It’s took me a while to get into this book, the chapters go back and forth between the past and present. After getting use to this the book certainly packs a punch. Dark and disturbing at times but yet a great twisty thriller about a twisted family life.

I am a John Marrs fan, so I was really excited when I was approved to read an advance copy of ‘What Lies Between Us’. This book does not disappoint. I went from chapter to chapter unsure which of the main protagonists (Nina and Maggie) were to blame for their predicament.

In short an amazing read that I couldn’t put down .

CW: child rape, elderly abuse.

I feel like Gillian Flynn fans who liked Dark Places will LOVE this book. For me, Dark Places only kind of worked, and I feel the same way about What Lies Between Us.

What worked for me:
-I liked the reveals in this book.
-The icky factor was there— you know when you read a book and some of the characters are so awful it really affects you? Yeah, this book nailed that.

What didn’t:
-Nina’s diagnosis. Maybe I would have preferred this had no one ever tried to diagnose her? I’m not sure, but it didn’t feel believable to me, and it seemed to border on the trope of the evil person with multiple personalities. That trope’s tired for me, and I felt like thrillers usually have a better portrayal of mental illness now.
-The characters weren’t compelling enough to compensate for the stretches of the book that were boring.

What did I just read?? Like one of our protagonists, Maggie, I am a little picky about thrillers and I get disappointed if I guess the ending too easily. The great thing about this book is that while there are several large twists, some of which I guessed, there are so many little mysteries and twists that are constantly unraveling throughout the book that kept me on the edge of my seat, even when I was certain I’d figured out a few key plot points. That is truly rare. I can’t really go into the plot because of it, and I don’t like giving spoilers. The publisher’s book description is all you need. I will say if you like family dysfunction and domestic psychological thrillers, this is definitely for you. What a crazy, wild, effed up ride. Thank you NetGalley, author, and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first book i have read by this Author i keep looking at his books but never got around to reading one well I am so pleased i have at last what a story .....Maggie and her daughter Nina live together not like a mother and daughter should because Nina keeps her mother locked in the attic ....
Written from both Maggie and Ninas point of view This book is full of twists and turns why does Nina keep her mother chained up what could be so bad to do that read the book to find out its great ...

Oh my god...this book...everyone should read it. What a dark and twisted ride it was. Without a doubt one of the best psychological thrillers I have read in a while. Full with secrets and twists with every page you turn. I was glued to the pages from start to finish. Mind blowing. Wow.
Gosh I loved everything about it. I loved the way it was written. Flawless. His writing style is amazing. I could read anything by this author. He keeps you intrigued the whole time. There wasn't a moment where I was bored. None. And I love when an authors is capable of doing this to you.
The plot itself was brilliant.
Is a mother allowed to want the death of her child? You need to read this book to find out.
This was my first read by this author and I highly recommend it. I give it all the stars possible. Hands down.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for my early copy.

**Review**
What Lies Between Us by John Marrs
Mother and daughter, Maggie and Nina share a home. Over the years secrets and lies have soured their relationship, and Nina can never forgive Maggie for some of the things she has done. But she can’t let her mother leave her either....
Wow! What did I just read?! This book grabbed me from the first chapter. It features one very twisted Mother/Daughter dynamic, resulting in a compulsive read. This story takes a look back at Maggie and Nina over the years, and explores how they have ended up in their current situation. Some quite staggering secrets, elaborate lies and sensitive subjects are central to the plot, and although very far-fetched, it was addictive reading.
I felt both Maggie and Nina were well developed over the course of the book, and although I found neither particularly likeable, I could understand their motivations.
I was pretty sure Marrs wouldn’t disappoint with this, and I am pleased to say he didn’t! Although over the top and a bit nuts, I really enjoyed it. A must for Marrs fans and for anyone who enjoys a dark, twisted and elaborate thriller. Thank you @netgalley for this advanced copy.
Publication date: 15/05/2020

Thank you for the opportunity to review this book. I would say it is not a new favorite of mine. I kept reading the book in order to see where the plot twists ended. Some were predictable and some I was like WHAT. The book was ok but not likely I would be like OMG you have to read. I just didn't connect with the characters and the time flipping threw me off. Recommend : undecided ~Happy Reading~

What lies between us is a dark, twisted and devious story of a mother and her daughter.

Maggie and Nina live in the same house for over 25 years. Some nights they have dinner together. But once the dinner is over, Nina ties a shackle and keeps her there. The room is devoid of any light and is closed with shutters. Nina went to the extent of even soundproofing the floor. But why? Why will a daughter treat her mother this way? The house has secrets that are not just old but also dark. Nina doesn’t know all of it!

