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3.8 AVERAGE
3.8 AVERAGE
Hell of a ride!!! Keeps you on the edge of your seat.
The Perfect Lie had me hooked from that very first draw dropping chapter and I found myself not being able to put it down until I finished it. The story is narrated across multiple timelines from the POV of Erin except for the Harvard timeline.
I really liked Erin but I felt like she was a bit naïve and way too trusting at times.
I enjoyed all of the characters and I liked that I didn’t know who I could trust because in my opinion it made it more intriguing.
This book has so many secrets, twists and turns it made my head spin. There were so many times where I thought that I knew what the big twist was but oh boy how very wrong I was. I had a lot of theories but that definitely wasn’t one of them. Jo Spain has done a fantastic job and I look forward to reading more of her books.
I recieved an advanced copy for free, and this is my honest opinion.
I really liked Erin but I felt like she was a bit naïve and way too trusting at times.
I enjoyed all of the characters and I liked that I didn’t know who I could trust because in my opinion it made it more intriguing.
This book has so many secrets, twists and turns it made my head spin. There were so many times where I thought that I knew what the big twist was but oh boy how very wrong I was. I had a lot of theories but that definitely wasn’t one of them. Jo Spain has done a fantastic job and I look forward to reading more of her books.
I recieved an advanced copy for free, and this is my honest opinion.
The Perfect Lie by Jo Spain is a gripping page turner packed with killer twists. Erin, who has moved from Ireland to live in the USA, and police officer Danny are happily married after meeting two years ago, so why does he commit suicide right in front of her and who can she trust? Beautifully written and a fantastic read.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Quite a compelling thriller, with a ripper first few pages which sets in motion a roller coaster of a ride as our lead lady tries to figure it all out. Erin is married to Danny, a detective in the local police department. They have been married for just on a year, happy as, life is going very well. Then Danny is dead - in the first few pages. What the...? His detective partner Ben is of no help and it seems Danny was being investigated for some unexplained matters. Erin, in her extreme grief is left completely on her own to try and figure out what on earth has been going on, and more importantly who her husband really was, what, if anything, was he hiding, and how come she didn't see any of this.
Parallel to this line of story, is one that took place a few years prior at a residential house attached to Harvard University. A young woman student is attacked, her life destroyed by the attack and the aftermath as she seeks help.
Then there is third story line concerning Erin, who some 18 months after Danny's death, is on trial for the murder of her husband. Huh? Yes, it is a little puzzling. During the previous 18 months, Erin has found some new friends who have taken her under their wing, helping her in her quest to find out what was going on with Danny, and then her defence team after her arrest.
It is quite a trip this thriller. Clever in its make up, plot development, and with so many balls to keep juggling, it all holds itself together quite well. I liked Erin, I liked her lawyer Carla. I found Danny a bit of an enigma - we only see him from Erin's point of view and I guess if you are madly in love with someone it is easy to overlook any flaws, and possibly difficult things going on their lives. Nevertheless, I did think this was a good read, with some great twists.
Parallel to this line of story, is one that took place a few years prior at a residential house attached to Harvard University. A young woman student is attacked, her life destroyed by the attack and the aftermath as she seeks help.
Then there is third story line concerning Erin, who some 18 months after Danny's death, is on trial for the murder of her husband. Huh? Yes, it is a little puzzling. During the previous 18 months, Erin has found some new friends who have taken her under their wing, helping her in her quest to find out what was going on with Danny, and then her defence team after her arrest.
It is quite a trip this thriller. Clever in its make up, plot development, and with so many balls to keep juggling, it all holds itself together quite well. I liked Erin, I liked her lawyer Carla. I found Danny a bit of an enigma - we only see him from Erin's point of view and I guess if you are madly in love with someone it is easy to overlook any flaws, and possibly difficult things going on their lives. Nevertheless, I did think this was a good read, with some great twists.
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Next level domestic noir with a killer twist!
Jo Spain returns with another mind blowing thriller that demonstrates just why she is part of the thriller writer elite. This novel perfectly blends the domestic suspense noir trope with a disturbingly dark secret at the heart of image narrative. It’s addictive reading: opening with one of the most astonishing hooks I’ve ever read, layering mystery and suspense effortlessly, blurring the lines between romance and heartache and spinning intricate webs of lies and misdirection. I was genuinely on the edge of my seat whilst reading this. I really thought that I had figured out where this story was going, but NO! Spain literary kicked the legs out from under my chair and the twist in this tale FLOORED me (like actual gasp out loud shock!).
