Member Reviews

Oh my goodness what a story!! Heidi Perks has absolutely outdone herself with this one. All her books are amazing but this one had me glued to it until the end, so many twists and turns, believable characters…. Not all nice! A true 5* read

Thank you to Netgalley the author and publishers for an arc in exchange for an honest review- can’t recommend enough

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Thank you #NetGalley and #RandomHouse for the advanced read “Someone Is Lying” by Heidi Perks is an absolute page-turner that kept me hooked from start to finish! The story follows two teenagers, Issie and Dylan, who come from very different worlds but are united. Issie, with her privileged background, and Dylan, from a family struggling to get by, embark on a journey that is filled with unexpected twists and gripping suspense.

The characters are beautifully flawed, and their complex relationships kept me invested in their story. Just when you think you’ve figured out what’s going on, Heidi Perks throws in a twist that turns everything upside down. The tension builds with each chapter, making it impossible to put down. The emotional depth and the shocking revelations make this book a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers. I highly recommend it!

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Great read. Raises the question - just how well do we know our teenage children? Jess is a single mum to teen Izzy who starts to become distant after finding a slightly older boyfriend, Dylan.
The teens decide to go off travelling together but on the day of Izzy’s 18th birthday Izzy can’t be contacted. The teens appear to have gone missing while visiting Portugal.
This is Jess’s quest to find her daughter and along the way we learn the ways that Izzy has changed and how Jess didn’t necessarily understand what was going on with her daughter.
Recommended.

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Thank you to the publishers, NetGalley and the author for the privilege of reviewing this ARC, this is my review. I remembered I read Heidi Perks book 'For the last time' here on NetGalley in 2023 again having access to its pre release. Again I was surprised at how Heidi continues to surprise the reader with her deep insights into the human psychic, the intricacies of relationships stripped bear as mother and daughter and all that they held dear can be overturned by a lie. Fascinating deep delve into how we may think about our own relationships with our children and as they grow into adulthood might they just be telling you a lie and all that you thought of your child comes crashing down around the whole family. Good twists and a bit of a whopper at the end to keep you thinking and 'what if's'. Well recommended.

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A great book that had me gripped from the start. We find out at the beginning of the book that something is badly wrong but who or what has happened? Told mostly through the perspective of the couples 2 mums some of the twists I could guess what it was but that didn’t detract from the good solid storyline. I don’t think the views of the podcaster added a whole lot to the story but that’s just my opinion. Another great book by Heidi Perks.

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From the start of this book we know something has gone devastatingly wrong and someone is dead, but who? And who is the culprit? This is mostly told through the eyes of the mother's of our main characters and I found it fascinating to see the differences between the two and how they can interpret the same events differently. It really adds to the sense of not knowing who to trust and only served to increase the tension and atmosphere.
I found this a gripping read and I was pleasantly surprised by the complexity of the plot, there is a lot more going on than I first thought there would be and Perks throws in plenty of twists along the way. This was a very gripping read that I highly recommend.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House UK for an advance copy.

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Having read and enjoyed previous books by Heidi Perks I had high expectations for 'Someone is Lying' and I wasn't disappointed.
Against her Mum's wishes Issie, aged 17, sets of travelling to Europe with her boyfriend Dylan (19). When Jess doesn't hear from Issie on her 18th birthday things turn serious and a missing person case opens. However, all is not what it seems in this suspenseful thriller.
The story is told from the perspective of the two mothers, Jess and Kay who each have their back stories, and a true crime podcaster who in my opinion, doesn't add a great deal to proceedings!
Some of the twists were a little predictable but it didn't stop me enjoying the book and I was highly invested in what had really happened to the main characters whilst engaging with the moral dilemmas the parents found themselves in.
I am grateful to Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC of this very enjoyable book and am leaving my honest review voluntarily.

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Issie and Dylan, a teenage couple, decide to go on holiday together for the first time - what could go wrong?

Jess is devastated when she doesn’t hear from Issie on her 18th birthday and when Dylan doesn’t answer his phone either, she really starts to worry.with local police being little help she gets in touch with the police in Lisbon. With so few answers, Issie is declared a missing person. Until she reappears…..

A story about motherhood, manipulation and missing persons that is cleverly told by multiple narrators. Will be recommending it highly.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read and review.

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I am a huge fan of this author and her new book did not disappoint. There were so many twists and turns, I had no idea how it was going to end. i could definitely see this being made into a TV series. Highly recommend !!

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This was a good read with twists and turns that kept me hooked, I wish it went into more detail as to Issie's character but I suppose leaving you wondering makes it more suspenseful. I enjoyed this book and would look forward to more from this author.

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Brilliant read and I couldn’t put it down. Look forward to this author’s future books. Lots of twists and dilemmas.

