Psychological thrillers are never easy reads - probably why they’re so popular. Most people lead busy lives but compared to the thriller, propped against their knees, they’re a doddle. This one is fraught with emotive issues but manages to deal with them with sensitivity. Joe is dying. We learn from the very start that Joe isn’t either a nice man or indeed the man the community think he is. He’s also hiding secrets - secrets his daughters help keep. Joe dies. The police suspect foul play. That’s where the fun really starts. Allan is fast making a bit of a name for herself In this genre - it’s easy to see why.

Characters and story line are easy to follow and quite predictable but you will read on. Conversations and thoughts of each person was well executed. The author was able to convey the anger and frustration of adults after suffering childhood trauma. Sensitive subject matter was handled quite well without a lot of detail, focusing more on emotions and after effects. It is easy to guess the nature of the issues at hand and the 'who dunnit' but does not deter one from going forward. Not a deep thriller, but is thought provoking.
I received this book as a complimentary copy for an unbiased review.The opinions expressed are my own.
Thanks to the author,publisher,and NetGalley for the ARC.

Joe McKee has cancer. He's not got long to live. His daughter and stepdaughter don't seem to care. They both despise him. They have their reasons to. But when he dies, the police are called in. They suspect it was foul play that killed him.

This is an emotionally disturbing read. There were five people in the house the day Joe died five suspects. But which one of them is guilty? How wasnt thenrespecta le man the local community thought he was. He has some dark secrets. There are some sinister themes ut they've been written with compassion and clarity. This will be a difficult book to read for some people due to its content. This is another well written and page turning whodunnit. I loved it.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Avon Books UK and the author Claire Allan for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2

Wow! A really good and emotional read!

"Pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death"

"I wanted to scream that I didn't deserve this. But it was like there was a tiny voice, or a chorus of voices, whispering that this is exactly what I did deserve. In fact, I deserved much, much more."

Joe is dying. His body is riddled with cancer. He has been giving 3 to 6 months. Heidi has to look after him but she can barely stand being in the same room as Joe. He is estranged from his daughter Ciara who reluctantly goes to see him before it's too late but she also hates him with a passion. Both these woman are damaged in so many ways. Then Joe dies but was it of natural causes or not? Will his death heal them in some way or will everything boil over?

This is a story that might upset sensitive readers. It tackles some really difficult and upsetting issues of abuse and the consequences of keeping quiet. At times its tough to read because although I cannot put myself in the shoes of these woman, I can feel the pain and loneliness and frustration. It also makes you think.... how well do you really know people close to you and how quickly do you judge people who act out without knowing the real reason for their behaviour.

A book I will definitely recommend to my customers and a story that will stay with me for a while.

Thank you to netgalley and AvonBooksUK for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I found The Liar’s daughter a compelling read, devouring it in just two sittings. Whilst immensely readable, I was disappointed that I didn’t find the actual storyline as gripping as I’d have liked.
This psychological thriller revolves around the death of Joe and his last days being cared for by his step daughter Heidi and his other estranged biological daughter Ciara. There’s no love lost between Joe and his daughters or between the sisters themselves which is evident in the very first pages. It’s easy to guess the reason why Heidi despises Joe so much, making it all the more strange yet commendable that she is caring for him in his dying days. The author is portraying Heidi as a damaged, increasingly unhinged individual, hinting at her miserable childhood, grieving for her mother Natalie whilst being brought up by Joe against her wishes. The reasons for bad feeling between Heidi and Ciara are obvious since Joe left Ciara and her mother Marie to set up home with Natalie and Heidi and clearly Ciara has never forgiven her father for walking away. Now they are both adults it would be reasonable to think that these two could set aside their differences and let bygones be bygones. However when Joe dies quicker than his prognosis would have led the family to believe, tensions are never far from the surface especially when his death is discovered to possibly be the result of foul means. Is there a murderer amongst those present the evening Joe passed away and will fingers automatically point the blame at Heidi??
Whilst the words flowed easily I wasn’t totally convinced by casting Heidi under suspicion simply because of her troubled childhood which her husband Alex is seemingly unaware of. Yes she has a strong motive for his death certainly and Ciara, a cold hearted woman, is keen to frame Heidi for their father’s premature demise. So although I suppose the reader is led down this route, anyone who reads a great deal of psychological thrillers will see this red herring and perhaps find it relatively easy to guess the culprit. Admittedly I only half guessed who is to blame and definitely not the intricate details which do make sense when the final threads are brought together so the author has achieved her aim of throwing the reader off the scent. There is a sense of unease throughout which adds to the overall tension. Personally I didn’t find either Heidi or Ciara likeable characters despite what had happened to them in the past and overall there just wasn’t enough of a WOW factor for my liking. As psychological thrillers go this was quite an average read, despite me racing through the pages but I would definitely continue to read other titles by this author. Just on this occasion I was left feeling rather underwhelmed.
My thanks as always to the author and publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to read in exchange for an honest review.

No one deserves to be taken before their time. Do they?

Joe McKee – pillar of the Derry community – is dead. As arrangements are made for the traditional Irish wake, friends and family are left reeling at how cancer could have taken this much-loved man so soon.

