Journalist Ben Harper is on his way home when he sees the flames in the churchyard. The derelict community centre is on fire. And somebody is trapped inside.
With Ben's help the person escapes, only to flee the scene before they can be identified. Now the small town of Haddley is abuzz with rumours. Was this an accident, or arson?
Then a skeleton is found in the burnt-out foundations.
And when the identity of the victim is revealed, Ben is confronted with a crime that is terrifyingly close to home. As he uncovers a web of deceit and destruction that goes back decades, Ben quickly learns that in this small town, everybody has something to hide.
Originally from Harrogate in North Yorkshire, Robert Gold began his career as an intern at the American broadcaster CNN, based in Washington DC. He returned to Yorkshire to work for the retailer ASDA, becoming the chain’s nationwide book buyer. He now works in sales for a UK publishing company. Robert now lives in Putney and his new hometown served as the inspiration for the fictional town of Haddley in Twelve Secrets. In 2016, he co-authored three titles in James Patterson’s Bookshots series.
I really enjoyed Twelve Secrets, so jumped into this sequel immediately after. Using the same cast and location as the first book we get another mystery routed on this past except this time it is the past of main character policewoman Dani. This one didn't feel as organic as the first book, and felt disjointed at times. Still, this a constructed reality that I like, especially the way that antagonists are portrayed in such a multi facetted way.
Journalist Ben Harper is on his way home when a fire 🔥 breaks out in the church yard, the community centre is a blaze with Ben’s help the person escapes before they can be identified. Was it arson?
The town of Hadley is up in arms secrets are hidden & with the reveals that came to light were astounding,
Ben & PC Dani Cash will stop at nothing to find the truth but will it hit to close to home 🏠.
I love this series the characters continue to be engaging & both Ben & Dani work well together, I loved the backstory of Jack & Dani as in Twelve Secrets we found out about Ben’s past history this is such a stellar series looking forward to the next instalment.
Journalist Ben Harper is on his way home when he sees the flames in the churchyard. The derelict community centre is on fire. And somebody is trapped inside.
With Ben's help the person escapes, only to flee the scene before they can be identified. Now the small town of Haddley is abuzz with rumours. Was this an accident, or arson?
Then a skeleton is found in the burnt-out foundations.
And when the identity of the victim is revealed, Ben is confronted with a crime that is terrifyingly close to home. As he uncovers a web of deceit and destruction that goes back decades, Ben quickly learns that in this small town, everybody has something to hide.
My Thoughts /
We first started with Twelve Secrets, and now here we are with Eleven Liars, the second book in the series highlighting journalist, Ben Harper.
Gold has written another brilliantly crafted story, returning us back into Ben Harper's life, but this time, instead of trying to find out what happened to his mother and brother (aka - Twelve Secrets), Gold has Harper investigating a fire that started in a community centre. Who started it and why? This all seems a bit simplistic to start with but, Gold is the master of a twisted tale.
While the story in Twelve Secrets focused on Ben Harper and his family, Eleven Liars firmly focuses on PC Dani Cash and her family backstory.
Freshly promoted to Detective Constable, Dani Cash, now working with Haddley Police Station CID, has been assigned to attend (and investigate) an incident of a fire at St Stephen's church. DC Cash, together with Detective Sergeant Lesley Barnsdale, arrive at the scene to find the churchyard illuminated by emergency services and the smell of burning wood in the air. The community centre building situated at the back of the church is now a burnt-out shell.
A short time earlier - Ben Harper, taking a shortcut through the local cemetery, stumbles upon the fire and sees someone trapped inside. He manages to free them, only for the stranger to flee, leaving Ben wondering, why?
'Any idea yet as to how the fire began?' I ask. 'At this stage, it would only be speculation'. 'Could it have been started deliberately?'…
I stop and survey the burnt-out building. A metal drainpipe still clings to the wall. I point my torch down towards a cracked glass bottle lying in the blackened drain-hole cover. I pick up the empty bottle and put my nose to the rim. The lingering pine-wood smell is unmistakable. 'Turpentine', I say. 'Highly flammable'. I look up at PC Cooke. 'We need to find whoever was in the fire'.
Can DC Cash step out of the shadows of her father's former legacy?
Written in eleven Parts. Each Part beginning on a specific day. Each day separated into Chapters. The story is mostly told from Ben's perspective; but we do get chapters from Dani, both in the present and past. Gold has weaved a very complex family backstory for Dani and the further into the story you go, the more is explored and some of the revelations are a definite eye-opener.
