I do like Claire Douglas's books, and from the description this promised to be a fun read, but unfortunately it didn't quite hit the spot this time.

Successful crime writer Emilia Ward has just completed the tenth book - as yet unpublished - in her popular DI Miranda Moody series. When events in her own life begin mirroring events in her books, though, it's clear someone is up to no good. But who? And how do they know what's set to happen in a story that hasn't been published yet? It seems danger might be very close to home.

Suspicion moves rapidly from person to person and it seems impossible for Emilia to know who she can trust, even in her own family...

It had its good points, but at some point I started to find the story confusing and couldn't really feel invested in the characters - I never felt like I properly got to know Emilia. The bulk of the story is written in third person, though all from Emilia's point of view, and there are some first-person sections from another person - I wondered if this would have worked better the other way round.

I did like the switch which happened at one point, which had me scratching my head and recalibrating what I thought I knew.

I was a bit put off by a trope I particularly dislike - the sex of a character being obviously withheld, although we're perhaps not supposed to notice the careful avoidance of any pronouns.

The writing at times could do with some editing - "he swept her off her tired and disheartened feet" was a mixed metaphor too far.

I was perhaps a bit disappointed as based on the synopsis and the author's previous books, I expected to enjoy it more than I did. Nevertheless it certainly has its strong points and will be enjoyed by many. Thanks for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy.

This is a story about friendship and lies and whether they can coexist together. The plot felt a bit far fetched to be honest but it held my interest. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book.

After reading a few of Claire’s books previously, I honestly thought I knew what I was letting myself in for when starting this one. But I was forced to think again….

Emilia is a successful novelist, having just submitted her tenth book in a series. She lives with her daughter, second husband Eliott and son in her five bedroomed house in a London suburb. She is content with her life and proud of her work and family, even though she is hiding a secret about her new novel….. her life starts to unravel after a couple of mysterious happenings, which Emilia comes to realise are recreating events from her books. Creepy and unwanted as these things are, Emilia is more concerned that the conclusion of her new book has the death of her popular main character - meaning the culmination may mean the same for Emilia.

The characters, the plot, the rollercoaster ride of this book made me not want to stop reading. It kept me guessing throughouta no more than once I literally gasped out loud. Would highly recommend.
Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read and review.

I was really looking forward to reading this book after reading ‘The couple at No9’ by the same author which I really enjoyed.

Emilia Ward lives in London with her husband and two children, a teenager from her first marriage and a little boy from her second. As well as a mother Emilia is a bestselling author of the Miranda Moody detective novels. The detective series is very popular and she is about to write the tenth book in which she plans to kill off the main character.

Her life starts to take some strange and unwanted turns when an incident straight out of an earlier novel happens in real life. Emilia just puts it down to a coincidence until it happens again and again. More disturbingly someone she knows dies in the same way as a victim in the book she’s currently writing.

Why is this happening and who would want to do this to her. The most disturbing thing is that it must be someone close as they know the plot of her latest unfinished novel.

Well written and lots of twists and turns to keep you guessing.

I would like to thank both Netgalley and Penguin UK for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

This book is certainly different. A crime story about the author of a series of crime stories.

There were elements of the narrative which made this novel difficult to follow at times. However it all came together in the end.

The story is centred around Emilia successful writer of crime storiesAll.is well until her life in suburbia starts to be affected by a series of events which have disturbing parallels with the plot lines from her past books.

Things become even more complicated when the events in her life are hit by the murder of a friend. The significance of this being the parallel with her forthcoming, as yet unpublished novel.

That is as far as I will go with regard to the story line because I don't want to spoil the book. Suffice to say that there are twists and turns a plenty during the second half of this fast paced murder thriller.

Even when you think it's all over, even the twist has a twist. The strength of this book is the way Claire Douglas creates and develops her characters.

I give my thanks to Netgalley and Penguin UK (Michael Joseph) in return for this review.

Ooh wow this was an absolutely addictive page-turner from Claire Douglas! I was so torn between not wanting to put it down until I knew what on earth was going on – and not wanting to actually find out because it was so intriguing and addictive that I didn’t want it to end! But ultimately I raced through the second half because it was so well-paced and fascinating – and the ending was wonderful, lots of twists and turns that I couldn’t predict.

The story centres around Emilia Ward, a successful author of a series of novels about detective Miranda Moody. She has just completed the final novel in the series and sent copies to her closest friends and family, and her publishers, and is relieved to be closing the door on the series.
Suddenly, some strange things start happening to her which mirror the stories in her past books.

Then something happens which takes place in her current book – which has only been read by people close to her. How is this possible? Surely it is more than a coincidence? Then things start to get more and more menacing and Emilia starts to fear for the safety of her and her children.

This book was so clever and surprising, it was truly gripping and a perfect psychological thriller!

