BETWEEN THE LIES LOUISE TICKLE
HARDBACK PUBLISHED BY CINTO Press 19TH OCTOBER 2023
WHEN IT COMES TO FAMILIES IS ANYONE A RELIABLE WITNESS?
Cherry Magraw can never forget the date her mother and brother were killed the night of her ninth birthday. When her father was jailed for their murders, she lost everything she loved.
Twenty years later, Cherry is a freelance journalist investigating domestic abuse and the secret world of family courts, when she gets a letter from her father still in prison for the killings which contains a startling request.
From that point on, her past becomes entangled with work, dismantling everything Cherry thought she knew about her family tragedy and plugging her into a dangerous game of cat and mouse.
Will her history cloud her judgement about another desperate family? And how far will she go to save someone else’s children?
MY REVIEW
I love reading novels, that have a court case theme to it. I know this debut fiction story by Louise Tickle, will touch every woman who has suffered domestic abuse, with their husband, or witnessing their father being abusive to their mother. I especially found this story hit a nerve with me, as my mother suffered domestic violence from my father, with the case going to court, where he regularly breached the No-molestation order, just like in this novel.
I felt deeply saddened for Cherry Magraw, with her father killing her mother and her brother. I became hooked into the story as Cherry’s father sends her a letter, he wants to see her. I wondered why does he want to see his daughter, and will Cherry go and see him in prison.
Cherry a freelance journalist investigating in domestic abuse and the secret world of family courts, she writes about domes situations in the courtrooms and fully understands the fear of going to court, representing yourself if someone couldn’t afford a lawyer.
Cherry Magraw has a request from Kathie who is scared of her husband and abusive behaviour she needs help as her husband has served a court application for shared custody of her two children. In the witness box, Kathie reveals what her abusive husband has put her and her children through, as he has breached the non-molestation order, with entering their home and threatened her. Ed, Kathie’s husband denies he came into the house. In Court Cherry speaks up that Kathie phoned her when her husband got into their house, breaking the rules of the injunction to stay away. Unfortunately Cherry finds herself in a very difficult situation herself after speaking up.
The question is who is telling the truth? Is Kathie telling the whole truth, that her husband is controlling, abusive, blaming her for things. Or is Ed simply lying telling the court, that he didn’t do the things test his wife is stating? I was taken by surprised that there’s so much more in this novel than I anticipated.
I personally think this page-turning novel would be a perfect book for any book clubs to talk about.
And I have to recommend Between The Lies by Louise Tickle, to all readers and bloggers, because it’s one of those novels that’s very tense, and being very difficult to put down.
I would like to thank read media for sending me a proof copy to read and review.
About author Louise Tickle
Louise Tickle is an award-winning journalist and broadcaster who specialises in reporting on domestic abuse, family courts and child protection. Between the Lies is her first novel.
https://www.twitter.com/louisetickle
Bookread2day 
Wow, this sound like a very complex book dealing with some very difficult situations. Thank you for your insightful review and I’m sorry that you were able to understand the characters situations from first hand experience. x
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