But grief is the last thing that Joe’s daughter Ciara and step-daughter Heidi feel. For they knew the real Joe – the man who was supposed to protect them and did anything but.

As the mourners gather, the police do too, with doubt being cast over whether Joe’s death was due to natural causes. Because the lies that Joe told won’t be taken to the grave after all – and the truth gives his daughters the best possible motive for killing him…

Claire Allan really knows how to pull her audience in and in her latest book, The Liars Daughter, she succeeds once again when she tells a tale about a man who isn't what people think he is, but because his daughter and stepdaughter have kept their secrets buried, Joe goes to his grave an honoured and much loved man, but every picture tells a story and all it needs is these two girls to reveal all.

The story is told mainly from Ciara and Heidi's perspectives and, as the story unfolds, you can see why they have issues with each other and with Joe, and I felt for both of them when their secrets emerged and could sympathise with them both if either one had killed him, but all is not as it seems and the ending took me by surprise. It's a very dark plot and a hard subject to write about but Claire Allan covered it perfectly, with emotion in all the right places. I thoroughly enjoyed this one and would definitely recommend.

I'd like to thank Avon Books and Netgalley for the approval, I will post my review on Goodreads now and on Amazon on publication day.

The Liar's Daughter by Claire Allan
As a fan of Claire Allans previous books I was looking forward to reading this book and I really enjoyed it. The story is told by Heidi and Ciara and between the past and the present. Joe is father to Ciara and stepdad to Heidi, and Joe has died, as the family prepare to bury him secrets start to emerge, then the police arrive, did someone kill Joe?
While reading the story of the family dynamics which were very well written it is almost easy to forget the police investigation as the story was so interesting. I flew through this book and enjoyed every page.

What a story!!!! I’ve read a few of this authors books but this has now become my favourite.

Joe McKee is a real nasty character. Behind closed doors is was nothing like what the community thought he was. He’s now dying and wants his family with him. When he dies the police are suspicious.

Not a subject that everyone wants to read about. The author wrote it in such a way it was hard to put the book down.

Brilliantly written dark, psychological read. Can’t wait to read more from this author.

With thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books for the ARC.

This is a dark, psychological thriller about an estranged extended family.
Joe McKee is a pillar of the Derry community, religious, friendly and always there to help.

His daughter and step daughter have an entirely different view of him.

When Joe is told he has months to live due to terminal cancer, his family come together to come up with a plan for his final months.

Within days, he is dead.
At first it seems like natural causes but the police soon announce that he was murdered.

Family tensions that have been bubbling away for decades all immediately come to the fore.
Accusations are made, fists are thrown and every slight and grudge is brought to the surface.

A brilliant whodunnit with tensions and dark secrets.

An excellent read.

This is a well written, uncomfortable read that I feel isn’t marketed correctly. The summary and blurb speak of a ‘suspense filled novel’ when I found it more of a slow burn, family drama - although I absolutely understood that description wouldn’t have it flying off the shelves.

The subject matter is an uncomfortable read and there’s certainly no surprise in the reasoning behind the family dislike and hatred of Joe. The ‘secret’ is in knowing who killed him and this wasn’t sufficient to maintain my interest.

I finished the book, but, only because I felt committed to and not in anyway because I was enjoying it.

All in all a well written, but, predictable read.

A 2* OK from me.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Avon for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.* My favourite genre of books is domestic thriller. One of my favourite political/historical topics is Northern Ireland. As such, Claire Allan's recent thrillers, all set in Derry and surrounds are a match made in Heaven. I first came across Claire's work when I stumbled across 'Her Name Was Rose' in 2018 and have been a fan ever since. 'The Liar's Daughter' did not disappoint and provides the usual intrigue, suspense and complex relationships that we have come to expect from Claire. The book focusses on the death of Joe McKee, a supposed paragon of virtue and pillar of society and his daughter Ciara and step-daughter's responses to his death. Joe was an old man, but the police start to question whether his death was natural, or if it was hastened along by someone near and dear to him. The book is fast-paced and held my attention until the very end. I can't wait to read what Allan writes next.

Holy crap! What the heck has happened???!!!

I couldn’t stop reading until end of the pages! I’m glad that Joe McKee is dead because of what he did to his girls when they were little girls..he was a monster that I agree with them! Can’t believe the girls hold back and not telling anyone or their family expect her aunt Kathleen knew it..

Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy...

Does anyone really deserve to die before their time? There apears to be suspicious circumstances regarding their father's death. With flashbacks we discover there is more than one person who may have wanted him dead - but who?
Must admit I didn't see the end coming.

Thanks to Netgalley for a digital copy of this book

A very powerful, emotive and evocative read

Joe is dying of cancer and wants his family to be around him for his final few weeks
His daughter Ciara and step daughter Heidi feel differently, they will be there BUT don’t want to be, how can they when Joe ruined their lives and relationship?

Joe feels settled that he has them there but he goes to meet his maker even quicker than expected, well he was dying after-all, it was to be expected, wasn’t it?

