I found this thriller really hard to read - as the lies between Nina and Maggie were exposed I alternated between who I sympathised with in a situation where no decision seemed ‘right’. You had a mother desperately trying to protect her child but in so doing causing her further harm. This was a very dark read exploring the intensity of feelings between two co-dependent individuals drawn together by past secrets.

Not for the faint hearted - a compelling read.

Wow. Just wow. That was a ride!

Nina and Maggie live in the same house, eat dinner together every other night, but Maggie is kept prisoner by Nina, her ankle chained to the floor. The story is told alternating between Maggie and Nina narrating. You will have so many questions that will be answered bit by bit as you read.

I absolutely loved this book! The plot kept me reading and I finished it in almost one sitting. I think this book will be talked about a lot once published in May. Definitely plan to read it if you are a psychological thriller fan. I had never read a book by John Marrs, but now I’m eager to read his others.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book for an honest exchange.

Another great book by John Marrs, he does not disappoint! I did not want this book to end. The relationship between Maggie and Nina was fascinating and the alternating chapters told in both their voices kept me flipping the pages well into the night. Dysfunctional family drama coupled with murder and mystery makes for such a great story. I cant wait for his next book!

This is me shouting “WHAT THE HELL DID I JUST READ???” from the rooftops! This book is very disturbing. I give it 10 stars, actually. I couldn't put it down!

What Lies between Us is structured with alternating POVs from the two main characters: Maggie (the mother chained by her daughter in the attic) and Nina (the daughter with a massive resentment towards Maggie). One of the things I loved about this novel was the anticipation of when these two POVs would finally collide and the story will finally makes sense (and will let me breathe because the last 13 hours of reading this book was an uncomfortable pleasure. It gives me anxiety! Hahaha). It was incredibly interesting to see things from both Maggie and Nina’s perspective and with any mystery/thriller, I was left wondering which one was the unreliable narrator or if both of them were to be trusted. And to be honest, ever since I read this book, I started to doubt my own sanity. Every cliffhanger at the end of every chapter makes me want to know what happens next. It’s like I’m losing my mind. I was like “WTF?” “OMG!” the whole time. This book is highly recommended!

Oh and huge thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for the ARC.

I am a huge fan of John Marrs and have read all of his previous books therefore I was very excited to receive an advanced copy of What Lies Between Us.
A very dark and twisty story surrounding Maggie and her daughter Nina and the story surrounding their relationship.
I enjoyed reading the mother and daughters different perspectives and a real rollercoaster of changing my feelings on one character to the next.
Lots of twists and turn which certainly kept me on the edge of my chair.

I’ve been a huge fan of John Marr’s books for some time and his latest offering certainly doesn’t disappoint.
Maggie and her daughter Nina have a very unusual and strained relationship. Each chapter is written from the perspective of each character and as you learn about their reasons and mindset you begin to take sides.
I was totally immersed in this book from the first page. I found myself gravitating from each character with a heightened sense of love and hate in equal measures.
Twisty and absolutely nerve wrecking in equal measures! Highly recommended

Everybody hop aboard the crazy train! First stop: Dysfunction Junction!

Oh my, I'm not sure what to say about this one. This book is so bonkers and so entertaining that it was hard to look away from my kindle. I'm not going to discuss the plot because there is a minefield of spoilers to tip toe around if I do.

I loved The Good Samaritan by this author but Her Last Move was a DNF for me and Passengers I didn't bother to request because I just knew it wasn't my jam. But this one! Oh yes, this one is on par with The Good Samaritan and a reminder as to why I love these twisty psych thrillers. Well done! 4 *You can't pick your family* Stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

John marrs ...I love his books ..rare to find such consistency but book after book is gripping .
This soooooo reminded me of Liz Nugent in terms of dynamics and unlikable characters .There are mainly two female characters and with every chapter u think how on earth did they get here and then a revelation and u think ahhh and then bam 💥 u see why .
The need to controll through the anxiety to protect can lead to serious danger and damage
There is a case for one being more dangerous than the other but if the other hadn't tried to fiercely protect her and controll her dysfunctionally and at times selfishly I suspect then they may have got help ,been kept safe and therefore others also protected .
I felt so sad though also other characters and am always reading one more chapter pre bed with John marrs .
Ty again netflicks and publishers I liked it alot .John never dissapointed and even an average read from him is good .
He doesnt really do formula ,u are always intrigued and always delivers a good set up between his characters .
I giving a four as his is a cut above the average ,bit more creative with his thinking and how people cd end up like this ..I also liked the ending
This appeals to my love for dark dynamics ,secrets and what we do when we panic ,lose controll or are overly protected .

