Really enjoyed this third installment in the Cyrus Haven series.

Once again we meet up with forensic psychologist Cyrus Haven and his charge, Evie Cormac, who has the unique ability to tell if someone is lying. When he was nine years old, Cyrus's parents and twin siblings were stabbed to death by his older brother Elias, suffering from paranoid schizophrenia. After twenty years in a psychiatric hospital Elias has now been granted permission to have day and then overnight visits to integrate back into the world, and Cyrus will host him. In the other part of his life, an elderly man has been murdered and his adult daughter is missing. Can Cyrus balance everything he has going on and find the missing woman before it's too late?

This is an incredibly fast paced book with alternating chapters from Cyrus's and Evie's points of view. There are interesting dynamics between all of the characters, and the mystery in the book ended up being much more intriguing than it seemed on the surface. I thought the parts about Elias were very realistic and it seems as if the author did a fair amount of research into the subject.

There's humor here, and a lot of heart as well. The characterization is what makes this book (and the entire series) shine. I think the series should be read in order because the first two books cover Evie and her past, and although this particular book's mystery can stand alone, you'll miss the back story and that's important for character development and understanding why they act the way they do.

I highly recommend this series and look forward to more suspense with Cyrus and Evie in the future.

I can always count on this author to give me the most thrilling reads. Loved the story. Definitely a page turner.

In 2015, I read Michael Robotham’s The Night Ferry, then in 2016 I was KNOCKED OUT by Close Your Eyes! 2017’s The Secrets She Keeps was not quite as terrific (for me) as the other two, so maybe that is how I missed 2019’s Good Girl, Bad Girl, the first in a series featuring Cyrus Haven. Cyrus is a psychologist who turns out to be a former student of Joe O’Loughlin, the protagonist of Robotham’s primary series. The two men (Cyrus and Joe) have quite a bit in common. Besides being psychologists, each is a kind of wounded soul: Joe has Parkinson’s and a crappy marriage, and Cyrus is living with the knowledge that his wacko brother killed the entire rest of the family. OK, crappy and wacko are not the kindest terms for these two, but here we are!

Good Girl, Bad Girl, book #1 in the series, told the story of Cyrus meeting Evie Cormac when he was called in to help after she was found trapped in a torture house. (PTSD, anyone?) Evie has the uncanny ability to tell when someone is lying, and she helped Cyrus solve a tricky case in that first book. In When She Was Good, #2 in the series, Evie and Cyrus reconnected and, as Cyrus worked to uncover the secrets of Evie’s past, he found that he was exposing her to serious danger. Quite a dilemma!

Robotham (and Cyrus and Evie) are back, with Lying Beside You. It’s another page-turner (a term I hate, but which gets the message across) for sure. Since the last book, Cyrus has begun sharing his house with Evie, who is a truly damaged teenager. She also has the gift of being able to tell whether someone is lying or not. She has gone back to school and, at Cyrus’s urging, has taken a job. She’s doing pretty well, considering her issues with rules and authority…

Then, as if Cyrus’s life wasn’t complicated enough, his brother Elias is about to be released from a psychiatric prison after nearly two decades. At the age of nineteen, he massacred the entire rest of their family (parents and twin sisters). Cyrus is apparently expected to forgive Elias and welcome him into his home. Easy, right?

When a man is murdered and his daughter disappears, Cyrus is called in to help the police with the baffling case. The woman was last seen at the bar where Evie has been working, and the police theory is that she was drugged and abducted. Then, another woman is taken, and this time Evie saw the man behind the wheel of the getaway car. It quickly becomes a twisty, complex case, and we get lots to unravel, including police corruption, murder, abduction, family dynamics, and teenage angst. Robotham is terrific at creating characters with whom the reader can become emotionally invested, and in presenting convoluted plotlines in a way that is fun without being overwhelming. I love this author! This is some great escape-from-pandemic reading, and can be read as a standalone if you haven’t discovered the first two in the Cyrus-Evie series. With thanks to Scribner and NetGalley for providing a copy in exchange for my honest review, once again Robotham gets Five stars!

I love this series. The characters are so diverse and multidimensional that I find myself getting immersed in the book and losing track of time. The plot line is a good murder mystery, but it's the characters that keep the book moving. I love Evie and Cyrus and the secondary characters too. If you haven't started this series it's a great time to jump in.

