Little Black Lies
A Novel
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4.3 • 63 Ratings
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- $11.99
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
In such a small community as the Falkland Islands, a missing child is unheard of. In such a dangerous landscape it can only be a terrible tragedy, surely...
When another child goes missing, and then a third, it's no longer possible to believe that their deaths were accidental, and the villagers must admit that there is a murderer among them. Even Catrin Quinn, a damaged woman living a reclusive life after the accidental deaths of her own two sons a few years ago, gets involved in the searches and the speculation.
And suddenly, in this wild and beautiful place that generations have called home, no one feels safe and the hysteria begins to rise.
But three islanders—Catrin, her childhood best friend, Rachel, and her ex-lover Callum—are hiding terrible secrets. And they have two things in common: all three of them are grieving, and none of them trust anyone, not even themselves.
In Little Black Lies, her most shocking and engaging suspense novel to date, Sharon Bolton will keep the reader guessing until the very last page.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In this nail-biter set in the Falkland Islands from Mary Higgins Clark Award finalist Bolton (Blood Harvest), Catrin Quinn's young sons, Kit and Ned, are killed in a car accident caused by her best friend since childhood, Rachel Grimwood. The only thing that keeps the bereft Catrin functioning is her hatred of Rachel and her vow to kill Rachel to avenge the deaths of her sons. Rachel falls into a deep depression resulting from her overwhelming guilt and the loss of Catrin's friendship. And Callum Murray, who witnessed the accident and failed in his attempt to rescue Kit and Ned, experiences the PTSD that he suffered after fighting for the British in the Falkland Islands war. When a small boy disappears from Stanley the third boy missing in three years the townspeople become vigilantes determined to find and punish the abductor. This brilliantly plotted thriller, filled with lies and betrayals, builds to an unexpected, mesmerizing ending.
Customer Reviews
One of THE best
Mystery novels I’ve EVER read (and I’ve been reading them for over 50 years) starting with the Hardy Boys. Great and unique setting, well defined characters and twists galore. Top 3 on my all time list along with Breakheart Hill.
Extraordinary book.
I found LITTLE BLACK LIES ©2015 by Sharon Bolton a complex read. The person who starts this story is angry and full of grief, and it took me several attempts over several days before I could read beyond a few paragraphs. This is a case where a Cast of Characters would have been helpful and prevented my having to go back and reread prior sections of the story.
Soon I’m totally captivated, flipping pages in a whir. There’s feelings of surprise which recur because my expectations are elsewhere. The surprise is motivation enough to reclassify what kind of crime fiction is LITTLE BLACK LIES. But I’m afraid, my imaginings of what might happen worsen.
By the middle of the book, I’m enjoying the relationships between the protagonists, the intellectual challenge of sorting out their stories. My expectations are tossed yet again and the dread creeps back. How can there be any other outcome than what I most fear?
Then it’s worse. Better? Glorious? Breathtaking? Heartbreaking? Consuming. Gratifying. Incredibly sad.
Yes, all of those things.
A Great Suspense!
I am so glad to have read this book! I thought it was exceptional, and it went straight to the top of my list for the year. It was my first book by Sharon Bolton, but I won't be able to read hers quickly enough to suit me now. Little Black lies didn't lack for anything. It had great characters, especially Catrin and Callum, a mesmerizing storyline, and a picturesque setting.
Catrin Quinn has been through unspeakable tragedy, and she knows she will never recover. She wants vengeance so badly that there is nothing left that she won't sacrifice. Her home, the Falkland Islands, has experienced the disappearance of a few young boys, and Catrin gets caught up in the search for the latest one. While all of the islanders are sure that the missing boys had to have experienced accidents, it finally becomes clear that there may have been some foul play behind the disappearances. Some shocking secrets come to light as the search intensifies.
This is one I highly recommend for lovers of a good thriller/suspense. It kept me guessing and had my heart rate amped up. I found it fast-paced with plenty of action, as well as emotional angst and pull. Add in great characters, and a story told from the perspective of three different people, and you have an amazing book! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in return for an honest review.