I love Claire McGowan; she’s one of my favourite authors and I’ve enjoyed all of her books.
This is a fantastic new thriller. It’s a complex read, that took me a few days to get through as the writing is clever and I didn’t want to miss anything.
Don’t be put off by the plot. I know that there’s been a few similar offerings this year, however this one will stick with you.
A great book and one that I’ll definitely recommend.

I have a tendency to be a very distracted reader. Every time something new comes along I’m quick to lay whatever book I’m reading aside and start the new one. So it’s the rare book anymore that actually catches me and doesn’t let go until I finish it. And hallelujah! This book was one of the rare ones.

I love the “trapped on an island” trope and this one delivered that in an abundance. It was spooky, filled with so much mystery and such despicable characters, and so many delicious red herrings. I really enjoyed reading this one and was so glad it held my attention.

I recommend this one to lovers of great mysteries, dysfunctional families and friendships and a book that can hold your attention. I really enjoyed it.

Thank you to Netgalley for the chance to read this Advanced Readers Copy. All opinions are my own

Thanks to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for giving this ARC in exchange my honest review.

From the very first page, it kept me captivated with its captivating characters and unpredictable plot. Claire McGowan’s writing style is incredibly engaging and it is clear that she has put a lot of thought into crafting the story. In particular, the suspense of the story is masterfully executed and there is a real sense of danger and tension throughout the book. The characters, too, are expertly woven into the plot and are integral to the unfolding mystery. It keeps me on the edge of their seats and guessing until the very end.

Overall, this book is a gripping, thrilling read that will keep me guessing until the end. If you were the fans of mystery and suspense, I'm sure you would enjoy this book.

Wow!… Tense and captivating… Full of twists and turns and shocks!… Raced through it, eager to find out the ending – which was just brilliant!’

"Truth Truth Lie" by Claire McGowan centers around a group of university friends who go to a Scottish private island to celebrate the fortieth birthdays of two of their friends, the twins Vicky and Jonathan. I love the vacation-gone-wrong trope, so the premise caught my eye. The book had me poring over the pages from start to finish.

Amira and her husband Paddy are invited to the party along with their friends, more accurately, Paddy's friends. Amira always felt like an outsider and wasn't really accepted by the group. Among the group are Vicky, her husband Daniel, and their five-year-old twins, Fiona (Vicky's best friend and Jonathan's ex), 15-year-old Darcy (their daughter), Jonathan's new girlfriend Rachel, a media influencer, and last but not least, Louise.

On the island, they decide to play the game ‘Two Truths and a Lie’. Each has to anonymously post three statements, two truths and one false, and they need to discern which is the lie and who wrote the note. The plot thickens when an extra note appears, stating: "Everyone here has killed someone. There is no way off this island. You will all either kill or be killed here." An innocent parlor game then turns deadly when secrets are revealed, and one of them turns up dead. It is just the beginning. With no Wi-Fi reception or a reliable boat, they are trapped on the island until the end of the weekend and have to figure out what's going on fast.

The book is written in the third person, each chapter focusing on a different character. The chapters alternate between the main characters and some other characters. The book has strong vibes of Agatha Christie's "And Then There Were None," a book that I loved. The premise isn't original; this trope has been done many times, but I enjoyed it.

Each one of the group has some dark secret in his past and a motive to kill. The characters were well-etched, but I didn't like any of them. I didn't figure out who the guilty party was. They did sound self-righteous. I thought they were hypocrites, as they weren't faultless either. It was interesting to note how quickly the group turned on each other once things got out of hand.

I loved the setting, the atmosphere, and the simmering tension in the air. The end of the story was intense, and I liked how the author wrapped up all the loose ends. As the secrets are revealed, the reader is left wondering who will make it out alive. I did feel it was a bit too much that each of the characters had some ties, directly or indirectly, to death.

Good plotting, judiciously dropped clues, and twists make this a thrilling and suspenseful novel that will keep you on the edge of your seat. As the book did spark my interest, I rate the book 4 out of 5 stars and recommend it to those who enjoy the locked room trope or just a good book with a distinctive setting.

* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc. All opinions are my own.

4 stars

This book is a wild thrill ride. Told from many different peoples’ perspectives, the reader gets the full picture of what everyone's thinking and the possible cause for their actions. I found this book in many ways reminiscent of “Lord of the Flies.”

