Cyrus Haven has a dark past. When he was young his elder brother Elias killed their parents and little twin sisters. He heard voices in his head who told him to commit the murder. He was diagnosed with schizophrenia and lives in a psychiatric hospital since then. Cyrus became a forensic psychiatrist and he understands killers like no one else. When a woman goes missing from a local bar the police ask Cyrus Haven for help. Another woman was abducted from her home recently and it is possible that the cases are connected.

Evie is also a survivor. She suffered abuse in her childhood until she was found by the police. She was an unidentified child with no name, no papers. Cyrus helped her a few years ago in a court case were she fought for her right to be released as an adult from childcare. But she still has issues because of what she suffered and she has nobody in the world. So Cyrus took care of her and let her live in his house. Evie has the incredible ability to tell when somebody is lying. She is also an eyewitness in the case of the missing woman because she worked at that particular bar.

So Cyrus has a lot on his plate. There are two missing women, Evie manages to get into trouble all the time and his brother Elias is going to be released from the hospital and wants to stay with him.

Michael Robotham’s stories are always very complex and tangled. I love how clever he constructs them and his writing is exceptional. Cyrus is a wonderful character. He has been to so much but he is so caring and empathic. And he is very good at his job. I am not so keen about Evie. I find her very annoying. She wants to be treated as an adult but she still behaves like a sullen teenager. I get it, her childhood was horrible and full of abuse. She did not learn how to interact with people properly. But she is also stubborn and acts without thinking. She is smart but she is not able to use it in the right way. I feel a bit bad to say it, but I do not like her.

This is the third book in a series and I had to learn to my own astonishment that I only read the first one. Somehow I missed the second one. I would recommend reading at least the first one before reading this one. Otherwise you will have problems to understand the characters. I am looking forward to the next instalment of this series.

The latest instalment of the Cyrus Haven/Evie Cormac story is an excellent addition to the series . The story follows the investigation and subsequent murder of a young woman and develops into a much broader scenario.
While helping the police Cyrus is also coming to terms with the release of his brother Elias from Rampton and the difficulties it causes Evie. The plot blends the disparate strands into a great ending.I am never disappointed in any book byMichael Robotham and this is no exception. One of the best British crime authors working today.

It's only when I've come to review this that I now realise that this book was part of a series and I've missed the first two.
Honestly I couldn't tell - the book stands alone very well on its own and I thought the characters could do with a further outing.

At 40% through this book my son asked me what the book I was reading was about. I told him at the time that apart from being a detective crime thriller I honestly didn't know. On that basis I'd have to say the first half of the book is rather slow to get going. After that it builds up speed and certainly finishes off as a well-rounded book with lots of interesting characters and a suitable finale. I enjoyed it but knocked a star off due to the slow start.

There are numerous crime thriller choices out there but with the interesting characters involved (with detail more to be uncovered/explored) I'd recommend fitting in this one into your reading pile too.

Many thanks for the ARC.

Elias Haven murdered his parents and his twin sisters two days after his nineteenth birthday. Voices told him to do it. Only two people survived the carnage - Elias, who was sent to Rampton, and his thirteen-year-old brother, Cyrus, who hid in a shed until the police found him. Twenty years later, Cyrus is a forensic psychologist and he's been told that his brother is being released. Can Cyrus forgive the sinner whilst having to live on a daily basis with the results of the crime? Can he bear to have Elias living in the same house? How will his lodger, twenty-one-year-old Evie Cormac, cope?

Cyrus still has his job to cope with and he's called to a crime scene in Nottingham. A man is dead and his daughter, Maya, is missing. Before long another woman is abducted and the only witness is Evie who has a troubled background and a gift for knowing when people are lying to her. As she admits herself, that's just about all the time. People do it - it's just that she has a hard time letting things go.

Both missing women have dark secrets, and Cyrus will have to unravel their pasts if he's to understand the case. Both he and Evie know what it's like to have secrets to hide: as a child, Cyrus was Befriended. Bullied. Cosseted. Counselled. He was a hard child to love. Perhaps that's what he recognised in Evie. Detective Superintendent Lenny Parvel recognises the value he brings to her cases but the officer in charge of this case, DCI Gary Hoyle, isn't worried about voicing his reservations. He's also convinced that he's identified the killer: it's the man who sexually assaulted one of the abducted women six years ago and who has just been released from prison.

