Wow! More twists and turns than a roller coaster, my mind is still reeling. The psychological thriller, HER MOTHER’S LIES, is the first book that I’ve read by Rona Halsall and can’t wait to read more. I really enjoyed this novel; my heart broke throughout as I sat cringing at every turn, along with Martha, the main character. To say I empathize with her situation would be an understatement! Definitely, Recommend! 

LOVE YOU GONE, a gripping psychological crime novel is going to be my next Halsall read! Both books are available for purchase now.
 
Thank you, NetGalley and Bookouture Publishing, for providing me with an advanced copy of HER MOTHER’S LIES in exchange for an honest review.

Rona Halsall's novels just get better and better with every release. Her Mother's Lies is a deceptive and twisty tale of deceit with an explosive and unexpected reveal of an ending that had me holding my breath! What a dramatic, fantastic last few chapters.

The story centers on the lifestyle of Martha who has a mother that has held back from her many, many dark secrets. In her quest to find some answers about her estranged father, Martha starts to unravel a whole new life that had been kept away from her, all stemmed from a hateful mother.

The first few chapters are a slow starter and lead you into the lives of characters that you start to find hatred for, but I found it hard to put down due to being reeled further into the mysteries that Rona has cleverly paced throughout the book.

An excellent story, and a great read.

Her Mother's Lies is a well-plotted story about a young woman who discovers that her mother has been lying and keeping secrets from her. It's a twisty tale of family secrets, deceit, and the lengths a mother can go to to protect her child. This book is set in the Cornish countryside and is told from the perspectives of Martha and her mother Fran. The plot was intriguing and provided just the right amount of tension and suspense to keep me guessing. The characters were complex and interesting. Martha was the only likable character in my opinion. My heart really went out to her for having to put up with such a selfish, toxic mother like Fran. The last few chapters were action-packed and full of twists and turns. Overall, I really liked this book and will read more by this author. If you like thrillers with family drama and dysfunctional families then this is the book for you. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

My Rating: 4.5 Stars

Martha has had a missing piece in her life for years. She remembers a loving father that did a lot of things with her. However, all she can remember is that after her ninth birthday, she never saw him again. She never was able to get much of an answer about her father from her mother.

When she discovers a rather odd message on her mother's phone, Martha feels it is finally time for her find the answers she most desperately needs. She does a remarkable job and she finally finds him. Martha is devastated beyond belief when he actually tells her that he is not her father.

Fran isn't saying a word. Fortunately Martha meets Izzy and they become fast friends. Izzy becomes extremely helpful and this is really a good thing. This is so because what Martha has to learn about her father's identity is really too much to bear. There is someone else in Martha's life at this point, her neighbor Anna. Anna is also there for Martha.

Boy as I was reading this I felt that Martha might have wished she never wanted to know the truth. Her Mother's Lies was a very well-written story. It made complete sense as to why Martha's mother chose to lie to her. Logical, but extremely heart-breaking. Martha has a lot to discover, and as a result, a lot to deal with.

What Martha learns about her mother Fran makes perfect sense when it comes to seeing why her mother has deteriorated. Martha resents her mother's drinking. She resents being the primary breadwinner. Her feelings of anger towards her mother grow exponentially the closer she gets to Izzy.

There were a lot of surprises in this book. This is a story about lies and secrets. I couldn't help but turn the pages quickly one after another. I felt for Martha when it came to her dealing with her mother, and especially how she was forced to deal with the revelations as they were exposed. This is an excellent read and my second by Rona Halsall. She writes great twisty tales that definitely capture my attention.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

I had a very hard time getting into this book. The plot was very interesting but I could not get into the characters. Martha was very confusing for me because at times she was very self absorbed and at other times she was very selfless.

