Cover Image: Lying Beside You

Lying Beside You

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Member Reviews

Before I started this one, I had started another ARC but I couldn’t get into it. The plot, the tone, it just was not for me. When I picked this up and started it, it was such a refreshing feeling. I forgot how much I enjoy this series.

I think the strongest part of this series is the dynamics between the characters. Cyrus and Evie, yes, but even the side characters.

The story flows well, with plenty of clues dropped along the way. I like when a novel gives you what you need to piece together some of the story yourself. I don’t need a big shocking twist; though there were things I didn’t see coming too. What’s more important is that the story makes sense and is well told; both of which this is.

Looking forward for the next one. I can already imagine how some things that happened here might drive some future plot lines.

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An entertaining entry in this series. Cyrus and Evie are both fascinating, fleshed-out characters, and the mystery/investigation in this novel is intriguing and well-done.

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Police corruption..√ ..murder√..abduction√..trauma√..but also courage, compassion and vindication. I don't know how this man does it but he magically spins a mystery with so many spokes on the wheel that take you on an adrenaline fueled ride. This is a consistent feature of his books and one of the reasons he has won the prestigious Gold Dagger Award twice. In this third in a series of Cyrus Haven and his tormented "boarder"Evie, this forensic psychologist is called to the scene of a brain injured man who is cared for by his daughter. The dead man's skull has been crushed and his daughter missing. Shortly after, another woman goes missing. The latter had appeared to be seemingly drunk at a bar and had been helped to an "uber" by Evie who was working part-time to help with household expenses with the side benefit of learning to be responsible. Evie has an uncanny ability to tell when someone is lying which is very helpful during the investigation. Meanwhile, Cyrus's brother is being released from a psychiatric hospital after 20 years, following the murder of Cyrus's parents and twins during a schizophrenic episode. How will Cyrus cope with the conflict between his professional knowledge and the anger and loss that his brother framed Cyrus' life? How will the troubled young adult, Evie, react to him living with them? Though this book could act as a stand alone, I strongly suggest the reader read his first two books in the series. The depth of the characters is fully delineated and makes each of them more sympathetic. The books are so riveting that it will take no time to catch up. In this third book that moves from one harrowing moment to the next, you will find yourself on the edge-of-your seat to discover who and what is responsible for the tragic turn of events. Robotham never fails to deliver!

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Cyrus and Evie are back in this third book of the series. A man is killed and his daughter taken. Cyrus and Evie jump into this investigation. Meanwhile Cyrus’s brother Elias that murdered his whole family twenty years ago is released from the mental facility and gets to stay with him and Evie. Plenty of drama and trouble abounds. This was a very thrilling read and can easily be read as a stand-alone. Thanks NetGalley and Scribner for this ARC!

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I have loved the previous Cyrus Haven Series
When I seen a new book in the set I had to read it.
And I'm so thankful for that opportunity.

Lying Beside You by Michael Robotham is well written, clever, and has twists I was craving!

I love the way the story is told and how the characters are drawn and exposed is amazing as well as captivating.
The story constantly surprised me, starting off all slow but quickly gaining speed.
Michael Robotham is a talented, clever and masterful storyteller.
He has an ease of flow to his writing that grips you from the first page and doesn’t release until the unexpected ending.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Scribner,
Thank You for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this eARC!

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“I’m a nonperson, a ghost, a shadow.”

Lying Beside You is a psychological thriller/procedural about a serial killer and the forensic psychologist investigating the case.

This is book #3 in the Cyrus Haven series. It can be read as a standalone.

This installment finds Evie, a "truth wizard," trying to settle into a life of normalcy. Attending college and on the verge of starting her first job, Evie is making strides. However, fitting in is challenging, especially when she opens her mouth.

Cyrus is dealing with a challenge of his own--his brother Elias stands to be released from a mental institution which means Cyrus will be taking on another ward. Plus, Evie and Elias together pose a whole different challenge.

The narrative alternates between Cyrus and Evie. I love Evie’s voice; her dark, cutting humor had me smirking. Cyrus is as torn as ever. Their dynamic fuels this series.

The plot has many layers. The mystery is compelling, and I was wrong about the killer's motives. Even though there were several obvious clues about the killer’s identity, my armchair detective skills failed me.

This is a fast-paced, compulsively readable thriller that kept me guessing until the end. There are a few surprising twists thrown in that caught me off guard. I can't wait to see what is next for Cyrus and Evie.

I recommend this series to those who enjoy intelligently written, well-developed characters, interesting mysteries, and a good amount of tension and suspense.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and Scribner in exchange for an honest review.

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I was thrilled to get an early copy of book three, I enjoy this series! It was nice to reunite with the characters. The character development throughout this series has been fantastic. I enjoy the unique characters, flaws and all. I thought the plot in this installment was awesome and the writing well done. I can't wait for book 4!

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A Nail Biter!

Cyrus is a Forensic Psychologist with a horrific past. His brother Elias murdered his parents and twin sister 20 years ago. Evie Cormac was previously in Cyrus’ charge and is still traumatized by her past. Somehow, some way, these two become friends and roommates.