I loved this book. I was pulled in before I got to the bottom of the first page and when I got to the last I was trying to turn it over to see if there was anything more to read. I often get annoyed when characters' backstories are given in detail but that didn't happen in Lying Beside You. I wanted to know more about Cyrus and Evie. They're so well-observed that they were with me even when I wasn't reading and I found I was developing plans for their futures. They had become real with a life outside the novel.

The plot is superb. The pacing is perfect as layer upon layer of intrigue is added and the story twists every which way. At times the tension is almost unbearable and I finished the book in just two sittings. There was no way that I was prepared to go any longer without knowing the name of the killer. Did I guess whodunnit? No. Was I satisfied by how it worked out? Absolutely.

I'd like to thank the publishers for letting Bookbag have a review copy. This is actually the third book in Robotham's Cyrus Haven series. I wasn't aware of this before I started reading and - as you can see - it didn't affect my enjoyment of the book. I will definitely be going back to get the first two books in the series.

Not having realised that is the third book in a series until reading the reviews, it didn't make it difficult to pick up the story without having read the first two.

I enjoyed the plot and the dynamic between Cyrus and Evie and I was entrigued by her background but also glad I didn't know the details as it sounded deeply traumatic. I guess that is what bonded Cyrus and Evie in the first place. I will go back and read the first two now that I know they exist.

Like I said, great plot and I enjoyed the suspense of who had done it and what the connection between the victims was. Kept me guessing which I like.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc ebook.
I wasn't aware that this was the 3rd book in a series, luckily it works well as a stand alone, but I would have loved to have read the first two to get a deeper understanding of the main characters.
The book keeps a great pace from the start. Really enjoyed it and will definitely be looking out for further books both in this series, or just by this author.

Forensic Psychologist Cyrus Haven is a fascinating character; 20 years ago his family was murdered and now the murderer, Cyrus' brother, is due to be released from Rampton! At the same time he is working with Nottingham Police on the murder of an old man and the disappearance of his daughter. Interesting characters and an intriguing plot make for a very enjoyable read.

Lying Beside You is the third in the Cyrus Haven series by Michael Robotham. While it is possible that you don’t need to read the previous two, I do believe it would help to explain issues that arise briefly but can help to understand what is happening.

Cyrus Haven is a forensic psychologist and Evie is a young women who he has developed a special relationship with, although not more than friends. Evie has an uncanny ability to be able to tell if someone is lying. There is also Cyrus’s brother Elias who is about to be released from a psychiatric facility where he has been for twenty years after the brutal murder of his family.

The story centres around the disappearance of a young women and the murder of her father. The plot is intriguing and gets quite complicated but it has you enthralled the whole time. Easy to read and difficult to put down!

Highly recommended read.

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher Little Brown Book Group via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

When I rfirst equested to this ARC I didn't realise that it was the third in a series. However, I found this is an excellent stand alone story, so it didn't spoil the book because I hadn't read the first two.
The story follows forensic psychologist Cyrus and his housemate Evie, and is written from both viewpoints. It touches on the tragic history of Cyrus, and what happened to his family when he was a child. This impacts on his every day life, and shaped the man he became. Evie has an equally troubled past, and has the ability to tell when someone is lying. This proves to be a huge help to Cyrus.
Cyrus is brought in to help with a murder investigation, where a man has been found dead in his home, and his daughter has gone missing. The question is.....is she another victim, or could she be a suspect in her father's death?
A second girl goes missing after a night out with friends, and this time Evie is the last person to have seen her as she got into a taxi and disappeared into the night. Could the two crimes be linked?
This book is full of twists and turns, and I couldn't guess who the murdered was. It is well thought out, and fast paced so there was no chance of getting tired of reading it.
I will most definitely been buying the first two books in the series to see what lead them to this point.
This book is a must for crime fans.

