Where the Truth Lies: A Novel

"Debut novelist Bailey takes a familiar setup—a teenage girl mysteriously disappears during a party in the woods—and turns it into a suspenseful whodunit told in vivid, sensory prose. . . . Bailey successfully renders character archetypes (hypocritical pastor, abusive veteran father, beaten wife, outcast immigrant) in three-dimensional nuance. . . . The simmering tension keeps the pages turning in this slow burn of a story." —Publishers Weekly"[A] stunning suspense novel—perfect for fans of Megan Miranda and Celeste Ng." —Library Journal"A nuanced thriller that will haunt you long after you race through its pages. . . . A novel you'll be itching for your friends to read, just so you can discuss it." —Grazia"Anna Bailey's debut is irresistible, a compelling and nuanced psychological thriller suffused with small town prejudice and dark family secrets." —Paula Hawkins, bestselling author of The Girl on the Train and Into the Water"This is a striking first novel, a chilling insight into an oppressive world, where bad thoughts and bad deeds ripple just below the surface, out of sight." —The Guardian"Eerie. . . . Cleverly written, Anna Bailey's debut shines a light on the darker and more oppressive side of small-town society. Exploring strong themes including abuse and religion, the novel has an almost Gothic feel." —The Independent"A superb tale set in a spooky castle." —The Sunday Times"Both menacing and haunting, it is a compelling and atmospheric debut." —Daily Mail"This is a striking first novel, a chilling insight into an oppressive world, where bad thoughts and bad deeds ripple just below the surface, out of sight." —The Observer"One of the most exciting debuts of the year." —OK! Magazine"Vividly captures a simmering atmosphere of suspicion and repression." —Irish Independent"Beautifully written and very moving, this is an assured debut." —The Guardian"Where the Truth Lies is as brutal, as bittersweet, as tender and as tense as first love itself." — Emma Flint, author of Little Deaths"With Where the Truth Lies, Anna Bailey bursts onto the scene with a wonderfully haunting debut. Small-town intrigue, exquisitely drawn." —Jane Harper, author of The Dry and The Lost Man"An intricate and compelling thriller, beautifully nuanced and wonderfully claustrophobic. Brilliant." —SJ Watson, author of Before I Go to Sleep"Creepy and atmospheric . . . conjuring up the darkness of Twin Peaks and Gillian Flynn's Sharp Objects, you'll almost certainly be sleeping with the light on." —Stylist"An elegant, mesmerizing debut—Anna Bailey explores festering secrets and family trauma with a sharp, yet tender gaze. This book reads like a whisper in the dark." —Danya Kukafka, author of Girl in Snow "Where the Truth Lies is as atmospheric as it gets. Anna writes beautifully and it was so refreshing to experience a different voice—a stunning debut that delivers on every level.  Reminded me of Jane Harper's The Dry." —Renee Knight, author of Disclaimer"Chilling and compulsive. Where the Truth Lies is a dazzling debut." —Kate Hamer, author of The Girl in the Red Coat  "Simmering resentments and long-held prejudices boil over in this beautifully realised evocation of small-town America. In Anna Bailey's deft hands, brutal events are drawn so tenderly that your heart will break. I loved it." —Kate Riordan, author of The Heatwave"A terrific debut about guilt, secrets and complex family dynamics. The writing is vivid & assured: Anna Bailey is definitely one to watch." —Lucy Atkins, author of Magpie Lane"Brilliant! Could not put it down. It’s utterly gripping and beautifully written." —Katie Fforde, author of A Springtime Affair"Where the Truth Lies brilliantly conjures up the oppressive claustrophobia of the small town and I felt so strongly about some of the characters that I had to check the ending to make sure they were ok! Extremely well written . . . fantastic." —Harriet Tyce, author of Blood Orange"Smart and compassionate, full of poetry and rage and shy hopes and shredded dreams and missing girls and family secrets and the dark, shameful underbelly of small town life." —Tammy Cohen, author of Stop at Nothing"Gripping and so beautifully written Tall Bones is spellbinding; dark and menacing, but also so full of love and hope. I loved it. I cried." —Cressida McLaughlin, author of The Cornish Cream Tea Summer"A clever, twisting debut, about the dark side of small town America. It is packed with secrets like firecrackers ready to ignite." —Francine Toon, author of Pine"[Where the Truth Lies] is a claustrophobic and distressing, but its portrait of a small-town intrigue is scarily credibly. . . . vividly realised."  —Val McDermid