Anne White only looked away for a second, but that’s all it took to lose sight of her young daughter.
But seven years later, Abigail is found.
And as Anne struggles to connect with her teenage daughter, she begins to question how much Abigail remembers about the day she disappeared…
My Review:
The synopsis of this book was interesting and as I read through, I was not disappointed in the slightest. Little White Lies is an intense portrayal of how victims must face the trauma they suffered but also how families cope with trying to move forward with their lives they were living; a general lack of trust and how secrets can damage relationships.
The story is told through two different perspectives – Mother and Jess (cousin) and both voices are distinctive and give valuable insight into the character of Abigail. Jess sounded very childlike and naïve, in comparison to the other girls. She was increasingly unhappy at home, with her relationships and thought everything would return to normal with the return of Abigail.
Anne (Mother) was a character I struggled with. I knew instantly she was hiding something but not exactly sure what. She struggled to bond with her daughter, which is understandable at first, but I don’t think she paid attention to what Abigail was trying to communicate. I felt sorry for her and as the book progressed and information was uncovered, I could empathise a little more.
You do have a sense of calm at various intervals, the author lulls you into thinking the twists have all been given and you know what is happening and why; by the end of the book you understand why relationships between characters seemed strained and a little off so it’s clever of Philippa East to leave massive revelations until late in the book. This kept me engaged and interested, not one to settle and think everything is as it seems. I read it very quickly as I wanted to know more, see the situation explained and the consequences of actions in place.
Overall, I found this book thought-provoking and well written. I was engaged and eager to read through quickly. A brilliant debut and I will look forward to reading more from this author.
Thank you to the publishers, HQ, for a copy of the book to read and review honestly.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Philippa East works as a Clinical Psychologist and therapist. She lives in Lincolnshire with her husband and cat. Philippa’s prize-winning short stories have been published in various literary journals and Little White Lies is her debut novel.
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