I am not sure what this book is trying to be. It's a hybrid and I am not sure it worked. Neither the espionage nor the domestic drama were strong enough individually, and for me didn't work together very well either. The two characters, Anna and Maria were very similar and their voices too similar also. I thought the book was technically well written with a good use of language but the plot didn't grab me and I found it an uncomfortable read in places. With thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Most Difficult Thing is a beautifully lyrical domestic drama and espionage hybrid with two very different but very engaging women at the heart of it .

Lies and deceit are at the centre of a seemingly strong and powerful marriage and Charlotte Philby takes the reader on an emotional and riveting journey through the lives of Anna and her "Nanny" Maria keeping things edgy and off kilter, never quite sure where the truth lies between all the shades of grey.

This makes for a compelling page turner that holds attention throughout, leading you to a classically thought provoking finale. Character is key here but I won't give anything away, this is a book best read cold, it's emotional impact coming from often unexpected directions.

I loved it. Different and fascinating, a really excellent read.

The Most Difficult Thing is a gripping story of espionage and betrayal.Set between London .The Maldives and Greece ,Anna has reinvented herself and married David son of a Millionaire whose business involves dumping toxic waste ,when she becomes pregnant with twins .Anna though is still in love with the mysterious Harry who claims to be a spy for the Government ,who is working on bringing David's Father Clive down and recruits her to help him . Marie is an old childhood friend of David who is asked to help with the twins when they are born .The story is told through both Anna and Maria .I found this story exciting wondering if Anna is going to get caught .None of the characters seem trustworthy and the unexpected ending left me wanting more ! A very good debut book . Many thanks to the Publisher ,the Author and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest review .

A gripping story of spies and counter spies, full of twists and turns. From her days at University Anna has two loves in her life, - David and Harry. Harry, whose work is highly secretive, convinces Anna that David’s billionaire father is running a very dubious business and recruits her, she thinks to either MI5 or MI6 , and encourages her to strengthen her relationship with David, whilst secretly reporting back to Harry at the same time. The arrival of twin daughters encourages David, who is deeply in love with Anna, to propose and the marriage quickly takes place. Anna, ever suspicious, soon unearths evidence and ends up in a Catch 22 situation, fearing for her and her girls lives. She has no alternative but to flee - but can she get away? The sudden ending of the novel definitely leaves the reader wanting more! Phew!
A great first novel by Charlotte Philby.

Anna is married to David but in thrall to the mysterious Harry who has set her up to spy on David and his family's business which is involved in the dumping of toxic waste. This is at first quite easy but when she becomes pregnant, David starts to withdraw from her, turning to Maria, a childhood friend. But is Maria what she seems?

Told from the viewpoints of Anna and Maria, their voices were not sufficiently differentiated for me. I found it difficult to follow the thread of the story and did not find the motivation of either character convincing.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

How many lies make a truth?
Everyone in this story lies, and everyone has an ulterior motive. Personally, I never trusted Harry and Anna has invented herself and her family. Maria - well she was up to something right from the beginning, and Clive and David always had something to hide....
Now back to the actual story-telling. I found the middle section hard going and was tempted at times to stop reading. It seemed to be going nowhere and the constant flashing to and fro in time was distracting. But by Chapter 40 it had settled down into ‘proper’ story-telling and then along came Felicity again, and upset the apple-cart!
And as for the ending... most unexpected.