Yet again John Marrs delivers, I absolutely devoured this book. Another twisted and wicked tale from the mind of one of my favourite authors. John Marrs has a talent for writing characters to despise and making you want to unlock their awful secrets.
This book drags you in from the very beginning and spits you out at it’s terrible conclusion.
I can not wait to read whatever he comes up with next!

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC.

John Marrs has done it again!

Why is Nina keeping her mother, Maggie, locked (and chained) to a top floor room?

This story takes the reader back to where Nina's and Maggie's "falling out" began - 25 years ago - and, of course, to the present time.

Why does Nina hate her mother SO much? What happened in their past for Maggie to deserve being so severely punished?

A superb read that continues to build as we are captivated and kept guessing.

A wonderful story - HIGHLY Recommend!

Many Thanks to Amazon Publishing, UK and NetGalley for a "can't put down" book.

An adult woman is keeping her elderly mother chained up in the attic. How did things come to this pass? The story cleverly unfolds with flashbacks and present day sections and I have to say I was engrossed throughout. Things were not as I first thought them. A mother’s love can be distorted. We would do anything for our children, but should we? It certainly makes you wonder what your nice neighbours are really like! I haven’t read a John Marrs novel I haven’t loved and this one’s no exception. Totally a five star read.

What a beautifully written dark twisty book!

Written from both Maggie and Nina’s point of view, we learn why Nina has gone to great lengths to keep Maggie prisoner in their own home and why some things can never be forgiven..

This book is full of twists and turns, each more shocking than the one before, I was on the edge of my seat the whole way through! My thoughts and feelings on Maggie and Nina were changing constantly. I couldn’t put this book down, I needed to know how it was all going to end!

The story line was so unique it really drew me in as I think it will for a lot of readers in this genre.

Each flashback added so much to the story and it all tied back perfectly in the well executed ending. I’m excited to read now John Marrs books. This one was excellent!

When I initially began reading this book I couldn't help but help but feel this has been done before, resembling other books of this genre I'd read, and so I was hesitant at first whether this book was going to grip me. Whilst I read this pretty much in one sitting and did enjoy reading it and finding out what happens, there were some parts which for me let it down. We are first introduced to one of our main characters, Maggie, who is being held captive in her own home. Whilst we are yet to find out why she came about these circumstances, our first encounter with her is of her observing neighbours and events in her street from the window of the bedroom she is being held in confinement in. This opening chapter of the book initially reminded me of 'Rear Window' (which is in fact referenced in the text) or even the extremely similar plot 'The Woman in the window'. We are then introduced to our other main character, Nina, who we find out shares the same house as Maggie and provides her with food and basic needs whilst keeping her chained up. The story is told through the eyes of these two characters, with events being narrated in the present day and also jumps back in time, as the plot gradually unfolds, and we begin to find out who these characters are and why they have ended up living in such circumstances.. As the plot unravels in this way, you do begin to question which of these characters is the more candid of the two, and as you begin to learn of further events, I found myself debating which of these characters has more credibility in their moral choices. Such a plot and relationship between two characters reminded me somewhat of Stephanie Wrobel's novel 'The Recovery of Rose Gold'. Whilst the story is well written, has a good pace and keeps you interested, I did in fact guess many of the twists in the plot. Maybe I've read too many psychological thrillers, but as the character of Maggie actually reflects herself in the book with her opinion of reading novels, states, 'I'm hard to please though. If I guess the culprit correctly, I'll be disappointed at how predictable the story is. If I get it wrong, I'll be annoyed at myself for not spotting it earlier'. Whilst there is no doubt John Marrs creates well written and carefully thought out plots with often believable characters, I'm afraid it was the former of this statement by Maggie (and created by Marrs himself) that prevented me from giving this book a full five stars, as I just felt it lacked originality somewhat. If you're a John Marrs fan and have enjoyed his previous books, I'm sure you'll enjoy this, but maybe you will/won't guess the plot. My thanks go out to netgalley and Amazon publishing for giving me the opportunity to read and review an ARC of this.

Knowing that not all mother-daughter relationships are ideal, this book took me to the brink of a seriously dysfunctional family relationship. From the beginning to the end of the novel, I was enthralled with needing to put the pieces together as to why the mother Maggie and the daughter Nina had such a hatred for one another. This book was loaded with surprising twists and turns and hit home hard with a wonderful dose of reality. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone who might even consider carrying a grudge against someone. What Lies Between Us really opened my eyes to the danger that anger and revenge can have on a person‘s heart❤️ and definitely on their mental well-being. It also took a deeper look into the heart and determination of a mother and the lengths she will go to for her child, whether they are done for a common good or done out of necessity. A mother’s love can never be measured or weighed. Another “out of the ballpark“ hit for John Mars! Can’t wait to share this one with my book club! ☺️👍🏼

I wanted to read What Lies Between Us because of how much I enjoyed the experience of reading The One. And holy F did this not disappoint!