Eleven people travel to an otherwise vacant Scottish island. Eight adults and three children. They are to be celebrating the twins’ fortieth birthdays. If they only could have stuck to that. They decide to play a game. But their pasts and personalities got in the way.

Only seven people make it off the island alive.

This book is well written. There were only a few minor timing mistakes. I found myself engrossed in this novel. I had to keep reading. The characters are very well fleshed out. I felt like I knew them all. As I read along, I found that I really didn’t like some of them and I despised others. I usually must like at least someone in the books I read, but not this one. I had a blast reading this novel and didn’t like anyone! How odd and funny.

I definitely want to read more from Claire McGowan. I want to thank NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for forwarding to me a copy of this very good book for me to read, enjoy and review. The opinions expressed in this review are solely my own.

I have read a couple of books by this author so thought it would be good. A weekend away on a deserted island off the coast of Scotland is the setting for a fortieth birthday party. The guests are old friends from university, work colleagues and partners. The story takes on a “And then there were none” (Agatha Christie) type vibe. What starts out as a game of “ Two truths and a lie” develops into a life changing situation.
I thought the setting was interesting - an island with no phone signal or WiFi, a large house which used to belong to the family of the birthday twins and Scotland in February. I found the story a bit confusing as it’s told from so many perspectives ( including people who aren’t on the island!). I was pulled along by the narrative as things get worse for the ensemble. I kept asking myself how it could be resolved. The ending is a surprise if you haven’t paid attention to all the information given by the characters. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a prepublication ebook in return for an honest review.

Claire McGowan is one of my favourite authors at the moment and I have enjoyed all of her books that I have read including this one. They really draw you in and keep you hooked until the end!

I was struggling to get into anything, so thought I'd give this a go.
Best decision I've made this month.
It was an absolute blast.
Full of unlikeable people I'd happy bump off.
Not just a fast paced fun read, but actually a bit thought provoking, on how small actions cause big consequences.
I pretty much raced to the end to see who would survive, who would become victim.
Really, really good fun.
If secrets, lies and body counts are your idea of fun.

I do feel that there are too many books in this island murder mystery genre but I decided to request this book as I've enjoyed the author's previous novels.
8 adults and 3 children stay for a weekend on a private Scottish island to celebrate the 40th birthday of two of the group. After playing the game 'Two Truths and a Lie' one of the group members is found dead- is this an accident or murder? With no wifi or phone connection and no way of leaving the island until the end of the weekend the group have to work out if someone else is on the island watching them or are they in danger from one of their friends?
I really enjoyed this Christie influenced novel. The author sets the scene well and it's a very suspenseful and atmospheric read. Apart from Amira the group are pretty unlikeable and self entitled but the plotting is skilfully done and so this drew me in and kept me reading. I loved the way we gradually learn about each member of the group and whether they've been responsible for someone's death.
Recommended.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.

This was my very favourite type of book! A group of friends trapped on an island, all with secrets to uncover, and they start dying one by one? Perfect!

I really liked the various backstories we read throughout the book, they provided a much more vivid picture of the secrets that all of the main characters were hiding. I really enjoyed the group dynamics and it was fun to observe as the simmering resentments bubbled over. There were so many reveals in the book and I really enjoyed discovering them all.

If I had one criticism, it would be that the book did feel a bit over-long, it could have been pacier in my opinion.

Overall I would 100% recommend this book if, like me, you are into locked room whodunits.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

A group of friends have travelled to a very remote Scottish Island to celebrate the fortieth birthdays of two of their friends, who are twins. But the celebrations don’t last for too long once they start playing party games, and death threats are discovered. The guests all start to question each other, and the possibility of a threat from further afield.

This was another gripping story from this author. She writes the mystery meticulously, ensuring readers are kept on the edge of their seats, trying to work out who is responsible. I also enjoy the secrets they keep that are slowly drip fed to us. The author writes graphically, which adds to the story. I liked the characters, and felt they were well written, and just right for this book. This author never fails to write a really good story.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of this book.

A trip to an isolated Scottish island for the weekend starts off as a fun filled holiday. Vicki, her husband Daniel and their young twins, her best friend Fiona, her daughter Darcy, her ex husband Jonathan (Vicky’s twin) and his new girlfriend Rachel, Amira and Paddy all set off. They spend the first night drinking and then play the game truth truth lie, but somebody puts in an extra bit of paper, which shocks them all. Then somebody dies…
This book was written well. The tension between the main group and outsider Amira, as well as within the main group was clear to see. The story is told from the point of view of Amira and Vicky who alternate chapters. There is also chapters from random characters that we don’t quite know how they link in. The shocks keep coming and the book twists from suspect to suspect never giving us the answers until the end. I loved that there are no unsolved mysteries. It’s a really good story and one I was hooked on.

