Tattletale starts with a teasing two-part introduction titled 'Before' and 'After' where there's a lot of screaming going on, so I knew that this was going to be a pacey read. Indeed it was, as I rocketed through the pages filled with several amazing eyebrow raising and jaw-dropping moments.

Abe is in a coma after falling over the banister in his apartment block and the prognosis looks bleak. Did he jump or was he pushed? This is what his estranged sister, Mags, wants to find out as she returns from America where she now lives. Mags meets Abe's heartbroken girlfriend, Jody, who found him when he fell but Jody can't help Mags to piece together the events of that night. Is that can't or won't? Jody appears to be hiding something and Mags starts to get some anonymous notes so she starts to think that everything is not what it seems. Mags does a bit of digging and speaks to Abe's neighbour, Mira. Mira seems to only understand English when it suits her, so clams up when Mags asks too many questions. So now we want to know Mira is hiding and why we don't see much of her mysterious husband. Even though my brain went into overdrive, I could never have imagined the direction this book would take.

Tattletale is very dark and disturbing at times, with some very uncomfortable scenes. It twists and turns down such dark alleyways that I needed a torch to find my way back to safety. The characters each have so many facets to them that you are never sure what they are thinking or what they will do next. Although it is quite disturbing, I loved the direction the book went in as it was so very unexpected. Such a clever, absorbing story and definitely one I'd recommend but be prepared for some uncomfortable reading. As uncomfortable as it is at times, it is impossible to tear your eyes away from the page - I was completely riveted.

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion. ( )

I enjoyed the story, all the characters are flawed and I think the lack of humanity in their actions spoilt it for me a bit ( )

A review copy was provided by the publisher. ( )

The Girlfriend by Sarah Naughton is a highly recommended psychological thriller with a twisty plot. (It was published in the UK as Tattletale.)

When news reaches her of her brother's accident, Mags, a high powered lawyer living in Los Vegas, flies back to London. Abe fell from down the stairs from outside his apartment on the fourth floor of the converted church where he lives. He is now in a coma and his outlook is not good. Apparently the only witness was his neighbor and devoted girlfriend, Jody, who Mags meets at the hospital. Something about Jody is odd... off, and Mags doesn't believe that she is telling the truth or was the only witness in the building. She doesn't believe that Abe's fall was an accident or that he tried to commit suicide. Mags is sure that there is more going on than anyone is telling her and she's going to get to the bottom of it. She moves into Abe's apartment and starts investigating, beginning with his neighbors in the converted church.

Chapters alternate between characters, including Mags, Jodi, and Mira, a woman living next door to Abe who may know much more than she is willing to say. Chapters also switch to different time periods, but it is easy to follow what is happening and distinguish the past from the present. There are a lot more secrets being held than what happened to Abe, and Mags may need to uncover them while keeping her own secrets. But with all the secrets, is anyone telling the truth. More importantly, are any of these characters reliable?

It is a very well-written twisty novel of suspense and the tension increases incrementally with each new step in the plot. The Girlfriend is full of basically unreliable and, for the most part, unlikable characters, who are keeping secrets, but, after a slow start, it did hold my attention to the end. Even though during several scenes I knew where the plot was going long before Naughton headed that direction, the journey was still full of suspense.

There is an opening scene that will seem incongruous to the rest of the novel, but stick with it and it will make sense. (There are several jumps back and forth in time, although the others are placed in context more than the opening scene.) There are also a few other scenes where you may be shaking your head and mumbling something about these people being seriously messed up, and they are, but keep with it.

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Sourcebooks Landmark.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2018/03/the-girlfriend.html ( )

This was a very interesting book for me that pretty much had me from the beginning. I was a little unsure at first who was historically talking (pretty sure I had frown lines) in the background. When I figured out that it was two people, the light bulb when off and I was off to the races.

I missed it if there was any clue given as to how this was going to end. And when I did get to the end, my first thought was "well done".

This was definitely an entertaining read that kept me spellbound throughout.

Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. ( )