Love sliding doors the film so was looking forward to reading this book as it’s a solimilar style storyline. It didn’t disappoint I really enjoyed it

Anything You Do Say is a dual narrative novel taking the reader down two possible outcomes in the life of Joanna after a life-changing night out with a friend. In option one (conceal) she avoids responsibility for events and works to actively hide her involvement, in option two (reveal) she accepts it and faces the consequences.

While I wouldn't call this a thriller, it is addictive in the rich description of normal, day-to-day interactions with Joanna and her husband Reuben and the small insightful observations she makes along both paths. I felt touched by Joanna and Reuben and the sweet life they share so it was difficult to watch it strain under the pressure of both scenarios. There is a strong psychological element that talks to our instinctive human nature when caught in a difficult situation. That is well illustrated in Anything You Do Say.

It took me a little while to get into but I really enjoyed this book once I did. It makes you question yourself so much and it's actually scary to see how easy it might be to find yourself in a similar situation.
An enjoyable, thought-provoking read.

Wow. What a read. Late to the party reviewing this book. Gillian McAllister strikes again. A 5* review here. Roller coaster of a page turner. Thank you for the advanced copy in return for an honest review.

I couldn't get into this, although I did persevere following reviews I had read. It was just not my 'thing' - sorry...but others have disagreed completely. Can't suit everyone.

Interesting "Sliding Doors" concept told in Reveal/Conceal chapters. Author managed to keep the separate story strands clear and without confusion. Male character was weak and it did make me question the British justice system but a gripping page turner.

I absolutely loved this book and read it in two sittings!

I’m not quite sure what I’d of done in the same situation as Joanna, she meets a guy in the bar and it doesn’t go well, she leaves but hears footsteps behind her and so tried to get away, and fails she shoves him and he falls down some stairs obviously pretty hurt, do you walk away or get help?

This is like 2 books in one, the chapters alternate between her getting help and how that turns out- arrest, trial etc and her walking away and how that ends up, guilt, secrets and lies.....

I can’t say too much more else I’ll give it all away, what I will say is it blew me away and I totally loved it & couldn’t stop talking about it to anyone who would listen (willingly or not)....

Get this book it’s a must read I can’t wait for more form the author!!!

When you love a debut novel as much as I loved Everything But the Truth, there is a danger you will find a second novel disappointing. So I approached this read with some caution, especially as the Sliding Doors narrative has been done before and could become cliched. I don't know why I was cautious on either point - this was an excellent book and both the theme and the structure were handled deftly by McAllister. The reasoning behind both courses of action were believable and I sympathised with both narratives. The attention to detail with the police procedure, the emotional fallout of the events and the characters' consistent behaviour within the two developing plots makes this one of my books of the year.

This was a wonderful book with two stories wound into one in a magical way. I loved every minute and felt sad when it ended. It is full of so many emotional scenes with each one making the reader think - how would I have reacted? Joanna is full of so many complex thoughts, mainly negative. The story is the fact that Joanna committed a murder the question being was it intentional or not and the consequences that she suffers. The reaction of her friends and husband make it such a tragic story.
A great author who has produced an a very realistic story with characters who are so easy to relate to..

I really enjoyed Anything You Say, it was something different with a great plot, great characters and written beautifully, if not a tad repetitive and slow in parts.

If you liked the film Sliding Doors then you will probably like this book. Although I do think its a slightly lazy comparison. The book will make you question how you would react in the same circumstances, not just with the main character but her husband as well. Sometimes I did want to slap the pair of them because of the decisions they made or the way they acted.

For me it was hard to put down and i did think about it a lot inbetween reading, wondering which way the stories would evolve.

Enjoyable book and as I write this it is only 99p on Amazon for the Kindle version, which for a book like this is an absolute steal.

A very intriguing premise sets up this simmering tale of guilt and redemption, expertly drawing the reader into the psychological turmoil of the lead character. I really enjoyed this book and found it very thought provoking, I will be recommending this!

I was given an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest and independent review.
The premise of the book was good but somehow the way in which it was narrated, with two different paths the story could go which was relayed in alternating chapters (Reveal and Conceal) was slightly confusing and certainly detracted from my enjoyment of the first half of the book.
The second half of the book was much better with a faster pace and more happening, leaving me reading with anticipation.
Another book by Gillian McAllister with interesting moral dilemmas but I just didn’t love it as much as her previous book, Everything but the Truth.
Overall 4 stars

Conceal/Reveal - what would you do?

Joanna is on a night out with a friend when she is harassed by a man in the bar they have a 'selfie' taken with. To the girls it was just a photo, but to him it was much more, and he wants to get to know Jo better.

When they leave the bar and go their separate ways, Jo is convinced that she is being followed, and she is convinced that it is him, the man from the bar. She is frightened and doesn't consider her actions as she panics and turns on the steps to push him away from her.

He falls and hits the ground. Jo is paralysed with fear, should she call 999 and wait for the police and ambulance to arrive, or should she run and try to forget that anything ever happened?

