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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

9.  Discuss Romy’s decision not to take action in response to the anonymous letter she received accusing her husband of sexual assault – was it wrong?

10.  It is only through talking and opening up that Grace begins to seek recovery and Michael begins to find some sense of peace for his sins. What message do you think Boyd is giving here?

11.  Does such an act as Michael’s warrant forgiveness? If so, do you find yourself forgiving Michael by the end of the novel?

12.  How does Romy’s character develop throughout the novel? Is Romy’s character one you found relatable or empowering?

13.  ‘Just as ripples spread out when a single pebble is dropped into water, the actions of individuals can have far-reaching effects.’ Dalai Lama. Having now read The Lie, what does this epigraph used at the beginning of the book mean to you?

14.  What do you think happens after the novel ends? Will Romy and Finch’s relationship last? Will Grace accept Romy into her life? Will Michael’s family be able to forgive him?

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Coming 2021: The Affair by Hilary Boyd. Read on for an extract.

Available August 2022

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I

Sara sat on the bed, slowly pressing out a message on her phone, then deleting it, trying again: Sorry, won’t be able to make it tonight. Had a problem last minute. Finally, she decided the text would do, but had no idea how best to sign off. Not a kiss, certainly. Not love. ‘Best wishes’? ‘Best’? She didn’t want to upset him, but she didn’t owe him anything, either. Just as she made the decision to leave nothing except her name, her mobile sprang to life.

She jumped and took a deep breath as she clicked on the call, heard Peggy, her younger daughter, say, ‘Hi, Mum. You busy?’

‘Umm, sort of. I was supposed to be going out in five minutes … on this bloody date.’ She gave theatrical emphasis to the last word, and heard a sharp intake of breath.

‘Wow! Is this the radiologist guy? Oh, my God, Mum, that’s so exciting.’ Then there was a pause. ‘Wait, what do you mean was? He hasn’t dumped out, has he?’

‘No. But I was about to.’ Sara heard Peggy give a small sigh and became immediately defensive. ‘I’m just not sure I can face some random man across the table when he’s no doubt expecting me to flirt. Not sure I know how to any more.’ Which was the understatement of the decade. She not only didn’t know how to flirt, the whole idea of kissing some strange male mouth filled her with horror. She had needed this shove from her two daughters to get this far.