After reading 'The Girls Who Disappeared' by Claire Douglas last year I was really excited to read her latest title, thank you to Netgalley and Michael Joseph Books for the advanced copy.

Emilia Ward is not just a wife and mother, she is also a bestselling crime writer and she has just finished her tenth Detective Miranda Moody novel. Suddenly she finds that incidents from her books are happening in real life and at first she believes it must just be a scary coincidence. That is until events start to replicate from her latest book, the book that has yet to be published and has only been read by people closest to her. Who would do this and are her and her family in danger?

I really loved the premise of this book, a book being written in a book and then real life replicating events, it was very intriguing and just when you think you have it all figured out, something else happens to make you question your thinking, meaning the ending definitely resolves everything leaving no question unanswered. I was a little confused in the first part to the side line character of the detective as presumed this was excerpts from some of Emilia's books (this may be clearer in the printed version rather than the edited Kindle proof) but, without giving anything away, I enjoyed how this was explained in Part Two of the book.

Although a slow start I feel the information and detail was necessary to set the scene and from Part Two you will be flying through the chapters to find out what happens next. A really enjoyable read and I look forward to reading more again from this author.

Thoroughly enjoyed this detective novel which is essentially a book within a book. An author who finds she has run out of ideas for a long running female detective series gets given an idea for an ending from a friend in the force.

The events that unfold mysteriously mirror what happens in the novel and although the latest book is not yet out the ending may mean murder.

Well written and a great read with characters that were believable.

Highly recommended.

Thanks for Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I always look forward to the next Claire Douglas book and preorder as soon as possible even without knowing what the plot is because I know that whatever it is, it will be done with her usual well written and compelling style. But I have to say that this is her best book so far in my humble opinion! It had absolutely everything I wanted in a psychological thriller-unlikeable and untrustworthy characters ✔️ a serial killer on the loose ✔️ a writer as the main protagonist ✔️ and a whole bunch of twists that kept me turning the pages like a madwoman ✔️ Honestly, this book is completely addictive and a one sitting read so be prepared to be unable to put it down! I loved loved LOVED this!

I love love love a Claire Douglas book and this has been everything I had hoped and expected. I loved this from beginning to end and devoured this in just one sitting.

I am a huge fan of this author so instantly squealed and became excited about this book. It’s been worth it. The Woman Who Lied is tense, suspenseful and gripping. I became completely caught up in the pages of this.

Emilia is a successful crime writer. She decides on her 10th book, that it’s time for a change. Meaning the main character faces her ending. However, events start to take place which are from her books.

The real concern is when events from the unpublished book begin. Emilia realises that someone close to her is the culprit. Can she find out before it’s too late?

This is everything I had hoped it would be. I have been fully pulled in and unwilling to put this down. I have suspected everyone and been completely wrong which is another thing I love about a Douglas book.

I loved how events haze unfolded in this one. The pace is perfect and really keeps you guessing. As events have unfolded, my jaw has dropped. Douglas has floored me with how unexpected this has been.

This is a gem, definitely one of my favourites yet by Douglas. I will be recommending this book to everyone. It is brilliant from beginning to end.

A definite must for the TBR.

I thought this was a fabulous book and was incredibly well written and could not be done by many authors. Fantastic, original and gripping. Highly recommended xx

A good read which held my interest most of the time but for me personally it didn't keep me on the edge of my seat.

The storyline was well written and the characters were good, not a fast paced read but overall I did enjoy it, I just felt it was a bit lacking in parts.

Thank you to Netgalley and Michael Joseph (Penguin) for this ARC.

So, this book should 100% come with a warning that when you start reading it, you are insanely hooked and want to cancel all plans, including work and eating and sleeping, until you have read it!
If it hadn’t of been for work and life admin getting in the way, this book would have been devoured in one sitting
This is up there with one of my best books of the year!
I am a huge fan of Claire Douglas and not one of her books has disappointed me yet; but this one is definitely my favourite of hers
The premise of the book is very very clever and gives a slight bit of insight into what life as an author is like
The book is very addictive with a lot of twists and turns thrown in
I actually discussed my theory with the author! I was so far off the mark!
I was also so desperate for the killer to be caught before they got to Emilia. Emilia and Jasmine were my favourite characters and I was adamant no harm would come to them
I highly recommend this to all my fellow thriller fans and I do not believe any of you will be disappointed
A huge thank you to the publisher for sending me an early copy of this book
The book is out in July and can be preordered now at your usual bookstore!

The Woman Who Lied by Claire Douglas
I give this book 4.25 stars

Emilia Ward a best selling crime writer,lives quietly in suburban London with her husband and two children.
When she starts her 10th Detective Miranda Moody novel, however, life takes a frightening turn: two incidents straight out of one of her novels occurs in real life.
Then someone she knows dies exactly like a victim in the book she's still writing …

I was immediately drawn to the premise of this one,anything that hints at a story within a story is one I’m going to read,and l loved the Miranda Moody excerpts sprinkled within the storyline. There is a brilliant array of characters for you to like/dislike,distrust and suspect, and lots of layers to reveal which build up the suspense at a good pace.For me it had the perfect amount of twists and turns to keep you reading way past when you want to. A great psychological thriller to get stuck into!
With thanks to Netgalley,Claire Douglas and Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House for my chance to read and review this book

Emilia Ward is the author of the DI Miranda Moody series, about to publish the last book in the series which would see the demise of her main character. Emilia has a fifteen-year-old daughter from her first marriage, which ended when her husband had an affair with one of her friends, and a young son by her second husband, Elliot. She is financially secure and successful, her novel, ‘Her Last Chapter,’ completed and sent to friends and family, while she considers her first stand-alone novel.

