Review & Giveaway: Anything you do Say by Gillian McAllister

'I could run, or I could stay and call him an ambulance. Now it is decision time . . . '

It's the end of the night. You're walking home on your own.

Then you hear the sound every woman dreads. Footsteps. Behind you. Coming fast.

You're sure it's him - the man from the bar who wouldn't leave you alone.

You make a snap decision. You turn. You push. Your pursuer tumbles down the steps. He lies motionless, face-down on the floor.

Now What?

Call 999
Wait for the police to arrive. For judgement, for justice, whatever that may be. You just hope you husband, family and friends, everyone you love, will stand by you.

OR:

Run
Stay silent. You didn't mean to do it. You were scared, you panicked. And no one saw. No one will ever know. If you leave now. If you keep quiet. Forever.

Which is it to be?

Amazon Affiliate Link: Kindle

I'd like to Penguin Books for my copy of Anything you do Say which I received via NetGalley and for inviting me to be part of the blog tour.

I'm sure we would all like to think that we would do the right thing when something happens but would we?  This is the exact scenario that our main character Joanna finds herself in when an impulse reaction causes her to strike out resulting in her pushing her 'assailant' down some stairs.  Should she stay and call for help or distance herself from the scene?  This is the sliding doors concept that Gillian McAllister has written in her second book where in alternate chapters, reveal and conceal, we follow Joanna in the days, months and years after as she lives with the consequences of her actions and decision on that fateful night.

Joanna as a character was someone I really struggled to relate to, or warm to, so I have to confess I had little sympathy for her as to how things seemed to be panning out for her whilst reading. But at the same time I could also understand why she was the way she was as other than her husband Reuben, who I also had moments of doubt about, she didn't really have anyone there by her side... sure she had family and friends but they all seemed a bit superficial.

The pacing and structure of this book with the conceal/reveal chapters worked really well, and I will admit to making my own moral judgements as I was reading about the decisions she was making and the way she was treating those close to her especially her husband.  But as a reader it is so easy to be judgemental but really we don't know how we would cope if anything like this ever happened to us.  And that's what I loved so much about this book, we got to see how things developed and unravelled in both scenarios as it felt so realistic.  Overall I found this a very intense, thought provoking read that definitely makes you think and extremely grateful that it's not you having to make the decisions!

As the blog tour was running during my blogiversary celebrations Gillian's publicist Jenny has very kindly sent me a paperback copy of her debut novel Everything but the Truth (which I also have a copy of and had hoped to also review today but only half-way through reading so review will follow next month) and a proof copy of Anything you do Say, as paperback not published until January, to give away to a follower of the blog.

As with all giveaways on the blog, this one is open to existing followers of the blog as a thank you for your support.  Enter via the Rafflecopter form below, the winner will be selected at random when the giveaway ends and contacted for their postal address to post the book to them. NB. Please do not add details of this giveaway to other sites without my permission.     

a Rafflecopter giveaway All book titles in bold are Amazon UK Affiliate links which will earn me a few pence if anyone clicks through and makes a purchase - any money earned will go towards buying books or gifts for giveaways.