I was hooked from the start with this psychological thriller, although I can’t say I particularly liked any of the characters. Martha and her mum Fran live an isolated life in Cornwall deliberately in hiding.Martha has just lost her job, her mum is an alcoholic and very needy and money is extremely tight. This is a rollercoaster of a storyline which sees Martha making an impromptu road trip with friend Izzy to visit her estranged father which has unexpected consequences. Events are then set in motion that leave you wondering about Izzy as a character as there’s something not quite right with the way she is behaving. I was intrigued as a reader to discover Izzy’s true motivation for going to such great lengths to support Martha. A menacing feeling pervades this novel setting the scene for the first big twist that I really did not see coming. My jaw literally dropped to the floor!! Martha is confused as it’s apparent Fran has been lying to her, keeping secrets and she is determined to uncover the truth. Are any of the people in Martha’s life actually who they say they are??  Appearances can be deceptive and this is certainly the case in this page turner of a book. With revelations coming thick and fast the ending is quite explosive and again unexpected. Perhaps a bit far fetched for me to give this a five star review but I definitely recommend. Thanks as always to the author and publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to read in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed the book, although some parts were rather slow. It wasn't too hard to figure out the true identity of Izzy, but I wasn't expecting what she revealed. The book was definitely full of twists and turns. Pretty much every single person in Martha's life lied to her, and she ended up living an extremely sheltered life. She seemed more like a teenager than someone in their twenties. She was very trusting of strangers and never thought Izzy acted strange. I wasn't a fan of any of the characters. Fran really wasn't that great of a mother, she kept her daughter home from college because she didn't want to be alone, spent all her money on alcohol and was in debt up to ears and of course lied about everything. I think I was expecting something else after reading the description of the book. The best art of the book was finally finding out who was behind everything.

I loved the author' s previous books and look forward to reading more.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bookouture through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A bit of a slow burner coming into it’s own in the last third of the book. Would have enjoyed it a lot more if the pace throughout the novel had been consistent. Saving grace being the twist towards the end. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.

Just Brilliant!!!! 

Her Mother's Lies by Rona Halsall was a fantastic book and I was hooked within the first few pages and ended up reading it in 2 sittings! 
This book was fast pace with lots of family secrets, with twists and turns that will leave you shocked! OMG with another Big Twist!!! Then, another Big Twist!!!!! I didn't see that coming! 
Blimey what a cracking read! The last few chapters I was stunned and it left me speechless and that means a Brilliant book and a must read!!!

"What if the person you trust most in the world, has been lying to you for your whole life?" 

Martha, Fran, Izzie, Greg and Anna are the main characters within this book. 

Martha is in her mid-twenties and still lives with her mum Fran. They both live in a remote pretty cottage in the Cornish countryside. Martha would do anything for her mum. Fran has a lovely job, where she paints and illustrates children's books for a local children book writer and friend Ann.  Ann is also a very close and nearly only friend of the family and always looks out for them..............
Martha is training to be an animal nurse which she is loving every minute of it.

Martha becomes friends with someone called Izzie through their love of dogs and they form a very close friendship with each other. 

Martha sees a strange message on her mother’s phone – apparently from her estranged father Greg.

But, why did Greg leave her mum? Their relationship always seemed to be a happy one. 
Martha remembers her dad taking her out for an ice-cream etc at weekend, helping with her homework, being a loveable dad to Martha.......Then a few days before her ninth birthday, he walked out on her and her mum.

Fran becomes ill and is taken to the local hospital. Martha's relationship with Izzy takes another step and they become closer. 

Poor Martha, her troubles are only really just beginning!!!

But Who is Lizzy? 

What happened to her father Greg? Where is he?

What has Ann got to do with it all? What is she hiding? Who is Ann really?

I highly Recommend Her Mother's Lies its a Brilliant psychological thriller that will keep you Hooked. 

You will want to know what happens to Martha and her Mum Fran etc and will just leave you stunned!!!!

WoW..............What a brilliant book!

 10/10 read!

Big thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased

My goodness -- this story had more twists and turns than the switchbacks on a Colorado mountain road! Although I guessed the truth very early on, it was a fun ride to the conclusion. Definitely a domestic drama that was also quite sad considering how things turned out.

