In Five Years by Rebecca Serle

A special thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books, Simon & Schuster Canada, Simon & Schuster Audio, and Libro.fm for an ARC/audiobook listening copy in exchange for an honest review.

The standard interview question: Where do you see yourself in five years? Overachiever and highly ambitious Dannie Cohan has prepared the perfect answer.

She's having the best day: she nails her job interview and her boyfriend, David, proposed! But when she wakes up, she is not in her apartment, she has a different ring on her finger, and she's beside a man who is not David. It is also five years in the future.

When Dannie wakes up again, she's back in 2020 and it is just before midnight. She is completely rattled and can't stop thinking about what just happened. Determined to put it past her, she doesn't even speak of it—not even to her best friend, Bella. That is until almost five years later when Dannie has a chance meeting with the very man from her astonishing vision that night.

A story of love, loyalty, friendship, and fate, In Five Years will stay with the reader long after the last page is turned.

Serle's latest work is an extraordinary novel whose plot revolves around the tried-and-true interview question. It is thought-provoking, heartbreaking, and smart. And not at all what I expected.

Dannie is forced to reevaluate her life even though her personality is to plan life right down to the minute. But Serle creates some remarkable twists that force her to acknowledge that you can't plan everything, and that life happens.

In Five Years is a beautiful, intricate, and layered work that is not a typical love story—it embraces all of the loves in our lives whether they are the loves you choose or the ones that you don't.

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REBECCA SERLE holds a MFA from the New School in NYC. She codeveloped the hit TV adaptation of her YA series Famous in Love, and is also the author of The Dinner List, and YA novels The Edge of Falling and When You Were Mine.

Serle lives in New York and Los Angeles.

My Dark Vanessa: A Novel by Kate Elizabeth Russell

A special thank you to HarperCollins Canada for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Vanessa Wye is a student at Browick, a private boarding school, and is struggling to fit in. She feels less awkward and empowered when her 42-year-old English teacher, Jacob Strane, starts paying attention to her—he compliments Vanessa and shows interest in her poetry.

A secret affair begins. Strane is a complex and entitled abuser that compares Vanessa to a dark romantic, just like he is.

Years later, at the height of the #MeToo movement, a former student of Strane's comes forward with claims of sexual abuse. Vanessa is contacted by a journalist with the hopes that she too will share her story. Still in contact with Strane, Vanessa struggles with the notion that the relationship may not have been the great love story that she's believed it to be.

My Dark Vanessa is a psychological feast. While the writing is captivating (for the most part) and compelling, it is disturbing and uncomfortable. It is an unflinching and unapologetic story about a predatory relationship that has marred the main character in all facets of her life.

The narrative moves back and forth between Vanessa as a schoolgirl, and as a single, 32-year-old that has trouble with men. This adult version of Vanessa has been derailed by her affair with Strane. It has affected her her education, her relationships, and her career. Vanessa is unreliable as she works through what she has always believed to be romantic and consensual versus the violation of a young girl. When looking at Russell's secondary characters, she flattens them. Perhaps this was done on purpose to propel Strane and Vanessa's flaws and the ugliness of their toxic union.

With long passages about Vanessa's mundane school and social life, Russell may lose some readers with her need to provide too much unnecessary detail. There is a lot of needless bulk and it was very redundant. What was also surprising given the length, was how abruptly the book ended. Again, too much time was wasted on insignificant details and repetition.

Russell is a powerful writer who is able to articulate how a victim could possibly fall for her abuser. This is a solid debut.

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KATE ELIZABETH RUSSELL holds a PhD in creative writing from the University of Kansas and an MFA from Indiana University.

Russell is originally from eastern Maine.

Until I Find You by Rea Frey

A special thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Having been diagnosed in her twenties with a degenerative eye disease, Rebecca Gray is losing her sight. Because of this, and her husband's death, Bec has moved to the suburbs to raise her infant son, Jackson. She gains a wonderful support system including Crystal, who she met at a grief support group. Crystal is also a widow.

After fainting in the park, Bec vows that she needs to prioritize herself and her health—get more sleep, eat better, go to therapy. The last few months have been incredibly stressful. Later that day, when she picks up Jackson from his nap, Bec instantly realizes that he is not her son.

But nobody believes her. The police think that she's just confused, and her friends don't see any difference. She must be suffering from sleep deprivation.

