A great murder thriller with twists and turns along the way and keeps you guessing.
The series continues to impress and I can't wait for the next stages! The back story and character development of Cyrus and Evie is great to read and explore, Evie especially is growing into who she is and breaking the boundaries that she has been confined to all her life. We also start to explore Cyrus' troubled past and Elias coming home is the first big insight into their shared past. #LyingBesideYou #NetGalley

Relationships are the key to this story with Evie and Cyrus trying to cope with Cyrus schizophrenic brother being released from Rampton hospital. The sleuths are trying to understand the murder of one girl and the disappearance of 2 others they have a connection linked to unfortunate errors in a maternity unit. The pace quickens to a breathtaking ending

5★
“People think that traumatic events should be laid out like a deck of cards and sorted into suits or four of a kind, because it looks neat and well ordered, but I want to shuffle the deck and deal again. I don’t want ‘closure’, I want a new hand.”

That's Evie Cormac, musing to herself as her therapist probes into her background. VeeJay, as the therapist likes to be called, already knows more than the rest of us. Evie wants to stop talking about it, but I’m pleased that Robotham reveals more of her past and her family.

I heard him say she’s a favourite, but the hardest character he’s ever had to write. I’m not surprised! She’s now twenty-one, but so small that people assume she’s a young teen, which is annoying, especially when it’s Cyrus who treats her like the youngster he fostered until she turned eighteen. Her rebelliousness just adds to the impression.

She has done what he asked and found a job in a bar. How will she get home from work late at night? … Borrow his car … No … Buy a cheap car from a friend … It’ll be a rust-bucket ... I’ll think of something.

“I hate arguing with Cyrus. I hate that he’s older than me and that he thinks he knows everything. I hate how he picks me up on my grammar and my vocabulary, like when I say literally when I mean figuratively (whatever the f*ck that means). I hate how he laughs at me, but not in a cruel way. Cyrus thinks I’m a teenager, but I’m twenty-one, and I could be his equal, if he let me.

‘So where is this bar?’
‘In the Lace Market.’
‘Is it a nice place?’
‘Very classy. They want me to buy a dress.’

Cyrus knows my wardrobe consists of nothing but jeans and sweatshirts and oversized sweaters. It’s another staring contest. Who will blink first?

‘I’ll lend you money for a dress,’ he says. ‘But I want you to go shopping the old-fashioned way. Choose a dress. Try it on. Make sure it suits you.’

This is another test. Part of my therapy is to interact more with people, rather than living like a hermit. He’s challenging me to be ‘normal’, whatever that means.

‘I could come with you,’ he says.”

ASIF!

Cyrus is a forensic psychologist who tries to figure out what kind of people might commit which crimes – like abduct and kill young women. He was set on this path by his schizophrenic older brother, Elias, who slaughtered their parents and twin sisters when Cyrus was a boy, hiding.

Evie knows his history.

“‘I don’t know how you can do this.’
‘What?’
‘Understand why people do horrible things.’
‘Sometimes it’s the only way to stop them.’”

Elias has been ‘put away’ in a psychiatric hospital for the last couple of decades, but now he’s eligible for home visits, maybe weekends, maybe longer. Scary prospect. Medications are good, but . . .

Between worrying about Elias and her new job, Evie finds herself accidentally caught up in Cyrus’s current investigation. That means police and reporters. No pictures, please! She is in hiding, still being hunted by the villains Cyrus rescued her from.

Meanwhile, Cyrus has hired an ex-con, Mitch, to do some yard work and maintenance. Evie is wary of him. Does Cyrus intend to add him to the family?

In spite of her argumentative nature, she does want to please him. She tries to hide her transgressions.

“‘Please don’t tell Cyrus,’ I whisper under my breath, but Mrs Beaumont hears the words.

‘Who is Cyrus?’ she asks.
‘My conscience.’
‘That must be nice.’
‘It’s a pain in the arse.’”

Evie has her own way of deciding whom to trust. The word “lying” in the title could refer to a number of things. Bodies are found lying, people and dogs are seen lying close together for comfort. And then there’s Evie’s unusual ability to tell when someone is lying, a skill Cyrus finds useful in tricky interviews.

But what about the disturbing brother, Elias, who hears voices? Does he know what’s true and does Evie?

