Anything You Do Say by Gillian McAllister | @GillianMAuthor @MichaelJBooks #AnyThingYouDoSay

Published by Michael Joseph/Penguin

Ebook : 19 October 2017   |   Paperback: 25 January 2018

400 pages

Source: ARC received for review

|   About the Book   |

Gone Girl meets Sliding Doors in this edge-of-your-seat thriller

Joanna is an avoider. So far she has spent her adult life hiding bank statements and changing career aspirations weekly.

But then one night Joanna hears footsteps on the way home. Is she being followed? She is sure it’s him; the man from the bar who wouldn’t leave her alone. Hearing the steps speed up Joanna turns and pushes with all of her might, sending her pursuer tumbling down the steps and lying motionless on the floor.

Now Joanna has to do the thing she hates most – make a decision. Fight or flight? Truth or lie? Right or wrong?

 

|   My Thoughts   |

The ‘Sliding Doors’ concept in books is not new, its been done before, as have books focusing on a moral dilemma and I’ve read plenty of those but to me this felt fresh and different. In Anything You Do Say, the plot revolves around two possible outcomes following an incident late at night by a canal path. Our protagonist Joanna is faced with a situation that every woman fears – you are walking home on your own late at night and you think that someone is following you. What Joanna decides to do forms the basis of the ‘Conceal’ where she covers up her actions or ‘Reveal’, where she owns up and faces the consequences. Alternate Conceal or Reveal chapters tell Joanna’s story and the path her life would take depending on her decision.

I’m not going to give away any more of the story because you do need to read it for yourselves. However I LOVED it. Joanna was the type of person that any of us could identify with – she had her flaws and her vulnerabilities and she made some questionable decisions (in both scenarios) in my opinion but I could understand why she made them.

The characterisation was spot on – for Joanna as well as the supporting players; her husband Reuben was a complex character and we see how Joanna’s actions impact on his life.  His reactions in both scenarios play an integral part in the story.

The two outcomes flow seamlessly without confusion and I was addicted to both ‘stories’ without favouring one over the other.

The psychological thriller/suspense market is saturated with much of the same type of story but what particularly appealed to me about this is the fact that it is different. No missing children or toxic marriages – just a well researched thought provoking story that is so realistic.  It’s quite frightening to think of the impact that a split second decision such as this would have.  I have to say I still don’t know what I would do in this situation. I would like to think that I would Reveal but as this book clearly shows nothing is clear cut or black and white.

This is definitely a contender for my Books of the Year List. Do put it on your reading pile, you won’t regret it.

Anything You Do Say is currently only 99p on Amazon UK for the Kindle pre-order download. For this price it’s one not to be missed.

My thanks to Jenny of Penguin for providing the copy for review and for the invitation to take part in the tour

|   About the author   |

Gillian McAllister has been writing for as long as she can remember. She graduated with an English degree and lives in Birmingham where she now works as a lawyer. Her debut novel Everything But The Truth was a Sunday Times top ten bestseller. You can find her on Twitter @gillianmauthor

Author Links:  Website   |   Twitter   |   Facebook   |   Amazon UK   |   Goodreads