I loved this book and could not put it down. It is very well written and I enjoyed the characters. Looking forward to the next book.
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

There are a lot of reviews already, so I'll just say this is pretty good. It's little uneven and includes too much detail at times. (Procedural) Mystery fans will probably like this.

I really appreciate the copy for review!

DI Drummon had a difficult new beginning after the death of her husband, even while keeping busy by doing her job she was grieving deeply. I was amazed at how she battled her loss while investigating a double murder. She is a strong character who didn’t let her deep trauma deter her from doing an excellent job in this murder mystery. She and her team had to dig deep for clues to fit the puzzle. Although they lead them astray sometimes that didn’t hinder their progress. Due to their diligence in seeking the truth and justice, they came through in the nick of time.

Detective Inspector Siv Drummond is widowed following a tragic accident involving her husband. With everything in London reminding her of the past, she moves from a high-profile squad with the Met to a new job as DI in Berminster.

I had high hopes for this book after reading the blurb and wasn’t disappointed. This was a fantastic book. There are lots of twists and turns in the plot and numerous suspects who you know are not being truthful to the Police. Which makes you wonder what are they keeping back and why.

I look forward to the next book in this series.

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this eARC for my honest review.

DI Siv Drummond has moved from the London Met to a new town, Berminster, joining the police force, after the tragic loss of her husband that has left her a grieving widow. She is a strong and determined character, now having to get acquainted with and manage her new team. Two bodies are discovered stabbed to death in the woods by the Bere river. They are 25 year old Lauren Visser and 20 year old Lithuanian Matis Rimas, with a photograph left on Lauren's body of an unidentified young girl. It is a complex and twisted investigation in which Drummond and her team face lies and more murder in their pursuit of the killer. This is an intriguing police procedural that draws in the reader with its characters and mystery.

THESE LITTLE LIES is the first book that I’ve read by Gretta Mulrooney, and won't be my last. I was pulled into the story from the very beginning, as the main character, Detective Inspector Siv Drummond, looking for a fresh start moves to a new town and is immediately assigned the task of solving a double murder.

I really wanted to be so engaged in this book, that I would be turning the pages into the wee hours of the morning, but that didn't happen here. This book took me a few days to get through. Though I found the characters relatable, each given enough back story that they felt three dimensional, the murder mystery itself and some of the events leading up to and including the big reveal fell flat for me because there was more telling than showing, which kept pulling me out of the story. Based on the book blurb I read, THESE LITTLE LIES is the first in a series, which perhaps explains the abrupt ending, however, to me, it made the book feel incomplete.

I do, however, look forward to reading more books by Mulrooney; now I just need to decide which one I want to dive into next. Thank you so much, NetGalley and Joffe Books, for providing me with a copy of THESE LITTLE LIES in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book and I really sympathized with the characters, however, I’m not too keen on the writing style and I think that threw me off a bit and sometimes the book just seemed to drag a bit!

*arc provided via netgalley*

Full review published on Booklover Book Reviews website >> https://bookloverbookreviews.com/2019/11/these-little-lies-by-gretta-mulrooney-review-cleverly-plotted.html

Thanks to netgalley for the ARC of this thrilling read! I haven't read much by Ms Mulrooney before, but every time I do, I am thrilled again from beginning to end. This novel was a good read, and very enjoyable. Recommended!

These sort of books are my bread and butter and I’m always excited to read a new detective series.

This book is a page turner and I enjoyed the read, it’s not complicated or difficult and the characters are developed well and I look forward to reading more about them.

This read like an episode of law and order inasmuch as every witness managed to provide answers to the police's questions in a way that was both comprehensive and concise. I find that wildly unrealistic, but pressing on: The larger problem is that the whole tome is weighed down by paragraph upon paragraph of completely useless detail. These were not scene setting details, they were lists of facts that are never brought up again.

In my opinion a crime novel published by Joffe is always destined to be great and this one is no different.  

Moving away from London to start a new job DI Siv Drummond gets more than she bargained for on her first day.  Two bodies with no obvious connection are found, one with a photograph of a young girl placed upon the chest.  Siv not only has a double murder to solve but she has a new team to manage and is on unfamiliar territory.  Can she work out the motive and identity of the killer before they strike again?

