From the bestselling author of The Ex and Those Other Women comes a thrilling family drama about the secrets we keep, the lies we tell and the truths that won’t stay hidden.
Jill, her three sons, their wives and children are driving in convoy on Christmas Eve. But something sinister is simmering behind their happy smiles.
Mimi is struggling with her new twins, but at least a glass of wine smooths out life’s jagged edges. Andrea’s starting to wonder if her marriage is as happy as she’d thought. Darren is reeling from a surprise request and teenager Callie has become increasingly withdrawn.
On the way to their holiday house, a terrifying car accident devastates them all. But someone unexpected was in one of the cars. No one is searching for them. And their time is running out.
Nicola Moriarty is the bestselling author of several adult novels, including Those Other Women, The Ex, and The Fifth Letter – all very popular with our readers and firm favourites here in the Better Reading office. She also hails from Australian literary royalty as the younger sister of Liane and Jaclyn Moriarty – but don’t be fooled into thinking she’s overshadowed by her sisters, Nicola has long since proven she’s more than capable of holding her own in the company of these extraordinarily talented authors.
Now Nicola returns with You Need to Know, a dark domestic drama about family secrets and lies, fractured relationships, tragic mistakes and the ultimate betrayal. And what a read this was! In our review of The Ex, I described Moriarty as a ‘masterful plotter’, and I certainly haven’t changed my mind; You Need to Know is clever, tense and jam-packed with twists and turns you won’t see coming.
Told from the perspectives of Jill, Mimi, Andrea and Darren, the novel follows each of the family members over the course of a month in the lead-up to Christmas Eve. Each of these characters is unique and fully realised, and while there’s quite a large cast of characters to follow, you never lose track of what’s happening thanks to Moriarty’s polished writing and character-work.
Dark, twisty and utterly enthralling, You Need to Know is a gripping domestic thriller with Netflix written all over it. It is yet another unputdownable read from the very talented Nicola Moriarty.
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