Gold's writing reads easily, and I am enjoying the Cash\Harper interactions. Both Ben and Dani are engaging, likeable characters albeit with complex lives, and you can certainly feel sympathy for them. Cash's life in this book is far from stable and you are left wondering how that's all going to end up.
As to the fire in the church and the mystery surrounding it - it's all made clear at the end, but Gold lets us know that the issues brought up as a result are far from being settled. Yikes!! Looking forward to the next one now!!
Investigative journalist Ben Harper is back in Eleven Liars. Last year I loved Twelve Secrets and was excited to read more from this author and about these characters. I love a small town, amateur detective story, although Ben is a tad more than amateur. He is now working on a podcast about his investigation into the deaths of his brother and mother. Walking home one night he sees a fire blazing in the abandoned community centre near the church. He rushes up to see what is happening and realises that someone is inside. He manages to coax them out only for them to run away. The next day, police find human remains in the floor of the rubble. Who is it and how did they get there? Ben can smell a story.
We also see the return of PC Dani Cash who I loved in Twelve Secrets. She is about to be promoted when she finds herself in the middle of major cases. For a small town, Haddley has its share of crime! as always in a small community, everyone knows everyone else’s business. Some people here know more than they are saying, and the answers to these cases lie in that truth.
Full of not so likeable characters and plenty of twists, Eleven Liars is a complex story that weaves its way through the town and its history. Although we have many characters and threads, at no time did I find myself confused.
I already look forward to the next book… wonder what it will be… Ten ??
Thanks to Hachette Australia for sending me an advanced copy of this book to read. Publishes on March 28th.
Huge thank you to Hachette Australia for sending me a copy of this book to review.
Robert Gold is a master storyteller whose writing style has all the attributes of a brilliant book. Great characters, great plot , twists and turns, and of course unpredictable ending. His first book Twelve Secrets concentrates on Ben's story. This one concentrates on Dani's story, but is told by Ben's perspective. Its a slow reveal , that was fine for me as I never wanted it to end. It can be read as a standalone even though it has recurring characters. I gave Twelve Secrets 5 stars as well so I am hoping to see book 3 with Ben and Dani again. I loved the small town vibe, the true crime podcast and the dna profiling. Highly recommend.
I was throughly surprised when I read this book. Walked into this book was zero expectations and left feeling surprised and happy it wasn’t a flop.
You’re left starting this book thrust straight into action with Ben Harper saving a masked man from a burning building but this would open up a can of worms when a body is found cast into the foundation of a derelict building.
I’ve not read the first book but kinda wish I had so I could understand the characters and how adversity had affected them. I liked the writing style, easy to read smooth like butter and had no issues turning the pages. The plot and the way the book is laid out is easy to follow, broken down in days so it’s easier to get an understanding of time frame. I was on my toes the entire time, the information is revealed in a smart subtle way which has a lasting effect. For once the book stumped me on who was responsible for such crimes. It’s not until the end where information is revealed and it just keeps unwinding up until the last page.
Although the hardback of this book is hefty, coming in at 427 pages this book flew for me. The pages and font is bigger and spaced out so it’s easier to read and not crammed into a smaller book. I liked the plot a lot, it’s simple and developed enough that it’s not obvious but easy to follow! Highly recommend!
⭐️4.5 Stars⭐️ I loved Robert Gold’s previous book Twelve Secrets and Eleven Liars was just as exciting! It was so fast paced and I couldn’t put it down!
In the small town of Haddley we see the return of the likeable risk taker and investigative journalist Ben Harper as he stumbles across flames coming from the church community building one night whilst walking home. A person is trapped inside and Ben helps them escape but they flee the scene. The day after a skeleton is found in the burnt out ruins… how did it get there?
This crime thriller is full of twists and turns, secrets and unlikeable characters. There is so much going on in this close-knit community, it was so exciting! This is a superb mystery series, I was hooked! Looking forward to the next book in 2024 which will be titled TEN SECONDS.
Publication Date 28 March 2023 Publisher Hachette Australia (Imprint Sphere)
Thank you so much Hachette Australia for a copy of the book.
Eleven Liars is a superbly written thriller. It’s the second book in the Journalist Ben Harper series. You don’t really have to read TWELVE SECRETS to appreciate this one, but I would strongly recommend it so you have an idea of the characters and relationships. Gold has meticulously plotted a book that has it all, mystery, and deliciously placed twist and turns, that reveal a complex web of years-old secrets and tangled lies. Gold throws you straight into the action and the plot develops at a startling pace from then on in.
