All Your Little Lies
by Marianne Holmes
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Pub Date 22 Oct 2020 | Archive Date 2 Dec 2020
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Description
Annie lives a quiet, contained, content life. She goes to work. She meets her friend. She’s kind of in a relationship. She’s happy. Not lonely at all.
If only more people could see how friendly she is — how eager to help and please. Then she could tick “Full Happy Life” off her list.
But no one sees that side of Annie and she can’t understand why. That all changes the night Chloe Hills disappears. And Annie is the last person to see her.
This is her chance to prove to everybody that she’s worth something. That is, until she becomes a suspect.
A Note From the Publisher
If you enjoyed reading All Your Little Lies, we'd really appreciate seeing your honest review on Amazon. Thank you and happy reading, Agora Books.
Available Editions
EDITION | Ebook |
ISBN | 9781913099695 |
PRICE | £1.99 (GBP) |
Featured Reviews
This book had an intriguing premise, and I was so excited to read it! I read it in one sittinf because I couldn't put it down.
It was a well written novel and had some great characters. I definitely recommend this one.
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this E-book to review via Netgalley.
I found this to be an overall 3* Good Read.
Annie is such an interesting character. Frustrating? Absolutely and I'd say she's on the autistic spectrum as she not only struggles with friendship and relationships in general, but, has difficulty in communicating what she is thinking and blurts out the most inappropriate things. Then, a young girl goes missing and Annie recognises her own car in the CCTV footage, but, why can't she remember anything?
What follows has 2 stories intertwined. There's the present day Annie, with her complex personality and issues at work and home and then there's Lizzie, a very young girl who is being encouraged by 2 school girls to do things in order to be accepted. It's well written and covers well the issues of child abduction, bullying, vigilantes and lies.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to preview.
All Your Little Lies by Marianne Holmes offers up an interesting premise, and much food for thought. The storyline is unique, and the writing style kept me engaged throughout.
Annie is a woman who is never fully at ease with either herself or others. But when Chloe Hills goes missing, Annie is suddenly cast into the spotlight as the last person to see Chloe, and sees an opportunity to finally make her mark. But the notoriety quickly sours when Annie herself becomes not only a witness, but a suspect.
This is a compelling, fast-paced read, and I would certainly be keen to read more from this author.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Agora Books for the opportunity to read this ARC.
Annie is very happy with her life, quite content. The problem is, she seems to be all but invisible to those around her. She really wishes people would take more notice, but then one day, she gets her chance. Chloe Hills has disappeared and Annie was the last person to see her. Now people will notice Annie, she has a story to tell. The question is, what part did she play in Chloe’s disappearance?
Thank you for the advanced copy in exchange for a review.
This is a new author for me and I was looking forward to reading this. It took me a couple of chapters to get to grips with the main character and the story developed well, not a lot of dialogue but well written.
I enjoyed the flash back chapters and finished it over an afternoon.
Look forward to reading more from this author.
The Author's main character Annie was a complex bag of issues who caused me to experience a wide range of emotions as the story unfolded. Annie was one of life's invisible people, a ghost, the kind of person who people looked right through and ignored. I think most people have experienced this at some point in their lives, I know I have and I know how detrimental it can be to your confidence. Annie was a lonely character which was rather sad but it wasn't difficult to understand why after you witnessed some of her interactions with other characters. We all want to be accepted by other people and I did feel empathy for Annie at times during the story but I also very often felt like reaching into my kindle and giving her a good shaking. Let's be honest, getting yourself caught up in the mystery of the disappearance of a twelve year old girl is not the cleverest way to draw attention to yourself. Especially when the last thing you want is the police or anyone else for that matter digging into your background and uncovering your terrible, shocking secret. So, I had mixed feelings about Annie, I really liked her loyal, protective mum but I can't say that I liked Annie's best friend Lauren very much. Interspersed throughout the book was the story of Six year old Lottie who found herself drawn into a twisted game that had been devised by two older girls, a game that would result in a shocking tragedy. A chilling sense of foreboding permeated Lottie's parts of the story, the reader could sense that something terrible was going to happen at some point. But who was Lottie? and how, if at all did her parts for into Annie's story? This is also the story of the repercussions and unfair judgements that can be caused by idle gossip, rumours and conjecture both in the real world and online. How swiftly mob mentality can take control of the minds of normally law abiding people and the often tragic consequences of their actions. The author had also drawn attention to the mind blowing statistics involving missing children and the very sad but shocking truth that although we are now living in the 21st century, the amount of media attention that a missing child receives does sadly depend on their background and ethnicity.
This is a extremely well written,enthralling thriller that had me captivated from the first page. I enjoyed this book so much that I read it in one sitting, I honestly couldn't put it down. This is definitely going to be one of my favourite reads of this year. Worth far more than five stars and very very highly recommended.
Solid 4.5 stars.
Although, I hate when books are referred to as "the next Girl on the Train", this book has that same feel in a very good way.
Annie is a young woman who does not quite fit in, and all she wants is to be seen. When a 12 year old is abducted in her small town and Annie could be the last to have seen her, there is no telling where the truth lies.
Told from Annie's perspective between present and her past, the lies just seem to be piling up.