I did enjoy this book. Thank you Netgalley for letting me read it early. This is a good author. Apologies as it's a while since I read it so harder to read a more detailed reveiw.

A brilliant book that starts as it means to go on. You know someone is rotten. But who is it? I love this author and wasn’t let down. 4/5.

Who is the woman? Who are the women?! This is such a page turner and really keeps you guessing as the main character, well, she kind of accuses everyone throughout, you keep thinking you’ve got it but then another plot twist and you dont. A big mystery set in a small world!

Ive loved all of Claire Douglas' books that I have read so far so I was delighted to receive this arc through netgalley and the publishers.

Emilia Ward lives in London, a succesful author with nine books under her belt she has just wrote the final installment in her Miranda Moody series as she now wants to move on to a different type of book.

Strange event begin happening which mirror parts of her books and Emilia starts to wonder and worry about what is going on.

As we get further into the book we find out the truth about her last installment and why these thing have been happening.

I loved this book and raced through desperate to find out why these things have been happening.

4 stars

Emilia Ward lives is London with her second husband and two children. Her eldest child a daughter named Jasmine was born from her previous marriage.
She is a successful crime writer and has a bestselling series of nine books about Di Miranda Moody. She currently writing her latest book called ‘The last chapter’. Which she intends to kill off the main character. She wants to start a fresh a start a new series. But when weird things start to happen that are the same incidents in her series of books. Even though, the only people that has seen her latest manuscript is the people she is closest too. She wonders who it is and what they want and is her own life at risk? Who can she trust?

Thank you Penguin Micheal Joseph and Netgalley for an advanced copy. I have previously read the authors work so I am excited to read her latest offering. This is another solid story full of tension from Clare Douglas and I really enjoyed it. The author is good and keeping you guessing and guessing with all the twists and turns when the protagonist keeps accusing people of these crimes. This highly entertaining read. 5 stars from me.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House and Claire Douglas for my ARC of "The Woman Who Lied' in return for an honest review.

I have read this author's novels before and have enjoyed them and this was no different. A thoroughly enjoyable read.

Emilia Ward is a best selling author of crime fiction novels and a series with Detective Miranda Moody as the main character. She has just finished her latest novel where she intends to kill off the detective. Strange things begin to happen in real life, which reflect situations from her previous novels.

Emilia lives with her husband and two children and it soon becomes clear that she has secrets. Cleverly plotted and unputdownable.

Highly recommended

It was okay, took me ages to get through, even at 80% I didn't find it all that gripping, which is a shame because I love this author and all her books. I would still eagerly read her next works.

This was a fantastic thriller, I was hooked from the very first chapter. Emilia is a crime writer who realises that crimes being committed, seen to mirror the crimes she has written in her novels. She realises that one of the crimes is from her new book which only a select few have read, meaning the perpetrator is closer to her than she first thought. I was constantly changing my mind throughout as to who I suspected it was.

I would definitely recommend this book it has so many twists and turns which will keep you hooked until the very end.

This was a fantastic thriller about a crime writer who finds herself in torment after her life starts mirroring her own fiction and leaving her wondering just who she can trust. There were some great characters in this, all very realistic yet it was also easy enough to suspect them all and I really did keep vacillating between them trying to figure out who did it. The story was fresh and original, genuinely kept me guessing and for me was a total page turner.

This is a good book but this author can write so much better. I was slightly disappointed despite it being a good plot. The characters were colourful and I enjoyed reading it all the same.

Talk about a whirlwind! I was so excited to start this because it sounded such a unique premise and boy, was I not right!

I was absolutely hooked from the outset. I loved that thing start happening immediately and the reader is thrown straight into the action. The tension is slowly built as we go from wondering if its coincidence to realising its something more.

I loved the characters and they are well written with realistic responses and reactions. I did find it a bit odd that it took so many of these wee coincidences before anyone actually did anything about it but it's a fiction book so doesn't have to be completely realistic. There are plenty of twists and turns and I'm quite sure I suspected most of the characters in the book at one point or another but again, they all just seem normal. I loved that the author didn't make absolutely everyone seem suspicious and with some deep dark secret to try and make you think they're all guilty, it really is all the more eerie when you just have no clue who could be out to get you. I'd absolutely recommend, it's such a quick and easy read and the perfect book for summer

This is a good solid read, I enjoyed it on the whole. However I felt it lacked something that I’ve not felt since readings Claire’s debut novel.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. Another great page turner from this author, great storyline and great characters. Would recommend

I did not want this book to end. I read it in bed. On the sofa. In the bus. At work at lunch. While I was cooking tea. You get the picture. Did not put it down till it was done. Then felt disappointed with myself as I had gobbled it up and not spread the treat out. Best book by the author.