Wow! Just wow! Ellison's newest thriller is pulse pounding and kept me guessing until the bitter end. Twists and never ending turns. Had a hard time liking Ethan an Sutton- both with hints of NPD, but in the end I realized they're both flawed humans, like most of us. Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC

Domestic thrillers are one of my go to sub genres, there is something completely fascinating about getting a glimpse into a couples marriage beyond what is seen in public. There’s a reason books featuring couples with secrets and betrayals is so huge right now, for me it’s because I love the idea of being a fly on the wall during the unraveling of a marriage. (Yes, I do realize how terrible that sounds) I have seen many people comparing this to Gone Girl and while I can definitely see why, Lie To Me stands firmly on it’s own two feet and I personally think it’s better than GG.

The narration in this book is flawless, the first half is told from Ethan’s point of view, then the second half switches to Sutton’s perspective. While these two both had compelling stories and strong voices the addition of a third unknown narrator added something downright menacing to the story. This person speaks directly to the reader in a bitter, cruel voice that chilled me right to the bone. The chapters were brief, the type that beg you to keep going for just one more chapter and before you know it, it’s the wee hours of the morning. Speaking of chapters they were all so cleverly titled which doesn’t happen much anymore, but the title gave a little hint as to what was to come next, I loved that! The story unfolds mainly in the present but there are times when it flips back to various times in Sutton and Ethan’s relationship that helped to shed light on how they came to be at the awful point they’re at today.

Sutton and Ethan are both writers and I loved the insight into the industry this provided. Their careers played a large role in the downfall of their relationship as they were both competitive and jealous causing huge rifts in a already fragile marriage. Neither of them were very likable or relatable but they were both utterly fascinating despite their flaws. There was an air of glamour surrounding them even though I knew they weren’t as perfect as they seemed on paper. As for reliability? Forget it, I couldn’t get a true handle on whether either of them were trustworthy right until the bitter end.

You may have noticed that I haven’t really touched on the plot and that’s because there were so many head spinning revelations throughout that I’m not even gonna go there. Ellison would gently lead me down one path and then just when I would start to feel confident and that I knew what was going on she would shove me in the opposite direction leaving me reeling and back to square one.

This was an entertaining, dramatic read that had me addicted from its opening pages. It’s sharp and intelligently crafted and delivered twists and turns right up until the final pages. If you’re a fan of books like Behind Closed Doors, The Marriage Lie and The Couple Next Door you’ll love this one!

Love, love, love this book! I started reading it and couldn't put it down!! I have already told numerous co workers about it and cannot wait until I can start sharing it with customers! Grabs you right from the beginning, and keeps you interested until the end!

Ethan and Sutton Montclair are both authors. Their marriage began as a good one, but the sudden death of their baby boy, Dashiell, sent Sutton spiraling into depression. The loss of their baby coupled with a social media brouhaha of someone trying to destroy her career has taken its toll on her. With counseling and medication, she appears to be doing a bit better. So, Ethan was shocked the morning he got up to find her gone and a note asking him to not look for her. All of her belongings are at home and none of her friends have any idea where she is. Even her cold mother seems unconcerned about her.

When Ethan finally calls the police, Officer Holly Graham, a rising detective is assigned to the case and begins a meticulous investigation. As the husband of the missing woman, Ethan is automatically the prime suspect.

When a body is found, the police think they have found Sutton and now they have to find her killer.

As the story continues, layers are opened where we learn more about the marriage of Ethan and Sutton, their past, and their friends.

Is the body that of Sutton? If so, who killed her?

This is a fabulous mystery and one that I enjoyed all the way through. I did not want to put the book down and I highly recommend it. A must read.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

My Highly Caffeinated Thought: A page turning thriller with psychological twists, action, and intricately developed characters

I have read a few books by J.T. Ellison, but none of them pulled me in, threw me up against the wall, and spit me out like LIE TO ME. This book is beyond anything that I expected from the author.

LIE TO ME is a combination of a psychological thriller and a crime novel. It is one part police procedure/investigation, one part domestic thriller, and a whole pile of mind games. I will admit that sometimes things got a little crazy and almost went too far for me to view as real. Yet, the author always managed to bring it back from the edge just in time. From the opening page, I knew that this book was going to be something I would consume in one sitting. Guess what? I did and I would go back in for a second read if my to be read pile wasn’t so large.

