Holiday charmer and shadowy secrets
LIE WITH ME by Sabine Durrant (Mulholland £14.99)
PAUL MORRIS is a social parasite and casual liar who has lived off his friends for years, ably abetted by his looks, dubious charm and a modest literary success years earlier.
But, just as he is running out of luck and money, he’s introduced to a possible new source of income: Alice, a vulnerable, wealthy widow.
With an eye to the main chance, Paul insinuates himself into her life and gets invited to her holiday home on a Greek island. There, he tirelessly tries to consolidate the romance, but is obviously loathed by her loyal coterie of friends.
Worse, Alice’s attention is focused on finding out what happened to a 13-year-old girl who went missing on the island ten years previously.
Paul may have his agenda — but what he can’t know is that others have one, too.
This is a sizzling tale of deceit, betrayal and entrapment that is extraordinarily well-crafted and utterly gripping — a stunning summer read.
I SEE YOU by Clare Mackintosh (Sphere £12.99)
THIS is the long-awaited second book from former cop Clare Mackintosh, who captivated a panting audience with 2014’s I Let You Go. She hits the jackpot again with a breathless thriller based on a brilliant idea.
When Zoe Walker sees her own photo staring back at her in the escort agency ads section of a London newspaper, she is duly shaken.
The picture is accompanied only by a website address and phone number. But it is not until other women’s photos appear — one of whom is later found murdered — that she becomes very frightened indeed.
As police race to find out who is behind the website, Zoe starts to look carefully at her own family. Could her lovely live-in boyfriend have anything to do with it? Or her daughter’s new older boyfriend, whom she instinctively distrusts? Is she the next in line to be harmed?
This is an excellent race-against-time thriller with shoals of red herrings to tease and taunt readers all the way. It’s a must-finish-at-all-costs job.
THE COUPLE NEXT DOOR by Shari Lapena (Bantam Press £12.99)
IT COULD happen to anyone. Anne and Marco Conti are invited to have a special dinner with the couple next door, Cynthia and Graham.
But the babysitter for sixmonth-old Cora has cancelled, and Cynthia dislikes children. Marco persuades his reluctant wife to leave Cora, but take the baby monitor and check on her every half-hour.
The dinner is torture for Anne, who is anxious about the baby, has been plied with drink she didn’t want, is suffering from postpartum depression and now has to watch a drunken Cynthia drape herself over her not unwilling husband.
Finally, they get home — to find their front door open and the baby gone.
Don’t be put off by the overworked theme of child abduction. The story that follows is entirely compelling utterly realistic and told in a wonderfully effective spare narrative. You will not see the twists coming.