Martha, age 24, lives with her mother, Fran, in "the forgotten corner of Cornwall." They had moved to this isolated spot when Martha's dad, Greg, left her and Fran when Martha was just 9 years old. Martha was working as a vet assistant and dreamt of going to school and Fran was a freelance illustrator who often collaborated with Anna, their occasional neighbor and landlord, on children's books. As time goes by, Martha and Fran aren't getting along so well as diabetic Fran has also turned to alcohol and is not taking care of her health. Martha wants to leave and be on her own and feels tied to home. Things come to a head when Fran is hospitalized and Martha finds that her new role might end up being as permanent caregiver. Fortunately, Martha has a good friend, Izzy, who offers to help. Things might have gone well for them all except for one thing -- Martha finds out that her entire life has been a lie. Can someone just tell her the truth? NO SPOILERS.

This was quite the story and is told in alternate points of view and shifts in time. As you read the different perspectives, it is a bit difficult at first to get the necessary information to guess who is telling the truth. There's a lot of angst, bitterness, regret, and emotion as well. I struggled to find empathy for the characters as each seemed very selfish while complaining about how they had given up everything for the other. This was a quick book that was easy to read in a single sitting. Definitely off the charts in straining credulity but certainly entertaining with all the convolutions.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this e-book ARC to read and review.

The first two-thirds were slow for me and then all of a sudden it took off.  I liked the author's style and writing, the characters are all unreliable and not very likeable.  All in all, a good read.

I love Rona Halsall’s books and this one is an absolute cracker!
Martha’s life as she knows it comes tumbling down around her when she finds out the man she thought was her dad, is not. 
Her friend Izzy is on hand to help pick up the pieces and with her mum in hospital, she needs the support. 
Her mum, Fran, has struggled with alcoholism and Martha soon finds out they are in a lot of debt as well. 
Having just lost her job she doesn’t know which way to turn. 
This book is full of family secrets and twists and turns and just when you think you’ve got your head round it, another twist is thrown in. 
I loved the final few chapters as the pace was relentless and left me speechless. 
This is a great psychological thriller that will keep you up until the early hours once you start it. 
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

This book is told from Martha and Frans perspective. The storyline is slow at the beginning but picks up pace. The book is filled with many twists and turns. The characters are well developed. There was a point in the book where I really didn’t like Izzy. She even disturbed me but as I read further and got more details those feelings changed. 
The ending was a complete surprise and I didn’t guess that was where the story was going. This book kept me on the edge of my seat. Rona is a great author and can’t wait for another book from her.

I wanted to like this book but to be totally honest i struggled to get through it. The plot was alright but it took a very long time for me to get in to and some things seemed repetitive or overly reiterated. It was way to drawn out in the beginning without much actually happening. I didnt love the characters either, they also seemed a bit dull. The last 1/3 of this book was much better, faster paced and had a great ending with a great twist. I  just wish t he whole book could have moved at that pace.

I really do not know where to begin with this book! Another book by Rona and another story where she has spun so many plates I do not know how she managed to keep them all spinning without dropping anything!

The first half of this book is slowish, in terms of the scene is being set, creating so much tension I was on edge, curveballs are being pitched and characters are being introduced. It is not until the second half of the book where I was urging the characters to catch up with me did you see the proverbial mud hit the fan and it just did not stop. One reveal and then another and another. I was kept completely on my toes, where I was not sure where the book was going for about 60% of the book, Her Mother’s Lies is like a steam train flying down the track for the last 40%.

We have a small pool of characters with Martha, Fran her mother, Izzy the friend and Anna the neighbour. Each and every one of them plays a role in Martha’s life, the main character, all intertwining and tightening that web around Martha with their lies. Will she see things before it’s too late? Will anyone just tell the truth? Pah, don’t be silly where is the fun in that! Because if everyone told the truth we wouldn’t have the mess we have now and poor Martha wouldn’t be poor Martha.

