The Darkest Lies

A mother desperate for the truth. A daughter hiding a terrible secret.


Melanie Oak appeared to have the perfect life. Married to her childhood sweetheart, Jacob, the couple live with their beautiful, loving, teenage daughter, Beth, in a pretty village.

Nothing can shake her happiness - until the day that Beth goes missing and is discovered beaten almost to the point of death, her broken body lying in a freezing creek on the marshes near their home.

Consumed with grief, Melanie is determined to find her daughter's attacker. Someone in the village must have seen something. Why won't they talk?

As Melanie tries to piece together what happened to Beth, she discovers that her innocent teenager has been harbouring some dark secrets of her own. The truth may lie closer to home and put Melanie's life in terrible danger...

A completely gripping psychological thriller with a twist you won't see coming. Fans of The Girl on the Train, The Sister and Before I Let You In will be captivated.

What readers are saying about Barbara Copperthwaite

'Will have you looking over your shoulder and under your bed. Original, gripping, with a deep psychological impact' Sunday Mirror

'Totally gripping and scarily believably characters' Bella

'Enthralling, tense and moving' Real People

'Quietly brilliant' By the Letter Book Reviews

'Totally and utterly convincing' Postcard Reviews