Kindle
$3.99
Available instantly
Audible Logo Audiobook
$0.00
with membership trial
Paperback
$12.99
Kindle Price: $3.99

Save $9.00 (69%)

Promotions apply when you purchase

These promotions will be applied to this item:

Some promotions may be combined; others are not eligible to be combined with other offers. For details, please see the Terms & Conditions associated with these promotions.

Audiobook Price: $21.83

Save: $14.34 (66%)

Read with our free app
You've subscribed to ! We will preorder your items within 24 hours of when they become available. When new books are released, we'll charge your default payment method for the lowest price available during the pre-order period.
Update your device or payment method, cancel individual pre-orders or your subscription at
Your Memberships & Subscriptions

Buy for others

Give as a gift or purchase for a team or group.
Learn more

Buying and sending eBooks to others

  1. Select quantity
  2. Buy and send eBooks
  3. Recipients can read on any device

These ebooks can only be redeemed by recipients in the US. Redemption links and eBooks cannot be resold.
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Amazon book clubs early access
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Amazon book clubs early access

Join or create book clubs

Choose books together

Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Explore Amazon Book Clubs

Follow the author

Barbara Copperthwaite
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

The Darkest Lies: A gripping psychological thriller with a shocking twist Kindle Edition

by Barbara Copperthwaite (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars 8,051 ratings
See all formats and editions
‘My heart and guts were gripped and squeezed so tight I had trouble reading!…This broke my heart into so many pieces…I was left speechless by the flawless narration and the harrowing emotions that rushed through me until the very end.’ Chocolate and Waffles, 5 stars

A mother desperate for the truth. A daughter hiding a terrible secret.

Melanie Oak appeared to have the perfect life. Married to her childhood sweetheart, Jacob, the couple live with their beautiful, loving, teenage daughter, Beth, in a pretty village.

Nothing can shake her happiness - until the day that Beth goes missing and is discovered beaten almost to the point of death, her broken body lying in a freezing creek on the marshes near their home.

Consumed with grief, Melanie is determined to find her daughter’s attacker. Someone in the village must have seen something. Why won’t they talk?

As Melanie tries to piece together what happened to Beth, she discovers that her innocent teenager has been harbouring some dark secrets of her own. The truth may lie closer to home and put Melanie’s life in terrible danger…

A completely gripping psychological thriller with a twist you won’t see coming. Fans of The Girl on the Train, The Sister and Before I Let You In will be captivated.

What readers are saying about The Darkest Lies:

‘A darkly addictive and creepy page turner that had me on the edge of my seat…the last few chapters were breathtakingly shocking with developments I hadn’t been expecting and the final pages were absolutely brilliant, leaving me with goosebumps!’ My Chestnut Reading Tree, 5 stars

‘Compelling, claustrophobic and horribly believable – a great read!’ B.A. Paris, author of Behind Closed Doors and The Breakdown

‘It grips you by the throat and doesn't let go. A tense, edge-of-your-seat, nail-biting ride’ Robert Bryndza, author of The Girl in the Ice and Last Breath

‘Vividly written and absolutely gripping. I couldn't put it down!’ The Genre Reader, 5 stars

‘There are plenty of twists and turns that will keep you guessing, leading all the way to a jaw-dropping ending that left me spinning.’ Novel Deelights, 5 stars

‘Gripping and shocking. Had me completely enthralled in the action…a story that got under my skin.’ Rachel’s Random Reads, 5 stars

‘A dark, compelling and unforgettable read that had me hooked. The final paragraph haunted me, long after I had finished reading.’ Brew and Books Review, 5 stars

‘Addictive, Thrilling, Captivating! I could not put this book down, it captures your interest from the very first page until the very last.’ Book Reviews by Nicole, 5 stars

‘It really did make for some very emotional reading...There was a twist which totally rocked me.’ By The Letter Book Reviews, 4 stars

‘Plenty of red herrings and twists…If you like psychological thrillers, you’ll love it.’ Consumer reviewer, 5 stars
Previous page
  1. Print length
    404 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publication date
    May 12, 2017
  5. File size
    989 KB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  9. See all details
Next page
Add a debit or credit card to save time when you check out
Convenient and secure with 2 clicks. Add your card

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B06XY3JNP8
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Bookouture (May 12, 2017)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 12, 2017
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 989 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 404 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars 8,051 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Barbara Copperthwaite

Barbara Copperthwaite

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Barbara is the Amazon, Kobo and USA Today bestselling author of psychological thrillers INVISIBLE, FLOWERS FOR THE DEAD, THE DARKEST LIES, HER LAST SECRET, THE PERFECT FRIEND, and THE GIRL IN THE MISSING POSTER is out on February 23, 2021 - but is available for preorder now!

