Little Black Lies is a story about the Falkland Islands and the children who are suddenly disappearing. It is a intensely plotted story with fascinating characters. The three main characters, Catrin, Rachel and Callum, have alternating chapters with their viewpoint of what is happening on the island. These three characters are linked because of the tragedy. The story is all about secrets and lies and is a real page-turner until the very surprise ending. The book is well-researched and I enjoyed learning all the interesting facts about the Falkland Islands and it's history. I'm looking forward to reading more of Bolton's books and I highly recommend this book to those who love psychological thrillers.
This gripping psychological thriller was "unputdownable" and non stop reading. The story of Catrin, Callum and Rachel, three damaged individuals, was intensely hypnotizing and was told in alternating chapters.
The story takes place in the remote area of The Falkland Islands,300 miles from Argentina who still claims ownership. The author's amazing depiction of the islands was so interesting, I felt like I was there.
The story of the missing boys was intense, and as I read the astounding ending three times, I am still not so sure it was as it seemed! I guess I need to ask the author.
Great book!
The story takes place in the remote area of The Falkland Islands,300 miles from Argentina who still claims ownership. The author's amazing depiction of the islands was so interesting, I felt like I was there.
The story of the missing boys was intense, and as I read the astounding ending three times, I am still not so sure it was as it seemed! I guess I need to ask the author.
Great book!
LITTLE BLACK LIES was the May 2016 pick in my online book club, The Reading Cove.
If you're someone who prefers your plots more clever than contrived, this book likely isn't for you. While grammatically well written, the storyline is extremely manufactured and manipulative, with the best aspect being the Falkland Islands as a setting in and of itself. (I could see a fantastic story set here in the hands of a more clever writer, like Jennifer McMahon)
The three main POVs (Catrin, Callum & Rachel) were written in more or less exactly the same tone; they basically could've been the same person. I felt Catrin's opening portion had a bit more dimension than the second two, who both came across more like two-dimensional clichés than real human beings.
Further, there were just too many coincidences, and way too many convenient plot points used to create tension and build a mystery about a string of missing children on the island. By the end, you get a farce of a resolution that has zero credibility. What thinking person could possibly take these characters (or even this town) seriously?
In addition to some super gross out descriptions of dead whales, seals and general Falkland Islands warfare, there's a very disturbing theme about missing, abused and/or murdered kids. Children seemed to serve as mere plot fodder, which felt quite shallow. All children should be evacuated from this island of nutcases! The adults are all batshit crazy, one-note stick figures, so there's very little hope the poor things will be raised sane.
Overall, I give LITTLE BLACK LIES a C- or 2.5/5 stars. The setting is well established and the flow isn't bad, but the characterizations are pure reader manipulation, which is never clever or talented writing.
If you're someone who prefers your plots more clever than contrived, this book likely isn't for you. While grammatically well written, the storyline is extremely manufactured and manipulative, with the best aspect being the Falkland Islands as a setting in and of itself. (I could see a fantastic story set here in the hands of a more clever writer, like Jennifer McMahon)
The three main POVs (Catrin, Callum & Rachel) were written in more or less exactly the same tone; they basically could've been the same person. I felt Catrin's opening portion had a bit more dimension than the second two, who both came across more like two-dimensional clichés than real human beings.
Further, there were just too many coincidences, and way too many convenient plot points used to create tension and build a mystery about a string of missing children on the island. By the end, you get a farce of a resolution that has zero credibility. What thinking person could possibly take these characters (or even this town) seriously?
In addition to some super gross out descriptions of dead whales, seals and general Falkland Islands warfare, there's a very disturbing theme about missing, abused and/or murdered kids. Children seemed to serve as mere plot fodder, which felt quite shallow. All children should be evacuated from this island of nutcases! The adults are all batshit crazy, one-note stick figures, so there's very little hope the poor things will be raised sane.
Overall, I give LITTLE BLACK LIES a C- or 2.5/5 stars. The setting is well established and the flow isn't bad, but the characterizations are pure reader manipulation, which is never clever or talented writing.
From the three of her novels that I have read, Sharon Bolton has two notable talents that makes her an author to cherish.
First, she writes very engagingly about settings "on the edge", remote places where communities of hardy souls have got on with their lives, far from the center of their societies, for hundreds, even thousands of years. They make, or grow, or acquire everything they need to live full, civilized lives, but they are always on the edge, remote from the conveniences and the hustle that mainlanders take for granted. If you'd like to get a sense of what it would be like to live on one of the Shetland Islands, the Orkneys, or as in this novel, the Falkland Islands, You could do worse that immerse yourself for a little while in one of Bolton's novels.
