This book had such potential to be good but it's too overwritten for me to enjoy. It's in first person, which is a classic viewpoint for thrillers- it means that we, the readers, can see the truth at times when the protagonist can't or won't. The protagonist insists, however, on describing everything and adding metaphors and similes and adjectives and opinions. There's a lot of telling rather than showing and a real mishmash of narrative styles.

The part that made me wish she'd had a better editor was when she was up at night at the very start, and said she knew there were black fields out there surrounding the house but she couldn't see them. It seemed an utterly pointless thing to point out if the only reason she was awake was to check her boyfriend's emails. It made no sense in a first-person narrative. Then, at a time unspecified she spends paragraphs describing how she'd got her job (which I assume was a ploy to point out she wasn't a doctor anymore) but no time explaining when she was at the job or how long from the time she'd read the email. She looks up the word atrocity at this job and we get to read the definition. How bizarre. Are there adult people out there who don't know what atrocity means? This was evidently a narrative device to remind the reader that the boyfriend has done something bad but it's not something that seemed natural.

This wasn't writing that agreed with me.

"Everything but the Truth" by Gillian McAlister is a great novel. It is one of those books where at some point you begin to question everything you know about each of the characters. You just don't know what to believe in anymore.
I read this book in one sitting. I liked the characters whom I thought to be very realistic. I especially liked the protagonist - Rachel. I found it so easy to connect with her.
It was a great mystery and I really appreciate the fact that throughout the whole book I had no idea how it was going to end. Which isn't always the case...
All in all, "Everything but the Truth" is a great read. I cannot believe this is Gillian McAlister's first novel!
Thank you so much to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

I enjoyed this book immensely, the only problem I had is that at the beginning it felt like a thriller but towards the end I realised it wasn't, it was more a character exploration than a thriller. I liked the journey that the characters took and the shift in perspectives of how we justify our own actions but don't give other people the same credit.

Everything But The Truth

I found it hard throughout the read to decide whether I loved or hated this book. At times it was so intriguing I couldn't bare to put it down, and at others the protagonist was so irritating I didn't really want to pick it back up.

I'd definitely say it was a book worth reading though. It pulls you in with flashbacks and snippets from the past that leave you wondering if you actually know anything about the main characters at all. There are times when you want to shake them and times when you want to hug them. A rollercoaster of a book that's for sure!

I was kindly sent a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Your world turns upside down, then you meet your perfect guy, and in just a few short months you find yourself pregnant and having to face the reality that your perfect guy might not be perfect – this is the situation Rachel finds herself in, but are her doubts justified or is she just being paranoid?

Everything But The Truth is the debut novel for Gillian McAllister and I absolutely loved it.For me everything just worked, the plot and the pacing combined to keep me turning pages, every time I thought I should stop and sleep, or make dinner, something else happened which meant I had to keep reading just a little bit longer!

The book focuses on Jack and Rachel and their relationship. Jack is a journalist who is originally from Oban in Scotland but moves to Newcastle to work as a freelance writer for a magazine based there which is where he meets Rachel. Rachel is a former doctor who is now working as a secretary at a law firm. They first meet at the foot of the monument, Jack is everything Rachel could want in a partner, he’s attractive, intelligent and obviously adores her, everything is perfect until one night Rachel sees an email, when Jack lies about it Rachel can’t help but dig a little deeper, is there something hiding in Jack’s past, or is she just being paranoid and reading far too much into nothing? After all Jack isn’t the only one who hasn’t shared the entire truth about his past, Rachel has a secret of her own, after all just why isn’t she practising as a doctor anymore?

Around Rachel and Jack are a fantastic range of supporting characters, from Jack’s parents and younger brother up in Oban, to Rachel’s family and friends around them in Newcastle, each of them added something to the story and I can’t think of a single one that the story would have been better without, even Rachel’s deceased mother plays an important role in the plot.

Would I recommend it?

Absolutely without a shadow of a doubt, this was a great read! It’s a fantastic debut that kept me questioning everything, not only what was happening in the plot, but how I felt about all the characters throughout the reveals; do I still like Jack? Should I still like Jack? Is it really fair of Rachel to be doing this when she has her own secret that she hasn’t shared? Pick it up, read it, and then come back and let me know what you thought!

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Anyone who reviews a lot on here knows that from time to time you will suffer reader fatigue. It doesn't matter how good the book is you find your arm dropping and then you're either nodding off or just staring into space.....or suddenly find something you just have to do NOW. It's a readers saddest time. And despite the last few books I've read been 4 and 5 star efforts I've found myself there. There haven't been any one day reads. Until now. And let me be clear, this was also a weekend one day read and as a mom these are as rare as chickens going to the dentist. IT NEVER HAPPENS.

Rachel and Jack haven't been together long, but they're expecting a baby and are very much in love. Rachel trusts Jack, but after seeing an email accidently her curiosity about his past is piqued taking her on a quest for the truth which leaves her frightened for their future.