I love a good crime novel that is told predominantly form the police team perspective and I adore it when the lead detective is female.  Being the first novel in a new series These Little Lies put emphasis on introducing some key characters and developing backstories, in particular for Siv.  This has laid the ground work for the future books in the series. 

The plot reads more like a mystery than a thriller and it was enjoyable to be able to follow and invest in the investigation process.  I found myself getting caught up in all the detective work and spent a lot of thought speculating about the motive and the killer. 

The mystery unravels slowly throughout the novel allowing the reader to collect pieces of the puzzle but not at a rate that would take away the pleasure of playing Cluedo. 

A thrilling crime novel and a great start to a new series.  Looking forward to reading more about DI Siv.

This was my first book ever by Gretta Mulrooney and it’s the first in a new series, so that was helpful! Our protagonist, Detective Siv Drummond, gets a really big case, the first day back at work, grieving the loss of her husband. Siv is on a new team, in a new location but carries her emotions and loss with her. We meet the new team and start working on solving the mystery. I really was surprised at the explosive ending and I can’t wait to read another one!

With thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the Arc, which I have enjoyed reading.
These Little Lies are the first in a new police series by Gretta Mulrooney and it was a very clever storyline and strong characters which could grow and develop with other books in the series.
DI Siv Drummond is the main character who moves from London after the death of her husband back to Berminster where she and her sister lived with their father. There are two murders for her to investigate on her first morning and a third before the case is tied up and the murderers caught.
I will read more of this series in the future, I found it interesting and easy to read.
Recommended

I have been a fan of Gretta's work for a little while now. I first discovered how fabulous a writer Gretta is, when I was invited to take part in the blog tour for one of Gretta's earlier titles. Since then I have devoured each and every book that she has released since as well as caught up on her previous releases. I heard a whisper that she was due to release the first book in a new series. I was eager to get my hands on a copy as I knew that I was going to be in for one hell of a read. I wasn't wrong either. I thoroughly, totally and utterly loved reading 'These Little Lies' but more about that in a bit.
I wasn't sure what to think of Detective Inspector Siv Drummond when I first met her. At first I found her to be abrupt to the point of rudeness, distant, abrasive and a bit of a pain in the bottom. However as time went on and I got to know her and a bit of her history, I warmed to her and towards the end I began to think of her as a friend. Siv experienced the tragic death of her husband. She decides that she needs to make a fresh start in a new town and with a new team in a different police force. Siv is keen to make a good impression on her new team but she won't be taken for a mug. Siv doesn't suffer fools gladly. She also doesn't hesitate to let people know what she thinks of their behaviour and attitude. I found myself grinning at times with the one liners that she would come out with. Siv certainly has a way with words. When she starts her new job she is well and truly thrown in at the deep end and then some, with the discovery of two bodies. It's unknown as to who killed them and why and also it's unknown whether or not the two people are connected in any way. Siv throws herself into her work and I had faith that she and her new team would solve the case.
Oh my goodness me, for me 'These Little Lies' was an unputdownable, page turner sort of book. I was drawn into this investigation from the start and I just couldn't bear to be parted from the book for any length of time. If I had to put the book to one side for any reason then I would immediately look forward to picking it up again and immersing myself in the investigation. I was totally gripped by the story and on the edge of my seat throughout. I seemed to race through this book but that was due in part to the fantastic storylines, the interesting characters and above all to Gretta's fabulous writing. The more I read, the more I wanted to read and the quicker the pages turned. All too quickly I reached the end of the story, which I was so disappointed about. I don't mean that in a negative fashion but I was enjoying the author's writing style, the storylines and the characters so much that I just wished the book had continued for a lot longer.
'These Little Lies' is superbly written but then I wouldn't expect anything else from Gretta Mulrooney. She certainly knows how to grab your attention from the start and she keeps your attention throughout the book, only releasing it and you after you have read the last word on the last page. Through Gretta's writing, I got a real sense of the intensity and urgency of the police investigation. Gretta writes so realistically and she uses such vivid descriptions that I felt as though I was part of the story myself. For me, this book hit the ground running and maintained the pace throughout.
In short, Gretta Mulrooney has done it again and she has written another cracking book, which is sure to soar to the top of the bestsellers list, which is nothing less than she deserves. There are a fair few twists and turns along the way but I didn't expect them nor did I guess as to what they were. I would definitely recommend Gretta and all of her books to other readers. I will definitely be reading more of Gretta's work in the future. Here's hoping that we don't have too long to wait. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

A great start for a new series. Very well written. Interesting premise. Plenty of twists and turns to keep me guessing. Look forward to her next offering. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.

