There is darkness and despair from page one until the very end, keeping you hanging on to every last word. Amelia is using alcohol to hide her true feelings about her mother’s death, as well as the hurt and betrayal she feels not knowing where her sister is. I can’t say much more without giving out any spoilers. This thriller has multiple POVs and flashbacks and the writing is incredible! Whether you like thrillers or not this is a book you MUST read. Thank you to HarperCollins, Amanda Brittany, and NetGalley for this ebook copy!

Amelia’s sister disappeared while on holiday a year ago and has now returned to the scene of the disappearance to see if there are anymore clues as to her whereabouts, only now someone else has gone missing too.

I found this book a little slow paced to start with, I considered giving up about 20% through and I probably would have if it hadn’t of been given to me as an advanced reader copy from Netgalley. I’m glad that I stuck with it though, once the story kicked in I found myself getting drawn into the mystery. Usually with psychological thrillers I have a suspicion as I’m reading about who might be the killer or I’m thinking some kind of theory but not with this one. It kept me guessing the whole way through and delivered not only one shock that hadn’t even crossed my mind but two so I will definitely be reading more of this author in future.

A Christie-esque locked room mystery combined with a missing girl story... and a truly shocking twist.

I liked the setup of this mystery: a secluded resort, a killer on the lose with a limited number of possible suspects and a lot of red herrings.

For me though, there were a few problems.  First, the two timelines ("then" and "now") were so similar in tone and characters that they were hard to tell apart.  Also, I never really connected with the main character, Amelia, or the missing girl, Lark.  Finally, this book does what a lot of books in this genre are trying to do lately: it just keeps coming at you with the shocking twists, without really providing much of a foundation or providing any space for the reader to legitimately guess what's coming, which for me is the most fun part - whether I get it right or not, I like to feel like I had a fair shot at guessing.  In books like this, it always feels a little unfair when a twist comes out of nowhere.  While some people like the shock (and I do at times too) I don't love it when the who or the why don't make a lot of sense with what I learned in the rest of the story.  

Also, I feel like this book tried to take every trendy aspect of the current suspense genre and incorporate it in one book.  Missing girl plus locked room plus secret identities and love affairs plus a mysterious masked man plus blackouts plus a lot more common tropes that I won't spoil is a lot for one book.

For whatever reason, even though it has a lot of elements I usually like, this story never grabbed me and pulled me in so I wasn't as invested in it as I could have been.  I just felt like it was trying for too many plot points and twists at once. But I seem to be in the minority here, so check it out for yourself.  I would say that this is best for you if you like very plot-driven, creative, incredibly twisty stories.  The author is definitely talented, but it just wasn't my favorite in this crowded genre.

Thanks to HQ Digital, NetGalley, and Amanda Brittany for the advance copy!

I was only introduced to Amanda Brittany’s work last year with her brilliant book Traces of Her and I immediately connected with her writing and storytelling. Based on that one book alone, she very quickly became one of my favourite authors and I have been eagerly awaiting to see what she was going to come up with next. I am so thrilled to say, it is another brilliant read!

I Lie In Wait is a compelling story that had me up until all hours. I just could not put it down. I was so entranced and under its spell right from the get go, as I was taken on the journey with main  protagonist Amelia and her family, as they return back to where her sister Lark disappeared one year prior during a family holiday in the Scottish Highlands. It is Amelia’s belief that the cottage known as Drummondale where they stayed, holds all the answers.

The story has been meticulously thought through, plotted and executed so well. There are no plot holes or unnecessary filler chapters and it just all flows as it should. Never at any point was there any parts that had me wanting it to hurry along and I was actually surprised when I came to the end. It was like no time had passed at all, that’s how engrossed I was in it!

What I liked about the setting (although its is one of my biggest fears) was the feeling of claustrophobia that has been created around it. The use of a snow storm that has the cast of characters trapped at Drummondale, is just perfect and adds to the eerie feel. Each blast of wind, chilled me to the bone and even though I love the cold (it is currently Winter here in Australia), it did have me turning on and notching up the heater a bit.

I could just keep writing and writing about how good this book is, but I think you get the idea that I loved it. With its intriguing plot, a perfect setting that becomes a character in itself, strong and well developed characters, a jaw dropping twist that I did not see coming (very well played!) that is all put together through writing that is so engaging and captivating, this book has it all and will most definitely be part of my best books for 2020! 

