Lies She Told

Liza Jones has 30 days to write a thriller that will put her back on the best seller list.
Added to this pressure, she is struggling to start a family and trying to cope with so many things in her life that she finds herself escaping into the world of her heroine, Beth, and the lines between fact and fiction become more and more blurred.

I really enjoyed this book although found myself majorly confused at the beginning as I couldn't work out what was Liza and fact or Beth and fiction. I'd definitely recommend giving this book a whirl! Four stars from purplebookstand.

I was lucky to be provided with an advanced copy of this book and voluntarily reviewed it.

This was an edge-of-your-seat thriller that kept me guessing. Liza is an author, and her agent gives her 30 days to come up with a novel that will wow him and keep her writing career alive. She’s also trying to conceive the child she thinks will make her husband happy again. The story moves between Liza’s world and her protagonist Beth’s world, and the suspense builds as the line between fantasy and reality start to blur. I highly recommend this one to thriller fans!

“I’d been waiting tonight. But the evening was so warm and the sunset, poisoned with air pollution, such pretty shade of salmon. Why not go for a walk? And then, as my child continued to sleep against my chest, why not head uptown twelve more blocks to Jake’s office? Why not pass the restaurant where we went last Thursday with the delicious grilled octopus and see about grabbing a table in the backyard garden? Ignorance is bliss. If only I’d stayed home.”

–Lies She Told, Cate Holahan

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I love a good mystery, and I am always intrigued by stories that have multiple perspectives. Lies She Told has a bit of everything and is intriguing, but ends up being utterly predictable and highly unbelievable.

When I saw the title, I thought that I would give it a try. Titles with lie in them are all the rage right now, so I figured that it wouldn’t hurt. The story focuses on Liza, a suspense writer who is a bit of a one-hit wonder. She is struggling to complete her latest work about Beth, a new mom who finds that her husband is having an affair. Half the chapters are from Liza’s perspective, we learn that her husband is struggling after the disappearance of his law partner and the couple’s struggle to conceive a child. The other half of the chapters are the manuscript of Liza’s book. This mystery within a mystery starts off with lots of suspense and engaging characters, but there are some twists and turns that are wholly unbelievable.

While I wanted to like this book, I found that it was a bit too much – the characters were a bit over the top in their actions and situations were always a bit too convenient. I really appreciated the concept, but if you are one who can guess the ending only a few chapters in, be warned that this might not be the book for you.

The book was an easy read. It was a bit hard to figure out. Finally around half way through the book, I realized that the book was told by two people, then it got easier. A deep psychological thriller done in an original way.

I really enjoyed this book. It is clever, complex and compelling and really well-written. It took me a few chapters to get into it but then I was hooked. The scenes and characters and their feelings were all clearly drawn in my mind and the plot and structure are both very effective. I'd be very interested to read more from Cate Holahan.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC of Lies She Told.

Took me a while to get into, and the changing characters between chapters threw me at first but eventually thought it was an interesting concept. I was gripped and loved how the two parallel stories merged towards the end. Looking forward to reading more this author.

A very interesting premise that I was looking forward to.

Sadly, the book fell short in several areas. The suspense was lacking for one. And secondly, it got a bit convoluted to read a story within a story and try to keep track.

This book had great promise but ultimately it fell a bit short.
I think it could have benefitted from being a lot longer and more detailed, it wrapped up pretty quickly when it could have unfolded at a slower pace.

Thanks to NetGalley, Cate Holahan for my free copy in exchange for an honest review.

I LOVE books within books! Lisa's publisher is demanding she write the next great thriller so she begins writing a book about Beth, a new mom who suspects her husband is cheating on her. Beth seeks to catch her husband in the act. This turns into a sort of parallel between the writer and her character. This was so good!

Liza is an author whose first book was a bestseller. Since then she has tried unsuccessfully to write another one and now has only thirty days to write a new book. In addition, she is desperately trying to have a baby with her husband, David, but he is too worried about the disappearance of his best friend and co-worker Nick, who Liza didn't like very much. If that wasn't enough, the fertility treatments seem to be causing her memory loss. In the meantime, in the pages of Liza's novel, new mother Beth finds out that her husband is cheating on her. This discovery will take Beth on a path of revenge and self-destruction.
The story started a bit slow but the more I read, the more I was addicted as Liza's personal life mirrors her character Beth's. I loved the concept of a "book within a book" and how the narration alternates between Liza's story and her novel. Also, I loved how the author focused on the female characters, leaving the men as figureless characters that I couldn't picture. The plot is very engaging and carefully constructed and the suspense kept me glued to the page.

Very gripping blurb! I can only assume that the “lies she told” are rewritten in the form of the protagonist’s fiction. The cover is of a woman, one side of her face shows sadness or guilt maybe, the other half shows her left eye closed with her hair blowing in front of it. I’m going to interpret this as the woman being outwardly calm in regards to her husband’s friends, playing the role of the worried wife but inwardly racked with guilt or in denial. For what? Who knows but I’m excited to find out!

