A shining example of historical literary fiction… nothing less than literary pyrotechnics. Beautiful Lies is a dazzlingly elegant novel steeped in the rich detail of the period

Sentences that are so lush, so beautifully finished, that one almost wants to stroke her prose

A wonderfully observed novel which explores both the role of women and the tabloid press in Victoria's jubilee year. Completely gripping

The charm of Beautiful Lies is that Ms Clark breaks the usual Victorian moral code, exploring both the colourful world outside the drawing room and the depths of her characters’ minds. A stirring and seductive novel

A hugely entertaining and generous piece of story-telling

This is a delicious brick of a book, at the high end of historical fiction; immaculately informed, with characters you can’t forget

Clark works on a large canvas to tell her story and Beautiful Lies is rich in character, event and period detail, but it is the compelling evocation of its heroine’s predicament that stays in the memory

[A] beautifully crafted piece of Victoriana… a satisfying blend of period melodrama and psychological sharpness

Beautiful Lies is a dazzlingly elegant novel steeped in the rich detail of the period

Eleanor Update is known for originality, and this compelling new work is surely unique

The Last Minute is not like anything you will have read before, for its concept is quite unique. Eleanor Updale demonstrates a tour de force in writing with this tale... It is hard to imagine how difficult it must be to write such a book, as the elaborateness of the plot is quite exceptional.

A brilliant book for many reasons: the first being that it was really well written, the writing wasn't boring or slow and each character had a different background story and encountered one another so that there were no unnecessary and irrelevant people.

Her control of the unfolding story is superb (we know from a live news report at the start that there has been an explosion) and this highly original, absorbing book showcases the skillful versatility of the author of Johnny Swanson and the Montmorency series.

An extraordinary book that covers just one minute of many people's lives which will all intertwine and end in a catastrophic disaster...This is another exceptional book that stands out from the crowd with its individuality and brilliance and should not be missed!

I thought this book was unique...I would definitely recommend it to anyone who would like to try a different type of book...10/10!

This is, simply put, one of the most incredible books I've ever read.

Greatly executed...you can have your kids entertained for hours with this book

This is a highly accomplished first novel. Evie Wyld is not a show off writer. She has a clean, clear prose style which is exactly right in the service if her story, and the best ear for dialogue in a long time.

Wyld's debut novel dissects the misery that seeps inexorably from one generation to the next

Wyld can write very well, in a vivid descriptive style reminiscent of Tim Winton's.

Wyld's superb skills at portraying a hot, dusty landscape and her psychological insight will pull you inexorably in.

Superb assured first novel about fathers and sons. Pitch-perfect prose

A very impressive first novel. Wise and wry, it uses its Australian bush setting to great effect, Wyld's protagonists fleeing there from wars, both literal and familial. She writes great characters and makes you love them as she nails them.

This is a sad yet beautiful story of fathers and sons, their wars and the things they will never know about each other

Cleverly metafictional, humorously perverse, and impressively original