Clare Mackintosh’s third novel has everything you’d expect from her: pace, twists, skilful plotting and good characterisation. However, I didn’t enjoy it as much as I’d anticipated. Maybe I’ve read too many thrillers lately, but I found this one to be quite predictable. I guessed the main revelation early on in the novel and I was hoping to be proved wrong.
The story follows Anna, a twenty-something who lost her parents to suicide. She’s also recently had an unplanned baby with her fairly new partner, Mark – her counsellor after her parents died. Hints appear that her parents did not willingly end their own lives. Anna convinces a retired police detective, Murray Mackenzie, to look into the case again. Murray’s wife Sarah, who is in poor mental health and is regularly in hospital, helps him to investigate.
I liked the author’s handling of some serious topics: grief, suicide, mental health, family bonds, lies. I also appreciated the details of police procedure, although I did find the repetition of information a little dull, as different characters discuss things we already know about. The sense of place was excellent and I could see everything so clearly, with the level of description being just right. I did find the novel to be slightly too long, but bear in mind that I say this about most novels.
In summary, I think Let Me Lie is a well-written page turner but it’s no match for I See You.
Many thanks to the publisher Little, Brown Group for the review copy via NetGalley.
Once this book got going I liked it a lot, and I found the ending really dramatic and page-turning. I agree it was a bit predictable. Nice review.
It sounds like you enjoyed the book a little more than I did – have you read her others and how does it compare?
Thanks for your comment 🙂
You’re welcome ?
Yes I have read all of her books and like them all. I Let You Go is my favourite, that was a 5 star read for me. I See You was also good, very tense, and had an excellent, if slightly far-fetched concept.
Clare Mackintosh is one of my must read authors!
I thought I See You was excellent – it even inspired me to write my own thriller! I just found that Let Me Lie was mediocre in comparison.
That’s great! I do really like I See You, but I liked Let Me Lie just as much ?
Great review! I really enjoyed elements of Mackintosh’s debut, but wasn’t blown away like most people. Since then, I’ve heard such mixed things about her other books that I’ve been dubious, but I think I should probably give her another shot.
I haven’t read her debut (it’s on my shelf) but I was impressed with I See You – would recommend it if you want to try another of her books. Thanks for your comment 🙂
I’ve enjoyed all of Clare Mackintosh’s novels. My favourite so far was “I let you go”.
I haven’t actually read that one yet – it’s on my shelf! Will read it sometime this year 🙂
I added this to my TBR list a few weeks ago so glad to hear that you enjoyed it despite being a bit too long (I also feel this way about a lot of books!!)
I think most novels are about 100 pages too long. But maybe I have a shorter attention span, I don’t know. I hope you enjoy this book, I would be interested to hear whether you like it as much as her previous two.
Totally agree on the length – it’s one of ny biggest criticisms of most books. I gave ‘I Let You Go’ 2 stars and ‘I See You’ 4 stars, so who knows how I’ll feel about this one!
This was the first book i read by this author, and i quite liked it. Defo wanted to read her other books as well, but now that you mentioned that those were even better… well, sounds good! 😀
I really like Murray in this one and kinda hope he’d get a spin off or something.
I really recommend I See You – I’m sure you’ll enjoy it! I think Clare might have hinted in the afterword that Murray might return,..
Thanks for stopping by 🙂
Shame that repetition worked to its detriment and that it was a little overlong- but it’s good it dealt with the issues well. Sounds worth reading 🙂 Awesome review!
Thank you 🙂
It’s worth reading but I was comparing it to her previous book which in my opinion was a lot better.
Oh look, another blue book with a yellow font! That’s a shame that you didn’t find this book as engaging as some of Mackintosh’s other works. I don’t think I’ve read any of her books but I think I’d like I See You?
They all have the same cover template it seems! I recommend I See You – it’s one of the best thrillers I’ve read! Not that I’ve read loads of them, but still.
I’ll keep a lookout for it! I love a good thriller.