Lie Beside Me is the latest book in the DCI Jonah Sheens series and is just as riveting as its predecessors. A twisty plot, which Gytha Lodge pulls together extremely cleverly, makes the book virtually unputdownable. I am looking forward to the next instalment in this fantastic series and seeing what new investigations are in store for DCI Sheens and his team.

With many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Michael Joseph UK, Michael Joseph for the opportunity to read this ARC, in return for an honest and unbiased review.

I was pulled into this from the off! Who is this man led beside her in bed and how did he end up dead? With so many questions to answer each page keeps you gripped and turning the pages faster and faster! Loved the plot twists and was definitely kept guessing until the very end.

I thoroughly enjoyed this excellent crime thriller that had me grabbing every opportunity to get back to the story to find out how it all ended! I loved the author's début She Lies in Wait and I thought this one was equally as good (particularly with the arresting opening scene).

I enjoyed meeting up with DCI Jonah Sheens and his team based in Southhampton. In this instalment, harpist Louise Reakes wakes up early one cold and snowy morning with no memory of the night before. Lying in her blood-drenched bed beside her is a dead man she has never seen before. Expecting her husband Niall, who is away in Geneva on a conference, to return later on in the day, she panics.

In Lie Beside Me, Sheens remains in the background and mostly guides the investigation whilst the focus is on the rest of the team, on the dependable DS Ben Lightman, Domnall O'Malley and DC Juliette Hansen in particular. Riveting and engrossing, this is an extremely tense read by Gytha Lodge and I'm so looking forward to grabbing a copy of book two, Watching from the Dark that I have yet to read. Very highly recommended.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Penguin Michael Joseph via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

This is the second book I’ve read by Gytha Lodge and have thoroughly enjoyed it. I didn’t realise there is a book in between the two that I had read but that doesn’t detracted from the story. Obviously there is a crossover of characters but actually I didn’t realise they were familiar until near the end. Once again this book has been well researched and written with tension. I liked the jumping around of different viewpoints and was kept guessing until the end. I’ll certainly look out for anymore in the series.

I hadn't realised initially that this was the third in a series, but I didn't need to read the others. All the detectives' back stories were explained, and they were extremely strong characters! All were immensely likeable, apart from Louise's husband!
There was so much attention to detail, and a very complex story woven beautifully. I did find it hard at times to remember characters and their role, but I feel this was my issue, as I have this difficulty pretty often.
Very gripping and secrets galore!

This is the first book I read by this author and won't surely be the last.
It's a gripping, fast paced and highly entertaining story that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Great characters, a tightly knitted plot, a solid mystery that kept me guessing.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I absolutely loved this book and was hooked from the first page. However, I later discovered that it is the third in a series.
“Sober Louise “ reports finding the body of a dead man outside her front door. However, when she drinks she becomes “ drunk Louise “ and forgets everything.
DCI Jonah Sheens and his team set about investigating the murder and it soon becomes apparent that things aren’t what they seem. Louise starts having strange flashbacks but can’t make sense of anything.
Due to so many twists and turns throughout the story several people appear as possible suspects and the reader is kept guessing until the end.
Two characters that really got under my skin were Louise’s pathetic husband Niall and the extremely (to me) irritating friend April who seemed to go out of her way to get Louise to drink to oblivion, knowing full well what the consequences would be. She really annoyed me and had me convinced that she had an ulterior motive.
The book was very well written and was fast paced throughout. I now must go back and read the first two books in this series.

It wasn't long before I was drawn into this book. I was fascinated by the short chapters used to establish the two different personas of Louise who is the central character.

Early on the two different states of Louise, one quiet and staid, the other raucous and under the influence of alcohol. It is through this that reliability of her to remember the truth is built.

There follows an intriguing and complex story where DCI Jonah Sheen's and the team have to establish how Louise comes to find a body on the lawn.

There are multiple twists and turns in the plot, with more dead ends than the maze at Hampton Court. Suffice to say that it is worth trawling through the shoals of red herrings to finally reach the truth.

