Gilly Macmillan: Yet another cracking British thriller writer

One can never have enough British thriller writers in one's reading diet and Gilly Macmillan is another I discovered recently. Macmillan studied Art History and was formerly a photographer before becoming a writer. She is now the author of eight thriller novels, including a detective series. I found Macmillan in my Kobo library subscription and have read three of her novels so far. Give them a go as I think Macmillan is a clever and accomplished writer who manages to unsettle the reader with her intelligent approach to the genre.

Update: Since writing this post, I've read another Macmillan thriller, the first in her detective series. Read my review here.

The long weekend | Published March 2022 | Read December 2022

The long weekend is full of dark atmosphere. Three women arrive at the isolated Dark Fell Barn for a couples' retreat ahead of their husbands. There's no-nonsense ex-Army officer, Jane, new mother and doctor, Ruth, who is struggling to cope and is drinking too much, and Emily, the youngest of the women and newly married to a (much older) and man in the friendship group. Missing is Edie, the focal point of the circle of friends until her husband's recent sudden death.

There's no phone service and the weather is closing in when the women start to realise that their husbands are not going to show up. They discover a menacing note from Edie delivered by the barn owners that suggests she has killed one of their husbands. This sets off a chain of events that makes for a cracking thriller.

There are multiple perspectives in the novel and a lot happens to misdirect the reader after the note is found. None of the women in the group is particularly likeable but Macmillan's gift of characterisation is apparent. I was still invested in the outcome, I loved the group of complex players, and I didn't guess what was going on. The ending is slightly bonkers but still low on the bonkers-scale compared with other thriller authors I've read. The long weekend is a dark tale of obsession and the frailties of human beings, cast against the backdrop of friendships, secrets and lies, and a moody, atmospheric setting. I rather enjoyed the ride!

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

To tell you the truth | Published June 2020 | Read December 2022

We meet Lucy Harper in To tell you the truth. She's a successful mystery author, finishing up the final pages of the latest book in her popular detective series. Lucy is married to Dan, who manages her career. He's needy and resentful of her success as his writing career has gone nowhere. He's a class A jerk! At the start of the book we find out that he's taken Lucy's book earnings and without her consent has bought her childhood home and coerced Lucy to move in.

Lucy doesn't want live in her former home as she's forced to relive the past trauma of the disappearance of her little brother, Teddy, who vanished without a trace over thirty years ago. Lucy was questioned by the police at the time and suspicion has always fallen to her as she was the only witness. The adults around her were sure she was telling tall tales and knew what had happened to Teddy.

After an argument one night, Dan storms out and doesn't return. Lucy finds herself once again the suspect in a crime as the police think she has something to do with Dan going missing. The book explores Lucy's recollections of Teddy's disappearance and the current mess she finds herself in, all the while dealing with her fragile mental health. Both stories make for captivating reading. I found myself pondering Lucy's role in both disappearances all the way through.

To tell you the truth is a classic unreliable narrator story. I quite like books framed in this way as they make the reader question what is going on and draw their own conclusions. This literary device can turn an ordinary story into a clever and complex one.

In all three novels I have read by Macmillan, her writing talents transform basic premises into intelligently crafted stories. She has the ability to reveal just enough detail to hint at solving the mysteries but not enough to actually allow you to work it all out.

Macmillan is also strong on characterisation and a lot relies on Lucy's intriguing character in To tell you the truth. Lucy clearly has a vivid imagination and I felt sympathy for her situation. Conversely, she often comes across as secretive and untrustworthy and I wasn't sure if I could rely her version of events, or her sanity for that matter.

I've seen other reviewers criticise the ending when we find out where Dan fits into everything. The Big Reveal is surprising and unexpected. I didn't think the book fell apart at the end, as others have said. I thought the ending was quite clever, actually.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The nanny | Published May 2019 | Read December 2022

I loved The nanny! I have to marvel at Macmillan's consummate skill as a thriller writer and her ability to craft complex, stories with intricate characterisation. She's clearly a clever person as her books are intelligent and she manages to expertly pull the rug out from under the reader every time!

The nanny of the book title is Hannah, Jocelyn's much-loved childhood carer who left without a trace in the summer of 1988, leaving Jocelyn devastated at the loss. Her already distant relationship with her mother, Virginia, with whom she had never connected emotionally, was made worse by the loss of her beloved nanny. Jocelyn eventually leaves Lake Hall, her crumbling aristocratic family estate, and makes a new life in California.

Over 30 years later, Jocelyn-now-Jo returns to Lake Hall with her 10-year-old daughter, Ruby, after her husband dies in a car accident. Jo is forced to confront her troubled relationship with her mother and the need to rely on her for financial support. To make matters worse, Ruby is charmed by her grandmother.

Human remains are discovered on the estate that plunge the family back to the time when Hannah disappeared. A woman then turns up at Lake Hall claiming to be Nanny Hannah, throwing everything into disarray, causing Jo to question her memories and her trust in her mother.

The nanny is completely bonkers but in a super smart, evil genius kind of way. There are sociopathic characters everywhere. The reader is forced to question everything and everyone. Who is lying? Who is the real evil one here?

My only niggle was that Jocelyn’s naivete was a bit frustrating at times and she seemed completely clueless. I was still rooting for her, though, and it is revealed later in the book why her memories may have been unreliable.

Macmillan serves up a creepy, unsettling and clever story in The nanny, totally sending out gothic vibes. There's an unknown narrator, too, who adds another layer of intrigue. The book is completely addictive!

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