Debut novel available as paperback or ebook
The Whisperings of Lizzie Betts - a psychological thriller
At 30 years old, Elizabeth Betts decides that she needs a friend – a loyal one this time.
When she meets Eve at an evening class, she believes she has found one.
But can Eve help her to cast out the lingering shadows of the past?
More importantly, will the dark whispers that control Elizabeth allow her to hold on to her friend this time?
Take a time-hopping journey in a story of disturbing events and twisting secrets, which gradually unfold to reveal the shocking truth about Elizabeth’s life.
The Whisperings of Lizzie Betts is a haunting debut that lingers like a half-remembered dream—quietly unsettling, tenderly wrought, and steeped in the ache of memory. Lesley Hill crafts a time-hopping narrative that slips between past and present, revealing the fragile architecture of friendship, trauma, and self-preservation.
Elizabeth Betts, at thirty, is searching not just for companionship but for absolution. When she meets Eve at an evening class, hope flickers—but so do the shadows. The novel’s strength lies in its slow reveal: disturbing events and twisting secrets unfold with a delicate hand, each whisper drawing us closer to the truth Elizabeth has buried deep.
Hill’s prose is understated yet evocative, capturing the emotional dissonance of a woman caught between longing and fear. The psychological tension is palpable, but never overwrought—this is a story that trusts its readers to listen closely, to feel the tremors beneath the surface.
As a debut, it’s remarkably assured. As a story, it’s quietly devastating. The Whisperings of Lizzie Betts doesn’t shout—it murmurs, and its echoes stay with you long after the final page.
Leanne - Early Reader NetGalley
‘Not your average thriller! A page turner that keeps you guessing until the last page- a wonderful sense of place and time- superbly drawn characters- you’ll devour it in one sitting…’
Natalie Lorkins
‘A beautiful, haunting and thought-provoking tale of a woman determined to banish her demons and find the true friend she’s always yearned for. A must read.’
Natasha Boydell
The Hearing Voices Network website helped me to understand how Lizzie may have felt back in the 1980s. It also helped me to understand the attitudes towards those who hear voices. Visit hearing-voices.org to find out more about their work in raising awareness, challenging negativity and supporting their members.
FAST FEEDBACK available as paperback or ebook
Thought-provoking, honest and funny, Fast Feedback weaves educational theories and practical advice into an engaging story centred on real-life practice.
reduce teacher workload and improve pupil outcomes
During my teaching career I have felt rewarded beyond measure, but I have also felt totally, utterly exhausted. My hope for this book is that it will support you in your own efforts to reduce teacher exhaustion and to help children become truly effective learners.
I have written it as a story, which lays bare our mistakes and celebrates our successes, as I didn’t want it to be just another ‘how to’ book. I truly wanted it to be a realistic way to consider theory and practice so I kept the story light and honest. Hopefully you’ll be entertained too!
Having said that, it wouldn’t be of any use without Gemma’s fact files throughout, which expand on the educational theories and pedagogies drawn upon in the story. Thank you so much again my brilliant co-author, Gemma Whitby!
About me
I have enjoyed a few careers over the years, including stints as an interior designer and as a vintage dealer. The longest time was spent in education where, as a teacher and leader, I was able to satisfy my need to write through the publication of professional articles and the non-fiction book, Fast Feedback, which was shortlisted for the Teach Primary Awards. However, creating and telling a good story has always been my love, and taking early retirement from teaching has given me the time to properly follow that passion and to write fiction. The Whisperings of Lizzie Betts is my first novel. But not my last!
Want to get in touch?
Drop me a line at lesleyhillauthor@outlook.com