I can’t stress enough just how clever this novel is. The plot is a multi-layered, thematic feast that keeps you guessing, only revealing its secrets exactly when Spain wants them to come to light. As well as all of the exhilaration of a perfectly paced, original and wholly gripping plot, The Perfect Lie is a mesmerising social critique. The devastating innards of the plot hint at the darkness buried under the glossy surface of wealth, privilege and entitlement. There’s some difficult themes at the crux of this novel, but Spain handles them with sensitivity and they add a depth and authenticity to the narrative. The emotional journey Erin takes in this novel is at the core of these themes. She progresses from being emotionally scarred from her past and then broken through grief after Danny’s death, to finding an inner strength and a pathway back to her family in Ireland (arguably Danny’s final gift to her).
I really enjoyed the format of this novel too, which is set in three distinct parts and meanders through past and present timeline. This is partly a courtroom drama - the present day trial scenes interspersed through the events of the past - and I really found this made the whole novel extremely gripping. The present hints to the past and the past hints at the present, so readers constantly find themselves ending a chapter in one timeline on an electrifying cliffhanger, returning to the other timeline in the next chapter and being equally tense! It’s a hard thing to pull off, but Spain does it exceptionally well.
It’s no surprise that she writes for the screen too, as this is such a visual novel and I could completely picture it in screen - here’s hoping we’ll be watching it soon. In the meantime, don’t miss this incredible thriller.
Jo Spain returns with another mind blowing thriller that demonstrates just why she is part of the thriller writer elite. This novel perfectly blends the domestic suspense noir trope with a disturbingly dark secret at the heart of image narrative. It’s addictive reading: opening with one of the most astonishing hooks I’ve ever read, layering mystery and suspense effortlessly, blurring the lines between romance and heartache and spinning intricate webs of lies and misdirection. I was genuinely on the edge of my seat whilst reading this. I really thought that I had figured out where this story was going, but NO! Spain literary kicked the legs out from under my chair and the twist in this tale FLOORED me (like actual gasp out loud shock!).
I can’t stress enough just how clever this novel is. The plot is a multi-layered, thematic feast that keeps you guessing, only revealing its secrets exactly when Spain wants them to come to light. As well as all of the exhilaration of a perfectly paced, original and wholly gripping plot, The Perfect Lie is a mesmerising social critique. The devastating innards of the plot hint at the darkness buried under the glossy surface of wealth, privilege and entitlement. There’s some difficult themes at the crux of this novel, but Spain handles them with sensitivity and they add a depth and authenticity to the narrative. The emotional journey Erin takes in this novel is at the core of these themes. She progresses from being emotionally scarred from her past and then broken through grief after Danny’s death, to finding an inner strength and a pathway back to her family in Ireland (arguably Danny’s final gift to her).
I really enjoyed the format of this novel too, which is set in three distinct parts and meanders through past and present timeline. This is partly a courtroom drama - the present day trial scenes interspersed through the events of the past - and I really found this made the whole novel extremely gripping. The present hints to the past and the past hints at the present, so readers constantly find themselves ending a chapter in one timeline on an electrifying cliffhanger, returning to the other timeline in the next chapter and being equally tense! It’s a hard thing to pull off, but Spain does it exceptionally well.
It’s no surprise that she writes for the screen too, as this is such a visual novel and I could completely picture it in screen - here’s hoping we’ll be watching it soon. In the meantime, don’t miss this incredible thriller.
Wow! I did not see that ending coming!
The Perfect Lie takes us through several different timelines as the story of what happened after Erin's husband, Danny, leaps to his death, to the present day when Erin is on trial for murdering her husband, and then a background story that takes place before Erin met Danny.
I was a little confused at the start of the book and sometimes didn't catch the switch between timelines, but payoff was worth it as more secrets and lies are revealed as the story progresses. As Erin becomes more and more frustrated when no one will tell her why Danny would take his own life, she begins her own investigation. While that kind of "play amateur detective" doesn't always work, in this case the clues and the way she found them were totally realistic. I really didn't want this story to end!
Thanks to NetGalley and Quercus Books for an advanced reader's copy.
The Perfect Lie takes us through several different timelines as the story of what happened after Erin's husband, Danny, leaps to his death, to the present day when Erin is on trial for murdering her husband, and then a background story that takes place before Erin met Danny.
I was a little confused at the start of the book and sometimes didn't catch the switch between timelines, but payoff was worth it as more secrets and lies are revealed as the story progresses. As Erin becomes more and more frustrated when no one will tell her why Danny would take his own life, she begins her own investigation. While that kind of "play amateur detective" doesn't always work, in this case the clues and the way she found them were totally realistic. I really didn't want this story to end!
Thanks to NetGalley and Quercus Books for an advanced reader's copy.
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No