The Liar's Child: A totally gripping and nail-biting psychological thriller

Sheryl Browne

Sep 2021 · Bookouture

About this ebook

I’ll do anything to protect my daughter…

When I pick my beloved daughter Poppy up from school one afternoon, my mind races when I see the little girl holding Poppy’s hand. With the same heart-shaped face, long brown hair and dark eyes, the two girls look identical. In fact, they look like sisters.

Is the secret I’ve been holding on to for so long about to be revealed?

That night, I cuddle Poppy even harder, desperately trying to decide what to do. And then my husband’s phone vibrates. A message. And then another. And another. All from a number I don’t recognise.

Is someone going to tell my husband what I did? Could I be about to lose everything I have worked so hard to protect?

But I’ve spent so long hiding the truth, I never stopped to wonder if I was the only liar in the family… The only thing I’m sure of is that nobody is going to take my child away from me.

If you can’t get enough of addictive psychological thrillers like Gone Girl, The Wife Between Us and The Marriage, you’ll love The Liar’s Child. With nail-biting suspense and an ending that will make your heart pound, this is one book you simply won’t be able to put down.

What readers are saying about Sheryl Browne:

‘Oh my goodness I can finally breathe!! What an amazing, addictive, totally gripping read this was… you will not be able to put it down!!!’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘I read it in less than a day, I HAD to know what happened, to who and when!!!!… 10/10.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘Phew… Goosebumps, shivers down my spine and the hairs on the back of my neck were standing on end, that’s how good this book is.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘Woah! This book was crazy good, talk about mind games! Wow, I feel out of breath after reading this! Absolutely sucked me in, I was totally captivated and couldn't put this one down… an incredible read… blew my mind.’ Bonnie’s Book Talk, 5 stars

‘WOW! Grabbed me from the BIG bam in the beginning all the way to the last word! Twisted, twisty, dark, compulsive rollercoaster of a story!… Read this book!!’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘Wow! Wow! Wow! Wow! What a rollercoaster of a ride that story was, bloody brilliant!… If you enjoyed The Girl on the Train and Gone Girl then this story is for you!’ Between the Pages Book Club, 5 stars

‘I’m speechless… it is just that amazing.’ Rachel’s Random Reads, 5 stars

‘Clear some room in your diary, you will not want to put this down!!’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘Absolutely amazing. Twisted, thrilling and chilling. This book is one you will pick up and not want to put down. A five plus star!’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘Stunning… Gripping, tense and suspenseful… a heart in mouth and pulse-racing realistic thriller… I loved it.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘An unputdownable read. I loved that I had no idea what the author had in store next for me.’ By the Letter Book Reviews, 5 stars

Ratings and reviews

“She’ll do anything to protect her daughter…” The Liar’s Child is an addictive psychological thriller where secrets, lies, jealously and mistrust make for another thrilling and entertaining read from one of my favourite authors. My goodness Sheryl Browne knows how to weave a tale and she has once again smashed it out of the park with The Liar’s Child. As is always the case when I read a book from this talented author, I was instantly invested in the story and its characters right from the prologue. Masterfully executed and extremely well researched, I could not tear myself away as I became lost in the pages. It is definitely a “just one more chapter” kind of book and the only thing that disappointed me with it, is that it ended way too soon!

The Liar’s Child took me on a journey and I’m still thinking about it now. I felt every bit of pain and each obstacle that Kay and Matt were enduring. With young daughter, Poppy, being so sick, this really added to the tension. I can only imagine the level of research needed for this book and fully appreciated every bit of it. When Olivia came into their lives, it was like, WHAT? That’s where the secrets and lies came into it all. So many of them too. I found myself hurrying through to find out what was going on and my oh my, they were huge! If you love a psychological thriller with so much at stake and giant helpings of family drama, then this book is perfect. It’s both white knuckle and heartbreaking at the same time. It certain had me reading into the early hours as I couldn’t put it down!

Thanks go to the publisher and Net-Galley for the complimentary digital copy of The Liar’s Child by Sheryl Browne. I voluntarily agreed to read and review this novel prior to publication. My opinions are my own, and nothing has influenced my rating. The Liar’s Child is a novel with plenty of twists and turns which leads to a climax full of surprises. The plot is enhanced by the complex relationships between the characters makes this an intriguing tale. The pacing pulled me from the start and kept me enthralled to the end. This was a very hard book to put down. Kay Young is the primary protagonist, and her immense love for her sick daughter had me rooting for her right away. She feels a deep abiding love for her husband, but as events play out, her conviction in that love is shaken. I could feel her pain and confusion that what seems to be true goes against all that she thought she knew about her him. Then add in a recurring dream plaguing her, no wonder she’s frightened and confused. It’s the last thing she needs on top of her fears for her child’s life. Matt is the primary male protagonist, and he’s as confused as his wife. Mad with fear for their daughter and the suspicion regarding his brother and what might have happened between Kay and Jason at a wedding they attended years before, it’s no surprise he feels like his life is falling apart. What starts as an unshakeable love for each other, turns into a marriage falling apart. Each are being played by a woman using a different name. Kay knows her as Amanda, a student in her class at the college where she teaches, and Matt, a doctor specializing in neonatal medicine, believes she’s a nurse at the hospital named Rachel. There’s some astonishing gaslighting going on in this tale of woe. Next, Kay meets the little girl who has become her daughter’s best friend. Olivia is a mirror image of Poppy! Knowing this was only possible if the girls shared the same father. This has her questioning her husband’s fidelity. Never in a million years would she have imagined Matt would be unfaithful and possibly abandoned his own child. If you enjoy a story that will have you sitting on the edge of your seat, waiting to find out how all the parts fit together, then you will love The Liar’s Child as much as I did. I’m so glad I had the opportunity to read this book. Happy reading!