This book hooks you instantly, after a few pages it draws you in and you just want to keep reading. Sadly for me once the main plot was unveiled I was a bit disappointed as the topic didn’t really grab me - that said I think this is personal preference. I also guessed one of the main plot twists quite early on.

I’d recommend this book to others I just think that in this instance it wasn’t my cup of tea. I’ve heard great things about Helen Callaghan’s first book and will definitely look out it.

3.5 Stars.

Thanks to NetGally, Penguin UK - Michael Joseph and Helen Callaghan for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Completely gripping from the very beginning, with twists and turns until the very end. It was never my plan to read this book so quickly, but the end of every chapter left me needing to know more! This is a riveting read that left me utterly engrossed. Very cleverly written, with a complex but not unrealistic plot. Highly recommended!
Many thanks to Netgalley for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Read my 5-star review of Everything Is Lies by Helen Callaghan
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2264681981

What a great book and value for money, two books into one.
After ignoring her Mum's pleas to come home, then discovering that her catch from the party is married I guess finding your Mum hanging from a tree and Dad in a pool of blood the next day is a bad 24hrs by anyone's standards. Sophie thought her Mum and Dad a bit dull and was happy to escape and flee the nest but all is not as it seems which is what I want from a book but not in real life obviously. So life gets a bit weird and some more as the consequence of the previous night unfold, problems at work on top of her Mum's unknown past, which to be honest makes work a side issue but still a issue none the less. This is a book that grips you and could well find you reading into the night but i think it's well worth while I was hooked from the start and didn't let go. Helen is a writer well worth following on fan and book sites obviously, I'm looking forward to reading some more of her work.
I have been given a free copy of this book from NetGalley in return for a honest review. I would be happy to pay for this book out would have been worth every penny.

Sophia is an architect working in London for a high pressure firm which expects its employees to work, rest and play its ethos. Late one night while she is at a nightclub, following the company mantra, she receives a phone call from her mother asking her to come home that night. Sophia is over the limit and tells her mother she will visit the following day. When she arrives at the family home she finds her mother hanged and her father barely alive suffering from stab wounds. The police are convinced her mother stabbed her father and then hanged herself. Sophia believes otherwise and begins to investigate.

The story continues with Sophia, initially finding two of three books her mother has written which talk about her past. They open up a completely new image of the woman who was her mother and her past involvement with a community Sophia knew nothing about. This opens up a whole new world for her to look into.

This is a novel about cults, charisma, murder, money, drugs, self-interest, betrayal and ultimately revelation. It is written in the first person and Sophia is the only really well rounded character in the book but that doesn’t matter. I pride myself on being able to spot an oncoming twist but this one caught me out entirely. I love it when that happens!

I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley and publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you

I did like this although I did not find any of the characters particularly pleasant. The plot was unusual and the way the story gradually unfolded kept me guessing; there were a few twists along the way. It passed a few pleasant enough hours.

This book pulled me in from the beginning. A daughter arrives at her parents home to find her mother hanging from a tree in the garden, and her father critically injured below her on the ground. The general feeling was that this was a murder suicide situation. However, the daughter, Sophia, cannot believe this scenario, and when she finds a letter from a publisher to her mother which reveals that her mother is writing a book based on 3 notebooks of her life experiences, she determines to find the notebooks to see if she can find any link to her parents death.
We then get to read these notebooks, and what is in them is the main part of the book, plus the effect they have on Sophia and her life.. The twists, turns and revelations come one after another - this a brilliant book, brilliantly written and I thoroughly recommend you to read it.

This is a complex thriller which at times I found difficult to follow.
Still it was worth the effort as I did enjoy the story.

Well, this book turned out to be nothing like I expected it to be - but in a good way. Many different scenarios ran through my head when reading the synopsis, but the actual story I read was a surprise. I enjoyed reading it: it has an interesting plot, lots of twists and turns, and some genuinely shady characters. I didn't think the final twist was a shock, I had guessed it, but it still works well. I will definitely check out the author's other work.

A well written, intriguing story about family mixed in with death, drugs and sex which takes you on a journey you don't expect. Was it suicide or murder ... and either way, why? Good pace throughout which keeps you hooked till the end.

