A rollercoaster ride with Jule, a very unreliable narrator. The story is told backwards for the main part, so you have to work hard to piece the story together - and try and work out exactly who Jule is and why she is where she is....

I've read two E. Lockhart books previously - one of which I enjoyed (We Were Liars) and one of which I didn't as much (Fly on the Wall). In both cases however I really liked the writing style and appreciated the premise of the stories.

Genuine Fraud has a really interesting structure and it took me a little while to get used to it. It starts and finishes with the same scene, working backwards until the end where we're brought back to the present moment. It also has an unreliable narrator which always makes for a wild ride. I appreciated that even in the last few pages I was questioning who the narrator was.

Jule is a girl on the run - but why is she on the run? And where did she come from? This is a mystery thriller with murder and deceit. It's a short read (as Lockhart books generally are) and you can whizz through it in a short amount of time.

There isn't a whole lot of character building but that's to be expected when the protagonist is unreliable. She's the master of disguise and pretends to be several different people - the main being her best friend Imogen.

Although the story was really interesting (and apparently the same storyline as The Talented Mr Ripley, which I haven't read) because it was so short and fast-paced, I felt like you missed out on a lot of the elements that make thrillers so addictive. At no point was I particularly bothered by any of the characters or even what happened to Jule in the end. That was a big issue for me because why else am I reading?

I don't recommend this book if you're looking for an intense thriller that sucks you right in and leaves you wanting more - but if you're looking for a quick read that isn't your standard mystery novel then this could be a good choice.

This is a fascinating, engrossing book from the author of the much-loved We Were Liars. Tonally it's very different to this and her other previous work which I also loved, The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks, it tells the story of Jules (whose truth you never really fully understand). Yes, there were some flaws (the ending was not the most satisfying) but it was so engaging and well written that I read the whole thing in an evening. Sign me up to the E. Lockhart fanclub, stat.

My only real criticism was the age of the characters - I understand that this is because the author's previous books have come under the YA category, but it felt like the book had originally been written with characters in their early-to-mid-20s and then just made them a few years younger when told it had to be for a younger audience. I thought this made it just a little less believable (a 17/18 year old doing all this? Really?).

I am a big fan of E Lockhart and couldn't wait to read this book so was grateful to receive an ARC through NetGalley. I loved the suspense built up through the reverse chronology and the unpredictable characters who kept me guessing throughout and I couldn't get enough of the antiheroine.

Well.

This is such a frustrating book.

I really like characters that are meant to be unlikeable and this book is full of them, however if you had read Patricia Highsmith’s The Talented Mr Ripley (E. Lockhart couldn’t have been more inspired) then you’ll know this book, they are very similar to those characters and so is the plot.

I really like how the plot develops, the story going backwards as Jules tells the story, however in places it can feel like the story is almost filler, to an ending that really is a bit of an anti-climax. Nothing really happened, it was too easy for a character that is developed as someone strong, tough and smart.

It has a good pace and the writing is fantastic - this book will keep you hooked no matter what, not to mention the scene setting is very picturesque. How Lockhart paints the places the characters go in the book is amazing, however for me it’s story that’s already been told and been done better really.

I was absolutely fascinated by the way this story was told backwards, and how it informed my understanding of Jule. I was genuinely disturbed by how things played out but her character was built in such a way that I trusted her completely until suddenly I didn't. It took some getting used to, but as soon as you could anticipate that the gaps would be filled in, I couldn't stop reading.

I'm really drawn to characters like Jule who can so easily change identities and fly around the world at a drop of a hat. It's glamorous and dangerous all at the same time, and reminded me of Ally Carter's 'Heist Society' and one of my favourite films, 'Hanna'.

For such a short book, there was so much going on and a constant thread of 'something's not okay' that unnerved me but I was desperate to get to the bottom of it. 'Genuine Fraud' definitely fits with E. Lockhart's other titles, with aspects of Jule's character reminding me of Frankie from 'The Disreputable History...' and characters from 'We Were Liars'. If I've liked her other books, you're guaranteed to like this one, and if you're new to this author, I'd definitely recommend starting here for action and pacing.

