Little Black Lies

Title: Little Black Lies

Author: Sharon Bolton

Genre: Mystery/Psychological Thriller

Published: 2015

Obtained: Amazon

After another child goes missing on the Falkland Islands, Catrin finds it hard to empathize, as she’s still wrapped up in the accidental deaths of her own sons. But, as she and her ex-lover, Callum, begin to assist in the search, dark secrets begin to emerge between them and the other islanders (including her ex bestfriend, Rachel). After the third child goes missing, the characters must face the fact that it’s hard to chalk the missing kids up to coincidence. Is there a villian living among them?

Where do I begin? This is the most well-constructred mystery novel I have read to date. The characters are well-crafted and complex. The plot is both thrilling and dramatic. Sharon Bolton’s writing is rich and vivid; her ability to set a scene and build suspense is fantasic. I read this book within 48 hours and every time I had to set it down was torture.

Little Black Lies is told from the view points of three protagonists. The story begins with Catrin, a recluse woman who lost both of her children in an accident a few years back; Catrin is finding it hard to emotionally invest in the current situation of another missing child—the third missing child, in fact, since her own sons died. Catrin’s voice is dark, sad and, at times, bitter. The second part of the story is told from the viewpoint of Catrin’s ex-lover, Callum. A war veteran who struggles with PTSD, Callum’s story line is definitely more emotional than Catrin’s. The final third of the story is told through the eyes of Rachel, Catrin’s ex-bestfriend. Rachel has her own dark history and while I found it difficult to sympathize with her initially, by the end of her story I had a slightly different perspective. Each character offers a different angle at which to view the missing boys scenario, along with differing understandings of the past. Bolton provides the opportunity to perceive the plot from differnet points of view, which makes the mystery all the more difficult to figure out!

I love a good mystery. The biggest disappointment when reading a mystery is being able to predict the ending too early in the story. Black Little Lies did not lead to this situation…at all. Everytime I thought I had it figured out—BAM—another twist! This happened, literally, until the final page of the novel. I can’t remember the last time I was completely blown away (and blown off course several times) by a mystery novel. That alone should be motiviating you enough to go buy this book! The twists and turns are dizzying.

Bolton sure can set a dramatic scene. The opening scene with Catrin alone at night in the middle of the sea had me captivated from the start. It was compelling to see the actions and individualism of characters through more than one viewpoint…not to mention, she does each character’s arch great justice. Her writing is dynamic; Bolton transports the reader to the Falkland Islands and evokes the tension and, at times, hysteria of the characters. Bolton writes in such a way that the reader cannot stop thinking about the story, even after he/she sets the book down.

Seriously, I cannot think of enough fine things to say about Little Black Lies and the author, Sharon Bolton. I was struggling to find a really engaging read when this one came recommended by my best friend. I am so glad I took her up on the suggestion because it truly did not disappoint. The characters, plot and overall style was enticing and thrilling with a completely gratifying ending. I am giving Little Black Lies 5 out of 5 stars and I highly recommend it to mystery and thriller fans—or to anyone who loves a well-built, highly engrossing story. I enjoyed sipping a good red wine with this read; I suggest Hope’s End Red Blend 2016. Interestingly, I selected this wine on a whim, but it did pair surprisingly well with the hopelessness felt in the main character, Catrin; the label also uses the words “dark side” to describe the wine, which I feel pairs well with the ability Bolton exhibits to transport the reader to the bleak setting of the book. The alcohol content (13.5%) does help mullify the heavy content as the reader digests it all. If you’re looking for an excellent page-turner, I highly recommend picking up this awesome piece of fiction!