However, her comfortable life is about to change, when a series of minor, unexplained events, begin to trouble her. At first, they are minor – odd events or objects which mirror plots from her books. However, when those events are from her latest, and yet unpublished, novel, she realises that whoever is involved is someone very close to her and that this is escalating from an object left on her porch to much more dangerous acts. As she begins to cast about her family and friends for answers, she wonders what danger the plot of her new novel is placing her, and her children, in. Where did the inspiration for this plot came from and how is that involved in what will escalate to real life, and not fictional, murder?

This is an interesting crime novel, featuring a novel within a novel. Emilia Ward is not as efficient at unravelling real life crimes as fictional ones and is a slightly panicky main character, ricocheting between suspects. Still, there are enough possible contenders to maintain the readers interest and the bookish setting is enjoyable. I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review.

Wow, what a book. This may just be my favourite one so far from this author, definitely in my top 10 reads of 2023 so far! Incredible, I was hooked from page one and couldn't put it down.

Wow this book should come with a warning not to pick it up unless you’re willing to forgo all other activities and ignore everyone because you sure as hell aren’t going to want to put it down once you start to read it !
This is such a cleverly written book that is peppered with excerpts from a novel and also from a character called Daisy and try as I could I couldn’t figure out where these snippets were fitting into the main story of Emilia Ward an author. Sounds complicated ? Well it is and isn’t because when everything stars to fit into place it all makes sense and is one heck of a brilliant read with so many twists and turns…I loved it.
A difficult book to review without giving too much away but read that is full of suspense, with great characters and one I thoroughly enjoyed and would recommend to all lovers of mystery thrillers.
My thanks to NetGalley and Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House for giving me the opportunity to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I absolutely love a book within a book and this standout thriller was one of my favorites. As Emilia writes her next novel and things start to happen around her, she realizes that these are things she has written. what is going on? is she safe? Is her family?

I enjoyed the book with so many twists and turns it was hard to keep up with! I found it easy to engage with the main character. There were many characters who could have been the perpetrator of the various incidents that happened. I would recommend.

I’m afraid this book just didn’t do it for me.

Kudos where kudos are due, this is a clever plot. However, I think Claire Douglas was trying to do too much. As a reader I think we were expected to suspend reality a bit more than I think was necessary.
A plot like this probably needed 600+ pages to be a bit more tangible and enjoyable. This felt rushed and almost shopping list like at times.

There was one twist in the middle that was pretty incredible. That was one moment I thoroughly enjoyed. Other than that moment, there wasn’t much on offer. Plot aside, the characters were inconsistent at the very least. We were told a few times how that protagonist would do anything to protect her kids, but that didn’t extend as far as telling the truth just because she was embarrassed?? And then apparently, she was wise to the darker side of humanity because she was an author, but yet she couldn’t make any connections at any point, not even some rather obvious correlations.

Thank you NetGalley and Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House,for a review copy

This is like a book within a book, and both were expertly crafted. I take my hat off for someone who can craft one amazing story, let alone two.

Somehow, this turns out to be the first Claire Douglas book I've read, even though I've heard of her and her work. I can't believe I haven't read them before. They're just perfect. And judging by the reviews of her other books, they've always been so, and I look forward to reading some more.

I started this whilst in hospital, thinking it might pass a few hours. What I wasn't expecting was to get so sucked into it that I finished it in one sitting, not even putting it down for dinner, eating with one hand so I could continue. If it wasn't for the nurses, I probably would have ignored therapies and the call of nature as well.

It is all consuming and absolutely spectacular. It's full of twists and turns, it's uncomfortable, it's raw, it's rich, it's...and I know this is a weird word to use for a thriller, but beautiful. It really is. This thing she has created is just sublime. You think you know the answer but then it changes, and you end up suspecting everyone.

It's slow. And whilst that may be a bad thing usually, I think that's what makes it excel. It drip feeds you clues. It's menacing, like someone is breathing down your neck. It's the definition of a thriller. And in my opinion, the pacing is perfect. If you make it too slow, people get bored, but if you make it too fast, people aren't invested. But by starting off slow, layering clues, you've got a thrilling, non-rushed, tense, and uncomfortable story.

I loved this gradual descent into madness that Emilia experiences. It's so tense that she starts suspecting her nearest and dearest, she is unsure who or what to believe, and so is the reader.

