Tell Me No Lies: A gripping psychological thriller with a twist you won't see coming. Lisa Hall

and I can’t help but smile. It does seem quite funny when I look back on it – Bel asking me to do an interview and me rushing off to vomit. If only it hadn’t been about her.

      ‘Well, Lila sounds delightful too. It’s been a long time since I left, Steph. I’m glad you’ve found someone to look after you while I’m not there.’ Tessa’s voice is quiet now, serious, and I know she really does care about me. She worries when I’m on my own, especially after she has been through so much with me.

      ‘She is, she really is. But don’t worry – she’ll never replace you.’

      ‘As if anyone ever could.’

      With Tessa’s laughter still ringing in my ears I hang up. I feel better for speaking to her; I always do. Friends since junior school, Tessa has always been the one to look after me, hold my hand when exam anxiety hit, reassure me that Mark really did like me in those early days (despite the fact she really wasn’t keen on him), squeeze my hand and tell me I looked beautiful before following me down the aisle on my wedding day. Helping me through my darkest days, the first time everything fell apart around me, and then again years later after I had Henry and the post-natal depression hit me hard. I dial the number for Dr Bradshaw’s office and make another appointment before I can change my mind – I owe it to Tessa, and to Mark, to try my hardest to make sure it doesn’t drag me down again this time.

      I notice a white envelope peeking out from underneath the front doormat as I am pushing my arms into the sleeves of my coat, ready to go and collect Henry from school. A shiver of alarm washes over me – I have been sitting at the kitchen table following my conversation with Tessa, trying to get my article finished before the deadline that is looming over me, and I never heard anybody approach the house. This is just like the posy again, I think, before shaking myself and giving myself a virtual slap on the cheek. Don’t be silly; it’s just an envelope, a note, that’s all it is.