Relying on her mother's intuition, Rebecca will stop at nothing to find her son.

Until I Find You is framed by Bec's sight constraints and it is incredibly effective. Frey deftly weaves the narrative between the alternating perspectives of Bec and Crystal. There are added layers to Crystals' storyline with the mother-daughter dynamic, as well as the nanny who further complicates things. This all ties back to the theme of motherhood—how difficult and delicate a balance it can be.

The narrative is gripping and compulsive, while not being trite. Frey is exceptional at building tension and because of Bec's limited sight, this book is on a whole other level. My heart was literally in my throat most of the time and there were situations where I started to feel almost claustrophobic and I couldn't help but wonder if this is how Bec feels sometimes.

Through well-written characters and strong pacing, Until I Find You is a taut and emotional domestic thriller. Frey's latest work explores the powerful bond between mothers and their children, and just how far one woman will go to bring her son home.

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REA FREY is an award-winning author of several nonfiction books and the novels Because You’re Mine, Until I Find You, and her debut, Not Her Daughter (which has been optioned for film). She is also the founder and CEO of Writeway, which teaches writers about the business of publishing—not just the craft.

Frey lives in Chicago, IL, with her husband and daughter.

Woman on the Edge by Samantha M. Bailey

A special thank you to Edelweiss, NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

On a subway platform in Chicago, Morgan Kincaid’s life is changed forever when a stranger hands her a baby, then jumps in front of an oncoming train. Morgan can't understand why someone would give their child to a complete stranger and take their own life.

Unfortunately, Morgan's involvement runs deeper when she's considered a suspect in the death of the woman. But Morgan has never seen her before that day. With no witnesses to corroborate her version of events, things are not looking good.

To clear her name, Morgan tries to piece together Nicole Markham's final days. Nicole believed that she, and her new baby, were in danger. Or was she a new mother struggling with postpartum depression and paranoia? And what is Morgan's connection to all of this? As she gets closer to the truth, one thing become apparent, her life is also in danger.

I was hooked right from the start!

In this explosive novel, Bailey deftly alternates between Morgan's and Nicole's stories, past and present. One of the women is struggling with her grief and the desire to become a mother, the other is struggling with becoming a mother and the overwhelming desire to protect her child.

Nicole's anxiety is compounded by the guilt of a traumatic event in her past. Her angst is palpable, as are her fears of motherhood, and she becomes a shell of her former self—a far cry from the successful CEO of her own company. Morgan's life fell apart when her husband committed suicide as a result of being found guilty of embezzlement. She was left with the repercussions, including the police thinking that she was his accomplice. The two women are forever joined by tragedy, but what is their connection?

The character descension and strong pacing ratchet up the tension. Cleverly delivered in short, suspenseful chapters, readers will grapple with not only who to believe, but with also not being able to put the book down.

With the speed of a train, this incredible debut comes careening down the tracks. It is exhilarating, tense, and consuming.

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SAMANTHA M. BAILEY is a Toronto-based novelist, journalist, and freelance editor. Her work has appeared in NOW Magazine, The Village Post, and Oxford University Press, among other publications. She was a writer-in-residence for Kobo Writing Life at BookExpo America 2013. She is the co-founder of BookBuzz, a promotional and interactive author-reader event held in New York City and Toronto.

Woman on the Edge is her debut novel.

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Q & A with Samantha M. Bailey*

GWR: Where did you come up with the concept for this explosive thriller?

SB: Thank you for the compliment! Six years ago, I was waiting on a Toronto subway platform when I noticed a woman holding a newborn, standing too close to the edge. She looked frazzled and exhausted, as most new mothers do. As I did, with my own two children. Like a lightning bolt, the premise for Woman on the Edge came to me. As the train roared into the station, I scribbled it down on an empty gum pack I found in my messy purse. When I got home, I immediately started writing it.

GWR: This book takes a deep dive into other issues—mental health, misplaced guilt, motherhood—why was it important to include these elements in the story?

