Robert Gold

This picks up more or less immediately after the end of Gold’s previous novel, Twelve Secrets, and once again focuses on Ben Harper as he tries to unravel a new set of mysteries. The novel opens with him walking back to his home in the riverside suburb of Haddley, when he notices a fire in the old community centre in the grounds of the local parish church.

Ever the reporter, he rushes to investigate, and realises that someone is trapped in the building. He manages to release them, but before he can check that they are unhurt they rush off into the night. This sets in motion a bizarre investigation that will involve the police, and rake over events from long in the past.

Robert Gold catches the atmosphere of the small, close-knit community in which several people have dark and old secrets very adeptly. The story switches between first person narrative from Ben, and third person accounts following a variety of protagonists. This is a well-plotted and entertaining novel.… (més)

More than twenty years ago, Ben Harper’s life was ripped apart when his fourteen year old brother was one of two schoolboys brutally murdered by two girls of the same age. The girls had shown no remorse throughout their trial, and had been convicted and imprisoned. Just over ten years ago they had been released with new identities, and under strict injunctions never to revisit the small town in the close hinterland of London in which they had grown up, and where the killings had taken place.

Ben still lives in what had been the family home, and commutes into London when necessary for his work. He is now an investigative journalist working for a leading news website, and is asked by his editor if he will consider writing a piece about what had happened as another anniversary linked to the crime approaches. Initially (and understandably) reluctant, Ben is gradually convinced, especially in the light of a related news story suddenly breaking.

The plot is a bit of a whirlwind ride, with new twists constantly arising, and the field of suspects frequently shifting. Robert Gold catches the feel (almost claustrophobic at times) of a small town very capably, and his characters are all finely drawn. I was initially reluctant to embark on this book, being wary about the hype it seemed to have provoked, but I think that all the plaudits are definitely deserved.… (més)

This features journalist Ben, who is pressured by his editor to write a story about the tenth anniversary of his mother's supposed suicide, which in turn occurred ten years after his brother and a friend were brutally murdered by two teenage girls.

This was an unpleasant book - most of the women were being exploited/groomed/raped/controlled by the men in their lives. It was also quite complicated and confusing since every single person in it seemed to have been at school with or given up for adoption by or played rugby with every other character. Madeline for example was linked to absolutely everything and every one. I never understood why the girls didn't just reveal the involvement of the third party at their trial. I didn't really warm to Ben, and Dani was possibly the least realistic fictional police officer I have encountered for a while.… (més)

"In a small town everyone has something to hide". Never more true than in the small town of Haddley where everybody seems to know everybody else's business. When I read Twelve Secrets last year I was pleased to note that it was going to be the first in a series to feature journalist, Ben Harper. Eleven Liars is the second book and I really hope there are going to be more.

The book begins with a fire in a derelict community centre in church grounds. Ben is first on the scene and helps somebody to escape and it seems that's the end of it…until a skeleton is found. After that, secrets are unearthed in Haddley at a rapid rate.

I found this to be a really compelling crime novel. With Ben being a journalist, you can't exactly call it a police procedural, but his sidekick from the first book plays another big role and she is PC Dani Cash, so we're able to see things from Ben's investigative journalist's perspective as well as from within the police force. Whilst some of what happens links back to Twelve Secrets, everything was explained in sufficient detail for me to remember it and get totally stuck into Eleven Liars.

I liked how so much of the story was interlinked but it only came to light as developments were made in the investigation into the fire. As the story progressed there were loads of twists and turns, none of which I saw coming, and I found it to be a really well-plotted book with fairly short chapters that kept my interest.

I think Eleven Liars is my favourite of the books so far. The plot is intricate and I loved being immersed in it and trying to work out what was happening and who the culprits were (because this story doesn't begin and end with just the fire at the community centre). There are some really interesting characters (a particular favourite was Pamela) and going by the end of the book, a return visit to Haddley is definitely needed as one character in particular is hiding something! I have my fingers firmly crossed.… (més)