Deception: The Sunday Times Bestseller 2022

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Yet although it took me a few days ( that’s a lot for me ) I wanted to finish the book and see the final outcome You are in the story within minutes of opening the book . . . A brilliant story full of twists and turns' 5***** Reader Review A raw, truthful and moving account, building intrigue as Alice gradually uncovers her mother's life of deception, lies - and love' WOMAN'S WEEKLY Like me, you probably know those nice and well intentioned people who seem to attract the bad and the worst and whose lives seem to transition from one disaster to another?. I do, bless them, but are some things avoidable with the right choices? – Yep sometimes they are. So, let me introduce you to our central female character Amelia. I joined the queue once I understood what was happening, not a very big queue, bought the book and she signed it. Since that very first book I’ve read all of her books except one I missed. Which I aim to buy.

Marianne goes on to be a role model/mother figure for Eve always offering good advice and being there for her when she needs it. Spending weeks in the refuge means Eve starts to change and for the better. Gone is the scared women who was afraid of change, meeting new people or even trying to do things for herself as in indulging her passion of curtain making and interior design. When they divorce comes through Eve feels confident enough that she can return to the family home and start afresh but the threat of Don still lingers on. The betrayal of the title is how Don treats Eve, however, she is so immersed in her one and only long term relationship she believes leaving him would be an act of betrayal of their wedding vows. It is a clear and stark insight into the other side of the equation when those who have -thankfully-never been in a relationship like this, ask 'Why didn't you leave?' People rarely ask 'What stopped you feeling that you could?' It's another subtle layer to the abusive relationship and as Eve sees the reactions of her children, as well as the threat of violence towards her son, that gives her the push she needs to seek help. I look forward to a new book from Lesley Pearce she never seems to disappoint, and this is no exception.A strong piece of writing and storytelling that has the power to transport you and invite you into the drama. From statistics we all know and are aware that some children grow to be just like their parents, but, there are choices and Amelia was aware of what was good and what was bad. What was right and what was wrong.

Though the themes in this story are upsetting, they are offset by the strength of the characters. Eve is never less than a sympathetic character. The bleakness of her life with Don and her subsequent struggles are lightened not only by her own courage and determination, but by the strength of the other characters in the book, who are a testament to the fundamental good heartedness of most people.Amelia had a difficult childhood and is perhaps one of the reasons why as an adult she has allowed herself to be taken advantage off by the friends she trusted. Yet sometimes the best learnings and help come from the people who have first-hand experience of the challenges that hit from time to time. It is this personal experience that guides Amelia’s desire to do the right thing and help others and it is these characteristics that become central to the story. Amelia is horrified to find the body of a young woman; murdered and left out with the rubbish, just around the corner from her home. Her horror grows as the newspapers sensationalise the murder; spreading false stories about the victim and the life she led. The main character, Eve, is well played and her teenage children are very involved in all that happens to her but then towards the end her daughter does something that for me was totally out of character and changed the whole direction of the book, I just couldn’t buy into her reaction and stance at all Written with Pearse's typically engaging and effortless style of storytelling, Deception is an intriguing book of highs, lows, struggles and perseverance' CULTUREFLY