Thoughts:

This book had me hooked from the very first moment! As a mystery thriller, it had a good douse of suspense and tension. I was constantly anticipating what would happen next and if my suspicions were true. I didn’t trust anyone in the book because from all those episodes of CSI I watched, I know everyone and anyone is a suspect. The mystery factor had me flying through this book, I just needed to know where Nick disappeared to or if he disappeared at all. The chapters alternated back and forth between the protagonist, Liza, and Beth; Liza’s main character in her book she was currently writing. From the blurb I already expected there to be a connection between Liza’s fiction and the events occurring in her life, not just presently but in the past too. The switch between the two perspectives started out in their individual world’s, but as the story went on I found the similarities in Liza’s life and Beth’s and ultimately…the answers to Nick’s disappearance.

Characters:

Liza - A middle aged author both struggling to write her next best seller and hold onto her husband. His best friend’s disappearance has taken his time, attention and even affection away from Liza, their marriage and their goal to start a family. If she is being honest with herself, their marriage wasn’t doing great before Nick disappeared either. Liza uses her writing to escape her life…but when the lines between fiction and reality blur Liza realises she can’t trust anyone. Least of all herself.

“I don’t invent my characters. I steal them from my surroundings. To be writer is to be a life thief. Every day, I rob myself blind.”

David – Liza’s husband, David, is co-owner of an attorney firm alongside his best friend, Nick. With Nick’s disappearance, David is running the company on his own and any spare time he has he dedicates to finding his friend. His wife and her concerns are the least of his concerns. His worry for Nick borders on obsession, rousing the question of why David is so anxious to find him.

“He’s toggled between stages one through three of grief: tearful shock, frantic denial, and raging anger.”

Beth – A fictional character created by Liza. A new mother and heartbroken wife, Beth suspects her husband is cheating on her. When her suspicions are confirmed her hurt and confusion lead to anger, and her anger leads to murder.

Jake – A fictional character created by Liza. An attorney cheating on his wife with the police officer assigned to help him with a case.

Plot:

I have read many books that go back and forth between characters, time and even reality. I find most of these books frustrating and terribly confusing but I always keep going because when everything adds up...mind blown!
This book didn’t frustrate me in the least. I enjoyed the back and forth between Liza and Beth. Two worlds that were parallel in story, one that hid truths within fiction and the other a reality to run from. I would have my suspicions of who knew something or who did something and at times I would be certain, then the author would throw me for a loop and I would be off suspecting someone else. Every character had a motive, from Liza, to her husband, to Liza’s best friend, and even Liza’s boss. I was apprehensive of everyone at all times.
The pace of the story was unrushed and very well done.

Last Note:

The author was able to keep my undivided attention and interest the majority of the read. As mystery thriller books go, this one had great suspense and intensity. Definitely unpredictable.

This is a well-written book with a fascinating story. The characters are well-defined although it's sometimes hard to know whether it's Liza or Beth talking despite the chapter headings. The two are interchangeable in so many ways - as was the author's intention I'm sure.

I don't want to give anything away so I'll just say that this is an engrossing book that I didn't want to put down. It had me guessing right up to the end.

3.5 rounded to 4 stars

Lisa, a previous best selling author, was trying to write her come back story while trying to start a family with her husband and help him figure out how and why his best friend, Nick, had gone missing.
Beth, the character of Lisa's new story, a new mom, just found out about the affair her husband was having.
As the story of Beth takes an unforseen twist in her killing the mistress of her husband and tossing her body in the river, the body of Nick surfaces in that same river and Lisa's husband is suspected for the murder.

I really liked how the story was told, the alternation between the story of Lisa and Beth up until the end of the book was the best part of this book, i liked that very much.
The story in itself was interesting although not very difficult to figure out from all the clues the author left for the reader, and i also liked that, the ability to figure out the story before the ending.

Overall it was a good story.

Book review: Reality, fiction blur in 'Lies She Told'
By SANDY MAHAFFEY FOR THE FREE LANCE–STAR
Sep 23, 2017 (1)

Wow! Be prepared to pay very close attention to the details in “Lies She Told,” Cate Holohan’s new thriller. I’d heard great things about her previous books, so was eager to read this one. I’m delighted to say that “Lies She Told” lived up to all my expectations. The characters seem to tread down many dark streets in New York City, with surprises around every corner.

The reader explores two parallel universes in alternating chapters: Liza has 30 days to present a rough draft of her new thriller to her publisher. Her first book was a best-seller, but she has been unable to replicate the success, so there is a lot of pressure. More stress is the result of the hormone treatment she is undergoing in the hopes of getting pregnant.

Her husband David’s best friend and law partner has disappeared, causing David worry and double the work. To say all is not well in their world would be quite an understatement. So David is working long hours at the office and Liza is throwing all her attention into the book as a way of escaping her unhappiness.

