Count My Lies by Sophie Stava (Century £16.99, 336pp)
The author nails it with this book from the first sentence. A young woman in a trendy New York neighbourhood claims to be a nurse as she helps a very handsome father tend to his little girl who’s been stung by a bee.
But Sloane Caraway is actually a nail technician and compulsive liar who manages to inveigle her way into the lives of the glamorous father Jay Lockhart and his wife Violet.
The ensuing original and twisty plot lines provide a very convincing psychological study of why people actually tell lies. It’s not long before Sloane realises that the Lockharts are not what they seem either.
Meanwhile, Sloane becomes obsessed with growing more and more like Violet. Events then lead to an explosive, if not entirely satisfactory, ending.
With its punchy, chatty, writing style, nothing will stop this from becoming a runaway bestseller.
Lies that come back with a sting in the tail
It Should Have Been You by Andrea Mara (Bantam £16.99, 400pp)
This plot plays expertly into one of our worst nightmares. Susan, a sleep deprived teacher on maternity leave, feels affronted by a WhatsApp message from a neighbour named Celeste and decides to vent to her sister about Celeste’s awful children and her philandering husband.
Too late to delete, she realises she has sent the message to the whole neighbourhood. At first she thinks the fuss will pass but then people start to be murdered.
One of the victims is a woman who has the same address as her, but in a different part of town. The tension is very well maintained throughout and the author resists the temptation to be overly dramatic.
The convincing storyline maintains real dread in a world of everyday domestic detail. Very enjoyable.
The Palazzo by Kayte Nunn (No Exit Press £9.99, 304pp)
The perfect remote setting for this crafty thriller is a renovated former convent in the Italian Alps.Â
The Palazzo Stellina has been hired by a beauty entrepreneur to celebrate her 40th birthday with her family and friends.
A luxury swimming pool and handsome chef are all part of the package.
When a murder occurs, the scene is expertly set for a locked-room mystery as all the guests have their own reasons to be suspects or maybe victims.
The cleverly constructed plot keeps us guessing while we enjoy the well-drawn luxurious backdrop of the Palazzo.
