What a story!!!! I’ve read a few of this authors books but this has now become my favourite. 

Joe McKee is a real nasty character. Behind closed doors is was nothing like what the community thought he was. He’s now dying and wants his family with him. When he dies the police are suspicious. 

Not a subject that everyone wants to read about. The author wrote it in such a way it was hard to put the book down. 

Brilliantly written dark, psychological read. Can’t wait to read more from this author.

This book covers sensitive issues, so be warned  that it could trigger emotions.

The Liars Daughter is a dark and pacy read. Joe is dying of cancer and will be dead in weeks rather than months. Heidi is Joe's step daughter, he has looked after her since her own mother passed away when she was just ten years old. Ciara is Joe's daughter and is bitter about him leaving her and her mother for another woman.

Both women have little time or love for Joe.

Told in the viewpoints of Heidi, Ciara and Joe, the family's dark and dirty secrets come to light after Joe's death and what follows makes for emotional and riveting reading.

I really felt the tensions of the characters and while at times this story, for me personally, was a difficult read I was completely gripped.

The telling of this story is very realistic, I almost stopped reading a few times, but that said, it is not filled with unnecessary horror.

I loved how Ciara and Heidi were portrayed and felt a real connection to how they dealt with what had happened in their lives. Each girl was different and there was no sugar coating of their feelings. 

The shock at the end was fitting, and the tale evolved perfectly. This along with brilliant writing makes The Liars Daughter well worth a read.

With thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books for the ARC.

This is a dark, psychological thriller about an estranged extended family.
Joe McKee is a pillar of the Derry community, religious, friendly and always there to help.

His daughter and step daughter have an entirely different view of him.

When Joe is told he has months to live due to terminal cancer, his family come together to come up with a plan for his final months.

Within days, he is dead.
At first it seems like natural causes but the police soon announce that he was murdered.

Family tensions that have been bubbling away for decades all immediately come to the fore.
Accusations are made, fists are thrown and every slight and grudge is brought to the surface.

A brilliant whodunnit with tensions and dark secrets.

An excellent read.

This is a well written, uncomfortable read that I feel isn’t marketed correctly. The summary and blurb speak of a ‘suspense filled novel’ when I found it more of a slow burn, family drama - although I absolutely understood that description wouldn’t  have it flying off the shelves.

The subject matter is an uncomfortable read and there’s certainly no surprise in the reasoning behind the family dislike and hatred of Joe. The ‘secret’ is in knowing who killed him and this wasn’t sufficient to maintain my interest.

I finished the book, but, only because I felt committed to and not in anyway because I was enjoying it.

All in all a well written, but, predictable read.

A 2* OK from me.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Avon for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.* My favourite genre of books is domestic thriller. One of my favourite political/historical topics is Northern Ireland. As such, Claire Allan's recent thrillers, all set in Derry and surrounds are a match made in Heaven. I first came across Claire's work when I stumbled across 'Her Name Was Rose' in 2018 and have been a fan ever since. 'The Liar's Daughter' did not disappoint and provides the usual intrigue, suspense and complex relationships that we have come to expect from Claire. The book focusses on the death of Joe McKee, a supposed paragon of virtue and pillar of society and his daughter Ciara and step-daughter's responses to his death. Joe was an old man, but the police start to question whether his death was natural, or if it was hastened along by someone near and dear to him. The book is fast-paced and held my attention until the very end. I can't wait to read what Allan writes next.

Holy crap! What the heck has happened???!!!

I couldn’t stop reading until end of the pages! I’m glad that Joe McKee is dead because of what he did to his girls when they were little girls..he was a monster that I agree with them! Can’t believe the girls hold back and not telling anyone or their family expect her aunt Kathleen knew it..

Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy...

Does anyone really deserve to die before their time? There apears to be suspicious circumstances regarding their father's death. With flashbacks we discover there is more than one person who may have wanted him dead - but who?
Must admit I didn't see the end coming.

Thanks to Netgalley for a digital copy of this book

A very powerful, emotive and evocative read

Joe is dying of cancer and wants his family to be around him for his final few weeks
His daughter Ciara and step daughter Heidi feel differently, they will be there BUT don’t want to be, how can they when Joe ruined their lives and relationship?

Joe feels settled that he has them there but he goes to meet his maker even quicker than expected, well he was dying after-all, it was to be expected, wasn’t it?

What follows is a ‘whodunit’ with recriminations, hurt, lies and anger on all sides with the truth being buried with Joe, but it cant stay like that forever

A moving story, set in Ireland, of a family coming to terms with ( although not wanting to ) a father, step father and brother’s evil past told, as always, brilliantly by this author, as said a very emotive and powerful read, it reads very personal from the characters and is haunting as it is unforgettable

10/10
5 Stars

This thriller is well written and researched. The main topic of pedophilia I found difficult to read about but it was dealt with in a very sensitive manner. 

