The Liar's Room

Psychological Thriller

By Simon Lelic

Paperback 352 pages
Publisher Penguin (9th August 2018)
ASIN B074TSL5YV

ISBN-13 978-0241296561

"A bundle of creepy chills...Read it." The Observer

📕My Review

Due to a past tragedy Susanna has moved away from home and successfully rebuilt her life with a new identity. She has a fourteen-year-old daughter, Emily, and now works as a counsellor. When new client Adam walks into her consulting room, her world is about to come spectacularly crashing down. He seems familiar but she doesn't know why. Then he begins to tell his story and Susanna is forced to confront her own harrowing past once more.

Having read and enjoyed Simon Lelic's previous book, The House, I was looking forward to this latest novel. What appealed to me was the idea of two seemingly unconnected people trapped inside a room with no way out. While one holds all the cards, the other is forced to link the pieces together. What follows is a story of devastation, loss and grief. The reader can't help but feel horrified as events unfold through the eyes of Susanna, Adam and Emily.

There's a tense, almost claustrophobic feeling throughout, which gradually builds to an exciting climax. It's obvious right from the start that Susanna and Adam are both hiding the truth from themselves and each other. What ensues is an emotional battle of wills. One room. Two liars. No way out...

The Liar's Room is a fast-paced, intelligent psychological thriller with many layers. Its themes are retribution and compassion. It draws the reader in, grabs hold and pulls at your heartstrings. I'm so pleased I had the opportunity to read it.

My thanks to Simon Lelic, NetGalley and Penguin UK for providing a copy of this book.

Barnsey's Books Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐

My other reviews:

The House

📗The Blurb

ONE ROOM. TWO LIARS. NO WAY OUT...

Susanna Fenton has a secret. Fourteen years ago she left her identity behind, reinventing herself as a counsellor and starting a new life. It was the only way to keep her daughter safe.

But everything changes when Adam Geraghty walks into her office. She's never met this young man before - so why does she feel like she knows him?

Then Adam starts to tell her about a girl. A girl he wants to hurt.

And Susanna realises she was wrong. 

She doesn't know him. 

BUT HE KNOWS HER.

AND THE GIRL HE PLANS TO HURT IS HER DAUGHTER...

📘The Author

I was born in Brighton in 1976 and, after a decade or so living in London and trying to convince myself that the tube was fine, really, because it gave me a chance to read, my wife and I moved back to Brighton with our three young children. That Barnaby, Joseph and Anja’s grandparents happened to live close enough by to be able to offer their babysitting services was, of course, entirely coincidental.

As well as writing, I run an import/export business. I say this, when people ask, with a wink but I fool no one: I am more Del Trotter than Howard Marks. My hobbies (when I have time for them) include reading (for which I make time, because I can just about get away with claiming this is also work), golf, tennis, snowboarding and karate. My weekends belong to my family (or so my wife tells me), as does my heart.

I studied history at the University of Exeter. After graduating I was qualified, I discovered . . . to do an MA. After that I figured I had better learn something useful, so took a post-grad course in journalism. I know, I know: so much for learning something useful. After working freelance and then in business-to-business publishing, I now write novels. Not useful either, necessarily, but fun and, in its own way, important.

In half a page, then, that’s me. My wife wanted me to add that I am not as mean as I look in my author pic. That was the publisher’s doing: they wanted austere. But now I’ve gone and ruined it.

Simon Lelic's website