October 23, 2019

I love Rona Halsall’s books because even if I guess one of the twists, there are always at least two more that I did not see coming. Her Mother’s Lies is no exception to this.

I loved the set up of the novel. Martha is a 24-year-old who struggles with taking care of her alcoholic mother. On what is arguably the worst day of her life, Martha realizes that life can always get worse; unfortunately for her, it does.

What follows is a tightly-written, intricate plot filled with little details and clues that are often so subtle, they’re easy to miss the first time reading. There were even a few parts that I had to go back and re-read after a particular revelation, just to see what I missed the first time. I love it when an author writes something so clever that I don’t even realize my assumptions are wrong.

I did guess at one of the twists about halfway through the book, but I knew there would be more coming, and I wasn’t disappointed. There were several more that I did not see coming at all. When I did realize what they were, they were jaw-droppers.

I thought all of the characters were well-developed. I felt for Martha’s sense of hopelessness in a dire situation, but also compassion for Fran’s choices (although that feeling changed as more details were revealed). And Izzy is a whole different story – complicated and sympathetic doesn’t even begin to describe her.

I also liked the setting. True story: as I was reading, the town of Truro sounded familiar, but I couldn’t place it. I asked my husband where we knew it from, and he replied, “That’s where the hospital is in Doc Martin.” Now, that’s one of our favorite tv shows, and as soon as he said it, I realized that the entire setting reminded me of the village and surrounding areas in the show. In hindsight, it makes total sense, but it was a neat little moment as I was reading.

If you are looking for a page-turner with realistic characters and twists that surprise you, look no further; pick up Her Mother’s Lies now!

Author Bio

Rona lives on the Isle of Man with her husband, two dogs and three guinea pigs. She has been a bookworm since she was a child and now she’s actually creating stories of her own, which still feels like a dream come true.

She is an outdoorsy person and loves stomping up a mountain, walking the coastal paths and exploring the wonderful beaches on the Island while she’s plotting how to kill off her next victim. She also makes sure she deletes her Google history on a regular basis, because… well, you can’t be too careful when you spend your life researching new and ingenious ways for people to die.

She has three children and two step-children who are now grown up and leading varied and interesting lives, which provides plenty of ideas for new stories!