There's a crime scene in Gladstone Village, the quintessential British village. Beth and Joe, an unlikely couple and rather unlikeable characters too, once you get to know them, are lying in the middle of this crime scene each clutching a knife. The story then goes back in time and in alternating chapters Joe and Beth tell their "truths". Both are keeping secrets from the other person, there relationship is hanging by a thread, and both are dealing with domestic abuse cases that are very similar to their own situation at home.

I enjoyed the concept of the story far more than the execution. The sub-plot of the domestic abuse cases, which had a lot of potential, felt like the author ran out of time/steam/ideas to fully incorporate it into the narrative. The ending was predictable and seemed rushed.

When the police receive an anonymous call, they find a man and a woman both seriously injured and both holding a knife. How is this possible? When they find faint pulses on the victims the investigation begins.

Part 1 of the book leads us upto the build up for the night in question, with chapters from both Beth and Joes perspective. It’s obvious Joe is hiding things and Beth is struggling with her grip on reality, abusing alcohol and medication after the loss of her father.

For me this was a middle of the road read, just ok, not rubbish but not unforgettable. The chapters are short (over 100) but for me the character development wasn’t there and it seemed to race ahead weeks at a time from one chapter to the next:

I received my copy via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

A huge thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and Noelle Holten for providing me with an ARC of His Truth Her Truth in exchange for my honest review.

His Truth Her Truth is a gripping psychological thriller told from multiple points of view. It explores the timeless adage that there are always two sides to every story, prompting readers to question their own perceptions of truth. Just when I thought I had the situation figured out, something would occur to make me second-guess everything I thought I knew, which kept the suspense high throughout.

While the first half of the book felt a bit slow-paced, the tension ramped up in the second half, making for a much more compelling read. The way Holten weaves in twists and nuances really adds to the psychological depth of the story, making it an engaging, if sometimes unpredictable, experience.

That said, while I found it enjoyable, it’s not a book I would likely revisit. Once you know the outcome, the impact diminishes on a second read, as is often the case with thrillers. Overall, I’d give His Truth Her Truth a solid 3-star rating—an enjoyable one-time read for fans of the genre.

3. 5 ⭐️’s
Told in two different view points, the reader is not sure who is telling the truth. As the secrets and lies unfold, it’s difficult to know who to believe. Beth is bogged down by grief and can’t seem to pull herself out of it. Soon she’s making major mistakes at work and is put on leave. Joe has his own problems to deal with. Robbing Peter to pay Paul, might just be coming back to haunt him. But…did Beth really kill Joe. She too has the knife wounds to point to a murder suicide, but is there more to the story? This book was on the slow side for me and with character’s that were hard to relate to, not a favorite. Thank you to HarperCollins UK an NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

A twisty thriller that tells the story of Joe and Beth, who in the prologue, are found close to death in their home, each of them holding a knife.

What led to that event and who is telling the truth? The book tells us the story of their tumultuous relationship, leading up to the gory scene. Beth is a whiny woman seeking solace in alcohol and Joe is a workaholic who has little time for her and is utterly unsupportive. I disliked them both and it was very difficult to decide who i believed and who I sided with.

I really enjoyed the writing style overall, but I did find the first half of the book dragged and it was a struggle to keep going at times. What I thought was brilliant was how both Beth and Joe were both working with a husband and wife in a domestic abuse situation through their jobs, with uncanny similarities to their own situation - clever! That could have been used to better effect, in my opinion, to reduce some of the other filler in the book, which at times was like wading through sludge.

3 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Noelle Holton and Harper Collins, One More Chapter for an ARC in return for an honest review.

This book definitely had me hooked, it was a dark and suspenseful read that had me guessing and not knowing who to trust,

Husband and wife are found blood everywhere and a knife in their hand, what happened? A good book that keep you guessing. The story is told between multiple viewpoints. Plenty of twists with good characters. A read in one sitting. Thanks to Harpercollins UK and Netgalley for this review ARC.

Noelle Holten delivers a deeply compelling and psychologically intense thriller with His Truth Her Truth, a novel that masterfully explores the blurred lines between reality and perception. As the story unfolds, readers are pulled into a gripping back-and-forth narrative, constantly questioning what is true and what may be distorted by Beth’s perspective.

