I really had high hopes for this thriller. It sounded exactly my thing but I’m afraid that, for me, it didn’t live up to expectations. Rather than focusing on the murders it focussed primarily on the narrator (and someone else’s) dysfunctional relationship with alcohol. Riveting reading it’s not. Quite sordid and depressing read.

This was not an easy read, mostly because of the subject matter. Although it is a crime novel, dealing as it does with the murder of four women, that is almost incidental to the impact of alcoholism on the major characters.

Reading about the way alcohol affects the life of Alex, especially through her denial of the problem, and the different way it affects Sarah, is quite difficult. At times, whilst following Alex's storyline, it felt more like watching it play out on a screen in front of me.

Initially I found the narrative to be slow and a bit heavy but it did improve as the story progressed. It is a more contemplative style but in a cleverly worked stop/go style. At times Alex's life seems quite frenetic but at others it is painfully slow as she misses whole chunks of her life.

The identity of the killer came as no surprise but I don't think it was meant to. There is a twist at the end which also wasn't much of a shock, but then came a twist upon the twist . . .

I find it hard to grade this book because I am torn between the very slow start and the quality of the writing of the scenes which seemed film-like.

Alex South is 39, a functioning alcoholic working a successful career as a television news journalist.

Her job is high profile, her position precarious after a drunken on air rant. She has tried her very best to keep her head down after that fateful day and has largely succeeded.

When a young woman is brutally murdered (almost literally) on her doorstep, Alex seizes her opportunity to get back into the limelight. The woman is the third to be murdered in similar circumstances in a short time, the press have enough to believe a serial killer is on the loose.

Alex is quickly thrust back into the limelight.

She copes with this by drinking wine with or sometimes instead of her morning coffee, and sipping vodka from a water bottle throughout the day. Her daily goal is to detox, but as part of such a high profile media campaign she finds herself unable to relax enough to do so most days.

The days where little is happening and Alex is allowed time of work though are the scariest. Each time she tries to detox she does practically the opposite. She finds small bottles of vodka and wine in her bag that she can’t remember buying, and worst still she experiences episodes of black outs where she wakes not being able to remember anything.

I Never Lie is a gripping account of how very ordinary people can slide from a seemingly perfect life into something not so perfect and how we can so easily push away those we love, and draw close to those we think we know, but infact know nothing about.

Alex is a TV reporter approaching 40. Although she's still denying it to herself, Alex is also a high functioning alcoholic.

Having left behind her home town of Manchester, and the radio show she presented there, Alex has headed for the bright lights of London and is teetering on the edge of a glittering news career. However she might have just messed up big time by having a very public, drunken rant on live TV. She has hasn't been sacked yet, so she's holding on to the hope that she's going to get another chance to prove herself...but she's still drinking. Way too much.

When a woman is murdered in a park just down the road from her home, Alex jumps at the chance to be there on the scene almost immediately and bamboozles her dubious editor into letting her bring the story home.

She throws herself into this new opportunity, and is exactly what the channel wants from a news anchor - determined, control and authoritative - the numbers on her Twitter account goes through the roof, delighting her employers and making her really feel like she's dodged a bullet. More murders are happening and Alex is literally on the doorstep of all the action, getting lots of air time and a great reception from the public. Reports are linking the victims to a dating site - one that Alex has been meeting men on for quite some time, even meeting one on the night the first murder happened. But in the background her drinking is getting even further out of hand - as the days progress she's even subconsciously stealing booze from people's houses, shops, anywhere she can get her hands on it, she is drunk more often than she is sober and she keeps having these blackouts where she wakes up with no idea where she is, or how she got there

Resigned to the fact that she does need help to escape from her alcohol dependancy, she keeps telling herself that tomorrow will be the day she will go sober -but tomorrow always seems to be a day away.

The story is told between the present day and diary entries written in 2017 by someone we don't know, a year or so before. The diary entries are intense, and scary, and we don't know where or how they fit into the story other than they seem to know Alex, and be virtually obsessed with her. The chapters are short and this leads to you wanting to keep reading, just one more, before turning the light out (or switching off the kindle!). Oh that way madness lies!

In terms of the plot, Alex is an unreliable narrator - we don't know where she's been or what she's been up to, apart from the gaps that are filled in by her various friends and colleagues. I really enjoyed the way Alex's character was written. I wanted to grab hold of her and shake her, stop her doing what she was about to do, and I was nervous of the person writing the diary entries, as they were clearly not quite right in the head due to the terribly sad life events they had experienced.

The only criticism I would have is nothing to do with the actual book, but the strap line - it set me thinking down a plot direction I wouldn't have even considered had I not read it, so it seemed an odd choice to me when promoting a book with a 'twist'.

