13 April 2023

Jacqueline Sutherland has done it again. Last year I picked up a debut novel by her, The Coffin Club, and I loved the book so much that it was my book of the month for April 2022. Here we are again, one year later and this author delivers another absolutely brilliant read. Twin Truths is a twisty psychological suspense that will keep you eagerly flipping pages from start to end. The author builds a story around secrets coming back to haunt a woman when she is about to turn fifty. Long forgotten secrets that now threaten to destroy everything that is important to her.

I love the way the author brings her characters to life. They are realistic, everyday people to whom you can easily relate. I enjoyed the details about “wild swimming” each time Belle entered the water I felt the cold creeping up my body as the author shared her experience. This author writes a laid-back suspense that feels like a slow burn, yet you find yourself racing from page to page and all too quickly you have reached the end. This is an author I would highly recommend, and I cannot wait to see what she sends our way next.

Belle is about to celebrate her fiftieth birthday and she cannot wait to have her twin girls home for the first time since they left for university. While it has only been three months, Belle cannot wait to have them all to herself. When Kit arrives with her new boyfriend in tow Belle is a little disappointed. Yet, Ivo is confident and charming and the family seem to like him. Belle senses something is not right, is she just an over-protective mother? When Ivo reveals that he knows a lot more about Belle’s past than her own family she has to find a way to protect her family. But how far will Belle go to leave the past behind her?

I loved this book. As a mother of two daughters, I understood what Belle was feeling. No one is ever good enough for your little girl, and Ivo seemed just too perfect – at first. The twists and turns in this story are brilliant, you will not be able to predict what’s coming.

I found myself loving Jess – She was a quiet, well-put-together twin. She was the calm to Kit’s storm. This young woman played second fiddle to her sister throughout the story, yet she remained relaxed and never lost control – even when she has her own secret she wanted to share with her family. Belle was haunted by her past throughout the book making her a nervous, unpredictable character and when you find out what she is hiding you understand why. Kit was nothing more than a brat! She was self-involved and managed to turn every conversation and situation around to make it about herself. She was not a pleasant child.

Morag was brilliant – I could picture this lady walking into the room with her snooty comments and little digs at Belle. She added a light touch to an otherwise deep story. I loved her – she is without a doubt my favourite character in the story.

If you enjoy a suspense story that will keep you on the edge of your seat as you race from page to page to see what is going to happen next – then I would highly recommend you add this book to your TBR. It’s a brilliant read you do not want to miss.