Cover Image: Seven Lies

Seven Lies

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Member Reviews

This book is so cleverly written, it puts me in mind of Fleabag with the audacious dialogue, and I did have that character in my head when I read about Jane.

A very dark tale and yet because of the style and Jane's telling of the lies, it all seemed a little acceptable! You know from the blurb that Marnie's husband is dead - just how that comes to be felt a little drawn out to begin with. But the author is drawing you in a little at a time until bang! You are hooked.

Never knowing whether Jane is telling us the truth or not - she is all about telling us the lies - I didn't like her very much. Then we discover more about Jane and how she came to be where she is in life and it was all so sad.

My thoughts ran from fear to favour throughout the book for Jane and by the end when I got to the seventh lie, my heart was in my mouth. I hardly dare read it, a bit like watching a scary film through your fingers. It really was edge of the seat stuff. With the final twist revealed the scales fell from my eyes - but you need to read it without that advantage so I will say no more.

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“Jane and Marnie have been inseparable since they were twelve years old. In their twenties, they both married handsome young men. Years later, Jane and Marnie are still best friends - and both men are dead......”
Publishing industry employee Elizabeth Kay has turned her hand to writing and has written her debut novel “Seven Lies” about obsessive friendships and how poisonous they can become when jealousy slowly seeps in. It did take me quite a while to engage with this book and it was well over half way by the time Jane’s voice got into my head and I became fully invested in the story. Focusing heavily on female friendships and covering sensitive issues like dementia, grief, miscarriage and anorexia, this story contained a lot of things for you to think about and I thought all the sensitive and emotional areas were written very sympathetically. I particularly felt endeared to Jane’s sister, Emma, with her eating disorder and truly felt Jane’s concerns.
To be honest, not a great deal happens and the story is intensely slow, with the narrative being told solely through Jane, in a unique and at times quite chilling voice. However, she does have a remarkable way of making you think she is talking directly to you and that is a part of the ingenious plot around the ‘seven lies’. Jane is remarkably unrealiable as a narrator but she knows she is and so do you, as each lie is explained along the way.
A story of when friendship becomes an obsession, it is well worth a read and I would happily read more by Elizabeth in the future and I wish her well with her debut novel.

3 stars

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This is one of those novels that comes with a lot of buzz! Sometimes they fall flat, but this one certainly lives up to the hype- and I can’t wait to see it on the small screen in the future. A brilliant tale of friendship, that all encompassing friendship that almost everybody has at some point in their lives. This book looks at the seven lies that eventually destroy their friendship. Brilliant, climatic, true to life and just outstanding.

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What an impressive debut Seven Lies is. Thought provoking, often profound and beautifully written l was absolutely gripped by the storyline. To be able to conjure up a character like Jane Black, the narrator, and bring her to life so convincingly is what makes this one of my favourite reads of this year so far.
Jane has seven lies she needs to divulge in what is a chilling and dark thriller that I found so engrossing. She is such a fascinating and intriguing character with an incredibly dubious moral compass and seems entirely driven by her need to control situations especially in relation to her best friend Marnie, whom she’s known since the first day of secondary school. It is her obsessive love for her friend that propels the narrative forward, the reader unsure for the majority of the time who is on the receiving end of Jane’s confessions. I love that kind of ambiguity. Lies beget lies and Jane’s levels of deceit know no bounds. When she feels threatened by the arrival of Charles into Marnie’s life and their subsequent marriage, she will do whatever it takes to maintain her number one spot and it makes for some jaw dropping reading.
Whilst some readers may find Jane a totally unsavoury character I really developed a soft spot for this woman who is clearly troubled and lonely. (what that says about me as a person is up for debate!) Whether her unbalanced state of mind is due to extreme grief and strained complicated relationships with both her mother and sister is up for the reader to decide. Jane is a bit of a Jekyll and Hyde character in my opinion but I prefer not to dwell wholly on her shortcomings. The author in her writing wants to expose every side of human nature, warts and all, proving our personalities are multi dimensional, some traits/characteristics more or less dominant depending on our upbringings, exposure to stress or tragedy etc. She does this beautifully with many astute observations on life in general which are poetic and profound and so I didn’t find it impossible to have some empathy for our protagonist. On balance whilst you wouldn’t want Jane as your friend, I do think Marnie’s own treatment of her at times borders on callousness, picking her up and putting her down like an unwanted toy, purely on a whim. Bizarrely, I saw Marnie as a spoilt, privileged woman who thought herself so much better than her friend Jane. Maybe if this story was told from Marnie’s perspective also I would have a different opinion of her character entirely. Obviously with only Jane retelling her story there will always be that element of bias, her own memories distorted to suit her own version of the truth.
Exploring themes of obsessive love, loss and mental health Seven Lies has a plot that is taut and very well constructed with the question of whether or not Jane’s lies will be exposed constantly in the balance. By adding journalist Valerie into the equation will all wrongs be righted or will Jane’s behaviour continue to go unchecked? Maybe some readers will be disappointed with the ending but for me it was absolutely perfect and I cannot wait to see what this author will deliver next!! I cannot recommend this thriller highly enough and I will most definitely be spreading the word to all book lovers. My thanks as always to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read.

