Susan Lewis is the undisputed queen of shocking and emotional page-turners and her stunning new novel My Lies, Your Lies is a tale of twisted loyalties, illicit desire and forbidden attraction that will keep readers completely and utterly glued to the page.

In 1968 at a girls’ boarding school, young women on the precipice of adulthood find themselves falling in love and fantasizing about their music teacher. Unlike their other teachers at the school, David Michaels is barely older than the pupils he is teaching and he is not only young, but charismatic, handsome and the object of many of the girls’ affections. There is one particular girl who is not like the rest of them. One particular girl whom he cannot seem to see as merely another one of his students. A girl with whom he finds himself abandoning all of his morals and principles and slowly losing himself in a forbidden love affair with. Somebody who has got under his skin and simply held him spellbound. David knows it’s wrong. He knows that he should put a stop to this dangerous affair once and for all. But one kiss is never enough and he finds himself falling even deeper and deeper into this tangled and seductive web. As lies and deception become regular bedfellows for David, how will this illicit love affair end?

Years later, ghost-writer Joely is given a new commission. In her line of work, Joely is used to excavating through gory scandal and shocking revelations, but her latest assignment is going to end up surprising even her. Hired by a reclusive author to tell her side of a story that has held her in its grip for four decades, Joely is ill prepared for the devastation which this memoir is going to have on her own life. As Joely begins to strip bare the myriad layers of Freda’s tantalizing and shocking story, the past continues to influence the future as she begins to wonder whether she had been chosen for this assignment for a specific purpose. What is Freda’s connection to Joely? Why is she unburdening herself of this story now after all this name? And will the parallels between the past and the present end up laying to rest old ghosts that have been haunting the dark corners of Freda’s mind for over four decades?

Is Joely prepared for what she is about to uncover? One thing is for certain: she needs to tread carefully, because one false move is all it takes for this house of cards to come tumbling down….

Susan Lewis is at the top of her storytelling powers with My Lies, Your Lies. A beautifully layered tale peppered with intrigue, drama, emotion, honesty and suspense, My Lies, Your Lies is an addictive blockbuster that once you start reading, you will not be able to put down. Nobody is quite what they seem in this beguiling, scintillating and seductive page-turner from a master storyteller.

An exquisitely written tale of pride, vengeance, passion and danger, Susan Lewis’ My Lies, Your Lies is high quality women’s fiction at its finest.

A good twisty drama. Really interesting to learn more about a ghostwriter. Joely takes an assignment to write a memoir for an author. Escaping from her home situation she doesn't tell anyone where she is going except a good friend. Some great twists and escapades in this story with some tragic, heartbreaking and heartwarming moments. A good read.

This is such a complex book, that deals with a very sensitive topic.

Joely finds herself hired as a ghostwriter to write the memoirs of a famous author. The author wants to tell her story. As Joely gets deeper into the story she realises the story is far darker than she could ever have imagined.

Alone in the isolated house, she begins to realise that something else is going on and that she might be in danger.

A great story well told.

Susan Lewis is an author whose books I’ve been meaning to read for years, so when the opportunity came to read her new novel My Lies, Your Lies, I jumped at the chance. And what a book to pop my cherry with! I absolutely adored it, from the opening chapter right through to the gripping denouement.

Joely’s husband has left her for her (now former) best friend, taking their teenage daughter with him. Reeling from the breakdown of her marriage, she decides to take up the offer of being a ghost writer for reclusive author Freda, who is writing her memoir. The story is told in dual timelines, the first taking place in 1968 when young Freda embarks on a passionate love affair with her teacher. The second brings us up to the present day as Joely moves into Freda’s remote and atmospheric home in Devon, where the reclusive author begins to tell the shocking story she has kept hidden for a lifetime.

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started My Lies, Your Lies, but it certainly wasn’t the exquisitely written story of family, relationships, secrets and lies that it turned out to be. I loved the use of music in this book, with each song and piece of music acting as a backdrop to the story unfolding before my eyes. Each song transported me back in time to 1968, to the life of a young girl on the cusp of womanhood, and of her infatuation and illicit affair with the music teacher known as ‘Sir’.