I could have finished the book in one sitting, but I stopped. I took time before I resumed reading this intense journey.
The curiosity and the need to know what happened with these 2 women kept me pushing forward.
This is my first book by the author and for sure will not be the last one. John Marrs weaved an intense story with beautiful words. The words that made me look into the fear, grief and hatred.
Maggie and Nina had their happy times. The author portrays their lives before when things were normal between them. Something happened in their past, and everything turned dark in their lives. To live a life where every step towards goodness goes awry. To be stuck somewhere, where the hope for next day ceases to exist.
Maggie and Nina narrate their stories in two timelines spanning 25 years. John Marrs keeps you engaged and enthralled in this devious plot. He beautifully used his word to convey a thoughtful message. The human mind is fragile and we don’t understand how our actions (sometimes inappropriate) hurt other people. We recover from physical injuries but not always from mental wounds.
His words are addictive. John Marrs can create an amazing story with his words.

My rating for this book 4.5 stars.

Thank you, NetGalley and Amazon Publishing for the early reader's copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was a really interesting unique psychological thriller.

In this book you follow a woman called Nina, who every other night has dinner with a woman called Maggie, her mother. She then has Maggie back to the attic where she chains her up. Maggie has a lot of secrets that she is keeping from Nina and will do anything to make sure she doesn't find them out. You as a reader discover why Nina is keeping her mother captive in the attic.

This was definitely a messed up, dark and very different psychological thriller. If you read a lot of psychological thrillers like I do, I think you will like this one as it's a break from the norm.

I really enjoyed the writing style. It was very easy to read and engaging. I liked how it went back and fourth between perspectives and time periods.

I thought it was a very clever plot and was definitely something fresh, which I personally haven't read before, as it has that family element to it rather than being a stranger abduction and capture.

I definitely didn't see the twists at the end coming. I was 100% shocked

I would definitely recommend this book to people who like dark and messed up thrillers.

TW: abuse, still birth, pedophilia, suicide, torture and violence

Thank you Net Galley for providing me an early copy of What Lies Between Us! This is my third book by John and he did not disappoint! I absolutely love his writing and he did an excellent job at writing this one as well! I loved the whole story and loved the little twists that happened throughout the book. At first I was a bit bored by chapter 20 or so but I told myself to keep on reading since I knew how great his writing was and I am glad I did because the story turned out great and loved the rest of it! I loved both of the characters Maggie and Nina. They both were insane and had their crazy moments to get back at each other. I love a good thriller and this one was awesome! I think this book would also make a great show or movie!

John Marrs does it again. Another nail biting page turner.
You don’t know who to feel sorry for most whilst reading.
Brilliant book!!

Umm....I need to speak to John Marrs immediately to ask him how he came up with this storyline.

You know those YouTube videos where you watch peoples reactions to something creepy? I feel like there needs to be videos like that about this book. I'm not going to share the plot line with you because I went in blind and I want you to do the same. I will share my reactions with you though (although it won't be as gold as a YouTube reaction video would be).

When I started reading I had no idea what was going on but I was hooked. As I got deeper into the story, parts began to unravel and make sense but I was never able to predict where this story was going. I had to stop every few chapters to turn to my husband and rotate these three phrases:
What the f***?
Oh my gosh
What am I reading?
How is this happening?

...

You get the idea.

And book buddies, believe me when I say to you that my state of shock continued until the very last page.

What Lies Between Us is incredible! Seriously twisted and crazy but addictive and not easy to put down. Are you sold yet? I had heard alot of good things about this book and after reading The Passengers by this author last year I knew that I had to pick it up. Make sure that when you start it that you have nothing planned in your life (so iso is a great time!!). You will not want to stop reading it.

Where do you start with a book like this, and not spoil anything? What you need to know about this book is this:

Nina lives with her mother Maggie in her childhood home. They have dinner together and then Maggie is returned to her room in the attic, a room that she is chained to by her daughter. Yes you read that correctly. Nina has found out things from her past and cannot forgive her mother for them. Only she doesn't know the half of it. We learn what has happened between these two in alternate chapters, voiced by each character. We jump from the present to points in the past that changed everything.

Do not even try to guess what is going to happen in this one - you will be wrong. This book twists and turns so often you will be dizzy - in a good way! Absolutely loved it John Marrs. All the stars from me. Out May 15th

Thanks to Amazon Publishing UK and Netgalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased.

The dark side of a disturbed mother-daughter relationship, where the lies go round and round, with horrific results.

Content Warnings:


SPOILER pedophilia, abuse, elder abuse END SPOILER

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. The opinions in this review are honest and my own.

WOW! This book was so good! Such a great psychological thriller between a mother and a daughter and it was just sooo bat shit crazy!

I can't say enough about this book without giving away spoilers. However, I kind of guessed one of the plot twists involving the baby and what happened to the father.. but what happens after- and the ending! So good!

I give this book 5 stars! This is a definite must read. John Marrs did it again and he is now one of my favorite authors!

This book was the right kind of addictive. I loved how the characters developed. It was a perfect book to read at the end of the day. Highly recommend!

I absolutely love John Marr. I think that his books are brilliant. This one was fantastic, but creepy. I was sometimes so disturbed that I wondered whether I wanted to keep reading, but persevered because I wanted to know how it ended. Regardless, he is a phenomenal storyteller and should be recognized for that. If you don’t find the content too heavy, I’m sure you’ll enjoy this read.