Her book is the alternate work we explore: Beth and Jake are new parents. He is also an attorney and working long hours. Beth is having hormone issues of her own while she deals with caring for a newborn for long hours at a time. She begins to think Jake is having an affair.

“Lies She Told” is very well-written. The two female characters are finely drawn as the narratives continue and the lines between Liza’s reality and her fictitious character Beth start to blur. I found myself wondering at times who to believe. Twists and turns come at the reader at a rapid pace once the plot takes off. The lies and psychological drama are very gripping, the plot well-structured.

Liza has a line in the book that says it all, “I don’t invent my characters. I steal them from my surroundings. To be a writer is to be a life thief. Every day, I rob myself blind.”

Sandy Mahaffey is a former Books editor at The Free Lance–Star.

This was an interesting read. You read it as two parallel stories that seem to blur and collide to the end of the book. The author, Liza is struggling to write her next novel, while her character that she is penning, Beth, is struggling through her husband having an affair while having a newborn baby at home. This book kept your interest with enough suspense and twists to the end. I look forward to more from this author.

From my blog: Always With a Book:

My thoughts: This is the first book I've read by Cate Holahan, and let me tell you - it certainly won't be the last! This book is twisted, crazy and kept me frantically flipping the pages. This is a great psychological thriller/mystery that really blurs the lines between truth and fiction - that whole concept of book within a book comes into play here and I loved it!!!

I have to admit - I went into this book thinking it was going to be one thing but it turned out to be way more complicated and involved. The story is very cleverly crafted - having it alternate between Liza, the writer who is desperately trying to get her next book written and Beth, the heroine in Liza's story. It's a little confusing at first to understand that you are reading what is supposed to be real life (Liza's chapters) and then chapter's in Liza's book (Beth's chapters), but once you get a little bit into the book, it moves back and forth quite seamlessly and I actually found myself enjoying both parts of this book.

But this is also where it gets very tricky - we see what is happening in Liza's book start to mirror what is happening in her real life. Is she doing this on purpose or is she not realizing this? This is where things start to get a little confusing and where you start to get chills as you are reading.

The characters are so vivid and flawed that you can't help but want more of them - even those that are part of the book within the book! And while the pace is slow at first, it ramps up in the second half of the book to a crazy finish. I'm telling you, this is a book that you will not stop thinking about once you start reading it and even long after you finish it.

Every time I thought I had things figured out, the author throws a curve ball at us and the lines between truth and fiction - the real story of Liza's world and her book - were blurring. I'm telling you, this book really kept me on edge. While I did figure out parts of the mystery, it in no way detracted from my enjoyment of this book - I wanted to know how it all transpired, and boy was it good! This is actually one of those books that I think is worthy of a reread now that I know the ending - can I see from the start how it plays out? Either way, I definitely know one thing - I will absolutely be reading more of this author!

Top book of the year. Good news is the next one is coming out. This book really got my attention just by seeing the cover. The writing left nothing to be desired and the characters were spot on. Huge fan.

I liked the concept of the book - Liza is an author, struggling with a new book, infertility and a husband who is obsessing over his missing friend and business partner. Where does truth end and fiction begin? The story swings from Liza's story to that of Beth, Jake and baby Victoria - the crime novel Liza is writing. I liked the way real life and fiction intertwined and the reader, and Liza, blurred the lines. Did the story of Beth reflect what had happened to Liza, is she hiding a crime in plain sight? Did she murder Nick? Not even Liza knows! I thought one thing, then read on and changed my mind. Some awful revelations towards the end that explained much of Liza's character. A good read, and one that grabbed my attention and kept me reading.

This book is complicated, but worth it. The story-within-a-Story concept creates two worlds and two female leads which will captivate you and keep you flipping pages.

Liza is an author, who is both desperate to have a baby and desperate to write a bestseller, which hasn’t happened since her debut book. But her husband is distracted by the disappearance of his best friend, which Liza begins to resent. Meanwhile, her energies are being poured into her next book, which is about Beth, a new mother who catches her husband cheating on her. Shortly after, Beth finds things spiraling out of control. Their stories begin to blur as more is revealed, and both Beth and Liza struggle to hold on to their sanity.

It was a little confusing keeping the two stories straight at first, but after a couple chapters, you get the hang of it. The tension in both stories is exquisite - you can feel the women each becoming more desperate as the stories go on and things explode.

I also liked the two different endings here. I don’t want to spoil anything, but things really in the last chapters could go in any one of four different ways and to see them work out in the directions they do is exciting.

I also like the ambiguity of some of the scenes - did they happen? Or not? Or is Beth crazy? Is Liza forgetting things b cause of her hormones? It’s really suspenseful.

Overall, this was a quick, great read and I would recommend it to anyone who loves thrillers.