Bolton's second notable talent is that she manages to come up with, maintain and carry through plots that are real crackers: creepy, and mysterious, where the peril to her characters doesn't require them to have been lobotomised at some unmentioned point in the past. (Oh, I think I'll just go down in to that dark abandoned basement. No one knows I'm here, so I have lots of time to explore ...) As in this novel, the situation is intriguing from the start, develops nicely, and comes to a satisfying, yet unforeseen conclusion -- you can't say that about every thriller writers.
First, she writes very engagingly about settings "on the edge", remote places where communities of hardy souls have got on with their lives, far from the center of their societies, for hundreds, even thousands of years. They make, or grow, or acquire everything they need to live full, civilized lives, but they are always on the edge, remote from the conveniences and the hustle that mainlanders take for granted. If you'd like to get a sense of what it would be like to live on one of the Shetland Islands, the Orkneys, or as in this novel, the Falkland Islands, You could do worse that immerse yourself for a little while in one of Bolton's novels.
Bolton's second notable talent is that she manages to come up with, maintain and carry through plots that are real crackers: creepy, and mysterious, where the peril to her characters doesn't require them to have been lobotomised at some unmentioned point in the past. (Oh, I think I'll just go down in to that dark abandoned basement. No one knows I'm here, so I have lots of time to explore ...) As in this novel, the situation is intriguing from the start, develops nicely, and comes to a satisfying, yet unforeseen conclusion -- you can't say that about every thriller writers.
Hands down, this is one of the best books I have read this year! I don't think I know enough adjectives to describe just how good this book really was.
Young boys are going missing from the Faulkner Islands. One has been found dead ... but it was ruled an accident. The local law enforcement is insisting that two others have most likely had devastating accidents and been swept away by the sea.
This book is told by three people ... people who's lives have been changed for all time.
Catrin ... For the past 3 years she's been only a shell of the woman she used to be. Her two young sons were killed in a tragic accident, an accident caused by her then best friend. Catrin spends her days plotting and planning how to kill Rachel, her former best friend.
Rachel ... It was her fault for leaving Catrin's children in the back of the car when she went to meet Ben, Catrin's husband. The car rolled and went over a cliff, killing both children at once. Rachel has never forgiven herself ...
Callum ... the man in love with Catrin. He was the one who pulled Catrin's children out of the car. He and Catrin had a love affair that ended with those deaths.
Their lives are all intertwined .. secrets upon secrets, lies upon lies. The tension starts building from the first page. The grief and sadness and anger are palpable. And when Rachel's son goes missing, the island erupts like a spewing volcano.
Did Catrin take her son? Is there a killer on this small island?
Excellent! Excellent! Excellent! I could NOT put this book down and the ending shocked me to the core.
Highly recommended to anyone who likes a really good psychological mystery. This is one book you won't easily forget.
Young boys are going missing from the Faulkner Islands. One has been found dead ... but it was ruled an accident. The local law enforcement is insisting that two others have most likely had devastating accidents and been swept away by the sea.
This book is told by three people ... people who's lives have been changed for all time.
Catrin ... For the past 3 years she's been only a shell of the woman she used to be. Her two young sons were killed in a tragic accident, an accident caused by her then best friend. Catrin spends her days plotting and planning how to kill Rachel, her former best friend.
Rachel ... It was her fault for leaving Catrin's children in the back of the car when she went to meet Ben, Catrin's husband. The car rolled and went over a cliff, killing both children at once. Rachel has never forgiven herself ...
Callum ... the man in love with Catrin. He was the one who pulled Catrin's children out of the car. He and Catrin had a love affair that ended with those deaths.
Their lives are all intertwined .. secrets upon secrets, lies upon lies. The tension starts building from the first page. The grief and sadness and anger are palpable. And when Rachel's son goes missing, the island erupts like a spewing volcano.
Did Catrin take her son? Is there a killer on this small island?
Excellent! Excellent! Excellent! I could NOT put this book down and the ending shocked me to the core.
Highly recommended to anyone who likes a really good psychological mystery. This is one book you won't easily forget.
This gripping psychological thriller was "unputdownable" and non stop reading. The story of Catrin, Callum and Rachel, three damaged individuals, was intensely hypnotizing and was told in alternating chapters.
The story takes place in the remote area of The Falkland Islands,300 miles from Argentina who still claims ownership. The author's amazing depiction of the islands was so interesting, I felt like I was there.
The story of the missing boys was intense, and as I read the astounding ending three times, I am still not so sure it was as it seemed! I guess I need to ask the author.
Great book!
The story takes place in the remote area of The Falkland Islands,300 miles from Argentina who still claims ownership. The author's amazing depiction of the islands was so interesting, I felt like I was there.
The story of the missing boys was intense, and as I read the astounding ending three times, I am still not so sure it was as it seemed! I guess I need to ask the author.
Great book!