The way that the story unfolds and the perfectly imperfect characters that you meet all add to the addictive nature of the narrative. Then you have multiple narrators that aren’t exactly honest and have contradicting stories. Seriously. This book is a must read for anyone who enjoys an all consuming tale about lies, murder, and betrayal. I cannot wait to see what the author gives us next.

Favorite Quote:

My dad’s military, and of Greek descent. He was the one who saddled me with Constantine. No American kid should have more than two syllables in their name. It’s an open invitation to be a target.

My Review:

Lie To Me was a tantalizing, enthralling, and ingeniously crafted read, I was quickly yanked into a story that wouldn’t let me go, regardless that all the while I couldn’t get a firm grip on the who, where, what, why, or how. The story starts with a body, hidden in plain sight, and in the process of decay. I couldn’t get a handle on whose version of the details was closest to the truth or was even partially trustworthy, who had been killed, how the murder had been committed, why a woman had really left her husband and where did she go? I just knew that a woman was missing and a body was waiting to be found. The characters were mesmerizing, devious, deeply flawed, compelling, and dastardly… or were they? J.T. Ellison is an evil genius and masterfully scribbled an engrossing storyline heaving with a cleverly conniving and alluring cast of characters. More, please!

From No One Knows (2016) to the present with her latest standalone.

From the southern town of Franklin, Tennessee to glamorous streets of Paris, and Hemingway’s old haunts, talented storyteller J. T. Ellison delivers a gripping domestic suspense thriller. LIE TO ME – the highly anticipated story of need and desire. Of betrayal, secrets, lies, and danger.

Reminiscent of Gone Girl (even better), two writers' lives set on a downward course driven by lies, secrets, evil, and revenge.

Love, the author’s journey, the literary references, and her passion. From the inspiration, the setting, and the final words, which jump off the page. (not sure how the author can crank out so many books, and travel – she is superwoman)!

Two ultimately unreliable narrators. The third one is freaky, creepy. Watch your back. Trust no one.

“Chaos is a name for any order that produces confusion in our minds.”— George Santayana

As the book opens we meet a nameless and faceless demented person. She/he is talking to the reader. This person informs us we are not going to like them. Stealing, killing, manipulating, and leaving a trail of destruction.

Everyone is powerless.

Next, there is a body in the woods. It has been there for six days before she was found. Who is this body burned and left to decay?

Moving along we meet a literary power couple. Ethan and Sutton Montclair. They made a powerful and attractive couple. Looks, brains, and success. However, all is not so perfect behind this façade.

Their son, Dashiell had died. SIDS. (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). He was not even six months old. Things were not the same after this. Their marriage and relationship were on the rocks.

Presently, Ethan finds a note from Sutton stating she has gone away. She is unhappy. She asks him to forgive her for being a coward and instructs him not to look for her.

She was gone.

He deserved this. He was selfish. (A narcissist) However, why would she leave without her things? Her laptop, and phone. These things were her lifeline. She was a writer.

Frantic, he must call her friends. They would know. Rachel, a yoga teacher. Ellen the head of library sciences at Vanderbilt, Filly (Phyllis), and Ivy. Ivy, a self-employed stock broker- was out of town on business and she was Sutton’s closest friend and confidant for the last three years.

Then, of course, the bloody mother, Siobhan. They do not get along but she receives a monthly check from her daughter.

We soon learn there were cracks and fissures in this domestic house of bliss. Was Ethan abusing her? There had been multiple domestic calls. What was missing?

Ethan thought he was the best writer. However, he had not produced anything since the baby’s death. Sutton had sustained them with her historical romance, which he never gave her the credit or respect.

Sutton never wanted children. Ethan knew heirs were simply part of the things that should be expected from someone of his standing.

However, he got desperate. He had made a mistake.

He loved Sutton. If she did not show up, he would call the police. It was the anniversary of their son’s death.

From beauty and the beast. A love and hate relationship. From then to now.

