What do you think?
Rate this book
Each Little Lie
One split second decision and you could lose your child forever...
When single mother Jen Cornish sees her neighbour’s keys on the footpath outside her home, she has no idea the simple good deed of returning them will end in her fighting for her life � and that of her son, Charlie.
Soon, Jen is arrested for a crime committed in her neighbour’s house, and the police have damning evidence. Jen wonders, is she losing her mind, or is she being framed?
Desperate to clear her name, Jen must untangle a chilling web of lies, and there’s only one suspect on her her ex, Charlie’s father. But someone is watching her every move � and it isn’t just Jen who is in danger.
They’re watching her child too.
Can Jen uncover the dark truth before it’s too late?
When single mother Jen Cornish sees her neighbour’s keys on the footpath outside her home, she has no idea the simple good deed of returning them will end in her fighting for her life � and that of her son, Charlie.
Soon, Jen is arrested for a crime committed in her neighbour’s house, and the police have damning evidence. Jen wonders, is she losing her mind, or is she being framed?
Desperate to clear her name, Jen must untangle a chilling web of lies, and there’s only one suspect on her her ex, Charlie’s father. But someone is watching her every move � and it isn’t just Jen who is in danger.
They’re watching her child too.
Can Jen uncover the dark truth before it’s too late?
392 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 26, 2017
652 people are currently reading
705 people want to read
About the author
Tom Bale
14Ìýbooks244ÌýfollowersTom Bale is the author of nine thrillers, published between 2006 and 2018.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 154 reviews
July 10, 2017
It's safe to say I was hooked on this story from beginning to end. I have seen lots of reviewers who were wary of the premise; how could anyone in their right mind enter someone else's house to return their lost keys and think that was the best idea? I'm going to touch on that below, but needless to say since this is fiction, if you can suspend your need for a realistic catalyst, I think you'll enjoy this story as well. One of my favorite attributes to Bale as an author is how, as a man, he can write such relatable female characters. In each book of his that I've read I feel as though he has taken some of my darkest fears and deepest worries as a parent and brought them to life; this could be due to the fact that he was, for a time, a stay at home parent himself and fully involved in child rearing. I always find the tiny details he places in his stories of various emotions and fierce protection of the mothers he creates to be what has placed him in my circle of favorite authors.
I really want to stay away from talking about the plot, but I did want to mention that yes, the premise here is quite out there for most folks. What really got me thinking though was how quick we are to judge what other's do without thinking of how we might act under similar circumstances. I began pondering how, as a mother of two small ones, I am constantly exhausted and walking around in this state that is relatable to the people in the Claritin commercials before they pull that blurry film off and get to be "Claritin Clear". I have done more than my fair share of stupid things solely under the umbrella of being depleted. Our main character Jen is a single mother strapped with more anxiety and stress than any one person should shoulder, but unfortunately is rather common these days. Long story short, this train of thought is what initially caused myself to stop and dig deep to feel for this poor woman.
Overall I was really pleased with this one; it was very different from his previous novels I've read, but I feel Bale did a fantastic job crafting this slow burning suspense with heightened emotion. If you enjoy your crime fiction focused more on the characters than high action, you may want to give this a go.
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my copy via NetGalley; it was a pleasure to provide my honest thoughts here.
I really want to stay away from talking about the plot, but I did want to mention that yes, the premise here is quite out there for most folks. What really got me thinking though was how quick we are to judge what other's do without thinking of how we might act under similar circumstances. I began pondering how, as a mother of two small ones, I am constantly exhausted and walking around in this state that is relatable to the people in the Claritin commercials before they pull that blurry film off and get to be "Claritin Clear". I have done more than my fair share of stupid things solely under the umbrella of being depleted. Our main character Jen is a single mother strapped with more anxiety and stress than any one person should shoulder, but unfortunately is rather common these days. Long story short, this train of thought is what initially caused myself to stop and dig deep to feel for this poor woman.
Overall I was really pleased with this one; it was very different from his previous novels I've read, but I feel Bale did a fantastic job crafting this slow burning suspense with heightened emotion. If you enjoy your crime fiction focused more on the characters than high action, you may want to give this a go.
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my copy via NetGalley; it was a pleasure to provide my honest thoughts here.
June 18, 2017
This psychological thriller is rather different from Tom Bale's other books that I have read, the story is much less fast paced for starters. The central character is Jen Cornish, a woman who has left her husband, and is struggling to cope as a single mother taking care of her young son, Charlie. One day she spies a neighbour that she does not know, drop his keys. Jen picks them up but fails to attract his attention. She makes the momentous decision to use the keys to enter his house in search of pen and paper to leave him a note, whilst noting the artwork in the place. Jen is to live to regret her kind and thoughtful gesture, although I really can't see many other people entering the house of a stranger. The police come to arrest Jen for burglary and criminal damage as Jen's life begins to unravel.
This is a story of conspiracy, lies, distortions of the truth and deception. Jen begins to see she is being set up as she goes in search of the truth. She is worried and concerned about the implications of her arrest on her ex-husband and his dreadful father. In the meantime, she is being closely observed and both Jen and Charlie are in danger. This is novel is full of intrigue, suspense, and twists. It is a well plotted story that I did find entertaining to read, but it failed to keep me as gripped as his previous books. I sure that many will love this, it just didn't work so well for me. Many thanks to Bookouture for an ARC.
This is a story of conspiracy, lies, distortions of the truth and deception. Jen begins to see she is being set up as she goes in search of the truth. She is worried and concerned about the implications of her arrest on her ex-husband and his dreadful father. In the meantime, she is being closely observed and both Jen and Charlie are in danger. This is novel is full of intrigue, suspense, and twists. It is a well plotted story that I did find entertaining to read, but it failed to keep me as gripped as his previous books. I sure that many will love this, it just didn't work so well for me. Many thanks to Bookouture for an ARC.
June 17, 2017
Another excellent psychological thriller from the most underrated author Tom Bale.
Jen Cornish is a single mother struggling to make it on her own and care for her child after leaving her husband. When rushing to get to work she sees a man that she has seen many times before as he leaves his home but today Jen notices that the stranger has dropped his keys. She tries to run after him but fails to get his attention and is left wondering what to do with his keys.
She decides to leave a note to let the man know she has his keys but doesn't have a pen and paper to leave the note so she enters his home with the keys to find pen and paper. After carrying out her good deed she continues with her day only for the police to come and arrest her for entering the home and vandalising his property.
This is a very well paced novel with a good story-line, maybe a little bit hard to believe at times bet never-the-less a very good read.
I would like to thank both Net Galley and Bookouture for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Jen Cornish is a single mother struggling to make it on her own and care for her child after leaving her husband. When rushing to get to work she sees a man that she has seen many times before as he leaves his home but today Jen notices that the stranger has dropped his keys. She tries to run after him but fails to get his attention and is left wondering what to do with his keys.
She decides to leave a note to let the man know she has his keys but doesn't have a pen and paper to leave the note so she enters his home with the keys to find pen and paper. After carrying out her good deed she continues with her day only for the police to come and arrest her for entering the home and vandalising his property.
This is a very well paced novel with a good story-line, maybe a little bit hard to believe at times bet never-the-less a very good read.
