real answers to the mysteries underpinning her childhood. Trying to construct a “normal” life out of decidedly abnormal roots, she navigates her own circuitous path to adulthood: a bizarre breakup, an unexpected romance, and the birth of her son and daughter. Along the way, Liz wrestles with questions of what we owe our parents even when they fail us, and of how to share her mother’s hilarity, limitless love, and creativity with children—without passing down the trauma of her mental illness. Never Simple is the story of enduring the legacy of a hard-to-love parent with compassion, humor, and, ultimately, self-preservation.

Download or read book Call Me Mummy written by Tina Baker and published by Serpent's Tail. This book was released on 2021-02-25 with total page 339 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 'Dark, heartbreaking and totally absorbing' - LORRAINE KELLY 'Brilliantly written and emotionally compulsive' - HARRIET TYCE 'A powerful and thought-provoking page turner' - KATERINA DIAMOND CALL ME MUMMY. IT'LL BE BETTER IF YOU DO. Glamorous, beautiful Mummy has everything a woman could want. Except for a daughter of her very own. So when she sees Kim - heavily pregnant, glued to her phone and ignoring her eldest child in a busy shop - she does what anyone would do. She takes her. But foul-mouthed little Tonya is not the daughter that Mummy was hoping for. As Tonya fiercely resists Mummy's attempts to make her into the perfect child, Kim is demonised by the media as a 'scummy mummy', who deserves to have her other children taken too. Haunted by memories of her own childhood and refusing to play by the media's rules, Kim begins to spiral, turning on those who love her. Though they are worlds apart, Mummy and Kim have more in common than they could possibly imagine. But it is five-year-old Tonya who is caught in the middle... ________________________________________ *** A NETGALLEY BOOK OF THE MONTH *** 'Disturbing and distinctive, this is a book I couldn't put down' - AMANDA JENNINGS 'Tense and gripping, these characters will stay with me' - ALICE CLARK-PLATTS 'Psychologically twisty and utterly gripping' - LISA HALL