BOOK DESCRIPTION
Never trust anyone. Never trust yourself.
Rachel has made poor decisions in the past, but she has always tried her best for her daughter. When Vivian needed a fresh start, Rachel didn’t hesitate to move them far from London. She just wishes she could shake the nagging doubt that Vivian is hiding something.
Vivian isn’t like other teenagers. On the surface she seems the same as her friends, but she knows she is different. When enigmatic Alex takes an interest in her, Vivian’s cool demeanour hides an intensity of feeling she has never known before. His touch sets her skin on fire.
Mother and daughter are both keeping secrets. But just how dangerous are they? As lust and anger give way to violence Rachel will have to decide: is she prepared to give up everything for her child? Even her own life?
A taut and gripping psychological thriller about toxic families, secrets and life-or-death decisions. Don’t miss this if you’re a fan of He Said/She Said, Good Me, Bad Me and The Girlfriend.
Most parents want to believe in the goodness of their children's character,that you have done your best in raising them to be upstanding members of society. To have good manners, be kind and caring, liked by their peers,have good friends and have had a safe and secure upbringing. Being a parent isn't easy,we are only human and we do make mistakes but most of us try to learn from those mistakes and not repeat them in the future. We all want the best for our children but very often there is a fine line between doing what is best for them and creating a rod for your own back. If you suspect that something is seriously wrong with one of your little darlings is it better to confront the truth and get them the help that they need or as Rachel does in this chilling story, bury your head in the sand until you are eventually forced to face the consequences of your inactions.
The chapters of this captivating,character driven story alternated between the perspectives of two vivid, realistic individuals, Rachel and her fifteen year old daughter Vivian. It would be very easy for me to say that they were both rather unlikable but both the females suffered from their own individual issues and therefore I felt that it would be rather unfair of me to pass judgement on their characters. Rachel had obviously been badly affected by events from her past and also carried around with a very heavy burden of quilt. I thought that she was a very lonely individual who just wanted some love and attention and that was why she was so easily manipulated by Alex. Vivian certainly had some very serious issues but exactly how much control did she actually have over her behaviour and actions? Was she simply born evil, mentally ill or was her behaviour due to the intriguing question that has been stumping experts and crime fans for decades, the nature v nurture debate?
Interspersed throughout the book was chapters that slipped back in time and were set in London when Rachel and a young Vivian lived with Rachel's mother Carol. These chapters took the reader through the events which lead up to a shocking incident that forced Rachel and Vivian to leave London and restart their lives a tiny village.
This is a extremely well written thriller that had me hooked in from the first page and caused me to experience a wide range of conflicting emotions as the emotionally charged and at times shocking story unfolded before my captivated eyes. The plot covers a wide range of hard hitting issues and I think.that the story would raise some interesting discussions if it was read by a book group. I really enjoyed this outstanding chilling thriller and look forward to reading more of this author's books in the future. Worth all the stars and more and very very highly recommended.
About Sarah Lawton:
Sarah Lawton grew up on the Isle of Wight, and following university she embarked on a career in the charity sector. After a few years of full time parenting, she picked up her pen, and can now be found writing in various locations in East London.
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Website: https://www.mumzilla.co.uk/
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Publishing Information:
Published in paperback and digital formats by Canelo on 25th March 2021
Purchase Links:
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/3vb0uqL
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3qBnkog
Hive.co.uk: http://bit.ly/3kZ11Y9
Waterstones: http://bit.ly/3ezQhP5
Foyles: http://bit.ly/3v8ueof
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