I would like to thank both Net Galley and Bookouture for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
June 30, 2017
Genre: Mystery/ Thriller
POVs:
Triggers:
I sort of liked this book, but it took waaay longer to finish this story because it seemed to go on forever. This book dragged from the 45% mark and on, and I couldn't rationalize Jen's actions for trespassing on her neighbor's property. She was a thirty-four year-old single parent to a seven year-old boy and her justification for dilly-dallying around in her neighbor's home while he was away seemed absurd-ish. Add to the fact that the entire story was built around that one event and I didn't completely buy what this story was selling.
I liked the idea of this story, but the pacing was not desirable and my interest waned greatly by the middle of this book. The reasons behind "each little lie" was underwhelming, but the epilogue was a nice wrap-up.
**ARC provided by Bookouture via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review..
POVs:
Triggers:
I sort of liked this book, but it took waaay longer to finish this story because it seemed to go on forever. This book dragged from the 45% mark and on, and I couldn't rationalize Jen's actions for trespassing on her neighbor's property. She was a thirty-four year-old single parent to a seven year-old boy and her justification for dilly-dallying around in her neighbor's home while he was away seemed absurd-ish. Add to the fact that the entire story was built around that one event and I didn't completely buy what this story was selling.
I liked the idea of this story, but the pacing was not desirable and my interest waned greatly by the middle of this book. The reasons behind "each little lie" was underwhelming, but the epilogue was a nice wrap-up.
**ARC provided by Bookouture via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review..
June 14, 2017
Jen Cornish is a single mother struggling to make it on her own and care for her child after leaving her husband. In a rush on her way to work she crosses paths with a man that she has seen many times before as he leaves his home but today Jen notices that the stranger has dropped his keys. Trying to chase after him doesn't work so Jen is left wondering what she should do to safely return the keys.
Jen decides her best bet would be to simply leave a note telling the man what she had found not knowing if she could trust leaving the keys for someone else to find. Jen however doesn't have a pen and paper to leave the note so she decides to enter his home with the keys to find some. After doing what she thought was a good deed she heads off to work but later the police come and arrest Jen for entering the home and vandalism that has taken place.
Each Little Lie was one of those reads I was a bit on the fence about off and on all throughout the book. Starting off I knew the general idea of entering a stranger's home whether trying to do a good deed or not seemed really sort of far-fetched. I couldn't help but question just how many people out there would really even remotely consider doing this and not come up with another option.
The beginning aside I thought the story landed in just the OK range. I didn't find the characters or story extremely engaging but still found myself wanting to know how it would turn out in the end. As for the end though it's a bit far-fetched of an idea to have actually have happened but it fit the story well enough.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit
Jen decides her best bet would be to simply leave a note telling the man what she had found not knowing if she could trust leaving the keys for someone else to find. Jen however doesn't have a pen and paper to leave the note so she decides to enter his home with the keys to find some. After doing what she thought was a good deed she heads off to work but later the police come and arrest Jen for entering the home and vandalism that has taken place.
Each Little Lie was one of those reads I was a bit on the fence about off and on all throughout the book. Starting off I knew the general idea of entering a stranger's home whether trying to do a good deed or not seemed really sort of far-fetched. I couldn't help but question just how many people out there would really even remotely consider doing this and not come up with another option.
The beginning aside I thought the story landed in just the OK range. I didn't find the characters or story extremely engaging but still found myself wanting to know how it would turn out in the end. As for the end though it's a bit far-fetched of an idea to have actually have happened but it fit the story well enough.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit
June 5, 2017
This novel goes in a different direction from the last two, further along the psychological spectrum, and for my part, suffers for it. Tom Bale is a talented writer, both and were excellent: exciting, engrossing, darker. This one was good enough and still well put together, but the main character is just so dull that I couldn't care less about her story. I was bored and I have never felt that reading his books before.
I think this will perhaps work better for readers who prefer this style of investigation into personal psychology, but the 'arrested for a crime I did/did not commit' shtick was just not enough to keep me interested.
ARC via Netgalley
I think this will perhaps work better for readers who prefer this style of investigation into personal psychology, but the 'arrested for a crime I did/did not commit' shtick was just not enough to keep me interested.
ARC via Netgalley
July 3, 2017
Why don't I see Tom Bale books being read by my friends more? He's totally underrated. He has a talent for writing extremely gripping, intricate stories. This one features short chapters, which I love. It makes it easier to find a stopping point... if you can put it down. Some readers may be bothered by certain decisions that the main character makes, but in reality we all act differently in different scenarios... and we've all made a seemingly small decision before that came back to bite us.
Single mom Jen used to live a life filled with adventures in faraway places. Now her adventure is raising her son: young Charlie. She's trying to keep it together as she goes through a divorce and custody agreements with his father. Freddie is not the reliable type, and she worries that he'll set a bad example for the boy. A legitimate concern, but that's about to be the least of her worries...
When she sees a man she knows by sight drop his keys and isn't able to stop him before he rushes off, she doesn't know what to do. She's running late for work and doesn't have a lot of options, but feels compelled to do the right thing and help out that stranger. She ends up entering his home to find a pen and paper to leave a note on, telling the man she has the keys and how to get in contact with her.
She's stunned when the police show up to her home, interrupting her evening with Charlie. They're accusing her of crimes she doesn't believe she could have possibly committed, the evidence pointing firmly in her direction thanks to that decision to enter the man's home. Her intentions were noble, so how could things have gone so wrong?
Before that day, she was worried mostly about money, what Charlie was eating, and Freddie blowing off his time with Charlie. Now she has to worry about jail and completely losing custody of her son. The stakes are high, and she's left to figure out if she could have possibly blacked out and broken several laws or who would want to frame her... and what they're willing to do to put her behind bars.
I received a copy of this book from Net Galley and Bookouture, thank you! My review is honest and unbiased.
Single mom Jen used to live a life filled with adventures in faraway places. Now her adventure is raising her son: young Charlie. She's trying to keep it together as she goes through a divorce and custody agreements with his father. Freddie is not the reliable type, and she worries that he'll set a bad example for the boy. A legitimate concern, but that's about to be the least of her worries...
When she sees a man she knows by sight drop his keys and isn't able to stop him before he rushes off, she doesn't know what to do. She's running late for work and doesn't have a lot of options, but feels compelled to do the right thing and help out that stranger. She ends up entering his home to find a pen and paper to leave a note on, telling the man she has the keys and how to get in contact with her.
She's stunned when the police show up to her home, interrupting her evening with Charlie. They're accusing her of crimes she doesn't believe she could have possibly committed, the evidence pointing firmly in her direction thanks to that decision to enter the man's home. Her intentions were noble, so how could things have gone so wrong?
Before that day, she was worried mostly about money, what Charlie was eating, and Freddie blowing off his time with Charlie. Now she has to worry about jail and completely losing custody of her son. The stakes are high, and she's left to figure out if she could have possibly blacked out and broken several laws or who would want to frame her... and what they're willing to do to put her behind bars.
I received a copy of this book from Net Galley and Bookouture, thank you! My review is honest and unbiased.