I give my thanks to Netgalley and Penguin/Michael Joseph for a copy in exchange for this review. This is certainly a book that I will recommend to my friends.

The first book was good, the second better but this was fantastic. I’m not a huge fan of police books but some are exceptional and this was up with Rendell’s Wexford and Cara Hunter’s books. An absolutely unputdownable read. Cannot wait for #4. Please read all books in order as they follow a team of officers and although they certainly can be read as standalones you won’t get the true characters without reading in order.

I found this book to be quite interesting, loved the characters, It was a real surprise how there was so many twists and turns in the storyline.

Louise wakes up, her head aches, her mouth is dry. It seems that 'Drunk Louise' has got out of hand again. When she turns to speak to her husband Niall she discovers that she is not in bed with her husband but a stranger- & he's dead! Through flashbacks we get to know Louise better. The quiet shy musician seems to undergo a personality change when her American friend April & alcohol are involved. We also find out who the dead man was. He seemed charming & very likeable- so how did he end up where he did? DCI Jonas Sheens & his team try to cut through the confusing strands of events. Is there more to this murder than meets the eye? The story is full of twists & red herrings ideal to keep you deciding to read 'just one more chapter'!

I read the first in this series & somehow managed to miss the second one, however this can be read as a stand alone. The police team are an interesting bunch and it is good to see their characters & relationships develop. I'm already keen to read the next one. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.

5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Lie Beside Me was awesome. I was pulled right in and loved the writing. This book will catch your attention and not let go. It’s masterfully laid out with lots of mystery and plot twists. I can not say enough good things about how well this was written. I highly recommend it.
This is book 3 but can be read as a stand-alone. I’ve only read this book and can’t wait to read the rest.
Thanks to Michael Joseph Publishing via Netgalley for this complimentary copy. I’ve voluntarily given my review.

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Michael Joseph UK for an ARC of this book.

I really enjoyed this book but realise it was part of a series until I went on goodreads to update my starting it. That was not an issue at all.

The book read well and I didn’t feel like I was missing parts of peoples stories despite it being the third in the series.

Waking up next to a dead man after a roaring night out, Louise is terrified because she doesn’t know who he is or how he got there.

I loved how a tiny piece is revealed chapter my chapter and each character helps to weave the events together. Each character sharing a part of their lives as the story moves along.

Usually I’m quite good at working out whodunnit earlier on but this one kept me guessing till the end!

Definitely will be looking up the other books preceding this one! Excellent writing and and excellent story.

I was lucky enough to read this brilliant arc 😍 thanks @netgalley I started reading this and about 28% in realised it was the 3rd book in a series but it was too good to stop, and after finishing it, it can be read as a stand alone book it’s a brilliant thriller full of twists I couldn’t stop reading, Louise wakes up after a night out to find a murdered man in her bed with no recollection of how he got there of if she was the one to kill him she panics, trying hard to remember anything that could help her understand what happened that night, did she kill him? If not who did?
Absolutely brilliant read by @gythalodge ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ published 18th March 2021- out now 😝
#thrillerbooksaddict #murdermystery #whodoneit #twistyread #brilliant #mustreads

Gytha Lodge is one of my favourite authors and I've read the first two in the series so was looking forward to this one. The premise is fabulous - `Louise wakes up to a dead body lying next to her and has no idea who this is and no recollection of how he got there. From then on the book races ahead and I loved the twists and turns and many surprises as both Louise and DCI Jonah Sheens and his team work to find out what happened. The book is thrilling and also has poignant moments. I highly recommend this book.

Kindly sent from the publishing team for an honest review.

This book took me by surprise to how much I actually ended up enjoying it. It was intriguing and a good page turner.
The character development was good and the story was full of adventure and turns that kept you going. It was complicated in nature and some parts left you feeling shocked and it has lots of layers. I enjoyed that it didn't just focus on jus the case, you got to learn about the detectives, their lives and challenges in and out of work.

