Published 5th January 2023 by HQ.
From the cover of the book:
Keep your family close, and your secrets closer…To the outside world, the Goodlights are perfect.
Julia is a lawyer, Paul a stay-at-home dad who has dedicated his life to helping their daughter Chrissie achieve her dreams as a talented violinist.
But on the night of a prestigious music competition, which has the power to change everything for Chrissie and her family, Chrissie goes missing.
She puts on the performance of a lifetime, then completely disappears. Suddenly every single crack, every single secret that the family is hiding risks being exposed.
Because the Goodlights aren’t perfect. Not even close.
***********
The Goodlights seem to be living the good life in the leafy suburbs of Oxford. Julia is a high-flying lawyer, leaving all things domestic to her stay-at-home husband Paul, who has been nurturing their daughter Chrissie in her dream to become an accomplished violinist.
On the night of an important performance for the Young Musician of the Year competition, Chrissie goes missing after wowing the audience with her talent. Her parents are frantic with worry, but she seems to have vanished into thin air.
As a police investigation proceeds, the cracks in this family begin to show, and their dirty little secrets come to light. Perhaps their life is not so perfect after all?
The story plays out from the points of view of Julia and Paul, flipping between the events in the weeks leading up to the night Chrissie goes missing, and the aftermath of her disappearance. East does a splendid job of directing you how to think about what Julia and Paul have been up to, dropping subtle little hints about the dynamics of the relationships between the Goodlights, and also with Julia's affluent parents Celina and Duncan. However, among the truth there is a lot of clever misdirection, and ultimately the story twists in unexpected ways, completely changing your perspective on the characters.
This is very much an unsettling family drama, with story lines steeped in secrets and lies, but what is most striking about it is the way East draws on her own experience as a clinical psychologist to get under the skin of these characters and explore the reasons why they behave as they do. She examines dysfunctional relationships with keen insight, threading themes of control, insecurity, and expectation throughout. The adult characters are all unlikable, but I found it fascinating to see how they were trapped in patterns of behaviour that they seemed unable to break free from, playing their parts in a way that damaged themselves and those around them. Celina is particularly interesting, as there is a lot to delve into behind that elegant facade!
One to devour in a single sitting, before a calming lie down in a darkened room!
I'll Never Tell is available to buy now in paperback, ebook and audio formats.
Thank you to HQ for sending me a proof of this book in return for an honest review.
About the author:
Philippa grew up in Scotland before moving to Oxford and then London to complete her clinical psychology training. A few years ago, she left the NHS to set up her own part-time practice and dedicate more hours to writing. The result was her debut novel LITTLE WHITE LIES, which was longlisted for The Guardian's Not-The-Booker Prize and shortlisted for the CWA "New Blood" Award 2020.
Released in 2021, Philippa's second book SAFE AND SOUND is another twisty and compelling tale. For a fun preview, check out the video trailer on Philippa's Amazon Author page (best with sound on!). Philippa’s brilliant third book, I'LL NEVER TELL, will release in January 2023.
Philippa now lives in the beautiful Lincolnshire countryside with her spouse and cat. She loves reading (of course!) and long country walks, and she also performs in a local folk duo called The Miracle Cure. Alongside her writing, Philippa continues to work as a psychologist and therapist.
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