EMILY BARR - THE PERFECT LIE

written & reviewed live on the bookshow by Babs Simpson 5th June 2014

WE FIRST MEET LUCY RIDDICK LIVING VERY HAPPILY IN FALMOUTH WITH BOYFRIEND SETH.  CALAMITY STRIKES ONE SUNNY AFTERNOON AT THE BEACH WHEN SETH'S LITTLE Niece STARTS CLIMBING UP THE CLIFF AND GETS STUCK A LONG WAY UP.  WITHOUT A SECOND THOUGHT LUCY RACES OFF TO RESCUE HER AND THE EVENT IS CAPTURED ON MOBILE PHONES BY MANY OTHER BEACHGOERS.  THE STORY MAKES THE NATIONAL NEWSPAPERS TO LUCY'S HORROR AND SHE REALISES SHE WILL HAVE TO VANISH - AGAIN.

FOR LUCY HAS A DREADFUL SECRET AND GRADUALLY THROUGH FLASHBACKS. WE DISCOVER THE WHOLE HORROR OF IT.

SHE GREW UP IN THE EASTEND OF LONDON WITH HER MOTHER AND YOUNGER BROTHER, FINN.  DESPITE THEIR LACK OF MONEY, THEY HAD A VERY HAPPY LIFE UNTIL THEIR MOTHER BECAME TERMINALLY ILL AND EVERYTHING BEGAN TO CHANGE IN MORE AND MORE HORRIFYING WAYS.

LUCY OR MARIANNE, AS WE LEARN HER REAL NAME IS, HAS ENDED UP AT 16, MARRIED TO A GHASTLY MAN FROM WHOM SHE MANAGES, WITH FINN'S HELP EVENTUALLY TO ESCAPE BUT SHE KNOWS HE WILL EVENTUALLY FIND HER AGAIN AND SHE HAS BEEN ON THE RUN EVER SINCE.

NOW, BECAUSE OF ALL THE PUBLICITY FOLLOWING HER RESCUE OF THE LITTLE GIRL, SHE MUST LEAVE THE HAPPINESS SHE HAS FOUND WITH SETH AND HIS FAMILY IN CORNWALL, TO DISAPPEAR ONCE AGAIN.  SHE TRAVELS TO VENICE WHERE THE STORY REACHES A TERRIFYING CLIMAX.

THIS IS A TERRIFIC BOOK - VERY EXCITING WITH A WELL WORKED OUT PLOT AND ONLY TOO BELIEVABLE CHARACTERS - BOTH NICE AND NASTY.

PLACES ARE DESCRIBED BRILLIANTLY AND ALTHOUGH I';VE NEVER BEEN TO VENICE, I COULD ALMOST SMELL IT.

ALTOGETHER AN EXCELLENT, ABSORBING & ENJOYABLE READ