The use of dual timelines works incredibly well in this beautifully written book, with the devastating events of both making for a riveting read that kept me turning the pages, sometimes even holding my breath, in anticipation of what was about to happen next. The reclusive author’s imposing home in picturesque Devon, with its beautiful Library, writing room and remote location, all add to the tense atmosphere as the secrets of the past begin to emerge. Freda herself is aloof and difficult to get to know, but there’s something fascinating about this woman whose story is slowly being revealed. Together, Joely and Freda begin to connect in ways they never would have thought possible. Two women whose lives have been plagued by secrets and lies begin to discover things about themselves and their lives that will change them both forever.

It’s difficult to say much more without spoiling the twists and turns of the plot, which is something I really don’t want to do. All I will say is that this is a story that needs to be dissected layer by layer, each one peeling back to reveal more new and shocking revelations as all the pieces begin to fall into place, moving towards a denouement I did not see coming.

Susan Lewis is a gifted storyteller and I can’t believe it’s taken me so long to finally delve into her work. Suffice to say my TBR list is now a lot longer than it was before! My Lies, Your Lies is a brilliant and thought provoking read that I haven’t been able to stop thinking about since I finished it.

Highly recommended.

I tried to read this book a few pages at a time, but it was one of those books that drew you in & made you want to keep reading ...

We start by meeting Joely, a writer who has a secret that is causing problems in her marriage. When her husband leaves her to move in with her best friend, Joely is grateful for a writing assignment working in a remote location in Devon. Isolated with no phone signal & only a strange old lady for company, As she starts to write a story about a teenage girl in love with her music teacher, Joely starts to discover that there is more to this old lady than meets the eye ... Why would a famous author like F.M. Donahue need, or want, a ghostwriter to tell a memoir ...

There is a huge twist in the middle which reveals that there is a reason why Joely was chosen to write this memoir ... and don't try to preempt it because as Freda keeps pointing out, presumptions rarely lead to the truth!


Disclaimer: I received a copy of this free from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

This was my first Susan Lewis book and I was expecting a brilliant book. However this fell a little flat for me. I felt the storyline was rather farfetched and I didn't feel the connection between the characters particularly either. The scenery setting was strong as was the descriptive writing.

I am new to the Susan Lewis party, only recently discovering her but I am so glad I did. Her books are made all the more special when I discovered a book by her in my Gran's room, my Gran has not read for many years now.

Susan produces magnificent characters and emotional reads.

A world of secrets and lies with the truth somewhere in the middle. A captivating story as you try to second-guess what is happening at the same time as the story itself is telling you not to. Cleverly depicted and contemporary characters, this is a book with which to indulge yourself.

This book has me torn. I absolutely adore Susan Lewis’s books but this one fell really flat for me. However, the reason I’m torn is because the storyline was brilliant and really quite gripping but there were just a lot of elements of the writing style which had me quite frustrated.

So what was it that didn’t that push this into a five star read for me? I think honestly, it was the characters. I didn’t feel a connection between Joely and Callum – and I found Freda a frustrating and ‘flat’ character. I also found some inconsistencies – for example a laptop that was thrown at someone’s head was then used to read out someone’s story from – most laptops aren’t robust enough to survive that! It was little bits along the way that seemed a little lazy in terms of checking for continuity and so on.

As I said though, the storyline is really good. You’ll want to read to the end to uncover what happens and because it’s Susan Lewis I think a lot of people will stick with and still enjoy this book. Susan Lewis us such a great writer that I will always continue to read her books too!

With thanks to Netgalley, Pigeonhole, the publishers and the writer Susan Lewis for the arc, which was a fascinating read.
This was an unexpected storyline by Susan Lewis and was unlike some of her other books I have read. Nevertheless My Lies, Your Lies was an intriguing and interesting book to read. I thoroughly enjoyed it but it took me some time to read it. Which is unusual, but I have found that because of the strange times in which we live in at the moment I tend to stop and start some books that may possibly need more focus and concentration than others. I was pleased that I went back and carried on reading because I would have missed an extremely good read otherwise.
Highly recommended.