3.75 stars

This was a ton of fun! Eight friends spend the weekend on a secluded Scottish island to celebrate Vicky and Jonathan's 40th birthday. Things go awry when a game of Two Truths and a Lie reveals that no one is who they seem. This is the kind of thriller where the tension gets ramped up exponentially throughout the book. For every twist you figure out, you're faced with even more questions. It's the kind of story where it's better to not think too hard about the plot and just go with the bloodshed. Enjoy the chaotic carnage for what it is!

Amira has to spend a weekend with her husbands friends from college, a close-knit group that sees her as an outsider. They rent a private island for a fortieth birthday party and things take a quick turn for the worst when they start playing two truths and a lie. When one of the papers is read and implies all of the guests on the island have murdered someone, each person there starts to be suspicious of everyone else-even those they’ve been friends with for over twenty years.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I love trying to guess who the “bad guy” is, and at different parts of this book, each character was a suspect. You’re constantly learning different parts of each persons past, wondering if they have what it takes to be “a killer”.

This book is written from many different perspectives, and also jumped back and forth between the past and the present-which was a bit “much” in the beginning. Once you start to get a feel for the different characters and their personalities, it started to flow a little easier and made it easier to read. That being said, there wasn’t any real “hero” in my opinion. At times, I wished there wasn’t so much going on in so many different aspects of the story, especially in the ending. In conclusion, I would recommend this book to my friends though! It was a good read that kept you guessing throughout.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐️⭐️ (4/5 stars)

"Truth Truth Lie" by Claire McGowan is a gripping thriller set on a private Scottish island where a group of friends play a game that uncovers shocking revelations. As tensions rise and secrets unravel, a slip of paper with threats emerges, revealing the possibility that everyone on the island has killed someone. Trapped with no means of communication, the group suspects someone among them might be targeting for murder, leading to a suspenseful and chilling narrative about deception, paranoia, and the ultimate question of who's a threat and who's in danger.

Despite initial difficulty grasping the characters, the compelling island setting and enthralling narrative swiftly captivated my interest. The mystery surrounding the group trapped on the island added an intriguing layer to the storyline. Ultimately, the book's gripping nature made it a challenge to set aside, and overall, it proved to be an enjoyable and engaging read.

What a page turning story !!
It was my first McGowan book and I was not disappointed. I heard a lot of good things about her previous books and I understand why.

This book follows a group of friends going on an island for a birthday. They start playing the game two truths and a lie and everything starts from there…

I could not stop reading this book. I wanted to know what happened and why. Lots of excellent twists that I could not have predicted. The chapters are carefully crafted so that we think we understand what happened, but actually, we don't! If you love a good thriller then you must pick this one !

I can’t wait to read McGowan’s entire backlist !

This book was WILD! A twisted web of deceit, death and destruction that had me turning the pages like a maniac. I loved it! I can't say I felt the same about any of the characters, but for entertainment purposes, they were absolutely perfect. The story is mainly told in the POVs of Amira, Vicky and a detective; however, there are a few chapters mixed in that are told in the POV of unknown characters. Very confusing but keep reading! I promise that it won't take long before you realize their importance. I have thoroughly enjoyed if not loved all of McGowan's books, but this one easily jumped to the top of my favorite list. Crazy good!!

Thank you to the author, Thomas & Mercer, and NetGalley for granting me digital access in exchange for my honest review!

Tense, Compelling…
A joint fortieth birthday party on an exclusive and remote private Scottish island, a group of interconnected guests and every luxury - what could possibly go wrong? When a seemingly innocuous game begins and threats emerge the group is startled, then afraid - with no way off the island and no contact, tensions begin to rise. Beginning with a revelation and working backwards, the reader is immediately immersed in this suspenseful mystery with a plot populated with a deftly drawn and credible cast of characters, twists aplenty, an underlying vein of menace and a well imagined setting. Tense and compelling.

A group of friends travel to a remote island to catch up and celebrate birthdays, but when a game of Truth Truth Lie reveals something sinister, the group realise they could be in danger, especially as they seem to be trapped on the island. Is someone else here too, or could one of the group be out for revenge? An original and thrilling story that keeps you guessing until the very shocking ending. Really loved this book!