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Back The Lie Save as PDF
Chapters (69)
  1. Cover
  2. About the Author
  3. Dedication
  4. Epigraph
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. 50
  55. 51
  56. 52
  57. 53
  58. 54
  59. 55
  60. 56
  61. 57
  62. 58
  63. 59
  64. 60
  65. Acknowledgements
  66. Reading Group Questions
  67. Read More
  68. I
  69. THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING

I owe a large editorial debt to my three editors: Maxine Hitchcock, Clare Bowron and Tilda McDonald. Thank you so much. And thanks go to all the Michael Joseph team, including Emma Henderson, Hazel Orme and Lee Motley.

I would also like to thank my five-star agent, Jonathan Lloyd, and all at Curtis Brown.

For Finch’s military background, I would like to thank Andrew Sharpe.

For Finch’s sojourn in Argentina, I would like to thank Nick Davies.

For his help in so many ways, thank you, Don.

And Clare Boyd, without our numerous and encouraging fellow-writer conversations, I would be lost.

Reading Group Questions

1.  How do you think The Lie approaches the theme of sexual assault and the ‘Me Too’ movement that was popularized in 2017?

2.  ‘Who am I protecting? … Him or me? Am I just scared of what he might tell me?’ What do you think leads Romy to lie to Finch about the circumstances of her marriage, rather than share the accusation made about Michael? Does she feel responsible? Is she embarrassed or ashamed for marrying a potential sexual predator? Or did she really believe the accusation to be untrue?

3.  There is a contrast throughout the novel between country life in Sussex and the ‘bright lights of London’. What role does this dichotomy play in The Lie?

4.  ‘Michael [is] a senior figure in the law and I should be very careful what I [say] because my accusation could ruin his life.’ Grace’s fear to speak up about the sexual assault due to Michael’s status and the chance she may not be believed is not uncommon in real life today. Even her mother, Nell, thought Grace was lying. But did you believe her?

5.  Finch uses running as a way of managing despair and frustration, even running away to another country when things become unbearable. Similarly, Romy escapes to Sussex to get away from her toxic relationship with Michael. Is this healthy?

6.  Discuss the dilemma Romy faces in being torn between the love, duty and sympathy she feels for Michael post-stroke, and the growing disgust the accusation generates in her. Did he deserve to be cared for so selflessly by Romy? Can you ever stop caring for someone you have spent thirty years married to, even when they do terrible things?

7.  ‘In that brief flash of time, he had done something totally inconceivable, an act of violence that it was impossible for him even to contemplate owning.’ How did your beliefs of the accusation in the letter about Michael shift throughout the novel? Do you think Michael believed his own lie? How could he have acted differently, once the crime was committed?

8.  What is your opinion on Finch’s jealousy and frustration over Romy returning to Michael after his stroke? Was it warranted? What about the way he reacted to Romy after finding out about Grace’s secret – was his blame and judgement towards her fair?