Trust: Suspect Everyone, Trust No One, by Lisa Sell

  Thought Provoking  Complex  Intriguing

Genre: Contemporary Fiction/Family Drama/Mystery

Trust: Suspect Everyone, Trust No One, by Lisa Sell, Author  🪢

Sarah had fond memories of six year old Tamsin as she did of all the Lawson’s, with maybe the exception of Steve. She always had a good relationship with Hayden, so a coincidental meeting with him years after leaving the family was predictably, both comfortable and easy. She had never had more than a brotherly fondness for him though, so when it developed, whilst it felt very natural, it caught both of them off-guard and the repercussions of informing Hayden’s mother of this shift in familiarity, prompted a very different response that it had from Sarah’s mother, resulting in many regrettable years of animosity. Tamsin’s absence had been devastating. She had been the little sister that Hayden adored. On top of the anguish from this devastating event, they had also had to deal with a second family tragedy and, in the intervening years, investigations into what had happened that day, hadn’t really progressed at all.

What then, would be discovered when someone comparatively untrained to carry out investigative work, but does possess the connection, drive and determination to find the answers that they have all needed for so long, insists on attempting to succeed where the Authorities have failed?

So, let me attempt to unpack my thoughts and views on this incredibly complex, thought provoking and intriguing novel. Firstly, the format of this book of many chapters (maybe not for some, but it’s the biggest I’ve read in a while) doesn’t feel daunting in any way if, like me, you’re not used to so many, because the chapters are very short, a feature that I was really comfortable with. I also really like that the Author introduces you to the main characters, their pasts, and their personal and professional lives early on. I found that knowing so much from the off, grounded the narrative well and established the protagonists who were going to be central. As I was going to be writing a review, I felt it important to make notes and am glad I did. As a story of many characters and threads really kicking off with the information relating to families pertaining to Sarah’s past, the principal intricacies came thick and fast. However, my favourite addition in the early stages, is in fact the cat’s name. It is inspired and made me smile every time he was mentioned.

I was able to identify with Sarah’s obsession with living in the past and not finding it easy to get past certain elements of her life previously to entering the lives of the Lawson’s. The constant reassurances that she craved as a response to childhood trauma were relatable. However, I would have thought that commitment would have been something that she would have craved, rather than shy away from but also understood her reluctance to not be dependent on another. I also felt frustration at her not entirely letting Hayden in on some of the things that had happened to her for fear of rejection. After keeping the full extent of the events in her past from her partner, it was surprising that she was so reluctant not to share information with Hayden, imparted by her best friend, Lily.

Sarah’s close relationship with Lily and her daughter Freya are enviable and I enjoyed their sisterly bond. The Author sets the reader up with a number of curveballs. I pride myself on usually seeing twists in stories before they occur, but every one that Lisa cleverly set up, gave me great pleasure to discover at the intended moment. In my notes, I included several incorrect assumptions and when the final, biggest plot twist was revealed, it totally blew my mind and I couldn’t believe that I hadn’t seen it. Indeed there are elements to the ending of which I am not entirely certain, but this lack of clarity on a couple of small details, takes nothing away from the impact of this intricately woven plot.

There were also some very funny moments; Lily’s itching powder revenge on Gareth and the photo-shopping of her wedding photo to ensure her mother’s expression befitted the occasion, Lily’s response to her last employee, advising him to insert a piece of office equipment somewhere very unseemly and a library protest in her younger days…I’ll leave that one there.

I enjoyed the light and shade within all the characters. Finding out the perception you have of players within a book is very different from what you surmised, and they in fact have two very different sides keeps it interesting. This narrative has that ingredient in spades.

I really looked forward to reading this novel and therefore made as much time as I could to devour it and was done within three days. If you like a mystery with many layers and a charged conclusion, then I would suggest reading Lisa’s work.