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Since her husband left her and their daughter. Life has just been Jess and Issie until Issie meets Dylan.

Issie a shadow of her former self, and something isn’t quite right about the relationship. Them Issie announces her and Dylan are going travelling and she’ll be spending her 18th Birthday away. Jess has an awful feeling about this but is unable to stop her.

The days of Issie’s 18th arrives but Jess can’t get hold of Issie. Her Instagram hasn’t been updated.

Will Jess’s worst nightmare come true and who is Dylan?


This book is full of twist and turns and bad you captivated from the beginning.

How far would a mother go to protect her own child?

Definitely not one to be missed. You’ll be hooked from the start!

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Issie is travelling in Portugal with her boyfriend Dylan. Issie's mother doesn't trust Dylan and becomes very worried when she doesn't hear from her daughther. She sets off to Portugal to investigate.
This is a well-written novel exploring the themes of secrets and lies and the extent to which parents will go to protect their child. It had me hooked from the first page and kept up the intrigue and suspense throughout. Highly recommended.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

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As usual, Absolutely loved this new one from Heidi Perks, never fails to disappoint with the twists and turns and leaves you guessing right until the end.
5* read

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Well, well, well, what a complete 360 this did to my head!!

Jess, a single mother to Issie, finds herself at the centre of a missing persons case…except, the missing person is her teenage daughter.

Issie (17 due to turn 18), against her Mother’s advice, decides to celebrate her 18th birthday abroad with her boyfriend, Dylan (19). All seems picture perfect until the day of her birthday when she suddenly goes off grid and disappears. A frantic Jess knows immediately that something is wrong and decides to take matters into her own hands.

I honestly cannot applaud the author enough for being able to keep me guessing throughout. I thought I’d cracked the case on more than one occasion to find I was completely wrong. Even the little twist at the end made me “OMG” to myself.

I actually quite liked Jess until I saw her from Kay’s perspective and then I wasn’t too sure. Strangely enough, Kay was someone I immediately wrote off and disliked but eventually, I did feel sorry for her.

This book has the ability to keep you guessing throughout and the split POV’s are great to build more tension and add more to the story.

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Someone is lying - Heidi Perks- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Told from the perspective of two mothers and a true crime podcaster this is a thriller that will keep you guessing to the end.

Issie is travelling with her boyfriend Dylan and she doesn’t get in contact with her mum on her 18th birthday which is very out of character. Her mum, Jess is really worried that something has happened so starts to try and find her daughter.

This story was ringing some clear bells of the horrific case of Gabby Petitio. Right down to instagram posts her mum didn’t this she had made. At around 35% in Gabby was actually mentioned and it actually shocked me slightly to hear of an actual true crime being referenced in a fictional book.

The story kept me hooked and I really did like the two characters and the moral questions it raised. How far would a mother go to find the truth, and what happens when they do.

Characters- 7
Atmosphere- 6
Writing Style- 8
Plot- 7
Intrigue-6
Relationships-6
Enjoyment- 7
6.71

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Read
The blurb of this is surely every parent’s worst nightmare but as the story continues and the truth comes out in pieces, it gets worse for Jess, I liked the way the author gives the POV of both mum’s and also the podcaster’s voice. A somewhat chilling end to a great story

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I really enjoyed this book mainly because I thought I understood where it was going in the first few pages but then it took some surprising twists and turns. I enjoyed the inclusion of the podcast elements - it linked the chapters together quite nicely. I'd sort of guessed the main twist but the one on the last page was a surprise. A great read.

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Basically a missing persons drama related from the the Point of view of the the two mothers of the missing couple Issie and Dylan. At first the two mums have quite different views of the personality and character of their children’s partners but things gradually change throughout the book.
I thought that the changes were a bit too telegraphed so that there were no big surprises throughout the book and only one minor twist at the very end of the book. However it was still enjoyable reading having the satisfaction of seeing what one thinks is likely to happen actually take place.
So I felt the book was more about exploring what causes parents to alter their opinions regarding their offspring rather than a traditional what has happen type book.
However my enjoyment of the book was almost sabotaged by the insertion of the chapters of a True Crime Podcast periodically throughout the book. I found them very annoying as they were basically summaries of what is already known and added nothing new. In retrospect I could have bypassed them all and enjoyed the book more.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK for the ARC

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rounding up to 3.5

when two teens go missing travelling around europe..

i really enjoyed the true crime podcasts weaved throughout the book. it explained the mystery in a simple way and lured the reader in more.

at times, i wished the main story was written in the same quick and simple way as the author had a way of over explaining, making the characters fall a bit flat for my personal liking.

however, this book does an excellent job of showcasing what it’s like for a parent to witness a child go through a toxic relationship.

although the plot could be a slow burner, the plot twists kept on coming and kept me guessing through out the book.

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