Nina and Maggie have a complicated relationship (to say the least). Regardless about how I feel about either character (hint: not great!!), there is something so smoothly compelling about John Marrs' writing, that I legit could not look away.

So many twists.
So many questions.
So many jaw drops.

Like The One, I devoured this book in 1 day (2 sittings) and do not regret ignoring friends/other hobbies and staying up past my bedtime to do so. Albeit dark and at times disturbing, this book is a phenomenal thriller and turned out to be the perfect "pallet cleanser" I was searching for.

Thanks to Netgalley and Amazon Publishing UK for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Highly recommend the train wreck of a story that is this book and can't wait for its release in May so my friends can read it and so we can discuss over cocktails!

John Marrs is one of the leading thriller authors and he has done it again! If you start reading this book be prepared to put your life on hold because you may not stop until you are finished. It truly is "unputdownable"I read it in one sitting and found myself holding my breath until it was finished.
It is the unsettling shocking story of a mother and daughter with such an unpredictable and totally enthralling storyline. The characters and the plot are portrayed in such a way that I found myself sympathizing for one or the other in different parts of the book. It is a very compelling and addictive novel and there is lots to like about this book!

Whoa! I need to cuddle a kitten...or call my mom after this one! I love John Marrs and was eager to read this one. I went into this somewhat blind and had not read any spoilers so I wasn't sure who the two women were and their relationship. I will try not to spoil this, but this was tense story about the dynamic between family. It was a little of a slow burn at first, and wow that was not a pun at all, but really got going the second half. Another win for Mr. Marrs Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc.

Well that was unpleasant.

I requested this ARC through NetGalley after several of my Goodreads friends raved about it. The premise was intriguing. Basically, a woman keeps her mother chained in the attic because of... secrets.

There are two fiction tropes that I find unforgivable. One is the secret twin sister. The other is used in this book. I won't give it away, but I was so disappointed to see it used. It was old in 1970's made for TV movies. Ugh.

There was a lot of misdirection in this book that's told through the eyes of the mother and the daughter in the present and the past, but I figured all of it out early on. I could forgive it all if there was a fantastic ending, but without giving anything away, the ending did not redeem it for me.

Two stars for "it was okay." These people are now going to be permanent characters in my head and I can't say I want them there.

I read a digital ARC of this book for the purpose of review.

No doubt about it, John Marrs has delivered another spectacular, gut-punch of a novel.

This was an incredible read filled with complicated, engaging characters, and an utterly unique plot. Told from two perspectives, those of Maggie and her daughter, Nina, both in present time and in flashback, I was wholeheartedly engaged from the very first page, to the final gasp-worthy sentence.

You're probably wondering, if I think so highly of this book, why I only gave it 4 stars. And to be honest, I've debated about my rating now for more than an hour. This is a tough one for me because the story is so evocative, and so unlike anything I've read previously.

But...
(You were waiting for that "but" weren't you?)

It's not my favorite Marrs book. When I read a story like What Lies Between Us, I need it to be clean; for the puzzle pieces to match up precisely. For this to work completely for me, the characters can't rely on good fortune to get them through two decades of bad behavior. I'm willing to overlook a total lack of police procedural once, but when it happens over and over again, I begin feeling a bit let-down. I know this isn't typical of John Marrs because I've read (and loved) all his other novels, but by the end, I was frustrated. (view spoiler)

This is also an instance in which I was reading, and literally within the first 15 to 20%, I'd figured out a couple of the major plot twists. Sadly, I wasn't even trying to...there were simply some clues which really stood out to me. Thankfully, the story is so captivating, I didn't feel it took anything away, but these are the reasons I ultimately decided on a 4 star rating. And yes, John Marrs is still one of my favorite authors.

5 stars for plot and characterization + 3 stars for believability = 4 stars overall

Despite my minute gripes, I 100% recommend this book to every reader I know. It's a fun ride. Be sure to pick up your own copy on May 15, 2020.

**Many thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Wow. Absolutely wow. John Marrs’ novels just keep getting better and better. A rich tapestry of characters, a deep storyline and so many twists that actually made me say “what?” - this was truly unputdownable. I’m recommending it to everyone I speak to.

BUY. IT.