Evie and Cyrus narrate different chapters, which makes for a good balance between Evie’s instincts and Cyrus’s professionalism. I like that they’ve been together long enough to know each other’s weak spots, what buttons to push.

“‘What are you going to do with your life?’

‘I’m going to be a professional nihilist.’

‘I’m being serious.’

‘So am I. Worry about your own life.’

‘What does that mean?’

‘You’re single. You have nightmares. Your brother is a nutcase. You lift weights like you want to punish yourself. You’re the shrink who can’t find a cure for what’s wrong with him.’

‘This isn’t about me.’

‘It never is.’”

Whatever “lying” is supposed to mean, I loved the book. Robotham always tells a great story, and I’m glad Evie pestered him to write this one. I hope she keeps nagging.

Thanks to NetGalley and Sphere Publishing for the copy for review (so quotations may have changed).

I found this to be a very twisty and unpredictable read, I hadn't realised it was part of a series but enjoyed it anyway (it works as a standalone) The relationship between Evie and Cyrus was interesting, they spark off each other very well, although I didn't really like her very much!
The storyline is engaging, I wont say more for fear of spoilers, but the ending is neat and not one I guessed in advance, a well written book

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. There are some really great back stories to the characters, but I have not read the previous books, however there are a lot of clues in this story so I did not miss out too much.
A murder story and a hunt to find further victims before they end up the same way leads you rapidly through the story. One you might find hard to put down.
A lot of depth.
Great story.

Fabulous story told with perfect timing. Engaging and likeable characters who reveal enough back stories to leave me intrigued. I simply loved this book and can’t wait for more from Michael Rowbotham. and I cannot believe I haven’t read any of his books before now. I will be complaining at my next book group meeting that no one has recommended him.

There are some life-changing things happening with Cyrus happening in this book. First, his brother Elias is deemed fit and mentally healthy enough to come and stay with Cyrus. Only for the weekends for now, but later, perhaps, permanently. The second thing is that Evie, who’s been living with Cyrus for a while now, witnesses something important but no-one believes her. Evie is really, really trying to live a ‘normal’ life but she’s not very successful with that. Especially not when Elias sees her as an intruder and does everything to make her feel even more uncomfortable than she is.
Amidst all this, Cyrus next case has to do with the murder of an older man and the abduction of his daughter. And that’s only the beginning of this third book in the Cyrus Haven series.
If you look closely, you can see the plot is not even the most original, but you won’t notice during reading because of Robotham’s wonderful style and the engaging characters. Cyrus, Elias and Evie all have their own demons to fight. Sometimes Evie makes me laugh when she’s commenting on things she doesn’t understand – it’s pretty clear that she still needs a lot to learn. And I don’t mean necessarily things you learn in school. Elias is, frankly, a very creepy and unreliable character and it’s only the fact that Cyrus remembers him fondly during their younger years, before he started killing people, that he agrees taking him in. A brave decision that doesn’t work out as well as he hoped for.
Anyway, this third book in the series is everything a third book in a series should be; we re-acquaint with the main characters and we get to read more about their background. So, I’m eagerly awaiting the next book in this series!
Thanks to Netgalley and Little Brown for this review copy.

In this third instalment of this excellent series featuring forensic psychologist Cyrus Haven, Cyrus is called to the scene of a murder by his old friend Detective Lenny Pavel. A pensioner with brain injuries who lived with his daughter had been brutally bashed to death and now his daughter Maya is missing. Lenny wants Cyrus’ opinion on whether Maya could have killed her father or whether she has been abducted by the killer. When Cyrus points out signs of an intruder breaking in to the house, the police know that they are now in a race against time to find Maya.

Evie, the damaged and troubled teenager who Cyrus took under his wing is now twenty one and lodging with Cyrus while she completes her school exams. To make a contribution to the household expenses, she decides to get a part-time job as a waitress in a bar. One night she helps a seemingly inebriated woman, Danielle, leave the club and get a share ride home. However, Danielle never made it home that night. The driver of the share ride she booked said she wasn’t waiting for him when he arrived to collect her, so whose car did Evie see her get into and is Danielle’s disappearance linked to Maya’s?

