It's rare that I give up on a book, but I gave up on this one. This book started off well but as the story divided into reveal / conceal and the two stories grew further apart I lost interest .

This was an enjoyable and gripped read. The novel follows the story of an ordinary woman, who makes a mistake on one night out that has disastrous consequences for her. The novel follows a "sliding doors" theme, with the two different outcomes of the decision she must make, playing out side by side. This makes the novel fast paced and hard to put down, as the reader wants to know what actually happened. The novel also brings in question themes such as punishment, the law system, relationships and so on.
I highly recommend this!

Hands down one of the best books I have read all year! It was exceptional, McAllister draws you in from the first page and immerses the reader into the reveal/conceal divide. I loved it and I especially loved the concept of reveal/conceal format. It allowed the reader to see both sides of the coin and how no matter what Joanna's life was overhauled after that one fleeting mistake. A brilliant and gripping read, twisted with lies and secrets to the very end.

This is a wonderful thriller, centring around a woman's moral dilemma of whether to "do the right thing" (and potentially land herself in a heap of trouble) or walk away and pretend it never happened. I love how the chapters present alternative scenarios - "conceal" and "reveal" to tell the story from alternative perspectives. It is a very engrossing book, which I highly recommend you pick up and read!

Everything You Do Say is an unusual, Sliding Doors type thriller that leaves the reader guessing. After a night out during which happily married Joanna is sexually harassed by another drinker, she thinks she is followed by her abuser and accidentally pushes him violently onto a canal tow path. There the story splits into two; one scenario in which Joanna reports the incident to the emergency services, the other where she walks on and lives with her guilt. In both stories, Joanna lies, to her husband, her boss, the police and her family. Whilst I found the character of Joanna unlikeable it was an absorbing read.

A superb read. Loved the 'what if?' scenarios. A gripping read and I am recommending it to everyone I know. Superbly written.

This is the next Bestselling novel!!
Absolutely loved it.
I am obssessed with Sliding Doors and the What Ifs? I love a story that shows no matter what you do or where you go- you end up where you are meant to be.
This story is actually 2 stories. A Reveal and a Conceal.
Both are morally debatable and gripping on their own- the ending is just and suitable and really ties in both stories very well.

A story with a difference! Two predicted outcomes are being described after an accidental tragedy occurred .To lie or not to lie that's the question? I was eager to get stuck into the story to see how it pans out but felt impatient as I found it slightly draggy. There are times when I had to pause and think which eventually of the story I was. currently at..This might be just me!

Overall,not too bad! .Do read it for the way the tale is told.

I was intrigued by the synopsis of this book and I was not disappointed. The events that happened could have happened to anyone and this was a great analysis of events and possible consequences from every angle. The relationship with her husband was central to the story and very telling.

I have already recommended this book to a few friends as one to read!

Anything You Do Say is a gripping story with two parallel narratives, Reveal and Conceal. Starting when Joanna and her friend Laura go for a night out, encountering a man who pesters her until they leave, and heading straight into the flashpoint of the book: Joanna is walking home alone when she hears footsteps behind her, coming ever closer...after she pushes the follower down a set of concrete stairs, what should she do? Reveal or conceal?

All her life Jo has been avoidant. As the book progresses we gain a deeper and deeper insight into Jo, her relationships, her behaviour, and the consequences of her actions. McAllister excels in psychological portrayals, almost forensically dissecting Jo's mindset.

I thought that this was a very thought provoking book with much up for discussion. The story is basically told by Joanna who has comitted a crime and tells the story from two different angles. In both situations I thought that Joanna was very self centred and it was much about how much she could get away with, and how much she has suffered rather that facing up to what she has done to the victim and his life. I thought that the book got better as it went on and I thought the ending was quite good. I think the characters in the book feel real and although when reading you may think I would not have done that or covered up for her, especially in the case of her work colleague Ed, when faced with a situation who knows what we would do?

Joanna is on her way home from an evening in a bar where she has some unpleasant experiences. She feels she is being followed and pushes out against a prospective attacker who falls down some steps, potentially badly injured. Jo is faced with two choices -- to call for assistance and try to help or to run away. The book deals with each scenario Conceal or Reveal. In each case, Jo loses out, breaking up with her husband. Thoroughly recommended.

A split second decision can change your life forever. This is the case for Jo when she pushes a man she thinks is following her one night. She then has to make a choice, does she leave him there and pretend it hasnt happened or does she get help. The book tells the story of her conceal/reveal decisions. Neither will have completely positive outcomes. A thoroughly enjoyable read! Will her moral compass prevail in the end? Read it and find out. Thanks netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review

Where do I start?! Anything You Do Say was the kind of book that once I finished it – I really just did not know how I felt. I don’t mean that in a bad way, either! I really had to reflect on what I made of the book – because it was soooooo cleverly written … I am still not even sure I know how I feel!