June 22, 2017
3.5 stars. Jen Cornish sees her neighbour has dropped their keys but by the time she has picked them up he has disappeared in a car. After knocking on a few of her neighbours doors and getting no response, she decides to leave a note on his door telling him where he can get the keys. But Jen has no pen and foolishly decides to enter the house to find one. A mistake she will quickly regret.
Jen is separated from her husband, Freddie and they have a son called Charlie. While Jen struggles to make ends meet, Freddie's father is a wealthy man.
No way would I use a strangers keys and enter their property without permission but then again I suppose we are not all the same. This is not the usual direction Tom Bale's books take. It's pace is not fast but it is steady. The ending was a little disappointing and there are a lot of characters to try and remember.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and the author Tom Bale for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Jen is separated from her husband, Freddie and they have a son called Charlie. While Jen struggles to make ends meet, Freddie's father is a wealthy man.
No way would I use a strangers keys and enter their property without permission but then again I suppose we are not all the same. This is not the usual direction Tom Bale's books take. It's pace is not fast but it is steady. The ending was a little disappointing and there are a lot of characters to try and remember.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and the author Tom Bale for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 2, 2017
3.5� A Good Deed that went horribly wrong!
Each Little Lie is a Physiological Thriller based on lies, secrets, deception and manipulation. It's a slower paced read that builds up anticipation.
Who would of thought that doing someone a good deed could change your life forever!!
Well Jen never believed it would or she would never of done what she did!
Single Parent Jen leaves her house as she always does... but this one particular day she sees a stranger drop he's keys!
She knows where he lives but they have never met before.
So she does the right thing and tries to get he's attention to let him know he dropped them.
But unfortunately for Jen he fails to hear her.
Ok so here is where it all goes wrong!!
Rightly or very wrongly in Jen's case... She uses the man's keys to enter he's house to write a note letting him know she has the keys.
Good deed done!???
Not quiet.... The police appear and arrest Jen for breaking into the man's home and vandalising he's home.
Jen now has to figure out why she is being set up! Did she really do if and can't remember? She doesn't know the man for him to accuse her, so why would he blame Her? Did she lock the house back up?
Is she at risk for going to jail!
So it is at this point where Jen enters into the man's home that I feel the story was heading down a route that was in no way believable. Which was a shame.
Ok in books anything is possible I get that I really do.
But for me in order for a thriller to be really good it has to be believable.
I have to be invested into the reality in order for me to feel the uneasy feeling you feel when you read a thriller.
I just didn't really get that with Each Little Lie.
It was a good read it was just missing that unnerved feeling.
I did enjoy the story and I liked Jen I really did I just felt something was missing.
I would recommend this book because I do feel it has lots of potential and other readers will definitely enjoy the plot more.
I received this book from the Publisher for free, in which I voluntarily reviewed.
Each Little Lie is a Physiological Thriller based on lies, secrets, deception and manipulation. It's a slower paced read that builds up anticipation.
Who would of thought that doing someone a good deed could change your life forever!!
Well Jen never believed it would or she would never of done what she did!
Single Parent Jen leaves her house as she always does... but this one particular day she sees a stranger drop he's keys!
She knows where he lives but they have never met before.
So she does the right thing and tries to get he's attention to let him know he dropped them.
But unfortunately for Jen he fails to hear her.
Ok so here is where it all goes wrong!!
Rightly or very wrongly in Jen's case... She uses the man's keys to enter he's house to write a note letting him know she has the keys.
Good deed done!???
Not quiet.... The police appear and arrest Jen for breaking into the man's home and vandalising he's home.
Jen now has to figure out why she is being set up! Did she really do if and can't remember? She doesn't know the man for him to accuse her, so why would he blame Her? Did she lock the house back up?
Is she at risk for going to jail!
So it is at this point where Jen enters into the man's home that I feel the story was heading down a route that was in no way believable. Which was a shame.
Ok in books anything is possible I get that I really do.
But for me in order for a thriller to be really good it has to be believable.
I have to be invested into the reality in order for me to feel the uneasy feeling you feel when you read a thriller.
I just didn't really get that with Each Little Lie.
It was a good read it was just missing that unnerved feeling.
I did enjoy the story and I liked Jen I really did I just felt something was missing.
I would recommend this book because I do feel it has lots of potential and other readers will definitely enjoy the plot more.
I received this book from the Publisher for free, in which I voluntarily reviewed.
July 28, 2017
On her way to work Jen sees her neighbor drop his keys outside of his house. She picks them up, and attempts to flag him down, but he drives away before she’s able to get to him. In an attempt to be helpful, she uses the keys to enter his house, find some paper, and leave a note that says to call her to pick them up.
When she’s later called into the police station and is accused of entering the house and completely trashing some valuable artwork, she is shocked. In an attempt to clear her name before she’s arrested, she starts to do her own investigation and realizes she’d better work fast before she puts herself in more danger.
This was not the first book I’ve read by Tom Bale, and it won’t be my last, however this was not my favorite work by him. I really had a hard time connecting with Jen as a character, which is likely because she made so many choices that I had a hard time believing. Why would you enter someone else’s house while they aren’t there, just to leave a note?! That seems crazy to me! Why not come back later, or go to your OWN home to get paper to leave the note? There were so many other options that I feel like a logical person would have chosen before resorting to entering someone else’s house without permission.
Along the same lines, I struggled to suspend my disbelief throughout much of the story. As more and more is uncovered about what’s really happening, I found myself thinking that it seemed too far fetched and unlikely, not only that the events would happen in the first place, but that each piece of the puzzle would line up exactly right in order to make it possible. I don’t want to give anything away, so I’m hoping that vague statement still makes sense!
The last issue I had was the number of characters. There seemed to be a rotating door of characters, and I had a hard time keeping them all straight at times and remembering how they were each connected to Jen.
Overall, this one wasn’t a winner for me, but it won’t turn me off to Tom Bale’s future works. Thank you to Netgalley, Tom Bale, and Bookouture for a copy of the book. It was my pleasure to provide an honest review.
When she’s later called into the police station and is accused of entering the house and completely trashing some valuable artwork, she is shocked. In an attempt to clear her name before she’s arrested, she starts to do her own investigation and realizes she’d better work fast before she puts herself in more danger.
This was not the first book I’ve read by Tom Bale, and it won’t be my last, however this was not my favorite work by him. I really had a hard time connecting with Jen as a character, which is likely because she made so many choices that I had a hard time believing. Why would you enter someone else’s house while they aren’t there, just to leave a note?! That seems crazy to me! Why not come back later, or go to your OWN home to get paper to leave the note? There were so many other options that I feel like a logical person would have chosen before resorting to entering someone else’s house without permission.
Along the same lines, I struggled to suspend my disbelief throughout much of the story. As more and more is uncovered about what’s really happening, I found myself thinking that it seemed too far fetched and unlikely, not only that the events would happen in the first place, but that each piece of the puzzle would line up exactly right in order to make it possible. I don’t want to give anything away, so I’m hoping that vague statement still makes sense!
The last issue I had was the number of characters. There seemed to be a rotating door of characters, and I had a hard time keeping them all straight at times and remembering how they were each connected to Jen.