Holy guacamole, what did I just read?! So dark, so twisted, and oh so glorious! I guess it's no secret that I'm a big fan of John Marrs's writing and I have been looking forward to read What Lies Between Us ever since I first heard about it... And this story turned out to be exactly the dark psychological thriller dose I was craving right now! Oh yes, his newest title definitely didn't disappoint, and I found myself to be absolutely speechless as well as shell-shocked by the time I reached that final page. Make sure to brace yourself for a dark, intense and twisted ride!

Let's leave the superlatives for a little, and talk about why What Lies Between Us turned out to be yet another winner for me. The first thing that stands out when you read one of John Marrs' books is the quality of the writing and the plot development. From the very first chapter, both the writing and the plot are able to draw you right in, entice you and keep you hooked until the very end. In fact, I knew this was going to be another favorite even before I finished the first chapter; such is the power of his writing. As for the plot... Even though I do admit that I saw some of the plot twists coming very early on, strangely enough I wasn't too bothered by that. The mystery and suspense around the past events and the complicated relationship between mother and daughter were enough to distract me from my suspicions and ultimately right guesses, and I was honestly too busy devouring this story to really care about the lack of surprises and 100% effective plot twist bombs.

The story is told with the help of a dual POV, switching between Nina and her mother Maggie as well as between the past and present. This way, we are presented with snippets of the past as well as the present, never discovering the full picture of the truth until after those final reveals. The POV switches and flashbacks are used to successfully build up the suspense until you find yourself biting your nails and continuously shocked about the events that took place both in the past and present. Trust me when I say that What Lies Between Us will go darker than the blackest night and this story isn't for those with a weak stomach! The development and structure of the plot is excellently handled though, and really took the story to the next level for me.

Key in this pitch black psychological thriller are also the two main characters who star the show. The development of both Nina and Maggie is thorough and realistical; both women are extremely flawed and have mental issues as well as a bulk load of secrets waiting to be uncovered. Nina is an extremely troubled character and it was interesting to see her development and learn more about her past as well as discovering more how she became the woman she is today. Maggie is likewise intriguing, with her decisions in the past playing a key role in her present situations... I'd be lying if I said that I liked either character, but they definitely both make for a fascinating character study.

As you might have guessed, I had a fantastic time reading this dark dark and oh so disturbing psychological thriller. I can recommend What Lies Between Us to anyone who is a fan of the genre and doesn't mind things getting pitch black and seriously twisted before you reach that final page.

I've read most of John Marrs' other books, and absolutely love the kind of sci fi element he gives thrillers, especially in the likes of the Passengers and The One, or touching on really dark topics like in The Good Samaritan. Needless to say, I'm a fan so I was super excited to get a hold of an ARC for What Lies Between Us.

This book was just as good as his previous, but left me feeling a lot more conflicted than some of the others have. On top of being a thriller, it's also just a really sad story.

I started off feeling incredibly sorry for Maggie. I mean, she's a woman approaching her elder years, locked in an attic room and completely deprived of basic humanities like using a toilet, and has to rely on her daughter showing up to give her food and empty her toilet bucket etc. It's harrowing and despite the fact that very early on it alludes to something Maggie has done to deserve this, I genuinely felt sadness at the image of this older woman, lonely and locked up.

Then, throughout the story, as bit by bit, Maggie's deeds are revealed, I still can't help feeling sorry for her. She's still a tragic figure rather than an evil woman. Her husband leaving, her daughter going off the rails. Even when she starts doing awful things like forcing a miscarriage upon her pregnant 14 year old daughter using illegally gotten drugs, I still don't hate her. It's horrendous, but there's still something there that makes me keep thinking "Hang on, there has to be more to this".

The Nina character on the other hand, I dislike immediately and very little she does throughout the story redeems herself. I'm not sure if that's bias on my part because the book opens on a scene of her as jailer to her mother, but she just never gets better for me. I started to understand why she was the way she was as more of the story unfolded, especially her missing her father and lashing out and being treated poorly by an older man who was clearly grooming her.

These two main characters are among the most complex, layered and difficult characters I've read recently. I say difficult because despite my bias towards Maggie as the victim, Nina as the villain, I still don't feel absolute in one way or the other for either of them.

I also hated the ending and I mean that in the best of ways - it was a perfect ending but I hated the fact that Maggie and Dylan had to end their lives in such misery. It left me feeling genuinely saddened in a way very few books have managed.

The fact that Marrs has managed to write these characters with so many layers and subtleties and complexities to them is impressive. It left me trying to unravel these fictional people rather than judge them and the overall effect is a really thought provoking, harrowing story.

Other authors have tried to do the captivity story, and there are references to other works such as 'Room' by Emma Donoghue in the story, but where Room is so grating and irritatingly written, What Lies Between us gets it right and is an excellent story.