The book opens with a fire in a derelict community centre, a skeleton found in the burnt-out foundations, and someone trapped. And that’s just for starters. It appears the most of the townsfolk have something to hide. Like any small town, it’s abuzz with rumours. Was this an accident, or arson? Who was the person who escaped the fire? What were they doing there? Ben alongside PC Dani Cash, investigates the case. Between them, they peel back the layers of the case, uncovering a web of deceit that’s uncomfortably close to home.
The town has a plethora of flawed characters, some more likeable than others, some more trustworthy than others. The strength of this book is how many of the townspeople appear suspicious, so you're never sure who to trust. There are multiple storylines that weave through this book, and although they appear unrelated, Gold slowly but surely skilfully brings them together. But not before he misdirects the reader at every opportunity. With short, snappy chapters, and a tightly woven story, ELEVEN LIARS is an absolutely solid crime fiction novel which made for cracking read.
Making his way home one evening, investigative journalist Ben Harper spots a fire. The decrepit community centre on church grounds has gone up in flames, and someone is trapped inside.
It takes some coaxing on Ben's part, but this person eventually flees, not before making sure that they're unidentified. Was it an accident or arson? Either way, the very next day, the corpse of a woman is unearthed from beneath the structure...
Newly minted DC Dani Cash is brought in to work on the case. Just when she just begins to make headway, she's called in to meet her supervisor. New evidence points to a conflict of interest, something that hits a bit too close to home. Will Dani be allowed to continue with the investigation?
Meanwhile, the locals of Haddley are grabbing the police's attention. The resident pastor isn't the trusting soul that he makes out to be, and an elderly pensioner, haunted by the past, is maintaining a deep, dark secret of her own.
Also happening is the one year anniversary since Dani's husband, DS Mat Moore, was left paralysed after an armed robbery went wrong. With Mat returning to work and a reconstruction planned, can Dani remain by his side as he deals with all the repressed trauma or rush into Ben's arms? (I know which scenario I prefer, BTW 😉)
How can you solve this puzzling case when everyone, including those long passed, has been constantly lying for years? Everything is connected. It's just a matter of working out how or who...
Twelve Secrets was great. Eleven Liars was even better. We've delved into Ben's past, and now it's time for Dani's turn - and how messed up it is. Still, getting to know her father, decorated officer Jack Cash, made for an interesting experience. Maybe he isn't the idol that Dani made him out to be...
Previously, I made a prediction. I'm happy to report that my Spidey senses were bang on. (Insert cheering here). Bring on Ten Seconds!! I certainly hope that we get to meet Sam again - he's such a cracker!
The plot was really well developed and I liked the way that the story had been told.
The pace for the plot was good and there were a fair few twists and unexpected things that popped up too and I was pleased that the author managed to bring everything all together at the end and wrapped up any loose ends as there were a few different plot lines in play.
I thought that the characters were well developed, some I liked, some I didn’t and I think its things like that which make the story more of a real read as I certainly don’t like everyone I meet in real like. The pace for the story was spot on as well and I read it over two evenings.
It is 5 stars from me for this one, a well developed plot with plenty going on to keep me hooked and entertained – very highly recommended, I really enjoyed it
4+ Ben si trova coinvolto in un nuovo caso , legato questa volta a Dani . Sarà difficile separare le verità dalle menzogne , in una storia in cui nessuno è come appare .
