I would like to thank Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘The Girlfriend’ by Sarah Naughton in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.
Mags’ brother Abe is in an induced coma in hospital after falling down a stairwell at St. Jerome’s Church where he has a room . His girlfriend Jody is at his bedside but Mags doesn’t believe Abe’s fall was an accident. She doesn’t believe the story Jody’s telling her either. Mags temporarily moves into Abe’s room in an attempt to uncover the truth.
When I started reading I couldn’t understand what was happening for the first few chapters but I’m glad I didn’t give up as the further I got through the story the clearer it became.
‘The Girlfriend’ is an interesting novel with dark undercurrents, a good storyline, plenty of suspense and drama. It’s well-written, compelling and totally absorbing with satisfying ending.

The Girlfriend by Sarah J Naughton Is a book I nearly gave up on as the first few chapters left me bewildered, the chapters moved between events and characters with no explanation but I persevered and once I had worked out who the characters were in relation to the story it made for a quick and enjoyable read. I’m not going to say much about the plot as I hate spoilers but Abe is lying in a coma and for his sister Mags and fiancée Jody the nightmare is just beginning, what follows is a twisted tale of two damaged women, lies, abuse, and mental health issues.

The two women have disturbing pasts which at times made for a difficult read, (some readers maybe upset by some of the content) although I felt some empathy for Mags and Jody they were difficult characters to like. Both have issues which are evident in their actions, and although they both have very different personalities I couldn’t for the life of me find any endearing qualities in either of them. As the plot unfolds I did find myself wondering who was the more reliable narrator, as both women have issues and secrets they would prefer to keep hidden. I do love an unreliable narrator and the author uses this to good effect. The author expertly draws you into her character’s lives, creating tension and layers of suspense as she goes.

As Mag’s investigates her brothers accident everyone comes under suspicion, as the plot progressed and Mag’s attempts to unravel the truth from the lies, the reader gets a sense of unease and foreboding. I did find myself wondering where the plot was leading, there were a few surprises along the way, a couple of which I guessed. Although I wasn’t prepared for the dark and disturbing turn it took, and although perhaps a little unbelievable it was a suitable and apt ending.

If I’m honest The Girlfriend is a slow starter, but the author builds on the intrigue and suspense making for an enjoyable read. I thought this was going to be a five star read but unfortunately it didn’t quite meet the mark, because Tattletale is told in short sharp chapters that cut from past to present and character to character, it didn’t read as fluidly as I would have liked. I’m sure there will be plenty of readers who will love this taut psychological thriller, for me it was a throughly enjoyable read but not one I loved.

Outstanding book! I enjoyed every minute of it. Lots of twists and turns. I loved how the ending tied all parts of the plot together. I would read more books by this author.

Sarah Naughton captured my attention immediately with this highly charged book couldn't put it down.
Mags has made a life for herself in Vegas after escaping from her dysfunctional family back in England. She gets a phone call telling her that her brother is in a coma after an assumed suicide attempt. The only witness appears to have been his girlfriend who claims she didn't actually see anything.
The story starts to unravel and makes for a truly riveting read.

3.5 stars. I liked this and thought it was a good psychological thriller, with some clever twists. I enjoyed how everything came together in the end. There's nothing earth-shattering here, but it kept me engrossed in the story and I'd recommend it to anyone who likes to read a lot of psychological thrillers.

MAGS and her brother ABE grow up in a dysfunctional home. They individually escape from this home and don’t see or communicate with each other again.

Mags becomes a hardened and self indulgent Lawyer while Abe has become a kind and caring caregiver.

Abe falls over a balcony. Mags is contacted as his next of kin to sort out his belongings and flat. Mags resentment shows at the interruption to her life. His fiancé, Jody, should be looking after all his issues.

The construction of characters is amazing. The characters were very real and some issues dealt with had me in tears.

This psychological thriller keeps you reading until the end.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.

I takes a lot for me to add any one book to my top five, but this one has made the cut.

The beginning was a little shaky for me. I found the introductions very confusing especially as we are not always told who is at the centre of each event. It all comes clear by the end of the story....and what a twisty little story this is. I had no idea where this book would take me and the actual outcome was impossible to guess at.