For all the books I read, this had me guessing up until the end.
Worth the read. I am excited to read what Holmes comes up with next...
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and honestly review!
A fast paced very bumpy, meandering, ride.
You never really know what is around the corner in All Your Little Lies.
Well written with complex characters that are very flawed. Sometimes you are rooting for them and other times you are horrified by them.
Annie, the main character, is often unsure of herself and makes questionable choices
Chloe Hills goes missing, and this turns event is the catalyst that sparks Annie's story (at first). But as the story unfolds, Annie finds herself the as a suspect, and secrets unfold.
With thanks to NetGalley and publisher Agora Books for the opportunity to read this ARC.
The story of Annie who is an introvert. That is, unless she is not sober...
Annie is a young girl who lived with a domineering mother. Yet, Annie finally manages to find an apartment and leave home. The read revs up when 12 year old Chloe Hill is reported as a missing person. Seems as if CCTV picked up Annie's car in a picture with Chloe. Annie cannot rebeing near her member Chloe, or much else about that night...
A good read. Especially recommend this to fast readers and those who enjoy intertwining stories!
Many Thanks to Agora Books and NetGalley for an interesting read.
This is a fast paced, OMG, crazy thrill of a book. Annie is a strong character even though she has issues communicating her thoughts properly to others. She becomes involved in a missing persons case and is wrongfully accused and is unable to protect herself from someone she was trying to help, Chloe. I love the two intertwining story lines, this was executed well and there are many twists and OMG moments for Annie and others around her. Highly recommended
Thanks t Netgalley, Marianne Holmes and Agora Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Available: 10/22/20
This book was very different from the usual books that fall into this genre and made a refreshing change. Annie is a complex character and through flashbacks to her childhood it becomes clear why she is so damaged and such a fantasist. I really warmed to her. Very well written, I will definitely be recommending.
Annie is a happy woman, but with few experiences of social activities. The parts of herself that she loves seem to go unnoticed. So, Annie inserts herself in the case of a disappearance to show her worth, but this proves to be a life changing choice when she becomes the prime suspect. All Your Little Lies tells the story of a woman that will go too far to fit in with the members of her community. A great read for lovers of thrillers.
This was a really exciting read. Annie is a woman that doesn’t get relationships or social cues right. She then finds this to be working against her when she is the last person to see Chloe before she disappears.
This is a really well written, and incredibly well observed novel dealing with some really important issues that aren’t really considered enough in the everyday world.
I really enjoyed this and the thoughts it left me with.
Brilliant
I really enjoyed this book. I wasn’t sure where it was going to start with as Annie the main character is quite a ‘character’ but once you get to know her backstory she really grows on you and by the end I was really quite fond of her. She is quite socially awkward and definitely inappropriate but her heart is the right place and she clearly has a kind soul and just wants to do good. Although this is a crime thriller I think it was actually quite a thoughtful and emotional read and I think it will appeal to fans of Eleanor Oliphant Is completely fine by Gail Honeyman.
Annie leads a happy but quiet life commuting to work in London everyday and returning home to her small village but one day a local girl goes missing. It turns out that Annie is the last person to see Chloe before she disappears, so this could be her chance to prove to people what she is really like but somehow Annie finds herself becoming a suspect instead...
All Your Little Lies was an immersive page-turner that was a slow start to begin with, but becomes so intriguing that you are slowly being manipulated into the story by the author. By the half-way point you're so engrossed you know there's no going back. You don't want to go back either and the only thought on your mind is what happened to the small girl who was abducted?
The main character is really flawed, but I like that. I like the weird thinking processes and unexpected actions. Annie comes alive and into a world of her own with a revealing story that sees her thrown into the spotlight. The problem is... do you believe her?
A brilliant read that deserves to do very well.
A sincere thank you to the publisher, author and Netgalley for providing me with an ebook copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
This is not my usual genre, however I wanted to take the opportunity to read something from outside my norm. And I am glad I did!! Thank you for opening up my mind to something totally different. Characters were so well developed that I felt as though I knew them. I love when a book draws you into the story and it feels like you are living it with them.
The story is told through the eyes of a third person narrator which I think added mystery and suspense because the narrator only shared what they wanted me to know. Throughout the book, the narrator shares insight into a person called Lottie whose identity is revealed as the story progresses. I really like the colours of the front cover, the dripping effect of the title of the book and the quote ‘when everything you say is a lie, can you even remember the truth? I was really interested in reading the book after I saw the cover and the blurb made it sound intriguing.
At first I liked Annie and I even felt sympathy for her because she was socially awkward and only had one friend. But as the truth started to unravel, I started to dislike her because of all the lies she told, the constant need for attention and her delusions which became too much to handle. At times I felt like Annie was made the centre of attention instead of the missing girl. The ending and the real identity of Lottie was surprising and I didn’t see it coming.
I received an advanced copy for free and, this is my honest opinion
Thank you to NetGalley and Agora Books for providing me with an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
4/5 Stars!