😊 I always look forward to a novel written by Susan Lewis, knowing that I will be reading something pretty spectacular and I won't want to put it down. My Lies, Your Lies is a well written, emotionally-charged story, with the author's trademark flair and style.

This is a drama based tale about ghost writer Joely, whose husband Callum leaves her for her best friend Martha. She is delighted to be given a writing assignment in Devon, so she can move away from London. An established author, F.M. Donahue, wants to tell her story to Joely, one that has haunted her for years. As Freda Donahue's memoirs start to feature a relationship between a young student and her teacher, so Joely starts to feel more and more uncomfortable with the situation. Is there something more to the memoirs and why was Joely chosen as the ghost writer?

Told through different timelines dating back to 1968 and the present, and with its perfect pacing, there was never a dull moment. The dynamics of a dysfunctional family combined with a heady cocktail of passion, love, deceit, betrayal, lies, loss and duplicity among others, helped to make a captivating tale. One of Susan Lewis' strengths is her incredibly good characterisation - the blend of likeable, odd and obnoxious characters, with their vagaries and complexities was remarkable. The clarity of her writing made it an easy story-line to follow, and she was able to create a wonderful tones of doubt and unease that continued until the very last page. I loved the way the finer points of the story were sporadically fed to the reader as the story built to its satisfying conclusion.

My Lies, Your Lies is an addictive, intricate and clever tale that highlights the complex relationships that often exist where emotional boundaries occasionally become blurred. An awesome book and a truly rewarding read! 😊

I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel at my request from HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction via NetGalley and this review is my unbiased opinion. Thank you also to Pigeonhole and Susan Lewis for the opportunity to read this book!

Wow. I found my lies, your lies a superb read. From the dramatic love affair of a student and teacher in the free-loving period of 1968 to the complexites of modern relationships – this novel swept me up in the drama and wonderful storytelling.

The arrogance of youth. How untouchable we feel, as though we know some secret that our elders can never understand, as though we are the first to have felt that way. Oblivious to the repercussions of our actions. That is how the young Freda comes across at times and at first I felt sorry for her young teacher, he really couldn’t win. Teenage girls full of hormones, changing bodies and newly discovered sexual desire. Throw in a handome young music teacher and you have a recipe for disaster. Yet the way Susan writes, well it takes you back to times when every emotion felt heightened, when we believed that this first taste of love must most certainly be the greatest love ever experienced. Cleverly combining Freda’s story with that of Joely’s who is reeling from the break down of her own marriage, we can see that love and emotion is always complicated, no matter what stage of our lives we may be at.

Joely’s husband has left her for another woman and so in an effort to distance herself from this reality she takes on a ghost writting assignment. The client is already a well respected writer and so Joely is intrigued as to why such an accomplished author would need a ghost writer. Joely is now an elderly recluse and lives in what seems the most stunning house (with a Library and writing room most of us dream of – I had serious room envy when Freda first introduced us to that part of her house) in a remote location near Exmoor. The phone signal is pretty much non existant and so Joely is cut off from her real life whether she likes it or not. It’s not long before she becomes completely engrossed in Freda’s story as all is gradually revealed. And I was completely engrossed too, in both Freda and Joely. It was the most perfect escapist read. I loved the setting, the references to music and all the characters. The authenticity of time and place was just wonderful and gave the story an incredible depth and richness. I felt incredibly emotionally involved and Susan writes with such understanding that she really brings each and every emotion – and desire – to life. She also throws in some fantatsic twists and turns along the way too and it was an absolute joy to go along with the journey.

This really was a very excellent read indeed and although the first time I have read Susan Lewis, it certainly won’t be the last! Thoroughly recommended.

My Lies, Yours Lies is the latest book from bestselling author Susan Lewis and will have you questioning, like the central character Joely, how much of what is being told is truth and how much is fiction when she is assigned to write the memoir of a reclusive author. The job will take her to Dimmett House, an imposing house on the North Devon coastline, which gives her the perfect breathing space she needs having recently separated from her husband.

The descriptive writing of the author really brought the brooding house, which was very much like a character in itself, and picturesque landscape to life as if we were seeing them through Joely's eyes. I could envisage walks along the coastline but think I might avoid being locked in the tower.

