Member Reviews

As soon as I saw the synopsis for Amanda Brittany's second novel I knew it was one that I wanted to read so had already bought a copy of Tell the Truth before I received the email invite inviting me to be a part of the blog tour. And boy did this book live up to all of my expectations and some... it truly was a book that messed with my head!

Tell the Truth is a dual timeline, multiple narrative story which combined perfectly to amp up the tension. In the present day we meet Rachel, a young woman who is struggling to cope with recent events, as well as a third mystery person whose identity isn't revealed until the latter stages. But then we also have flashbacks to the 1980's with Laura's story and see how as a single mother she and her young daughter Rachel ended up leaving everything they knew behind and moving from the rural Irish countryside to the hustle and bustle of London.

Rachel was already a character on the verge of a breakdown, struggling to cope following the break up of her relationship plus having to cope alone with the devastating diagnosis of early onset Alzheimers for her mother, before strange things started happening to her. The more sinister calls and messages she received, the more it seemed to unsettle her and make her question everything she thought she knew about her life. Realising that she can't get the answers from her mother she decides to head to Ireland to see if she can get to the answers she's craving for but sometimes it's better to let things lie in the past as sometimes it's better not to know!

As I already said in the introduction, this is a book that will really mess with your mind. As a reader I'm always on the look out for clues as to the potential suspects and the reasons why they are doing what they are doing, and with this cast of flawed characters Amanda Brittany certainly provided us with our fair share of likely suspects. Nearly every character we meet has something they are hiding even Rachel herself, although she didn't know it at the time, and it's only over time as events play out do we come to discover the truth. I found myself questioning Rachel constantly, wondering why she was trying to deal with this alone, and why she didn't report the incidents to the police when they started happening, but then again I guess if she had done we wouldn't have had such an edge of the seat story.

Tell the Truth was a gripping read from start to finish. The pacing was just perfect, starting off slowly to reel you in then ramping up the tension with a twist here or a surprise there, some a little more predictable than others, until we reached the dramatic conclusion. Did I guess right? Well only partly, I had figured out who the sinister third central character was but I couldn't figure out the why and was way off base as to their motive. Well played Amanda Brittany, I look forward to more suspense-filled thrillers from you in the future.

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I LOVED this book! I was utterly captivated throughout and will be going to amazon to buy her previous book too.

The cover is awesome too.

A definite 5 star from me that I foresee recommending to others for a very long time.

Thanks to HQ Digital for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.

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Pretty good, but weird too. There is a creepy vibe throughout the entire story, lots of suspense. This story has a lot going on, so many twists. I read a review that said around the 80% completion the book has a reveal that should have ended the story and I somewhat agree. What came after that was shocking but so over the top that I think it took away from the story rather than add to it.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and HQ Digital for a copy in exchange for a review.

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Before I was asked to join the blog tour, I had already been approved for this book on NetGalley.  The eye-catching, sinister cover had already grabbed my attention.

The story moves through two arcs in two times. 

In the past we meet Laura, a scorned and pregnant young lady left alone in an isolated farmhouse in Ireland.  Once the baby is born (Rachel), we see Laura struggle with her mental health and also with Rachel's unusual and concerning behaviours.  Her only 'friends' are a nearby family with their own issues to deal with. 

Jump to the present and we follow an adult Rachel, who has been left by her long-term partner and has a four-year old daughter to care for.  Rachel's mother is now in a nursing home and is suffering from Alzheimer's.

Despite not knowing her father, Rachel has a happy memories of her childhood and her time with her mother until some strange calls and Facebook messages begin to trigger disjointed and haunting memories confusing Rachel, who now finds herself confused unsure of what is real.

Following clues from the messages and digging into her past, Rachel begins to uncover things that contradict the beautiful memories of her childhood.  In addition to this, the messages and calls become more and more sinister and frightening and Rachel has nobody to turn to.  Can Rachel find out the truth?  And, does Rachel really want the truth?

This story is told at a really good pace and moves fluidly between the two storylines.  Amanda does a fantastic job of making every character look suspicious and devious, including Rachel herself.  There are several surprising twists and turns throughout the story and although some are easier predicted than others, they still make for a thrilling and entertaining story where you have no idea who is genuine and who has an ulterior motive.            

 I highly recommend this books if you are fans of C.L.Taylor, Clare Macintosh and other suspense/thriller novels.

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This book had me hooked from the beginning. The interesting way in which the story was told, between the main character and her stalker, was great!

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Tell The Truth by Amanda Brittany is a fabulous contemporary psychological thriller that will have your heart racing as you read towards its conclusion. Your suspicion level will rise as you try to predict the outcome before the ‘wow’ jaw-dropping moment.
Amanda Brittany is a new author to me but I am now a big fan and cannot wait for her next book. Her style is engaging, drawing me in from the start, as I began to question who was the killer?
The novel has two different time periods – the 1980’s and now – and three different voices including the killer’s, who opens the novel. The reader then spends the novel trying to decipher the voice. Once again I was completely barking up the wrong tree.
Twisting this way and that, Amanda Brittany holds the reader’s attention with her well thought out and intricate plotline. The two distinct voices, one in the third person in the past and one in the first person in the present, both invite confidences from the reader who questions the truth.
Themes of truth and lies, friendship and identity run throughout the novel. There are also the uncomfortable topics of abuse, cruelty and the distressing theme of Alzheimer’s.
The past has a habit of catching up with us especially if there are unresolved issues. Sorting out the truth from the lies is never easy.
Tell The Truth was a fabulous read and one that I could not put down – I went to bed late and got up early just to read on and finish the book. It was utterly brilliant. I could not predict the outcome. I am looking forward to reading more by Amanda Brittany.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.

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This was an absolutely brilliant, non stop thrill ride of a book! From the very first chapter there is a sense of menace that grows steadily for Rachel, child psychotherapist who is being taunted via social media and texts along with strange parcels . They all come from different names , totally untraceable but linking back to her childhood home in Sligo.
Under pressure to earn for herself and her daughter now that her husband has left, and with an ailing mother suffering from Alzheimers, it is hard to tell where her paranoia begins and ends.

I would thoroughly recommend this to any lovers of thrillers and psychological suspense novels, it was gripping and twisty right to the end!

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“Tell The Truth” by Amanda Brittany is my first read by this author.
The book switches from past to present, clues are spun and woven through the book, it makes you think twice before trusting people you think you know like the back of your hand!
A fast paced, multi layered read that I greatly enjoyed.

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Tell the truth is a good thriller that takes some getting into but is worth sticking with. I did find it confusing at times, as it goes backwards and forwards, but, it’s well constructed and has a good storyline.

Rachel is a key character who has a young daughter, her husband has recently left her and she has a mother with dementia. As a psychotherapist, Rachel appears on television where she receives a strange call from a viewer, there follows FB friend requests with eerie messages and Rachel needs to uncover family secrets in order to get to the bottom of the mystery.

I very nearly gave up on this book a number of times, but, it’s a decent read if you stick with it.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to preview this book.

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I really loved the pacing of this book and liked the rational way the main character deals with what is going on in her life. I love the tie in with her mother's story and the suspense throughout was intriguing and kept me guessing until the end. This is the first book I have read from this author, but will definitely not be the last. Thanks for the ARC, Net Galley.

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Rachel has very vague memories of her childhood with her adulthood not turning out any better.....her husband left her for another woman, leaving her to raise her daughter as a single mother. Her own mother now has dementia, and in a attempt to learn more about her past, she delves into her mother's past to uncover long-buried secrets. She ends up receiving friend requests from strangers on Facebook and other weird things begin to happen that make her question everything, past and present.
This was a good book, although it did take me a little bit to get into it. I would recommend it to anyone wanting a quick, semi-predictable thriller to read!
Thank you to Amanda Brittany, HQ Digital and NetGalley for the ARC of this book!

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Took me a couple of chapters before I was able to lose myself in this but once I did I was gone! Tell the Truth highlights the lies in our lives and how easy it can be to unravel them. Full of twists and an enjoyable read!

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The author wrote a thriller that started with a bang and just kept going! The twists kept coming, so I couldn't put it down. I cannot wait to read more from this author!

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I finished this Book,and there were many times I didn't think I would.
I can't say I enjoyed it though... it seemed a little ridiculous in part... I've yet to meet a good book that relies on face book for a big plot detail.
Not helped by the fact I guessed who did it.
It wasn't for Me. Unfortunately we can't like everything.

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Tell the Truth by Amanda Brittany is a thriller that deals in digging deep into the past to uncover secrets buried long ago. This means the format is one in which you have a current timeline and flashes back into the past to follow along together until they finally intertwine.

The story centers around Rachel who is a psychotherapist who has her own issues in her life going on. Her husband has left her for another woman leaving her to raise her daughter now as a single mother and Rachel’s own mother is suffering from dementia and barely recognizes her.

When Rachel makes an appearance on a local talk show a strange call comes through but as she tries to put that incident out of her mind Rachel then begins receiving friend requests on Facebook with ominous messages. Rachel knows the only way to figure this out is to dig deep into the past that her mother has refused to talk about and find out just what happened when Rachel was a child.

I will admit that yet again we have an author who has come up with a great story but it took a while for me to settle into the book. The beginning of Tell the Truth jumps around times quite a bit and that held me back from becoming immediately immersed but as the book goes on it becomes much easier to follow and distinguish the characters from each era. I had my guesses going on as to how it would all turn out and while I was getting close the wrap up did elude me from completely figuring it all out which is always fun too.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

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A great tense read! Full of gripping moments and twists and turns.
The story was exciting to read and the characters were fleshed out well.

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Found this book a bit slow at times but then there would be a totally unexpected twist that left me wanting more.

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What an apt title ....... Tell The Truth !! So many lies and betrayals, who really knows the truth.

Rachel is a psychotherapist who struggles to remember much of her childhood. Her Mother is suffering from Dementia so cant give Rachel the answers she is craving. Then one day Rachel starts to receive friend requests from people she doesn’t know. They have no other friends and strange status updates. Who are they ? And what do they want with Rachel ?

For me this book started off quite slow and I wasn’t really sure where it was headed but then the pace suddenly picked up and I was desperate to find out what was going to happen next. Full of lots of twists and turns this book will keep you on your toes. A real page turner that will keep you guessing.

Thank you to HQ Digital and NetGalley for a digital copy of this book.

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what an amazing book. Loved it from beginning to end
I loved the authors style of writing and will be looking for other books by this author.
I would recommend this book to friends and family

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I seem to be reading a lot of mysteries and thrillers recently, and the last few have been pretty good, and Tell the Truth was no exception!

I think we’ve all received our fair share of strange friend requests, follows or phone calls, I mean given the ones I get are usually from some scammy insurance company but still! However, in this book, the sinister friend requests and phone calls hint at something much larger…

The story follows the protagonist Rachel Hogan, discovering her past and learning who she can really trust. As the story progresses and more strange occurrences happen, she begins to question everything she thought she knew. Can she trust her loving mother, who now suffers from dementia and has hid a lot from her? Or her seemingly kind, next door neighbour Angela who looks after her daughter but has a suspicious past?

The story moves between present day and the past, through Lauras – Rachels mother – perspective. Sometimes writers can get this so wrong and it can end up being boring but in this case, Brittany does the dual pov’s complete justice. I was just as interested in reading about the past as well as present events and seeing how it all ties together.

This is definitely a slow burn, and it takes a while to progress but I think the twists and shocks along the way are so worth it. While I did predict some elements here and there, overall it was a highly suspenseful novel which will keep a reader guessing.

As much as I enjoyed the story, there were certain elements that were just a bit unbelievable – like the fact that Rachel doesn’t immediately call the police once she starts receiving strange messages. And certain elements of the relationships between the characters were weird, I don’t know why but they didn’t seem genuine?? I don’t know but those were a couple negatives I found.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this to readers who enjoy a suspense driven thriller with plenty of time jumps and interesting characters to boot.

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