All Your Little Lies is a fast-paced book that will quickly pull you in and leave you wanting to know more. Annie is basically invisible. She goes through life perfectly fine, albeit boring life, mostly in the background of other people's stories. This is a story about what can really happen when you get more than you ever bargained for. Annie is an introvert who doesn't really have a lot of friends or understand relationships all that well. She meets Chloe Hill and boom! She has a whole new life in front of her. Annie is the last person to see Chloe and suddenly the center of attention in an all-out hunt for the truth. The police and public quickly begin to suspect that Annie has something to do with Chloe's disappearance and suddenly Annie is suspect number one. Although there are a lot of ups and downs in this book, it kept me engaged the whole way through.
Well written tense with twists and turns.Picked it up to read a few pages and read late into the night.A well written thriller with characters that come alive. Will be recommending #netgalley#agorabooks
3.5 stars for me
There is something so compelling about this story.
Never mind that Annie is socially awkward and she has a dark past that the author slowly reveals.
Annie just wants to fit in so when Chloe goes missing Annie tells one lie after the other just seemingly to get attention.
Her comments to others are a "what did you say" kind and people look suspiciously at her.
Annie isn't the most likeable character but there just something about her that I wanted her to get out the hole she was digging for herself. Oh Annie !. Sigh.
The pages turn quickly .
Worth reading , this book will linger with me for quite awhile.
Thanks to Net Galley and Agora books for the privilege of reading All Your Little Lies.
An engrossing story of Annie - a socially inept adult who has difficulty finding and maintaining friendships and is desperate to be liked, loved and respected. Flashbacks to her childhood years eventually explain the secrets of the grown up Annie who wants to do good and be helpful in a case of a missing 12 year old girl by the name of Chloe Hills. Unfortunately this backfires on her and she becomes a suspect in the case and secrets of her childhood are revealed. A gripping story full of twists and turns - couldn't put it down.
All Your Little Lies is a great suspense thriller! Marianne Holmes knows how to set the stage and keep you guessing until the last page.
When I first started reading "All Your Little Lies" by Marianne Holmes, I thought it had echoes of "Gone Girl" or "Girl on a Train". However there is a second plot which you see glimpses of and over time realise the significance to Annie's story. As I gained realisation, the story took on a more sinister tone. A well-crafted book and I'd be on the look out for other books by Marianne Holmes.
Thank you to @agorabooksldn & @NetGalley for the advance copy of ALL YOUR LITTLE LIES. This is released on the 22nd October in Kindle format.
READ THIS IF… you liked The Girl on the Train, enjoy unreliable narrators, and enjoy books with multiple mysteries to solve,
THE STORY… Annie lives a secluded life, and doesn’t really seem to fit in anywhere. When Chloe, a local girl, goes missing, Annie is determined to help - even if that means jeopardising the life she’s worked to build. Even if that means she becomes a suspect. Alongside the present timeline, we are told the story of Lottie, a young girl who whose innocent desire to summon piskies (or pixies) to get enough money that her parents will stop fighting is preyed upon.
I… sped through this book. It’s definitely the appropriate time to use the cliche - I couldn’t put it down! Annie was such an enticing character, and I didn’t want to stop reading until I knew everything there was to know about her. It was one of those books where you want to shout at the character, “NO, DON’T DO THAT!’” but there was no stopping Annie fumbling social interactions and endangering herself. One of my favourite things about unreliable narrators is how authors make it clear that the reality is different to what they experience, and this was done very well. My criticism of this book seems to be the criticism I have for a lot of books (so maybe it’s me!) but the ending did feel rushed and a little unresolved. I would have liked to know more about where certain characters ended up, and how they moved forwards. However, other than this I loved this book and would recommend it as a page-turner to keep you occupied.
NOW… I would recommend everyone preorder this! I’ve also put Marianne Holmes’ debut novel, A Little Bird Told Me, on my wishlist.
Annie is a little strange, a bit of an oddball, different to anyone else. Annie likes to shrink away from the world, to remain 'invisible'. She has to remain guarded so that she doesn't reveal her secret....except, Annie is the only witness to a crime which may see her carefully constructed world unravel...
Excellent well written tale with vibrant characters that come alive on the page
A complex, psychological thriller.
Be ready for many twists and turns as main character Annie gets draw into the case of a missing 12 year old girl. Is she involved? Does she know some important evidence? How does her past tie into the present?
You will have lots of questions as this book moves on and as you find the answers more questions will cross your mind.
A fast paced book where you will become tangled in the complicated life of Annie and the people she meets along the way.
This book takes a lot of serious and delicate issues and deals with them in a very unique way, this book is very different from any others I have recently read, making you want to keep reading to see what is going to happen.
I would be interested to read more from this author.
Thank you to Netgalley, the publishers and most importantly the author, for the chance to read this book, in exchange for an honest review.
My Review:
I love Marianne Holmes' writing, she has a wonderfully poetic and descriptive way of telling a story that makes reading it both gripping and insightful. This book was beautifully written and one I'm glad I chose because of the remarkably sensitive writing style. This was a haunting tale with a mesmerizing, obsessive love story at its heart.
The sorrow from the events will stay with me for a long time I think, showing what flawed characters we humans are. Things could have been so different if only. The author's writing is exquisitely constructed and the story-line is wholly engrossing. I suggest you immerse yourself in this story of possessive love, it will be time well spent. I loved this book as well as A Little Bird Told Me by the same author.