The characters were well developed. Most readers will start out hating some but may feel something entirely different by the ending chapter.

There are very sensitive themes touched upon within this book, which some readers may find difficult to read. I feel that the writer deals with these topics with sensitivity and they are integral to the development of the story.

All in all, a fantastic introduction to Sarah J. Naughton. I can't wait to see more from this talented writer!

*thank you to Netgalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

3 stars.
But only just 3 stars. Parts of this were good, held my attention, made me wonder what was going to happen next, made me interested. But there were too many times I found my mind had drifted. I'd lost interest, and I was simply bored. I could have done without the last 10% of the book, but I do realise some will enjoy this addition to the story. One thing I did like was the character, Mags. Don't get me wrong, I really didn't like her in the beginning and middle but toward the end, it's a bit different. I can't say too much on that as I don't want to give away possible spoilers. My thoughts about Jody were all over the place. One moment I was feeling one way towards her, the next, something different. So yeah, this was somewhat good so if you think you may like it, I'd suggest giving it a go.

I struggled to get into this book and gave up on it. Sorry .

At first i was struggling a little bit with the characters and figuring out what was going on but once that was handled i friggen could not put this down. I stayed up late just to finish this one.

Characters:
Mags - Abe's sister who is a lawyer from Vegas. She heads back to London after her brother, Abe was in a tragic accident
Abe - Mags estranged brother, who lies in a coma state due to either his suicide attempt or someone pushing him over a banister at his place.
Jody - Abe`s emotional & unstable fiance.
Mira -Abe and Jody`s neighbor who might know more of the incidents that took place that fateful night.

The Girlfriend kept me on at the edge of my side mid-way through. Once you think you have it figured out Sarah J. Naughton pulls a twist out on you, she gives you hat could be a perfect ending but then BAM it gets even better, which i didn't think it could. I would absolutely recommend getting a copy of this, you will be in for a treat.

Only other thing i can say without spoiling is make sure you pay close attention to the beginning and really follow everything that is happening, once you have your in for a treat come end of the book.

Thanks NetGalley author Sarah J. Naughton for my ARC in exchange for an honest review. 5STARS!

This was a decent psychological thriller.

Mags returns home to England after hearing that her brother Abe has killed himself. He threw himself off the 4th floor balcony in his housing complex. The only witness was his fiance, Jody. Mags instantly knows that something is amiss even though she has been estranged from her brother for many years. She then starts asking questions of other residents in the building. Certainly someone had to hear or see something, right?

As soon as I started this I knew things weren't going to be what they seem which always compels me to keep turning the pages. I will say that I did figure out the twist early on but that didn't take away from my enjoyment. (Hey, it is nice to be right once in awhile!) And while I did enjoy this and finished it in just over a day it's just not one that will linger in my brain for long. A nice easy thriller that won't make you think all that much. 3 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Will post review to Amazon on publication day 3-6-18

WARNING

This riviting psychological thriller contains some quite graphic descriptions of child abuse and rape that some readers might find upsetting.

The main characters in this twisted tale are

Mags - a corporate lawyer who lives in Vegas but has had to make a emergency trip to London because her brother is in a coma after a accident.
Abe - Mags estranged brother
Jody - Abe`s broken and emotionally unstable fiance
Mira -Abe and Jody`s neighbour who may or may not know more about Abe`s accident than she is letting on.

The story is told from the alternative perspectives of Mags,Jody and Mira with some of the chapters containing flashbacks to events from Abe,Mags and Jody`s pasts.I didn't like Mags,I thought she was a very unlikable and unsympathetic,heartless character.Jody`s story was so heartbreaking and sad you needed to have had a heart of stone not to feel quite a lot of sympathy for her and it was easy to understand why she was so broken and messed up.I would have liked to have known more about Abe and wish that there had been more chapters that were told from his perspective.

I loved the descriptions of the converted church where Abe,Jody and Mira lived,as you read the story you could picture the sun shining through the stained glass windows and casting colourful shadows on the floorboards and hear in your head the clanking pipes and the sounds coming from the homes of the other colourful characters that lived in the building.