Overall, this one wasn’t a winner for me, but it won’t turn me off to Tom Bale’s future works. Thank you to Netgalley, Tom Bale, and Bookouture for a copy of the book. It was my pleasure to provide an honest review.
June 14, 2017
All my reviews can be found at
OMG Tom Bale never ceases to surprise me, this author has an incredible knack for creating a thriller with a difference, he creates characters that are pretty average, and then places them in the most extraordinary circumstances. It’s then the authors characters come into their own, making for a gripping thriller. Each Little Lie is the latest standalone from the author, and it doesn’t disappoint, it’s going to sound cliched but in my opinion it’s one of the authors best books to date.
Each Little Lie shows that one risky decision can change a law-abiding citizen into a criminal, and this is what happens to single mother Jen Cornish, an impulsive good deed to help a neighbour sets of a terrifying chain of events that quickly spiral out of control. Lies have been spun, truths manipulated and Jen finds herself in danger, the why? and the who? are central to the plot making for a throughly hear pounding, head spinning read.
Jen is pretty average, that is until she realises someone is manipulating the truth to put her in a heap load of trouble, she then becomes far more interesting, you can’t help but will her on as she fights to get to the truth of her terrifying situation. I had so many theories going a round in my head and I was convinced I had worked out the who? And the why? By the half way mark, but Tom Bale deftly leads the reader a merry dance before the reader gets to the truth. There are so many possibilities and theories Each Little Lie is the definition of a “suspense filled thriller�.
What I love about Tom Bale’s writing is the fact he effortlessly draws the reader in with a strong plot and spot on characterisation, he’s able to keep the readers attention by constantly adding layer upon layer of intrigue and suspense, never revealing to much in one go, which for me made this thriller stand out from the “norm�. Each Little Lie is a tale of manipulation, deceit and the power of money, it’s definitely a novel which I consider to be a “thrilling thriller� and one I would highly recommend.
OMG Tom Bale never ceases to surprise me, this author has an incredible knack for creating a thriller with a difference, he creates characters that are pretty average, and then places them in the most extraordinary circumstances. It’s then the authors characters come into their own, making for a gripping thriller. Each Little Lie is the latest standalone from the author, and it doesn’t disappoint, it’s going to sound cliched but in my opinion it’s one of the authors best books to date.
Each Little Lie shows that one risky decision can change a law-abiding citizen into a criminal, and this is what happens to single mother Jen Cornish, an impulsive good deed to help a neighbour sets of a terrifying chain of events that quickly spiral out of control. Lies have been spun, truths manipulated and Jen finds herself in danger, the why? and the who? are central to the plot making for a throughly hear pounding, head spinning read.
Jen is pretty average, that is until she realises someone is manipulating the truth to put her in a heap load of trouble, she then becomes far more interesting, you can’t help but will her on as she fights to get to the truth of her terrifying situation. I had so many theories going a round in my head and I was convinced I had worked out the who? And the why? By the half way mark, but Tom Bale deftly leads the reader a merry dance before the reader gets to the truth. There are so many possibilities and theories Each Little Lie is the definition of a “suspense filled thriller�.
What I love about Tom Bale’s writing is the fact he effortlessly draws the reader in with a strong plot and spot on characterisation, he’s able to keep the readers attention by constantly adding layer upon layer of intrigue and suspense, never revealing to much in one go, which for me made this thriller stand out from the “norm�. Each Little Lie is a tale of manipulation, deceit and the power of money, it’s definitely a novel which I consider to be a “thrilling thriller� and one I would highly recommend.
June 30, 2017
I am a big fan of Tom Bale’s books so I was thrilled to be able to read and review Each Little Lie as part of the blog tour.
Each Little Lie focuses on Jen, and her son Charlie. One day, Jen finds a set of keys on her neighbours lawn, and ends up setting herself on a very treacherous course. When Jjen is arrested for a crime she did not commit, it becomes a race against time to get those she loves to believe her, and to clear her name.
Tom Bale has a gift for turning the innocuous, normal and ordinary life decisions into something far more sinister than one would expect. I’ve said that before, and I stand by it, especially after reading Each Little Lie. Everyday decisions are turned into something completely different, and it goes to show that a having a good moral compass doesn’t always work in your favour. The fallout is what keeps the reader turning those pages!
Each Little Lie is a compulsive age-turner, with elemetns of a psychological thriller combined with a hefty dose of humanity. It is gripping, and more than a little scary in the sense that the author can essentially ruin a person’s life between the pages.
I look forward to each new Tom Bale book, and I am never disappointed!
Highly recommended!
Each Little Lie focuses on Jen, and her son Charlie. One day, Jen finds a set of keys on her neighbours lawn, and ends up setting herself on a very treacherous course. When Jjen is arrested for a crime she did not commit, it becomes a race against time to get those she loves to believe her, and to clear her name.
Tom Bale has a gift for turning the innocuous, normal and ordinary life decisions into something far more sinister than one would expect. I’ve said that before, and I stand by it, especially after reading Each Little Lie. Everyday decisions are turned into something completely different, and it goes to show that a having a good moral compass doesn’t always work in your favour. The fallout is what keeps the reader turning those pages!
Each Little Lie is a compulsive age-turner, with elemetns of a psychological thriller combined with a hefty dose of humanity. It is gripping, and more than a little scary in the sense that the author can essentially ruin a person’s life between the pages.
I look forward to each new Tom Bale book, and I am never disappointed!
Highly recommended!
July 1, 2017
Oh my days! Tom Bale just keeps bringing out the most amazing high tension, adrenaline fuelled thrillers that insist on knocking the socks off the one before. Each Little Lie has done EXACTLY that and what a breathtakingly, exhilarating experience it was too!
This authors strength is that he plays on our fears, not only for ourselves but also our families. He takes everyday situations and creates the most terrifying “what if?� storylines around them. They are emotionally charged, fast paced plots that barely give you chance to catch your breath before the next dramatic blowout occurs. When I started Each Little Lie, I was reminded of the film Crank with Jason Statham where he has to keep his adrenaline levels high to stay alive�..that was me reading this book!!!
I loved the fact that Tom used a female protagonist this time and a single parent to boot-there is nothing a mother won’t do to keep her child safe but when there’s no support from another parent the decisions made are even more important. I was screaming at Jen when she was making some questionable choices at the beginning of the book but we’ve all made those split second decisions that come back to haunt us! But even I was shocked at the direction in which her actions took her especially when things didn’t start to add up and the outcome for Jen wasn’t looking good! There were dodgy characters galore here and it was impossible to work out who were the good guys and who were the bad guys so I just sat back and let the action whisk me away on an electrifying journey to discover who is trying to get Jen sent to prison and why.
I’m a huge fan of this author and Each Little Lie doesn’t disappoint. If you’ve never read anything by Tom Bale before Each Little Lie is a great place to start. It’s bloody brilliant and therefore highly recommended by me!
This authors strength is that he plays on our fears, not only for ourselves but also our families. He takes everyday situations and creates the most terrifying “what if?� storylines around them. They are emotionally charged, fast paced plots that barely give you chance to catch your breath before the next dramatic blowout occurs. When I started Each Little Lie, I was reminded of the film Crank with Jason Statham where he has to keep his adrenaline levels high to stay alive�..that was me reading this book!!!