The first time I have read a book by this author.
I read this book over 2/3 days ...... I didn’t want to put it down ..... I needed to know what happens next and what happened in Annie’s past. Fantastic gripping story - everything I love about a good book!
Thanks Netgalley & Agora Books for allowing me to read this advance copy !!
#netgalley #Agorabooks #allyourlittlelies
Book Description -
Annie lives a quiet, contained, content life. She goes to work. She meets her friend. She’s kind of in a relationship. She’s happy. Not lonely at all.
If only more people could see how friendly she is — how eager to help and please. Then she could tick “Full Happy Life” off her list.
But no one sees that side of Annie and she can’t understand why. That all changes the night Chloe Hills disappears. And Annie is the last person to see her.
This is her chance to prove to everybody that she’s worth something. That is, until she becomes a suspect.
Publish Date - 22nd October 2020
A Seemingly Peaceful Surface.....?
When Chloe Hills disappears Annie, who claims to live a very quiet and very contented life, becomes a prime suspect. What lies and secrets are being hidden beneath a seemingly peaceful surface? A tense and fast moving psychological suspense, tautly plotted with a well drawn cast.
A twisty thriller that kept me reading. This story is written in 2 timelines and is a harrowing and difficult read in places. Annie is not a likeable character and I think that adds to the suspense. This is a complicated, twisty story that deals with a lot of difficult issues.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.
A young girl disappears and the last person to, possibly, see her alive is Annie. Annie who is almost invisible to those around her and who struggles to articulate and communicate with others. But now she has something to say and is going to make the most of it! Annie is hard to particularly like as main character but that doesn’t make her any more compelling, resulting in a face paced, interesting read!
Great book! The storyline was an interesting one. There are 2 plots that merge into one. The characters are likeable as much as they are not. Good ending as well.
Annie clearly struggles with being on of a crowd, with making friends and with making her thoughts heard. On the face of it she seems to struggle with social interactions and could easily be "diagnosed" as autistic. However as the truth of her past unfolds it is clear that there is mre to Annies behaviour than meets the eye and perhaps her past realy does explain her present.
A great read with some real moment of deja vu for me- almost as if I were ther withher and was reading the events moments after experiencing them for myself.
Fantastic writing all round.
Annie is a bit of an odd ball, desperate to please and make friends. She has a job and is a little obsessed with her boss who doesn’t notice her In the way she would Like. Her colleagues seem to ignore her or take what she says in the wrong way.
One evening when returning home drunk she thinks she may have seen something that might help with the disappearance of a local girl Chloe Hills. But Annie has secrets and her half truths lead to her finding that she is treated as a suspect.
Great read full of suspense, lots to keep you going.
An unusual protagonist and a mystery combine in this character driven drama. Annie, from the way she relates (not well) to others appears to be on the spectrum- but her colleagues and acquaintances don't recognize that she can't control the way she reacts. An inappropriate declaration of love for Paul, her boss, when she's been drinking, leads him to eject her from the party. Then she joins the search for young Chloe who has gone missing. Most of this novel is in Annie's head, which is a crowded place to be- somethings things go on too long but that's part of the characters's obsessive behavior. Holmes has clearly thought about this character and written her with empathy. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. The mystery is less interesting than Annie.
A very neatly written thriller that I thoroughly enjoyed. I did feel for Annie, her social ineptness ranged between insensitive and cringing (making me wonder is she on the spectrum), but knowing what I know now it becomes so clear. The bottom line, it just shows that sometimes you really need to consider the motives of people be they young or old.
Goodness me this is a fantastic book, never read anything from this author before and I’m off to see if she’s written anything else!
This books full of twists and turns and keeps you guessing all the way through. I thought it was fast paced and brilliant.
I loved this book. Poor Annie who only wanted to please everyone. This was a wonderful thriller and certainly made me think how easy it is, by trying to help, you can get yourself into real hot water. Annie while trying to help solve the disappearance of Chloe Hills ended up becoming a suspect. Very unnerving but compulsive reading.
Annie, the heroine of the story, will have you squirming all the way through the book. You may sympathise with her but you will never understand her. But there are reasons for the way she behaves. Keep reading.
A gripping read that was hard to put down. Annie, a strange character who at times is hard to like. She works in an office and has a crush on her boss Paul. A young girl Chloe goes missing and after Paul rejects Annie at a work event her life starts a downwards spiral especially when she realises her car was in the car park where Chloe disappeared an she may have been the last person to see her.
As Annie gets more and more involved in the search for Chloe she goes from witness to suspect. Her one an only friend grows more and more distant and her mother scared for her daughter not wanting the past to emerge.
This book is intense, moving and a little creepy. It sent shivers up my spine at times but also made me want to shake Annie into telling the truth.
This is a must-read I look forward to reading more by Marianne Holmes.