Like Joely I was intrigued as to why Freda, a bestselling author, would appoint a ghost writer to tell her story when she was more than capable of writing the story herself. And the more of the past that was revealed, the darker the story and more erratic the behaviour of Freda became. She really seemed to lose total grip of reality whilst hell bent on her mission to right a wrong and this is where the lines began to blur as the subject matter in question was controversial and legally a crime HAD been committed.

For the most part I enjoyed the dual timeline, the past being narrated for the memoir alongside the current day, although occasionally I did find the narrative a little disjointed but then again the narrator Freda was a strange character who seemed all over the place.

One of the aspects that Freda was keen to highlight was that as readers we should never second guess or make assumptions as to where the story is taking us as I know that's something I'm particularly guilty of when reading. I also enjoyed the musical references mentioned in the narrative although I will confess that some I had never heard of before but may have subsequently Googled.

My Lies, Your Lies was an absorbing but yet uncomfortable read at times with its themes of dark family secrets, obsession and revenge at its core.

My Lies, Your Lies by Susan Lewis.


When I was asked to read this book for work, I was looking forward to it because I haven't read a novel that centred on a ghost writer before; I find the concept really interesting, but I ended up enjoying this book for a completely different reason. I will warn you, this review comments on the themes and issues raised in the book - namely sexual abuse of a minor - please consider this your warning as it is important to mention in this review.
In the first few chapters of My Lies, Your Lies we meet Young Freda who enters into a relationship with her boarding school music teacher, who we'll call Sir. The relationship is explored in a new light that is both refreshing and curious at the same time. Young Freda is 14/15 and Sir is in his mid-to-late twenties and although it doesn't sound like a huge leap of an age gap, we have to remind ourselves that it is. Even though it might not be rape in the sense of lack of consent, it is. Legally, Young Freda is not old enough to be able to give consent, whether she wants to or not. It's also statutory rape, the main difference being that statutory rape means to rape with the assumed consent of the state - inappropriate sexual behaviour with a minor in your care; see teacher.
This book ensures that readers come away pondering their own questions and analysing the character choices. I think this is one of the novels great strengths, Lewis uses characters to pose questions to our readers and some of these questions will stick with you for a long time.
There's a discussion that happens between Joely, our ghost-writer, and Freda Donahoe, the commissioner of the work, where Freda muses on whether humans are born with their sexual predilections or whether we are nurtured into them by society. This is also followed with the question of whether Hebephilia is better, or deemed not as horrific as Pedophilia. Hebephilia is the sexual interest by adults in pubescent children, typically ages 11–14. Pedophilia is, typically, the primary/exclusive sexual attraction to prepubescent children. Although most cases of sexual interest in any children below the age of consent is often labelled as pedophilia.
This book poses the question, if it is a case of statutory rape, and an adult having carnal knowledge of a minor, but both parties are truly in love with each other, does that make it okay? With themes that are so timely, and questions being raised such as this one, I think it would be an excellent 'book club' read. That being said, I think I would find it very hard to have a rational discussion on these topics with people who disagreed with my thought that any sexual relationship with someone below the age of sixteen is not okay in any sense.
Having read My Dark Vanessa in January, and quickly naming it one of my top books of the year - regardless of what's to come, this only solidified my opinion on the matter.
The ending of My Lies, Your Lies is entirely unexpected. Once readers are thrown by the initial reveal, this is not the ending I had seen coming. There is a small cliffhanger left in, in the closing lines, which I think you'd only realise was a cliffhanger if you'd been paying attention to the details of stories told within the main narrative arch, but it's very clever.
Recently, I've also read a few books who have really excelled in their location setting and I would say that this is one of them too. Susan Lewis' description of Freda Donahoe's house in its remote location fuels the feeling of isolation where there's nothing to do aside from ruminate on your own thought, which is how we meet Freda at the beginning of the novel; a woman who's done nothing but dwell on the situation and her thoughts on it, for years. Until she meets Joely, only now can she begin to have the truth be told.

