Buried secrets are dangerous.
Unearthing them might be deadly ...
Laurie Dunn has returned to her childhood attic bedroom and her old nightmares have come rushing back. Terrorised by a client-related mugging, her job as a criminal solicitor causes more problems than solutions.
Finn Ballentine yearns for a fresh start, but even the glossy façade of his new law firm can't protect him from the past he's running from.
After a disturbing remark by her confused father, Laurie joins forces with Finn to uncover dark truths. But the long-buried secrets they unearth are laced with danger for them both.
It's my pleasure to be sharing my review of Behind Her Smile today, many thanks to Caroline England for sending me an advance digital copy of the book.
Behind Her Smile is another addictively twisty suspense thriller from Caroline England. There's something about teeth which are inherently creepy and so the brief but unsettling prologue and recurring nightmares which we learn haunt Laurie Dunn immediately sets the scene for the dark drama that gradually unfolds here.
Laurie has recently returned to her family home following a break-up and now lives with her widowed father and her sister, Jules. Ironically, considering her phobia, they are both dentists – but it comes as no surprise to discover she hasn't followed suit and instead is a criminal solicitor. When she is suddenly awoken one night, she soon realises it isn't due to one of her nightmares but a blast of frigid air informs her something else is wrong; she finds her father sleepwalking outside but it's the words he speaks which chill her... As well as a relationship breakdown and her concerns about her dad, Laurie also has to deal with angry and potentially dangerous clients and a missing boss. Somebody is desperately searching for something important to them and following a terrifying altercation in the street, she becomes convinced that dangerous people have her in their sights.
Meanwhile, Finn Ballentine is also adjusting to his new start; he is also a solicitor but his firm is rather more prestigious and he is delighted when a wealthy woman engages his services. Laurie and Finn knew each other years ago but their first meeting after so much time apart is fraught with awkwardness. However, Finn's kindness means Laurie slowly begins to trust him and as she attempts to piece together the confusing fragments of her memory, they join forces to find out the truth about her father's past. As the novel progresses though, the sinister messages Finn receives means it becomes clear that it's not just Laurie who has a troubled history.
The chapters are told from both Laurie and Finn's perspectives which gives readers a deeper insight into their lives. Both have to learn to trust again but it's far from plain sailing as some startling revelations and deadly developments threaten more than just their blossoming relationship. In a novel packed with twists, turns and coincidences, it's more vital than ever that the characters themselves are believable and both protagonists are relatable and likeable. Laurie's interactions with her father and sister are fascinating too; she has a complex relationship with her dad while her reliance on the older, pragmatic Jules is evident throughout.
Having relocated to England from Ireland, Finn is perhaps the more enigmatic character, particularly as he is so obviously tormented by his past. However, as he begins to forge friendships with his colleagues and settles into his new life, questions are suddenly raised about who he really is and what he's capable of. The intertwined narrative which finds Finn under suspicion just as Laurie needs him most after she makes some shocking discoveries about her childhood makes for riveting reading and I tore through the pages of Behind Her Smile.
Although some of the developments here perhaps stretch credulity a little, I can forgive Caroline England because it allows her to really explore the complicated dynamics between the characters and to examine what drives them to behave as they do. The surprising, emotional conclusion is fittingly thought-provoking and underlines just how good she is at nuanced, empathetic character-driven psychological thrillers. Behind Her Smile is a gripping look at family relationships, trauma and guilt; I enjoyed it very much and thoroughly recommend it.
Behind Her Smile is published by The Bullington Press and can be purchased from their website or from Amazon, where it is also available on Kindle Unlimited.
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