SB: I always wanted to focus on mental health, especially postpartum. When I started writing it, there was so little fiction about postpartum depression and anxiety. I didn’t experience depression myself, but I watched so many friends struggle through it, who generously shared their stories so I could access Nicole’s thoughts and feelings. These friends felt so much shame, guilt, and loneliness and were so scared to tell anyone the extent of how they were feeling because they feared judgment. It was only after they’d gotten help that they realized how many women go through it. I did, however, absolutely have my own anxieties and worries, especially with my first baby, and knew it was a story I needed to tell. I wanted to portray how easy it is for even the strongest, most accomplished of women to suffer dramatic and drastic changes after the birth of their child. How hard it is to ask for help. And how difficult motherhood is.

GWR: The main character, Morgan Kinkaid, becomes a suspect. Tell us about your research.

SB: So many experts were willing to talk to me, and I’m grateful. I spoke with a Chicago-based homicide detective, a private investigator, and criminal defense attorney. I’m also lucky to have a friend who is a Detective-Constable with the Toronto Police, who offered to help with any questions I might have. He invited me down to the station and I spent a day as a suspect. He led me through the Sally Port to the fingerprinting and onto the evidence room. I was giddy with excitement because, of course, I wasn’t under arrest, and it all felt so intriguing. When he asked if I wanted to be locked in a holding cell to see what it’s like, I jumped at the chance. He told me to bang on the door when I’d had enough, and it clanged shut. I was alone in a tiny cell—white-washed brick walls, a stainless-steel sink and toilet, and a small bed. I’m claustrophobic and immediately panicked. It took all of thirty seconds to bang on the door and beg to be let out.

GWR: Are you a pantser or plotter? 

SB: I’m a former-pantser-turned-plotter. Woman on the Edge is the fifth book I’ve written, and the first to be traditionally published. I used to write with a general outline in mind, but that’s completely changed. For this book, I needed a clear map of the beginning, middle, and end so I knew what the characters’ arcs would be, the narrative structure, placement of the clues, the goals, motivations, etc. I use three craft books to help me: On Writing by Stephen King, Story Genius by Lisa Cron, and Save the Cat! Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody. Now I write out a scene-by-scene outline before I begin drafting. For me, it’s a process that works, but every author has their own method.

GWR: How many hours a day do you write? What does your writing process look like?

SB: Right now, it looks a bit manic because I’m promoting Woman on the Edge at the same time as working on my next novel. I usually get up at 5 or 6 am, which for a former night owl, is a shocking change. But I don’t have enough time during the day to really focus on writing, and I actually love the dark silence in my house when it’s just me and my words. I write until my kids get up for school around 7:30 am, then I’m all Mom—making breakfast, packing lunches, finding homework. The minute they’re out the door, I turn to my emails, social media, and promo and back to writing until the kids come home around 4 pm. It’s hectic, and all I ever wanted.

GWR: How did you select the names for your characters? 

SB: I use baby name sites and scroll through tons of names until the right one hits me. Then I might change it as the story evolves.

GWR: What was the hardest scene to write?

SB: The opening scene because I wanted it to be as powerful, raw, and visceral as possible. I must have revised it at least twenty times, so I hope I accomplished what I set out to.

GWR: If you could tell your younger self something about writing and becoming an author, what would it be?

SB: It won’t be fast, and it won’t be easy, but it will be so worth it.

GWR: What are you working on now?

SB: I’m working on another thriller that is also dark and twisty, featuring women and mothers in a very different way than in Woman on the Edge. I’ll definitely post any updates I have about the release date, etc on my website. Thank you for asking!

*A version of this post was published on STYLE Canada.

#HarperPresents: Wine Tasting with Expert Sommelier Victoria James

Photo credit: Girl Well Read and HarperCollins. Do not use without written permission.

Expert sommelier Victoria James visited the Drake Hotel in Toronto where she was interviewed by Angela Aiello (celebrity wine expert, writer and educator) to launch her newly published memoir, Wine Girl. Following the discussion, Victoria led a four-wine tasting from Nobel Estates Wine.

You talk about how this book was very therapeutic for you to write. What part of the book was most therapeutic?

"This is the first time that I've talked about therapy in a bar, so bear with me," Victoria quipped. There were some experiences that were quite difficult for her growing up, as well as the abuse and sexism that Victoria faced while working in restaurants. So at first, she started writing as a form of therapy in order to get it all down and work through it.

"There is something very interesting about revisiting pain. We tend to, in order to survive, push it down and suppress it." Victoria said that it was healing to learn from her experiences.

In the book you talk about 'Franky's Love Cycle,' can you tell us what that is?

