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theavidreaderandbibliophile's review against another edition
3.0
The Lie by C.L. Taylor is about a woman with a secret in her past and the past is about to catch up with her. Jane Hughes is living in Wales, has a job she enjoys at Green Fields Animal Shelter, and is dating William Smart. But Jane has a secret and a past that she would like to forget. Unfortunately, someone does not want to let the past stay forgotten. One day Jane gets a note and it opens up the door to the past. We go back five years to Emma Woolfe. Emma and her friends (Leanne Cooper, Al Gideon, and Daisy Hamilton) are thinking about taking a vacation to get Al over her recent breakup (especially after they had to help break up at fight at a bar). The four of them have been friends for a while, but there is some tension in the group. They decide to go to Nepal and spend time at the Ekanta Yatra retreat (can only be accessed by walking). There is more to Ekanta Yatra then meets the eye. It is not quite the retreat it was made out to be. The leader, Isaac woos the women and Daisy is infatuated with him (but jealous of the attention he pays to other women). There is soon trouble within the group. Emma believes there is something wrong at Ekanta Yatra. When Emma finds out what is really going on at this place, she is ready to leave. But leaving is not as simple as it sounds. Five years into the future and it is evident that someone knows about Jane’s (aka Emma’s) past and they are coming after her. We get to see what happened in Nepal and what the person after Jane really wants. Read The Lie to see how it plays out.
The Lie sounded like such a good thriller, but it was not as exciting as it sounded. It is a dark (crude) tale that I really did not enjoy. The book contains fighting, stalking, foul language, intimate relations, drugs, drinking, etc. The book goes back and forth from the past to the present and it gets confusing. There are quite a few characters and it can be hard to keep them all straight (I just tried to focus on the main character). The pace slows down considerably in the middle of the book but picks back up near the end. Was it full of suspense and intrigue? Not so much. I did not like Jane (Emma) very much. She overreacts to everything which grew old quickly. I give The Lie 2.75 out of 5 stars (I have to admit that I being generous). It was obvious to tell was Ekanta Yatra was from the very beginning, but these idiotic girls continued to stay (even when it was obvious that there was something very wrong going on). Several parts of the story were very unbelievable (it had me yelling at my kindle). The best part of the book were the animals at Green Field’s Animal Shelter. The Lie was just not for me.
I received a complimentary copy of The Lie from NetGalley in exchange for an honest evaluation of the novel.
The Lie sounded like such a good thriller, but it was not as exciting as it sounded. It is a dark (crude) tale that I really did not enjoy. The book contains fighting, stalking, foul language, intimate relations, drugs, drinking, etc. The book goes back and forth from the past to the present and it gets confusing. There are quite a few characters and it can be hard to keep them all straight (I just tried to focus on the main character). The pace slows down considerably in the middle of the book but picks back up near the end. Was it full of suspense and intrigue? Not so much. I did not like Jane (Emma) very much. She overreacts to everything which grew old quickly. I give The Lie 2.75 out of 5 stars (I have to admit that I being generous). It was obvious to tell was Ekanta Yatra was from the very beginning, but these idiotic girls continued to stay (even when it was obvious that there was something very wrong going on). Several parts of the story were very unbelievable (it had me yelling at my kindle). The best part of the book were the animals at Green Field’s Animal Shelter. The Lie was just not for me.
I received a complimentary copy of The Lie from NetGalley in exchange for an honest evaluation of the novel.
amandamun's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
3.0
robertjackson's review against another edition
4.0
A disturbing insight into friendships, jealousy and control! I liked Emma/Jane but her friends for five years ago …not so much!
purpleronie's review against another edition
4.0
Suspenseful
I enjoyed this book. Interesting characters, good plot twists and it kept me engaged right up to the end of the book. Would read more by this author.
I enjoyed this book. Interesting characters, good plot twists and it kept me engaged right up to the end of the book. Would read more by this author.
luciearan's review against another edition
3.0
Tak tohle mě tedy poměrně zklamalo. Sice jsem se u knihy vyloženě nenudila, ale na druhou stranu jsem od příběhu, který je otevřeně srovnávaný s Pláží, čekala prostě víc. Možná jsem namlsaná severskými thrillery, ale za mě je tohle prostě průměr - neurazí, nenadchne.
