I’ve felt recently that psychological thrillers have had their moment. I now read them knowing full well things aren’t what they seem and there is a twist coming. While I don’t necessarily guess the twist, it doesn’t surprise me either because I knew something was coming, even if not what. Which is a shame.

Laura Marshall is the exception to the rule.

It’s true though; I knew things were not what they appeared from the beginning of Three Little Lies. The title gives it away to be honest – you’re meant to assume that someone is not telling the truth.

I was feeling so clever, I thought I had it figured out.

I was completely wrong.

The twist ended up more twisted than I could guess and I was completely gripped. This was definitely a case of not wanting to put a book down until it was done, because you never quite knew what was left to come.

Ellen spent her teenage years caught up in a whirlwind with the family down the road: swept up in their supposed glamorous lifestyle compared to her boring existence at home. The friendship she formed with Sasha is only cemented when disaster strikes and the girls get a flat together.

But Sasha isn’t what she seems. Ellen’s blind faith in her friend has made her reluctant to face what is in front of her: she doesn’t know Sasha as well as she thought she did. But if Sasha has lied about certain things now, what things did she lie about in their past? She swore she told the truth when she testified against someone considered family, backing up a friend and helping put a rapist in prison.

But did she tell the truth? Did events that night happen the way Ellen was led to believe? Only she knows something did happen – her friend, Karina, Daniel’s victim, couldn’t have faked the state she was in. But Ellen starts to wonder if Sasha wasn’t the only one lying in the stand…

When Sasha disappears, Ellen must uncover the past and find out what truly happened if she has any hope of seeing her friend again. Confronting her old life, her loves and demons, is never an easy thing. Facing up to yourself and admitting one person has left you dangling all this time is even harder.

Ellen is a likeable enough character but I thought she was a bit of a push-over. Her idolisation of the family growing up and her devotion to Sasha, despite evidence pointing to the contrary, made me want to shake her at times.

But you don’t get the chance to dwell on the characterisations. The tension, the teasing hints throughout, keep you engaged. I realised one chapter in particular had a crucial detail omitted, which got me thinking about how the twist would unfold. It didn’t, however, mean that I guessed what it was.

A thoroughly enjoyable book that left me on the edge of my seat. A cleverly written masterpiece.

'It's so easy to lie to yourself, because you're never going to get called out on it. No one's ever going to say: hang on, that's not right. There might be a small voice in the corner of your mind that speaks in the dark of the night, when all the other noise has died down, but it's easy to ignore, especially when the sun comes up and the world starts again.'

Having thoroughly enjoyed Friend Request, Laura Marshall has followed it up with another intriguing tale backwards and forwards over two time lines, mainly told from the point of view of Ellen, who in the present is searching for Sasha, her best friend and flat mate. Who is lying, who is telling the truth? Are the lies so little?

Not only is this a mystery but an interesting study of Ellen who does not seem to rely on herself or please herself but has to have a 'best friend' to please throughout her whole life. Rather sad!

Very cleverly told and one of those books it is difficult to put down.

Many thanks to Netgalley/LittleBrown Books for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

Ellen lives with her best friend Sasha, they have been through so much together, even testifying at a trail linked to their friend, Karina, they are as close as ever. Then Sasha disappears and Ellen realises it may be something to do with their past but no-one will listen. The more Ellen digs, the more secrets and lies she uncovers, will the deception ever end?

Oh, I adored this latest offering from Marshall. Once again we read about the claustrophobic, darker side of friendship and what can happen when it all starts to go wrong. Marshall weaves a slick tale of deceit, from uncovering the past through flashbacks, to following Ellen's investigations in the present day. I enjoyed reading about the friends at the beginning and then seeing how it all went wrong and the consequences of this. The plot is intoxicating and impossible to put down. Be warned though, Marshall covers some very tough subjects and there are sections that are very emotive and difficult to read. Marshall throws in plenty of red herrings throughout and I can only apologise to the characters I thought so badly of throughout who turned out to be innocent! 

Speaking of the characters, I liked that they were all independent but had moments where they inter-lap, it allowed the reader to understand them and learn about their interactions. The characters all have their own lies and it was exciting waiting for them to all be revealed, never knowing what was next.

'Three Little Lies' is an absorbing, intoxicating read that portrays the dark side of friendship and the many secrets involved. 

Thank you to NetGalley and Sphere for an advance copy.