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Fantastic novel. Excellent writing that really drew me in. Loved getting to know the central characters.

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Unfortunately this was not my type of book at all but I stuck with it to the end. The story rambled a great deal but I've given it two stars because the basic plot was a good one. I can imagine others liking this story but it's just a matter of individual taste.

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I was drawn into this debut from the very first chapter and the tension was maintained throughout. Jane is the narrator of this tale and she and Marnie have been friends since they started at the same school at the age of 11. Their close friendship lasted well into adulthood and the tale of love, obsession, jealousy, family and friendship began to deteriorate because of one simple lie that Jane told rather than offend Marnie. One lie led to another, which led to a tragic death.
The plot thickened and became darker the more serious the lies. Can't wait to read more by this new author.
Many thanks to Netgalley/Elizabeth Kay/Little, Brown Book Co for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

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A twisty, deep and dark delight - the narrator is brilliant, and the use of language rather than cheap thrills creates unease right from the first page. You're never sure where this is going, the plot is tight, the turns are cleverly and thrillingly executed - a class above. You'll all be talking about this book this year.

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Seven Lies is a deeply rooted psychological drama. The main character Jane speaks directly to us the reader as she tells her story. This concept is great as it pulls us into the plotline, and make us feel a part of the story. At times she asks us questions as she's narrating the story, and I found myself answering her.

It was a slow developing story, and I often wondered which direction the story will take. This made me swipe the screen quickly to find out what Jane will get up to next.

As the title suggests Jane has seven lies to disclose to us. I saw the proof copies for this book around and I loved how the book was set out. Each lie had its own section tabbed out like evidence. Unfortunately in a digital copy we don't get to experience that, so, I will be buying the book to get my fix of this unique concept.

As a debut novel this is great and I'll be looking out for more novels by Elizabeth Kay.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for my gifted digital copy.

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**Review**
Seven Lies by Elizabeth Kay
‘They tell each other everything. Except the truth.’
Jane and Marnie have been best friends since school. Inseparable. As they grow up their lives move on and they fall in love, remaining friendly throughout. However Jane doesn’t like Marnie’s husband. In fact, she despises him. If only she had been honest with her friend about this from the start, he may still be alive...
As debut thrillers go, this wasn’t bad. I really loved Kay’s writing, which helped me get into the book from the get go. It was easy to read, flowing throughout and I enjoyed the narrative style.
The story started strongly and I was hooked at first. I found it fast paced and impactful. But sadly it lost its way for me about halfway through. I didn’t like the introduction of the nosey journalist, and I started to become a little bored with it. I can see why it was done, but feel it could have been better executed. I didn’t feel very strongly about the ending, but I won’t say anymore because I won’t give you any spoilers.
Overall a pretty good thriller. An easy read that I enjoyed but, for me, could have been better. I know some are raving about this book and I can see the appeal. I would be curious to read more from Kay in the future.

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This is a really great book from Elizabeth Kay. The friendship between Jane and Marnie has stood the test of time and they remain the best of friends from outcast 11 year olds through to their adult years. When Jane suffers a heartbreaking tragedy, she turns to Marnie to help her through her pain.

The book is written in Jane's narrative. She's telling her account of her friendship with Marnie and the lies she told throughout their relationship. As the reader, we don't know who Jane is talking to but she opens up about everything in her own life and how she got to the day she's telling her account to her listener.

We learn all about the girls growing up together and Jane tells us how they are so different from one another. As the story unfolds, we learn more and more about Jane's character and towards the end begin to understand why she is the way she is, why she felt the need to lie and to what end.

One of the biggest things to note about this book is just how small the first lie was. Seven Lies shows just how easily lies breed lies and before she knows it, Jane had told seven lies to Marnie, each bigger than the last.

Seven Lies is a really enjoyable book. It's well paced, well written with great character development that makes it hard to put down. This is definitely a book I would recommend, in fact I wish I'd had an audiobook version of this book as it would've added to the enjoyment, hearing the book as it it written; as a personal account.

Thanks to NetGalley, Elizabeth Kay and Little, Brown Book Group UK for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

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A well written debut novel with two believable main characters, neither of whom are particularly likeable. I enjoyed the writing style of seeming to break the fourth wall between author and reader and the satisfying conclusion, and I look forward to reading more by Ms Kay
Thank you to netgalley and little brown for an advance copy of this book

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I could not put this book down. I finished it in a day and it gripped me entirely. So creepy and twisty. What a thriller!
I am doing my best to avoid saying anything spoilerish as there are so many exciting twists. All I can say is that I loved every minute and I still feel conflicted. Who should I sympathise with?