I made the mistake of reading this in bed.....really played on my mind all night.....it was thought provoking, kept me reading, on the edge....loved it
Wow!!! Is what I thought after reading this book. I can't say it gripped me from the start as it took me until 20% in to the book before it grabbed my attention. Took me time to come round to her style of writing but then I was so intrigued with the character of Annie I read it in just over 24 hours. You could feel the tension in the story it was a really compelling & complex read full of intrigue. Brilliantly written a cross between Eleanor Oliphant is Fine & The girl on the Train but with more tension. Annie is such an intriguing & frustrating character to get to grips with & struggles with any relationships being friend or personal. She will come out with the most inappropriate thing as she struggles to be around people. It soon becomes apparent that all is not as it seems with Annie & she is concealing a dark secret from her past that becomes entwined with what's happening in the present. This is a really compelling read as you get in to the book & I really loved it. Would definitely read more from this author. Thanks to all for the opportunity to read & review this book .
Annie lives a quiet life. She goes to work and meets her friend. She's nearly in a relationship. But no one sees that side of Annie and she can't understand why. But that all changes the night Chloe Hills disappears. Annie was the last person to see Chloe. This is Annie's las5 chance to prove to everybody that she's worth something. That is, until she becomes a suspect.
This book is a it of a slow burner but it's such an intriguing read you hardly notice it. Annie is a houng woman who does not quite fit in. She is a fascinating character. She always says the wrong thing and she's a little mixed up. She's accused of Chloe's disappearance . Annie has a murky past which unfolds throughout the book in the form of childhood flashbacks. The more the story unfolds we get glimpses into past and we learn how sh is the way she is. The story is told from Annie's perspective. Thisnstory will keep you guessing.
I would like to thank #NetGalley, #AgoraBooks and the author #MarranneHolmes for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book doesn’t fit neatly into any of the usual genres. It is a murder mystery, but that runs as back history to the main character, Annie and isn’t particularly complex. It is a psychological thriller, but that is because Annie clearly has psychological problems due to that back history, so behaves irrationally, trapped in her web of lies. It is a tale of thwarted loves, but are these entirely in Annie’s mind? At heart it concerns the search for a missing child and the effect that can have on a small community, or is it mainly about the ways people find to misinterpret others’ actions and emotions? What it certain is that it is a builder of disquiet, a builder of tension. The plot is fairly straightforward but, as it starts to pick up and the reader becomes committed to Annie, it becomes a “how long can you hold your breath” race for resolution. That resolution is satisfactory but it leaves you with an uncomfortable feeling about the innocence of childhood.
This is a great read.
The book begins with a bit of an insight into Annie’s life and it seems she‘s quite vulnerable.
She sneaks into a colleague’s flat and then sleeps in his bed and then runs off when she thinks he’s coming home, which isn’t normal behaviour.
When a 12 year old goes missing, Annie realises she may have been the last person to see her. However, Annie was drunk and she doesn’t remember much of anything from that night. Annie struggles to tell anyone the truth, and eventually the lies catch up with her.
She’s also struggling with memories of her past when she was a young girl.
Annie doesn’t have many friends never seems to say the right thing so is dealing with this all on her own.
This is a great read.
Thanks to Agora Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
Annie is a bit needy, she is sure that her boss wants to be with her, even if he hasn't really given her any clues. Then a young girl goes missing from the small town Annie lives in, Annie doesn't remember seeing her but her car is definitely in the CCTV footage so she must have been there right? A small lie, just to make her seem more important won't hurt will it? It'll impress her boss, her colleagues and that other guy from the village she quite likes....
But now the police are taking her seriously, they're asking questions she can't answer and she didn't think this through...because surely the past that she's been running from all her life is going to come out now, plus what she was really doing that night....
This book is fantastic! I thoroughly enjoyed the plot, the memories and the outcome. I found Annie's character a little uncomfortable reading sometimes, maybe because probably most people can relate to chattering when nervous, making bad taste jokes or when telling a story embellishing your part in it just a little bit...except Annie now can't untangle her lies and the truth anymore and I just want to yell at her STOP TALKING! It's fast paced, good chapter length, well developed characters and very addictive!
#netgalley #allyourlittlelies #marianneholmes
Review has been posted to goodreads, it won't link with my netgalley account.
Poor Annie Marwood, socially awkward yet yearning to settle and to fit in. In love with her boss, it takes the disappearance of teenager Chloe Hills to give her an opportunity to shine. Another missing girl, another yearning for friendship keeps pulling her back into the past. Touching and compelling.
I really enjoyed this book, it's the kind of crime novel I've been looking for. The character of Annie is so well drawn, the reader gets right into her head. Often the narrator of thrillers are beige, but Annie is a proper character with many quirks and an intriguing backstory. There are hints about her past throughout, but nothing is overdone.
Overall, a really well written thriller and I'd happily read whatever Marianne Holmes writes next.
Well written definitely recommend, interesting plot, had me hooked.
A girl goes missing, a woman gets heavily involved and weaves herself into a tangle of lies and semi- truths.
Annie is a bit of a social outcast with no real friends and gets transfixed on Chloe's dissapearance. It seems she struggles with relationships and friendships as she says inappropriate things and tends to speak before she thinks.
Leading her to embed herself in the search for Chloe as she tries to get others to like her. People start to notice Annie....but for all the wrong reasons.
At times it was tense, as felt like a game of cat and mouse between Annie and those investigating Chloe's dissapearance.
Then flit to another story line of a little girl who gets pulled into a wicked game that affects her forever. Found it interesting how the two stories were woven together.