It is a large cast, but your main ones are Emilia and her husband Elliot, their children Jasmine and Wilfie, and her father-in-law Trevor. Her friends Louise and Ottilie, her ex-husband Jonas and his new wife Kristen, and police officers DI Murray, DI Watkins, DC Jones, and Saunders. I'm sure I've missed someone out but my point still stands. Each character is developed so well and feel so real. And they all work wonderfully with Emilia, helping her, making her feel nervous, that you end up wondering who is a goody and who is a baddy, or whether everyone is a mixture of both.

As you get further in, you start to question what you've already read, things are often flipped around in your head, and will make you audibly gasp and sit further to the edge of your seat.

It is a fabulous premise for a crime thriller but also had the potential to be overly convoluted, confusing and complicated. But I think she's hit the nail on the head and everything is balanced well.

I'm glad I've read it because it was brilliant, but I'm sad I've read it as that means I no longer have it to read.

"This can't be happening. Convert tickets being sent anonymously to a friend of two teenage girls. Teenage girls who then go missing. It's straight out of her book. Except it's not a past book of hers. It's from her most recent. Her Last Chapter'. A book that won't be published until later this year. A book she's only sent out to a select few."

When crime novelist Emilia Ward realises someone is enacting events out of her series of police procedural novels, she is scared. When a scene out of her unpublished, final in the series that few have read and where her protagonist dies, terror sets in and it's a race to identify the right suspect.

Likeable and relatable Emilia has a good life, with family and friends, but it becomes apparent someone is not who they seem. The tension builds as the incidents, escalate, making Emilia (and the reader) question everyone, in turn. Red herrings and a number of twists make this engaging reading, I stayed up to read and finish it, keen to identify the perpetrator and find out how Emilia fares. I particularly enjoyed the excerpts from Emilia's fictional, novel - you can't beat a book within a book! There were a number of occasions where I really wasn't certain what was happening, but I definitely had theories! This is a complex and twisty psychological thriller with the added bonus of a crime novelist protagonist.

I was very excited when I saw this book was available for review. Thank you to Penguin Random House South Africa and NetGalley for this review copy. This book is a combination of two stories wrapped into one. It grabs your attention quickly and keeps you hooked right to the last page. This is a wonderfully gripping thriller that is full of twists and turns guaranteed to keep you entertained.
The author beautifully combines the different storylines and delivers a fantastic gripping tale. While experiencing events from Emilia’s perspective, you also enjoy extracts from her book and a police investigation into a serial killer. These different elements make this an interesting read that keeps you curious. When everything is tied up you are left in awe as it all falls into place. This book is clever and creative.
Emilia Ward is excited about the book she just finished writing. She has already published nine books in the series and she is happy that the new book is the last in the series. But when strange things start happening, she realises that she might have a stalker, someone is re-creating scenes from her books. However, when something is taken from her unpublished manuscript, she immediately knows that whoever is behind the pranks is someone close to her. Who would want to terrorise her, and who could be capable of murder?
I loved the different sides to this story and the extracts from Emilia’s book left me feeling as if I was reading two stories at the same time. This book was clever and it kept me curious right to the end.
The women in this book were a good mix and there is sure to be someone everyone would like. Emilia has everything she has ever wanted until her world starts falling apart and she is left suspicious of everyone around her. The turmoil was fantastic – there was never any doubt about Emilia’s emotions which the author managed to bring to life. I found myself racing from page to page doubting everyone in Emilia’s life.
This book is another addition to my loved list for 2023. The book is gripping, creative and hugely entertaining from start to end. I cannot find anything I did not enjoy about this story. Why have I not read more of this author’s work?
If you are looking for a creative, gripping thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat then you want to add this title to your TBR. I cannot recommend this book highly enough. It’s a fantastic read!

Claire Douglas is a natural storyteller at the top of her game. This is a real mind bender of a story; life imitates art when a crime writer experiences an event from one her stories in real life. Emilia, the central character, is disturbed, but the tension really ratchets up when something else happens.

It’s a pacy read with plenty of unexpected twists which keep you at the edge of your seat. The ordinary is stretched just that little further into the extraordinary and it becomes truly creepy. It’s great escapist fiction with plausible characters and it kept me guessing. Another winner from Douglas.

Emilia Ward, a successful crime writer, lives in suburban London with her husband and two children. She has just submitted her tenth Miranda Moody novel. However, her life starts taking a scary turn, like straight out of one of her novels. Then someone she knows dies exactly like a victim in the book. Whaaaatt?!!!! 😳 Emilia starts to question those close to her as only a few people have read her latest novel… who will be the next victim?

So many great twists, most of the characters seem questionable in some way, and it’s full of suspense, lies and tension. The author is so good at keeping you guessing. I had a few theories but the plot kept changing so I guessed wrong 😂Loved the book! I couldn’t put it down. A cracking thriller and I can’t wait for the next book 🔍

Claire Douglas is one of my favourite authors.
Yet again she did not disappoint.
I tend to go in without knowing the synopsis these days. I found myself captivated from the beginning anyway.
Wanting to figure out the truth. Questioning everyone. Including Emilia as she had her own secret. There were twists and turns throughout making me question things until the very end.
There were times where I felt a little uncomfortable with the somewhat creepy things happening to her. But this added to the atmosphere of the book.