For fans of;
My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell
Salem Falls by Jodi Picoult
Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov

My Lies, Your Lies is Susan Lewis's new book. She always find the taboo, sensitive subjects and works her magic, My Lies, Your Lies is no different.
Joely is a ghostwriter whose husband is on the verge of moving out and going to live with her best friend.Luckily Joely has taken an assignment to ghostwrite a memoir for Freda Donahue, a reclusive, rather famous author who lives in Devon. Joely goes to stay while she writes for Freda thinking she will at least, be away from it all while she processes all the rather harsh events happening to her.
Joely finds Freda a rather strange character and while glad she has been asked, does wonder why an author would need a ghostwriter and, how she came to choose her out of all the ghostwriters? Freda's story is a tale of a schoolgirl being in love with a teacher but Freda want the spin to be that the girl had seduced the adult, but is this really what happened?
The book takes on dual timelines. we go back to 1968, a schoolgirl who falls for her music teacher and even persuades her mum to allow her to have piano lessons in order to spend time alone together, they succumb to a passionate affair which is kept secret but then he tries to finish it and the consequences are disasterous!
Joely while writing these memoirs, starts to feel a little too isolated and finds she is unable to get out and about a little less than she thought and to top it all her wi-fi signal is rather patchy.As the memoirs suddenly start take a darker turn, she realises there is more to this than she bargained for!
I thoroughly enjoyed the dual timeline, it seemed that secrets were constantly discovered while travelling with Joely and Freda down the twisted road they travelled together. This book deals with some very sensitive subjects and delved into grief, loss, betrayal and revenge and I felt that Susan, as always handled them well. A massive thank you to Anne Cater of Random Things Tours for allowing me to be a part of My Lies,Your Lies Blog Tour.Also the publisher ans NetGalley for the ARC.

I really enjoyed this book. There are lots twists and turns throughout the book and your perception of the characters change frequently. Just when you think you have sussed something out everything turns on its head. I understand that this is done intentionally by the author and it makes such a good read as you are always second guessing yourself and getting lost within the pages, it just makes it so hard to outline what you loved without running the risk of spoiling the book for others.

I loved the dual timeline in which the book was written.

I found this book really easy to get in to. Normally it takes me a good few chapters to get acquainted to the writing style and to get a feel for the characters. With My Lies, Your Lies, I was hooked straightaway.

Lewis does an excellent job of luring you in, she is a great storyteller, providing descriptive language that allows you to visualise everything and makes you feel you are there alongside the characters.

Overall this was a great read, one that you just couldn't predict. The thing that stands out for me the most in this book is the relationships between the characters, Lewis has portrayed a strong sense of family and although not always harmonious one that can forgive in order to stick together.

I visited the North Devon location many times and sat on the little water-powered carriage which transports you between Lynton and Lynmouth. It’s the perfect location for the imposing Dimmett House, the home of Freda Donahoe an unpredictable and reclusive author.

When Joely goes there to help Freda write her memoir she is at a crossroads in her personal life and sees the trip to North Devon as a very welcome distraction. She finds Freda difficult to read, sometimes aloof, brash, and erratic. Joely’s ghostwriting comes under great scrutiny from the accomplished author but the unfolding love story between a fifteen-year-old girl and her music teacher is utterly compelling.

When the memoir takes a very sudden and dark turn Joely realises that this is far more than a teenage fantasy.

This dual timeline narrative has a secret revealed around every corner. The captivating storytelling delves through aspects of grief, betrayal, loneliness, and revenge. The ‘story within a story’ element was so cleverly plotted and I enjoyed the references to the 1960s music. The book highlights that we should never assume or second guess because what seems obvious to some may have a totally different meaning to others. We learn that decades can be wasted harbouring heartbreak and hatred and that the simplest sentence spoken can have a catastrophic effect on people’s lives.

It’s been a long time since I read a Susan Lewis book, but reading My Lies, Your Lies reminded me of what a brilliant story teller she is. Joely is an ex journalist who now works as a ghost writer, whose latest assignment takes her to Devon. Famous, but reclusive author Freda Donahoe wants Joely to help writer her memoir, detailing a story never told before. Split between present day and 1968 secrets are revealed, taking Joely and Freda on a journey that will change both their lives.