Eve is a battered wife who lives in constant fear of her violent husband Don. She eventually finds the courage to leave him, taking their two children, Olly and Tabitha, with her. In due course she gains the legal right to return to the marital home with her kids. Don now lives elsewhere with his new girlfriend. However, Eve hasn't seen the last of him. He keeps retuning to his garden shed in the dead of night to sleep off a drunken stupor. Eve finally snaps and makes a terrible decision that has repercussions for everyone. Does Belle have the courage within herself to try and escape? Will she have any allies out there in her quest for freedom? Read this exciting book from wonderful author Lesley Pearse to find out! Now Lesley Pearse’s novels are loved across the globe due to her ability to captivate her readers and completely immerse them in the minds of her characters. Her children and the thought of being labelled a subpar wife have kept her in marital chains for years, her wedding was a drunken event not worth recalling, Don's behaviour towards her family marking as a day to forget and not remember. It shows how insidiously the coercive control has co-opted Eve's sense of self and her world view, she would stay for the sake of shame and social propriety than leave. Told as a child that she had too much imagination for her own good. She left home at 15 and headed to London where she worked her way through many jobs – from corsetry sales, to musician’s muse, to nanny; from gift shop owner to dressmaker – finally finding her true vocation when she became a published author age 49.'Little did she know she would be part of a scoop herself one day. She had discovered the body of a young women. Journalist were spreading lies about the victim. Then her husband enlists in the Army and is sent to the battlefields. Belle starts to realize slowly that her entire life is on the verge of falling apart. But she is resilient and will not stand by and watch it happen. Belle volunteers to help treat the wounded and ends up working abroad as an ambulance driver for the Red Cross In France. I can't help to admire Eve, Tabby and Ollie's transformation from beginning to end. Despite all the nastiness thrown at them, they've chosen to rise above it and make a better life for themselves. Although the crime mystery aspect is at the centre of the action in Liar, Lesley Pearse also includes her trademark element of romance. The love story is more of a side piece, but it offsets the intrigue element of the novel. Amelia’s love interest in the tale is a dashing man, who initially appears to be absolutely perfect, but slowly as the story progresses he loses his sheen. I was quite suspicious of Amelia’s lover from the early stages of the novel and I think this was justified. Pearse does an excellent job of illuminating her central romance in suspicion and deception. It adds plenty of depth to the story at hand. But she finds out about that and death too when one of the girls is murdered and she is witness to it. Belle is taken from her home and sold into prostitution in Paris by the killer. Now her entire world is not her own and when she is to go to New Orleans halfway across the planet, she is going to blossom from a young girl into a young woman that is more in control of her fate than ever.

Set in 1970, West London, Amelia White is selling advertising space for the local newspaper but has aspirations to be a reporter. After stumbling upon the body of a young woman dumped among the rubbish piled high on the street due to the dustmen strikes, she is given the perfect scoop to show her budding talents to her editor. When Amelia is horrified by the lies spread about the victim she is determined to find the truth and convinces her editor to report the story. But when another body is found and then another, could she be the key to discovering the killer by working out who the liar is? Amelia loves to write and her dream is to become a reporter, instead she sells advertising space at her local newspaper. A Lesley Pearse book is always one that has a very easy flow to the writing. The characters are a mix of personalities bringing many relevant themes to the fore, in this case focusing on domestic abuse, bullying and dominating behaviour. As Amelia pieces together clues, the reader gets an insight into lives lived and the long lasting impact of actions taken in the past. Amelia has always doubted her own ability and, at times, her vulnerability exposes her to very confusing and very challenging situations. She questions herself many times, doubting her judgement, unsure of who and what to believe.

Liar by Lesley Pearse is a satisfying read that will be sure to strike a chord with fans of the bestselling author and it may earn the British writer some new readers. Betrayal is the new release from Lesley Pearse where she introduces us to Eve who has been the victim of domestic abuse and it doesn’t stop at her because Don has raised his hand to their son now too. When one particularly scary beating left Eve in a bad way she had to put not just her safety but that of her children first and set the wheels in motion to leave her husband. Faced with this staggering deception, Alice decides she must learn the whole, terrible truth about her mother. In parallel to her detective work, Amelia’s personal life is also facing difficulties, leaving Amelia with more than one battle to deal with. One thing we learn as readers is that Amelia is very courageous and fearless…but can she come out of this unscathed? In this exciting and historical city, Belle gradually begins to come into her own. Now of age, she gradually learns how to operate skill fully within her life as a courtesan and even adapts to enjoy it. However, she is always thinking of the home she left behind. Even though she is the golden girl for right now of the prostitution world in this bustling southern city, she knows that she only has so long to dominate this cage before it turns into a prison once more that holds her forever.