After having been incarcerated in a Psychiatric Hospital for the last 20 years, Elias Haven is now eligible for release. The plan is for him to live with Cyrus and Evie.

Can you say no thank you?

Institutionalized for so long, Elias struggles to cope with all of the changes that have occurred in the last 20 years. While Cyrus would like to help, he is admittedly a bit relieved when called into work a case in which a young woman is missing and her father is brutally murdered. When the young woman’s body is found and another woman goes missing, things get serious.

By a twist of fate, or something even more sinister, Evie becomes involved in the case, and everything goes awry.

What Michael Robotham did here, with Elias and Evie, made my heart pound and my palms sweat. This was a buddy read with Kaceey, and she finished this one first. While reading these chapters, I must have texted her furiously, frantic over what I thought was going to happen next. Let me just say that it was absolutely brilliant and wholly gripping and I can’t wait for the next book in the series (though I’m still waiting for another Joseph O’Loughlin!).

Thanks for reading this one with me Kaceey!

Thank you to Scribner via NetGalley for the arc.

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James Robotham continues the story of Cyrus Haven and Evie Cormac in his latest novel and adds a splash of kidnapping, torture, and murder. As usual, the action is great and the story telling is compelling. Of course, I’m so invested in Cyrus and Evie’s journey that the murder subplot is almost irrelevant except to advance and enrich their narratives. Of course, by the end of this tale, both storylines are interwoven into one massive saga.

Cyrus and Evie are still adjusting to living together when Cyrus’s brother Elias is granted release from the mental institution where he’s been confined since killing their family twenty years prior. Mitch, a recent parolee, also becomes part of the household, further muddling the dynamic. Throw in a hair-shaving, rope obsessed killer and this book becomes a can’t-put-it-down until I finish masterpiece.

Robotham has once again created a tapestry that I greatly enjoyed immersing myself in. I hope his next novel is a Haven mystery so I don’t have to wait very long to see the next steps Cyrus takes.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

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Michael Robotham is a master a creating brilliantly written mystery/thrillers and his lastest installment in the Cyrus Haven series could quite possibly be my favorite novel yet! As per usual, I wenting into Lying Beside You completely blind because honestly, Michael Robotham’s novels are nothing short of perfection! The intricate storyline grabs you from the very first page and I’m so emotionally invested in these characters that I literally never want to put my kindle down until the last page (and even then the novel lives rent free in my mind)! This 5+++++ star book has twists and turns that will literally have you jaw hanging wide open and white knuckle parts that have you holding your breath! I truly cannot recommend this series (or author) more—Lying Beside You is absolutely one of my favorite novels if 2023!

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I was so excited to receive this latest addition to the Cyrus Haven/Evie Cormac series. As usual, Robotham has exceptional character development, a fast-paced, suspenseful plot and lots of twisty action. I feel like I’ve become friends with his characters, as I’ve seen them develop through the series. I particularly love badass Evie, who has the ability to discern whether people are telling the truth and never fails to speak her mind. She and Cyrus pair up to solve a murder and kidnapping which has stumped law enforcement. Robotham’s writing is consistently outstanding in every way. Fans of psychological thrillers will devour this.

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Cyrus is a forensic psychologist who does psychological profiling for the police. Cyrus takes Evie under his wing, a troubled teenage girl with a past, who has a gift for being able to tell when people are lying.

Cyrus is trying to solve the murder of Maya Kirk, and ultimately Evie is able to offer help solving the case.

This novel was written like a CSI episode. If you like in-depth crime scene analysis, from crime tape to morgues, this book is for you. This was the 3rd book in its series. I did not read the previous two books, and kept waiting for Evie’s background story to unfold, to no avail. Thus, I would not recommend reading this as a stand alone. However, I could see this book series being turned into a Netflix show/series.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

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Series aren’t typically my jam. I feel like they become formulaic and the characters start to feel flat.

That being said, Michael Robotham’s Cyrus Haven novels are an exception to that. Each book in this series gets better and better and the characters (mainly Cyrus and Evie) continue to really grow. I loved the third entry in this series - “Lying Beside You.” I’ve been patiently waiting for the book to be available in the US.

As Evie’s story wrapped up in book two, I wasn’t sure how I’d feel with a story outside of what had been introduced in the first book. I should have trusted Robotham. This books was engrossing and entertaining and I couldn’t put it down.

While I’m sure there are people hoping for some kind of future romantic relationship between Cyrus and Evie, I’m glad he’s not gone there and I hope he continues to stay that course. These two need one another, but don’t need to be into one another.

Long story short, I’ll be eagerly waiting for the next novel of this series.

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This is one of my favorite series! I find Cyrus absolutely fascinating, and Evie to be a delightful blend of neurotic and psychotic and brilliant and irritating. He is an enigma wrapped in a riddle wrapped in fear, and she's an equally magnificent character to follow because she is full of contradictions and personality quirks that are constantly getting her in trouble and saving her butt by equal measure. These are not books for the faint of heart. Both characters" backstories are horrifying, and as the series progresses it turns out that their front stories are not all that much less damaged - or damaging. But the writing is so brilliant and the pacing so perfect that even when things are positively gruesome you can't make yourself look away.. I love the series so much!