A really great read, the characters were strong and believable, the story flowed very well, kept me guessing all the way through and came to a satisfying conclusion, really enjoyed it

Loved Friend Request and was excited to read this book.
It didn’t disappoint. I like that chapters are in characters and this one was easy to follow. Lots of twists and turns and I did wonder where it was going next.
Really enjoyed it, would recommend and am looking forward to Laura Marshall’s next book.
Thank you for the chance to read

This is a curious novel, about someone being accused of rape, and the lies told in court result in him being imprisoned for 5 years. Unfortunately, it was his brother who had committed the rape, and it practicly ruined his whole family life, as well as his personal one.
The story is told by mainly 3 women, Olivia his mother, Ellen, whose friend Saskia goes missing, and Katrina the girl who has caused all the rumpus.. It goes repeatedly from the court case, to five years later, and I found it frustrating to have to keep switching back to the start of the chapter to find out which.
Whilst the characters are believable, the story can stretch your imagination just a little.
Thank you to the publisher, and Net Galley for allowing me to read this novel.

I loved Friend Request so when I saw that this authors next book was out, I was excited to read it. 

This one follows the lives of Sasha, Ellen and Karina and what happened on that fateful New Years Eve night back in 2006.  Jump forward to 2017 and Sasha & Ellen are stll best friends and sharing a flat, when Sasha fails to come home one day Ellen is determined to find her friend, which means revisiting the past, something which she isn't looking forward to, but she will do anything to uncover the truth. 

The story is told over three timelines, which at times could be confusing but it adds to the story, which is intense in parts and keeps you wanting to know what will happen next and how it will end, I certainly didn't expect it to end like that.

I would like to thank Little Brown Book Group for the auto approval, I will post my review on Goodreads now and on Amazon on publication day.  4 stars

I really enjoyed 'Friend Request' so I was delighted to get hold of another book by Laura Marshall. I didn't enjoy Three Little Lies ' as much although it was quite a good read.

When the family move into the house at the corner Ellen is captivated by them. Opera singer Olivia is totally different from her own mother. Their house always seems full of life, with lots of people coming & going and Sasha is someone she wants as a friend, whilst being in awe of piano playing Daniel & humourous Nicholas. She longs to be part of that world, spending as much time there as she can, often joined by her friend Karina. That world was shattered after a brutal attack.

The story is told through different time frames. Ellen's adolescence, now & ten years ago. In the 'now' Ellen shares a flat with Sasha. When Sasha goes missing she tries to get the police to take notice but when even Sasha's family think it is just another example of Sash's flightiness what hope does she have.

This book was a bit tricky for me. I didn't like any of the characters all that much- with the possible exception of Olivia. I found Ellen's obsession & reliance on Sasha somewhat disturbing & for a change I managed to guess the ending! I had to find out what happened but had no real regrets at leaving the characters when I finished the story.

Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.

Terrific story and so much better than Friends Request. The book alternates between present time and 10 years earlier. With so many twists and turns the reader will be guessing right up to the last chapter

Terrific read that I’m happy to recommend.

Thanks to Little Brown Book UK & Netgalley for an ARC in return for an honest review

This is a gripping thriller which will have you trying to work out what are lies and what is the truth.
Most of the book is told from Ellen’s perspective as she frantically searches for her flat mate and childhood friend, Sasha, who has gone missing.
There are flashbacks to 2006 and 2007 when the girls all meet and then the incident happens at a New Year’s Eve party.
We also see the events through the eyes of Olivia who is tangled up in the story.
This book is full of twists and turns and as I didn’t it work out, I was shocked by the big reveal near the end.
If you like edge of your seat thrillers then this is the book for you.
Thanks to Sphere and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

I absolutely loved Friend Request, which was this author’s debut novel, so I was excited to read Three Little Lies.

Whilst the opening chapter was hugely compelling, I sadly got distracted and was unable to read on. This made it difficult for me to get into the book but once I did it was a page turner.

Deploying the dual timeline and multiple perspectives approach, this book continually confused me with unreliable characters, a mysterious disappearance that no one seems to care about, the court case that is hanging over everyone and the enthralling family at the corner House.

Cleverly written to confuse, this author has written a book that is absorbing and compelling as you seek to piece it all together. I hazarded a guess at several things - and really didn’t see one thing coming - so it continued to intrigue me, much like Friend Request.

If I had read this book first and then gone onto Friend Request I would probably have found this book outstanding... Three Little Lies IS a good book, but Friend Request has my heart❣

4*, an author to look out for

I was a big fan of Friend Request so was very excited to get a copy of Three Little Lies. It's always a worry when you've loved a book so much that the next book won't measure up and for me unfortunately, Three Little Lies didn't quite hit the spot for me. The premise was intriguing and I do love a slow burner but I just couldn't get excited about the plot as it progressed. Dysfunctional family fiction is one of my favourite genres but this didn't quite work for me sadly. I'm sure it will be a huge success though, just wasn't for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this as an arc. I loved the author's first book Friend Request, and thoroughly enjoyed this one too. Sasha, Ellen and Karina were all friends at school when teenagers but when we look back to our teenage years, most of us will agree that when there is a friendship group of three, very often one of them feels left out. This is a coming of age story, of envy and tension between friends and families, and how teenage dramas ricochet throughout adult life. None of the characters were particularly likeable, but you don't have to like a character to enjoy the story. The one character I did empathise with was Olivia, the mother, who tried so hard to create the ideal family home, I really felt for her when it all came crashing down.
The story flits between past and present until we finally find out what actually happened to cause such a rift between the families. It is really quite sad in places and some of the characters are right nasty pieces of work!
Very well written book, I would certainly recommend this author.

