Lisa Hall – Steph's Book Blog

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About the Book

Don’t. Trust. Anyone.

It was supposed to be a fresh start.

A chance to forget the past and embrace the future.

But can you ever really start again?

Or does the past follow you wherever you go

My Review

Steph and Mark Gordon are settling into a new home in an attempt to rebuild their marriage after he had an affair. Steph has had her problems, a traumatic event in her teens, post-natal depression, the affair and her best friend now lives in America.
Mark works away a lot of the time and she becomes good friends with two neighbours Lila and Lawrence. But she is under pressure, Mark is away in the build up to Christmas, she is pregnant and being hassled by a very unlikeable woman to join the PTA. And then more worryingly, items start to appear on her doorstep, personal items disappear and she has a general feeling that somebody has been in her house.
I loved Lisa’s first novel so jumped at the chance to read an advance copy of her follow up. I found it very gripping and at times felt extremely edgy. I thought I could see what was happening but when more was revealed about Steph’s problems in the past I became more uncertain. I had a lot of sympathy for her, it must be an awful situation to be in. Events were happening that she couldn’t explain and nobody including her husband, mother and friends believed her.
The ending was totally unexpected. Everything I thought would happen didn’t and I felt bewildered and flabbergasted by how events turned out even though it was believable. I found myself tapping the kindle to turn over the page, thinking NO this can’t be happening!!
Its very intimidating, scary and made me feel quite paranoid.

With thanks to the publisher for the copy received.

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They say every marriage has its secrets.
But no one sees what happens behind closed doors.
And sometimes those doors should never be opened…

Sal and Charlie are married. They love each other. But they aren’t happy. Sal cannot leave, no matter what Charlie does – no matter how much it hurts.

My Review:

You would think that Charlie and Sal were a happily married couple with a young child. But Lisa Hall’s novel shows the complete opposite. Charlie is a successful lawyer who is hoping to become a partner. Sal trained as a teacher but is now a stay at home parent, keeping everything spotless and making delicious meals. Sal is punished both physically and mentally if Charlie is disappointed.
Both tell their sides of the story, sometimes you see the same scene repeated so you get to see each of their views on certain events. Charlie becomes increasing hostile the further you get into the novel, not just to Sal but also family and work colleagues. When Sal refuses to give into Charlie over a family matter things come to a head.
I loved this book, it’s very fast paced and very believable. With the narrative switching constantly I was gripped all the way through.
Between You and Me is a fantastic debut novel. I had wanted to be a patient reader and wait for the novel to arrive on publication day but I was reading so many reviews praising it I couldn’t wait any longer.
Thanks to the publisher for my copy via NetGalley.