Joe McKee is dead. A fine upstanding man to the outside world but to those close to him especially his daughters he’s a monster. As the family who have been torn apart reunite for his funeral they are left shocked by the police investigation into Joes death. Could he have been murdered? Who if anyone is guilty? 

The utter devastation and long lasting consequences of abuse is far reaching and this was apparent in this book. This wasn’t an easy read for me but nevertheless was fantastically written and showed understanding of the difficult subject . 

Thank you to the publishers and netgalley for my chance to read this gripping read

This is not the first of Claire Allan’s books that I’ve read and it definitely won’t be the last !!

Joe McKee is dead. He had cancer and was given only weeks to live. His stepdaughter Heidi is taking on most of his care but then Ciara, Joe’s estranged daughter arrives. It soon becomes apparent that Heidi and Ciara do not get on but they do have one thing in common, they both despise Joe. 

Joe suddenly dies and although his diagnosis was very poor suddenly the police are suspecting that Joe was murdered.  Joe is a pillar of the community so who would want him dead and why ?  Heidi and Ciara know only too well what Joe was really like but will others discover the truth about the pillar of their community.

This is a great book with such a harrowing storyline. You really feel for Heidi and Ciara  and just wish that they would support each other rather than push each other away. I loved the characters and the style of the book, with the past and present been told in alternating chapters. We also get to see the story from both Heidi and Costa’s viewpoint.  Definitely one to read !!

Thank you to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for a digital copy of this book.

Thanks to Netgalley and Avon Books UK for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review. 

Joe McKee is sick with cancer and doesn't have much time left. Years ago he left his wife and daughter for another woman with a daughter named Heidi. Heidi's mother died of cancer not long after and Joe raised Heidi, while not maintaining much of a relationship with his biological daughter Ciara. Both daughters don't like him or each other and grudgingly come together with a few other people to put on a wake for Joe after he dies. Then the police announce Joe's death may not have been of natural causes and we know someone in the house that was responsible for his death but of course we don't know who. 

This book was a bit slow for me. Joe is a horrible person so I was not at all sad that he died a little earlier than we was going to die anyway. That could be why I ultimately didn't really care who killed him and why this book wasn't that intetesting for me. This felt more like a family drama with a not terribly interesting mystery thrown in. It was my least favorite of the 3 books I have read by this author but I will likely pick up her next one.

Another well written and complex story by one of the greatest authors out there. A tragic story with an unexpected ending.

Joe McKee is dying. As the family start to gather past tensions spring to the surface. His biological daughter, Ciara,  detests his step-daughter Heidi as she believes Heidi & her Mother took Joe away from her. Heidi on the other hand detests Ciara for the way she behaved towards her as a child. His sister Kathleen sees him as some kind of saint, whilst his ex-wife Marie (Ciara's Mother) is obviously still in love with him. The community love Joe Mckee, an upstanding pillar of the church, and mourn when he dies of natural causes......or does he?
I really enjoyed the tension within this book. Ciara & Heidi have a very toxic relationship which is centred around Joe & his behaviour when they were children. This tension is mentally crippling for them both & has serious effects on their partners Stella & Alex. When the police come sniffing around it is obvious that something has to give. I love the way that although Heidi hates Joe she slips back into the role of a dutiful step-daughter around him. How often do family get togethers become difficult because people slip into their childhood roles? Families getting together for weddings, funerals, Christmases etc are ripe grounds for old feelings and behaviours to spill over into the present. The author captured this brilliantly.
I really enjoyed this book. The plot was good and the suspense built up really well. I feel that this worked particularly well with the background of the Catholic church which added an extra dimension.  A great plot with fantastic characters - a great read. I shall certainly be keeping an eye out for other books by this author.

I received a free copy of this book via Netgalley.

I’d like to thank Avon Books UK and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘The Liar’s Daughter’ by Claire Allan in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Joe McKee, a highly-regarded member of his Irish community, has terminal cancer and only has a short time to live.  As the members of his family gather, his step-daughter Heidi who’s been left with most of his care and daughter Ciara feel only hatred for the man who was supposed to love and protect them but instead ruined their lives.  Following Joe’s demise the police inform them that his death doesn't appear to be from natural causes and they question the family.  Ciara and Heidi both have reasons for wishing Joe dead but did one of them prematurely put an end to his life?

‘The Liar’s Daughter’ is a thought-provoking and disturbing novel that encompasses subjects including child abuse, cancer and self-harm into a well-written and powerful family drama.  The plot is intricately woven, the characters convincing although not all of them are likeable, and the tension intensifies with every twist and turn.  The story becomes increasingly chilling until the conclusion when the guilty person is revealed and all is explained.  This novel is compulsive reading, well-deserving of five stars, and definitely shouldn’t be missed.

Not my favorite by this author, labeled incorrectly. BUT, I do love the way this author writes and builds her characters. She knows how to tell a story. 

