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ekclar's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Vomit, Blood, Violence, Murder, Kidnapping, and Eating disorder
Moderate: Child abuse and Sexual assault
eslby's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
danabat_'s review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
dkdahl's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
mince's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
kbranfield's review against another edition
4.0
Trust Me When I Lie by Benjamin Stevenson is a chilling mystery that is quite suspenseful.
True crime producer Jack Quick revisits the murder conviction of vineyard owner Curtis Wade for his debut television documentary. He sifts through the questionable evidence that led to the conviction and begins to believe Curtis was wrongly convicted. Just as Jack is wrapping up edits, he makes a surprising discovery and he makes a fateful choice that could come back to haunt him. The documentary leads to Curtis's conviction being overturned and he is released from prison. A shocking murder leaves Jack guilt-ridden and questioning his actions that led to Wade being set free. With growing certainty that he made a terrible mistake, Jack begins investigating both murders in hopes of unmasking the killer.
Jack is a deeply flawed character who is determined to right a possible wrong. He is not always truthful with himself or those around him but he genuinely wants to uncover the truth. The first thing Jack needs to find out is whether or not one person is responsible for both murders or if he dealing with a copycat killer. So he sets off for the small town where the original murder occurred. The townspeople band together and try to get rid of him but Jack refuses to leave. He remains deeply troubled by the decision he made during edits of Wade's documentary but Jack knows he has to follow wherever the evidence takes him.
Jack is unable to escape the ghosts of his past during his investigation. Although both Curtis and his younger sister Lauren are surprisingly co-operative, he is frustrated by his lack of progress. He must tread lightly around his only police source as he tries to get copies of the current victim's autopsy report. Do the answers he is seeking lie within this report? Are Jack's past mistakes giving him tunnel vision as he continues to second guess himself? Realizing he is running out time, will Jack make a fateful decision that could cost him his life?
Trust Me When I Lie is a cleverly written mystery that is set in Australia. The characters are well-developed but not always easy to like. The small wine-making town where the majority of the story takes springs vibrantly to life. With stunning twists and brilliant turns, Benjamin Stevenson keeps readers on the edge of their seats as this dazzling mystery comes to an unpredictable and completely shocking conclusion. I thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend this thrilling debut to fans of the genre.
True crime producer Jack Quick revisits the murder conviction of vineyard owner Curtis Wade for his debut television documentary. He sifts through the questionable evidence that led to the conviction and begins to believe Curtis was wrongly convicted. Just as Jack is wrapping up edits, he makes a surprising discovery and he makes a fateful choice that could come back to haunt him. The documentary leads to Curtis's conviction being overturned and he is released from prison. A shocking murder leaves Jack guilt-ridden and questioning his actions that led to Wade being set free. With growing certainty that he made a terrible mistake, Jack begins investigating both murders in hopes of unmasking the killer.
Jack is a deeply flawed character who is determined to right a possible wrong. He is not always truthful with himself or those around him but he genuinely wants to uncover the truth. The first thing Jack needs to find out is whether or not one person is responsible for both murders or if he dealing with a copycat killer. So he sets off for the small town where the original murder occurred. The townspeople band together and try to get rid of him but Jack refuses to leave. He remains deeply troubled by the decision he made during edits of Wade's documentary but Jack knows he has to follow wherever the evidence takes him.
Jack is unable to escape the ghosts of his past during his investigation. Although both Curtis and his younger sister Lauren are surprisingly co-operative, he is frustrated by his lack of progress. He must tread lightly around his only police source as he tries to get copies of the current victim's autopsy report. Do the answers he is seeking lie within this report? Are Jack's past mistakes giving him tunnel vision as he continues to second guess himself? Realizing he is running out time, will Jack make a fateful decision that could cost him his life?
Trust Me When I Lie is a cleverly written mystery that is set in Australia. The characters are well-developed but not always easy to like. The small wine-making town where the majority of the story takes springs vibrantly to life. With stunning twists and brilliant turns, Benjamin Stevenson keeps readers on the edge of their seats as this dazzling mystery comes to an unpredictable and completely shocking conclusion. I thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend this thrilling debut to fans of the genre.
kialynne's review
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Benjamin Stevenson really is very good at this whole writing thing. It's odd to think of "Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone" as a light-hearted read, but when comparing, this debut novel is far darker. To me, this reads like Jane Harper - if Aaron Falk thought he was funny. No one's entirely innocent in this book, and we're not sure who's entirely guilty until the very last pages. You might guess, but you also might not care if you guess. It's a great read.
cassie_jean's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder
justanotherpageturner's review against another edition
4.0
SHE LIES IN THE VINES: an absorbing and atmospheric thriller.
Set in the Hunter Valley surrounded by vineyards and wineries, the story follows Jack Quick- a producer of true crime documentaries- and his series around the brutal murder of Eliza Davey. Just before the finale is due to air, Jack uncovers more detail around the case that throws speculation around the evidence and the verdict of a Curtis Wade who was originally sentenced, and as a result of Quick’s show is subsequent released. In the aftermath, another victim is found with many similarities to the first murder. The story follows a guilt-ridden Quick who comes under great speculation as he tries to solve the mystery.
An outstanding read, it follows a deeply-flawed protagonist through a number of twists and turns in a thought-provoking and twisted narrative. Quick is ambitious and relentless in his quest to solve the case, in a story that highlights how the media can shape and manipulate stories and influence its audience- an original premise. Stevenson has not only written an original narrative but has developed it further by adding carefully curated secondary characters that pose a mixture of both unlikeable and intriguing traits that help to develop a greater sense of mystery and suspense as the book unfolds. With its rich description and insight around the wine industry and it’s theme around what is an ever-growing popular trend of true crime, it made a compelling read that held my interest.
Thank you to Hodder and Stoughton for gifting me this copy in exchange for an honest review.
BLOG TOUR- 4.5 stars
Set in the Hunter Valley surrounded by vineyards and wineries, the story follows Jack Quick- a producer of true crime documentaries- and his series around the brutal murder of Eliza Davey. Just before the finale is due to air, Jack uncovers more detail around the case that throws speculation around the evidence and the verdict of a Curtis Wade who was originally sentenced, and as a result of Quick’s show is subsequent released. In the aftermath, another victim is found with many similarities to the first murder. The story follows a guilt-ridden Quick who comes under great speculation as he tries to solve the mystery.
An outstanding read, it follows a deeply-flawed protagonist through a number of twists and turns in a thought-provoking and twisted narrative. Quick is ambitious and relentless in his quest to solve the case, in a story that highlights how the media can shape and manipulate stories and influence its audience- an original premise. Stevenson has not only written an original narrative but has developed it further by adding carefully curated secondary characters that pose a mixture of both unlikeable and intriguing traits that help to develop a greater sense of mystery and suspense as the book unfolds. With its rich description and insight around the wine industry and it’s theme around what is an ever-growing popular trend of true crime, it made a compelling read that held my interest.
Thank you to Hodder and Stoughton for gifting me this copy in exchange for an honest review.
BLOG TOUR- 4.5 stars