È stata una lettura veloce e piacevole,non ho fatto fatica a seguire i vari personaggi e scoprire piano piano i loro segreti. Per quanto riguarda Ben penso che non sia stato solo di contorno,si è dato da fare a scoprire e cercare indagare e alla fine trovare la verità. Una cosa che è mancata a mio avviso è stata la parte investigativa che in questo caso secondo me doveva essere di più presenza e invece è stata solo un accenno. Come se i fatti successi non fossero poi così rilevanti per loro..🤔 Pamela fin da subito mi ha incuriosita perché era molto ambigua non voleva essere al centro dell’attenzione e nascondeva qualcosa.. eccome se lo nascondeva!! Penso che questo libro sia di passaggio per poi aprire realmente la storia successiva sul coinvolgimento della Freeman sull’aggressione di Mat e avercela tanto con il padre di Dani e la droga con i Baxter…. Per il complesso a me è piaciuto e non vedo l’ora di leggere il seguito…
Voto ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
i thriller mi rilassano. Lo so, è una cosa strana da dire, ma d'estate, col caldo asfissiante, li trovo quasi confortanti. ⠀ Ma non è per questo che ho adorato Gli undici inganni. L'ho adorato perché secondo me Robert Gold è un ottimo autore di thriller. ⠀ Dopo I dodici segreti torniamo ad Haddley e stavolta il nostro Ben si troverà alle prese con un incendio che svela un cadavere. Voi direte, beh, triste, ma purtroppo capita. Sì, se non fosse che suddetto cadavere è in tale stato da anni e non a causa dell'incendio. ⠀ Come per il libro precedente, mi è piaciuto che anche qui siamo nel territorio del thriller psicologico, dove ogni personaggio ha segreti, rancori, nemici e amici. Ancora una volta la verità è sepolta sotto il silenzio e la si disotterra a poco a poco. ⠀ Alcune cose me le aspettavo, altre decisamente no, ma in entrambi i casi Gold è stato bravo a incastrarmi nella sua narrazione. Questo è il suo secondo romanzo ma ne leggerei altri mille scritti da lui!
ELEVEN LIARS is a great follow up to the first book in this series, Twelve Secrets. This book continued a lot of the plot points from the first book that weren’t really explained and really explained them and a lot of things added up. There were a lot of new characters with big secrets and it was really interesting reading about them all and how all their secrets connected.
I loved reading about some of the returning characters such as Ben and Dani, both of them equally intriguing and fascinating to read about. I won’t say too much about the plot as I don’t want to spoil, but unlike the first book which dived into Ben’s life and the secrets hiding, this book focused on Dani and her life and things that happened in her past and I loved that. This ended on a cliffhanger and ended quite abruptly so it’s definitely open to a third book in the series and I can not wait to continue this series!
Thank you so much to Netgalley and Little Brown Book group for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
C’è talento, una trama imprevedibile, mistero, adrenalina, personaggi equilibrati e intelligenti, ritmo serrato e un numero imprecisato di colpi di scena.
Se Robert Gold è un autore d’oro (che gioco di parole pessimo, lo so), e ha saputo conquistare il mondo con un esordio pazzesco, ha saputo, cosa ancor più difficile, riconfermarsi tale con questo secondo volume che eguaglia, in tutto e per tutto, “I dodici segreti”.
Misteri, pericoli, passato e presente, si fondo in pagine ricche di colpi di scena, indagini, enigmi e segreti racchiusi tra le vie di una piccola cittadina in cui tutti si conoscono, tutti spiano e tutti tacciono dietro le imposte di case che osservano silenziose lo scorrere del tempo.
Se poi è la vita di Dani a traballare dopo ciò che emerge a seguito dell’incendio del centro ricreativo abbandonato, può toccare solo a Ben Harper fare ordine e aiutare l’agente di polizia che l’ha affiancato nel mistero relativo al massacro della sua famiglia.
I didn't love this as much as Twelve Secrets. The characters were well developed and the plot was interesting and twisty, but a bit slow in parts. Still a good thriller, I'd say, but more putdownable than the cover review claims.
Simply awful. Got 50 pages into this and then got a life. The inside cover shows a photo of the author - he looks like an android - unsurprisingly he writes like one too. This is the AI future right here. The Irish Independent is quoted saying Harlan Coben is an influence and it's headed for Netflix. Presumably these are meant to be good things. In my experience it means that something is pants. This is not worth even picking up. Be warned.
Wow ! This book wasn’t just simply a good read it was absolutely brilliant. I read and loved the first book in this series, so when I saw there was a second book due out I jumped at the chance to read it. A brilliant read with plenty of twists and turns. I loved it.
This book is book 2 in the series, although you could read this as a standalone. BUT it has been left wide open for another, and this one does talk about the previous story so would recommend reading as a series. I really enjoyed this book - just like I did the first. There is plenty going on, and it very fast paced so keeps you going throughout. My only fault, which could be personal to me but ..... Each chapter is told from a different person point of view, but it's not immediately obvious who's point of view you are reading, and I found I didn't know until 3-4 pages into each chapter. Because there are so many people in the book that is mentioned, it meant I was wracking my brains trying to work out who it was, which spoilt it for me. About half way through, it changed and most of the story was from Ben's point of view, and that's when it all changed for me. I then found it much easier to read and absolutely flew through the rest of the book. I wish each chapter was clearly labelled as to who the chapter was about and who's viewpoint it was. Other than that, a great read and I would highly recommend - looking forward to the next one.