At the age of thirteen Victoria got her first job at a greasy spoon diner that was literally under the railroad tracks. She was a teenager who simply "didn't give a shit," and found it exhausting to muster up passion for every single guest. But Franky, who became a mentor, wanted to teach her his 'love cycle.' His advice was to find something to love in everyone—not something simple like loving someone's shoes, but to recognize the humanity in each person. And from that, treat them with empathy.

"Sometimes people are really hard to love. Especially when you are serving 300 of them a night, and you have to find a way to deliver real service. Genuine service, hospitality. Once you see someone as human and you see all of their soft and squishy parts, and how they can be  lovely and nice (even if they are being mean) then in return, you offer good hospitality."

She didn't expect it to be so fulfilling. "You feel good also, it becomes incredibly addictive and makes you feel a sense of purpose."

There is a quote in the book: "It's all bullshit, the title I mean. A somm is someone who sells wine in a restaurant. If you don't do that, you're not a somm." How do you feel about being a sommelier and the label? 

Victoria compared it to being a chef—you can become a chef by going to school and getting your credentials, or you can become a chef by getting a job as a chef and working your way up.

Historically in the sommelier world, the latter was the course in that there were no organizations that would give pins and certifications (it's a new thing). She chose to do both. As a young woman, she was not taken seriously without a piece of paper and felt that it was essential. But there are also a whole school of people who don't believe in those tests and examinations.

You talk about some great foods as well as some great regions. What has been the most extravagant thing you've ever ate?

Growing up she didn't have the most gourmand options. The first time she had sweetbreads, she saw them on a menu and thought they would be amazing. "But they weren't sweet at all. And that's because they are pancreas," Victoria said. "The wine world is very fun because there are dishes with a lot of history and it is very food-centric. There is a lot of discovery and it brings people together."

A common misconception is that white wine is for fish and red wine is for meat, but this is not always the case. When Victoria and her husband were travelling in the south of France, they were served little pieces of fried fish and she immediately thought that they would be perfectly paired with a crisp white wine. However, the tradition is to serve the dish with a really heavy sweet wine. It ended up being one of the best pairings that they've ever had.

"Wine is also an experience," she said. Her advice is to keep an open mind.

Once you've worked a harvest abroad, you see wine in a different way. Can you share what your key learnings were after working a harvest.

"Working a harvest is essentially where you go to a vineyard and you pick grapes and then you take those grapes and make them into wine. It sounds very romantic right?" Victoria asked. "I thought it was going to be fabulous, where I drink wine and eat cheese the whole time." The world of wine making is actually incredibly complex and back-breaking work. She also learned that there are a lot of decisions that can change not only the quality of the wine, but also how it tastes.

"In the US you can add up to 50 different ingredients in wine besides grapes. Some of the ingredients may be alarming, like fish bladder and horse hooves, or weird and gross like powdered tannins and silicone gel, like those little packets you get in your clothes that say 'do not eat.'"

Which chapter of your journey had the most impact on bringing you to the successful place you are today?

Her brother was forcibly going into a mental and he told her that "you have to sometimes do things that you don't really like for a short period of time, to get to a much better place far, far, away." He recognized a lot of similarities between Victoria's world of NYC fine dining and his experience.

Victoria thinks that the best decision she made was to leave the very cut-throat Michelin-starred world of fine dining in order to regroup and figure out what it was that she really wanted. "It doesn't matter what your journey is, sometimes you just need to take a step back," Victoria offered.

James wants to be a role model for other women in the industry. She did just that by becoming a leader in her own Michelin-starred restaurant.

What would you say was the biggest challenge of writing Wine Girl?

The biggest challenge was the message that she wanted to impart. "It's one thing to write for your own form of therapy, and another to release it to the world," she said. In taking her stories public, Victoria hopes that they will inspire both men and women to share their stories as well.

During the Kavanaugh trial she was so discouraged thinking that nobody wanted to hear women's stories, and that people didn't believe women. Victoria stopped writing for a few months and her agent encouraged her to pick up other works. She read Roxane Gay, Padma Lakshmi's op ed piece, and Educated by Tara Westover, and realized that just because some people aren't listening to women's stories, it doesn't mean that there isn't still a place for them. "The most important thing we can do is continue to share them." James encourages women to speak up because for so long she stayed silent.

