A psychological suspense novel of a woman trying to put a traumatic event of the past behind her. The past catches up with her and she must struggle to saver her family.

I liked it, but not as much as I liked Vowler's later book That Dark Remembered Day. ( )

Living in a remote Devon farmhouse, Anna and her family have always been close to nature, surrounded by the haunting beauty of the moor. But when a convict escapes from nearby Dartmoor prison, their isolation suddenly begins to feel more claustrophobic than free. Fearing for her children's safety, Anna's behaviour becomes increasingly irrational. But why is she so distant from her kind husband Robert, and why does she suspect something sinister of her son Paul? All teenagers have their difficult phases...

Meanwhile, a young idealistic teacher has just started her first job, determined to 'make a difference'. But when she is brutally attacked by one of her students, her version of events is doubted by even those closest to her. Struggling to deal with the terrible consequences, she does what she can to move on and start afresh.

As the two narratives converge, the tension builds to a devastating denouement, shattering everything you thought you believed about nature, nurture and the true meaning of family. www.tomvowler.co.uk

Deeply felt narrative--from all sides--is slow to start but bit by bit draws the reader into Anna's life/lives. You forget you're reading. Anna becomes an important person to you and you want things to end properly for her. This is what Melissa Harrison, author of the exquisite novel Clay, wrote about What Lies Within:

'Much more than crime fiction, What Lies Within is unique not just for its sharp psychological insights, but for the moral engine that drives the plot: a deep respect for, and anger on behalf of, women.'

A beautiful novel, literary, psychologically astute and meaningful.

8 out of 10 Recommended to readers of literary, crime and (for want of a better word) feminist fiction. ( )

Anna and Robert live a seemingly idyllic life on Dartmoor in a remote house. Anna's son Paul is at that "difficult" adolescent stage and the couple's daughter Megan has a young carefree life they had dreamed of for her.

The story begins when the local village is in a hullaballoo over an escaped prisoner from Dartmoor Jail. Robert and Anna take sensible precautions and get on with their lives. Life for Anna, a former teacher, revolves around her pottery making which she sells locally. But Anna has a secret. Paul's conception wasn't the result of a "romantic" one night stand and her past is about to come back to haunt her in the cruellest of ways.

The story is engrossing, the local life and scenery are beautifully conveyed and I found Tom Vowler's empathetic retelling of Anna's shocking past absolutely spot on. Her story is told, by turns, from the present day angle and from when she was a young teacher.

An excellent read. ( )