This novel has been compared to the film sliding doors in that the narrative after the event splits into two halfs. What happens if Jo calls the Police and what happens if she doesn't. That's where the similarities to the film start and end.

The novel is told in alternate 'Conceal' and 'Reveal' chapters as we are caught up in Joanna's battle (for neither option is easy) to regain a normal life after that fateful night. Her relationship with her friends and family are put to the ultimate test as the stories play out and we see a different side to her husband in each case.

This is the part of the novel that I found most interesting, Joanna is not an instantly likeable character, and makes some pretty terrible decisions in both scenarios, but it is her relationship with her husband that really brings out the emotional side of this novel.

I can't say too much more without giving anything away, but this novel is very clever and you should definitely read it for yourself.

I've seen this book in the top sellers a lot around the UK and have heard it being compared a lot to the film sliding doors, so I thought, why not give this book a go as I've seen the film a long time ago and enjoyed it.

You meet Joanna / Jo, as she is on a girls night out with her best friend Laura having drinks until they receive some unwanted attention from a guy. They try to ignore the guy and get away from him and carry on their girls night out, but he keeps approaching them and takes a selfie with Joanna. They manage to leave and end the night by parting ways in different directions. Joanna hears footsteps behind her and thinks its the guy that was previously giving her unwanted attention so she quickens her pace and calls her husband who is at home waiting for her to let him know that shes on her way home but thinks shes being followed. The mobile phone cuts in a dead spot and it is soon Joanna and the guy behind her in a secluded spot. Feeling threatened, she pushes him when he approaches and the guy ends up on the floor and isn't moving.

After this event, the book is spilt between chapters which show how her life would turn out if she conceals (leaves the guy on the floor and walks away) or reveals (calls an ambulance for the guy on the floor). I did enjoy this book a lot and you follow Joanna as you see how different her life turns out between the conceal and reveal chapters, the effect that pushing a guy down onto the floor has on her friends, family and husband. You do find yourself glued to the book as you can sympathise with Joanna being afraid and pushing and not knowing what to do. I wouldn't have predicted some of the things that happen towards the end of the book, but I did enjoy how the two stories merge into one in the end and there is a conclusion so you're not left wondering about any cliffhangers.

I would highly recommend this book as it keeps you gripped and the telling of the characters is done really well.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and Gillian McAllister for my review copy of Anything You Do Say.
I have never seen the film Sliding Doors but if you have, this book follows a similar concept in that it is told in the form of two scenarios. Like two stories running concurrently, based on a decision made.
Olivia and Laura are out for their regular Friday night drinks when a man begins to harass Olivia. She'd agreed to take a selfie with him, let him buy her a drink but then he gets pushy, starts touching her inappropriately, getting in her personal space etc. A moment we've all experienced, not just women but men too, that pushy guy or girl who's maybe a bit worse for wear but whose behaviour is inexcusable.

Feeling uncomfortable, the two women leave the bar and set off home in separate directions. Halfway to the tube station, Olivia gets the sense that someone is following her, she tries to call her husband but the signal goes, spotting the guy from the bar's bright red trainees coming up alongside her, Olivia panics, turning around, she shoved her would be attacker away from her as hard as possible, and he falls down the concrete stairs to the canal side and doesn't move.

Now Olivia is faced with a decision. Does she call 999 save the man's life and face the consequences of what she has done? Or does she walk away, pretend it hasn't happened and live with the guilt?

The rest of the novel tells the story from two angles, Reveal and Conceal. One sees Olivia calling 999, being arrested and facing the consequences of her actions, the other sees her leaving him there, and trying to live with herself and cover up the crime afterwards.

It was a really interesting way to read a novel. The whole way through I found myself questioning, not only my own morals and beliefs, I.e what would I do in that situation, but also which one was true and which one had the worse consequences? Yes, admitting to it means you're admitting to a crime which may end in a prison sentence, but concealing it means you've got to face your friends and family knowing what you've done and living with that. Which is worse?

The story really pulls you along and in all honesty I was surprised how much I identified with Olivia. Like literally, other than the pushing the man down the stairs thing, me and her could be the same person. Her inability to commit to anything, her mad schemes, her need to prove herself, her intelligence but procrastination letting her down. Olivia is like my soul mate. I think that really gave me such a strong emotional connection with her because Sometimes it felt like the story was about me. It was a weird feeling. But it really allowed me to get lost in the story.
One of my favourite novels from this year. Excellent.