What advice would you give a young person?

"Find an ally, find a mentor, find someone you can trust." Victoria went on to say that she was very isolated and felt like she was alone, but the more that she spoke to other women (and men), she realized that they felt quite the same.

It is important to Victoria to not only give back, but that people feel safe at her restaurant (at Cote they have a no-tolerance policy). She also feels that diverse voices should be heard. To address this, Victoria started a non-profit educational organization, Wine Empowered, that provides tuition-free wine classes to women and minorities in the hospitality industry.

What are some easy tricks of the trade that you could give us when sorting through a wine list?

"Wine lists can be very scary, there's a lot of fancy names on there that you don't know how to navigate them. Check to see if there is a sommelier in house to help. If so, you can point to a price point you are comfortable with."

You can also tell them about a wine that you love and ask them to suggest something similar. "Don't be afraid to engage with the sommeliers, they are there to provide a service and to help you. Don't be scared," Victoria said.

Wine Girl

At the age of 21, Victoria James became the youngest certified sommelier. Arriving at this distinction was no easy task—she endured sexual harassment, verbal abuse, and lower pay than her male counterparts.

Even though she was a certified sommelier, James was still continuously belated for her age and gender and still faced sexism and the abuse of power from not only her employers, but also her patrons.

Taking a step back from the years of humiliation in the restaurant industry—even from those that were of the highest regard—Victoria visited France to experience what she envisioned as the life of a sommelier. She experienced an authentic experience and discovered her true sense of purpose.

VICTORIA JAMES has worked in the restaurant industry since she was thirteen. Becoming the youngest certified sommelier in the country at age 21, Victoria has appeared on both Forbes and Zagat’s “30 Under 30” lists. She is also the author of Drink Pink: A Celebration of Rosé, which Harper Design published in 2017.

Victoria has worked at some of the most prestigious restaurants in New York City, including Marea and Aureole. Currently, she is the Beverage Director and partner at Cote, a Michelin-starred hot spot in the Flatiron district.

James currently resides in NYC with her husband and dog, Rocco.

Sweet Sorrow by David Nicholls

A special thank you to Edelweiss, NetGalley, and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

High school student Charlie Lewis is unremarkable. He has just finished exams and is waiting on the results. To pass the time, Charlie works part-time, rides his bicycle around, and looks after his depressive father post divorce.

Everything changes when he meets Fran. But, if he wants to be with her, the price to pay is Shakespeare—Charlie must join the Company even though it could cost him the respect of his friends. He commits to playing Benvolio in the Company's production of Romeo and Juliet.

Sweet Sorrow is about how the path to becoming an adult is often rocky, the power of friendship, and how confusing relationships can be.

One Day wrecked me—and I mean that as a compliment—so you can imagine how thrilled I was to get an advanced copy of Sweet Sorrow. But I have to be honest...at first I was skimming, mostly interested in the bits with Charlie and his clinically depressed father and then Nicholls hooked me and didn't let go until the last word. 

1997's Britain is the setting for most of the novel. Grown up Charlie, on the verge of getting married,  is looking back to the summer he fell in love. Exploring first loves is something that Nicholls does best—he captures the innocence and nostalgia like nobody else.

Infused with humour, this coming of age novel is relatable and poignant. It too reads like both a Shakespearian tragedy and comedy.

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DAVID NICHOLLS is the New York Times bestselling author of One Day which has sold more than two million copies and has been translated into thirty-seven languages; the film adaptation starred Jim Sturgess and Anne Hathaway. Nicholls's previous novels include Starter for Ten and The Understudy.

Nicholls trained as an actor before making the switch to writing and has twice been nominated for BAFTA awards.

If I Never Met You by Mhairi McFarlane

A special thank you to HarperCollins Canada, Edelweiss and William Morrow for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Fauxmance: a fake, arranged relationship that's comprised of the trappings of a romantic relationship.

Laurie Watkinson is left reeling when Dan, her partner of over ten years, breaks up with her citing he's not ready to settle down and start a family. Not only do they work at the same law firm and she will be forced to see him every day, but she's just found out that Dan's new girlfriend is pregnant.

Hoping for a bit of revenge, Laurie agrees to pose as the office womanizer's girlfriend. Jamie Carter is not only charming, he's also gorgeous. If he can prove that he has settled down, Jamie will better his chances at a promotion. And what better way to do that than to date the office golden girl?

