9/6/24; 336 pages
Storm Publishing
Your Little Lies by Sue Fortin is a highly recommended novel of domestic psychological suspense.
Hannah, Jasper, and their seven-year-old daughter Pia moved to the exclusive gated neighborhood of Silverbanks. Their new home has direct access to the beach and is part of a community and all of the activities it provides. After she meets an outgoing neighbor on the beach, Annabelle, she is sure she has made a friend in the area. Hannah had some trauma in her background that she refuses to talk about with anyone, including Jasper, but her past comes back when at a neighborhood barbecue she realizes that their next door neighbor, Bryan, was a part of her secret past. He later privately acknowledges their past connection, when she was known as Laurel, but he assures her that he will not reveal her secret. Soon it becomes clear that someone else knows her secret and is going to make her pay for it.
After readers learn early on that Hannah used to be called Laurel, the chapters alternate between the point-of-view of Hannah
in the present and Laurel from ten years ago. The present day story
moves faster than that of the past which is providing background
information. This information serves to develop Hannah as a complex
character and does eventually lead up to a huge reveal that will make
her present day concerns understandable. You don't learn about her
neighbors connection to her until much later in the novel but at that
point there are more prevalent concerns.
The writing is good and pace is even as several disquieting events occur. All the action unfolds through Hannah's point-of-view and things left unspoken serve to increase the suspense and tension. You'll be questioning what is going on until a more serious event happens, followed by an increase of information being disclosed closer to the end. Admittedly, you have to set disbelief aside several times and parts are a bit too predictable, but it is still a satisfying story. Thanks to Storm Publishing for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.
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