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A review by paulabrandon
One Perfect Lie by Lisa Scottoline
3.0
Well, dip me in turpentine! Here's a contemporary "psychological" thriller that isn't about sociopathic husbands, duplicitous best friends or missing children! Actually, despite attempts by the blurb, and the book title itself, to label itself as such, this one doesn't really quite fit into the psychological thriller label - and that could be one of its drawbacks. It doesn't really know what it wants to be.
When it kicks off, we follow Chris Brennan, who has just landed a job as a teacher and assistant coach, and we learn off the bat he's using a fake identity and has ulterior motives. We meet three boys - Jordan Larkin, Raz Sematov and Evan Kotsis, who he will be coaching and seems to be keeping a careful eye on for unidentified purposes. We also meet the boys' mothers - Heather Larkin, Susan Sematov and Mindy Kotsis, as they navigate their complex lives. Heather and Susan are both single mothers, while Mindy is having extreme trust issues in her marriage. To give much more away could be considered spoilers! I will say there is a neat twist about a third of the way through that I didn't see coming!
Like I said, this sometimes feels like two different books. If you're after something like the myriad similar thrillers that have flooded the shelves since Gone Girl, which this book's marketing would seem to suggest it is trying to sell itself as, you may come away disappointed. However, I found it refreshing to finally read a modern day thriller that didn't involve a simpering moron marrying an abusive or secretive jerk she barely knew! Hallelujah!
But, like I said, it's not "perfect"! It's all a bit too simplistic, and it sometimes felt like Scottoline wasn't sure which kind of book she was trying to write. All in all, though, I enjoyed it!
When it kicks off, we follow Chris Brennan, who has just landed a job as a teacher and assistant coach, and we learn off the bat he's using a fake identity and has ulterior motives. We meet three boys - Jordan Larkin, Raz Sematov and Evan Kotsis, who he will be coaching and seems to be keeping a careful eye on for unidentified purposes. We also meet the boys' mothers - Heather Larkin, Susan Sematov and Mindy Kotsis, as they navigate their complex lives. Heather and Susan are both single mothers, while Mindy is having extreme trust issues in her marriage. To give much more away could be considered spoilers! I will say there is a neat twist about a third of the way through that I didn't see coming!
Like I said, this sometimes feels like two different books. If you're after something like the myriad similar thrillers that have flooded the shelves since Gone Girl, which this book's marketing would seem to suggest it is trying to sell itself as, you may come away disappointed.
Spoiler
All the domestic drama built up about the three mothers and their sons is basically tossed away as the book turns into an action tale with Chris and the ATF out to foil a domestic terrorist bombing.But, like I said, it's not "perfect"! It's all a bit too simplistic, and it sometimes felt like Scottoline wasn't sure which kind of book she was trying to write. All in all, though, I enjoyed it!