The Lies Between Us

Paperback Published on: 26/02/2026
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Synopsis

'I loved how the fiendishly complicated back story unfolded and then how everything made sense in the end – so satisfying!' Marian Keyes

‘A brilliant story about the cost of family secrets, the powerful bonds of sisterhood and how far we will go to protect the ones we love’ Edel Coffey

‘An emotional thriller that will keep readers engaged from beginning to end … triumphant’ Irish Independent

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This family lived a life before me. And now I wonder if it was what happened in that life – all those secrets – that tore this family apart . . . not me.

The warring Brown sisters. Lucy. Susannah. Tara. Each is haunted – by disgrace (Lucy), vanity (Susannah) and envy (Tara). Most of all they are haunted by secrets.

Just before a dinner at their mother’s idyllic holiday cottage, Susannah disappears. That same night a young woman is killed violently on a nearby beach.

Amid the confusion the next morning, Lucy discovers a link between Susannah and the murder victim. Lucy must summon all she knows from her short-lived policing career to figure out the connection and find her sister.

But tracking down Susannah means Lucy confronting her own shame. It also means resurrecting ghosts that Susannah, Tara – and their mother – desperately want to keep buried.

Even if Lucy finds Susannah, will the truth destroy them all?

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'Outstanding. An accomplished, clever thriller . . . the three sisters steal the show with their warring loyalties' Jane Casey

‘A marvellously twisty matryoshka doll of a crime story, with shades of Agatha Christie and Liz Nugent in the stylings’ Irish Times

‘Heart-thumping’ The Gloss

‘Jen Bray has perfectly balanced pace with heart . . . beautifully thoughtful storytelling. I loved it!’ Liv Matthews

‘A tense, layered debut about how family ties bind and break us’ Image

‘Gets its hooks into you from the first page and doesn’t let go. Tautly plotted, gripping and suspenseful’ Michelle McDonagh

‘A page-turning tale of long kept secrets and murder' Andrea Carter

‘So well plotted with characters who jump off the page . . . I was hooked from the start!’ Patricia Gibney

'Deliciously unpredictable … richly compelling’ Hot Press

‘Perfectly crafted. An engrossing, gripping, and heartbreaking crime novel’ Her.ie

‘Tense and twisty’ Sheila O’Flanagan

‘By turns gripping, pacy and emotionally satisfying – blistering’ Claire Coughlan

‘Intriguing . . . the complex relationships between the sisters are beautifully depicted’ Fiona Gartland

‘A tightly woven, twisty tale’ Kitty Murphy

‘I really enjoyed all the layers and intrigue – keeps you guessing' Clara Dillon

‘Accomplished . . . gripping’ Rosemary Hennigan'

'Three sisters and a myriad of complex, volcanic secrets! Intense, twisty and gripping. I loved it!' Vanessa O'Loughlin

‘A wonderfully woven mystery’ Amy Jordan

‘Chock full of family secrets . . . thrilling and twisty’ Catherine Kirwan

‘Beautifully plotted and written, compelling and emotional’ Vicki Notaro

‘Taut, terrific, tense . . . old wounds, secrecy and sibling relationships are tested to their limits in this twisty, unpredictable mystery’ Gill Perdue

‘After reading the first two chapters there was no putting it down . . . loved it!’ Michelle Teahan

‘Gripping’ Irish Country Magazine

‘So vivid and atmospheric … the sisters were brilliantly brilliantly written. I will be recommending it to everyone!’ Sarah Easter Collins

‘Keeps you guessing all the way.’ Rory Egan

'Full of twists and turns.’ Belfast Telegraph

‘I so enjoyed this’ Louise McSharry

'A strong debut' Sunday Independent

‘It has pace, is gripping and tense, and full of twists … superb’ Irish Farmer’s Journal

Publisher information

  • Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
  • ISBN: 9781844886913
  • Number of pages: 288
  • Dimensions: 235 x 153 x 22 mm
  • Weight: 354g
  • Languages: English

Customer Reviews

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The Lies Between Us
Pacy Thriller
Review of ‘The Lies Between Us’ by Jen Bray, due to be published on 26 February 2026 by Penguin General UK - Fig Tree, Hamish Hamilton, Viking, Penguin Lif... READ MORE
Andrea R
This reviewer received a free of charge product for review.
The Lies Between Us
Character-driven thriller
I enjoyed this well-written novel. The pace seemed slow in the beginning with the introduction of a lot of characters. The complex structure across 3 disti... READ MORE
Shirley Sinha
This reviewer received a free of charge product for review.