Her writing career started in journalism, writing for national newspapers and magazines. During a career spanning over twenty years Barbara interviewed the real victims of crime - and also those who have carried those crimes out. She is fascinated by creating realistic, complex characters, and taking them apart before the readers' eyes in order to discover just how much it takes to push a person over a line.

Her first book, Invisible, was ‘totally gripping, and scarily believable’ according to Bella magazine.

Flowers For The Dead was the Sunday Mirror’s Choice Read, beating Lee Child’s latest offering. ‘Will have you looking over your shoulder and under your bed... Original, gripping, with a deep psychological impact,’ their review read.

The Darkest Lies came next, published by Bookouture, and became a USA Today bestseller. The follow-up, Her Last Secret, hit the Number 1 spot on Kobo. The Perfect Friend became a No 1 Amazon best seller.

In an electrifying change of genre, she also write historical fiction as Barbara Havelocke. Estella's Revenge is out now.

When not writing feverishly at her home in Birmingham, Barbara is often found walking her two dogs, Scamp and Buddy, or hiding behind a camera to take wildlife photographs.

Customer reviews

4 out of 5 stars
4 out of 5
8,051 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars An enthralling read!
Reviewed in the United States on April 1, 2019
Verified Purchase
From the very beginning this book had me hooked and at the edge of my seat. As the story progresses it doesn't fail to keep you hooked. I think it lives up to it's name. I loved all the twist and turns to the very end. The way the story is written you could connect to the characters. I could feel the hurt and frustration they were going through. I would recommend this book. Its among one of my top book club reads.
Helpful
 Report
ARDT
4.0 out of 5 stars WOW!
Reviewed in the United States on June 29, 2017
Verified Purchase
This is the first book I read by Barbara Copperthwaite. After reading several Amazon reviews I was hoping this would really be the jaw-dropping suspense that is sounded like. After the last sentence I literally said, "WOW!".

I gave The Darkest Lies 4 Stars, rather than 5 Stars. I am not a huge fan of books that do the "three weeks prior" thing. The author did a very nice job of it though. It really did help in the telling of a story from a different point of view. So I applaud Copperthwaite.

A few reviewers did mention that once you think the book has ended, party of the story has just begun. I think my Kindle showed it right at about 80% of the way through. I thought something was missing. I was relieved the story continued. It pretty much went in the direction I expected, but it was a neat &tidy finish.

I know the title says, "shocking twist", but for me it wasn't. It was a suspenseful book. It was well written. It was hard to put down. But, I was not shocked or even surprised. I still enjoyed it though. I think if you like a good suspense this is worth reading.
3 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Mamasanity
3.0 out of 5 stars A bit lengthy, slangy
Reviewed in the United States on June 8, 2017
Verified Purchase
To write a book targeted beyond Britain, it is CRITICAL that you do not use British slang. In the USA, we do not speak British English. Even the slang from a neighboring state can be indecipherable. I understand the point you are trying to make by using local slang, but there are better ways to make that point. After all how effective is the point you are trying to make if people do not understand you?

Lengthy. It is not necessary to fill up pages with extra words. Instead of filling pages with information on a character's mental status, you can add another crime or two?. Very effective book for those battling insomnia!
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Dianna Rose
5.0 out of 5 stars Seeking the truth...
Reviewed in the United States on June 14, 2017
Verified Purchase
This story takes place in a little town in Lincolnshire. The main characters in the story is the Oaks' family. There is Melanie, the mother; Jacob, the father; Beth, the daughter; and Wiggins, the family fur baby. This is a very loving family and everything is going along just fine until, Beth, the 13 year old daughter, goes missing. The police are trying to find Beth but meet with negative results.

Meantime, everyone in the town is looking for Beth. One of the town's people, David, does find Beth laying in the marshes by the sea. She is brought to the hospital, and the doctors find a hematoma on her brain. Beth is unconscious and is not able to tell anyone what happened to her. The doctors do brain surgery on her to relieve the hematoma and stop any bleeding. The doctors put her in an induced coma to allow her to heal. She is also on a ventilator to breathe for her and has a feeding tube to provide her with nourishment. Beth's parents are just beside themselves with grief.

Beth's mother, Melanie, feels the police are not doing enough to find the culprit that put her daughter in this condition, so she decides to take matters into her own hands and do her own investigation.

Melanie runs into an old classmate, Glenn, who recently moved back to his old home town, and tells her he would like to help her investigate. Melanie is not in a good state mind to take on this investigation because she has become a complete basket case. She starts meeting Glenn at the local pub and starts drinking way too much. She interviews several of the town's people and keeps hitting a block wall. No one seems to know anything or seen anything, which Melanie feels that everyone is lying to her. She goes around accusing people without any proof and ends up making several enemies.

She goes to Beth's BFF, Chloe, and talks to her and her mother, but both claim they knew nothing. Melanie does not accept this because she knows when you have a BFF, you share secrets with one another and feels Chloe is holding something back. Beth had told her mother that she was going to spend the night at Chloe's house and would see her mother the next day but when Melanie confronted Chloe, Chloe knew nothing about it.

