Sam is seventeen, starving herself and longing for oblivion. Her sister, Jena, is mentally scarred and desperate to remember. Between them, they share secrets too terrible to recall.
Eighteen months earlier, Sam was still full of hope: hope that she could piece together Jena’s fragmented memory after the vicious attack that changed their family forever. But digging into the past unearthed long-hidden lies and betrayals, and left Sam feeling helpless and alone in a world designed to deceive her.
Now, in a last bid to save her from self-imposed shutdown, Sam’s therapist is helping her confront her memories. But the road to recovery is a dangerous one. Because Sam has not only been lying to her doctors: she’s been hiding dark secrets from herself.
My Review: I think it’s quite safe to say that Ruth Dugdall likes to write about topics many authors avoid and has no qualms about covering controversial or taboo subjects. My Sister and Other Liars is a standalone psychological thriller which tells the story of 17 year old Sam who is currently residing in a hospital in Suffolk due to her anorexia. It is NOT an easy or comfortable read, but it is gripping and sympathically written. Going back and forth, Sam recounts the horrific events that lead her to being institutionalised 18 months previously. With psychological thrillers it’s almost a given that there will be some twists, turns and red herrings and I will publically admit to feeling quite smug with myself when at 25% through the book I had worked out the twist. I will also publically admit that at 70% through the book I realised I had actually got it all wrong and the said “smug smile” was swiftly wiped off my face. This is a fabulous and thoroughly researched book which I highly recommend to fans of any suspense and thriller books.
About The Author: Ruth Dugdall was born in 1971. She holds a BA honours degree in English Literature (Warwick University) and an MA in Social Work (University of East Anglia). She qualified as a probation officer in 1996 and has worked in prison with offenders guilty of serious crimes, including stalking, rape and murder. This has informed her crime writing. Since she started writing, Ruth has won awards in several writing competitions, and has had short stories published in the Winchester Writers’ Conference and the Eva Wiggins Award anthologies.
Ruth is also the news presenter on Felixstowe tv: “probably the smallest tv station in the world”.
Genre – Psychological Thriller – Read February 2017 – Published 1st May 2017