While the synopsis suggests a story of marriage, the core of this novel is far more complex—delving into themes of addiction, past trauma, and the devastating impact both can have on relationships. Holten’s portrayal of addiction is raw and unflinchingly real, offering a perspective that is both emotionally charged and deeply relatable. She doesn’t just tell a story; she immerses the reader in the struggles of both the addict and those closest to them, highlighting the intricate dynamics of love, trust, and deception.

The writing is sharp and immersive, with a pace that keeps the tension high while allowing the emotional weight of the story to fully resonate. Each twist is carefully woven into the narrative, ensuring that readers remain hooked until the very last page.

His Truth Her Truth is an unforgettable psychological thriller that doesn’t just entertain—it challenges perceptions and evokes powerful emotions. Noelle Holten proves herself as a masterful storyteller, and this novel will leave readers eager to see what she delivers next.

This book opens with a crime scene. Police are called to a possible home invasion where they discover two bodies. Both with knives in their hands. The story then rewinds to reveal the events that led up to this night.

The furious pace of this book is intense and makes you race through to try and uncover the truth of what's going on. It quickly becomes apparent that both Joe and Beth have their secrets. They are both unlikeable and unreliable narrators which leaves the reader perplexed and unsure what can be believed. However, although I found the characters infuriating at times I also found them intriguing.

Overall I found this to be an engaging, well thought out plot with plenty of twists and misdirection.

Thank you to Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter and Netgalley for providing me with a complimentary copy to read for review purposes

This is quite an intense read and I felt like I was holding my breath half the time, waiting for the next incident, reveal or twist. The author seriously knows how to create tension and the sense of foreboding kept me hooked right up until the very end!

"Someone is lying, but who?" that's the compelling question. The way we hopped right into the mystery without wasting time was something In loved. It hooked me. I was guessing and chugging through pages. My emotions were all over the place! solid 4.5!

Slow Front Builds To Frenetic End. This is one of those stories that starts out with a bang in its prologue before going back in time and achieving the pace of... well, probably a tired slug racing an exhausted turtle. In other words, it is rather S L O W in the beginning.

But hang around, because as things start picking up they also begin spiraling, and soon enough your heart is beating faster as your brain is getting a good workout trying to read at the pace of the plot.

There's a lot going on in these pages, and a lot that a lot of people won't like - particularly so much domestic abuse, among other issues. But there is also a lot to like overall here, and Holten does a solid job of telling exactly the story she seemingly wants to tell at exactly the pace she seemingly wants to tell it at.

Ultimately, this is one that will have you gripping the final pages, desperate to see exactly how it ends... and that is pretty much what most people want of our thrillers, right?

Very much recommended.

It took me time to get into the book, but once I did it was a good read. Can anyone be trusted? That one plot twist was mind blowing, like what? Stooop

Who's telling the truth??? There is his truth, there is her truth and then there is... Noelle Holten's His Truth Her Truth is a twist filled tale full of secrets, lies, unreliability, and revelations. At various times in the book, I wondered just who could I trust? I thought I knew a few times, I thought I had figured everything out, but then Noelle Holten threw a wrench into the mix, and left me wondering yet again! Joe and Beth are found covered in blood, and appear to be dead, each with a knife clasped in their hand!

Beth's father has passed away and she is knee deep in grief for the man who raised her. Joe, her fiancé can't seem to tear himself away from his job to be there for her. As tension rises, Beth tries to go back to work as a gulf begins to grow between them.

I found both characters to be insufferable at times. Seriously, Joe can't get away from work, to be there for Beth when she is dealing with her father's death????? Boy did this rub me the wrong way. Then Beth tries to get back into the swing of things but makes one bad decision after the other.

As the book progresses, the tension grows, and grows, and grows. There is drama, arguments, and as I mentioned the proverbial secrets and lies component. Plus, not knowing who can be trusted kept things moving along. This is a long book and at times felt long. That is my biggest issue with the book.I don't mind reading long books at all but when they feel long - that is another issue. This is my first book by this author, and it has piqued my interest and I look forward to reading more of her books.

*This book touches on serious issues such as mental health, death, and addiction to name a few.

I love a book that starts with a crime scene as it hooks me instantly… and this book did just that!
What I also love are characters who you just aren’t sure about as to whether you can trust them or not with what they say, as it keeps you guessing and interested all the way through the book … just like this one!
I think I suspected every character at some point whilst reading this…which is probably why it only took me 3 sittings to get through it!
Another great standalone by Noelle Holten!

