A debut novel which delivers a chilling, clever and enthralling plot.
A debut novel which delivers a chilling, clever and enthralling plot. A captivating story of two best friends by Jane our imperfect narrator and her best friend Marnie who has it all. An unlikely pairing they met at Uni and become inseparable until events develop and things change resetting their relationship and taking it down a different path. The little falsehood escalates into seven lies confessed by Jane throughout the book, weaving their way into the lives of the women. It is unique in approach, plot and format – and I loved it!
A story of female friendship, with a twist. It will hook you in and not let you go until the very end.
I really enjoyed this book, even though it got pretty tense at times. Although it's difficult to say much about it without spoiling the reader's enjoyment, it is essentially a story about female friendship but with a twist. The story is told from the point of view of one of the two best friends, and chronicles their lives from the age of 11, moving seamlessly between past and present, without confusing the reader. It is very well written: it hooks you in from the start and then it's very difficult to put the book down. I would definitely recommend this book.
Compelling, will keep you gripped from start to finish!
A story of love and friendship and what happens when the two become so entwined that it’s difficult to see what is happening in front of your very eyes. A story about best friends told from the perspective of Jane, one of the pair. A great plot and so well written, this was a real page turner, heartfelt but chilling at the same time. I was drawn in from the very first page and desperate to see the lies and the story unfold. I Loved it!
Jane is unmistakably unreliable as a narrator but she knows she is and so do you, as each lie is explained along the way.
“Jane and Marnie have been inseparable since they were twelve years old. In their twenties, they both married handsome young men. Years later, Jane and Marnie are still best friends - and both men are dead......”
Publishing industry employee Elizabeth Kay has turned her hand to writing and has written her debut novel “Seven Lies” about obsessive friendships and how poisonous they can become when jealousy slowly seeps in. It did take me quite a while to engage with this book and it was well over halfway by the time Jane’s voice got into my head and I became fully invested in the story. Focusing heavily on female friendships and covering sensitive issues like dementia, grief, miscarriage and anorexia, this story contained a lot of things for you to think about and I thought all the sensitive and emotional areas were written very sympathetically. I particularly felt endeared to Jane’s sister, Emma, with her eating disorder and truly felt Jane’s concerns.
To be honest, not a great deal happens and the story is intensely slow, with the narrative being told solely through Jane, in a unique and at times quite chilling voice. However, she does have a remarkable way of making you think she is talking directly to you and that is a part of the ingenious plot around the ‘seven lies’. Jane is unmistakably unreliable as a narrator but she knows she is and so do you, as each lie is explained along the way.
A story of when friendship becomes an obsession, it is well worth a read and I would happily read more by Elizabeth in the future and I wish her well with her debut novel.