The writing is fast paced and the scenes were set so well I could imagine myself there on the fringes looking in. Would be interested to read more by this author as like her writing style.
This was a dark, tragic story, moving between a missing girl in the present and a terrible crime in the past. Uniting the two stories is Annie - a damaged woman who wants to atone for her past.
It was compelling and very readable. Annie isn't a reliable narrator, and there are clearly some gaps in her memories, and the ending leaves things very ambiguous.
This is my first book by this author and I am now going to seek out more. I enjoyed her writing style and she really made me feel for Annie, which is sometimes difficult to do with unreliable narrators of books. I cannot wait to read more from Ms. Holmes in the future!
This was a quick, good read! It had an original premise, with some great character development! Felt that it had some great suspense, shocks, and thrills! Fast paced, but not in all areas, but easy enough to plow through fairly quickly! Would recommend to those looking for something easy to read, that provides needed aspect of thrillers and is unique! Think most will enjoy it enough to finish and some might even be blown away!
Will buzz around and use lower Amazon reviewer number on release date!
The main character Annie is a complicated individual who just doesn’t seem to fit in anywhere. She avoids conversations with her work colleagues until she becomes possibly the key witness in the disappearance of a 12 year old girl Chloe Hill. I cringed on many occasions when reading this book at the comments and actions Annie made. The combination of two stories was the story of Six year old Lottie who found herself drawn into a disastrous game invented by two older girls, a game that would result in a devastating tragedy.
This is an extremely well written, enthralling thriller that had me hooked from page one. It covers some extremely important issues in life including bullying and child abuse.
Thank you so much to Agora Books and Netgalley for an advance copy of this book in return for my honest review
“All Your Little Lies” is an affecting, deep and powerful mystery. Steeped in suspense, but also an achingly human story about trying to do the right thing, whilst keeping your secrets.
After the disappearance of a 12 year old girl in her local area, lonely and socially awkward Annie finds she may be the last person to see her... But Annie can’t remember what she saw. Desperate to be helpful to the police, Annie makes a statement. She also helps with the local search operation that attempts to find any clues to the missing girl’s whereabouts. However, before long questions start to be raised as to why Annie is being so helpful. Does she really want to find missing Chloe, or is Annie hiding some altogether more disturbing secrets? When your whole life is based on a lie, how do you start telling the truth?
“All Your Little Lies” is a solid slow-burner of a thriller. It sets out at a steady pace, laying a deep foundation of mystery and builds to a heart-racing conclusion that I couldn’t consume quickly enough. Holmes writes with an exceptional skill for building character, atmosphere and tension. I particularly enjoyed the flashback portions of the novel and found these to be some of the most gripping moments - fraught with raw emotion and devastation. I enjoyed piecing together these historical events and trying to link them to the present day characters and situation. As the narrative unravelled and the storylines came together, events concluded neatly, but in an achingly affecting way. This novel will certainly stay with me long after turning the final page. There are so many themes throughout the plot, but I found the metaphors between the past and present to be very powerful. Annie’s response to and involvement in the present day mystery surrounding Chloe’s disappearance is cathartic, but as both narratives unfold simultaneously for the reader, Holmes creates a blossoming atmosphere of tension and unease. This kept me turning the pages, desperate to discover the truth!
Annie is one of the most complex and intriguing characters I have read about in a long time. As the narrative progressed, I felt huge swathes of emotions and simultaneously disliked and sympathised with her. This was a refreshing experience within a thriller novel, as I really didn’t know whether Annie was a reliable protagonist or an incredibly devious and diabolical villain. She is a great example of a lead character that you don’t have to particularly like to become invested in. Holmes also explores social-awkwardness in a very plausible way and whilst nothing is confirmed, it is clear that Annie suffers from some kind of social dysfunction and struggles with forming relationships or interacting with others. There are some moments where her conversation is painfully cringe-worthy and I found myself wanting to shout out, “Noooo, don’t say that!!”. Holmes uses this to great advantage when weaving her web of intrigue around Annie, keeping readers guessing as to whether she is as altruistic as she claims to be. However, Holmes keeps the balance exactly right, as there are plenty of episodes where I felt genuinely sorry for Annie and quite passionately angry for the way she was being treated. Her relationship with her only friend, Lauren, is one example. Their friendship is toxic in many ways, with Lauren barely tolerating Annie and often making blunt and thoughtless remarks. It is clear that Annie is different to most people, but that doesn’t mean she should be treated differently. As the novel progressed and more and more examples of people treating Annie unkindly emerged, I found myself rooting more and more for her. To say the journey through this couple of weeks in Annie’s life is a rollercoaster, is an understatement at the very least! Ultimately, it’s a story about facing your past and accepting your history, however painful this may be. For Annie, her continual attempts at redemption are unsuccessful until she confronts her past. Similarly, I enjoyed how this challenged my own prejudices about people who are quickly written off as “odd”, but in reality suffer from social anxiety or a complex, confidence-draining past. As I finished reading “All Your Little Lies”, I felt like I had learnt some valuable life lessons, as well as reading a hugely enjoyable novel.
“All Your Little Lies” is a very well executed thriller, that I would recommend to fans of the genre. However, this would also equally appeal to fans of fiction driven by a complex, occasionally unlikeable protagonist or a narrative that challenges social perception. I look forward to reading more from Marianne Holmes.