Melanie happens to be reading the local newspaper when she sees an article about a young girl, about Beth's age, that had been murdered and raped several months ago, and the killer still has not been caught yet. Melanie decides to do a little snooping as she is having doubts about one of her friends. That is all I am going to say as I don't want to spoil it for anyone. There is a surprise ending that no one will be expecting.

Dianna,
Prescott, AZ.
3 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Clarita Bhat
4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting and Thrilling
Reviewed in the United States on July 28, 2017
Verified Purchase
The Darkest Lies proves to be as advertised: True psychological thriller! Moves slowly at first and it took me a few dozen pages to get interested in the story but at the end it delivered and I thoroughly enjoyed the story. Very unusual as the main character speaks to he speaks in the first person addressing her absent daughter. The ending was thrilling but the villain predictable. Stay with the book; it will engross you!
Helpful
 Report
Fran
5.0 out of 5 stars I highly recommend this book
Reviewed in the United States on February 7, 2018
Verified Purchase
This book touched me on so many levels. I am an avid reader of thrillers. I can tell within the first few pages whether this is going to be one to remember or one I will not finish. The Darkest Lies, grabbed me right off. The further I read the more I wanted. For any woman who has ever lived the tragedy the character in this book did will wonder how this author knows what she is feeling. Mrs. Copperthwaite, I have seen this agony first hand and it tore my heart out to read it. I could not put this book down, it was so gripping. IF you want to read a true psychological thriller, I highly recommend this book. It will absolutely rip your heart out.
Sincerely, Fran
Helpful
 Report
J&B Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars Good read.
Reviewed in the United States on May 18, 2017
Verified Purchase
Really well written psychological thriller. I actually found myself wiping tears from my eyes towards the end and that's not usual for me. The characters were mostly believable and when Beth's attacker was revealed I was quite surprised. The final twist wasn't quite as shocking as is advertised and Beth's mom's amateur detective work began to grate on me which is why I gave the book 4 stars instead of 5.

Still it was a good read and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys this genre.
8 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
Dee
5.0 out of 5 stars Loved This Book
Reviewed in Canada on October 24, 2017
Verified Purchase
Let me just start by saying that this book had two things going for it. The first - an intriguing and well developed mystery that ends on a satisfying note. The second - an emotional storyline that is raw and heartbreaking. Expect to shed some tears. The author is a brilliant writer and story teller. Her characters come to life. Definitely recommend!
Report
Helen
5.0 out of 5 stars I loved this book!
Reviewed in Italy on June 22, 2017
Verified Purchase
I absolutely loved this book! Written in first person, from the mother's point of view, but as if she's talking to her daughter, it gripped me right from the start and kept the tension going right to the end.
The nightmare begins when Melanie and Jacob Oak's daughter, Beth, is found badly beaten in the marsh near their home. With Beth in hospital, Melanie is obsessed with finding her daughter's attacker, convinced it is someone from the village. But she becomes a nervous wreck, goaded into accusing almost everyone, determined to find out what secrets they're hiding. As she stumbles from one dead end to another, her relationship with Jacob teeters on the brink of falling apart. Here there is just one small incident that doesn't ring true, in particular because there is a police officer involved. But it is a minor flaw in an otherwise excellent story.
This story is full of twists, just when you think you've worked it out, the author cleverly adds another element that makes you change your mind. The story appears to be over at about 80% of the way through, then the last 20% takes you on a roller coaster ride that will leave you breathless.
Beautifully written, it is a book that will haunt you long after you have finished reading it. I will definitely be reading more by this author.
Report
Sheryn Partington
5.0 out of 5 stars Worthy of 20 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Reviewed in Australia on February 2, 2023
Verified Purchase
There are some difficult emotions and actions covered in this psychological thriller despair accusations guilt innocence. Sometimes the truth can get twisted. Blurred. Manipulated. Lines get crossed. Things once seen as black and white may start to appear grayer. It may seem harder to recognize what’s true or what’s false. What’s light and what’s dark?
Report
Deeps
5.0 out of 5 stars Gripping!
Reviewed in India on May 26, 2018
Verified Purchase
Loved the book. But halfway through you can guess 'who dun it!' As there are 2 stunning twists, it all balances out. Read it in one sitting!
Report
Linda
5.0 out of 5 stars An easy five stare
Reviewed in Germany on December 23, 2017
Verified Purchase
The Darkest Lies is a convincing portrayal of a mother's grief, frustration and helplessness when her daughter disappears. Twists abound - just when you think you have it sussed out, everything changes. Then when you think it's nearly over, you realise it's not... A cracking read.
Report
Report an issue

Does this item contain inappropriate content?
Report
Do you believe that this item violates a copyright?
Report
Does this item contain quality or formatting issues?
Report