This was the first book I had read by Gillian McAllister and she shines through as a very talented author.
The concept is a great one. The main character, Jo, is faced with a making a snap decision when she makes a terrible mistake after a night out. Her reasoning skills clouded by fear and having had some alcohol to drink, the book splits into two and we see what will happens if she were to call 999 or if she walks away.
Everyone hopes in such a situation they would ‘do the right thing’ but reading about Jo’s situation I could not be so sure that I would have done so 🤭. I think this is testament to Gillian’s skills that she builds up the situation so well that I could understand why Jo failed to take any action.
With regard to the two parts of the book, the ‘conceal’ and ‘reveal’ chapters, which run alongside each other, this again works exceptionally well and I am pleased that Gillian adopted this format rather than writing the book with the whole story one way and then with the other outcome.
I am grateful for an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I highly recommend this book for a different concept and interesting read.

I decided it was time to catch up with Gillian McAllister's first book - Everything but the Truth - rather than just read her latest one, Anything you do Say. So here's a double review.

The books are two very different standalone psychological thrillers. Both are well written, intriguing and tense, with multilayered plots covering deep ethical and moral issues. In both cases, I found myself relating these back to me - 'What would I do?' and 'What would I say?'

Everything but the Truth is a tale of domestic noir set in our social media-driven society. Rachel is pregnant. Although she loves and trusts her boyfriend Jack, she hasn't known him that long. When she finds a seemingly suspicious email, Rachel wonders whether she knows him at all. What follows is a twisty journey into discovering more about Jack's past - and, as Rachel's obsession escalates, there are also big reveals about her own. The two of them appear to have been selective with the truth - not just with one another, but also perhaps with themselves.

In Anything you do Say, Joanne realises she's being followed after a night out at the pub. Convinced it's the man who was bothering her there, she lashes out in a panic - one of those split-second decisions that you come to regret. The man falls down some steps and lies motionless in front of her. And this is when the story not only begins, but also becomes interesting and intriguing, as the narrative splits into two - the big 'what if'. What if Joanna runs (the 'conceal' scenario)? Or what if she stays and calls for help (the 'reveal' scenario)?

I enjoyed reading these books, with both of them making me think and question.

Everything but the Truth is a love story filled with secrets and lies - a look at honesty in a relationship and whether it's necessary to reveal everything or just hope your past doesn't catch up with you. Is it better to not know the truth about people's pasts and just live in the 'here and now'? Funnily enough, I actually thought Rachel's own secret was 'worse' than Jack's.

Of the two books, Anything you do Say had the slight edge for me, probably because I often think about the 'sliding doors' scenario. The 'what ifs' of life. Whether choosing a different path would have led to a different 'now'. Both storylines in Anything you do Say worked well, with enough overlap to make them both believable but without repetition of two potentially very similar narratives. I found myself racing through this novel to discover Joanne's fate/destiny.

I look forward to seeing what's next from Gillian McAllister.

This is an good book, and one of my favourite reads of 2017. Take a chance encounter with a pest on a drunken night out, and a crime that amounts to self defence ....or does it. What follows was is a
fast paced story, with good characters. There are two possible endings at play here (think sliding doors) and the ending depends on the decision to conceal or reveal the truth. The author trips faultlessly between the two story lines. A read that i would recommend to all.

3.5 stars!!!

Joanna and her friend, Laura are out on their regular Friday night girls night out for drinks when an encounter with a stranger changes everything.
A man approaches them harassing Joanna in a way that makes her uncomfortable, scared and when her Laura and eventually leave to go home and go their separate ways
the sound of footsteps behind her quickens her heartbeat and terrfies her. Afraid that it's the man from the bar she runs but turns and with one action, a push the man is sent tumbling
down a flight of stairs. what does she do next? does she call for help? or does she run before anyone can see she was ever there in the first place?

this is story told in two different ways, one that Joanna called for help the other she did not and we watch as each event unravels from the choice she has made.
Throughout the book as the reader it made you think what you'd do yourself if you were in the same situation, it was very cleverly written, with complex characters and the writer clearly
likes to place us readers in the grey area where we are not sure what actually is true, but i guess it's depending on what you believe.

It was very much like the movie sliding doors in a way but i'd say two things i wasn't loving about it. Reuben, i didn't like his character i found him quite immature and very judgemental on everything and i'm not referring to the crime at hand. I also would have liked at the end if it was pretty straight forward and told you which story was the correct one, or that the author had decided herself which one was the correct one to give us some sort of
closure to the book.

Over all i liked the book and i'd read more from this author in the future

This books follows the same concept as Tim Firth's Our House musical; a choice has to be made one day and here the story splits into two paths, will Jo help the man she mistakenly pushes down the stairs or will she leave him and flee?
Each choice has unforeseen consequences, the 'right' choice causing as much damage as the wrong one. I found it moving that the stories moved back onto the same path at the end of the book; not something I was expecting.
This is an extremely topical novel in its look at how some men behave towards women and how this constant bombardment of sexual harassment can lead to an overreaction. I felt so sorry for Jo and think I would have reacted as she did in the initial event. How she deals with the results of her actions unnerved and tormented me. I felt stressed reading the book, imagining it was me ... yes, we even share a name, and rushed to finish it to make sure all turned out ok ... not that it necessarily did...
I hated reading it for this reason but it's actually a really good book