When Livy arrives at Jula’s flat for a lunch date, she finds her dead, as she did not answer her text the previous night and now feels guilty. Of course, her death was ruled as a suicide; however Livy cannot accept this decision, and begins to dig further to solve the mystery of her friend. She knows her friend loves life, and would never take her own life. What if she was murdered, and by whom? Could the killer be one of Livy’s friends, family or acquaintances? Eighteen years previously, Livy’s little sister Kara had been brutally murdered, and Julia had been Kara’s friend. But since then, Julia and Livy had become close – they understood each other and the devastation of the past. But Livy’s suspicions were that the same person who had killed Kara had also killed Julia. Was it possible? She had no idea who she could trust – even her husband Will had shattered her trust in him once again.

You Can Trust Me by Emma Rowley | Waterstones

Lets start with the plot. A mystery you don't see coming, a concealed assault at a party on the grounds of a big estate. Private school boys and girls who don't see them coming, date rape drugs slipped into drugs. Alana is loveable and kind of a mess, and flawed, even though she's ultimately a really good friend and strives for justice and honesty. The title is a total lie, because you can't trust anyone, least of all the main characters. I ended up hating people I loved, loving people I thought I was mean to hate. The book is clever like that. This is a psychological thriller that certainly kept me guessing, one of those books where there appears to be a plethora of suspects for the scary narrator who we know has killed before and will probably not stop until they are caught.No matter where I am in the world, you will always be in my thoughts and on my mind. You’re and you will always be The storyline revolved around Livy trying to find both her best friend’s, and her sister’s murderer, and there were plenty of suspects, from Livy’s husband, to Julia’s boyfriend, and Livy really didn’t know who she could trust. I did guess at who the murderer was at around the 71% mark, but it wasn’t confirmed until the 90% mark.

You Can Trust Me - Gina Blaxill You Can Trust Me - Gina Blaxill

But despite the ever-present reality of systemic misogyny, 'boys being boys' and the very real truth that even nice guys can be complicit in terrible things just by saying nothing, You Can Trust Me never feels preachy, or like an "issues" book (despite dealing with all of these issues sensitively and with brilliant naunce). The twists and turns pull you along right from the start- and keep you guessing all the way to end. The characters are complex and brilliantly drawn, and even the ones you're not sure you can trust will work their way into your heart (sometimes before shattering it entirely). I liked how this story was told. The alternating narrators and perspectives kept the intensity building. The pacing was intense, and the fear was palpable. There was the perfect amount of doubt woven throughout to make you question everything while still holding out hope that this ship would settle. Every good book has an ending that ties up the story whilst still making you think about the storyline. What made You Can Trust Me incredible in this respect was how the ending was haunting and sent shivers down my spine. The way that it ended was something that I never could have imagined. As mentioned above, all of the storylines tied together perfectly, and I never dared to believe that all the individual plot points were all linked together in the end! Full disclosure: Kiersten Modglin is one of my top 10 favorite authors and I’m going to love just about any book she puts out. I am a hugely biased supporter and fan!! That said, this book did not disappoint. I can always count on Kiersten for the best twists. The ambiance of this read is pitch perfect if you’re on a cruise or island vacation. I was re-living past cruises I’ve been on and picturing what the characters were experiencing. There’s a nice build of tension where you’re itching to know what is happening. I was surprised and thoroughly enjoyed the ending. With you, I’m whole and I can’t imagine my life without you in it. I promise to always treat you right and love you like you’ve never been loved before. I love you deeply.The cold, cold case of the unsolved murder of Livy's sister's sixteen years ago is woven into the current-day tragedy of Julia's death both through the clues discovered by Livy and Damian and through the creepy voice of the perpetrator who tells his own story in short chapters sprinkled throughout the book. Livy is a mother to a painful teenage daughter and toddler son who adores her. She has a good life, but still struggles to come to terms with the loss of her little sister who was murdered whilst in her first year of university. The person who so cruelly took her little sisters life was never found. Fast forward 18 years and Livy turns up to visit her best friend Julia for a lunch date. Julia doesn’t open the door and she doesn’t answer her phone. She is dead on the couch. Are the deaths connected? Is it suicide? Is Julia the friend Livy thought she was all these years? A life with you will always be an exciting lifetime full of laughter, love, and good success, and that’s a life I don’t want to live without you right by my side. I love you forever.