I loved the fact that Tom used a female protagonist this time and a single parent to boot-there is nothing a mother won’t do to keep her child safe but when there’s no support from another parent the decisions made are even more important. I was screaming at Jen when she was making some questionable choices at the beginning of the book but we’ve all made those split second decisions that come back to haunt us! But even I was shocked at the direction in which her actions took her especially when things didn’t start to add up and the outcome for Jen wasn’t looking good! There were dodgy characters galore here and it was impossible to work out who were the good guys and who were the bad guys so I just sat back and let the action whisk me away on an electrifying journey to discover who is trying to get Jen sent to prison and why.
I’m a huge fan of this author and Each Little Lie doesn’t disappoint. If you’ve never read anything by Tom Bale before Each Little Lie is a great place to start. It’s bloody brilliant and therefore highly recommended by me!
July 4, 2017
Jennifer Cornish is a normal single mother working a job and looking after her boy Charlie, until one day she makes a really stupid decision! What Jen thinks is a sensible a neighbourly thing to do, ends up being the thing that sets off a chain of events that puts her and her sons life in danger. The start of the book lets the reader dive straight in and almost instantly I realised that one small mistake would not lead to anything good.
I liked Jen, even though I thought her decision was stupid. That said, I had no clue how the story would unfold and exactly what it all lead up to. Pretty soon when the police arrive at Jen's door with all sorts of accusations things seem to spiral pretty quickly. The one element I loved about this latest was just how far the deciept went. Jen's ex Johnny seems to be a pathetic and rather delusional character but written in a way that left me thinking he was just weak. HIs father Gerard however is a whole other ball game and a character that I think readers will love to hate.
Conspiracy and lies lay at the heart of this latest Bale book and although it has a slightly different edge to his others it was certainly no less enjoyable. His last book was a little more up my street as it seemed a lot more fast paced than this one. However, once I had reached the end I realised that this was just a different type of suspense and one that has the reader questioning every single character. Another enjoyable read and I will be interested to see what he comes up with next. Tom Bale has a rather clever edge with his writing in making it seem like the extraordinary could literally happen to the ordinary person!
I liked Jen, even though I thought her decision was stupid. That said, I had no clue how the story would unfold and exactly what it all lead up to. Pretty soon when the police arrive at Jen's door with all sorts of accusations things seem to spiral pretty quickly. The one element I loved about this latest was just how far the deciept went. Jen's ex Johnny seems to be a pathetic and rather delusional character but written in a way that left me thinking he was just weak. HIs father Gerard however is a whole other ball game and a character that I think readers will love to hate.
Conspiracy and lies lay at the heart of this latest Bale book and although it has a slightly different edge to his others it was certainly no less enjoyable. His last book was a little more up my street as it seemed a lot more fast paced than this one. However, once I had reached the end I realised that this was just a different type of suspense and one that has the reader questioning every single character. Another enjoyable read and I will be interested to see what he comes up with next. Tom Bale has a rather clever edge with his writing in making it seem like the extraordinary could literally happen to the ordinary person!
June 2, 2017
Another great story by Tom Bale. is a plot-driven novel with likeable characters. It is very hard not to cheer for Jen, whose life turns into a living nightmare after trying to help an acquaintance. There are plenty of twists and turns, and it kept my interest throughout.
(Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the review copy!)
(Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the review copy!)
November 17, 2017
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishers for this review copy.
One day, Jen Cornish does a good deed. She sees a neighbour has dropped his keys in his garden. She tries to catch up with him to let him know, but he has gone. She decides to leave him a note on his door to say she has them, but she’s late for work and she doesn’t have a pen. She makes a hasty decision to go into his house and look for a pen and paper. While in there, she notices a collection of expensive artwork which she admires before leaving the house, taping the note to his door. Later that day, the police turn up at her door arresting her for a crime she didn’t commit.
I chose to read this one as I have previously read another of Tom Bale’s books (See How They Run) which I really enjoyed. Whilst I enjoyed this one, I have to admit that it wasn’t as good as the previous one. The story began promising, Jen doing something which could happen to any of us � a neighbour dropping a set of keys. When she then decided to use those keys to go into his house (for a perfectly innocent reason) had me shouting Nooooo!! At the time, there was no reason to suggest there was anything untoward about the situation, but even so, you just wouldn’t have gone into someone’s house � push the keys back through the letterbox, come back later with them, hand them in to the police station�.but not go into their house to look for a pen!! Even so, I still didn’t think at this point the story was going to carry on as it did. I didn’t expect Jen to be arrested, and certainly didn’t expect it to begin to look like she was being set up.
As the story moves on, it begins to become clear who is trying to set her up. I won’t spoil the plot by going any further here, but to be honest I did start to get confused by it all about half way through. There seemed to be a lot of people involved in the story, and I found it hard to remember who was who! The story, thankfully, picked up again towards the end, and I quite enjoyed it. I would have liked maybe a bit more story explaining what happened after (you’ll understand when you read it) as it felt a bit rushed. Moral of this story�.don‘t trust anyone!!
Four Stars!
One day, Jen Cornish does a good deed. She sees a neighbour has dropped his keys in his garden. She tries to catch up with him to let him know, but he has gone. She decides to leave him a note on his door to say she has them, but she’s late for work and she doesn’t have a pen. She makes a hasty decision to go into his house and look for a pen and paper. While in there, she notices a collection of expensive artwork which she admires before leaving the house, taping the note to his door. Later that day, the police turn up at her door arresting her for a crime she didn’t commit.
I chose to read this one as I have previously read another of Tom Bale’s books (See How They Run) which I really enjoyed. Whilst I enjoyed this one, I have to admit that it wasn’t as good as the previous one. The story began promising, Jen doing something which could happen to any of us � a neighbour dropping a set of keys. When she then decided to use those keys to go into his house (for a perfectly innocent reason) had me shouting Nooooo!! At the time, there was no reason to suggest there was anything untoward about the situation, but even so, you just wouldn’t have gone into someone’s house � push the keys back through the letterbox, come back later with them, hand them in to the police station�.but not go into their house to look for a pen!! Even so, I still didn’t think at this point the story was going to carry on as it did. I didn’t expect Jen to be arrested, and certainly didn’t expect it to begin to look like she was being set up.
As the story moves on, it begins to become clear who is trying to set her up. I won’t spoil the plot by going any further here, but to be honest I did start to get confused by it all about half way through. There seemed to be a lot of people involved in the story, and I found it hard to remember who was who! The story, thankfully, picked up again towards the end, and I quite enjoyed it. I would have liked maybe a bit more story explaining what happened after (you’ll understand when you read it) as it felt a bit rushed. Moral of this story�.don‘t trust anyone!!
Four Stars!
June 29, 2017
OMG it’s Tom Bale with his latest unputdownable psychological thriller Each Little Lie. This is a story you don't want to miss. The author pulls you in from the start and weaves an incredible story that will keep you guessing until the very end. Yes very time I read one of Tom’s book I always say this is his best one yet. But this one really is and it is totally different to other books that I have read by the author. It is one of those books that really gets inside your head and plays mind games with you.