Thank you to NetGalley, HQ Digital and Amanda Brittany for allowing me to read an advanced copy of I Lie In Wait which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

A good mystery with twists some predictable some unpredictable. Told through multiple POV and different timelines makes it a little confusing. The characters are shallow and could not be connected with, their actions beyond belief. The pace is good and maintained throughout. 4 stars

This was definitely a book of three halves, and I’m not talking about the three timelines. It got off to a really good start and had me turning pages, then it became a bit hectic and ever so slightly far fetched, and certainly too many cups of tea, but then the ending twisted right back round again. I had guessed who the ‘now’ was but not why. Overall a good 3.5 star. Thank you to NetGalley and HQ for letting me review this book.

I enjoyed the book, but I found it dragged quite a bit in the middle. The ending was good, but it wasn't the easiest read. Sorry.

A red herring filled mystery worthy of Christie! Amelia is the main character who has had a bit of a rough year, her teenage sister Lark, goes missing, her mother dies of cancer and she loses a baby, understandably she needs a break. 
She heads home to her father's place only to be met by his packed bags, he's heading back to Drummondale House in the Scottish highlands in hunt of his lost daughter.  Reluctantly, Amelia joins him, her brother Thomas and his carer Maddie on the trip hoping they will find out what happened to Lark the year before.  
More guests arrive as the weather turns, Rosamund and her step daughter Elise who were also there a year ago are also now trapped in the grounds. As creepy things start to happen Elise goes missing, very similar to Lark's disappearance the year before so the hunt is on to find her and hopefully Lark too.

The narration is told from two time points present day and a year ago flashing back to what happened when Lark disappeared, clues are thrown around like dolly mixtures which makes this an easy chill and read book or a concentrate to add all the clues up read. Although a little repetitive in the middle, (how many times do they go up that hill?) it is quick paced and very easy to read, there are a few well signposted flashbacks and a current voice to give hope that Lark is alive. I'm trying not to spoil it but there is a twist which comes a little out of left field.

Overall, a pacey mystery with plenty of red herrings and an interesting finale!

Thanks to HQ Digital and NetGalley for the ARC

This was an interesting one for me rate, for a few reasons.

1. The ending actually surprised me on two separate occasions. I read so many books in this genre, like many of us do, that not many authors can shock me anymore...especially twice in one novel. Major kudos to Amanda Brittany! However, the twists had a bit of that 'left-field' quality which never sits well with me. They weren't completely over the top, but they were certainly sitting on the precipice.

2. The chapters, narrated entirely by Amelia but during two different time frames (one year ago and present day), were virtually indistinguishable. Both were set in the same place, during the same season...exactly one year apart, and with the very same characters. This tends to make stories a little messy, as it's sometimes hard to keep the individual threads straight. I found that to be the case here.

3. This is a minor gripe, but it irritated me nevertheless. If you and another person share one biological parent, that makes you half-siblings...NOT step-siblings. I hope that little annoyance is cleaned up in the final edits.

Overall, I'm giving this book 3 stars. I started at 4 stars due to being fooled by the twists...then deducted a half a star each for points two and three above.

Available August 28th!

**My sincere appreciation to NetGalley and HQ Digital for my review copy.

Wow, this is certainly a whodunnit and a half!  This new-to-me author had me enthralled from the first page, and didn't loosen that grip till the last page - and beyond, because it is still going round in my head..

The narrative is dual timeline, not always my favourite technique, but it works very well in this instance, as the two main periods are not too far removed, just a year between, yet well defined and easy to follow.   It is also a multiple POV narrative, just be sure to read the chapter headings and there will be no confusion.  Having the whole picture become clearer bit by bit in this way added to an already extremely suspenseful story.

The author skillfully brings together a number of families - all with secrets, past traumas, and hidden agendas.  The characters are solidly built, including the supporting characters. The setting is absolutely perfect, a place that under other circumstances you could imagine to be quite beautiful and cozy, but which due to the events that have happened there, is incredibly creepy sinister and quite claustrophobic.

This to me is a book which brings together all the best things about psychological thrillers - shocks, suspense, darkness, confusion, twists, love, revenge, jealousy, grief.  This book captivated me and kept me on my toes every second.  The pace is absolutely cracking, and if I hadn't already been lying in bed after finishing it I think I would have had to lie down to recover!

For anyone who enjoys psychological thrillers that grab you and don't let go, I can't recommend this highly enough.  And don't even bother trying to work out whodunnit, because you won't!  Though of course, you will try, that's half the fun!

Because I don't like reading book reviews that give away too much of a book's storyline, I never want to spoil a book for anyone reading my reviews.  Therefore, they are always spoiler free, and reveal only my thoughts on my personal reading experience.  This will sometimes mean my comments are a little vague so if you prefer more specific details on the storyline etc, please refer to the publisher's synopsis.