This series continues with Ben Harper and this time the story of PC Dani and her father as well as her husband who has been injured at work and is now paralysed
This follows Dani and her pursuit of the truth to her early days and why her dad was so motivated to find the drug dealers who always escaped his clutches. This led to him resigning from the force and his eventual demise. Lots going on and loads of storylines that all intertwine and also set up for more books and more background stories
I still cannot believe Robert Gold is a novice writer. This second novel did not fail to captivate me once more.
I see a few other reviewers weren’t happy about the many characters and called it “convoluted”. I beg to differ. The multiple characters and threads to this story, simply showed me a clever, thoughtful and insightful author. I was able to gel with pretty much all the differing protagonists and can see the wealth of human behaviours- good, bad, ugly and utterly tragic- the writer manages to convey with clarity and nuance.
Bravo Robert Gold 👏🏽. Another gripping murder mystery of the modern era. Your own melancholic story further endeared me to your storytelling.
I look forward wholeheartedly to your third offering. 📚
This is a complex thriller which is a follow up book to an earlier one which I had not read. However despite knowing slightly less about the back story of one of the main characters, it did not matter. Investigative journalist, Ben Harper, is on his way home from work one evening when he decides to take a short cut around the back of the church. As he goes past he sees there is a fire in the disused community centre and then someone in the building! Determined to rescue the unknown person he goes in but the person runs out and disappears. As the police investigate the fire long buried human remains are discovered which turn out to have a major significance for Ben’s friend, Dani Cash who is a policewoman who has helped Ben on a previous case. Whilst helping Dani to look into the case, Ben discovers some long buried secrets which a number of local Haddley residents have reason to hope will never see the light of day. I liked the slow build up of the plot with a number of strands which are gradually brought together. There is definitely a theme of parents and children and the untruths a parent will tell their child in order to protect their innocence and give them a happy childhood. Haddley seems like a pleasant place to live but there is a lot beneath the surface which reveals it to be a rather unsavoury place, particularly with a view to substance abuse and drug dealing. Even the local vicar has something to hide! This was an enjoyable read with likeable protagonists and I will certainly look out for the previous book in the series as well as any further books n the future. Thanks to NetGalley and Little Brown for m’y advance copy.
Secondo libro, dell'apprezzato autore Robert Gold che ha scritto I dodici segreti libro che lessi alla sua uscita che apprezzai molto. Qui Gold applica la stessa formula narrativa (stessi persomaggi,suspense, ritmo serrato e tanti colpi di scena)personalmente mi è piaciuto un po' meno del primo, forse un pelo meno ispirato ma nonostante tutto un bel libro ricco e scritto molto bene e non fa percepire il già visto del primo libro, tutto è perfettamente incastrato e funziona. Si può leggere senza l'obbligo di aver letto I dodici segreti.
There was some repetition in this book where it’s repeating the events that occurred in the first book, which is good if you need a refresher or if you plan to read this book as a stand-alone (which you definitely could!). I enjoyed this book a lot more than the first instalment of the series - the pace of this one was so much better and I like how each chapter ends on a mini cliffhanger because it makes you want to read on more. I couldn’t put this book down - I had to know what had happened!
I also like how this book is written a lot more than the first - it doesn’t waste time with unnecessary details, it just gets straight to the point. This book is exactly what I wanted the first one to deliver.
There were so many parts of this book that had me shocked at the twists but there were other parts where I did guess what had happened.
I love the characters within this series, especially Dani and Pamela. They are definitely my favourites thus far. I really liked the character development throughout this book.
I love how there were eleven parts to this book, which relates back to the title Eleven Liars.
The ending had me heartbroken and crying but I really liked the ending and felt like it sets the scene nicely for the third book (which I need immediately!).
⚠️ TWs: profanity, abduction, alcohol use, death, murder, drug use, suicide, attempted murder, drug dealing, stabbing, arson, rape, blood; mentions grief, cheating, burns, needles and fatphobic comment ⚠️
I love thrillers set in small towns/villages and this had all the usual and wonderful ingredients. Ordinary people going about their business with deadly secrets, hidden relationships, gossip and secret back stabbing, it was fab. I suppose you don't really have to read the first book to appreciate this one but I would strongly recommend it to have an idea of the usual characters and relationships. It was fast paced with short punchy chapters and apart from the mystery itself which played out nicely I really liked how realistic all the relationship dynamics felt between the characters and the way they interacted with each other