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A review by suspensethrill
A Suitable Lie by Michael J. Malone
5.0
Find my reviews on my blog: https://thesuspenseisthrillingme.com
Date Read: 11/18/16
Pub Date: 01/01/17
5 STARS
Andy Boyd thinks he is the luckiest man alive. Widowed with a young child, after his wife dies in childbirth, he is certain that he will never again experience true love. Then he meets Anna. Feisty, fun and beautiful, she’s his perfect match, and she loves his son like he is her own. When Andy ends up in the hospital on his wedding night, he receives his first clue that Anna is not all that she seems. Desperate for that happy-ever-after, he ignores it—a dangerous mistake that could cost him everything.
The first words that come to mind when I think of this book-SHOW STOPPER. My breath was literally taken away by this fantastic tale of abuse and deceit. You might find some minor spoilers in here, but nothing that is a giveaway as it's alluded to in the book description. If you are wanting to go into this book completely blind, you may want to stop reading here. What I'm including in my review is revealed near the beginning of the book, but even so I like to give warning.
I'm always impressed when an author can pull off a realistic and fairly accurate plot involving domestic abuse, but am even more impressed when he/she can do so from an alternate perspective. Domestic abuse involving the female abusing the male is, while rare, a very real thing. It's taboo, ugly, and rarely discussed due to differing viewpoints on the matter. Some people feel it's impossible for a woman to physically abuse a man with her bare hands, while others see clearly just how impossible of a situation it would be to fall into. A man cannot defend himself in this position, and if children are involved the matter is further complicated. This is the avenue of discovery we embark on following [b:A Suitable Lie|29501958|A Suitable Lie|Michael J. Malone|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1461082298s/29501958.jpg|49789157]. I'm not going to give away specifics, but Malone does an excellent job slowly ratcheting up the tension and level of violence, while also showing the many facets that a life of abuse holds.
"Get Out.
What if you can't? What if you are certain it will stop, despite all the evidence to the contrary. You love the person, you don't want to give up on them despite everything. You just tell yourself a suitable lie and carry on."
The characters overall were very well plotted; some were despicable, others were twisty and surprising, but most were consistently good natured. The story did a fine job of showing how, even when you think your abuse is being hidden, your loved ones can always pick up on what is wrong and are eventually drawn into the bloodbath. There is so much heart and soul behind this book; I got the feeling this is a subject the author is quite passionate about. I'm really grateful there are people willing to talk about things like this, because they matter and need to be brought to the forefront of society. Highly, HIGHLY recommended! This book is the epitome of tension and suspense; I stayed up until the wee hours of the morning just so that I could finish it all in one sitting. Extremely well written and looking forward to more from the author.
*Many thanks to Orenda Books and Michael J Malone for my copy; it was my pleasure to provide an honest review.
Date Read: 11/18/16
Pub Date: 01/01/17
5 STARS
Andy Boyd thinks he is the luckiest man alive. Widowed with a young child, after his wife dies in childbirth, he is certain that he will never again experience true love. Then he meets Anna. Feisty, fun and beautiful, she’s his perfect match, and she loves his son like he is her own. When Andy ends up in the hospital on his wedding night, he receives his first clue that Anna is not all that she seems. Desperate for that happy-ever-after, he ignores it—a dangerous mistake that could cost him everything.
The first words that come to mind when I think of this book-SHOW STOPPER. My breath was literally taken away by this fantastic tale of abuse and deceit. You might find some minor spoilers in here, but nothing that is a giveaway as it's alluded to in the book description. If you are wanting to go into this book completely blind, you may want to stop reading here. What I'm including in my review is revealed near the beginning of the book, but even so I like to give warning.
I'm always impressed when an author can pull off a realistic and fairly accurate plot involving domestic abuse, but am even more impressed when he/she can do so from an alternate perspective. Domestic abuse involving the female abusing the male is, while rare, a very real thing. It's taboo, ugly, and rarely discussed due to differing viewpoints on the matter. Some people feel it's impossible for a woman to physically abuse a man with her bare hands, while others see clearly just how impossible of a situation it would be to fall into. A man cannot defend himself in this position, and if children are involved the matter is further complicated. This is the avenue of discovery we embark on following [b:A Suitable Lie|29501958|A Suitable Lie|Michael J. Malone|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1461082298s/29501958.jpg|49789157]. I'm not going to give away specifics, but Malone does an excellent job slowly ratcheting up the tension and level of violence, while also showing the many facets that a life of abuse holds.
"Get Out.
What if you can't? What if you are certain it will stop, despite all the evidence to the contrary. You love the person, you don't want to give up on them despite everything. You just tell yourself a suitable lie and carry on."
The characters overall were very well plotted; some were despicable, others were twisty and surprising, but most were consistently good natured. The story did a fine job of showing how, even when you think your abuse is being hidden, your loved ones can always pick up on what is wrong and are eventually drawn into the bloodbath. There is so much heart and soul behind this book; I got the feeling this is a subject the author is quite passionate about. I'm really grateful there are people willing to talk about things like this, because they matter and need to be brought to the forefront of society. Highly, HIGHLY recommended! This book is the epitome of tension and suspense; I stayed up until the wee hours of the morning just so that I could finish it all in one sitting. Extremely well written and looking forward to more from the author.
*Many thanks to Orenda Books and Michael J Malone for my copy; it was my pleasure to provide an honest review.