Everything But The Truth is hard to pigeonhole. I've heard it described as a thriller and a mystery.....a mystery yes but a thriller? No. It's actually much more than that. It's a book about love and trust, and in some ways also about empathy. Without giving too much away Rachel never seems to be in danger. It's the relationship at risk here and in this type of book it's refreshing. Also I wasn't expecting a character as likeable as Jack. Let's face it in most domestic noirs the man is usually as shifty as Dracula at a blood donation. But he's genuinely a great character, funny and quirky. You understand why Rachel loves him. Again very refreshing.

This is a excellent debut, full of intrigue and plot twists that is a stand out in its genre. It's definitely worth a read.

Thank you Netgalley and Penguin UK - Michael Joseph for this review copy.

Everything But The Truth - Gillian McAllister

We're all hiding something.

One late night email notification starts to unravel everything.

You'd look, wouldn't you? If it just flashed up in front of you? But exactly how far would you go to uncover the truth about the partner you realise you know very little about?

This book has so many secrets and lies and twists and turns it made me dizzy. First I loved Rebecca, then I thought she was crazy-loco, then I loved her again, then I started to realise she's harbouring her own secrets and I wasn't too sure again....I also had the exact same rollercoaster with Jack. Both characters' behaviour is really odd and unpredictable at times and I found the uncertainty about who I was rooting for really exciting in this story. Just like Rebecca it made me desperate for answers.

Without giving away too much of the plot, I really enjoyed the reveals, I thought they were well-timed to keep you guessing but also keep you reading. I couldn't resist just one more chapter and I absolutely love that feeling!

You'll learn a bit about Scottish law that perhaps you didn't know before and you might want to start some low-key background checks just as a precaution. It scared me how much of Jack's "other life" was able to be buried and adds another level of terror to my already toppling pile of fears around new relationships. Can you ever really know someone? Especially if they're saying all the right things?

A really twisty read that you'll whizz through to get to the truth, four cwtches! Thanks to Netgalley & the publishers for the chance to read and review honestly. Get your copy here.

This a powerful novel. I shan't forget it in a hurry. It changed my thinking inside out and upside down. Cause and effect. Direct lies and lies of omission. The latter can be such a grey area. I think we all have past events that we are ashamed to admit or don't want to revisit. This features strongly in the book and it's wrapped up in a beautiful love story. Rachel is quite full-on and confrontational. She's poor on invasion of privacy and confidentiality at work and in her private life. We find her after making several mistakes in life paranoid after a succession of betrayals which leave her with trust issues. Jack seems to be perfect for her and she loves everything about him. They have a good rapport and not forgetting his delightful cat Howard. A twist in their beautiful love story has Jack sliding off his pedestal. He is no longer the man she thought he was. It all becomes very soul-searching. There are a lot of interesting snippets about the internet and researching as well as snapshots from the past in her work as a doctor. I haven't heard about the NOT PROVEN Scottish law and that was also very interesting. I couldn't make up my mind how I would cope in either of the couple's positions. Very thought provoking. Thank you to Net Galley and Penguin. I shall post this to Amazon, Facebook and my blog now.

This was so different from what I was expecting, in a good way. I was expecting a taught thriller, with a whodunnit and lots of creepiness. Instead it was a character study into paranoia, lies and a trust within relationships.

Jack and Rachel are having a baby. They have only known each other a few months, and Rachel is desperate to know as much about her child's father as possible. Slowly a 'dark history' begins to unravel, with Rachel not knowing who to trust or what to believe. She also has a secret that she hasn't told Jack that changed her life. Will she tell him? Will he be honest with her? Do mistakes from the past matter in the present?

This novel asks all these questions and more. And whilst it isn't preaching at you, it certainly gives some food for thought. I always had sympathy for Jack as his story was revealed, I also felt for Rachel as we learned about what had happened with her. This proves that decisions made in a moment for whatever reason are never simple. There is no black and white in morality within relationships, just a whole sea of grey.

Brilliant. I'm looking forward to the next novel by this author!

This is the story of two people having a relationship; pregnancy occurs very soon after getting together and slowly the realisation that she doesn't really know anything about Jack invades Rachel's every waking thought.
I'm not into spoilers, but everything in this novel makes absolute sense and it is a fantastic read. Great realistic characters, complete with flaws, add up to a terrific story, well worth putting aside some time to absorb and enjoy. The 'secrets' are slowly revealed - actually, without you often realising it and I closed my kindle with a sigh of satisfaction at a book well read and most enjoyed.
I have absolutely no hesitation in recommending this one.

I received an arc via Net Galley in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

This book wasn't for me. I didn't realise there would be erotic elements and I found it hard to get into. I'm sure that fans of this type of novel would feel differently.

Absolutely compelling, totally gripped from the first page. Secrets and lies within a relationship. Totally believable, this stuff could really happen. This book will be huge! One to recommend. 4.5* from me. My thanks to the publisher & NetGalley for the advance reader copy.

Everything but the Truth is a debut thriller with oodles of mystery and a story arc laced with deceit, secrets and lies. The female protagonist is on a quest to uncover the truth about her boyfriend after stumbling across an email she was never meant to see. Trust should be at the heart of any relationship, but for Rachel trust is not an easy thing to accomplish and as the story unfolds the reader gains full understanding as to why pivotal moments in her life may cloud her judgement.

