Julie Corbin

As a school nurse, Anna Pierce is a well-respected and trusted member of the community. So, when she is accused of hitting Tori Carmichael, her mentee, the reaction is one of shock and disbelief.

Tori Carmichael is a troubled child and is known for bending the truth. Anna is determined to clear her name and save her career and reputation. But before she can, Tori is found dead.

This was a good plot which involves quite a lot a of twists, that makes it difficult to guess who is lying and who isn’t. It is narrated from the point of view of Anna with a few references from the pages of Tori’s diary.

Initially it took me time to get into the book. Especially since I did not find any character enjoyable. I particularly found Anna’s daughter, Isobel, very annoying. But as the story progressed it slowly became more interesting with all the hidden lies, deceit and family secrets getting revealed. The conclusion was totally unexpected and shocking.

Overall, a good psychological thriller.

Thank You to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for this ARC!… (mais)

Although the prose is strangely WYSIWYG, with almost no figurative language, and few signs that anything on the page was ever intended to achieve more than one thing at the same time, the plotting really kept this novel afloat. I saw on Amazon that other readers really liked the 'domestic' side of things, but to me this was a profound set back and gave the thing a mumlit feel in places.

But having said this, I read it in two sittings, and while I was reading, was eager to know what would happen. If it hadn't been for the tedium of domesticity and so many pointless descriptions of scenery and weather, I'd have happily given this a higher mark. I will definitely look for her next one, and suspect she will be a household name in years to come.… (mais)