Little trigger warning though - anorexia and dementia do feature. Just would like people to be aware

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Although I didn’t particularly like the main character, I found myself being drawn into the story and was intrigued as to how it would play out. The writing is very good and the characters are well rounded and thoroughly believable. The reason why this dropped a star for me is that in today’s age of Uber’s, Bolts and plain old fashioned London taxis, neither of the women in the final time of crisis made use of them, which was the only note of incredulity I sensed. A really good read overall.

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This was a brilliantly well written confessional. It flowed easily off the page, and had me enjoying it from the start. The details of the characters’ backstory were very true to life and all the plot twists were highly believable. The story had me sucked in and rooting for the main protagonist, and on the edge of my set towards the end. A top ready!
Thanks to Netgalley for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review

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Jane and Marnie have been friends since they met on the first day of secondary school. Their friendship is strong, spanning decades but is put under strain when Marnie meets Charles. He takes Marnie’s attention away from Jane, who resents him in every way.

As the story unfolds, you will be gripped as Jane tells her seven lies. Initially, the lies seem fairly innocent, however they eventually escalate to life-changing levels for all concerned.

The way the story is told is quite original, almost as if a dialogue is taking place between you and Jane. She tell you her truth, which may not necessarily be the truth.

Themes in the book include love and grief, friendship and obsession, secrets and lies, jealousy and possession, need and protectiveness, there’s murder and some remorse, chuck in a bit of black humour, a few sinister moments and loads of tension - there’s are several scenes where you could cut the atmosphere with a knife. Certainly enough to keep you gripped.

The way the lies are slowly released and the story builds to its breathtaking conclusion.

This is a fantastic and fast-paced read which intrigues you from start to finish and an outstanding debut.

Thanks to NetGalley and Little Brown Group for the ARC.

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Well this book had me hooked but I didn’t like the character and found some of it a bit unbelievable. The woman is clearly unhinged and I think I would of noticed! I also didn’t see the point in the journalist angle and found that a bit as if it was shoved in as an afterthought to pad out the story. A bit disappointed as it started out good but went a little bit awry. #NetGalley#SevenLies

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A good premise, that was disappointing and slow. I found it difficult to read about a character that I didn't like, and didn't speak her mind to a friend who she had known for years and knew everything about each other.

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Well written twisty turny thriller, with an unlikeable character that will take your mind off things, which we need right now.

Thanks a lot to NG and the publisher for this copy.

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Will you walk into my parlour said the spider to the fly

Jane and Marnie have been inseparable since they met on their first day at secondary school. Their friendship as strong as the threads of a spiders web,even after they both got married in their twenties.

But Jane hates Marnie's husband Charles,to her he is a loud,obnoxious bully and is the reason why the threads of her and Marnie's friendship are starting to fray and come apart.

Then tragedy strikes and Marnie needs her best friend again,the only person that in Jane's mind she ever needs.

But Jane has a secret so feeling that she needs to protect herself,she tells the first of her seven lies. Because if Marnie was to ever uncover the truth,their friendship would be blown apart like a spiders web caught in a storm

The events of this mesmerising thriller are voiced entirely from Jane's perspective as she takes us through the history of her and Marnies friendship,her feelings of rejection and acrimonious relashionship with her mother when she was younger. Her happiness during her relationship and marriage to lovely Jonathan,her interactions with with her work colleagues,her sister Emma and her mother who is now in a nursing home suffering from dementia. Her interactions with Marnie and Charles and the reasons behind each of her seven lies. The story is written in a way that makes it appear as if Jane is telling her story to you,the reader something that adds a feeling of intimacy to this gripping story. Jane was a complex character who had some very serious mental issues,this woman's narratives and thoughts were seriously chilling and creepy,her one redeemable quality was her concern for her sister who also had serious issues. It was a shame that none of the chapters were voiced by Marnie,it would have been interesting to read her thoughts on Jane and their friendship and have the opportunity to get to know her character better. There was a character named Valerie who was a reporter and had a significant role in this story. I did have mixed feelings about her,one one hand I thought she was nasty and obnoxious but on the other hand,I really really wanted her to succeed in her quest to expose Jane's lies.

Seven Lies is a seriously creepy,tightly plotted,gripping debut thriller that had me hooked in from the first page. I really didn't want to put this brilliant book down and didn't want to go to bed until I had finished it but unfortunately my old eyes had other ideas. The story was still playing on my mind before I fell asleep and was the first thing that I thought of after I woke up which,when it comes down to books is something that doesn't happen to me very often. This well written story covers a number of mental health issues which the author has written about with care and sensitivity,it also covers different aspects of stalking,both in person and on social media. A sinister sense of foreboding permeates the pages of this enthralling thriller,a sense that gradually builds as the story unfolds. I really loved this amazing book and look forward to reading more of this author's books in the future. Worth far more than five stars and definitely one of my favourite reads of this year. Very very highly recommended.

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