Not having realised that is the third book in a series until reading the reviews, it didn't make it difficult to pick up the story without having read the first two.

I enjoyed the plot and the dynamic between Cyrus and Evie and I was entrigued by her background but also glad I didn't know the details as it sounded deeply traumatic. I guess that is what bonded Cyrus and Evie in the first place. I will go back and read the first two now that I know they exist.

Like I said, great plot and I enjoyed the suspense of who had done it and what the connection between the victims was. Kept me guessing which I like.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc ebook.
I wasn't aware that this was the 3rd book in a series, luckily it works well as a stand alone, but I would have loved to have read the first two to get a deeper understanding of the main characters.
The book keeps a great pace from the start. Really enjoyed it and will definitely be looking out for further books both in this series, or just by this author.

Forensic Psychologist Cyrus Haven is a fascinating character; 20 years ago his family was murdered and now the murderer, Cyrus' brother, is due to be released from Rampton! At the same time he is working with Nottingham Police on the murder of an old man and the disappearance of his daughter. Interesting characters and an intriguing plot make for a very enjoyable read.

Lying Beside You is the third in the Cyrus Haven series by Michael Robotham. While it is possible that you don’t need to read the previous two, I do believe it would help to explain issues that arise briefly but can help to understand what is happening.

Cyrus Haven is a forensic psychologist and Evie is a young women who he has developed a special relationship with, although not more than friends. Evie has an uncanny ability to be able to tell if someone is lying. There is also Cyrus’s brother Elias who is about to be released from a psychiatric facility where he has been for twenty years after the brutal murder of his family.

The story centres around the disappearance of a young women and the murder of her father. The plot is intriguing and gets quite complicated but it has you enthralled the whole time. Easy to read and difficult to put down!

Highly recommended read.

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher Little Brown Book Group via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

When I rfirst equested to this ARC I didn't realise that it was the third in a series. However, I found this is an excellent stand alone story, so it didn't spoil the book because I hadn't read the first two.
The story follows forensic psychologist Cyrus and his housemate Evie, and is written from both viewpoints. It touches on the tragic history of Cyrus, and what happened to his family when he was a child. This impacts on his every day life, and shaped the man he became. Evie has an equally troubled past, and has the ability to tell when someone is lying. This proves to be a huge help to Cyrus.
Cyrus is brought in to help with a murder investigation, where a man has been found dead in his home, and his daughter has gone missing. The question is.....is she another victim, or could she be a suspect in her father's death?
A second girl goes missing after a night out with friends, and this time Evie is the last person to have seen her as she got into a taxi and disappeared into the night. Could the two crimes be linked?
This book is full of twists and turns, and I couldn't guess who the murdered was. It is well thought out, and fast paced so there was no chance of getting tired of reading it.
I will most definitely been buying the first two books in the series to see what lead them to this point.
This book is a must for crime fans.

This is a fast-paced, gripping thriller, which is part of a series of books. Although I hadn’t read the previous books this stands up on its own. The main characters are Cyrus and Evie. Both have troubled, difficult pasts which are explored as the story unfolds, told from each viewpoint.
Elias, Cyrus’ brother graphically murdered their parents and siblings, and for the past twenty years has been imprisoned in a mental institution hoping to stay with Cyrus on release. Evie, struggling with her own demons from the past, lodges with Cyrus who is supporting her and trying to help her to face the future. At the same time, wondering whether he can forgive his brother for the heinous crimes he committed.
When a man is murdered, and his daughter Maya has gone missing, Cyrus, a forensic psychologist is called to the scene where his skills are needed. The plot is complex, sharp and cleverly constructed, with graphic imagery and realistic characters, short chapters keeping the pace.
The dialogue between Cyrus and Evie is supportive, with a dark, expressive humour which I enjoyed, bringing the characters alive. Well written, I felt empathy with these two characters and their relationship. Although very different, Cyrus is calm mannered, intelligent, supportive, while Evie finds it difficult to cope with everyday life.
I enjoyed reading this book, and looking forward to the next in the series.

Cyrus Haven, forensic psychologist, is working with the police to help find a young woman who has gone missing. A few days later a body is found, then another woman goes missing. Cyrus is convinced the cases are linked but is struggling to convince the police of this. It becomes a race against time to find the missing woman.