chelseamayxxx's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book had so many twist and turns in it though out which keep me so hoocked and so on edge and at times I found it hard to put this book down as I wanted to keep going to found out what happened and who was behind all the bad things that were happing. I really enjoyed the characters as they all made the book that more interesting and all the characters points in the book made the story what it was really about. They was only one character that I wasn’t 100% on but I understood what there role in the book was. This book was so faster paced. I didn’t expect the ending in the book at all I was shocked to found out why they was doing what they was doing. Can’t wait to read more by this author xxx
calturner's review against another edition
3.0
I found this book a bit slow to begin with, but once it got going I really enjoyed it. I'll definitely read more by this author in the future. A good 3.5 stars from me, would have been 4 if it hadn't been for the slow start. Thanks to Netgalley for allowing me to read an ARC of this book. A full review will be available on my blog shortly.
booklovinalicia's review
5.0
In the book world of psychological thrillers, it's a bit hard to stand out. "The Lie" by C.L. Taylor is a bright orange flame against a starless night sky! It is like reading two books in one. There is a mysterious past full of broken friendships, secrets, and death. The present is full of new relationships with new & happy life, yet the intense, growing menace of having that current happiness be ripped away at any second. Taylor's extremely phenomenal character development mixed with story telling skills makes this a gripping read. Twist and turns will have you second guessing what you think will happen and have you scrambling to turn the page for more! Read my full review at http://www.booklovinalicia.blogspot.com
I received a digital copy to read and review via NetGalley
I received a digital copy to read and review via NetGalley
lucycatten's review against another edition
5.0
This psychological thriller has stayed with me since I read it three months ago. I was so absorbed by the plot that I completely forgot to make my usual highlights to aid my review. And that’s a first.
So what’s it about?
I know your name’s not really Jane Hughes…
Jane Hughes has a loving partner, a job in an animal sanctuary and a tiny cottage in rural Wales. She’s happier than she’s ever been but her life is a lie. Jane Hughes does not really exist.
Five years earlier Jane and her then best friends went on holiday but what should have been the trip of a lifetime rapidly descended into a nightmare that claimed the lives of two of the women.
Jane has tried to put the past behind her but someone knows the truth about what happened. Someone who won’t stop until they’ve destroyed Jane and everything she loves…
The story uses the popular ‘switching timeline’ device. In other novels this has left me confused but here it works seamlessly. Alternating chapters tell the story of the present day and that of five years previously when Emma, Daisy, Leanne and Al arrive at Ekanta Yatra - a yoga/meditation retreat in Nepal. As it suggests in the blurb, events here take on a sinister aspect and end tragically.
Back to the present day, and only Al and Emma (now ‘Jane’) have survived. The two are no longer in contact after Al sold their story to the Press against Emma’s wishes. She has moved away from London, has a new partner and works for an animal sanctuary in Wales. She has done her best to move on with her life and reinvent herself but things start to slip when she receives a series of emails telling her that her old friend Daisy is still alive.
Without giving anything away, the novel explores the dark, disturbing side to friendship and female friendship in particular. How far can you really trust your friends? And what happens when the cracks start to appear? All the characters are well-developed, flawed and damaged in different ways which makes their interaction fascinating.
I was completely absorbed by this story – so much so that as soon as I put it down, I picked up C L Taylor’s other novel – The Accident and devoured that one too. One of my favourite reads of the year so far and a new favourite author to add to the list.
So what’s it about?
I know your name’s not really Jane Hughes…
Jane Hughes has a loving partner, a job in an animal sanctuary and a tiny cottage in rural Wales. She’s happier than she’s ever been but her life is a lie. Jane Hughes does not really exist.
Five years earlier Jane and her then best friends went on holiday but what should have been the trip of a lifetime rapidly descended into a nightmare that claimed the lives of two of the women.
Jane has tried to put the past behind her but someone knows the truth about what happened. Someone who won’t stop until they’ve destroyed Jane and everything she loves…
The story uses the popular ‘switching timeline’ device. In other novels this has left me confused but here it works seamlessly. Alternating chapters tell the story of the present day and that of five years previously when Emma, Daisy, Leanne and Al arrive at Ekanta Yatra - a yoga/meditation retreat in Nepal. As it suggests in the blurb, events here take on a sinister aspect and end tragically.
Back to the present day, and only Al and Emma (now ‘Jane’) have survived. The two are no longer in contact after Al sold their story to the Press against Emma’s wishes. She has moved away from London, has a new partner and works for an animal sanctuary in Wales. She has done her best to move on with her life and reinvent herself but things start to slip when she receives a series of emails telling her that her old friend Daisy is still alive.
Without giving anything away, the novel explores the dark, disturbing side to friendship and female friendship in particular. How far can you really trust your friends? And what happens when the cracks start to appear? All the characters are well-developed, flawed and damaged in different ways which makes their interaction fascinating.
I was completely absorbed by this story – so much so that as soon as I put it down, I picked up C L Taylor’s other novel – The Accident and devoured that one too. One of my favourite reads of the year so far and a new favourite author to add to the list.