A complex, propulsive mystery thriller that while the third in an absolutely terrific series will be entirely enjoyable as a standalone. Cyrus and Evie have settled in as housemates but both of their lives are about to be upended. Cyrus, now a forensic psychologist, was the only member of his family that his brother Elias did not kill- and Elias, medicated and stable, is on track to be released from his psychiatric facility to Cyrus's home. Evie, at Cyrus's insistence, has gotten a job at a bar. He's also committed to helping Mitch, who has always maintained his innocence in an odd case and has now been released from prison, and who Evie who can sense lies, also believes is innocent. And someone is taking young women. Cyrus finds himself wrapped up in the case of Maya, who has disappeared from her home and whose father is killed. Who did it and why? There's a fascinating back story that links several people (no spoilers) - Robotham gives bread crumbs but I didn't guess the answers (always a plus). He's got a great way of building suspense. I like these two characters very much; note that they alternate the narration of the novel. It's a great read that's hard to review but it kept me turning the pages. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. Can't wait for the next one! And the button....

I have loved all of Robotham's books -- until this series. I just can't warm up to Ivie, and her major presence annoys me and puts me off the books. Readers who find Ivie engaging will surely enjoy the crime story here. Sorry I can't be more positive. I appreciate the chance to read this latest Robotham title.

This was so good! Michael if you read this (not likely, I know) please, please, PLEASE keep writing Cyrus and Evie books for years to come! This is book 3 but I think you could start here and go back and read the others without feeling too lost.

Crime procedural series from a forensic psychologist's POV this book grabbed my attention from the beginning and never let go. Per usual we have a murder and missing persons case that Cyrus is working on with the police. Evie is trying to pull her weight around the house now that she's been there a year and Cyrus has encouraged her to get a job while also attending classes. Drama ensues and while it's surrounded by her hallmark snarkiness, it also shows her pain, her trauma, her views on society and her attempts to figure out how she fits in.

The other running story-line was the release of Cyrus' brother Elias from the mental facility. This story-line not only stressed the characters out, it stressed me the reader out as well! Strong conversations about forgiveness, healing, and mental illness. In the end I was very happy with the solution and outcome of this subplot as I think the author did a great job showing the positives and negatives of a situation like Elias'. Nail bitter to the very end!

I've often compared this series to James Patterson's Alex Cross series, being that Cyrus and Alex have the same profession/job description and the plots have a similar trajectory. Where this series is different, and in my opinion better, is in the humanization of the characters and their tragedies. These books aren't so much about the crime scene and crime committed but more about the main characters. They are flawed in many ways, trying to forge their path in a world that has been grossly cruel to them. It's uplifting, it makes me laugh, and it gives me hope for society in general every time these characters make a small baby-step towards normal, even if their lives are anything but. I've read them all and look forward to more. Highly recommend!

Thanks to NetGalley and Scribner for an honest review in exchange for an honest review.

5 stars

Welcome back Cyrus and Evie! Such a great book. I devoured this book! I do recommend reading the prior two books in series first. Cyrus is a psychologist working with the police to solve crimes. His brother Elias is about to be released from prison 20 years after he killed their parents and sisters. Evie is now 21 and living with Cyrus.

There is so much going on with this book. Continued emotional growth from Evie after a horrible childhood yet she tries to connect. I love how Cyrus can read people and how Evie can tell if anyone is lying. Excellent mystery. I don’t know if I just didn’t notice in prior books but Michael Robotham ends most chapters with a great line.

Fantastic series. Highly recommend.

If you like a good mystery series with some great characters, you need to read the Cyrus Haven series by Michael Robotham. I really, really like Cyrus and his roommate/boarder/friend Evie. Cyrus is a forensic psychologist who was helping Evie as she got out of the foster system and ended up bonding with her and her incredible ability to detect when someone is lying. That skill is also what helped Evie trust Cyrus and develop a bond with him. Evie is also an extreme introvert who really doesn't like dealing with people, except for Cyrus. She prefers her dog to people - I can relate.

In Lying Beside You, Cyrus is dealing with his brother Elias coming to live with him, as well as being involved in the disappearance/murder of a woman and her father. Evie always finds a way put herself in Cyrus's case and often finds herself in trouble since she tends to be very impulsive.