Thank you Netgalley for sending me this copy of All Your Little Lies. I instantly connected with Annie’s character, she is so desperately lonely and misunderstood, she just wants companionship. The friend she does have seems to be so out of some sort of obligation.
Annie finds herself embroiled in a missing child situation and throughout she is questioning her own involvement which leaves the reader also wondering whether she was actually responsible.
A great read which keeps you guessing to the end.
The first thing that really stood out to me about this book was the main character Annie, she’s so awkward and tragic. It’s like she has no filter, stuff just comes out and is often taken the wrong way and you find yourself constantly imploring her to just, stop talking.
Her best friend Lauren isn’t much of a friend either. It feels like she simply tolerates Annie, either out of a sense of duty or pity. And Annie is strange there is no denying that, but it’s baffling at first, like okay she constantly puts her foot in it and says the strangest things at times and comes across as quite awkward but there is more too it than that, people seem to be naturally repelled by her and very quickly. And you feel sorry for her and want to know why as you can’t quite pinpoint it yourself. So that alone could keep you reading but also the flow of the story is nice, it’s gentle and steady, but intriguing, and you know there is more going on than meets the eye, not just with Annie as she is now, but something in her past too. The way her mother is with her, and perhaps Lauren too, and you wonder, what do they know, that I don’t yet? It’s very well done though, subtle and clever.
This is an intriguing and clever story and kept me hooked throughout. I definitely recommend it.
Thanks to NetGalley , Marianne Holmes and her publisher for allowing me to read this one for free in exchange for an honest review.
An interesting and entertaining story that kept me hooked even if I'm not a huge fan of unreliable narrators.
The characters are well thought and interesting and you can love or hate them because they're faulted and morally grey.
The tightly knitted plot, full of twists and turns, kept me hooked.
It's recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
Loved this book!
Annie has a perfect life. She goes to work, comes home and everything is fine - or is it. Is she or isn’t she having a ‘thing’ with her boss? What happened at the work do?
A young girl from Annie’s town goes missing, at the same time that Annie came home from the work party. Did she see anything? Should she say something?
Will anyone believe her anyway?
Secrets in Annie’s past may come back to haunt her - what did she do that is making her life difficult now?
A thriller that is hard to put down. Compelling read!
In this book we follow a woman named Annie. Annie lives a quiet and structured life, which suites her perfectly. This is until a 12 year old girl from her town goes missing. Annie gets a little shaken up by this and somehow gets herself involved.
This was a 4 star read for me. Initially a 3 star read, but after reaching the second half I kept thinking about the story whenever I was not reading it. This made me change it to a 4 star rating.
You immediately get the feeling something is not right with Annie. She is not thinking nor acting the way anyone else would. Initially this did make it hard to connect with her, but as the story develops, you learn her background and it is easier to understand.
The writing style was good. Easy to follow and especially in the second half thrilling. You get the feeling it is building to something.
You follow 2 perspectives and at first you don't know why or what they have to do with each other, but the end ties it all together nicely.
A good thriller Annie may go too far to fit in with people around her, it raised some good issues that many people don't really think about enough nowadays in my opinion
Annie is socially awkward, always saying the wrong thing, misreads the signals when men are nice to her and is always in the wrong place at the wrong time.
When the poster of a missing girl has Annie's car in the background Annie wants to help but doesn't remember seeing her. Unfolding events have uncanny echoes with Annie's childhood.
Annie lives a quiet, contained, content life. She goes to work. She meets her friend. She’s kind of in a relationship. She’s happy. Not lonely at all.
If only more people could see how friendly she is — how eager to help and please. Then she could tick “Full Happy Life” off her list. But no one sees that side of Annie, and she can’t understand why.
That all changes the night Chloe Hills disappears. And Annie is the last person to see her.
This is her chance to prove to everybody that she’s worth something. That is, until she becomes a suspect.
All Your Little Lies had me guessing the whole way through. Don't set it down thinking you've got it figured, you might be wrong.
Annie is a young lady with a past that is constantly on her mind. She is socially inept and prone to saying just the wrong thing at the wrong time. When a girl goes missing in her small suburban town, Annie desperately wants to help find her but getting involved has its price. This is an intriguing story and keeps the reader fully engaged.
Annie is a seemly unique character. She has some oddities and is rather closed off. When a local gal goes missing, she decides she wants to help and inserts herself into the situation. It is difficult to know if we can trust Annie or if she is being deceitful. This was a wonderful book and was even relatable in some parts. Humans long to fit it and will do what it takes to do so. I finished this in two days.
I enjoyed this psychological thriller from an author who is new to me. What I appreciated the most is the main character, Annie's, little quirks that Holmes sprinkles throughout the book. I loved the writing and the almost poetic feel behind it. This book was also a very exciting page turner.
Marianne Holmes has written a painfully beautiful book. Annie Marwood is no ordinary anti-heroine, and most certainly not a heroine, but she joins the main protagonists of 'Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine' and 'Elizabeth is Missing' as an extraordinary lead character.
Annie's story is told over the course of a few days while she helps search for a missing child. The significance of a tragedy in Annie's past is gradually revealed.
