My Last Lie by Ella Drummond @HeraBooks @drummondella1 @BOTBSPublicity

Source: Review copy
Publication: 20 February 2019 from Hera Books
Pp: 297

New beginnings. Old secrets. Theo and Pilar. The perfect couple.

Successful, beautiful and very much in love. Until a year ago – and the tragedy that nearly tore them apart.
When their baby died, a part of them died with him.
Now they’re trying to rebuild themselves, moving to a stunning house in rural Cornwall.
But someone knows all their secrets – and will stop at nothing to disturb their fragile peace.
Theo and Pilar are about to learn that you can try to hide – but you can never outrun your past.

My Last Lie begins quite darkly with a shocking incident that has long lasting repercussions throughout the rest of the book.

But these repercussions are worn more lightly than the first chapter, and the focus now is on Theo and Pilar, a young couple who have everything material they could wish for. In a bid to consolidate their marriage, the pair has moved to Cornwall and Theo has bought the most idyllic sounding art deco house complete with art studio for Pilar’s work.

But despite their fabulous surroundings, not everything is as they would wish it. There’s trust to be repaired on both sides and as if that were not enough, it soon becomes clear that not everything in the house is as tranquil as Pilar would like. Recovering from a breakdown, needing to be able to trust her husband, but plagued by doubts, Pilar has to contend with living in an area where she knows no-one, make new friends and yet shield her past from new inquisitive acquaintances.

Little by little, Pilar becomes aware that there are things in the house that aren’t quite right. Small things go missing or change. Never anything really significant, just enough to unsettle Pilar. Fresh from a breakdown, is this Pilar imagining things, or are darker forces at work?

Ella Drummond builds in enough doubt for the reader to be unsure quite what is going on. Is Pilar having another breakdown or is Theo playing the doting husband while harbouring another agenda?

Drummond strews her Cornwall path with red herrings, bringing neighbours and new friends into the mix until you are questioning everyone’s motives.

Soon this quiet country existence will be overcome by dark overtones which threaten everything the couple have been trying to build. Then, as readers, we are left with the ultimate question. Is there anything Pilar will not do to rescue her marriage?

Verdict: In a beautiful setting, Drummond brings in dark clouds and doubtful characters to create a tense and suspicious environment in which the past is never far away.

Kindle Kobo Apple Google Play