I received an advance copy of this book from the publishers & Netgalley in return for an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this psychological thriller and read it within two days. The story is told through the eyes of the main character Alex who is a just functioning alcoholic working as an investigative reporter. The books chapters switch between her role in the investigation of a number of female murders, whilst struggling with her love life and her addiction, to the diary entry of a recovering alcoholic. The plot twists and turns with a sinister undertone and you question every character’s innocence right to the last few chapters.
I enjoyed the subject matter, the view into the world of an addict and the descriptions. The book is very current and deals with a lot of modern issues like online dating. I would definitely recommend this to fans of psychological thrillers and will definitely seek out more of this author

I couldn't get on with this book so gave up halfway. I started reading it with anticipation but once into it I just found that on the whole it didn't really grip me in the way I wanted it to.
Just not for me I'm afraid.

This is an original plot, compelling read and quite uncomfortable at times. The story is one of addiction woven through the case of a serial killer. For those of us fortunate enough not to have experienced addiction it is an insight into the self destruction and self denial that seems to ring so true. As a reader you want to shout 'get yourself sorted' but of course the truth of addiction is that this is what cannot be done. The story is written primarily in the first person both in the present by Alex and in the past in diary entries by Sarah. It is a good story, interesting and well written plot with a satisfying ending. Highly recommend

An interesting read with a great insight into the world of alcoholism. Plenty of twists and with a fantastic ending that will leave you thinking long after the book is finished.

'I promise myself that today, if it's the only thing I do, I will detox'.

Alex makes this promise to herself day after day only to find an excuse to delay this promise - usually blaming someone else. Being an alcoholic is a major theme in this book. So many of us do things to excess - drink, take drugs, eat too much, exercise too much - so this book is not just about excess of alcohol.

Cleverly crafted with false leads this is a very interesting book and worth adding to your reading list. 3 1/2 stars!

Many thanks to Netgalley/Jody Sabral/Canelo for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

A well written psychological thriller centred aroubd alcoholism and it’s dangers. A very enjoyable read with well formed characters and a good flow to the book. A book that leaves you wanting to read more.

It’s easier to deny to yourself that you don’t have a problem with alcohol when you’re (mostly) successful at your career (except for that one time that Alex appeared on the news, wasted). She’d been relegated to the desk after that fiasco, but when murdered women’s bodies show up not far from where she lives, she manages to get herself back on camera at key news-breaking moments.

The novel flashes back to a year earlier where we get posts from someone who knew Alex from Alex’s attempts at AA (to get her long-term boyfriend off her back about her drinking). They are diary entries which we know because they all begin with the words, “Dear Diary.” I’ve kept a journal since I was nine years old and every entry begins with the day of the week and the date. Do real people actually write “dear diary”?

Alex tells herself she’s drinking all day just to stave off detoxing so she can function, at least sort of. As she tries to get scoops, she realizes she has some knowledge of the people who died or the men being interviewed as possible suspects in their deaths.

You could see the ending well before things were revealed, and while there was some good stuff in this book, actively living through the lenses of two people who talk endlessly of simultaneously wanting another drink while also wanting to get sober is repetitive.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this novel.

I Never Lie by Jody Sabral sounded like it was a book that was right up my street. Unfortunately it didn't quite live up to the expectation. It wasn't bad, just not as good as I hoped.

Alex is an alcoholic in denial. She is a journalist on the downslide and desperate to have a baby. She has numerous one night stands with the intention of falling pregnant. When a number of bodies are found in her local area of East London she sees a way to redeem herself and get back on track. But the drinking leads to holes in her memories.. is she a danger to others as well as herself? Alex was not a likeable character at all.

Thanks to Candelo Books and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book to read in exchange for my honest opinions

I almost gave up as found it difficult to get into but I persevered. The main character was difficult to like and the ending was a bit disappointing.

I Never Lie makes for an enjoyable read, with short punchy chapters that will have you thinking "Just one more chapter" and as we all know that leads to sleep deprivation. But it's well worth every lost hour. The book is written between two characters - Alex and diary entries from Sarah. This adds to the intensity and need to keep turning the pages.
Alex South is a journalist, whose personal and professional life suffers because she is an alcoholic. This is the differentiating factor, to other psychological thrillers I have read. The author increases the awareness to the dangers of alcoholism, addiction denial and the extent someone such as Alex goes to, to feed the need for alcohol. It's definitely increased my awareness.
As Alex reports on a local suspected murder case, we learn that due to her addiction she suffers with memory loss and blackouts. This doesn't help the pressurised environment of her reporting live. But the cases, aren't all that they seem. A fourth body is found , and Alex soon begins to recall that she is connected to the individuals who have been murdered and those who are wanted for questioning.
This novel also increases awareness of the use of online dating sites, Alex is currently registered and dating men through the site under question. Are any of the men Alex had met recently responsible for the murders? Has she met the killer? Will she be the next one killed, or is she the killer? It's a real twisty read, and when Alex has a blackout, so do we as that part of the story is omitted. This gives a real feel for what Alex goes through.
As always no spoilers! If you like an easy reading thriller, with twists and turns then this one may be for you.
Thank you to Jody Sabral and Ellie (happy birthday for yesterday) at Canelo for our advanced review copy and invite to join the book tour.