This is a fast-paced, gripping thriller, which is part of a series of books. Although I hadn’t read the previous books this stands up on its own. The main characters are Cyrus and Evie. Both have troubled, difficult pasts which are explored as the story unfolds, told from each viewpoint.
Elias, Cyrus’ brother graphically murdered their parents and siblings, and for the past twenty years has been imprisoned in a mental institution hoping to stay with Cyrus on release. Evie, struggling with her own demons from the past, lodges with Cyrus who is supporting her and trying to help her to face the future. At the same time, wondering whether he can forgive his brother for the heinous crimes he committed.
When a man is murdered, and his daughter Maya has gone missing, Cyrus, a forensic psychologist is called to the scene where his skills are needed. The plot is complex, sharp and cleverly constructed, with graphic imagery and realistic characters, short chapters keeping the pace.
The dialogue between Cyrus and Evie is supportive, with a dark, expressive humour which I enjoyed, bringing the characters alive. Well written, I felt empathy with these two characters and their relationship. Although very different, Cyrus is calm mannered, intelligent, supportive, while Evie finds it difficult to cope with everyday life.
I enjoyed reading this book, and looking forward to the next in the series.

Cyrus Haven, forensic psychologist, is working with the police to help find a young woman who has gone missing. A few days later a body is found, then another woman goes missing. Cyrus is convinced the cases are linked but is struggling to convince the police of this. It becomes a race against time to find the missing woman.

This is book 3 in the Cyrus Haven series. I honestly didn't think it would be possible to improve on the second book but this was a fantastic read. In the first book, Good Girl, Bad Girl we were introduced to Cyrus and Evie Cormac, a damaged young woman who Cyrus is trying to help. The book reveals a lot of detail about the traumatic backgrounds of both Cyrus and Evie, alongside a murder investigation.

The second book in the series, When She Was Good, has a focus on Evie. We find out in much more detail her harrowing backstory as she struggles to integrate into society.

This third book has a murder and missing person crime as the main story but we still get insight into how Cyrus and Evie are moving on with their lives. Cyrus has to come to terms with the fact that his older brother has been granted day release from a secure hospital.

Evie is as self-destructive as ever mainly because she doesn't have a filter and refuses to bow to societal norms. I am sure that Evie is the reason this series is so successful and fans will be willing her on every step of the way, wanting her to have as normal a life as possible without changing too much. It is great to see that some people are able to break through the barriers that Evie has erected around herself and she is now making friends other than Cyrus.

As we reach the conclusion to the story it becomes a race against time, in this tense, action packed thriller.

This is the first book I have read by the author and loved it. Focusing on Cyrus and his complex relationship with his brother Ella's who is discharged from a psychiatric hospital after serving time for the brutal murder of his parents. Lots of twists and an excellent psychological thriller.

This is the third book in the Cyrus Haven series. I guess the motto of the story is “don’t jump to conclusions” and it “if it looks like a horse and sounds like a horse it could still be a unicorn”. Of course I made that last one up but you get the drift.

Forensic psychologist Cyrus Haven is a very nuanced person with, I think, quite a saviour complex. He has taken in Evie Cormac - a 21 year old waif who has suffered more in her short life any anyone should. Also, his brother Elias, who has been in a secure mental health facility for 20 years for killing his family (mother, father and twin sister) is about to be gradually given some supervised time out in the world. Cyrus only survived because he was not home at the time of the killings. Where else would Elias go but to Cyrus’s home? Another man, Mitchell Coates is out on parole after serving 8 out of 10 years for the rape of a nurse, Lilah. He has nowhere to stay so Cyrus offers him a room. It does help that Evie says he is innocent. She has an uncanny ability to tell if people are lying.

Cyrus is called to a murder scene where Maya Kirk is found dead half submerged in a stinking industrial runoff stream. Her father was found bashed to death in their home. Maya’s body shows a striking similarity to the state in which Lilah was found after her rape 8 years ago. But, hey ho, this time their is a bunch of forensic clues leading to a bunch of potential suspects.

It is only when a third woman, Danielle Linares goes missing that Cyrus realises that they may have been on the wrong track all along and they really should be looking for that unicorn. I hope that is intriguing but vague enough!

