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heyanci's review
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.25
I received a complimentary audiobook from RB Media and all opinions expressed are mine.
Firstly Vince is such a loser oh mayn if I ever married such a man I would have made a huge mistake.
It all began at a senior picnic in 1999 with two classmates dying and the only witnesses Scarlett and Pepper lied to the cops. But dead men tell some tales and twenty years later Pepper’s daughter shows up with questions about the accident and news about her mother’s death. All the characters in this story were messy and the wickedness of human beings well I enjoyed the read it was filled with vile characters. It’s a perfect read for fans of messy thrillers. I absolutely loved the narrator's-they kept me engaged and I just loved them.
Firstly Vince is such a loser oh mayn if I ever married such a man I would have made a huge mistake.
It all began at a senior picnic in 1999 with two classmates dying and the only witnesses Scarlett and Pepper lied to the cops. But dead men tell some tales and twenty years later Pepper’s daughter shows up with questions about the accident and news about her mother’s death. All the characters in this story were messy and the wickedness of human beings well I enjoyed the read it was filled with vile characters. It’s a perfect read for fans of messy thrillers. I absolutely loved the narrator's-they kept me engaged and I just loved them.
jessys_reading_era's review
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Definitely a must read or listen! I listened to the audiobook of A Lovely Lie narrated Hillary Huber. I definitely enjoyed the audiobook! It made for a fast and intriguing read. The narrator did a great job grabbing your attention! This book had dual timelines between when one main character was in high school and current. Along with another time line with a different character that went between past conversations with her mom and current. At times with the narration, I became confused not hearing a clear difference between characters and had to piece together who's POV I was listening too. Overall, this book had a great plot and was engaging! I would highly recommend this book!
Quick Summary: Scarlett and Pepper were best friends in high school. One night during their senior year was a terrible accident, that they lied to the police about. After that night Pepper left town, never returning, and never having contact with Scarlett again. Scarlett moved on with her life, got married, had a kid, and forgot all about the accident until Zoey shows up. Scarlett comes to find out that Zoey is Peppers daughter and she was on a mission. Who is telling the truth? Who is lying?
Quick Summary: Scarlett and Pepper were best friends in high school. One night during their senior year was a terrible accident, that they lied to the police about. After that night Pepper left town, never returning, and never having contact with Scarlett again. Scarlett moved on with her life, got married, had a kid, and forgot all about the accident until Zoey shows up. Scarlett comes to find out that Zoey is Peppers daughter and she was on a mission. Who is telling the truth? Who is lying?
stellyshadows's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
We follow 2 timelines, the night of the senior picnic and the investigation and twenty years later where secrets come to the surface from that fateful senior time. There was a car accident back in the past and there’s so much to unfold between the lies that surface through this book. This is very juicy with tension throughout Scarlett and her family and even with all the lies and secrets from the past. Zoey shows up who is Pepper’s daughter who nobody knew about and now wants answers from her mother’s past. very good storytelling and there’s so many twists and turns I love it! It’s so entertaining.
katiml's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-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
2.75
danubooks's review
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-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
4.0
A lie from their past continues to haunt them
On what should have been a night of fun and celebration after their high school graduation in a Florida town, the class of 1999’s Senior Picnic at a local fair is instead marred by tragedy. Two classmates, Julian and Chloe, are dead as a result of what is ruled a tragic car accident. Chloe was by all accounts very drunk, and Julian was in the wrong place at the wrong time. But it wasn’t really that simple. Pepper, head cheerleader and the most popular girl, and her best friend Scarlett were involved somehow but successfully hid that information from the authorities. Pepper persuaded Scarlett to leave the scene, to not call the authorities, and to stick to the story she created. Pepper left town immediately after, and cut off all communication with those she left behind….her ex-boyfriend Vince, Vince’s best friend (and boyfriend of Chloe) Chris, and of course Scarlett. Pepper left with another secret, one that only Scarlett knew….she was pregnant, and planned on having an abortion once she arrived in NY to attend NYU and pursue her dream of becoming a successful actress. In the years since she left, Scarlett and Vince married and have a son, Luke, who is Scarlett’s world. Their marriage is rocky, begun due to the unplanned pregnancy and plagued by VInce’s infidelities. Vince never truly got over Pepper, and Scarlett is only too accustomed to coming in second behind her former friend. Vince and Chris remain close friends and share a successful business. A bombshell arrives in their life out of the blue…..Zoey, Pepper’s daughter, arrives in town with the news that Pepper is dead and that she is in search of her birth father whose identity Pepper concealed from her. Given Zoey’s age, everyone assumes that Vince is her father, but they don’t volunteer that information given the ramifications such news will bring. But Zoey, a budding investigative journalist, is determined to discover the mystery surrounding her mother’s departure from Florida….and doesn’t care whose long hidden secrets she exposes in the process.