The only thing that slightly spoiled this gripping thriller for me was the court case towards the end which contained elements that were unbelievable and unrealistic.Apart from that I thoroughly enjoyed this well written debut thriller and look forward to reading more books by this author in the future.

I couldn’t get into this at all so didn't finish it.

I’m crazy in love with this book for many many reasons none of which I can tell you otherwise I’ll spoil it and then prevent you from falling crazy in love with this book.

That would be the shortest review ever though so we’ll talk around things a bit. For a start you’ll probably be expecting the usual sort of psychological thriller. Well yes. And No. She says enigmatically.

The characters in Tattletale are all extraordinarily intriguing, but they won’t necessarily do what you expect them to do at any given time. Sarah J Naughton has a keen eye for psychological knots – and she’ll tie you all up in them from start to finish. There really is some beautifully layered storytelling, challenging assumptions, exploring some dark themes and juggling the emotions of the reader from one extreme to another with almost every chapter.

Very very clever. At times very devious. Certainly emotive. And you know, surprising. Genuinely surprising. The resolution is genius, unexpected, when I got there I had to step back for a bit and take stock of what I was feeling. BAM. It gets you. But gently…

I loved it. Because its not really about what you think it is about. The surface will offer fans of psychological thrillers everything they could possibly want – then the hidden depths will offer everything else. So really. Everyone should read this book.

No one believes a liar. Even when they’re telling the truth.

What is the truth? Well you’ll have to read it if you want to find out. Sorry. Thats the way it goes..

My lips are sealed.

Highly Recommended

A twisted tale of revenge. Not very sympathetic characters, didn't do it for me.

Enjoyed this book. I was pulled in quite quickly, and found myself eager to read on and find out what was going on. For me, this kind of became less so as the novel progressed, which stopped me from giving it a four star. However, it is a good read, full of twists and turns.

Did not finish couldn’t get into this at all too many different characters from the off

Was it an accident? Who was involved? The sister arrives to try and discover the truth. Who is the "girlfriend"? A book to read when you have lots of time as you won't want to put it down until the end.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.* Mags has left her past being and is living a successful life in the United States. One day, a call from out of the blue summons her home to England and to her brother Abe's bedside. Abe has suffered a terrible fall and is in a coma. Things do not look good. 'The Girlfriend' is a mystery novel, a thriller, but it is also more than that. It is a commentary on violence and families and the damage that can be done in childhood. The book jumps around in time a bit and there is a fair cast of characters of whom to keep track, but overall, it was an enjoyable read that kept me guessing until the end.

This book is good, very good, its also complex, dark and not a throwaway read.
It deals with a brother who is on life support after falling down flights of stairs outside his home ( a converted church ) his girlfriend and his estranged Sister who arrives from America to ‘sort things’, ( the book is written from their perspectives with other characters also writing narrative chapters) more than that re the plot will give too much away.....
It deals in revenge, abuse sexual and physical, sexuality, personality disorders, murder, stalking,mental illness, end of life scenarios and yep more.....
It is not a book to pick up for a 5 minute casual read, its a book you become involved with and leaves you feeling you are part of some past and present situations that are uncomfortable to be in but require you to be there to understand the story and how this present day situation has arisen, you become more and more involved......
The characters are so well written you empathise with sone of them and detest others in equal measure, the descriptive writing is edgy and raw and VERY true to life and you find yourself thinking ‘yep Ive felt like that’ even when you may not admit to such strong emotions in real life....
The scene setting is sublime and the pictures created in your mind of the various London settings ( and other places including Las Vegas ) stay with you throughout the whole book
Such a wide ranging set of subjects covered are bound to affect certain readers but all subjects are handled sensitively
You will know you have read this book, its unforgettable, and its impossible not to be affected by it.....the twists and turns continue throughout the book to the ultimate in endings
It sounds trite to say its a great book and doesn’t give the book the justice it deserves as its so much more than a great book.....read it when its published in March and I guarantee you will feel the same.....