Loved this book. Lots of twists and turns, lot of suspense throughout, a good read and good easy read to as it keeps you going.
Loved the characters and loved the flow of the book.

I quite enjoyed this book and its originality but it did take a while to get into it. Good storyline and suspense kept me turning the pages trying to find out what happens next. Without giving much away if you like murder mystery with a dysfunctional main character then you won't go wrong with this.

This book has me really torn about my reaction to it. In some ways it was great, very topical and thought-provoking and different to a lot of psychological thrillers I have read recently. In other ways it was really frustrating and a couple of things about it have left me downright furious.

This is the story of Alex, a journalist and high-functioning alcoholic whose drinking has torn both her personal and professional life apart. When a series of murders take place close to her home, she sees a way of redeeming her career, but cannot get control of her alcoholism. The book is told mainly from the first person viewpoint of Alex, as she reports on the story, and also through a series of diary entries of a third person, who we gradually find out more about as the book unfolds, which is an interesting set up and works reasonably well.

There are lots of aspects of this book I enjoyed. The writer sets the scene well, and the small area of London where the murders take place is made to feel claustrophobic and menacing, so we can understand how such awful crimes happening in a normally pleasant area can have an affect on a whole community. The character of Alex is well established, although she is not at all sympathetic, being selfish and unaware, but this is important to the plot development and does not detract from your investment in the story. Her need for alcohol overrides everything and the author very clearly demonstrates how alcoholism controls a person’s life, decisions and personality to the exclusion of everything and everyone else to the extent they will lie and deceive to get it and to hide their drinking. In the end, the constant quest for alcohol becomes pervasive to the extent that it is annoyingly repetitive, but I guess this is reflective of the reality for people living with this issue. The author does not pull any punches as to the character’s behaviour and parts of the book make uncomfortable reading.

I enjoyed the insight into the way new stories are put together, and the urgency of that gave the book a real dynamism which kept me turning the pages. The murder story involves the use of social media, not only as a way for the killer potentially to find victims via dating apps, but also as a way for the news team to track updates in the story which I thought was fascinating. It is amazing to me how the rise of social media has changed the dynamic of how we receive information so drastically that news channels are now playing catch up, instead of being the leading method of us gaining information on big stories and it is great to see this being reflected in current fiction.

On to the less positive side, parts of the book were repetitive, particularly the constant retelling of how her life is imploding. I understand that the author is trying to emphasise the cycle that alcoholics constantly go through by I wish she had mixed up how it was presented a little more. This book is advertised as ‘a gripping thriller with a twist you won’t see coming’. Unfortunately, I did see it coming long before the end and I think this was partly due to the strapline on the cover which is ill thought out in my opinion. The ending, and the explanation of some of the issues that had been brought up felt rushed to me, done as they were in a few pages of diary entry at the end.

The main problem, and the one that had me screaming in frustration at the book came in the final pages and, if I hadn’t been reading it on my Kindle, I think I would have thrown it. In a single sentence in the final chapter of the book, the author chooses to completely reverse a basic and central tenet of English criminal law to suit her story. This is unacceptable and had me totally enraged. There can be only two reasons she did this. Either, firstly, it is a mistake and she has simply not bothered to research the point of law involved. I find this hard to believe because a) it is such a basic premise that most lay people will know it and b) the author is a BBC journalist of long-standing. Alternatively, she does know it’s wrong but has decided that it doesn’t matter because her readers either won’t know or won’t care. I find this insulting to me as a reader and it completely ruined the book for me at the end. Maybe that is just me being a pedant but, for a crime writer to decide to re-write English law to suit her preferred story ending is just lazy. We’re not talking about a small licence in detail here and it really bugged me.

Due to my mixed reaction to this book, I can’t say whether I would recommend it or not. It has a lot going for it but it could have been so much better. Ultimately, my over-riding feeling was one of frustration.

Fantastic narration and storyline throughout. Loved the different viewpoints angle and a powerful message contained within

Alcoholism, murder, lies, intrigue are all found in this book. I loved the two person commentary. Following the life of a reporter and how she tried to find out who the murderer was. Very intriguing and exciting story. Thoroughly enjoyed this and would happily recommend.. Will be looking for more books by Jody Sabral.

I found this to be a cracking read.

It's a very unusual storyline and an ending I didn't see coming.

Alex is the functioning alcoholic protagonist who is a TV journalist embroiled in a murder mystery. She blunders through each day in a way I found frustrating, sympathetic and intriguing, all in equal measure.

The writer is excellent at building suspense and I found it was one of those books that, even when I wasn't reading it, never really left me.
I recommend this murder mystery, whodunnit, with a difference and wish the author much future success.

Many thanks to net galley and Canelo for the opportunity to preview in exchange for this honest review.