A mystery/thriller where the question isn't who, but rather why and how.
This book is nothing like We were liars, but somehow captures the same mysterious feeling of something being not quite right.
Throughout the book, Jule explains her thoughts and her reasoning behind what she does, but because of her re-invention of herself, the reader is never sure wether she actually believes herself or if it's just another part of her constructed personality.

"Jule had told a hundred lies to make Immie love her. She deserved that love in exchange for them."

This is a delightfully creepy and confusing tale of a girl who will do anything to come out on top. Told in reverse, this book keeps you guessing almost to the last page. Who really is our main character? What drives and sustains her? How far, exactly, has she gone to get to where she is now? Jule is the epitome of an unreliable narrator and it makes for a fantastic journey. You do not want to know anything more going into this book. Be warned though, there is no neat little bow wrapping up this story

Wowzer! Like many other people I loved We Were Liars but Genuine Fraud is something else!

The first thing that strikes you about this book is that it starts at the end. Jule, an orphan is living it up in a posh hotel. She’s rich, alone and feisty. But also a little bit mysterious and deadly. Slowly, chapter by chapter the novel begins to go back in time and the reader finds out more about Jule and her friend Imogen and the plot gets even thicker. A friendship woven with secrets and lies and a couple of murders thrown in for good measure.

I loved the way this novel worked backwards, it’s a very skilful way of writing and a great approach to keeping the intrigue going, we know the ending from the beginning and now it’s just a matter of finding out the how’s and why’s.

There were definitely some ‘gotcha’ moments as well as that brilliant moment where pieces start fitting together and you’re sat there thinking ‘wow, you devious bitch.’ But I also loved that there is such a strong female presence in this book along with very blurred lines on who is the ‘good guy’ and who is the ‘bad guy’.

Overall Genuine Fraud is an unputdownable novel with one of the best examples of an unreliable narrator that i have ever read.

E. Lockhart’s newest novel, Genuine Fraud, is every bit as engaging as her bestseller We Were Liars. It’s a novel told in reverse, as each chapter takes the reader a step back into Julie’s story. Julie is on the run. Does her relationship with Imogen, her wealthy friend, have a connection to what she’s running from? Julie is tough, streetsmart, and a master of disguises. But who is Julie? We never really know until we reach the end of the novel. One thing we are sure of is that Julie is a survivor and that she will go to great lengths to stay that way.

The plot is fast-paced, taking the reader along to various locales, including Martha’s Vineyard, London, and Mexico, and offering up new plot twists along the way. This is a book to pick up for readers who don’t mind a dark story and enjoy a plot that will keep them guessing right until the end.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Genuine Fraud starts out so deliciously good. Starting from the end and working it's way back to the start, this book features Jule - a girl on the run, usually in disguise (hence the title), and calling herself Imogen. Obviously she is not Imogen, and so her disguise isn't doing so well and her cover is blown. The book basically tells you the story of how she got into this mess. Very exciting premise that's for sure and really cool delivery - give me a fast paced, mysterious chase sprinkled with some murder and I'll be stuck to the book until I've devoured it.

Except for there was no mystery really; it seemed really apparent from very early on how Jule had gotten to be where she was and there was no secondary plot twist to leave me feeling foolish for thinking it was so easy to figure out. It just was. And I'm not sure if it was just because the book runs backwards, or if I figured things out that shouldn't have been so obvious, but this story just didn't have the level of surprise I would have expected from what is ostensibly a mystery type of story-line. I can only assume having the ending before the beginning kind of ruins that suspense.

Really lovely writing style, and a unique approach which absolutely deserved three stars for that alone, but for me a good mystery is the same as a fast paced movie. You've got to be hooked, with your bum hanging off the edge of the seat and your hand halfway to your mouth (full of popcorn) frozen in midair because you're so into it. I just wasn't hooked - I'd have eaten the whole bucket of popcorn by halfway if it was a movie.