What follows is a ‘whodunit’ with recriminations, hurt, lies and anger on all sides with the truth being buried with Joe, but it cant stay like that forever

A moving story, set in Ireland, of a family coming to terms with ( although not wanting to ) a father, step father and brother’s evil past told, as always, brilliantly by this author, as said a very emotive and powerful read, it reads very personal from the characters and is haunting as it is unforgettable

10/10
5 Stars

This thriller is well written and researched. The main topic of pedophilia I found difficult to read about but it was dealt with in a very sensitive manner.

Joe McKee is dead. A fine upstanding man to the outside world but to those close to him especially his daughters he’s a monster. As the family who have been torn apart reunite for his funeral they are left shocked by the police investigation into Joes death. Could he have been murdered? Who if anyone is guilty?

The utter devastation and long lasting consequences of abuse is far reaching and this was apparent in this book. This wasn’t an easy read for me but nevertheless was fantastically written and showed understanding of the difficult subject .

Thank you to the publishers and netgalley for my chance to read this gripping read

This is not the first of Claire Allan’s books that I’ve read and it definitely won’t be the last !!

Joe McKee is dead. He had cancer and was given only weeks to live. His stepdaughter Heidi is taking on most of his care but then Ciara, Joe’s estranged daughter arrives. It soon becomes apparent that Heidi and Ciara do not get on but they do have one thing in common, they both despise Joe.

Joe suddenly dies and although his diagnosis was very poor suddenly the police are suspecting that Joe was murdered. Joe is a pillar of the community so who would want him dead and why ? Heidi and Ciara know only too well what Joe was really like but will others discover the truth about the pillar of their community.

This is a great book with such a harrowing storyline. You really feel for Heidi and Ciara and just wish that they would support each other rather than push each other away. I loved the characters and the style of the book, with the past and present been told in alternating chapters. We also get to see the story from both Heidi and Costa’s viewpoint. Definitely one to read !!

Thank you to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for a digital copy of this book.

Thanks to Netgalley and Avon Books UK for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Joe McKee is sick with cancer and doesn't have much time left. Years ago he left his wife and daughter for another woman with a daughter named Heidi. Heidi's mother died of cancer not long after and Joe raised Heidi, while not maintaining much of a relationship with his biological daughter Ciara. Both daughters don't like him or each other and grudgingly come together with a few other people to put on a wake for Joe after he dies. Then the police announce Joe's death may not have been of natural causes and we know someone in the house that was responsible for his death but of course we don't know who.

This book was a bit slow for me. Joe is a horrible person so I was not at all sad that he died a little earlier than we was going to die anyway. That could be why I ultimately didn't really care who killed him and why this book wasn't that intetesting for me. This felt more like a family drama with a not terribly interesting mystery thrown in. It was my least favorite of the 3 books I have read by this author but I will likely pick up her next one.

Another well written and complex story by one of the greatest authors out there. A tragic story with an unexpected ending.

Joe McKee is dying. As the family start to gather past tensions spring to the surface. His biological daughter, Ciara, detests his step-daughter Heidi as she believes Heidi & her Mother took Joe away from her. Heidi on the other hand detests Ciara for the way she behaved towards her as a child. His sister Kathleen sees him as some kind of saint, whilst his ex-wife Marie (Ciara's Mother) is obviously still in love with him. The community love Joe Mckee, an upstanding pillar of the church, and mourn when he dies of natural causes......or does he?
I really enjoyed the tension within this book. Ciara & Heidi have a very toxic relationship which is centred around Joe & his behaviour when they were children. This tension is mentally crippling for them both & has serious effects on their partners Stella & Alex. When the police come sniffing around it is obvious that something has to give. I love the way that although Heidi hates Joe she slips back into the role of a dutiful step-daughter around him. How often do family get togethers become difficult because people slip into their childhood roles? Families getting together for weddings, funerals, Christmases etc are ripe grounds for old feelings and behaviours to spill over into the present. The author captured this brilliantly.
I really enjoyed this book. The plot was good and the suspense built up really well. I feel that this worked particularly well with the background of the Catholic church which added an extra dimension. A great plot with fantastic characters - a great read. I shall certainly be keeping an eye out for other books by this author.

I received a free copy of this book via Netgalley.

I’d like to thank Avon Books UK and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘The Liar’s Daughter’ by Claire Allan in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Joe McKee, a highly-regarded member of his Irish community, has terminal cancer and only has a short time to live. As the members of his family gather, his step-daughter Heidi who’s been left with most of his care and daughter Ciara feel only hatred for the man who was supposed to love and protect them but instead ruined their lives. Following Joe’s demise the police inform them that his death doesn't appear to be from natural causes and they question the family. Ciara and Heidi both have reasons for wishing Joe dead but did one of them prematurely put an end to his life?

‘The Liar’s Daughter’ is a thought-provoking and disturbing novel that encompasses subjects including child abuse, cancer and self-harm into a well-written and powerful family drama. The plot is intricately woven, the characters convincing although not all of them are likeable, and the tension intensifies with every twist and turn. The story becomes increasingly chilling until the conclusion when the guilty person is revealed and all is explained. This novel is compulsive reading, well-deserving of five stars, and definitely shouldn’t be missed.