Set in London, the reader is thrown into a spectacular moral dilemma; mistakes; avoidance vs acceptance; loss; guilt; conflict; relationships and how one perspective can totally change your life if the wrong, or right decision is made. I have to say, this was brilliantly done and I actually wondered What would I have done in that situation?

I was initially confused by the writing style/ first person POV until I eventually caught on to what was happening! I must have been tired, because it really is not that difficult to follow at all! Short and sharp chapters (which I love) kept me turning the pages with an absolute desire to want to know what the heck was happening!! Although the book is told in first person POV – it is from two different perspectives of the same person. On the one hand we have REVEAL and the other CONCEAL and we follow the main character’s journey down both paths.

The characters were an interesting bunch. The main character, Joanna Oliva was introduced to us in two different ways – we see someone who is scared, vulnerable, paranoid and then we see the manipulative, sneaky, calculating side. I could see where she was coming from on both sides, and I am not sure which side I actually liked more. As a reader we feel sympathy but also repulsion as we see where Joanna ends up based on which story she is telling. Her husband, Reuben was blunt, a bit of an oddball, practical but the perfect yin to Joanna’s yang. I am not sure I really connected with any of the characters, but for me – that worked. It was like an out of body experience – I was part of it all without the attachment. All the other characters in the book served to move the story along, but again – I didn’t feel invested in them…because Joanna was the one I was following.

Would I recommend this read? Absolutely I would! Thought provoking, emotive and intense, it really was so well written I would be a fool not to shout out about it! I wish I could properly explain what a great experience it was to read such a different kind of thriller but instead, I leave it to you to grab a copy and see what I mean!

Truth is this book took me a while to grasp as its set from two points of view .... the ultimate what would happen if you choose a different path. Loved it .... a real page turner that kept me gripped to the end

Joanna is out for a drink with her sister and finds herself sexually threatened by Sadiq, a man in red trainers. His pestering causes her to leave the pub early and set off home to the security of her husband. Still twitchy from her encounter she becomes aware of footsteps behind her. Is it Sadiq and is he following her? Just as she is going up some steps this man, in red trainers, draws level and in her panicked state she pushes him and he tumbles backwards down to the pathway. This is where Gillian McAllister poses the question which leads to this novel exploring two possible outcomes. Does Joanne go back down and check if he is OK or does she run home and say nothing? Reveal or conceal? Rest assured neither option prevents Joanna suffering but the two outcomes ensure we readers find ourselves continuously questioning which option we'd have chosen. Great writing.

Fair warning *Possible Spoilers*

This is the kind of story which evokes a lot of emotions, controversy and discussion. So it probably isn’t any surprise that I want to have a really good chin-wag about it.

There are so many elements of this story that are hot topics at the moment. The systemic abuse of women, cross-race effect, the morality of her actions, why self-defence is negated in cases of severe force and the whole decision whether or not to act or help.

The behaviour Joanna encounters in the bar is fairly atypical unfortunately. The fact it happens so frequently probably explains her lack of response, which is in no way meant to sound like victim-blaming. Women have become so used to the systemic abuse that they tend to brush it off or ignore it, because making a big deal or speaking up can lead to escalations.

Joanna is on edge when she leaves the bar and almost expects Sadiq to follow her home, and of course this assumption of bad intentions is part of the problem. Then there is the issue of cross-race effect, ergo being able to recognise faces of ones own race easier and finding it more difficult to differentiate the faces of different races. This phenomenon causes a lot of misidentification when it comes to crimes.

Then there is the issue of self-defence, and I can guarantee the majority of people will think they have the right to defend themselves with any force necessary, however the truth is the legal situation isn’t as simple as it may seem. Reasonable force is the important factor and whether or not the victim believes they are in imminent danger, but it must be proportionate to the supposed danger. If the response causes injury or death it can be ruled as excessive force, ergo the victim then becomes the perpetrator.

The story follows Joanna in two scenarios simultaneously, the Joanna who reports the incident and the Joanna who tries to cover it up. Put yourself in her shoes for a minute, ask yourself what you would do in the same set of circumstances. Would you leave, watch him die, call for help or pretend it never happened at all?

This book is an excellent read because it challenges our perception of this event and possible scenarios we might encounter. I think the foremost question on my mind, whilst reading this story, was what I would do in the same situation. The answer to that particular question will be different for every single one of us and based on our own frame of references.

