Daisy and Simon have been married for years. As in all marriages they have had their ups and downs. So when they finally got pregnant and had their daughter Millie five years ago they were ecstatic. Now Simon wants to have another child and Daisy is reluctant. Millie is a handful. But Simon insists they at least go for the consult. Daisy agrees not knowing that Simon has already started the process behind her back. And what Simon discovers will change their lives forever.
Daisy notices Simon, who has always been a heavy drinker, begin to spiral out of control with his drinking. They begin to fight. He drinks even more. Daisy cannot understand what has happened to Simon. Then Simon loses his job and begins to resent Daisy. Now at home, he drinks even more.
Then a horrible accident destroys their family.
Daisy and Simon, who both have had secrets and lies between them are shattered to the core. They are haunted by what happened. Daisy refuses to see Simon. Simon finally begins to get what little life he has left back together. But Simon has been lying. Daisy tries to move on and begins a not so healthy relationship with someone she knew from college. She has her own lies to deal with.
But Simon and Daisy even with a shattered marriage have one common denominator…Millie, who they both love unconditionally. They will do anything to keep her safe. No matter what that entails.
With so many lies, can either of them really trust the other to offer up the truth? Could they possibly work through all the falsehoods they have told? For Millie’s sake?
Up until the last page, this is an unpredictable story with hidden nuggets which make you want to read a second time to see what you may have missed. With each lie, there is a surprise and with each surprise there is a consequence. The story will make you gasp out loud at times. It is a masterful heart-thumping page turner, with characters you think you know, but perhaps you really never did.
Adele Parks was born in Teesside, North-East England. Her first novel, Playing Away, was published in 2000 and since then she's had seventeen international bestsellers, translated into twenty-six languages, including I Invited Her In. She's been an Ambassador for The Reading Agency and a judge for the Costa. She's lived in Italy, Botswana and London, and is now settled in Guildford, Surrey, with her husband, teenage son and cat.
Twitter: @AdeleParks
Instagram: @adele_parks
Facebook: @OfficialAdeleParks
Q&A with Adele Parks
Q: Please give an elevator pitch for Lies, Lies, Lies.
A: Daisy and Simon’s marriage is great. Isn’t it? After years together, the arrival of longed-for daughter Millie sealed everything in place. A happy little family of three. But Simon drinks too much and one night at a party, things spiral horribly out of control. The consequences are horrific, their little family of three will never be the same again. Lies Lies Lies explores the darkest corners of a relationship in freefall as lies are exposed and secrets will not stay hidden. A domestic noir with themes such as addiction, jealousy and secrecy raging throughout.
Q: Which came first: the characters or plot line?
A: The two things are intrinsically linked and need to work together, but for me it is nearly always plot line that comes first, a hare’s breath before characters. My domestic noir or psychological thrillers (call it what you will!) are dependent on reveals, rug-pulls and twists. They only work if the author is confident about where the plot is going from the beginning. That way every word written works harder. If the author is making it up as they go along in this genre it can get complicated at best, farcical at worst! So, I had a plot. Then I thought, ‘which people in the entire world would this be most devastating for?’ At that point I draw my characters. The same circumstances that Daisy and Simon endure would have a different outcome if they didn’t have particular character traits.
Q: Why do you love Daisy and why should readers root for her?
A: Honestly, hand in the air, time to confess – Daisy is tricky to love to start with. She’s reserved, closed, a little judgemental. However, the more you get to know her, the more you’ll understand she’s incredibly resilient, has a strong moral compass, an incredible sense of loyalty and is a fiercely strong mom! All great qualities.
Q: What was your last 5 star read?
A: The Guest List by Lucy Foley This is a classic whodunit? Set on a beautiful windswept Irish island, the Wedding of the Year is about to take place between beautiful fashion-forwards magazine editor Jules Keegan and her TV star finance Will Slater. The novel shimmers with tension: past rivalries, family rifts and barely disguised grudges. The cake has just been cut when a body is found. As a storm is raging, no one can get on or off the island, so which of the guests is the murderer and who is dead? It’s tense, brilliantly paced and keeps the reader guessing!
Q: What is one thing about publishing you wish someone would have told you?
A: It is an industry for the kind and patient. That is a great thing, right? Two fabulous qualities. Nearly everyone I’ve ever met in publishing has been genuinely lovely, with a sincere passion for their work, good intentions and big hearts. However, it is not a speedy industry! I worked in a global management consultancy before I became a published novelist and was used to a very fast pace in my working life. Publishing is generally rather sedate. I hope I am known for my kindness, but I
doubt I am known for my patience! I’m so glad that my last three books have been published by HarperCollins. Luckily for me, they are an incredibly nimble publishing house, not only responsive and reactive, but proactive too.
Q: Can you tell us what you’re working on now?
A: The next novel of mine that will hit the States is a novel called Just My Luck. It’s about – a lottery win so big, it changes everything for a group of friends who learn to understand what money can, can’t should and definitely should not buy!
For fifteen years, Lexi and Jake have played the same six numbers with their friends, the Pearsons and the Heathcotes. Over dinner parties, fish & chip suppers and summer barbecues, they’ve discussed the important stuff – the kids, marriages, jobs and houses – and they’ve laughed off their disappointment when they failed to win anything more than a tenner.
But then, one Saturday night, the unthinkable happens. There’s a rift in the group. Someone doesn’t tell the truth. And soon after, six numbers come up which change everything forever.
Lexi and Jake have a ticket worth £18 million. And their friends are determined to claim a share of it.
A look at the dark side of wealth, in this gripping take on friendship, money, betrayal, and good luck gone bad…
Thank you #NetGalley #MIRA/Harlequin #Lies,Lies,Lies #AdeleParks for the advanced copy. You can buy a copy now at the following links:
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