Most of his family money was gone now, eaten up by the Victorian house they purchased, the renovations, and no writing. An advance paid back, humiliated in the industry and social media. He relied on Sutton’s income to support them. He simply had not been able to write a word since Dashiell’s death. He resented his wife. She resented him. They blamed one another.

He needs a lawyer. The cops always look at the husband first.

Their lives had unraveled. The affair, the death of the baby, the book cancellation, and now Sutton’s disappearance.

He had not told her the truth.

Where could she be? And who is the woman they found dead? What about her friends? Is Sutton dead or alive?

What dark secrets does Sutton hold? Money missing. An investigation.

Sergeant Roy Moreno and Holly Graham. However, Holly does not seem to think Ethan is the culprit. She has to find out more about the stalker, the friends, and where Sutton could have disappeared to.

However, was it really SIDs? Ethan had lost his son, his marriage, his wife. His life. Are the friends reliable? Then there was the horrible review from a blogger.Everything had spiraled out of control. The video.

Had his wife snapped, or is there something more sinister going on? All the signs point to foul play; however, who is at the wheel and why?

Get ready for the ride of your life! Ellison takes readers from Tennessee to Paris and back. Character-driven (unpredictable) we hear from Ethan’s voice in the first part of the novel. Then Sutton the second part. From the past to present and all the dark juicy evil secrets in between.

Skillfully executed, with twists and turns keep you guessing as to the real murderer. The creepy (third narrator) voice, carefully orchestrating a plan, watching the cops and all the puppets. Tick tock.

A compelling journey through the darker side of the human psyche. An absorbing complex web of deceit.

Ellison withholds the identity of the killer until the end. (the final little twist, was perfect). The note from the author seals the deal making this a “must read” if you love literary, psychological thrillers and domestic suspense. (Holly) was the best character. Otherwise, not a lot of likable characters here.

If you enjoyed Gone Girl, The Marriage Lie, Every Last Lie, and Behind Closed Doors, LIE TO ME is for you. Movie-worthy and an ideal choice for book clubs and further discussions.

4.5 Stars. A special thank you to MIRA and NetGalley for an advanced reading copy.

Also pre-ordered the audiobook. Listen to clip which should be quite entertaining narrated by Matthew Waterson, Saskia Maarleveld, Sarah Naughton, and Julia Whelan (my favorite).

PS Be sure and look for Dead Ends: Stories from the Gothic South Coming Sept 28, featuring 13 original stories by 13 incredible authors.

JDCMustReadBooks

Many thanks to NetGalley, Mira Books, and JT Ellison for the opportunity to read and review this amazing book. I loved this twisty psychological thriller and it should definitely be on your must read list!

Ethan and Sutton are both writers and not-so-happily married. Ethan comes down to breakfast one morning and discovers Sutton gone and a note left which basically said she needed time and not to look for her. Ethan called her friends, her mother, and his lawyer before involving the police. We discover much about their marriage, the death of their child, and the lies between them. Holly Graham is the police detective charged with finding out the truth.

This book is divided into sections - Ethan, Sutton, and Everyone - with an added narrative voice thrown in. The chapters are short with interesting titles. Trust me - you will not be able to stop reading until you are finished with this book. It's just that good. I don't want to give anything else away because you need to take this ride on your own!

The opening is strong and fast and it doesn't stop until Ellison is ready to end it. The story is strange and full of mystery. Subject matter can be a trigger.

Lie to Me is well written and a story many people might love.

I've seen it compared to Gone Girl and I can't comment on that since I didn't read that one! (Never been one to jump on the popular bandwagon)

For me, Lie to Me, was draining. I wasn't invested int eh characters, in fact I rather despised them all so it made it difficult to read. I've enjoyed other JT Ellison books so I kept going hoping something would turn it around for me. But alas, nothing did in this one. I'm sure other people will love this book, a lot. I just didn't get invested enough in the characters or plot to love it.