The narrative toggles randomly between the present action and a past event in Rachel’s life. I was particularly drawn to the events in her past, I found myself always longing to go back to that moment in time and would have enjoyed more of that part of the story. Initially I was highly engaged in the narrative, it felt pacey, I liked the characters and was intrigued with the happenings and wanted to know whether her boyfriend could indeed be trusted. As it progressed, however, I found the female protagonist in present day mode to be paranoid and a little whinny for my tastes which in itself should not put one off reading a novel and certainly in the thriller genre I do not always warm to the protagonists depicted.

I must convey that I enjoyed surmising what may or may not have happened in the past of both lead characters and although nothing was particularly shocking when discovered, I could not deduce fully the outcome of what the story would be and I believe readers will enjoy unravelling and deducing throughout their read.

I was drawn to this story from the premise, I thought it sounded utterly intriguing and in many ways, it lived up to that thought and will be enjoyed by readers who appreciate a good mystery with a few twists and turns along the way.

This is the story about Rachel whose mother has died and that she then discovered that he mother was involved in a relationship outside of her marriage. The pain to Rachel and her reactions to this discovered knowledge was for her to distrust anyone and unable to give her unrequited love. At the start Rachel and Jack appear to be an ideal couple, they have a child on the way and lovingly they have even named the soon to be baby. What disturbs the idyllic situation is an email that Rachel glimpses that sets her off to continually ask questions of Jack to find out what secrets he has hidden from her. The more she tries to find out the deeper it goes and she is unable to stop herself despite the fact that obviously Jack does love her passionately. The story is interspersed with the story of her own secret that she is having difficulty in accepting and also the job that she is unhappy with. This was a book that I could not put down as I wanted to discover the secret that Jack was hiding as the story kept unravelling and in the end proved that Rachel was not totally mad. Gillian describes the scenery in Scotland so well and left me with a desire to go to visit Oban and revel in the beautiful area.
The plots are well executed, neither Jack’s secrets nor the ending were certainly not what I had expected. I look forward to reading more from this very talented author

A really good thriller about betrayal and a woman's quest for the truth.. Rachel is pregnant with Jack's child when she glances at an e mail on his ipad. This begins a journey of lies and fear filled with plenty secrets unveiled along the way. Set in Newcastla and Oban, this book makes you wonder what you would do in a similar situation. I would recommend this book as a very good read. Thank you Net Galley for my copy, I reviewed on Goodreads and Amazon.

What a fantastic thriller and a debut too!

This a beautifully written book with an intimate feel to it, as though the main character, Rachel, was a close friend confiding in me.

At times it was so intense that I had to put it down and have a breather, but it wasn't long before I had to pick it up again and find out what else there was to discover about Jack. I cringed and shook my head as she went deeper and deeper and kept asking myself if I would do the same?

I can't recommend this enough if you enjoy psychological thrillers that completely immerse you in the main characters lives.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Penguin UK - Michael Joseph for my digital advanced readers copy.

This is such a compelling debut novel. Rachel has a secret hidden in her past; something she doesn’t want to share with new boyfriend Jack. But Jack seems to be hiding something too, and Rachel can’t help but begin to snoop around. It begins with a checking an email, then her compulsion to find out exactly what he’s hiding grows stronger - she begins to dig deeper and deeper, and what she finds has the potential to destroy their relationship, even though they are expecting a baby together.
But was what Jack did so terrible? And can she justify poking around in his past?
Just who exactly is in the wrong here?
I absolutely loved a lot of things about this novel. I liked Rachel a lot, and really sympathised with her, but I also felt really sorry for Jack, even while I felt so frustrated too - I just wanted them both to be honest. But this reaction just proves the skill of the author - you can completely see why they get themselves into this mess, and how hard it is to get out of it.
The secret in Rachel’s past is revealed very gradually, and I did feel emotional reading about it. The dilemma she finds herself in is so well-written - I kept having conversations with people, trying to find out what they would do in her shoes. That’s surely the sign of an excellent book.
I do have a couple of little grumbles. There are a few inconsistencies - more a problem with the editing though than the writing. This would normally be enough to knock a star off my rating, but I liked this book so much that I can’t. This is a really, really good read.

I received Everything but the Truth via Netgalley, and I loved it. It is a psychological thriller but not quite as we know it. The storyline is gripping from the off; there are twists and turns in what are two very unusual situations with a moral dilemma to each of them. The two main characters are full bodied and likeable, the reader actually cares about how their situation will unfold. The ending is satisfactory and too soon really, I wanted to stay attached to Jack, Rachel and Wally. I can't wait to see what Gillian McAllister writes next.

This book was a page turner from the getgo until the very end. A great debut novel which I enjoyed very much and would definitely recommend.

It's hard to believe that this is a debut novel. The characterisation and plot are very well executed and the story contains suspense and drama without being formulaic. This is more about why we act the way we do and the moral maze we navigate through our lives rather than a psychological-thriller-with-a-twist-you-won't see-coming. But that's not to say it isn't gripping, because it certainly had me hooked. Gillian McAllister is an author to look out for in future if this assured and suspenseful debut is anything to go by.