There are a lot of pieces in this book that eventually come together; it kept me guessing until the end. I enjoy these books for the mystery / entertainment factor, as well as the drama between Cyrus, Evie and the rest of the characters. It's an addictive thriller with twists you won't see coming!

4.5 stars.

Cyrus and Evie return for another enjoyable read. When a man is murdered and his daughter is missing, Cyrus is called to consult on the case and piece together Maya’s last hours. The police’s working theory is that she was drugged at the bar Evie works at. Soon, a second victim has been taken, and Evie was one of the last people to see her.


Cyrus and Evie make such a strong duo. Their relationship is complicated, but at its core is full of a special family-like love. Evie’s harsh exterior paired with her gift of lie detection continues to make for an interesting element in these stories. I really hope the adventures of Cyrus and Evie continue!

So I made a small mistake when I requested this book since I didn't know it was actually Book#3 in a series and I don't like skipping books. Although after reading I had now trouble following and it works as a stand-alone. But spoiler: This one is really good so if you haven't read the first two I would start there. I definitely will!

This one, "Lying Beside You" by Michael Robotham stars Cyrus: A forensic phycologist and Evie: A "Troubled Teen" lol. Evie has the gift to to know when anyone is lying. So good luck to her future husband. The POV goes back and forth between those two and they have some of the best chemistry I have seen in awhile. Both great characters and another reason I wish I would have started with the first two books. They both are a happy family along with Cyrus's brother who was just released from a mental facility for killing his entire family (Luckily Cyrus wasn't there so he survived otherwise who would take him in?) "Hey brother you got the spare bedroom.. Please pick up after yourself and not murder me."

What happens? We have a murder scene where Cyrus is called too of a woman. The woman's dad was also bludgeoned to death in his home. Then another woman goes missing and holy cow we have crazy story about to unfold. This one is a great, dark murder thriller and is even better with the chemistry between Cyrus and Evie. I, being a outstanding detective myself, wasn't able to guess or predict much of about the ending of this one.

Highly recommended! Once again it can be read as a standalone but I recommend starting from the beginning which is what I'm going to do.

I really appreciate Scribner for letting me review this book and it has a publication date of Feb 14, 2023.

Advance Reader Copy given free for a honest review.

I've truly loved the Cyrus Haven novels and am sad to see this one come to an end as I believe it is a trilogy but would definitely continue with them!

Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review

I feel like I'm saying this in a lot of reviews lately, but this was yet another book I didn't love as much as previous ones in the series. Maybe I just have ennui. In any case, I still found it compelling, even if I feel called out that Evie's ringtone is by a mysterious three-letter-named Korean pop band. (There are dozens of us!)

While this is a part of a series, I can wholeheartedly recommend reading this as a standalone. If you enjoy intrigue and examinations of how the past is never through with you, you'll find this a great read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publish for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars.

Wasn’t expecting another book in this series, but I’m glad there is because I love reading about Cyrus and Evie. A super engrossing and twisty case leads to these two working together yet again and it doesn’t disappoint. At the same time, Cyrus is also dealing with his own personal trauma revolving around his brother getting released from the psychiatric hospital. Both of these storylines kept me intrigued and turning page after page, which is what I’ve come to expect from Robotham, and why I keep coming back to his books (and specifically this series)!

Thank you to Scribner and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am grateful to Mr. Robotham, Scribner and NetGalley for access to this ARC. I have found Mr. Robotham's novels to be consistently intriguing and entertaining, if dark. This novel is a worthy entry in this recent series. I don't recall much about the first two stories featuring Cyrus and Evie, but I shall be revisiting them.
The mystery in this story is complex and engaging, with twists and turns that were sometimes visible and other times very surprising. The main characters have interesting flaws and skills, and I was pulling for both of them to move out of their individual boxes. They are surrounded by a rich cast of likable and unlikable characters. I liked the setting in Nottingham.
I was going to give this one 4 stars but I noted that I completed it in one sitting, so it gets 5. Well done, Mr. Robotham. I like forward to cheering them along in upcoming stories.

Book Title: Lying Beside You
Series: Cyrus Haven #3
Author: Michael Robotham
Publisher: Scribner
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Pub Date: February 14, 2023
My Rating: 3.5 rounded

Cyrus Haven/Evie Cormac return for Book #3.

This is my fifth Robotham psychological thriller; read both 1 & 2 in the Cyrus Haven series. Enjoyed ALL – yep! I am a fan!

