PINTEREST
BLOGLOVIN
GOODREADS
Published by Corgi/Transworld
Available in ebook (1 September 2018) | Paperback (21 February 2019)
368 pages
My thanks to Anne Cater of Random Things Tours for the invitation to take part in the blog tour for the ebook publication of Perfect Liars. I have bought a copy of this one to read when I can, it looks like an intriguing read. At the time of this post Perfect Liars can be downloaded from Amazon UK for 99p.
| About the Book |
They have it all. And they’ll do anything to keep it that way.
For fans of The Girlfriend and Liane Moriarty’s Big Little Lies as well as TV hits Doctor Foster and The Replacement.
Sixteen years ago, at an elite boarding school secluded in the English countryside, best friends Nancy, Georgia and Lila did something unspeakable.
Their secret forged an unbreakable bond between them, a bond of silence. But now, in their thirties, one of them wants to talk.
One word and everything could be ruined: their lives, their careers, their relationships. It’s up to Georgia to call a crisis dinner. – she knows there’s nothing that can’t be resolved by three courses in her immaculate kitchen.
But the evening does not go as planned.
Three women walk in to the dinner, but only two will leave.
Murder isn’t so difficult the second time around…
Gripping and unputdownable, Perfect Liars tells the story of a group of friends bound by their dark pasts and their desperate need to keep their secrets hidden from the world around them. How far would you go to protect the life you’ve built?
EXTRACT
‘Everyone start,’ said Georgia, lifting her spoon. ‘I hope it’s OK,’ she said, prompting them all to respond. Predictably, her comment was met with a wash of compliments.
‘It’s divine,’ said Roo, his eyes on Lila. ‘I can’t remember the last time I had a proper pudding.’
‘Probably the last time you cooked one,’ said Lila, still looking at Brett.
‘Pudding,’ said Brett, doing a British accent. ‘I love the way you guys say that.’
‘Pudding,’ repeated Lila in an exaggerated accent, laughing. Surely she wasn’t drunk enough to think that this was legitimately funny?
‘How’s work?’ Nancy asked Charlie, fixing him with her eyes. ‘Last time I saw you it was the election.’
‘He won,’ said Georgia, smiling as she put her spoon to her lips.
Charlie blushed. ‘Well, it’s a bloody safe seat and the other candidate wasn’t much cop.’
‘You did brilliantly,’ said Georgia.
‘Hear hear!’ said Roo, sloshing more wine into his glass. ‘To Charlie.’
‘It was months ago,’ he protested, his hands over his face, as the others raised their glasses. ‘But thank you.’
‘You showed that fat bitch who was boss!’ laughed Roo. Nancy turned her torso, watching him. There was a smudge of cream above his top lip and his hairline was receding. How was he still managing to fuck these women, these mistresses of his?
‘I’m sorry?’ she asked.
Roo laughed. ‘ Uh‑oh, now I’m in trouble.’
Nancy folded her napkin in her lap. ‘Not at all.’
‘You’re not going to tell me off?’ said Roo, making a face. ‘That makes a change.’
‘I’m not sure you’re interested in a discussion,’ she replied evenly. Winding her up was Roo’s hobby. She wasn’t going to rise to it.
‘Oh come on, she was a fat bint, aren’t I allowed to say that? Aren’t we allowed to say anything any more?’
‘You’re arguing with yourself,’ she said, taking a tiny dip into the passion fruit. ‘I haven’t said anything.’
‘You didn’t need to,’ said Roo. ‘Look at your face.’
‘Perhaps you should start judging women on what they say rather than what they look like,’ she replied, the words escaping her before she could stop them. She heard Brett laughing from the other side of the table. Roo looked up.
‘You think that’s funny, mate?’
Brett stopped laughing. ‘Sorry.’
‘Don’t apologize,’ said Nancy.
‘Does anyone want more pudding?’ asked Georgia brightly.
‘Me!’ shouted Lila.
‘How can you want more when you haven’t even finished your first portion?’ asked Georgia. Nancy looked up to see how full Lila’s plate was, and noticed Brett put his fingers to his lips and pull something from his mouth.
‘What was that?’ she asked.
‘Nothing.’
‘You just took something out of your mouth.’
‘It’s only a seed or something.’ Brett looked guilty.
‘Are you sure?’ she asked, leaning over and taking it off his plate. It wasn’t a seed. It was a piece of blue plastic.
‘Everyone should stop eating,’ Nancy announced, trying to keep the satisfaction out of her voice. She watched as they each put down their spoons, apart from Charlie, who resolutely ignored her.
‘What?’ asked Georgia.
‘This was in Brett’s food.’ She held the chip up. ‘And it’s sharp.’
‘Let me see,’ said Georgia, rushing around the table and staring at it. ‘Oh fuck, it’s a bit of the spoon I was using to mix the cream. Don’t worry, it’s only tiny. Honestly I wouldn’t let it put you off.’
Nancy watched the redness spread up Georgia’s neck and across her face. She adopted an expression of regret. ‘I hate to be that person,’ she said, her voice quiet. ‘But I read this thing about someone who severed an artery from swallowing a tiny piece of glass and I’m probably being paranoid but I don’t think that we should take any risks.’
It was true. She had read that. And she didn’t want anyone to cut themselves. Of course, the chances of anyone actually having anything in their food was tiny, and most of them had already eaten most of their pudding. But still, Nancy couldn’t quite persuade herself to drop it.
‘That was glass,’ said Charlie. ‘It’s not glass in the food.’
‘It’s not “the food”,’ yelped Georgia. ‘It’s only in one tiny bit.’
Lila’s spoon clattered to the plate. ‘I was done anyway.’
‘You just said you wanted more?’ Georgia said, her voice steely.
‘I changed my mind.’
‘I’m sure it’s fine,’ said Brett, picking his fork back up. ‘Really.’
‘Please don’t,’ said Nancy. ‘I know it’s silly but I hate the idea of anything happening to you.’ Brett flashed her his smile and yet again she marvelled at the perfection of his features.
‘OK, if you’re so sure.’ He looked around the table.
‘She’s such an adult!’
Everyone had put their cutlery down. Even Roo. Nancy tried not to look triumphant.
‘I guess I’ll clear the table then,’ said Georgia. She sounded like she might be about to cry. ‘There’s cheese. I’ll bring that out.’
| About the Author |
Rebecca is a freelance journalist. She is a columnist for the Telegraph Women’s section, works for Metro Online and has written for Marie Claire, the Guardian, the Saturday Telegraph, the Independent, Stylist, Glamour, the iPaper, the Guardian, Indy100, LOOK and the New Statesmen amongst others.
Rebecca is a regular contributor to Sky News and ITV’s This Morning as well as appearing on Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour, LBC, BBC News 24 and the BBC World Service to discuss her work.
She graduated from Royal Holloway’s Creative Writing MA in 2015 and Perfect Liars is her debut novel.
Rebecca lives in North London with her husband.
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Huge thanks for supporting the Blog Tour Karen x
Thank you Anne x