In addition to assisting the police find the missing women, Cyrus has other problems to deal with at home. Twenty years ago his older brother Elias, killed their parents and sister during a schizophrenic episode when Cyrus was only nine and has been incarcerated in a psychiatric hospital since. Now his doctors have agreed he is ready to be released and knowing he must learn to forgive him, Cyrus has agreed to Elias living with him while he becomes used to a world he has never known. Cyrus seems to be a saviour of lost souls as he has also taken in a homeless handyman he hired, a man on parole following a prison sentence for a sexual assault he claims he didn’t do.

The narrative alternates between Cyrus and Evie, giving us their points of view on all that is happening. With so many new people entering her life, Evie’s innate ability to know when someone is lying serves her well in knowing who to be wary of and who to trust. Her relationship with Cyrus is still evolving as they become more comfortable with each other. Evie may be twenty one, but often still behaves as a difficult and moody teenager while she learns to navigate in the world. Cyrus recognises that she still has a lot of growing up to do and is so understanding and patient with her as he gradually building her trust.

Robotham is a superb plotter of suspense and this is a riveting and gripping read. Well plotted, with plenty of wrong turns until Cyrus stumbles across a link between the missing women and a previous case. If you’ve read the previous two books in the series you won’t want to miss this, and if you haven’t you’ll want to start at the beginning to fully enjoy the characters and their relationships.

With many thanks to Little, Brown Group for a copy to read.

This is the third instalment in Michael Robotham's incredibly good Forensic Psychologist and Criminal Profiler, Cyrus Haven and Evie Cormac crime series, set in Nottingham.

There is a fantastic flow to Michael Robotham’s writing which is extremely appealing. His books are so addictive, full of complex characters and storylines that might end up anywhere. In Lying Beside You Cyrus’s brother, Elias, is to be released from his high-security hospital at Rampton, but is he ready and how does Cyrus himself feel? Meanwhile, Detective Superintendent Lenny Parvel calls in Cyrus for a police investigation when a 67-year-old father, Rohan Kirk, is brutally murdered, and his daughter, Maya, has disappeared, feared abducted.

As fully expected, this is a riveting read, packed to the rafters with suspense. Do not miss out!

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Little, Brown via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

Lying beside you. Is an awesome book! I was really looking forwards to reading this, as I loved Michael Robotham’s previous books. Lying beside you did not disappoint! I loved the characters, and it’s definitely left me wanting to know more about Evie, the book is about a Cyrus who’s a troubled but genius forensic psychologist, who’s own history both helps and hinders him along the way, there are fabulous female leads, Evie, Cassie and DSU Lenny Parvel all of which have a rich and interesting roles to play. This is essentially about murder, missing women and how the past can catch up with you.

Cyrus Haven is a forensic psychologist whose parents were killed by his manic older brother. That brother is about to be released to his care. Meanwhile, his friend and lodger Evie, also with a troubled past, witnesses the disappearance of another young woman from a bar where she has been working and which Cyrus has been called upon to investigate. Part of a series, there is clearly some back history which link the two characters, who are both highly intuitive but flawed.

This was interesting and compelling enough to make me want to seek out the other books in the series, though I did feel that there was some back history which was missing for me through it being part of a series.

With thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an opportunity to read and review.

Despite not reading the previous books in the series I was really pleased to find Lying Beside You a clever and unique read. It’s characters, deep, likeable and interesting and just enough twists and turns to keep me interested. This was a stand out crime novel for me and I will be sure to look for Michael Robothom’s other novels

I enjoyed this book and found it a gripping read. The characters are good, and the storyline has sufficient twists to be satisfying. I would recommend this book.

Sometimes you pick up a book, and there’s just something that connects; you like the characters, you like the writing style, you found it a really entertaining read. This was my experience of Lying Beside You.

A man is found murdered, and his daughter is missing. Could she have killed her father then made an escape, or did the murderer take her for other reasons? Forensic Psychologist Cyrus is brought onto the case because he knows how killers think, after all, he himself is a survivor. Can he help the police solve the case before it’s too late?

I’m a big fan of crime/mystery/thriller books, and because I’ve read so many, it’s getting harder to find one that impresses me or that keeps me engaged. However, Lying Beside You did both. I really enjoyed the storyline, finding it original and entertaining.

