To Tell You the Truth

Lucy Harper is a bestselling crime novelist who built her career on a character named Eliza Grey. Now living in an upscale new home with her husband Dan, Lucy finds herself caught between her fictional world and reality when Dan goes missing. Lucy's past contains its own mysteries, particularly surrounding the disappearance of her brother when she was a child. As the investigation into Dan's whereabouts progresses, Lucy must confront questions about both her present circumstances and her long-buried history. The story moves between present events and Lucy's recollections, building tension through multiple timelines. Her relationship with her fictional creation Eliza Grey becomes increasingly complex as real-world events echo elements of Lucy's novels. The novel explores the nature of truth in storytelling and memory, examining how the stories we tell ourselves can shape our perception of reality. It raises questions about the reliability of narrators - both in fiction and in life.

Readers found the psychological suspense and unreliable narrator elements compelling, but many felt the plot became convoluted in the second half. The parallel mysteries - one from the protagonist's childhood and one in the present - kept readers engaged early on. Liked: - Writing style and atmosphere - Complex main character Lucy - Setup and initial mystery - Integration of a fictional TV crime show Disliked: - Slow middle section - Too many subplots that didn't connect - Ending felt rushed and unsatisfying - Some found Lucy unlikeable and hard to relate to A frequent comment was that the book started strong but lost momentum. Reader Sarah K. noted "Great premise that ultimately didn't deliver on its promise." Ratings: Goodreads: 3.7/5 (13,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.1/5 (2,800+ ratings) BookBrowse: 3.5/5 LibraryThing: 3.6/5 Most readers categorized it as an average psychological thriller that had potential but didn't fully execute on its interesting concept.

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🔍 The book's protagonist, Lucy Harper, is a bestselling crime novelist who uses her childhood imaginary friend, Eliza, as her writing muse - blurring the lines between reality and fiction. 📚 Author Gilly Macmillan worked as a photography lecturer before becoming a novelist, and her visual arts background often influences her descriptive writing style. 🏰 The story takes place in both modern-day London and the Somerset countryside, where ancient folklore and local legends play a significant role in the narrative. 🎭 The novel explores the psychological concept of childhood imaginary friends persisting into adulthood, which occurs in approximately 7% of the adult population. 📖 Like her main character Lucy Harper, Gilly Macmillan also lives in the West Country of England, allowing her to draw from personal experience when describing the regional setting and atmosphere.