There’s never been a better time for a little escape reading!

Our Family and Mobile libraries may currently be closed but our teams worked hard to ensure as many borrowers had a good supply of books, audiobooks and DVDs, prior to closing.

Staff from our outreach services remain in touch with those most vulnerable members of the community who may be living alone and self-isolating, offering a chat and information where needed. Those online are also able to download free audiobooks until July.

So what better time than to launch our series of local book reviews: the first of which is brought to you our team member, Rakie Bennett.

Stay safe and we look forward to seeing everyone again in the not-too-distant future.

You can still follow us on Facebook or send emails to [email protected]

Her Mother’s Lies by Rona Halsall is published by Bookouture, priced £8.99 (Kindle £1.99). Released October 2019.

Anyone who’s a fan of local author Rona Halsall (and,let’s be honest, if you’re not a fan already, you really should be) will know what to expect from her books: fast-paced plots with plenty of shady characters and twisty-turny intrigue.

This latest book, ’Her Mother’s Lies’, is no exception.

Martha’s dad walked out when she was nine, and she hasn’t heard from him since.

But when her mother is hospitalised, Martha takes the opportunity to track down her dad, only to discover he’s not her real dad and nothing her mother has told her is true.

Things start out fairly straightforward for Martha, insofar as she finds her dad and asks him why he left her.

But the story then quickly escalates into a tangled, nightmarish situation involving murder, blackmail, dark family secrets and (of course) plenty of lies.

Martha soon finds out that things are far more complicated than she grew up believing.

How much else about her life is a lie?

The story zips along at a cracking pace, barely giving the reader time to catch their breath before the next revelation comes storming along.

The plotting is so taut and crisp that you occasionally want to applaud.

Meanwhile, the characters are compelling, burdened with shadowy backstories, and are (usually) lying to a greater or lesser extent.

The relationships between the main characters are particularly compelling.

You’ll want to keep turning pages just to find out what the characters will reveal next.

All in all, this adds up to a great book that will keep you guessing right up to the final pages.

It’ll also make you question whether a lie is ever justified, even if it’s in your child’s best interests.

’Her Mother’s Lies’ is Rona Halsall fourth novel and is available on amazon.co.uk

Review by Rakie Bennett

by the Family Library

www.family.library.im