McAllister likes to present readers with complex characters and the kind of situations that are neither black or white. The grey areas become murky and distorted, which is what makes her stories so compelling.

The Sliding Doors style premise of this book is extremely interesting and works well, and shows how a split second choice can change your life so dramatically. I thought the situation Jo found herself in was believable and it was interesting to see how her life panned out, depending which way she turns at that crucial point...

I've been looking forward to reading Anything You Do Say since taking part in the cover reveal a few months ago and my instincts were correct, this is a brilliant and original thriller. The comparisons to Sliding Doors are fair but while the film was a sweet, romantic comedy, Anything You Do Say is much darker. Joanna is on a night out with her friend and agrees to post for a selfie with a man in a bar - but then he won't leave her alone. After his harassment crosses the line into a sexual assault, the two women decide to call it a night and Joanna heads for home. Many readers of the book will have experienced unwanted attention on a night out, and many will recognise that chilling moment when you hear footsteps behind you and they seem to be drawing ever nearer. Do you speed up? Cross the road? Look behind you? What if you spot the shoes of the person behind you and they're the same ones worn by the man in the bar? This is the situation Joanna finds herself in and in a panic she turns and pushes him away. He falls down the steps but then doesn't get back up. What should Joanna do next - check he's okay or run? It's at this point the book splits into two separate stories, one tells what happens if she stays, the other if she leaves him to his fate. The stories are told in alternating chapters entitled Reveal and Conceal.
In the Reveal chapters she has done the 'right' thing and dialled 999, yet still she rapidly becomes a passenger in her own life. She has to face the consequences of her actions while also contending with the judgement of others, including her friends and her husband, Reuben. Just how far does their support go? The fear and despair in the Reveal chapters is almost palpable, as Gillian McAllister cleverly explores what happens as Joanna feels she has lost control over her fate. The Conceal chapters also feature similar emotions but there is also a sense of panic about them as Joanna tries and fails to go back to normality but constantly fears the police knocking on her door. As she takes ever more desperate steps to hide the truth of that night, everything she loves slips away from her. These are perhaps the darkest moments; the terror of exposure and the guilt she can't escape from are vividly realised and utterly heartrending.
Joanna isn't always an easy character to like, her actions are frustrating at times and I couldn't help but feel that she needed to be more proactive and face her problems face on. Nevertheless I still felt an enormous sympathy for her plight and throughout the book questioned what I would do under similar circumstances (what a great book group choice this would be!) The supporting characters are likewise flawed, in particular Reuben who I found to be a fascinating albeit conflicting character. His love for Joanna seems obvious, he sees the best in her and defends her when her family compare her unfavourably to her brother. However, at times he's judgemental, almost controlling, is it his fault or hers when she feels she can't tell him everything that happened that night?
I wondered if splitting the story like this would result in a somewhat disappointing novel with not enough time to fully explore both scenarios. This is far from the case and instead I felt I had read two immensely satisfying stories. As they are eventually and cleverly brought together, the last few scenes are tense and heartbreaking at times. Full of suspense, moral dilemmas and complex situations. Anything You Do Say evokes a whole array of emotions. This is an intelligent, beautifully descriptive book, both stories wholly believable thanks to Gillian McAllister's meticulous research. I felt thoroughly spoiled having two compelling stories in one and was gripped from the first page until the last.
Many thanks to the publishers for my advance copy received through Netgalley in return for my honest review.

This engrossing sliding doors style novel was unlike anything I have ever read! This is the first book I have ever read written in this style, I found it very unusual but I absolutely loved it! Gillian McAllister did an exquisite job of essentially writing two stories in one! I can imagine it must have been incredibly difficult to make the book flow and easy for the reader to follow however the author did this to utter perfection.

Reading both ‘conceal’ and ‘reveal’ of Joanna’s story was so intriguing, although both versions of the story were pretty traumatic for the protagonist. Throughout the beginning and middle of the book I pitied Reuben, I disliked how Jo completely shut her caring husband out. However towards the end of the book this switched, I started feeling sorry for Joanna, she seemed lonely amongst the people around her, they were starting to drift away from her. Which, to be honest, is understandable, her actions must have been hard for her husband and closest friends to come to terms with.

I believed Joanna was such a good person, despite the mistake she made on that rainy Friday evening. In both ‘conceal’ and ‘reveal’, she paid the price for what she did, in different ways. Which shows that no matter what you do, whether you fight or flight, you still can’t avoid your wrong choices, the guilt will eat you up one way or another!

Although this was a compelling thriller, the ending was still a beautiful one. Gillian McAllister is such a talented author, if I could rate her higher than 5 out of 5 stars then I unquestionably would! I cannot wait to read more by this fabulous author!