Having read all of Claire's previous books I was really eager to start reading The Liar's Daughter. This book is by far the stand out read of all of Claire's books and I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Joe McKee – pillar of the Derry community – has died. The community and close family begin to grieve that their beloved Joe has left them, however Joe’s daughter Ciara and step-daughter Heidi feel relief that he has finally left them in peace.
We see the lies that everyone has held close to their chest start to slowly unravel as the police investigate the nature of Joe's death. Mental health, troubled childhoods and complicated family dynamics are explored and as a reader you start to feel every inch of the tension and emotions that are woven through this suspenseful page-turner

Trigger warnings for self harm, mental health and sexual abuse.

If you are wondering what to read in 2020, look no further than Claire Allan’s new thriller “The Liar’s Daughter. I was so caught up in the storyline, I read it all in one sitting. Right from the start she draws you in and you need to know how it will end. I felt the characters emotions and could imagine their pain and suffering. I definitely will be looking out for Claire’s next thriller as they never disappoint.

I found this psychological thriller rather difficult to read - not about the content but those many "Now" and "Then" chapters.

The subject matter is basically a daughter vs a step daughter following their Irish father Joe's illness and subsequent death. I know families struggle at these times, and the author, to her credit, writes sympathetically about death and grieving.

Gloomy, sad and sombre and, I am afraid,not that enjoyable even with the good twist at the end.

I received this book for netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Well, I got into this book without knowing what I was getting into. I dived into it thinking it was a thriller but it was a very eery and dark family drama that covers very dark themes like child abuse. It was a very depressing read for me and I just couldn't continue reading beyond 50 percent. It was just too much for me. So, I DNFed it.

In the story, Hiedi is continuously harassed by the family members even after everything she had experienced in her past which felt cruel to me. There is plenty of family drama and it was very very dark for me.

This story was very disturbing for me but some people might like it as it is very well written. But it wasn't meant for me. If you're into darker themes and family dramas you should try it

Justice will be served!!

Another page turner from the brilliant talented Claire Allen!

The author handled the uncomfortable subject sensitively and with thought.

An emotional roller coaster of a ride with a twist at the end I didn't see coming a powerful read.

Having read some of this author's books and having enjoyed them quite abit, I was excited to have received an Advance Reader Copy of this novel from NetGalley. This book follows the life of Joe McKee, a seeming paragon of society. Joe is dying of cancer and summons his daughter, Ciara, and stepdaughter, Heidi, to his bedside in his last days.

Heidi, who was left under Joe's care when her mother died, and she has a marked ambivalence towards him. Ciara too resents him for abandoning her to take care of Heidi. As these two ladies are thrown together, their hostilitiy towards each other and towards Joe come to the surface, and old memories and secrets surface, begging the question - Just what did Joe McKee do in the past?

This book was an overall okay read. It touches on some dark topics, but the author handled them delicately. However, I didn't enjoy it as much as some of the author's previous books.

A well written and heart-wrenching story that kept me hooked till the end.
I liked the setting and the well written cast of characters.
It's the first story I read by this author and won't surely be the last.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

I wasn’t a massive fan of The Liar’s Daughter. I felt the first quarter of the book completely lacked pace. It’s billed as a gripping suspense novel full of secrets and lies but sadly I felt it fell short of the mark.

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon Books and the author for the chance to review.

I love me some Claire Allan and have read a number of her books within the past year. So when this book came up as an ARC I was all over it like Donkey Kong. Thank you to Avon Books UK and Claire Allan for this ARC in return for an honest review.

Description 🔖

Relationships are strained within the McKee family. Sisters Heidi and Ciara do not get on for complicated reason, however there is one thing that they have in common; their feelings towards their father Joe. Joe McKee is seen as a pillar in the community and valued within the church. However Heidi and Ciara know the real Joe that exists behind closed doors. When Joe dies from cancer, secrets along with the police surface and it would appear that someone other than the cancer wanted to put an end to Joe Mckee.

General Thoughts 🤔

I’ll be completely honest, I got through about 20% of this book and thought that it just wasn’t living up to Claire Allan’s previous work. The storyline felt a little predictable and I felt like the story was running far too quickly. But I soon settled in and my opinion changed. There are a lot of complex emotions to pick through in this book and I was soon drawn into the lives of Heidi and Ciara and was struggling along with them.

The story covers a sensitive subject matter and I think Claire Allan has done a fabulous job of handling it with care.

Characters 👫👭👬

The characters were what ended up making this book for me. I had so many internal back and forth from beginning to end. I started off really empathising with Heidi and not being able to stand Ciara. I then switched. And switched again. And switched again. Ending up feeling ok with both of them.

Though Joe is so central to the story, he isn’t in the book an awful lot but you still get a sense of his character, his capabilities and the pure evil that ran through him. I always like it when an author can write a character that a reader can quite easily have so much hatred for.

