Wow!! Couldn't put this book down. Great storyline and full of suspense. I was hooked from the first chapter. The plot centres around a character called Merri.
Merri was helping her Dad move house and whilst in the attic came across a video with her name written on it. The writing is her absentee Mum's. Merri's mum disappeared when she was 5 years old. As she suffered from mental ill health it was assumed that she had taken her own life. However what is revealed on the tape sets about a chain of events that will change the whole course of Merri's life forever. Lie to me kept me on tenderhooks some of the twists took me completely by surprise. Read this book and enjoy. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to read this advance copy.

Thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for an electronic ARC of this novel, given in exchange for an honest review.
“Lie to Me” is the first novel from British author, Jess Ryder. In “Lie to Me”, a young woman named Meredith watches a video from her past, one where her long-absent mother is making strange accusations and encouraging a very young Meredith to say odd things on camera under the premise that it’ll “keep Mommy safe”. But as far as Meredith knew her mother gave up on her long ago, and may even be dead, after suffering from schizophrenia for years. However, Meredith begins to question the content of the video and the secrets of her mother’s past. Her quest leads her to Darkwater Pool, the location of a murder that took place over thirty years ago. What connection does her mother have to this place and who can Meredith trust to help her find answers?
Although this novel is identified as “psychological thriller” I see it as more of a crime drama. Being identified as a psychological thriller gave me the wrong impression going in and I immediately felt disappointed (psychological thrillers being my favourite genre by far). However, once I had re-connected with the novel in a different genre, I was able to enjoy this novel far more.
Meredith is a great character- she is full of chutzpah but is also a little self-effacing. Her father, Graeme, is charming and delightful and I love the relationship between the two; the constant “ups-and-downs yet always there for each other” kind of father-daughter love is endearing. When Isobel introduces Meredith to the idea of “hypnosis” I pleaded with Ms. Ryder to not go down that zany and desperate road (“please don’t tell me this is going to be some past-lives novel”). I am so glad she did not follow that to the ending, and merely glazed over it to add some definition to the plot.
This story is told from alternating viewpoints- that of Meredith, Cara (the murdered woman) and Jay (the boyfriend-turned-suspect). It was slightly confusing at first to follow the revolving viewpoints (considering they also covered different time periods) but as relationships with the characters grow and develop, the interlaced viewpoints add to the plot development.
The ending of this novel was a bit predictable actually, but it may not be so for everyone who is not extremely familiar with crime dramas. However, the novel did end in a comforting way and I was satisfied with the way all the loose ends were wrapped up.
Ryder has some developing writing chops, and I know that with experience and time she has the potential to develop into a prolific writer. “Lie to Me” is a great start and I look forward to seeing what else she produces.

Great book! Loved the story! Looking forward to reading more by this author! Highly recommend!

Meredith discovers her entire life has been a lies when she views a videotape of her self as a four-year old with her mother…her real mother. If what she has seen and heard on the videotape is real, is she still in danger? And what happened to her mother? The answers lie in Darkwater Pool and a thirty year old murder. Finding the connection between her mother and the victim will provide Meredith with the answers she seeks, whether she wants them or not. A twisty tale of lost memories and dark truths