This is book 3 in the Cyrus Haven series. I honestly didn't think it would be possible to improve on the second book but this was a fantastic read. In the first book, Good Girl, Bad Girl we were introduced to Cyrus and Evie Cormac, a damaged young woman who Cyrus is trying to help. The book reveals a lot of detail about the traumatic backgrounds of both Cyrus and Evie, alongside a murder investigation.

The second book in the series, When She Was Good, has a focus on Evie. We find out in much more detail her harrowing backstory as she struggles to integrate into society.

This third book has a murder and missing person crime as the main story but we still get insight into how Cyrus and Evie are moving on with their lives. Cyrus has to come to terms with the fact that his older brother has been granted day release from a secure hospital.

Evie is as self-destructive as ever mainly because she doesn't have a filter and refuses to bow to societal norms. I am sure that Evie is the reason this series is so successful and fans will be willing her on every step of the way, wanting her to have as normal a life as possible without changing too much. It is great to see that some people are able to break through the barriers that Evie has erected around herself and she is now making friends other than Cyrus.

As we reach the conclusion to the story it becomes a race against time, in this tense, action packed thriller.

This is the first book I have read by the author and loved it. Focusing on Cyrus and his complex relationship with his brother Ella's who is discharged from a psychiatric hospital after serving time for the brutal murder of his parents. Lots of twists and an excellent psychological thriller.

This is the third book in the Cyrus Haven series. I guess the motto of the story is “don’t jump to conclusions” and it “if it looks like a horse and sounds like a horse it could still be a unicorn”. Of course I made that last one up but you get the drift.

Forensic psychologist Cyrus Haven is a very nuanced person with, I think, quite a saviour complex. He has taken in Evie Cormac - a 21 year old waif who has suffered more in her short life any anyone should. Also, his brother Elias, who has been in a secure mental health facility for 20 years for killing his family (mother, father and twin sister) is about to be gradually given some supervised time out in the world. Cyrus only survived because he was not home at the time of the killings. Where else would Elias go but to Cyrus’s home? Another man, Mitchell Coates is out on parole after serving 8 out of 10 years for the rape of a nurse, Lilah. He has nowhere to stay so Cyrus offers him a room. It does help that Evie says he is innocent. She has an uncanny ability to tell if people are lying.

Cyrus is called to a murder scene where Maya Kirk is found dead half submerged in a stinking industrial runoff stream. Her father was found bashed to death in their home. Maya’s body shows a striking similarity to the state in which Lilah was found after her rape 8 years ago. But, hey ho, this time their is a bunch of forensic clues leading to a bunch of potential suspects.

It is only when a third woman, Danielle Linares goes missing that Cyrus realises that they may have been on the wrong track all along and they really should be looking for that unicorn. I hope that is intriguing but vague enough!

I really love snarky dialogue but, for me, Evie went too far this time and I found it rather annoying (hence I took off a star). I can only hope that the dramatic events of the shocking ending of the book knock her sharp edges off a little bit. Overall though it was a riveting story which I thoroughly enjoyed and I can’t wait for the next book. Many thanks to Netgalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for the much appreciated arc which I reviewed voluntarily and honestly.

A diverting crime read, I love how this author writes. Having not read no 1 and 2 I now want to go and read these, I could understand the story as a stand alone and it was still a great read but think the others books would have given it better context. An amazing fast pace intelligent thriller I would highly recommend

I love Michael Robotham's writing, and have never been disappointed with his books - he definitely knows how to write a page-turner!

I enjoyed this book, but having never read any of the books in the Cyrus Haven series before, I was a little lost at times, and this did hinder my enjoyment somewhat. I didn't realise before going in, that this book was the third in the series.

I still enjoyed the book in itself but I'm sure I would have loved it more if I had read the previous books.

Another book from Michael Robothan that didn’t disappointed me. A well crafted plot with interesting and engaging characters, and twists that I didn’t see coming. I totally recommend this book.

Cyrus Haven's family was murdered twenty years ago, and only he and his brother survived.
But it was his remaining sibling who had committed the murders!
Twenty years later, and the brother, Elias, is set to be released into Cyrus's care.
Cyrus is now a forensic psychologist and is helping in a suspected abduction case where a man has been murdered and is daughter missing. Then a second woman is abducted and the only witness is a young girl, Evie Cormac.
Both the missing women have secrets but can Cyrus solve this whilst dealing with his own past?

This is the third book in the Cyrus Haven series but my first read and read happily as a stand alone thriller. The story is told first hand from both Cyrus’s and Evie’s POV rapidly building the pace and tension. Both Cyrus and Evie are great characters. Brilliantly written this book soon had me hooked, reading late into the night. The main storyline is masterfully interwoven with an old case some 8 years earlier.