In this story we meet single parent Jen Cornish who makes the decision to help a neighbour, well in her eyes she is helping a neighbour until it all backfires in her face and goes totally wrong. Without giving too much away, you will either go along with what Jen does or like myself think, what are earth are doing! The author weaves one extremely well crafted story building up suspense and mystery every page you turn. Not only does Jen think she is going mad but I was starting to think I was too, double checking that I had read it right. This is what I mean about the story plays mind games with you.
I love the fact that there is less characters is this story so we get more of a feeling for them. And being a single parent myself I can relate to Jen. She is honest and trying to hold everything together for the sake of her 7 year old son. You cannot help but feel for her.
Each Little Lie is an atmospheric read about lies and manipulation. It is full of tension that starts of slowly building up to a fast paced read with plenty of OMG moments that will leave you gasping. Once again I am totally blown away by Mr Bale, there is nothing not to like about this book and has ticked all the boxes for me.
I cannot recommend it enough giving it a massive 5 stars.
Thank you to Kim Nash for inviting me to take part in this blog tour.
In this story we meet single parent Jen Cornish who makes the decision to help a neighbour, well in her eyes she is helping a neighbour until it all backfires in her face and goes totally wrong. Without giving too much away, you will either go along with what Jen does or like myself think, what are earth are doing! The author weaves one extremely well crafted story building up suspense and mystery every page you turn. Not only does Jen think she is going mad but I was starting to think I was too, double checking that I had read it right. This is what I mean about the story plays mind games with you.
I love the fact that there is less characters is this story so we get more of a feeling for them. And being a single parent myself I can relate to Jen. She is honest and trying to hold everything together for the sake of her 7 year old son. You cannot help but feel for her.
Each Little Lie is an atmospheric read about lies and manipulation. It is full of tension that starts of slowly building up to a fast paced read with plenty of OMG moments that will leave you gasping. Once again I am totally blown away by Mr Bale, there is nothing not to like about this book and has ticked all the boxes for me.
I cannot recommend it enough giving it a massive 5 stars.
Thank you to Kim Nash for inviting me to take part in this blog tour.
July 4, 2017
All of my reviews can be found on
I absolutely love the premise for this book, the idea that one small act can have life alternating consequences is both fascinating and terrifying! Jen is an average woman trying to do her best by her son Charlie and when she tries to do something kind for a stranger one day, she sets of a devastating chain of events. I warmed to her straightaway, she was very relatable even if sometimes the choices she made made me want to scream at her. But that’s the thing, you never truly know how you will react to certain situations unless you’re in the situation yourself, so I couldn’t judge her. That all sounds vague, but when you’re reading a Bale book it really is best if you don’t know too much about the plot.
Bale has an effortless writing style that always hooks me instantly, he really draws the reader in and doesn’t let go until the end. Each Little Lie wasn’t quite as fast paced as his previous books but it was still a thrilling read. The ending was action packed and gave me that adrenaline rush that I’ve come to expect from his books and there was the sense of something sinister lurking under the surface throughout. This is a book full of manipulation, deceit, betrayals and also had that fantastic underlying sense of paranoia, especially as Jen started to unravel at the seams, much as her entire life did. Fans of the author will not be disappointed, this was an engrossing read full of twists and turns.
I absolutely love the premise for this book, the idea that one small act can have life alternating consequences is both fascinating and terrifying! Jen is an average woman trying to do her best by her son Charlie and when she tries to do something kind for a stranger one day, she sets of a devastating chain of events. I warmed to her straightaway, she was very relatable even if sometimes the choices she made made me want to scream at her. But that’s the thing, you never truly know how you will react to certain situations unless you’re in the situation yourself, so I couldn’t judge her. That all sounds vague, but when you’re reading a Bale book it really is best if you don’t know too much about the plot.
Bale has an effortless writing style that always hooks me instantly, he really draws the reader in and doesn’t let go until the end. Each Little Lie wasn’t quite as fast paced as his previous books but it was still a thrilling read. The ending was action packed and gave me that adrenaline rush that I’ve come to expect from his books and there was the sense of something sinister lurking under the surface throughout. This is a book full of manipulation, deceit, betrayals and also had that fantastic underlying sense of paranoia, especially as Jen started to unravel at the seams, much as her entire life did. Fans of the author will not be disappointed, this was an engrossing read full of twists and turns.
June 27, 2017
Finished reading: June 25th 2017
"How do I prove my innocence, when all this evidence says I'm guilty?"
*** A copy of this bookÌýwas kindly provided to me by Netgalley and Bookouture in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***
P.S. Find more of my reviews .
May 29, 2017
Tom Bale does it again! Another unrelentingly suspenseful, fast paced, scary, roller-coaster of a tale. I couldn't put it down. From the first page to the last, packed with twists and revelations, this was an enjoyable adrenaline rush of a novel that I absolutely loved. Cannot wait for the next book!
June 26, 2017
One momentary lapse of intelligent decision leads to uncovering of deception and lies...
This 69 chapter book starts with Jennifer Cornish, a single mother, doing an utterly stupid thing. She picks up her neighbour, Alex Wilson's keys, as he rushes out in a hurry, and instead of giving it to the police, decides to write a note for him and stick it, onto the door. Unfortunately, with no pen in hand and in a hurry to do a good deed, she uses the keys and trespasses into his home to find paper and pen...
This starts the ball rolling with false charges of home vandalism and arrest, her stay in prison, then release on bail. Instead of cowering, she decides to fight back and investigate into these charges. There are many characters she comes across, each one worse than the other, pervert neighbour Russell Pearce ( too slimy ), her boss Nick ( too moody ), neighbour Alex Wilson ( too cunning ), her soon to be ex- husband Freddie ( too weak, no back bone, no guts ), her father-in-law ( too dominating, too aggressive, doesn't value anyone), and other vague, thinly etched characters like Sam, Dean.
She discovers conspiracy and deceit. Someone seems to be out to get her, to totally destroy her. She seems naive in some instances like justifying entering into neighbour's home, and clever in some, discovering the actual conspiracy. She is supposed to be a tour guide, scaling mountains, before marriage but yet, has so many doubts about herself. She even wonders if she has had episodes of blackouts and destroyed her neighbour's figurines in such an episode. But she is strong, in not wanting to take things lying down, she believes in getting to the bottom of the charges. I especially liked the fact that she does not give in to blackmail inspite of the threat of arrest. Only her love for her son, Charlie is constant and palpable in the entire book, rest of the characters come and go.
Tom Bale has put a lot of effort in this book to make it intriguing and filled with suspense. There is deceit, industrial espionage, kidnapping, manipulation, false charges, with hit men and con men abounding. Each character behaves suspiciously and has ulterior motives.
The book starts well, builds up slowly, picks up in the middle then becomes a bit outlandish at the end but I stuck on with it till the last page... I dont think the entire book has any good male character except Jen's father and her son, Charlie. The book is long but the chapters turn fast.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and publisher Bookouture and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
This 69 chapter book starts with Jennifer Cornish, a single mother, doing an utterly stupid thing. She picks up her neighbour, Alex Wilson's keys, as he rushes out in a hurry, and instead of giving it to the police, decides to write a note for him and stick it, onto the door. Unfortunately, with no pen in hand and in a hurry to do a good deed, she uses the keys and trespasses into his home to find paper and pen...