In this story Cyrus is waiting for his bother thirty-nine year old Elias to be released from Rampton Secure Psychiatric Hospital. Twenty years ago, he was suffering from paranoid schizophrenia and after hearing voices he killed their mother, father and twin sisters. Cyrus was in the garage and not aware what was happening.
Now at thirty-three Cyrus is a forensic psychological and has agreed to monitor Elias h has been released and assessed as being safe. Cyrus now thirty-three is a forensic psychologist has agreed to monitor him.
Cyrus and Evie are also investigating a murder and kidnapping. Sixty- seven year old Rohan Kirk has been murdered and his daughter Maya has disappeared – is she hiding or has she been kidnapped?
Twenty-one year old Evie has been living with Cyrus as a teen she came to him emotionally damaged and was only close to her Labrador Poppy. She is great in helping Cyrus with his investigation as she has a special talent in which she can tell if people are telling the truth.

As for their relationship - well it is still isn’t clear. There is no doubt Evie has fallen for Cyrus. She believes he deserves happiness. Cyrus however says he sees her as a member of his family that he has lost!
Love both Cyrus and Evie ~ true I don’t like Evie’s language but I like her and the language is who she is!

This was not a solid 4 for me ~ perhaps since it is December and I am more in a holiday mood.
Nothing festive going on in this story … but will read Cyrus Haven #4 which is next in this series!

Want to thank NetGalley and Scribner for the pleasure of reading this early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for February 14, 2023

I loveeeeee the Cyrus Haven series. I love Cyrus and Evie and am always so pumped whenever I find out there's another book in the series coming out.

I didn't love this as much as the last book, but it's still great for us fans of the series.

I am a huge fan of Michael Robotham's writing and the way he creates very dark characters that you feel every emotion for.

I'm ready and waiting for the next book!!

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of Lying Beside You.

This is the third book in the series featuring forensic psychologist Cyrus Haven and his prodigy/ward Evie Cormac.

As the two settle somewhat as roommates, Cyrus' mentally ill older brother is finally being released from the psychiatric hospital where he's spent the last twenty years atoning for the brutal murders of his parents and twin sisters.

Cyrus struggles with his brother's return to his life and home; meanwhile a complex case featuring the abduction of two women seem innocuous until further investigation reveals a terrible tragedy in the past is the origins of these abductions.

Once again, both Cyrus and Evie is adapting to one another; trying to fit in, assimilate, and put on a brave face despite the unspeakable trauma of their pasts.

I was drawn into the mystery and enjoyed the rapport between Cyrus and Lenny.

I liked the small clues peppered throughout the narrative, little things that didn't seem important, to a regular person, but when you're Cyrus Haven, paying attention to details is your bread and butter. And something you're just naturally good at it.

It did feel like it took the police too long to figure out the connection.

Naturally, Cyrus is smarter than law enforcement, which is usually the case in these books.

I like Cyrus and slowly but surely, I'm beginning to warm up to Evie.

I look forward to the next book in the series.

Lying Beside You is the third in the Cyrus Haven/Evie Cormac series and it’s just as well done and intriguing as the prior two. Cyrus is a forensic psychologist. He’s called in when a man is murdered and his daughter goes missing. Unfortunately, her body was discovered several days later. Meanwhile, Cyrus is dealing with the upcoming release of his brother from a psychiatric hospital after killing their parents decades before. Evie is now his “lodger”. A victim of traumatic events in her youth, she has the unique ability to tell if someone is lying. She also has difficulty knowing the right thing to do, and even her good intentions have a way of going wrong.
The chapters alternate between their POVs. I was fascinated by Evie, with her poor impulse control. Like Cyrus, I really want to see how she turns out. “Evie is not a morning person, or an afternoon person, or an evening person. I think her sweet spot is possibly late at night when she’s sleeping or playing with Poppy. Sometimes I think living with her is like playing a game of pass the parcel, peeling off another layer, never knowing what I’m going to find hidden inside.”
The subplot about Cyrus’s brother was great. Cyrus is struggling with issues of trust and forgiveness, on top of everything he has to agree to take on if his brother comes to live with him.
The story moves along at a brisk pace and the ending was strong with a well thought out villian and motive. I was engaged from beginning to end.
This is a series that definitely needs to be read in order to have a full understanding of these two characters.
My thanks to Netgalley and Scribner for an advance copy of this book.