There Will Be Lies

Shelby lives an extremely sheltered life. Living with her mum in a small town in Arizona, she is home schooled and has zero interaction with people of her own age, or people of any age for that matter. Her routine is shattered, however, when she is hit by a car and has to go to hospital with a broken leg. Suddenly her life is thrown into utter turmoil.

Her usually timid, quiet mother becomes completely erratic and slightly threatening as she insists they flee their home and go on the run. Shelby, knowing no one else in the world, has to comply. The further they get the stranger things become and even sleeping holds no respite, as her dreams become vivid and haunting. Shelby soon realises her mother is hiding a secret, something that will tear her world apart.

This intriguing thriller is split between the 'real life' Shelby who is dealing with an unnerving upheaval in her life and 'dreaming' Shelby, who, every time she falls asleep, finds herself in an ancient, magical place called the Dreaming, where she must complete a quest or die trying. The settings beautifully complement each other and highlight the trauma the girl is facing.

Lake's writing is excellent, creating a well thought out plot that is both exciting and unpredictable. The characters are intriguing as none can be classed as completely good or completely evil, despite their actions and Shelby is a fantastic protagonist who refuses to let her disability hold her back from anything. A first-rate thriller.