This starts the ball rolling with false charges of home vandalism and arrest, her stay in prison, then release on bail. Instead of cowering, she decides to fight back and investigate into these charges. There are many characters she comes across, each one worse than the other, pervert neighbour Russell Pearce ( too slimy ), her boss Nick ( too moody ), neighbour Alex Wilson ( too cunning ), her soon to be ex- husband Freddie ( too weak, no back bone, no guts ), her father-in-law ( too dominating, too aggressive, doesn't value anyone), and other vague, thinly etched characters like Sam, Dean.
She discovers conspiracy and deceit. Someone seems to be out to get her, to totally destroy her. She seems naive in some instances like justifying entering into neighbour's home, and clever in some, discovering the actual conspiracy. She is supposed to be a tour guide, scaling mountains, before marriage but yet, has so many doubts about herself. She even wonders if she has had episodes of blackouts and destroyed her neighbour's figurines in such an episode. But she is strong, in not wanting to take things lying down, she believes in getting to the bottom of the charges. I especially liked the fact that she does not give in to blackmail inspite of the threat of arrest. Only her love for her son, Charlie is constant and palpable in the entire book, rest of the characters come and go.
Tom Bale has put a lot of effort in this book to make it intriguing and filled with suspense. There is deceit, industrial espionage, kidnapping, manipulation, false charges, with hit men and con men abounding. Each character behaves suspiciously and has ulterior motives.
The book starts well, builds up slowly, picks up in the middle then becomes a bit outlandish at the end but I stuck on with it till the last page... I dont think the entire book has any good male character except Jen's father and her son, Charlie. The book is long but the chapters turn fast.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and publisher Bookouture and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
September 3, 2017
What on earth possesses her to do THAT?! I mean, seriously, in this day and age why would anyone think that would be a good idea?! From this point I was then just purely frustrated - like when you're watching a really bad 'horror' film and the dumb, gorgeous blonde does EXACTLY what she SHOULDN'T damn well do! Unfortunately for me, this happens at the beginning of the story and my frustration only grew.
My frustration prevented me from engaging with the main characters and the plot. Overall, it was okay. I will continue to recommend Tom Bale as an author but maybe not this particular book.
Normally I really enjoy Tom Bale, and this book certainly hasn't done enough to put me off future reads, however I may have to do something I normally hate doing - read reviews first.
Thanks to Bookouture for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review.
My frustration prevented me from engaging with the main characters and the plot. Overall, it was okay. I will continue to recommend Tom Bale as an author but maybe not this particular book.
Normally I really enjoy Tom Bale, and this book certainly hasn't done enough to put me off future reads, however I may have to do something I normally hate doing - read reviews first.
Thanks to Bookouture for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review.
June 16, 2017
I had really mixed feelings about this book, hence the middle-of-the-road three stars. It started out really well, with a fast-paced plot that planted lots of seeds of doubt in my mind and left me with a lot of questions. I was a little dubious of the plot to begin with, given that the main protagonist, Jen, finds some lost keys and decides to let herself into the owner's house to leave a note - now in reality, who would really do that? I was able to look past that however as the plot was keeping me guessing and i could sense a good storyline.
After the first quarter, i must admit the plot started to drag and i really had to try hard to persevere with this book, as i wanted to find out what was going on. Further still, and the story got quite complicated - some may find it easy to keep up with what was going on, but I personally felt there were too many characters introduced which made it difficult to follow and recall who was who; several times i had to flick back a few pages to refresh my memory. Not only that, but the plot became a little far-fetched, with espionage, Jen being framed for a crime, and too many details which in reality would not have come together so cleverly as they have done in this book.
As for the ending, I unfortunately found it to be fairly inconclusive. There remained a lot of questions (although the epilogue did address a few of these) and there were a few plot points left unfinished.
This is the first book I've read by Tom Bale, and although this one wasn't for me, I've heard great praise for his other books so would definitely look at reading his others.
After the first quarter, i must admit the plot started to drag and i really had to try hard to persevere with this book, as i wanted to find out what was going on. Further still, and the story got quite complicated - some may find it easy to keep up with what was going on, but I personally felt there were too many characters introduced which made it difficult to follow and recall who was who; several times i had to flick back a few pages to refresh my memory. Not only that, but the plot became a little far-fetched, with espionage, Jen being framed for a crime, and too many details which in reality would not have come together so cleverly as they have done in this book.
As for the ending, I unfortunately found it to be fairly inconclusive. There remained a lot of questions (although the epilogue did address a few of these) and there were a few plot points left unfinished.
This is the first book I've read by Tom Bale, and although this one wasn't for me, I've heard great praise for his other books so would definitely look at reading his others.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 11, 2017
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. I really enjoyed See How They Run and loved All Fall Down and I was a bit disappointed that this book didn't have the same fast-paced, catch your breath intensity of those two. This book felt very slow and it did not help that I really could have cared less about any of the characters. I had a tough time getting through this one.
June 29, 2017
Once again Tom Bale has gifted his readers with his unique and addictive talent of messing with your head. This was a fantastic book. I'm a long time fan of Tom Bale and as with all his other books this was a compete and utter life pause of a book. Once you start to read you're not coming up for air until you have turned the very last page.
Jen is a single mother, ordinary and real. She could be me or you and that's what makes this book so good. Jen is so completely believable and likeable as a charachter. She lives a mundane life with her little boy, going to work every day and loving being with her boy Charlie. Until one morning she encounters a dilemma on her way to work. Nothing crazy - just a neighbour dropping their keys. Trying to be helpful she makes a decision that turns her life completely upside down....she could lose everything, her life, her job and worst of all....her boy Charlie.
The plot was so very well thought out, the charachters developed well as the book went on. I hated Gerard, Jens father in law from the very first moment he appeared in the book and I considered her ex husband to be a spineless waste of space for the majority.
If you're thinking about reading this.....do it. You won't be disappointed
Jen is a single mother, ordinary and real. She could be me or you and that's what makes this book so good. Jen is so completely believable and likeable as a charachter. She lives a mundane life with her little boy, going to work every day and loving being with her boy Charlie. Until one morning she encounters a dilemma on her way to work. Nothing crazy - just a neighbour dropping their keys. Trying to be helpful she makes a decision that turns her life completely upside down....she could lose everything, her life, her job and worst of all....her boy Charlie.
The plot was so very well thought out, the charachters developed well as the book went on. I hated Gerard, Jens father in law from the very first moment he appeared in the book and I considered her ex husband to be a spineless waste of space for the majority.
If you're thinking about reading this.....do it. You won't be disappointed
September 28, 2017
When Jen Cornish takes action to help out a neighbour who has lost her keys, little does she know that this split-second decision will change her life beyond recognition. Bale has the ability to make an everyday, mundane event into a terrifying experience, twisting the ordinary into the extraordinary in a way that makes you look again at those little decisions you make in your life. In Each Little Lie Bale uses this to its full advantage.
