A tense psychological thriller and strong debut.

Main character Anna just wants to escape her abusive husband. He's never hit her, but he's cruel, cold and manipulative. She's convinced she's found a happy-ever-after with an old boyfriend who's turned up out of the blue, but it soon transpires that her future is not going to look like it did in her dreams. Someone's been keeping secrets from her. Several someones, in fact, and sorting out the truth from lies isn't going to be easy. Her past isn't cleancut either. Some truths she hasn't wanted to face up to. And she's still not safe.

Anna does have a tendency to make stupid decisions, and not to ask the questions that the reader would (and thus I think she will get on some people's nerves). But you have to remember that she's been worn down so much over the years that she barely knows which way is up any more. Until now, pretty much no one in her life has shown her any genuine kindness.

This is an intriguing twisty page-turner. I read it in a morning, eager to figure out what was going on and whether there was anyone Anna could trust. I found the ending satisfying and would read this author again.

Anna is married to James Whittington who is cold and controlling and so when old flame Sam turns up in Oxford the embers are reignited and Anna decides to leave James. That’s when it all starts to unravel.

Initially this is an enjoyable, easy read, it has a good premise and plot. The characterisation is good with some likeable ones such as James’ sister Rosie and her adorable children. There are so many lies from so many sources in the novel that it’s hard to keep up and the twists keep coming! Where does the truth lie? However, it becomes very clear that some characters wouldn’t know the truth if it socked them in the jaw!!!

Unfortunately I can’t get past Anna’s character in order to enjoy the book more. As the story unfolds and things begin to look very shady you appreciate just how weak and naive she is. She lives in a fantasy past and her refusal to wake up and smell the roses about both Sam and James becomes very wearing. Her round and round thoughts get predictable and thus it becomes boring. The pace slows as a consequence of the repetition of her thinking. As the story reaches the end it’s very clear and easy to work out what’s happening and woefully, the only person who is blind to the inevitable is Anna!

Overall, there is a germ of a good story here if only the central character would develop a spine!

With thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the arc in return for an honest review.

This would make a superb Netflix drama!

Okay I hated the Anna, she’s obsessive and creepy (with no idea how creepy she actually is) but it adds to the story rather than taking away. This is an obsessive and creepy book so it works! The thing is I felt no sympathy for her, her husbands behaviour was her fault. She put herself in a bad situation to get over another bad situation she caused....honestly she’s mess but as I said it works!!

The one thing I didn’t like about All My Lies is I wish the plots were clearer and worked together. It seemed like one plot swapped for another half way through and then back again. It could have been weaved.

There’s stacks upon stacks of lies that you’re trying to work out before the end and it’s shocking conclusion. Thriller fiction done at its best!

From the outside looking in, Anna has the perfect life. A loving husband, wealth, security - the works. But under the surface things aren’t what they seem. James is controlling, emotionally abusive. Anna is desperately unhappy, until she reconnects with her childhood sweetheart, Sam, and plans to start a new life with him. On the day Anna plans to escape, Sam goes missing, starting a chain of events which sees all their lives change forever.

All My Lies is a book full of twists and turns, red herrings and half truths. The story is told from Anna’s point of view, which I think is an effective move on Sophie Flynn’s part. Anna is manipulated by almost every person in her life, which means as the reader you’re never on stable ground, can never be quite sure of the truth. I can’t say I liked Anna particularly. But I can absolutely see she is a product of her experiences. Her self confidence and self esteem have been shattered by her husband and past events. As a result, she is always grappling for love and acceptance from those around her.

The plot itself is everything I expected it to be. Mysterious, shocking, thrilling, dangerous. Al the things you want from a novel of this type. While it is suitably pacy, I did find some of the revelations a bit laboured, which was in turn frustrating. At points I found myself skipping ahead to get to the the meat of what was on the verge of coming out. That being said, the frustration is Anna’s too. For so long, people she loves have kept things from her deliberately or given up only part of the story. So it would make sense that we experience this slow, agonising reveal with her.

I was a bit disappointed that I worked out the ending so early on. But I was never quite sure I'd got it right until the very end, which was good. As the novel starts on the day that Anna plans to leave James, we don’t get the build up or the backstory, which I think might have muddied the waters a bit more and made it harder to suss out. I also wanted to hate James that little bit more, but we don’t spend too much time with him and see the true extent of all the ways he has belittled, undermined and broken down Anna.