Characters
Julie is known in the book as many, many names, but is referred to as Jule on the most part. Very little is known about her as a person, which gives me a sense of fear or uncertainty. Had it have been a first-person narrative, I would have said she is the most unreliable character of YA fiction I’d ever come across. In fact I still, hours after reading, don’t trust her or her motivation for doing what she does… which is why I’m so spellbound by her.
Jule is incredibly intelligent and resourceful. Just wait until the pin starts to drop and, while we never get a true sense of who she is, you do realise how strong she is.
Imogen is a spoilt, unlikable character and there seems to be a sense of justification about what happens to her. Yes, we get a lot of information second hand, but you do later realise there’s other things you have to look out for to learn about this character. Not that it helps.
Forrest and Brooke are equally unlikable; however, you may feel a little sympathy for them. They’re both upper class collateral damage.
Plot and writing
It’s hard not to talk about both of these together, owing to the nature of the book. It’s a third person narrative that has a backward/ retrospective plot that is reminiscent of the beautiful film Memento (2000).
This is unputdownable writing. I read it in one sitting, mainly because I needed to know. I don’t think I could have kept up with the threads had I been dipping in and out of the narrative.
While it’s clearly not a new concept, as Memento can attest to, it is a gripping way to set out a novel and it won me over from the start.

'Genuine Fraud' had me flipping pages quicker than I could have imagined.
Much like 'We Were Liars', Lockhart creates situations that you feel you are almost part of. Whilst her writing style is just as engaging as her previous books, it is the reverse-chronological order of events that are both maddening and ensure you cannot put the book down. Every time I thought I understood Jule, or what had happened in her past, another mystery would be thrown my way. Starting in the present and working backwards a couple of weeks/ months at a time was a unique structure for me, but I loved it.
The female characters are all fairly feisty, but Jule is a law unto herself and a brilliant protagonist. I would definitely love to see more of her.

This book caught me and kept me hooked from the first sentence, but it was a little difficult to get my head around the backwards storytelling at first, but after I'd gotten used to it, it was really great to see how each event had been triggered by the one before it. It was a very different way of storytelling but a very interesting one.

Jules was a very interesting character. It was both hard to get to know her and very, very easy because there were some things that were very true to her, such as the superheros and the way she picked up on things so easily and could memories things so quickly. And other things that seem like a part of her but that she has lied about completely.

This is definitely one of these books that I sped through, not wanting to put it down and am now regretting it because it's over. If you're looking for something compelling and intriguing that will keep you reading then this is the perfect book.

Brilliantly written and cleverly constructed, Geniune Fraud is one of the freshest, most exciting books I've read in a long time. Starting at chapter 18, we unravel the story from ending to beginning, every chapter turning events that seemed harmless in the previous chapter into something more sinister with every page turned. An absolutely cracking 5 star read.

This was a hard book to like. There was nothing to like about Jule and after a time realised I didn't care about her. I read on in the hope something would rescue this, but there was nothing. The reverse timeline also added to my frustration.

I was one of the many fans of We Were Liars so when I was offered the chance of an early review copy of Genuine Fraud, I nearly snapped the publishers hands off! I thought that this was going to be a popular one with reviewers but when the reviews began to roll in I started to worry! Would this just be a retelling of The Talented Mr Ripley but with a female protagonist as many are suggesting? Well I’m relieved to tell you that I absolutely devoured this ruthlessly compelling thriller and whilst there are definitely similar themes running throughout, I found it to be more of an homage to that well known and much admired tale. And as this is targeted at young adults, it is coming to an audience that possibly hasn’t read any Highsmith before and will enjoy this book and judge it on its own merits.