I really love snarky dialogue but, for me, Evie went too far this time and I found it rather annoying (hence I took off a star). I can only hope that the dramatic events of the shocking ending of the book knock her sharp edges off a little bit. Overall though it was a riveting story which I thoroughly enjoyed and I can’t wait for the next book. Many thanks to Netgalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for the much appreciated arc which I reviewed voluntarily and honestly.

A diverting crime read, I love how this author writes. Having not read no 1 and 2 I now want to go and read these, I could understand the story as a stand alone and it was still a great read but think the others books would have given it better context. An amazing fast pace intelligent thriller I would highly recommend

I love Michael Robotham's writing, and have never been disappointed with his books - he definitely knows how to write a page-turner!

I enjoyed this book, but having never read any of the books in the Cyrus Haven series before, I was a little lost at times, and this did hinder my enjoyment somewhat. I didn't realise before going in, that this book was the third in the series.

I still enjoyed the book in itself but I'm sure I would have loved it more if I had read the previous books.

Another book from Michael Robothan that didn’t disappointed me. A well crafted plot with interesting and engaging characters, and twists that I didn’t see coming. I totally recommend this book.

Cyrus Haven's family was murdered twenty years ago, and only he and his brother survived.
But it was his remaining sibling who had committed the murders!
Twenty years later, and the brother, Elias, is set to be released into Cyrus's care.
Cyrus is now a forensic psychologist and is helping in a suspected abduction case where a man has been murdered and is daughter missing. Then a second woman is abducted and the only witness is a young girl, Evie Cormac.
Both the missing women have secrets but can Cyrus solve this whilst dealing with his own past?

This is the third book in the Cyrus Haven series but my first read and read happily as a stand alone thriller. The story is told first hand from both Cyrus’s and Evie’s POV rapidly building the pace and tension. Both Cyrus and Evie are great characters. Brilliantly written this book soon had me hooked, reading late into the night. The main storyline is masterfully interwoven with an old case some 8 years earlier.

Briefly, Cyrus is a Forensic Psychologist and the story opens with him attending a parole hearing for his brother Elias. Elias murdered their parents and sisters, as a teenager, 20 years before. He is to be released to Cyrus’s charge on day release. Cyrus lives in his parents house and has 21 year old Evie Cormac staying with him as a lodger. Evie had a very disturbing upbringing and has a gift of telling when people are lying. A man is found murdered and his daughter is missing. Cyrus is brought in on the case, even though the police have a suspect, however, neither Cyrus and Evie believe he is the killer.

An intricate plot that is action packed and full of twists and turns and the killer reveal was a complete surprise to me. Just when I thought I had it all figured out! A very enjoyable read ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Michael Robotham for a copy in exchange for honest review.

I will start of by saying I have not read any of the previous books from this series, so I did not know what to expect but I was really drawn to the idea behind it. Luckily, I was not disappointed at all, I feel like it had all the right things a thriller should have and I loved all of it.

Each character was developed and I really felt like I knew all of them which made the book even more exciting as I kept wanting to know what will happen to them even more.

Overall, really enjoyed the book and will for sure be reading the rest from the series.

One of my favourite authors. I enjoyed his Joe O'Loughlin series. This is the third book to feature Cyrus Haven who is a forensic psychologist living in the Nottingham area. Living with him as a friend is Evie a broken but determined young woman, who has a gift that she can tell if someone is lieing to her.
Cyrus's friend detective superintendent Lenny Parvel contacts him to say a young woman has been abducted and her father brutally killed. However it's not Lenny's case, it's detective chief inspector Gary Hoyle who Cyrus will work with. He is very unlike Lenny and comes across as an arogant know all.
Cyrus has another major problem, in that his elder brother Elias is trying to get his release from Rampton secure prison. Twenty years ago Elias murdered their family, father, mother and the young twin girls. Cyrus probably only survived because he was home late and hid in the garden shed, where Lenny then a police constable found him. Elias is nearly forty years of age now and he is controlled by medication.
Evie does not want Elias to come and live with Cyrus and her. She wants to get a job and some sort of life.
Another very good novel from this excellent australian author. It keeps you reading to find out what happens. Very highly recommended. I look forward to more from this author.