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We repeat what we don't repair.

Michael Robotham creates a top-drawer psychological thriller lined with individuals who have instigated shades of trauma themselves or have been on the unfortunate receiving end of it. And if it is not dealt with, it just forms deep reservoirs of fear and darkly edged anxiety.

Dr. Cyrus Haven knows it first hand. As a forensic psychologist, Cyrus works through the university and through the Nottingham Police Department. He's never not on call.....even personally. When he was nine years old, Cyrus' parents and twin sisters were murdered by his fifteen year old brother, Elias. Elias has spent the last twenty years at Rampton Secure Hospital. And here's the kicker: Elias has been cleared to live with his brother Cyrus. Holey Molely........

But there's another situation that complicates things. Cyrus took in Evie Cormac who was a traumatized teenager at the time Her mother and sister died on a ship coming to the UK. Evie has seen nothing but the underbelly of life. Gifted and brilliant, Evie is now 21 years old but with stunted maturity. She definitely has no filter and speaks directly from her own perspective. It's a challenge for Cyrus and the thought of Elias entering into the picture adds more stress.

Cyrus' latest case is the murder of a young woman and her father. Maya had been kidnapped and was missing for days until her body was found. She was meeting someone from a dating app. Could things have gone horribly wrong or was it someone else that she knew more personally?

Let's lock in the Lego pieces. Evie gets a job at a local bar. Near closing, she helps a young woman who is sick and out of it in the bar's bathroom. Evie helps her to a waiting Uber. The next day Evie reads that this young woman is missing. Evie is the last person to have seen her alive. Where was she dropped off? The police want to talk to Evie. Ten pounds of trauma in a five pound bag.

Michael Robotham is a gifted writer. Don't shy away from the #3 tag on this one. It reads splendidly as a standalone. Robotham takes on mental health issues and gallons of trauma left unaided. His characters are multi-faceted. He doesn't reveal everything in one lump sum. Robotham respects his readers and turns out highly intelligent novels that create layers of uncertainty in regard to who's who and what's what. We're challenged.......and it feels mighty good. Bravo, Michael Robotham.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Simon & Schuster and to the talented Michael Robotham for the opportunity.

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This is the third book in Michael Robotham’s Cyrus Haven series and it was great! A perfect recipe of interesting characters, brilliant storyline and satisfying twisties. Robotham’s Lying Beside You completely sucked me in.

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Michael Robotham did it again! The third book in the Cyrus Haven series was just as good as the first and second. The first time I read the book I was sick. Once I was feeling better I went back and read it again just so I could truly enjoy the story. It was well worth the time!

Cyrus has his hands full with Evie and his brother potentially being released from the Psychiatric Hospital. Now he’s been called to help solve the case of a brutal murder, one that looks similar to a case from years ago. Then another woman is abducted and Evie becomes the only witness. Can she help Cyrus solve the case or will she inadvertently cause more trouble than good?

I love the characters in this book and the way the author can suck you into his books within minutes. I think this series would be awesome adapted for tv.

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Superb entry in the Cyrus/Evie series finds them dealing with Cyrus' brother Elias coming to visit from the psych hospital, a parolee who claims he's innocent of the sex crime he was convicted of and a missing girl whose father is found murdered in their house. I love this series and the main characters but the supporting cast in this one really helps carry the story along as the police struggle to figure out the connections to the crimes. All the different plot lines converge in a way that brings the story to a tense and dramatic conclusion that left me satisfied and ready for the next one. 4.5 stars bumped to 5 for the top-notch writing and overall enjoyment of the book. Thanks to Netgalley for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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Big thanks to Scribner, and NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of Lying Beside You!

What a book! I like Cyrus Haven and Evie Cormac (along with her labrador, Poppy) SO MUCH. When a man is murdered and his daughter disappears, Cyrus gets called in to profile the killer. When a second victim is taken, Evie jumps in and becomes involved. I love that she can tell whether or not a person is lying! I'm rather jealous, actually. Stir in the complication of Cyrus's brother being released from the secure hospital he's been in for the past two decades and you have a slight idea of what Lying Beside You was about.

The chapters in the book rotate through the different character's voices but it is easy to follow as each chapter has the character name in the title. I found Lying Beside You to be riveting! It was a very suspenseful whodunit and I recommend it!

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So I just completed Michael Robotham’s latest thriller and murder mystery entitled “Lying Beside You.” The story continues the dramatic life and times of Cyrus Haven and his “ward” Evie Cormac. I would love to outline the plot but it is extremely complicated. There are a number of deaths, a potential serial murderer, and possibly a second serial murderer! There is a part of me that loves the intricacies of the multiple plot lines but a corner of my mind believes Robotham is winking at us readers just begging us to get the inside joke.
Nevertheless I am hopelessly hooked on Michael Robotham books and this series in particular. Grab it when you can….but it will help if you read the first two books in the series before working through this saga. Thanks NetGalley for the fun read.

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