Briefly, Cyrus is a Forensic Psychologist and the story opens with him attending a parole hearing for his brother Elias. Elias murdered their parents and sisters, as a teenager, 20 years before. He is to be released to Cyrus’s charge on day release. Cyrus lives in his parents house and has 21 year old Evie Cormac staying with him as a lodger. Evie had a very disturbing upbringing and has a gift of telling when people are lying. A man is found murdered and his daughter is missing. Cyrus is brought in on the case, even though the police have a suspect, however, neither Cyrus and Evie believe he is the killer.

An intricate plot that is action packed and full of twists and turns and the killer reveal was a complete surprise to me. Just when I thought I had it all figured out! A very enjoyable read ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Michael Robotham for a copy in exchange for honest review.

I will start of by saying I have not read any of the previous books from this series, so I did not know what to expect but I was really drawn to the idea behind it. Luckily, I was not disappointed at all, I feel like it had all the right things a thriller should have and I loved all of it.

Each character was developed and I really felt like I knew all of them which made the book even more exciting as I kept wanting to know what will happen to them even more.

Overall, really enjoyed the book and will for sure be reading the rest from the series.

One of my favourite authors. I enjoyed his Joe O'Loughlin series. This is the third book to feature Cyrus Haven who is a forensic psychologist living in the Nottingham area. Living with him as a friend is Evie a broken but determined young woman, who has a gift that she can tell if someone is lieing to her.
Cyrus's friend detective superintendent Lenny Parvel contacts him to say a young woman has been abducted and her father brutally killed. However it's not Lenny's case, it's detective chief inspector Gary Hoyle who Cyrus will work with. He is very unlike Lenny and comes across as an arogant know all.
Cyrus has another major problem, in that his elder brother Elias is trying to get his release from Rampton secure prison. Twenty years ago Elias murdered their family, father, mother and the young twin girls. Cyrus probably only survived because he was home late and hid in the garden shed, where Lenny then a police constable found him. Elias is nearly forty years of age now and he is controlled by medication.
Evie does not want Elias to come and live with Cyrus and her. She wants to get a job and some sort of life.
Another very good novel from this excellent australian author. It keeps you reading to find out what happens. Very highly recommended. I look forward to more from this author.

This is the latest in the Cyrus Haven series with Evie Cormack. Although it can be read as a standalone novel, it definitely helps understand Evie if you can read the previous novel first.
In my opinion, this is the best in the series yet. There are 2 parallel story lines which unfold- one about the murder of a local woman and her father, the second about Cyrus' older brother Elias who is at Rampton, a secure mental hospital. The plot cleverly alternates between the 2 parts of Cyrus and Evie's lives as they become more and more sinister and disturbing. This book is a masterclass in understated tension and terror. Utterly compelling reading, you won't sleep til you've finished it! 5 stars from me!

I have not read the previous books in this series but this is a good standalone ,though it makes me want to catch up on the other two books to understand the relationship between Cyrus and Evie .This book is gripping and with a great plot .Cyrus is a Forensic Psychologist and Evie is his Lodger with a difficult past which I guess you need to read the previous books if you want to find out more .A man has been murdered and his daughter missing and Cyrus is on the case .I enjoyed this book very much and look forward to reading more in the series .Thank you to NetGalley for my ARC.

5⭐️

#3 Cyrus Haven

I have only read the 2nd book which I loved.
Cyrus is a forensic psychologist, with his own complicated past and ongoing issues.
Evie is a very troubled young woman who Cyrus both tries to help and protect. She has a special power. She can instantly tell if someone is lying.

A man is murdered and his daughter has gone missing, Cyrus has been asked to consult on the case.

I love both Cyrus and Evie with their complex unique damaged personalities and their commitment to each other. Although they frequently can’t be open or honest with each other which is heartbreaking.

For me the book is every bit as much about Cyrus and Evie and their journey through the story as it is solving the crime. Don’t get me wrong there are a couple of threads which give a good intricate plot.

I absolutely loved everything about it. It’s such easy enjoyable reading, I adore the characterisation. The plot was cleverly woven I was totally transfixed throughout.
It’s in my books of the year.

Well, Michael Robotham does it again! This story continues the tale of the talented psychologist we were introduced to in his previous book. This time he is handling both the trauma of his terrifying past and a professional challenge.