I really liked the way the author constructed his characters. Despite the fact that Evie is somewhat annoying at times, it seemed to be a conscious character choice rather than poor writing; and it certainly wasn’t enough to put me off. I really loved the character of Cyrus, he’s incredibly intriguing and engaging, and I really want to read more about him.

I will definitely be picking up Robotham’s other novels. The only thing that made me sad was that it was the third one in a series and I would have loved to have read them in order! That being said, it does work fine as a standalone, but it’s nice to get a fuller picture by reading in sequence.

I loved this book. It was faced paced and exciting. The characters were well written and it was interesting to see their decisions.

Lying Beside You is a fair-square crime genre novel featuring a serial detective searching for a serial killer...

In this series, Cyrus Haven is a criminal psychologist - a profession allied to policing - which gives him the opportunity to be unorthodox at the expense of not always being on the inside track of the police machine. Hence, he does not have fun access to case notes, records, etc. But Michael Robotham seems quite generous in the amount off access he does allow Cyrus, together with a police inspector (Lenny) who can fill in the blanks as necessary.

Cyrus is troubled outside work by Evie, a high maintenance young woman with a troubled past to whom he is giving shelter. This is probably explained in previous novels in the series. And he has a brother who is nearing release from a high-security hospital having killed Cyrus's family when Cars was still in short trousers.

So, some young women in Nottingham go missing and one of them turns up dead. This opens a Pandora's Box of pain. In a case that bridges the divide between personal and professional, Cyrus inevitably delivers the goods.

The novel is well told, pacy and keeps the reader intrigued - even though the plot itself is pretty incredible and relies on every character being connected on some level (it worked for Dickens...). On that basis, I would happily read the previous novels in the series as entertainment, although I doubt they would teach me much about the human condition. It works as a standalone too, and the reader has the necessary background drip-fed when necessary.

Solid four star material - three for the plot and five for the story-telling.

Unfortunately I hadn’t realised this was part of a series And I think it would read Better with previous knowledge of the series. Nevertheless an interesting read that I raced through.

This is the third in the series and I felt you needed to read the previous books to understand it, which I hadn`t so found it confusing and took me awhile to get into.
Cyrus Haven is a forensic psychologist who is called into a case of a murdered father and his daughter Maya missing. While in his private life his brother Elias is being released from a secure mental hospital after twenty years for killing his family only leaving Cyrus alive.
Evie is boarding with Cyrus and is quite a character, and when another women goes missing Evie was the last one to see her alive after putting her in a taxi home from the pub Evie works at.
The two cases start to join up which keeps you guessing.
Elias is a very creepy character which you just can`t warm to and think he`s guilty but it has lots of twists to keep you guessing.
A good book if you read from the start of the series.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC

Engaging thriller from the beginning and a tense story of brothers Cyrus a forensic psychologist and Elias who murdered their family and Cyrus only survived by hiding in the shed. Elias was sent to a secure psychiatric hospital and is now being released and Cyrus must decide whether he can forgive his brother.
In the meantime he has taken in a girl named Evie who has a troubled past and he is trying to help her. One night a woman is kidnapped and a man left for dead then another woman disappears who Evie witnesses.
I loved the mystery of the plot and could not put it down.
Thanks to NetGalley & Little, Brown Book Group UK for a advanced copy looking forward to reading more of Michael Robotham books.

Twenty years ago, Cyrus Haven's family was murdered and only he and his brother survived. Cyrus because he hid. Elias because he was the killer.
Now Elias is being released from a secure psychiatric hospital and Cyrus, a forensic psychologist, must decide if he can forgive the man who destroyed his childhood.
As he prepares for the homecoming, Cyrus is called to a crime scene in Nottingham. A man is dead and his daughter, Maya, is missing. Then a second woman is abducted. The only witness is Evie Cormac, a troubled teenager with a gift for knowing when people are lying.
Both missing women have dark secrets that Cyrus must unravel to find them - and he and Evie know how the past can come back to haunt you . . .

This is a wonderful addition to this thrilling series!
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and action with wonderful world building that adds so much to the story.
Such a thrilling read that I couldn't put it down.
Can't wait to read more of these.
Recommend reading.

I was provided an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. This is my own honest voluntary review.