Bale’s protagonist in Each Little Lie is Jen; recently separated and going through a divorce, and single mum to seven-year-old Charlie. Credit to Bale for creating a likeable and believable character and effectively making her voice, thoughts and feelings female in tone. I completely forgot that the author was male! I warmed to her immediately, could empathise with her completely and was on her side throughout the whole journey. When she is arrested for a crime she did not commit, Bale gets to the very heart of a fear that all of us, at some point, have probably thought ‘what if?� about, especially in the wake of television programmes such as ‘Making a Murderer�.
You are pulled into the story immediately and the plot and pace doesn’t let you go until you have reached the shocking climax. It has been a while since I last really devoured a book, but I read Each Little Lie within a couple of days as I just had to know what would happen. Just as you think the story is wrapping up, Bale takes it up another notch with unexpected twists that you don’t see coming.
Within the storyline there is the premise that money can pretty much buy you anything, including manipulation of the justice system. Full of particularly odious characters, Bale had my teeth set on edge and my skin crawling at some of their actions. He does not hold back when creating that cringe factor, letting it rip for maximum effect. This makes for creepy reading that gets right under your skin!
Each Little Lie has you perched on the edge of your seat throughout, and by the end of the book your nails are bitten down to the quick. Bale is a real master of the thriller, twisting everyday life into the horrifying with a plot that hurtles along at an unprecedented rate. Brilliant!
Bale’s protagonist in Each Little Lie is Jen; recently separated and going through a divorce, and single mum to seven-year-old Charlie. Credit to Bale for creating a likeable and believable character and effectively making her voice, thoughts and feelings female in tone. I completely forgot that the author was male! I warmed to her immediately, could empathise with her completely and was on her side throughout the whole journey. When she is arrested for a crime she did not commit, Bale gets to the very heart of a fear that all of us, at some point, have probably thought ‘what if?� about, especially in the wake of television programmes such as ‘Making a Murderer�.
You are pulled into the story immediately and the plot and pace doesn’t let you go until you have reached the shocking climax. It has been a while since I last really devoured a book, but I read Each Little Lie within a couple of days as I just had to know what would happen. Just as you think the story is wrapping up, Bale takes it up another notch with unexpected twists that you don’t see coming.
Within the storyline there is the premise that money can pretty much buy you anything, including manipulation of the justice system. Full of particularly odious characters, Bale had my teeth set on edge and my skin crawling at some of their actions. He does not hold back when creating that cringe factor, letting it rip for maximum effect. This makes for creepy reading that gets right under your skin!
Each Little Lie has you perched on the edge of your seat throughout, and by the end of the book your nails are bitten down to the quick. Bale is a real master of the thriller, twisting everyday life into the horrifying with a plot that hurtles along at an unprecedented rate. Brilliant!
June 29, 2017
This was just absolutely brilliant. Tom keeps up his usual high standard.
I found it quite unsettling how easy it was for an innocent woman to end up in so much trouble, with a couple of small manipulations of the truth.
I am looking forward to your next book Tom, starring a red haired, slightly nutty lady, being eaten by a sofa! ;)
I found it quite unsettling how easy it was for an innocent woman to end up in so much trouble, with a couple of small manipulations of the truth.
I am looking forward to your next book Tom, starring a red haired, slightly nutty lady, being eaten by a sofa! ;)
July 9, 2017
Each Little Lie by Tom Bale.
Each Little Lie by Tom Bale is a twisty story of lies and deception. ÌýJen is just an ordinary single mom, when suddenly extraordinary things begin happening to her.
One day, Jen sees a man drop his keys in the grass just before his ride picks him up. ÌýJen grabs the keys and flags the car down, but no avail... it was gone. ÌýAnd now she is left with the conundrum of what to do with the keys and how to safely get them back to the owner. Ìý
The innocent, though not the brightest, decision she makes leads her life toward a path she never thought she'd walk. Ìý
Each Little Lie was my first book by Tom Bale. ÌýWhat a great read. There is one hell of a screwed up family in this book! ÌýSo if you like messed up families, here's another to add to your TBR pile.
Jen, oh Jen.
It is so surreal to me that one day you can be enjoying your life, and the next it falls apart. ÌýI suppose that is the basis of many psychological thrillers, however, it was very overt in Each Little Lie. ÌýJen thought she was doing a good deed and bam... all heck breaks loose.
At first, I wasn't fond of Jen. ÌýI thought the way she chose to deal with the lost keys wasn't the brightest idea. ÌýI didn't realize in the beginning how bad things were going to get. ÌýSo when the first consequence came, I rolled my eyes and thought, "Told you so."Ìý
But then things spiraled down a black hole of badness and I found myself rooting for her. ÌýWhew.
Jen had the weight of so much on her shoulders. ÌýWith stress to the guilds, Jen's fear, anxiety, and sadness ran the whole gamut of what anyone would feel. ÌýBut she persevered and did everything she needed to do. ÌýI was very proud of her character.
Each Little Lie gets 4 brightly glowing stars from me.
Thank you bookouture, netgalley, and Tom Bale for an advanced copy of your book. My review is honest and unbiased.
Each Little Lie by Tom Bale is a twisty story of lies and deception. ÌýJen is just an ordinary single mom, when suddenly extraordinary things begin happening to her.
One day, Jen sees a man drop his keys in the grass just before his ride picks him up. ÌýJen grabs the keys and flags the car down, but no avail... it was gone. ÌýAnd now she is left with the conundrum of what to do with the keys and how to safely get them back to the owner. Ìý
The innocent, though not the brightest, decision she makes leads her life toward a path she never thought she'd walk. Ìý
Each Little Lie was my first book by Tom Bale. ÌýWhat a great read. There is one hell of a screwed up family in this book! ÌýSo if you like messed up families, here's another to add to your TBR pile.
Jen, oh Jen.
It is so surreal to me that one day you can be enjoying your life, and the next it falls apart. ÌýI suppose that is the basis of many psychological thrillers, however, it was very overt in Each Little Lie. ÌýJen thought she was doing a good deed and bam... all heck breaks loose.
At first, I wasn't fond of Jen. ÌýI thought the way she chose to deal with the lost keys wasn't the brightest idea. ÌýI didn't realize in the beginning how bad things were going to get. ÌýSo when the first consequence came, I rolled my eyes and thought, "Told you so."Ìý
But then things spiraled down a black hole of badness and I found myself rooting for her. ÌýWhew.
Jen had the weight of so much on her shoulders. ÌýWith stress to the guilds, Jen's fear, anxiety, and sadness ran the whole gamut of what anyone would feel. ÌýBut she persevered and did everything she needed to do. ÌýI was very proud of her character.
Each Little Lie gets 4 brightly glowing stars from me.
Thank you bookouture, netgalley, and Tom Bale for an advanced copy of your book. My review is honest and unbiased.
July 12, 2020
I’m being generous. The actions of our MC are ridiculous to the point of unbelievable. However, I kept reading so it must’ve held my interest.
June 2, 2017
This was my first novel by Tom Bale, but it won't be my last. Jen tries to do a good deed, and ends up being charged with a crime that could send her to prison and her young son to her ex and her former father-in-law. An elaborate scheme has Jen unsure whom to trust. There is enough doubt and wonder to keep the reader's interest. I was given an eARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 154 reviews
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get help and learn more about the design.