A Thousand Lies by
Laura Wilson
hbk out February 06
Published by Orion
at £18.99
Amy Vaughan is clearing out her late mother’s flat when she discovers a diary, a batch of letters, and newspaper clippings that relate to an infamous murder case. In 1987, Sheila Shand was given a suspended sentence for murdering her father, Leslie. Sheila, her mother and sister had endured years of brutal sexual and physical abuse. Amy learns that she is related to the Shands and visits elderly Iris Shand who is in a care home. Iris has a collection of photos that fascinate Amy, like the diaries they paint a very different picture from that described at Sheila’s trial. Where is the truth? When Amy continues to probe into the Shands's history, she finds there is more to the murder of Leslie than the police discovered. And two skeletons are recovered from land near the family home. Who else had died and who killed them? Amy has her own demons to deal with too: her mother subjected her to abuse, deliberately making her ill to try and guilt trip Amy’s estranged father into returning. An illuminating and ultimately uplifting book though intensely dark in its portrayal of sadism and domestic violence. Wilson writes with clarity and honesty about family relationships and allows her victims dignity and humanity. Seminal stuff.
(
Cath Staincliffe
author of the popular Sal Kilkenny mysteries and the series creator of TV Blue Murder)
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A Thousand Lies by
Laura Wilson
