It All Started With A Lie

 It All Started With A Lie

Reviewed By  Janet Mawdesley       March 6, 2024

 

Author  Denise Brown

Distributor:      AmazonUK
ISBN:                 978-1913835323
Publisher:         Hashtag Press
Release Date:   March 2024  

   Website:   https://www.amazon.co.uk/All-Started-Lie-Denise-Brown

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It all Started with a Lie is a stunning novel from Denise Brown that looks at secrets held deep within families and the tragedy this can cause when Pearl accidently comes across a pile of old newspaper clippings hidden within her father’s desk draw.

She comes to the conclusion that the stories are about her, the baby abandoned outside of the Hospital. The year is right, the details referred to in the story fit, according to her.  She convinces her friend Danny to help her try and discover the real story behind the articles and in doing so they set off a train of events that no one in their quiet neighbour could ever have foreseen.

Murder has been committed and the closer the two friends get to finding out what really did happen the danger increases, ending in a horrific and catastrophic fashion.

Written for the YA age range it is a story that ranges across many generations, as it deals with unwanted and unexpected pregnancy, hiding the truth through fear, failure of family to support their children and the mental anguish caused when truths are hidden and kept hidden.

Fast paced in places, and yet heavy going in others, the story unfolds in layers, the text messages from long ago adding another layer of intrigue, as it becomes important to try and discover which of the characters sent the text messages and who they were sent to. Are they still a part of the community or not?

The final chapters tend to be a little rushed, as so much information carefully hidden within the body of the story is woven into a stunning conclusion. One of the main points within the story is why it is that Pearl, who is very close to her father, does not feel she can ask him about the newspaper articles.

None the less It All Started with a Lie is a story that captivates from the first page, is filled with twists and turns, frustration oozing from the pages, sorrow permeating the narrative, all of which has been carefully and skilfully portrayed in a story woven around family dynamics.

Crime, Fiction, Mystery