This is a family drama. Yes there is the question of who committed the crime, but it really isn’t the meat of this story. It’s a hard story to read, full of abuse. It’s dark and heartbreaking. 

This was well written but a tough one for me. I will still look forward to the next one by this author. 

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and Avon Books UK for a copy in exchange for a review.

I have loved previous books by Claire Allan, however, I was a bit disappointed in this one. However, I felt it dealt with the subject matter very well.,The book was told in two narratives, that of Heidi (Joe’s step daughter) and Ciara (Joe’s biological daughter).

Joe left his wife for a new partner and her child, however, Rachel died two years after Joe moving in leaving him to take care of her daughter, Heidi. Heidi and Joe’s daughter Ciara did not get on whatsoever, Ciara believed that Heidi was taking her Daddy away from her and treated Heidi venomously. 

Joe has been diagnosed with terminal cancer and the family come together to look after him, however, nobody wants to look after him, he is a pillar of the community, a church goer and an all round nice man… or so he would have you believe. The night Joe dies, it should be a simple case of when will we have the funeral although the undertaker notices some bruising etc which leaves the question, was Joe murdered and if so, by who? Heidi, Ciara, Kathleen (his sister), his ex-wife…. There are only a few suspects…..

A story of lies, betrayal, child abuse which was hard to digest at times, I found the book to be predictive and guessed the outcome. Overall an ok read.

Unfortunately, this for me was a DNF. I found the subject matter rather difficult to read - I can understand why many enjoyed this book, the writing is very strong, the characters believable and the plot moves quickly but this simply wasn't for me. I would however recommend to anyone who feels that they could persevere through the difficult subject matter.

I loved my first experience with Claire Allan's psychological thrillers last year and I've been looking forward to read more of her work ever since... I was going to read her thriller debut Her Name Was Rose next, but of course I couldn't say no to reading her newest story The Liar's Daughter first when the opportunity arose. I admit I was sold as soon as I read the blurb and guessed there would probably be something dark and ominous about this psychological thriller.

The Liar's Daughter is by no means an easy read and incorporates difficult topics including child abuse, manipulation, cancer and mental health. Especially the first is trigger warning worthy, as it plays a big role in the story and can be hard to stomach in points... That said, I think that Claire Allan did an excellent job both describing and shining a light on the effects and consequences on the victims even years later. Shame, fear and manipulation often force victims to stay silent about their suffering and this story shows just how much it can destroy a life as well as affect those close to the persons involved. I do have to say that I wasn't a fan of any of the characters though and that includes Ciara and Heidi, who should be easy to feel sympathy for. Joe McKee is of course the true villian despite him being on his deathbed, and he definitely will not win your sympathy (quite the contrary!). Ciara's partner Stella is probably the most easy to like, although she doesn't really play a big role in the story as a whole.

Unlikeable characters aside, there is no doubt that The Liar's Daughter is a super engaging, quick and intriguing read. I literally started and finished it in less than a day! The prose is easy to read and you will find yourself flying through the pages as you want to discover if your guesses turn out to be right. I have to admit that I found the plot to be quite predictable and I guessed a lot of the plot twists really early on. It might just be that I've read too many thrillers in recent years, but it did put a minor damper on things... As a whole it was still a very entertaining read though.

The Liar's Daughter is one of those psychological thrillers you will find yourself reading in record speed despite a somewhat predictable plot. Some parts are quite uncomfortable, especially those related to child abuse and Joe's character in general, but the situation is well described and used to help shine a light on the problem instead of just looking for a way to 'spice up' the plot. If you are looking for a quick and engaging psychological thriller and don't mind some troubling moments and heavy elements, The Liar's Daughter is an excellent choice.

Love everything by Claire Allan, and her latest book did NOT disappoint.  It is twisty, thrilling, compelling and will not let you put it down until the last page.  Highly recommend for a great thriller!

Thank you to netgalley in exchange for this arc.

Heidi and Ciara are stepsisters. Ciara has a special kind of hate for Heidi. She is always bulling and tormenting her. Heidi has always been a quiet, introverted person. No w they are grown. Heidi is married with a baby girl of her own. Ciara is living with her partner Stella. 
The only thing Ciara and Heidi have in common is Joe. Joe the stepfather that raised Heidi after the death if her mother. Joe the father that left Ciara and his wife for Heidi's mother. Such convoluted relationships breed hate and disdain amongst them all.
Joe has cancer, he is dying, he doesn't have long to live. As always Heidi is the one that has stuck by his side. She is the one caring for him. Not that she wants to, but due to a distorted sense of having to.
When Joe finally dies, to everyone's relief. The burial and wake should be small details. 
The coroner's report states differently. 
Joe was smothered. Which of the people there took the opportunity to finish a sick and twisted old man's life?
Great and surprising ending. How well do you know your friends and family?