The story is about Sophia getting to the bottom of her mothers death, and understanding all the things in the past that made her the parent she was. Her mother, Nina, is needy and dependant. Sophia just wants to live her own life, not the one the corporate wants, not the one her mother wants; so on a Friday night when her mother rings she's already over the limit as heading back to a suitors house.

Sophia soon learns this wasn't the right thing to do, and with her mother gone, her father hospitalised and no one believing that it wasn't a murder suicide she starts digging.

A letter regarding a book deal prompts Sophia to discover her mothers past life. It's a whirlwind of sex, drugs, cults and friendship. We see Nina at college, Nina being embarrassed by her parents, Nina getting swept away by a rock star, then Nina questioning herself, her life, trying to understand who she is and what personal strength she has, if any.

Luckily Sophia has people to support her, as well as to hinder her journey. She needs to learn who she can trust, who can help, and more importantly the real truth that's been hidden all these years.

The book cleverly makes you question everyone at the right time. Some people too early, some not early enough. The twists were fluid enough to not come as a surprise.
There was some interesting truth and wisdom in the cult behaviours, and when Tess made Nina think about the true definition of a cult as you see her relating to the meaning, as a reader you can too.

Wow. Slightly convoluted but so enjoyable. Full of twists, surprises, sadness, and laughter. You feel empathy for the young woman as she tried to find out the truth. A very enjoyable read.

An intriguing story, told earnestly - albeit in a slightly unlikely fashion. Worth reading to see what the secrets are.

This book intrigued me. When I started it I couldn't put it down. Nina was an amazing character and I loved her vulnerability. Seeing her life through the eyes of her daughter was so unique. I did have an idea of the twist that came at the end but I wasn't disappointed. An amazing story that makes you go through so many emotions.

How well do you know your parents? Sophia thought she knew everything until the day she went to visit them, only to find her mother hanging from a tree and her father lying in a pool of blood from stab wounds.
There is no way she believes what the police are saying, that her mother hung herself after trying to kill her father.
While her dad is fighting for his life in hospital she puts her life on hold. She not only wants to clear her mothers name, but she needs to find out what really happened on that fatal day. She's shocked to discover that although not yet published her mum had been writing an autobiography, The people mentioned in it will do anything to stop it going on sale. What's in there not only puts her life in danger, but those of others.
This is a brilliant thriller that I would recommend and gets five stars from me. It's full of twists, turns and shocks along the way. As the tittle says, for Sophia life really is full of lies. I received a copy of this book via Netgalley. This is my honest and unbiased review

A story relevant of times past, probably 1960/70s through to current time. A very good read with an end that tugs at your heart strings. A thoroughly enjoyable read.

I really enjoyed this book. The plot was fresh and engaging and I was guessing right until the end what was going to happen.

Everything Is Lies is the second book by Helen Callaghan, and it is just as engrossing as the first. This is a powerful coming of age story, set against the dark backdrop of sex, drugs, and violence in the 80s.

The characters are deep and real, drawn expertly to create a cast that you almost recognise. Being a 90s kid, I missed the revolution that began, slowly, with the suffragettes, and paved the way for second wave feminists. A time when more women were realising that, actually, it wasn't enough. Domestic violence was rife, and marital rape was made illegal in my lifetime (1993, if I recall correctly). With this in mind, strong, powerful men preying on vulnerable young women doesn't seem so far fetched.

An enjoyable novel, dark at times, but important, enthralling. Callaghan is an excellent writer.

I really enjoyed this book. I liked the author's debut too, but this is a step up in my opinion!
It's dark (very dark in places) and mysterious and has you hooked within the first few chapters. You can't help but be desperate to know what happens, and then the final twist is a shocker!

Fantastic!

I loved this psychological thriller and was gripped from the first chapter. The story begins when Sophia goes back to her childhood home to visit her parents and finds her mother dead and her father seriously injured. The police say it's suicide but Sophia doesn't believe it. This is such a great premise and hooked me in straight away. Sophia digs deeper into her parents' past to find out what really happened to her mother, Nina. When she uncovers some notebooks from Nina's past in the late 1980s things become even more twisty and turny. I devoured this thriller and can't recommend highly enough.

Another gripping psychological thriller from Helen Callaghan. I loved dear Amy so this book had a lot to live up to, but it did just that! Full of suspense and twists and turns, a great read.