A Place To Lie By Rebecca Griffiths

‘A Place To Lie’ is the latest book by Rebecca Griffiths.

In Summer 1990, Caroline and Joanna are sent to stay with their great aunt, Dora, to spend their holidays in a sunlit village near the Forest of Dean. The countryside is a welcome change from the trauma they know back home in the city; a chance to make the world a joyful playground again. But in the shadowy woods at the edge of the forest hide secrets that will bring their innocence to a distressing end and make this a summer they will never forget. Years later, a shocking act of violence sends Joanna back to Witchwood. In her great aunt’s lonely and dilapidating cottage, she will attempt to unearth the secrets of that terrifying summer and come to terms with the haunting effects it has left on her life. But in her quest to find answers, who can she trust? And will she be able to survive the impending danger from those trying to bury the truth?

For the last few days, I’ve had my head buried in this book and I have to admit it’s quite the thriller that really takes the reader on an unexpected journey.

The story is written in the past and present tense and is primarily seen through the narrative of successful pianist Joanna, who has just discovered that her troubled older sister has been killed in an attack. As Joanna tries to piece together Caroline’s last steps before her sudden death, she finds herself on a journey back to a place that brings back many unhappy memories and times. The past sequences is seen from the perspective of a young teenage Caroline, who’s fallen for Dean the older barman in the pub she works and when his younger stepsister suddenly disappears, Caroline is the only witness.

I loved this story, its flows seamlessly in the past and present sequences and really keeps the reader on their toes, as they try to piece together why she was suddenly killed and what has left her to be so paranoid. As Joanna delves deeper in her estranged sister’s life, she realises that she really didn’t know and how much was going on in the woman’s life.

The past sequences are located in a small picturesque village and they really set the scene for the disappearance of a little girl, with suspicious characters that leave the reader unsettled in parts, everyone was suspicious of each other and with such a small community, everyone knew each other’s business.

Caroline is an interesting character, she’s young and immature but thinks she knows it all and is scornful of Joanna and her friend Ellie. She’s complex due to her mother’s attempted suicide and that is often seen in her actions and the way she treats people, whereas Joanna is innocent and kind towards others.

With an intriguing narrative that had me hooked from the first page, this book is the perfect, twisty tale to curl up with. Atmospheric, eerie and with a shocking introduction that pulls the reader in, ‘A Place To Lie’ is a rural noir that is cleverly written and keeps the reader engaged throughout.

You can buy ‘A Place To Lie’ from Amazon and is available to buy from good bookshops.