I really enjoyed this book. It was full of twists that keep you guessing throughout. There's lots going on in the story that makes it very difficult to figure out who the killer is which has been refreshing because I have figured out who the "bad guy" is in the vast majority of books I've read this year.

This is an action packed story. There is a lot happening and a lot of twists. My only gripe is that so much happens, the story starts to feel unbelievable.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

Thank you to HQ for my gifted copy in return for my honest review. Wow!! I’ve read some good thrillers this year but this is my favourite by far! Short snappy chapters full of tension & suspense. The opening is an instant hook and I was, I couldn’t put it down. Easy writing style, likeable MC and shifty sub characters, I had it wrong so many times! The twist at the end?! Omg!! This is a brilliant read, highly recommend it!

An excellent read, with a few rather unexpected twists in the tale. I was quite sure, on more than one occasion, that I knew who the killer was,  but the red herrings kept me guessing. 

I'm rather partial to the whole 'locked up in a snowbound spot' spate of stories that are coming out, and this is no exception. It was atmospheric (the masks, shudder!) and the characters likeable, for the most part. 

Definitely going to give the next one a try.
Thanks to HQ, Amanda Brittany and Net Galley for my ARC.

This was a decent thriller, in the "locked room" style where the characters are trapped at a secluded resort where the potential villain pool is limited.  It's centered primarily on Amelia, whose sister Lark disappeared a year ago at the same resort- since then, her mother died of cancer, she miscarried her baby, and broke up with her boyfriend.  She is understandably an emotional wreck and ends up going back to the resort on the year anniversary of Lark's disappearance with her father, her brother, and her brother's caretaker to see if they can learn more about what happened.  Others end up joining as well so it's a full reunion of the original group, and almost immediately, creepy things start happening again.  

The story flips back and forth between the current time and a year ago, but it's easy to follow, as though both are told from Amelia's POV, one is first person and one is 3rd person.  There were a lot of characters but I had no issues in keeping them all straight- most of the tertiary characters weren't fully developed but you learned enough to make them seem authentic.

There was some seriously creepy stuff throughout the book, though it did get a little repetitive at times.  The twist at the end was genius and I wasn't even close to seeing it coming.  

Overall, this was a fun read and I'd recommend to those who like mysteries and domestic thrillers.  Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

DNF at 25%,odd characters who make no sense, clunky writing and repetitive dialogue, not for me at all

I read this ARC for an honest review
All thoughts and opinions are mine

Wow,  Loved this.  
A new author to me I shall certainly be looking out for more - I was totally engrossed in this

I never add synopsis or spoilers, I think people need to explore the book themselves.  This is the way I like to read 

What I will say is I really enjoyed the dual timeline style of writing - it added to the pace and tension for me

Recommended

Nobody just disappears into thin air…
One year ago, Amelia Taylor’s sister, Lark, vanished without a trace from a family holiday in the Scottish Highlands.
The police are convinced that Lark was abducted, but with no new leads, the case has gone cold. Amelia is certain that the answer lies at the holiday cottage and retracing their steps might unearth a vital clue that could help make a breakthrough.
But during their second night at the cottage a shrill scream cuts through the darkness, just as it did a year ago, and a sense of dread engulfs everyone.
Another girl has vanished.
Leading the search, Amelia is convinced that both girls are alive, waiting to be found. But someone is determined to keep her from the truth at all costs…
Will Amelia be able to find her sister, or is she too about to find herself in danger?

This is my second Amanda Brittany novel and I enjoyed this one as much as I did the first one 

The book is very tense and suspenseful. It has all the characteristics of a good psychological thriller.

I read a lot of this type of genre and sometimes they do become a bit “samey” But this ending blew me away.

I will be looking out for more by the author

I’m still reeling from this amazing novel! I had recently taken a break from thrillers feeling a bit burnt out from them and this psychological thriller stole my heart! There is darkness and despair from page one until the very end. Amelia is using alcohol to hide her true feelings about her mother’s death, the hurt, and betrayal she feels not knowing where her sister is.  I can’t say much more without giving out any spoilers. This thriller has multiple POVs and flashbacks and the writing is incredible! Whether you like thrillers or not this is a book you MUST read.

We could all perhaps be excused for thinking that bookshop shelves are already overflowing with psychological thrillers and who needs more. Then, out of the blue, comes a novel like 'I Lie in Wait' and all those other books can be pushed to one side.
I read this book in a single sitting. The writing is remarkably compelling and the plot races along at a cracking pace. There's suspense aplenty and all the horror of a literary 'The Hills Have Eyes' in this story of a missing teenage girl and the consequences of her family returning one year later to try to find her.
There is such a clever twist in the denouement that I almost stood up to applaud the author. A tour-de-force.