Lie to Me is the story of a woman's disappearance and the assumption that her husband killed her. The story is told from three points of view and about 40% of the way through I had that dreadful thought "oh my gosh! this is going to be just like Gone Girl! where is the uniqueness in the industry?" Thank goodness this was not the case! Instead Ms. Ellison uses the additional narration to add more confusion, twists, and uncertainty to already questionable events. She allows otherwise minor characters to play larger roles and help mold the story instead of sit on the sidelines and be manipulated by the main characters. This book is well written and other than a few slow spots was a good suspense filled read.

Ethan and Sutton Montclair are successful, prize winning authors who, to all appearances are living the good life. But, all is not as it seems. Is he a monster? Is she? Did their baby really die of SIDS?

The novel opens with the discovery of a decaying body in the woods. Sutton has disappeared, leaving a terse note indicating she needs some time away; Ethan shouldn’t look for her. Is the body hers?

Written in short segments from three different points of view, the true story of the Montclair’s lives, filled with betrayals, unfolds. The suspense builds; just as the reader thinks s/he has figured out what is going on, more is revealed and there is another twist. This is a well written story that you won’t want to put down.

This book accomplished what so many thrillers and mysteries I've read this summer have promised- it surprised me. Sutton and Ethan are two awful, broken people, and it's impossible to be sure what either one of them might have been capable of in their quest to destroy themselves and each other. I didn't see the twists coming, and I don't want to talk too much about the plot because other readers should get the same opportunity to experience the surprises. I haven't read anything else by J.T. Ellison, and I'm surprised that she's escaped my notice for so long as this was a really fine piece of work.
I won't even say the title, but there are inevitably going to be comparisons between this book and another famous contemporary story with similarly unlikable characters, and in this case, they are fair. While Sutton is not Amy, this book will be a great recommendation for those still seeking readalikes.

I loved this stand alone book by J.T. Ellison. I've read a couple of books in her Taylor Jackson series, and enjoyed them, and this new book is great. At first I felt it was a copycat of Gone Girl when a husband discovers his wife has "left him" and her friends start to think he murdered her. This book has so many twists, it really is a page turner, and it will keep you guessing until the end.

If you enjoy a good mystery/thriller with lots of twists, you will like this book. Things are never what they seem in a good mystery.... Great read!

I was completely sucked into this book and I could NOT stop reading until I got to the end! The writing style is addictive, and each chapter leaves you wanting more, until (like me!) you find yourself bleary eyed and awake at four in the morning because you just have to finish!

The beginning of the mystery had a bit of a Gone Girl vibe, but as the story progressed it thankfully moved in a more unique direction! I didn't see the end coming, and I was really intrigued by all of the main characters! I wouldn't say that any of them are particularly likable, but that's also what made them so interesting to me. It was also pretty uncommon to have some chapters from the perspective of the secret bad guy, which I don't usually see in these more domestic thrillers. I also loved the dynamic of having two married writers as the leads! Maybe because I'm a writer, but I found the power dynamics of their relationship to be fascinating. Personally, I've NEVER wanted to even date a fellow writer, so it was a fun twist to have all my reasons why that's so as part of a mystery novel.

All in all a great summer thriller for the beach, that'll keep you reading til dawn!


*FYI, I got this from Netgalley in return for an honest review.

I had trouble getting into this one. I live a good psychological thriller, but I couldn't get into the characters. Their motivation and even dialogue felt flat. Sadly, I was unable to finish this one.

Looking forward to more by this author. Great book!

Wow! What an ending. So many twists and turns in the last 10 pages there is just no way of guessing them all. The book was set up for you to think a certain way and bam it was all a sinister plot by someone you don't see coming. Great job making unreliable characters without making you completely hate the main characters and still pulling for them in the end!

Sutton Montclair disappears, leaving a note telling her husband not to try to find her. Ethan calls the police and then becomes a suspect in her disappearance. The situation becomes more serious when a body is found. The life that the Montclairs had together that looked so perfect begins to look like it was based on secrets and lies. The questions of where Sutton is and did Ethan do something to her are just a couple of many that need answers.

This one was very edgy and suspenseful. I really wondered how it would all play out, and I was very satisfied with the resolutions to the story. The characters were intriguing and flawed, and the storyline was a mesmerizing one. Another good one from the author!

Absolutely awesome and totally un-put-down-able! Keep on brining them out please J.T.!