This book was fast paced. Hard to put down. It flowed well and it was very well written. It caught hold of me and had me hooked from the start . I was literally on the edge of my seat reading this book.

A solid mystery thriller by an author I will definitely read again. The ending had quite a surprising twist!

DI Siv Drummond lost her husband in a tragic accident and she decides to make a fresh start in Berminster. Instead of easing herself into her new job she gets thrown in at the deep end when two bodies are discovered on her first day on the job.
The one body was that of the 25 year old Lauren Visser who was stabbed, possibly with scissors. On her body the killer also left a photo of a young girl. The second body was that of the 20 year old Matis Rimas who was originally from Lithuania. How are these two people related or was it just a random killing? Who is the young girl in the photo?
Siv must not only find out who is telling the truth and who is lying but she must also fight her own demons.

A really enjoyable read.

Thank you to #netgalley and #joffebooks for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

A new series from one of my favourite authors is always exciting.

Siv Drummond - her husband and soul mate has died in an accident leaving her bereft and broken. She moves to Berminster to try to move on with her life. A new home, a new area, new colleagues, boss and everything that goes with it is a big challenge for someone who is lost but Siv is basically strong and is determined to find her way.

She is paired with Ali an overweight diabetic but one with a big heart and compassionate nature he is just what Siv needs. Someone she can instinctively trust and rely on even if they need to get to know each other.

The story begins with a polish man finding the body of a young woman while doing a little early morning fishing. The discovery costs him his life and there we have it, Siv Drummond thrown in the deep end with 2 dead bodies no motive and no clues. The only clue is a photo left on the woman's body the photo is a young child but nobody knows who she is.

This is a complex story with many false leads and unexpected twists as the team slowly unravel the clues and lies. It appears everyone is hiding something but is that something relevant to the case?

A very intriguing story with characters who develop well. I am looking forward to reading more in this new series.

This is the first book in an exciting new series featuring Detective Inspector Siv Drummond. Recently widowed and still grieving, despite attempts to start to get her life back, Siv has moved from a high profile role in London's Metropolitan police to take up a post at a slower pace in her old home seaside town of Berminster. This was where she and her sister were raised by their father after their chaotic Finnish mother Mutsi dumped them for one last time to run off with yet another lover. It is a baptism of fire as, on her first day back on the job, two bodies are found by the river Bere. One is identified as Lauren Visser, a nursery worker and conservation volunteer who had a passion for "wild swimming", and the second turns out to be a Lithuanian plasterer called Matis Rimas who was fishing illegally in the river. Both have been stabbed viciously and a photograph of a young girl has been left on one of the bodies. Having identified both victims, Siv and her team of DS Ali Carlin and DC Patrick Hill struggle to find a link between the two very different people. One victim seems to have been a very good and straightforward person, as does the other until the detectives start to dig and find all sorts of issues and different opinions festering under the surface. But are any of these things a good enough reason for murder? As their interviews proceed it seems that a lot of people are harbouring secrets and telling lies, but the detectives only seem to be doing a great job of ruling suspects out. Finding someone who has means, motive and opportunity is proving difficult until they finally establish who was really the intended victim and with great teamwork discover that one elusive clue that could help them get to the truth before it is too late. I liked the detectives in the team, particularly Ali Carlin who provided a good solid opposite to Siv when her anxiety got a bit too much. They were well introduced and easy to get to know as the story went on. Siv is clearly a fighter and comes across as having quite an old head on her shoulders, not surprising considering her history but she makes a good boss and leader. Despite pressure from DCI Will Mortimer who wanted his own protégé to get her job, she is able to hold her own and I think she will get stronger as the series progresses. The plot was great and kept me guessing all the way through to the end, which was not overly frantic, but a solid piecing together of all the evidence to an ending I did not expect, even though there were some clues there. Highly recommended and I am looking forward to reading more books in this series. 4.5*