I did find it hard to “like” any of the characters, I thoroughly enjoyed the story, but I just did not warm to the characters. I found at times it was a bit hard going when all Martha and Izzy would do was cry. Do not get me wrong I completely get why they were crying, they were exhausted, there were lies, there was anger but I just wanted to shake them and make them wake up and smell the roses. That being said they all played their part well and kept me engrossed in their lives.

Nothing is ever what it seems in Rona’s books and I love that about her writing! She creates a hailstorm of lies making you question everything and just when you think you have got the eye of the storm, she leaves you with uncertainly and definitely with a chill down your spine and she always has the final say.

Her Mother's Lies by Rona Halsall is a book about a very dysfunctional family, and my first book by this author.  Martha life is falling apart, her boss died and she lost her job. Than her mother, who is an alcoholic  who ends up in the hospital.  There is so many twists and turns in this book, that it keep me reading page after  page.  I was right there with Martha looking for answers.  I will be reading more books by this author, highly recommend. 

I reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and Bookouture.  Thank you.

I have read a few of Rona Halsall's books and have enjoyed them all, and Her Mother's Lies is no exception. It's a gripping read packed full of mystery and suspense. 
I really liked Martha and had so much sympathy for her. She has a complicated relationship with her mother, not helped by the fact her mother has only a fleeting acquaintance with telling her daughter the truth.
I can't wait to see what Rona has to offer next, she is a super talented author and her books are ones I will always pick up

What if the person you trust most in the world, has been lying to you for your whole life?

Martha would do anything for her devoted mother, Fran. Now in her mid-twenties, Martha still lives with her in their remote, pretty cottage in the Cornish countryside. Fran paints illustrations, while Martha trains to be an animal nurse.

But then Martha sees a strange message on her mother’s phone – apparently from her estranged father.

He had been there for her first steps. He’d helped with her homework, and taken her for ice cream at weekends. And then, two days before her ninth birthday, he walked out. She never knew what went wrong, and she and Fran never heard from him again.

Desperate for answers, she tracks him down. But when they come face-to-face, she isn’t ready for the brutal truth.

Closing his eyes he says, ‘She hasn’t told you, has she? I’m not your father.’

Her mother has been telling lies.

And not just about who her real father is......

This story begins with Martha determined go to and find her dad who left when she was nine years old, but what she doesn't expect to hear is that her mum, the one person she thought she could trust above all else, has been lying to her and her whole world comes crashing down around her. The story is told in two timelines, past and present and from the perspectives of both Martha and Fran. It's a tale full of secrets, lies and revelations and boy, do those revelations come thick and fast in the second half of the book. This is the first I've read by this author and it certainly won't be the last, it's very cleverly written with twists in all the right places and it definitely kept me gripped.

I'd like to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for the auto approval, I will post my review on Goodreads now and Amazon on publication day

I really enjoyed this book, clever and well written it was a struggle to put it down to deal with real life.

A lesson in how keeping secrets can often end badly. This story gives the facts with extra oomph.

Her Mother's Lies by Rona Halsall is an engaging read that pulled me into the narrative quite early, and had me fully invested in Martha's story throughout.  There is a palpable tension and overall unsettled feeling that descends almost immediately as the reader, along with our protagonist, embarks on a quest for the truth.

Martha is a woman in her early twenties who lives in an isolated area of Cornwall with her mother, Fran.  Martha struggles to keep the pair afloat through Fran's health issues, alcoholism, and crippling debt.  When Martha sets out on a journey to find her estranged father, she unknowingly opens herself up to relationships and secrets that have long remained dormant.  Will this young woman find the answers that will set her free at last and, if so, at what cost to herself and those she loves?

This is one that I raced through to find the answers that so frustratingly continue to elude the hapless Martha.  Yes, the ending does flirt with unbelievability but this is a read that, in my opinion, is none the worse for it.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC