I was absolutely enthralled by this book, I read the whole thing in one sitting. I couldn’t put it down! I was desperate to find out the truth about what happened to Abigail and just when I thought it was over another twist took me completely by surprise. I found my self more drawn to Jess then Abigail but I think this was the intention as we didn’t get POV from abigails perspective. Would really recommend this book and can’t wait to read more from this author.

I loved the twists and turns in the story Tense plot telling the story of what happens when a daughter returns seven years after she was abducted Great sequel to P.S I Love You HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. Can't wait for the next one

'He was so ordinary... In the street, I would have walked straight past him. I couldn't have singled him out in a crowd. If he had come up to me helpfully in the rain, I don't think I'd have been frightened. The idea sent a shiver down my spine.'

Anne has waited so long for this moment. 7 years ago, her 8 year old daughter Abigail went missing, taken by a stranger after her mother looked away for just a second. Her disappearance has changed everything for her family, who have to deal with the guilt of being the ones left behind. But then the call comes, and it seems like a miracle has happened: Abigail has been found, and is being returned to her family. For Anne, is seems like the hard times are over, and everyone can now move forward with their lives. But moving on is harder than it seems, especially when it seems that long-hidden secrets from the past are ready to reveal themselves...

Ok, so I completely agree with the comparisons to the BBC drama Thirteen, which was one of my favourite BBC dramas from recent years, and was actually the reason for me choosing to request this novel on NetGalley. It does have quite an unusual narrative though, which chapters alliterative between the POV of Abigail's mother Anne, and her cousin Jess. This took a little while for me to get into, largely because it means you have to untangle the family dynamics a little bit in order to fully understand who is who. I would also have loved to see some sections from Abigail's siblings perspectives (two younger twin brothers who were only babies when she disappeared). You do get an idea of how they struggle with her return, but an inside perspective would also have been very strong. I also would've really enjoyed a section from Abigail, maybe at the very beginning or very end, but alas, it wasn't to be.

I also struggled to understand why Jess was including as a POV character at first, as I would've expected the second POV character to be one of Abigail's siblings, or maybe even Abigail herself. But once I got used to it, it did make a lot of sense. Having these two POV's allowed the reader to experience the aftermath of the abduction in a novel and unique manner - as well as the traditional perspective of the mother, struggling with her guilt over being the one at fault (or at least the one perceived as being at fault), we also get to see the less traditional perspective of Jess, who was as close to Abigail as twins are, and is struggling with her own guilt of being the one left behind. Seeing how Jess had almost put her life on pause whilst waiting for Abigail's return was completely heartbreaking, and gave a rarely explored insight into what happens when a trauma affects two families that are so closely tied together.

I have to admit though, the ending was a tad disappointing. There are two fairly big moments at the end - one being the reveal of what actually happened that day, and the other being a completely unexpected moment so I won't comment on that one. The reveal to me was a tad underwhelming, there were a few elements of it that just didn't completely make sense but that might be me being fussy. Although to be fair, the focus of the novel is very much on the aftermath and not the event itself, so in that sense I suppose it doesn't really matter too much.

Personally, there were times where I struggled with understanding what was really meant to be going on in Abigail's head. You're seeing her actions from the perspective of two people who feel they know her best, but clearly don't, and so it did make me feel quite detached from Abigail as a character. If I'm being totally honest, I didn't really care too much about her, and felt there were times where her trauma could've been mistaken for rudeness. In some ways, it felt like Abigail wasn't really the focus of the book, which made for a slightly odd reading experience.

I realise this review makes the book sound really bad, but it's actually not! It's more me picking holes, and obviously it's hard to review a book where there are quite significant sections you can't comment on! I would say that it is a strong book, definitely when you consider it is a debut, and it showed great potential. For me, the absence of Abigail's voice was a weakness, but others may argue it is a strength, so that is personal opinion. I would definitely read East's next novel, and I would say this is a very strong example of a debut domestic drama, and one that is enjoyable in that it focuses on a unique and rarely explored situation.

3.5 stars


For me this book worked best,when it told the story of the family ripped apart by their child's disappearance,and how they try to put it back together when she is returned to them 7 years later.
Everyone is on egg shells,nobody wants to know the details of what happened. Cousin Jess is in denial and thinks everything will carry on as it ws.
Yet the clues are dropped that they lied about something,and covered up....
Poor kid doesn't know what to believe,her family or the lies her kidnapper told her for years.
The reveal of the lies wasn't that big a deal for me,it didn't change the crime,just the circumstances of how it happened... But it led nicely to a tense showdown,where you could feel the struggle of emotions in Abigail.

Wow, what a stonker of a novel! I really loved this, it drew me in from page one. Fast paced and full of secrets, you definitely need to read this!

"Little White Lies" by Philippa East is a fast paced, tense read. The story is narrated by a few strong female characters in a clear and precise manner.
The chapters are short, yet filled with nail biting drama and heartache. I really felt for the teenage girls in this book and could somewhat sympathise with them.
A strong read which I very much enjoyed.

Thank you NetGalley for this advanced copy. This book makes claims to "secrets" right away at the beginning, so it has you constantly guessing exactly what was covered up. As the book continues, you realize there are secrets from more than one person. It had some realistic parts on how a family may cope with the return of a child that has gone through this ordeal. The ending left me a little disappointed, but overall good book with suspense.

Wow this book kept me twisted and turning all the way through it. I just didn’t know who to trust and what secrets were being kept at every step. I was blown away by the story and the ending. How does a family ever come back together after a child returns seven years after being abducted. After the celebrations take place how do the family learn to heal and mend. You will not be disappointed by this book.

A shocking event: a young girl is abducted.

Another shocking event: she returns 7 years later.

This is a fascinating look at how a family reacts when their abducted daughter /sister/niece/cousin reappears unexpectedly. They are forced to face their worst fears, secrets and lies. The effects of the abduction on the girl, and the family's reaction to her, unfold over the days and weeks.

There were moments that almost made my heart break, they were so unbearably realistic. This is a great story by a debut author, one to watch!

I loved Little White Lies! I’ve read a lot of stories with a similar plot but this is the best I’ve seen. It felt very realistic. Obviously the family of a returned child is going to be over the moon happy but how does a family deal with the return of a child thought gone forever?
Dark, chilling and tense.
A strong 5/5.