In a thriller which blends the worst of high school drama with the damage that secrets held can wreak on the present, A Lovely Lie is a page-turner full of twists. The reader knows from the first chapter that Pepper and Scarlett have made a decision to hide a secret with a lie, but it turns out that there are other secrets and other lies that this group of friends and classmates possess. Scarlett has found herself in a less-than-perfect marriage, in a job she doesn’t love, but with a son who makes everything else possible. Vince is easy to dislike on many levels, and getting to know him better doesn’t improve one’s opinion of him. Zoe shares her mother’s single mindedness, and runs roughshod over those who seek to keep her in the dark….but she, and the other characters, discover that sometimes it is better to live with a “lovely lie” than to have to deal with the ugly truth. Readers of Megan Lally, Stacy Willingham and Christina MacDonaly will find this fast-paced mystery a worthy read. Many thanks to NetGalley and Penzler Publishers/Scarlet for allowing me early access to this well-plotted read,
On what should have been a night of fun and celebration after their high school graduation in a Florida town, the class of 1999’s Senior Picnic at a local fair is instead marred by tragedy. Two classmates, Julian and Chloe, are dead as a result of what is ruled a tragic car accident. Chloe was by all accounts very drunk, and Julian was in the wrong place at the wrong time. But it wasn’t really that simple. Pepper, head cheerleader and the most popular girl, and her best friend Scarlett were involved somehow but successfully hid that information from the authorities. Pepper persuaded Scarlett to leave the scene, to not call the authorities, and to stick to the story she created. Pepper left town immediately after, and cut off all communication with those she left behind….her ex-boyfriend Vince, Vince’s best friend (and boyfriend of Chloe) Chris, and of course Scarlett. Pepper left with another secret, one that only Scarlett knew….she was pregnant, and planned on having an abortion once she arrived in NY to attend NYU and pursue her dream of becoming a successful actress. In the years since she left, Scarlett and Vince married and have a son, Luke, who is Scarlett’s world. Their marriage is rocky, begun due to the unplanned pregnancy and plagued by VInce’s infidelities. Vince never truly got over Pepper, and Scarlett is only too accustomed to coming in second behind her former friend. Vince and Chris remain close friends and share a successful business. A bombshell arrives in their life out of the blue…..Zoey, Pepper’s daughter, arrives in town with the news that Pepper is dead and that she is in search of her birth father whose identity Pepper concealed from her. Given Zoey’s age, everyone assumes that Vince is her father, but they don’t volunteer that information given the ramifications such news will bring. But Zoey, a budding investigative journalist, is determined to discover the mystery surrounding her mother’s departure from Florida….and doesn’t care whose long hidden secrets she exposes in the process.
In a thriller which blends the worst of high school drama with the damage that secrets held can wreak on the present, A Lovely Lie is a page-turner full of twists. The reader knows from the first chapter that Pepper and Scarlett have made a decision to hide a secret with a lie, but it turns out that there are other secrets and other lies that this group of friends and classmates possess. Scarlett has found herself in a less-than-perfect marriage, in a job she doesn’t love, but with a son who makes everything else possible. Vince is easy to dislike on many levels, and getting to know him better doesn’t improve one’s opinion of him. Zoe shares her mother’s single mindedness, and runs roughshod over those who seek to keep her in the dark….but she, and the other characters, discover that sometimes it is better to live with a “lovely lie” than to have to deal with the ugly truth. Readers of Megan Lally, Stacy Willingham and Christina MacDonaly will find this fast-paced mystery a worthy read. Many thanks to NetGalley and Penzler Publishers/Scarlet for allowing me early access to this well-plotted read,
bibliosteph's review against another edition
dark
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
2.0
shannonmimi94's review
1999, best friends turn enemies, two deaths, a mystery, and 22 years later…
Jaime Lynn Hendricks newest novel, A Lovely Lie. I listened to this novel and while the story jumps back in time from 1999 to present day, and switches characters - the author and narrator do a great job to keep the story cohesive and not confusing.
I enjoyed the characters and while they were slightly whiny and stuck in highschool, I think that added to the suspense of the story. This story will keep you guessing until the end.
Thank you to NetGalley, ScarletSuspense, and Highbridge Audio for this book in exchange for my honest review.
Jaime Lynn Hendricks newest novel, A Lovely Lie. I listened to this novel and while the story jumps back in time from 1999 to present day, and switches characters - the author and narrator do a great job to keep the story cohesive and not confusing.
I enjoyed the characters and while they were slightly whiny and stuck in highschool, I think that added to the suspense of the story. This story will keep you guessing until the end.
Thank you to NetGalley, ScarletSuspense, and Highbridge Audio for this book in exchange for my honest review.