The couple make it official by staging their romance on social media. They are so convincing that the line between pretending to be in love and reality becomes blurred. Will Laurie get her heart broken again?

What I adore most about Mhairi's books is that you feel like you are actually there, and that the characters are your best mates. Her writing is effortless and inclusive to her reader—she's also the right amount of cheeky and has a great sense of humour. McFarlane's ear for dialogue is impeccable and everything just flows.

Laurie is smart and has an incredible wit. But instead of playing to these strengths, she uses these traits as a means of deflection—she's been wounded by her father and her ex and her confidence has taken a big hit. But because of the fake romance, Laurie is forced to view her life through a different lens and as a result, she experiences tremendous growth. This is truly remarkable given the lack of support she's received from those closest to her.

If I Never Met You was utterly charming and I had a massive book hangover.

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MHAIRI MCFARLANE is a Sunday Times bestselling author from Scotland. McFarlane has written five novels and a book series.

Her name is actually pronounced Vah-Ree and she lives in Nottingham. 

You Are Not Alone by Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen

A special thank you to Edelweiss, Libro.fm Audiobooks, Macmillan Audio, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC/audiobook listening copy in exchange for an honest review.

In this frenzied new thriller from the dynamic duo of Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen, witnessing a woman jump in front of a subway train proves to be more than just being in the wrong place at the wrong time—it could cost Shay Miller her life.

If Shay hadn't missed her train by mere seconds, she wouldn't have witnessed a suicide that completely changes her life.

Shay is lonely, barely making ends meet, and isn't doing much better the in relationship department. When she meets the charismatic and confident Moore sisters at the memorial service for the victim, she can't believe her luck—not only do they befriend her, but her life start to click in all other areas. But Shay is a pedant, recording statistics in a "Data Book," and things aren't adding up. You see, numbers don't lie, but the Moore sisters do.

In this provocative game of cat and mouse, Hendricks and Pekkanen prove once again why they are queens of the thriller.

Can I tell you how much I loved An Anonymous Girl and The Wife Between Us? This book is equally as mesmerizing, and I was gobsmacked! And I mean that in the best way.

The writing is of course BRILLIANT! You can tell that Pekkanen is a seasoned author and by extension, Hendricks' previous editing experience also makes her a great writer. As a duo, they are ah-mazing.

You Are Not Alone is layered and complex. I love the way they set the table and then yank the table cloth right out from under the reader without disturbing the plot that they've so masterfully crafted (which in my analogy, would be the dishes). Their attention to detail and pace is what really sets them apart in this genre.

Themes of revenge, and the allure of the unbreakable bond between sisters and friends propel the narrative. This makes for one of the most gripping thrillers I've read in a long time.

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GREER HENDRICKS spent two decades as an editor at Simon & Schuster. Her writing has been published in The New York Times, Allure, and Publishers Weekly.

SARAH PEKKANEN is the internationally and USA Today bestselling author of eight previous novels. A former investigative journalist and feature writer, her work has been published in The Washington Post, USA Today, and many others.

Together, they have written the New York Times bestselling novels The Wife Between Us and An Anonymous Girl.

Little White Lies by Philippa East

A special thank you to HarperCollins Canada for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Seven years ago, Anne White experienced every parent's worst nightmare—her daughter, Abigail, disappeared. Anne only took her eyes off her for a second...

At fifteen, Abigail walks into a police station with another young girl. When Anne gets the call to say her daughter has been found, she is elated and can't wait to bring Abigail home.

But Anne struggles to connect with her daughter. Does she just need time, or is Abigail remembering what really happened the day she disappeared?

Little White Lies begins with the end: the kidnapped child is returned to her family. It is a story about a mother's love and the cost of lies.

East's debut is told from the alternating perspectives of Anne and Jess, Abigail's adoring cousin. This book had potential which would have been realized had the story also been told from Abigail's point of view (instead of just one chapter).

There also seems to be a lot of thrillers about missing children as well as books with "lies" in the title that have saturated the thriller genre as of late. Although the writing was solid, I found the novel a little underwhelming, and it didn't deliver in the way that I had hoped.

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PHILIPPA EAST works as a Clinical Psychologist and therapist and Little White Lies is her debut.

East lives in Lincolnshire with her husband and cat.