An unforgettable story of loneliness and misunderstanding.
An introverted and awkward woman helps in the search of a missing schoolgirl. Her interactions with the other group members is uncomfortable, often with inappropriate remarks and actions, and suggests that she is on the autistic spectrum. Her attempts to fit in and to be noticed makes uncomfortable reading, especially the fact that she is attracted to her boss and believes he feels the same - which he does not. Cringe.
A parallel narrative shows a small child who tries to fit in with older children. She is bullied by other girls who demand she does things against her best interests. The intensity increases and this is totally engrossing and chilling. Obviously the two stories will ink up at some point.
This is a clever yet simple story and all of us will identify with the uncomfortable aspects to a certain degree. Often repetitive in the unravelling thought processes of protagonist's mind, this pushes the reader on - we are (mostly) with her. She deserves sympathy. I wish the title didn't involve the word 'lies', though, as so many other books about domesticity use the word. This book is better than that.
A kind of familiar, unsettling story. Recommended.
This was a fascinating story of Annie, a very complex individual with no real friends who talks to people saying inappropriate things which antagonises them. She becomes involved in the case of a missing 12 year old - she wants to help but she lies to everyone. The story is interspersed with the past and the story of a six year old Lottie who is also involved with the disappearance of a very young child.
Annie's childhood and upbringing have had a devastating effect on her character. This book is very well written with a sympathetic portrayal of a troubled young woman. I look forward to reading more by this author.
Many thanks to Netgalley/Marianne Holmes/Agora Books for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.
Quite a sensitive tale where Annie was a quiet one with a crush on her boss, Paul, until something broke inside her and made her act rashly. The next day, she got to know that someone from her neighborhood had disappeared and she was probably the last one to see her. So she got involved in the search party, but they viewed her weirdly as Annie was different in her ways.
Told from her POV, it took me time to warm up to Annie. The writing was beautiful. This was quite different from my normal thrillers. It was slow-paced but atmospheric. Dark vibes were felt in the entire book. Overall, an enjoyable read
This was a really good read looking at the how trauma can affect the lives of people. Felt very involved with Anne and it was good to finally be able to piece her life together and explore how her actions and those of her parents were still having an impact on how she thinks, feels and reacts today. A great peep in to the actions of an angry crown mentality.
A n interesting look in to the differences between perpetrators and victims.
Annie lives a quiet life until a local girl goes missing and she realises she may have been the last person to see the girl. She becomes obsessed with finding out what happened her. Now is her time in the spotlight, even if half of what she says is fabricated!!
Annie takes part in the search for the missing girl, her eagerness to talk about the girl means people soon become suspicious of her actions.
This book ticked all the boxes for me, secrets, lies and enough intrigue to keep me reading until late at night!! I loved how the flashbacks of Annie’s childhood build up a very different picture to the adult we come to know.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
This is a compelling, addictive and thrilling read that I thoroughly enjoyed and struggled to put down and would absolutely enjoy reading more from this author.
Annie seems a bit of a loner in life, she doesn't have many friends and likes to keep to herself, I definitely agree with another reader that she may even be on the autistic spectrum. Feeling no one really pays attention and that she is left in the background of everyday life and feels not many people pay have time for her, when a local girl goes missing Annie believes she can help solve the case however what she doesn't expect is to become a suspect, and you are left questioning whether Annie was involved in the girls disappearance or not. We have flashbacks from Annie's past to the present which I also found intriguing overall I found Annie to be a very intriguing and complex character. The biggest question for me was did Annie have something to do with Chloe's disappearance and this is what kept me hooked throughout the book, There are also some unexpected twists which keep you on the edge of your seat.
A fantastic thrilling and gripping read which I could not put down. I am looking forward to reading more from this author, a big thank you to Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
What a great book and a gripping read. Will look forward to reading more by this author. We'll written and engrossing from the start. Couldnt put it down.
This book was so gripping that I read it in one day, It kept me guessing right from the very beginning as I had a lot of questions about the main character’s past history and state of mind, which definitely kept me engaged until the final page. Thanks to netgalley for an advance copy.
An intriguing storyline, full of interesting characters and had some wonderful twists and turns throughout the story.
The writing style is great, and the author really brings the characters and the setting to life for the reader, and you find yourself fully immersed and invested in the outcome at the end.
A brilliantly paced, addictive novel that I struggled to put down.
This book is a slow burner but is so intriguing that it didnt bother me that the pace was slow. I found Annie an extremely interesting character. She would always say the wrong things and i enjoyed how that was portrayed. I hate it when half way through a thriller i can guess how it will end but this book had me guessing all the way through. Overall i really enjoyed this book.
This was a great read.
All the way through the book, you know something bad has happened in her past.... it teases you and keeps the pages turning throughout.
I love the main character, despite all her faults.
I'd love to read more by this author.
A brilliant twisty tale. A great plot that kept me on the edge of my seat. I found this hard to put down. A great physiological thriller.
Wow! A rollercoaster of a story full of angst and drama. Semi psychological thriller, part police procedure but all good! I loved the concept and the wonderful insight into a confused mind.. I read it in one sitting and now feel exhausted. Highly recommended