My review 

This book brings home the adage – Loose lips sink ships 

It takes a second and few written words to destroy a man’s reputation and years to rebuild it, but the scars of the pain undergone are felt forever. Words are that powerful, this simple fact is brought home by Laura Elliot in this book. 

Amanda bowe, the journalist and Karl Lawson, the alleged suspect are the two main protagonists. When Karl’s niece, Constance Lawson, disappears one night, few words of implied guilt written by Amanda and a picture taken in a different context, implicates Karl. The media uproar following it and the police investigation destroy his life, his marriage, his career. Everyone, including his wife and brother, do not believe in his innocence. He is left all alone in this torturous journey, with his pain and sadness over Constance’s death, who was like his surrogate daughter and the loss of his own child Sasha, who is oceans away. The entire story is about the repercussion which follow one media article. 

This book is told in 4 parts ; 

Part 1 : Constance’s disappearance and the aftermath in which Karl is totally destroyed by Amanda.

Part 2: Amanda Bowe and her career, her flight up the corporate ladder including hooking up with the big boss. 

Part 3 : Amanda’s journey as a mother and a wife. 

Part 4 : Amanda’s child Marcus’s disappearance and Karl’s well planned revenge.

I enjoyed the first three parts. They were fast and well written. Emotions were felt in each word ; parents’ pain over the disappearance of their daughter, Karl’s disbelief, Amanda’s arrogance and selfishness, the media’s intrusiveness and influence over the public outlook. I felt so much anger against Amanda for the furore she caused by her writings, in her need to prove Karl guilty. She was ruthless. She does help him get free later but it’s too little, too late. 

Its the 4th part of the book that i have a problem with. It’s a bit scattered, slow and too short. It does connect the various points but Amanda’s pain of being on the other side of media and its vicious attacks were not felt. I needed more from the fourth part, the downfall of Amanda and the consequences of her actions. But that’s my personal opinion. (I am a little blood thirsty…) 

I have loved all of Laura Elliot’s books, she writes beautifully, her words bring out all the emotions especially Karl’s pain and his disbelief at the way his world turned upside  down, his reaching the end of the barrel and his slow and gradual rise. It was an entertaining, well thought of page-turner with a compelling story. It deals with passion, ambition, deception, revenge, everything which makes it a potboiler of a read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Bookouture, for this entertaining read. This is my honest and unbiased opinion. 

My rating : 4 stars

About the Author 

Laura Elliot is the author of 5 novels- Stolen Child, The Prodigal Sister, Fragile Lies, The Betrayal and The Sleep Sister. Her books have been widely translated and she has collaborated on a number of high-profile non-fiction books. Writing as June Considine, she is the author of 12 children’s and YA books. She gives regular workshops on Creative Writing and has worked in the past as a free lancer journalist and magazine editor. Now she is a full time author. She lives in Malahide , Co Dublin, Ireland. 
Book Blurb

It begins with a phone call. It ends with a missing child.On a warm summer’s morning, thirteen-year-old school girl Constance Lawson is reported missing. A few days later, Constance’s uncle, Karl Lawson, suddenly finds himself swept up in a media frenzy created by journalist Amanda Bowe implying that he is the prime suspect. 

Six years later …

Karl’s life is in ruins. His marriage is over, his family destroyed. But the woman who took everything away from him is thriving. With a successful career, husband and a baby boy, Amanda’s world is complete. Until the day she receives a phone call and in a heartbeat, she is plunged into every mother’s worst nightmare.

Product Details 

Publication date : 22nd June 2017 

Publisher : Bookouture 

Language : English 

Available on Amazon 

Entertaining potboiler