His Truth Her Truth is a psychological thriller that ticks every box for me. Unreliable characters and such an emotive subject brought a story that had me reading way past my bedtime!
The tale begins with Beth and Joe being found after clearly having some sort of fight. Immediately, I was gripped. The story then slips back to the events before this. Narrated by both characters in alternating chapters, we learn of what happened and how it played out.
I didn't trust either of these characters, both of which I kept changing my mind about. Joe seemed to love Beth and just wanted the best for her until something happened to change my mind.
Beth was the most unreliable out of them both, and I wasn't overly certain what was really happening and what was in her own head. What I will say is that the way the story unfolds out of these two Beth was the one I felt the most for. It seemed like no one had her interests at heart. Even the police involved had me shaking my head.
It was such an intense and tightly woven story that kept me guessing all the way. Noelle Holten just has the knack of keeping me in the palm of her hand while she messes with my head! Brilliant book!
Thanks to NetGalley for my gifted copy of the book to write my honest review.

My thanks to HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘His Truth Her Truth’ written by Noelle Holten in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

In peaceful Gladstone Village Joe Tasker and Beth Stanford are found on their kitchen floor covered in blood and both holding knives. A worried neighbour calls the police who believe they’re dead, but each of them has a very faint pulse.

‘His Truth Her Truth’ is told from the alternating perspectives of Joe and Beth and it’s soon apparent that their relationship is one of convenience rather than true love. The prologue set me up for what I thought would be a psychological thriller but as I learnt more about what made them tick it got so slow that I was losing concentration. I didn’t like Beth who had health problems and wouldn’t be helped, and who Joe only stayed with for financial reasons. I so wanted to enjoy this book especially as I’ve loved all of the author’s previous six novels but unfortunately it wasn’t to be. I’m sure I’ll be in the minority and lots of readers will love it but I couldn’t get into the story which I thought was tedious and I struggled to work up enough enthusiasm to keep reading.

This book was not very good. With despicable characters, a far-fetched plot with holes in and a pace that made the story fall apart, I was relieved to finish it. I persevered because I was intrigued to find out the answers to the mystery, especially as the first half was incredibly empty, but unfortunately I was not rewarded for my patience.

The story opens with a dramatic murder scene, encouraging readers to know what happened to Joe and Beth. What is the story behind this bloody crime scene with two knives? Therefore, the first part of the story is the flashback leading up to this moment, where we see how fragile the relationship is between Joe and Beth. They are as bad as each other and I could not understand why they were still together. Both keep secrets from the other one and Beth is presented as the ultimate witch. Selfish, rude and quite simply nasty, everyone around her has to walk on eggshells – even before she receives devastating news.

Beth’s life spirals out of control, not helped by her alcoholism combined with her medication. She is taking Joe down with her and the more I read about her, the more the opening made sense! She is definitely not someone I would want to be friends with, let alone live with. At the same time, Holten cleverly creates parallels with Joe and Beth’s domestic lives, with the case that the two are involved in at their work places. Despite being employed at different places, Beth and Joe are representing a husband and wife in a domestic abuse case – with alarmingly similar circumstances to their own marriage.

This aspect of the plot could have been developed so much more. I felt like it became a convenient filler to the plot as we see Beth’s life take such a downwards dive. I did wonder if the writer was going to do something interesting with this sub-plot, but it appeared to just fade out of the narrative in the second half. However, it certainly reinforces the domestic abuse element to the story as there is more than one victim in the story – there is more than one truth that needs to be discovered.

As the novel reached its conclusion, I felt like the writer had lost touch in reality. Beth makes sudden recoveries, people are conveniently removed from the narrative and the fast pace that is seen in the majority of the story suddenly intensifies at the end, as if the writer herself was keen to finish the novel. The ending felt incredibly predictable and underwhelming, which sadly mirrored my overall experience of the book.

As far as thrillers go, this may appeal because of the fast pace and short chapters. Told from the alternating perspectives of Joe and Beth, you get a true sense of their disastrous relationship. Yet, the thriller wasn’t particularly intense and my dislike for the main characters meant I was actually pleased when they were removed from the narrative.

With thanks to One More Chapter, Harper Collins and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The premise drew me into wanting to read this novel. It starts with two dead bodies and then you go back in time to see what happened, however, you are hearing it from two different perspectives and you do not know what is really the truth. there is definitely themes of DV and it can get a bit dark so keep that in mind if you are sensitive that that type of material.

His Truth Her Truth was an enjoyable thriller. While the pacing felt off at some parts of the book I still found myself engrossed in the storyline and enjoying the characters.