Writing Style ✍🏽

As mentioned above, it was the characters that made this book for me. They are written so cleverly that I always felt like I was on the back foot and was never sure if I knew the real Heidi or the real Ciara. I never quite knew if I really did know their secrets and I think that’s such clever writing to make a reader so doubtful.

I also liked that the unravelling of all of the characters and the end of the story didn’t feel rushed. All bases were covered, all threads tied off. I like a nice, neat ending.

Conclusion & Scoring 🎖

I devoured this book within a few hours. Once I got over my very early hurdle, I was in deep and I couldn’t put it down. I can always trust in Claire Allan for a gripping read and this book 100% delivered.

A bit of a difficult read for some people, I would imagine, due to the subject matter of paedophiles. I honestly gave up after a few chapters but it was well written and the plot seemed to be going somewhere! Just not for me due to the subject matter of abuse. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

The Liars Daughter is a tough book to read as it deals with child abuse. I think this is probably Claire Allans best book yet. Her writing seems to improve with each book. I enjoyed reading about the relationship between the two sisters, I thought it was the best part of the story.

Thanks to NetGalley for my copy.

I really loved this book!! It had so many twists and turns. It kept me on the edge of my seat wondering what was going to happen next!! This was my first book by this Author, and it won’t be the last!! Quick read!! Highly recommended!! You won’t be disappointed!!

Loved this! I had heard of this author but had not actually read any of her books before (although members of my online book club had raved about her previous work). I was not disappointed. I read this book in one sitting, which is a testament to how much I enjoyed it. I can't wait to now go back and read Claire Allan's back catalogue!

I have always been a huge fan of Claire Allen and have loved all of her precious books. I was so delighted to be accepted for this one.

However. I was extremely disappointed with this novel. 32% into the book I was bored. It was clear that something had happened with joe and there had been foul play because of the past. I found myself skim reading the last 60% of the book. At no point did it grab me. I guessed exactly what has happened

Sorry to leave this feedback. But the book was not up to the authors usual standard

Wicked psychological thriller. Couldn’t put the book down. It was a dark read. Well written and flowed well. Top marks for the cover too

Now this is a book with depth, hidden in the shadows, slowly crawling it's way out.

This is one of those stories that seriously gets under your skin and not always in a good way. Full of raw and pure emotion, at times it was quite a heart racing read, dark and twisty with moments that can actually make you feel a little alone and scared.

Dealing with some tough subjects along the way you will still find this unputdownable.

Definitely a book that has you turning the pages, even when you dont want to, purely si you can get the answers you need at the end!

Claire Allan sure has a way with words! Very cleverly written in a way that keeps you engrossed even through the harrowing times.

3.5* from me

Thank you to netgalley and Avon Books UK for the ARC .

Claire Allan continues to write compelling stories. This one is unfortunately a real take on real issues. The subject matter may be hard for some. The predictability of who done did not detract from the excellent story line. Believable and relatable characters. I love that the story was again set in Derry!

Joe McKee is dying, and he wants his family around him. Estranged daughter Ciara (and her partner Stella), de facto stepdaughter Heidi (and her husband and baby), and Joe’s sister Kathleen all converge on his Derry home, although none of them - except maybe Kathleen - really want to be there. Because Joe McKee, a fine upstanding pillar of the community, was a very different man behind closed doors.

Joe’s death is no great shock, but what is a surprise is the police ruling it suspicious. As the family start casting blame on each other, Heidi’s fragile mental health deteriorates and Ciara’s long held anger and bitterness start to get the better of her. It’s not surprising that things soon start to boil over.

Although there’s an element of mystery about Joe’s death, this is much more of a family/psychological drama than a thriller, with some dark themes. Heidi’s story, in particular, is heartbreakingly awful.

While the characters are in some ways well developed, I didn’t feel we learned much about the lives they have led away from Joe - the focus is very much on his house, which is where most of the action takes place, and his impact on the other characters.

Although it’s generally quite well written there are a few clunky moments (a “cold coolness” in her expression - really?).

I’ve had mixed feelings about Claire Allan’s books - I didn’t like Her Name Was Rose as much as many people seemed to, but thought Forget Me Not and Apple of My Eye were better. The Liar’s Daughter, despite the bandwagon-jumping title (why does everything have to have Lie, Lies or Liar in it? Enough!) is probably my favourite so far.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. First time I have read anything from this author but it won't be the last. A fantastic page turning thriller. Highly recommend.

This is a dark story describing twisted family relationships showing the effect of abusive behaviour on vulnerable family members.
Joe certainly is a horrific character, a seemingly devout family man and upstanding member of the Irish community, however, his treatment of his daughter Ciara and stepdaughter Heidi has damaged both of their lives. This is an excellently written character led novel which isn't so much a psychological thriller as a family drama/whodunnit. I did find it a bit unbelievable that Heidi's grandparents were unwilling to take over her care. Not my favourite book by this author but it is certainly a good read.