I didn't kill her. Trust me…
When Amy Blahn was murdered on a London office rooftop, Layla Mahoney was there. She held Amy as she died. But all she can say when police arrest her is that ‘It was Michael. Find Michael and you’ll find out everything you need to know.’
The problem is, the police can’t find Michael – there is no evidence that he exists. And time is running out before they have to either charge Layla with Amy’s murder, or let her go.
As a lawyer, Layla knows that she has only forty-eight hours to convince police to investigate the man she knows only as ‘Michael’ instead of her. But the more she attempts to control her interviews with police, the more the truth leaks out – and how much of that truth can Layla risk being exposed?
All I Said Was True by Imran Mahmood is out in paperback today and there's double cause for celebration because it's been longlisted for the Theakstons Crime Novel of the Year! I loved this book when I read it last year and so it's my pleasure to share my review again, and to congratulate Imran and wish him very happy publication day.
There are times when I discover a book that drives home just why I love reading, and I knew within a few pages that All I Said Was True would come into that category. It's a novel that demands to be savoured, the truth hidden under layers and amongst the twists and turns of the chapters entitled 'Then' and 'Now' but what an absolute treat it is.
At the start of the book, Layla Mahoney is being read her rights; she isn't an immediately sympathetic character and her cool, rather abrasive demeanour meant I wondered whether I would be able to relate to her as a protagonist. It's undeniably true that her actions throughout the novel ensure she isn't the easiest person to warm to; I was confused and frustrated by her behaviour but she is such a compelling character. I begrudged the times when I had to stop reading because I was so desperate to know the truth – about Amy Blahn's murder, the secrets Layla's husband, Russell was keeping, whether Layla was of sound mind and who the mysterious, apparently ever-present Michael really was.
With so many questions needing to be answered, All I Said Was True could have felt bloated by the serpentine nature of its plot but while it is undoubtedly a complex read, it never feels as if a single word is wasted. The writing is, quite simply, outstanding, with prose that is so vividly descriptive, I felt as if I was alongside Layla. Few of the characters are particularly likeable although her straight-talking lawyer, Peter comes across well and yet I became completely invested in what was currently happening and what occurred in the 'Then' chapters that led to Layla's current and clearly worsening predicament.
Layla is the epitome of an unreliable narrator and so beautifully brought to life that no matter how exasperated or suspicious I became of her, I found her utterly fascinating. There are constant doubts raised about her state of mind, both as a consequence of her words and actions, and due to her internalised worries. She is often portrayed as confused and erratic but remains determined to stick to the path she has chosen to take, no matter how risky that strategy appears to be.
Such a puzzling mystery positively invites its readers to imagine all sorts of scenarios to explain what happened on the rooftop where Amy Blahn was killed but there are so many twists, misdirections, secrets and distractions in All I Said Was True, I accepted I wasn't ever going to fully figure out the truth and instead allowed myself to become immersed in the intricate storyline. I loved this book; with its labyrinthine, intelligent plot, pitch-perfect characterisation and a rich sense of place that brings London to life, I have no hesitation in describing All I Said Was True as one of my reads of the year.
All I Said Was True is published by Bloomsbury Raven and can be purchased from the publisher's website, bookshop.org, Hive, Waterstones, Amazon or your favourite independent bookshop.
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