Was an ok read. The characters got somewhat confusing and the end was a let down. Not much drama there.

Three Little Lies. By the end it felt like there’d been more.
Ellen is worried when her friend Sasha goes missing. She thinks it might be connected to events of their teens. As we dip in and out of time frames and narrative perspectives we slowly get to see what happened.
Ever-shifting and a rather slippery set of characters.
I’d sort of guessed the ending, but there was still a surprise.
Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy in exchange for my thoughts.

I really enjoyed Friend Request so I was excited to read Three Little Lies by Laura Marshall. And it did not disappoint. I flew through this book and couldn't put it down. I can't remember the last time I got through a book so fast. It was gripping, addictive and exciting throughout. I love books that jump between the present and a significant time in the past. A great story filled with twists and a shocking ending. Already looking forward to the next book by Laura Marshall.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a copy of this ebook in exchange for my honest review.

I absolutely loved ‘Friend Request’ and wasn’t sure whether this book could live up to my expectations but I am happy to say this book was absolutely brilliant and I loved it !!

The story all starts with the disappearance of Ellen’s best friend and flat mate, Sasha. She was meant to be at work but left at lunchtime and never came home. Ellen tries to find out what has happened to her but in order to do this she must revisit the past. Who can she trust ? Was everything as she thought it was ?

The book is mainly written in the present day from Ellen’s perspective but some chapters jump back to the past where we find out what happened all them years ago that have led to Ellen worrying for her friends safety, as well as her own. Some of the chapters are also written from other characters perspectives and this, for me, adds to the suspense, twists and turns.

I would highly recommend this book and I think this is a definite read for anyone that loves psychological thrillers with twists and turns galore.

This book will keep you guessing right til the end and have you forget about everything else going on in your life until you get to the very last page.

Thank you to Little Brown Book Group and NetGalley for a digital copy of this book.

Oh my, this book sucked me in right from the off and didn't let me go until the very end. As the title suggests, there are lies to be found within the pages. Lies that make everyone a suspect, everyone guilty until proven innocent. Apart from Daniel that is, who was guilty from the start. Or was he ?
Flitting about in time, first in 2005 when a new family moves into the neighbourhood, threatening the friendship between Ellen and Karina, through 2007 when there is a nasty incident and a rape case to be heard and then back in the present when Sasha has disappeared. The time changes are seamlessly executed and the flashbacks to the past more than complement the present day action, adding just the right amount of background to move it along nicely. Right from the start, I knew that something is a bit hinkey with what transpired at the court case but until right at the very end I had absolutely no idea what. Obviously someone's testimony was based on lies but whose and why is the key to what follows thereafter.
I do love a good book filled with secrets and lies and I got it here in abundance. With a cast of delightfully duplicitous characters, I got my fill of trying to figure it all out before the eventual reveal. I failed. Well, I got some things right but on the whole, the author did a right one on me I can tell you. Not that easy these days as I devour this genre of book voraciously, so yeah - well done for that! All through the book, I changed my mind about pretty much every character along the way, as well as how they all fitted in to the big picture. At times my head really was spinning with all the, probably, overthinking I was doing. It's a while since I got so caught up in all the twists and turns presented to me. But then, when all was said and done and the truth was eventually revealed I had to sit back and applaud the author for a job very well done. I shouldn't really be surprised though as she did it to me with her other book Friend Request so I really should have seen it coming!
All in all, a really great read that I thoroughly enjoyed and recommend for fans of the genre. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

When Ellen's flatmate, Sasha, goes missing, Ellen fears that her disappearance has something to do with their shared past. What has happened to Sasha and did Ellen really know her friend at all?

This is the first book I've read by this author and going on this one, it won't be my last. I found it kept my interest well and I read it fairly swiftly (under 48 hours). Personally I found the different timelines easy to keep separate and thought the style of writing was perfect for the story line. The clues to what happened are there if you look for them, but there was some nice misdirection going on. Yes there are some minor issues, and certain parts can be quite difficult to read at times due to the subject matter, but I felt it was dealt with in a believable way.

Thanks to Netgalley and publishers Little, Brown Bear Book Group (UK), for the opportunity to review an ARC.

I love, love, loved Friend request, and was delighted when asked to read and review Three little lies, this book had me on the edge of my seat, it was fast paced, exciting and very well written, everything I ask for in a thriller.
At times I found it a little confusing as it jumps between 3 different years, but overall the story flowed well and kept me gripped until the end.
Well done for another fantastic book, I’ll look forward to the next.