I didn't realise this was the 3rd book in the series, I have not read the first 2 so need to source them out!

Louise wakes up to find a dead man in her bed. Its not her husband and she has no idea how he got there. Did she sleep with him and kill him, she just can't remember. The case is put to Detective Sheens and his team to figure out the truth of the matter but its a complicated situation.

This was a really interesting, twist filled story. I'm a big fan of Gytha Lodge so I knew this would be a good read. This is book three in the series but could be read alone if you're not worried about the connections between the detectives. I like the differing relationships that are developing though I could easily guess what Jonah's ex wife wanted to tell him. The plot itself is pacy and twists so you can never be too sure who is guilty of what. The ending is well done and finishes the case brilliantly. I liked Louise's notes to her husband, they added a little more depth to her story. A brilliant thriller.

Louise wakes up with a great hangover after a night out (nothing unusual) and as she looks beside her, she acknowledges a man. But who is he? Her husband is on a businesstrip in Geneva and something is very wrong with this man, he is icecold and there is blood everywhere. Of course Louise is the prime suspect in the latest case of DCI Jonah Sheens and his Southampton Crew. She has nearly no recollections about the night of the crime - only a few snippets, she tries to piece together.

„Lie Beside Me“ is a compelling, athmospheric and fast-paced page turner. The writing is impeccable and smart and pulls you straight inside the events. I’ve never read anything from Gytha Lodge before and I’ve clearly missed out, because the characters around DCI Sheens are all very complex and endearing. The author really knows how to keep you hooked and guessing until the nerve-wracking end.

Thank you NetGalley / Penguin Michael Joseph UK for providing me with this arc in return for a honest review.

This was a new read for me, so having not read the other books I can safely say this read ok as a stand alone. The starts dives right into the crime, Louise wakes up in bed with another man, not only is this man not her husband but he is dead. I enjoyed the way the writing went from, Louise writing letters to her husband and then back to the team investigating the murder. I did find the story dragged out a little and half way through I felt like I just wanted it over. I would read another on this series as I like the investigating team and I loved the style of wiring, it was just the plot that fell flat for me

I am so late to the delights of Gytha Lodge and her crime series featuring DCI Jonah Sheens. I missed out on books one and two but I definitely feel that I had missed out on any back story when I bgean Lie Beside Me.

The opening was the stuff of nightmares, and Lodge gave me chills as she brilliantly described Louise’s gradual realisation that the man beside her was dead. How did he get there? What had alcohol blanked out?

The answer to those questions took some pretty circuitous twists and turns with Louise as the primary suspect. DCI Sheens was the man charged with investigating and he was ably assisted by DC Hanson, a woman who hid a stalking ex boyfriend but pushed her woes to one side as she worked hard to discover the truth.

Any good crime novel will make that truth hard to come by and Lodge was no different, my mind constantly wandered as multiple suspects were paraded in front of me, and Louise’s life was pulled apart. I intensely disliked her husband Niall, found him weak willed and not wholly trustworthy. The most difficult character to work out was Louise’s best friend April, the brash American, wealthy and outgoing, there was something that didn’t quite ring true but I never could put my finger on what that was until near the end.

I admired how Lodge slowly revealed the truth as she used the voice of Louise and her thoughts as she looked back on her marriage, her own character, the sober Louise and the drunk Louise, the alternating personalities that made her doubt herself and question her own guilt. It was for me, what made this novel stand out from others in the genre, it took that one step further, explored the deeper reaches of the human psyche, the perceptions of others, and what our upbringing might force us to do in later life. It gave Lodge the opportunity to develop multiple layers and strands to her storyline which made for an exciting and thrilling read. In fact just when you thought Sheen has it all wrapped up, it was Hanson that suddenly realised that perhaps they were wrong and in one final wonderful twist, heightened by just a little bit of tense drama, we got a completely different ending.

Lie Beside Me was a top notch crime thriller that I loved and I shall now be seeking out Lodge’s previous two novels to read and enjoy.