If you love dark psychological thrillers that keep you guessing until the very end, then All My Lies is a book for you. As a debut, it’s promising. The story features twists and turns which keep you on your toes, and the ending is satisfying in the way all of the loose ends are tied up. I just wish there had been a bit more character development before the action to make me feel more for the characters.

A big thank you to Sophie Flynn, Simon & Schuster and Netgalley for providing an advanced readers copy of All My Lies in exchange for an honest review. I am very excited to see what Sophie Flynn writes next and will most definitely be reading it.

Sometimes when you are watching a film something happens and the audience applauds. It's a rare occurrence, a physical response to a story you have become emotionally invested in. It isn't rehearsed or organised it just occurs, the emotion hijacking you into a reaction. All my lies caught me in the same powerful manner.

Reading this book, I thought I had it all figured out but of course the twists and turns proved me wrong and the tension grew to keep me riveted to the plot.

Anna is someone we will all more or less know. Flawed, self punishing and trapped in the wrong relationship. She wishes to escape to the peace and safety of her first love. And that is where we get our first blow and I hated it ( in a good way). Why did he have to disappear and take her escape route away? There are many lies to discover along her journey to the truth and not everything is as you first think.

As for James well I was never quite sure about him. He was very mysterious and intrigued me throughout. A well written character that perfectly balanced the story with menace but that left me questioning how bad he really was. Was Anna just exaggerating because she wanted to flee?

Sophie crafts believable characters and a thrilling plot. But she also perfectly captures the essence of a small seaside town in Cornwall. It makes me want to sit in the harbour with a ninety-nine.

I can really see this as a TV drama, people would love it.

PS. I adored the acknowledgements - so full of love ( except for one which made me laugh)

I thought I had read some pretty good debut novels but this one has topped the post on all of them. This is how a psychological should be done, powerful characters and webs of lies, secrets and betrayals make for a outstanding thriller of a read. I didn't know how this story was going to be played out with all the twists and turns but it did and it blew my mind. Even though the main character for me was Anna, I felt as though there was two stories running alongside each other, the one with Anna's husband James and also her childhood sweetheart Sam, they come together in an explosive climax that will have you on the edge of your seat. I am really looking forward to what Sophie writes next as I feel this book is going to be a big hit.

I just could not do it with this book. Anna is by far the most stupid person ever written. She is a complete push over, does not think before she does anything and loves being a victim.

I finished this book, but the twist was extremely predictable, even from the start, and it was overall not a very pleasant read.

#AllMyLies #NetGalley
A good read.
When Anna reconnects with her childhood sweetheart, Sam, she sees it as the answer to her problems. Finally, they’ll have a life together, like they’d always planned – the life she was meant to have.But the lies are catching up with her . . .
On the morning of their escape, Sam goes missing. Anna knows he wouldn’t leave her, that something must have happened to him.
Her search for answers will force her to confront her past, something that she has been running from for a very long time.
Thanks to NetGalley and Simon Schuster for giving me an advanced copy.

My Bookish Thoughts:
Well where do I begin with this novel? How on earth is this a debut? Mrs Flynn has completely sucked me in and made it utterly impossible to put this one down.
I have devoured this entire book in just one sitting, minus a few real life interruptions from emails I've had to reply to. Anna was a character I felt instantly able to relate to, I've felt connected to her and invested from very early on.
James has been an interesting character who has really made me feel extremely uncomfortable but I haven't been able to work out why. This is an aspect that has really set my mind racing after figuring this one out.
The tension and suspense are present throughout this one. Each event is intricately placed to really make you question where this was going and what was going to happen with the characters.
This is a rollercoaster of a read that I have been completely captivated by. This debut novel has completely blown me away and I cannot wait to read more by Sophie Flynn.
I have absolutely nothing negative I can say about this book, it literally has all my favourite elements-
Intriguing but gorgeous cover
Likeable characters
Tension
Mystery
Dark element
Plot that flows effortlessly
This is a novel highly deserving of all the stars. Five stars just isn't enough to show how superb a masterpiece this book has been. I am a converted Sophie Flynn fan and will now be spending all my time cheerleading this absolutely wonderful book.

What would you do to escape I controlling relationship? This thriller centers around this question while the main character grapples with the situation she’s gotten herself into. I highly recommend this book, it’s a thrill ride.