Reviews

Everything but the Truth by Gillian McAllister

kayhalo's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

nickmasters's review against another edition

5.0

I can barely imagine what the future holds if this was what was dished up as a debut novel! Superbly written.

Proof that you don't need twists and reverse twists to captivate readers. The journey of two souls, two culpable souls, coming to terms with actions that are completely unique from one another, but both hugely significant, is portrayed with precision and an eloquence that keeps you captivated from the start.

Well done on a great novel.
To think that I accidentally requested this title! Glad I made that mistake.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin UK for a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

kirsty_bookworm's review against another edition

4.0

Not my favourite Gillian McAllister book but still a good read.

lookbovers's review

5.0

I hadn't read any of this author's books before this one and it has made me a fan of her work. I found it a real page turner and I liked the characters I was supposed to like and disliked those I was supposed to dislike. It's starts with a scenario we could all imagine ourselves in; seeing a partners email and wondering what it meant.

Suspenseful and exciting. 5*

nannyf's review

3.0

I wish I had loved this story, I really do, but unfortunately it was all to similar to other books I've read recently but not quite so well done.

The story was a little slow for me, and if I'm being honest, it didn't quite deliver what was promised. The whole 'mystery' was more a woman's paranoia than anything else. As for the ending, I was so disappointed with it. I expected so much more.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing a copy.

hellsbell's review against another edition

4.0

Originally posted on HellyReads

This was so different from what I was expecting, in a good way. I was expecting a taught thriller, with a whodunnit and lots of creepiness. Instead it was a character study into paranoia, lies and a trust within relationships.

Jack and Rachel are having a baby. They have only known each other a few months, and Rachel is desperate to know as much about her child's father as possible. Slowly a 'dark history' begins to unravel, with Rachel not knowing who to trust or what to believe. She also has a secret that she hasn't told Jack that changed her life. Will she tell him? Will he be honest with her? Do mistakes from the past matter in the present?

This novel asks all these questions and more. And whilst it isn't preaching at you, it certainly gives some food for thought. I always had sympathy for Jack as his story was revealed, I also felt for Rachel as we learned about what had happened with her. This proves that decisions made in a moment for whatever reason are never simple. There is no black and white in morality within relationships, just a whole sea of grey.

Brilliant. I'm looking forward to the next novel by this author!

katlinstirling_reads's review

3.0

Good read! I wasn’t too sure about Jack at the start but in the end it all worked out!

aliecarter's review

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

indoorg1rl's review

3.5

Rachel accidentally saw an email on her boyfriend’s iPad in the middle of the night, and couldn’t get it out of her head. Even though she trusted him. And she was pregnant with their child. What was Jack hiding?

It’s always exciting to read a complete backlist of a well-known author and see how their writing has evolved over time. It was the case with this one. As Gillian’s debut, I could see the big potential.

The story itself wasn’t what I expected, just from the cover design and the synopsis, so I was disoriented for a bit at the start. But once I got into it, I quite enjoyed it. The ‘twist’ unfortunately wasn’t something that worked for me personally, but that could be just because I had a wilder imagination than what it was supposed to be!

The writing itself, of course, was quite solid. I’d recommend this book to any thriller beginner. I also listened to the audiobook, and the narration was well done I flew through it.

molliew26's review against another edition

mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.25