For me this is what I call an OMG book, Susan Lewis took me to places I never expected to go when I started this book. In the present day the assignment is a perfect chance for Joely to escape London and have a chance to lick her wounds after her husband left her for her best friend. She has ghost written many books but never has she had to sign a Non Disclosure Agreement and not even tell her family where she is going. Emotionally she is not in a good place, and she finds the isolation at Dunnett House troubling as she has no mobile phone or Wifi coverage cutting her off from friends and her mother and daughter. In this environment she begins to feel suspicious and uneasy, left to her own devices and uncomfortable with parts of the memoir of the illicit love affair.

Freda is a recluse, living in a big house in rural Devon She is a famous author so it seems strange that she needs Joely to help with her memoir, but as the plot progresses we learn why she has chosen Joely. Freda’s story starts in 1968, where her memoir begins with a fifteen year old girl, who is referred to as ‘Young Freda’, who falls in love with her music teacher, always referred to as ‘Sir’. Freda tells the story of a forbidden love affair between the two that has shocking consequences for both involved and their families. Interestingly, Freda wants to put all the blame on the young girl, who at nearly sixteen knew how powerful her sexuality was and used it to trap the young music teacher. Freda is obsessed with blame and how Joely sees this story, especially as she has a daughter of the same age. All through this telling of the memoir there is a feeling of unease, of there being more to this than at first meets the eye, more than Freda trying to right a wrong.

Susan Lewis captures the emotions of her characters brilliantly, bringing them off the page and into the readers heart; passion, love, loss, betrayal, anger, fear, forgiveness, grief I felt them all. Freda is always reminding Joely to not make assumptions as to how the story will unfold, this is also a warning for the reader, don’t be fooled about what you think you know, the truth is something completely different. This would be a fabulous book club read as it opens itself up to a lot of discussion points in relation to the characters and the plot line; I was still thinking of this book days after I finished it.

My Lies, Your Lies reminded me why I loved Susan Lewis’s books, the wonderful prose pulled me straight in and I had a feeling of comfort and familiarity which made is such a joy to read. The reality and depth of character made me feel like I knew these characters, their feelings and thoughts. To say this books compelling is an understatement, the plot moved seamlessly along, with many twists and turns along the way, and the story has stayed with me. Thought provoking, thrilling and immersive, I highly recommend this book.

A Susan Lewis book is always a pleasure to read as I know there would be a twist when I least expect. The book ticked all the cool points in the way it led me into the lives of an author and a ghostwriter and their shocking revelations.

Joely was the ghostwriter and Freda was the elusive author and the story wound around the years in the past when a fifteen year old student had a love affair with her teacher.

One of my favorite authors, I got the audiobook too so that I could listen/read the story. The book kept me enthralled as each chapter told me the past love story and the present lives of the characters. The writing flowed smoothly with a sense of an impending shocker to be revealed. The author kept me on the edge with gentle teasing.

With each chapter, my curiosity increased until the reveal exploded the story and turned it upside down. I had to re-read the chapter as I couldn't believe what my ears were hearing in the aidiobook. It was that kind of a story where the truth was so shocking that I needed visible proof. Wow.

It changed my complete perspective about the characters and their lives. The only niggle was that last few chapters could have been made sharper.

Overall, it felt great to read a Susan Lewis book as the author had kept me captivated over the years with her compulsive stories.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and its my first time reading anything by Susan Lewis - she has been on my radar for a long time but as is the norm I just never got around to picking up her books, and boy why did I wait!

My Lies, Your Lies, had me engrossed from the start with Joely heading off to be a ghostwriter in Devon, for the reclusive author F.M Donahue. The assignment couldn't have a better or perhaps worst time, for Joely who's husband was moving in with her best friend after their affair came to light.

Freda Donahue is a very eccentric and strange character, she definitely gave me a creepy vibe for some reason at the beginning that I couldn't pin point until the story unravelled and peaked at the end when all was revealed.

Freda is wanting to air some skeletons in her closest and right a wrong from the past, and by enlisting Joely as her ghost writer she hopes to set the record straight. But it would appear that there is something more nefarious at play and it involves Joely and her family.

I loved the twists this book took us on with the reading of each chapter, I did not anticipate things to turn out as they did