Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Claire Stibbe won the 2021 Page Turner Award for fiction, and it’s easy to tell why. This book kept me on the edge of my seat and surprised the entire way through.

Book Cover for No Good Lie. Black/White Background with a single rose in the center entwined with white text reading No Good Lie and rest text reading Claire Stibbe. Scissors in the lower left corner cutting the rose. Flavor text on the bottom that reads The darkest secrets hide in plain sight.
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US Link: https://a.co/d/cJW9hwb
UK Link: https://amzn.to/41dnS6G
Author’s Links: https://linktr.ee/ClaireStibbe

About the Book

Winner of the PageTurner Writing Award 2021

The darkest secrets hide in plain sight.

When Freya Thorne finds a woman’s body on the beach, she is swept back into the nightmare of the past. She knows the similarities to her daughter’s tragic death cannot be a coincidence, but nobody will believe her.

Letters arrive with chilling threats. This stalker knows more about Freya than any stranger could. Weird sounds disrupt her nights, and she knows someone’s been in her house. As the stalker draws Freya into a terrifying game, she uncovers more questions than answers. Her life is being threatened, and she doesn’t know who to trust. Someone has been pulling her strings, and that someone is determined she must suffer. Because Freya broke a promise. And promises aren’t meant to be broken.

Great for fans of Perfect Stranger and Only Mine.

My Thoughts

I couldn’t put this one down. Apparently the author has written nine other books, and I’ll definitely be looking into those. Right from the first page, I was drawn into the thrilling pace and palpable, tense atmosphere. I did not remotely expect the twist in the end, and was so surprised and shook. It was a fantastic read with a strong dose of social commentary and warning attached.

I thoroughly enjoyed Freya, though I’m not sure if she’s supposed to be a lovable character or not. She wasn’t a perfect character – not by a long-stretch, but she was incredibly relatable. She was real and human, and it was easy to empathize with her, even when she made mistakes showing serious lack of judgement. The author’s writing was impeccable as she showed a woman at the end of her rope, feeling both watched every second and invisible as those around her didn’t believe her. While I’ve never experienced being stalked, real fear presented itself on these pages and I was right there alongside Freya wishing I could help.

The use of two different point of views, and a switch from first person to third with it, was beautifully done. When multiple POVs is done right, it can be wonderful, and this is how to utilize it. I enjoyed the insight into the stalker’s mind, and it absolutely added to the mystery and overall tension and fear of the story. Stibbe is a brilliant storyteller. I am so grateful to the author and Love Books Tours for including me on this tour, and I can’t wait to read more.

Who’s It For

If you love an engaging, edge of your seat plot, this is absolutely the book for you. You will probably stay up too late wanting one more chapter, hoping you can figure out what’s going on with just a little more reading. Also, if you’re a fan of shows like Criminal Minds, that let you have a little glimpse into the mind of criminal’s, this book will also appeal to you. Because of the nature of the book, it does have multiple trigger warnings.

Content Warning: Child Death, Stalking, Sexual Assault, Violence, Cheating, Kidnapping, Victim Blaming/Not Believing the Victim

About the Author

Author Claire Stibbe

Claire Stibbe is the winner of the 2021 Page Turner Award for Fiction and a prolific novelist. Today, she writes domestic suspense novels that draw on her experiences as a survivor of domestic abuse. Her aim is not just to tell gripping stories but to inspire other survivors to find freedom and independence.

Claire worked as an Executive Assistant for twenty years in both London, USA and the Far East, including hotel and catering, chartered surveyors and marine consultants. Adopted by Philip Stibbe, author of Return Via Rangoon and a pupil of CS Lewis, Claire was inspired by her father’s passion for stories. She is the twin sister of bestselling author, Mark Stibbe and now devotes herself full-time to writing. Her novels owe much to her years as a member of the Albuquerque Police Citizen’s Academy where her main focus was the impact of violence towards women and their families.

Claire now lives in Utah with her husband and son, and her cat, Edward, who sleeps on her desk while she writes. To keep up-to-date with her new books and blogs, sign up for her newsletter at: https://linktr.ee/ClaireStibbe

Published by Amorina Carlton. Award-winning American author, Amorina Carlton, is currently working on her first novel. You can find more about her published work and works in progress on the home page. She also serves as the PR/Marketing Lead for Ravens and Roses Publishing, and reviews books, mostly by other indie authors, here and on Bookstagram

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