This is actually the first time I’ve read a novel where the narrative progressed backwards and it’s a technique that the author embraced wholeheartedly with great success. I absolutely flew through it in one very intense sitting. I didn’t find there to be too much confusion with this method of storytelling as it suited the plot, following the flow of deception until it returned to its source in the present again. Jule is the ultimate unreliable narrator, an obviously flawed individual whom I struggled to connect with until her motivations started to become clear and even then I didn’t admire her as much as I think I was expected to. There was an horrific fascination in watching her friendship with the spoilt heiress Imogen knit together in reverse although I have to admit to not having any sympathy for pretty much all of the characters here! Still, I found them intriguing enough to want to observe their fate without really coming to care for them.

If you’re looking for another We Were Liars then you won’t find it here. But what you do get is a cleverly crafted, sumptuous and cinematic suspense that I wanted to read again the minute I had finished it. When it comes to YA, I still think E. Lockhart holds all the cards and can pretty much do no wrong. This wasn’t the story I was expecting but in her able hands it became an instant classic for a new generation.

I read this in just over 2.5 hours because I couldn't put it down. Told in reverse, taking masses of inspiration from The Talented Mr Ripley but with a female main protagonist, Genuine Fraud was a huge page turner.

It did, in substance, feel like a homage to Ripley and to Highsmith, the author captures you with her beautiful descriptive prose, rich and layered settings and hugely divisive characters. By the end of it you know everything, yet you know nothing. This is a book that demands a second reading.

It won't be for everyone and it is nothing like Liars, but for me it worked extraordinarily well and I have been caught up in it all day. I like the backwards story telling, like Megan Miranda's "All The Missing Girls" a book I would also recommend if you enjoy this, it captured my senses, beginning at the ending and ending at the beginning - each little gem of a timeline giving you that bit more but also taking away, messing with your perception leaving you to work out what you believe.

Yes I'm a fan of books like these. I hope more authors try their hand at this non linear storytelling and hone the craft until I'm genuinely upside down. Genuine Fraud is both Ripley and not Ripley, a beautifully formed novel that yeah, definitely won't be for everyone.

But it was for me.

There will be an interview with the author and a more in depth review on my website for publication.

Having read We Were Liars by the author which I really enjoyed, I jumped at the opportunity to read her latest novel. From the blurb I knew it would be very different from her previous book of which was no issue.

The story goes backwards from present day to where it all began and then ends back in the present day. I've never seen this done in a book before and I have to say it just didn't work for me. Some parts grabbed me but then because we were going back in time I kept getting really confused as to what was happening.

The main character herself is someone who is very self absorbed and I didn't take to her. In fact none of the characters really appealed to me. To be fair they probably arn't supposed to but I really need to connect in someway with at least one of the characters to enjoy a novel and sadly I just didn't with this one.

Genuine Fraud I am sure will appeal to many readers, it just wasn't for me. Having really enjoyed We Were Liars though I would certainly read other books by the author.

Previously reading reviews of this book written already they have noted that it relates to another book, The Talented Mr. Ripley. Thankfully I haven't read the book to have make any comparative notes, and I'm grateful for that because for me it was a different book to what I have read before. For instance the structure of it, the beginning is the end of the novel and as the chapters go on we go back in time to where all the drama started. I think this was perhaps a little bit of a drawback for me because I was aware of what has happened so there wasn't much suspense or tension that I was expecting.

However because of this structure we're much more interested in the characters themselves rather than the plot, and I don't think I've been so puzzled by a character such as Jule before. Throughout the novel we know Jule to be a compulsive liar throughout, as she dresses up as her friend Imogen and lies to their friends of her whereabouts. I was constantly asking myself why? Is Jule in love with Imogen? Is she jealous of her? Why Imogen? All of this becomes clear as the book progresses. I enjoyed the revelations that unfolded and getting to known Jule, and you definitely feel sympathy towards her from the beginning but even more so towards the end. You can see why Imogen was perhaps her target, the girl is simply up herself. A girl who takes everything she has around her for granted, and I think anyone would be sick of her throwing around money like it grows on trees. Both characters were polar opposites, and it seemed upsetting to me that Jule would want to become someone she isn't.

I wasn't a huge fan of We Were Liars but E. Lockhart's style and social commentary is always enticing and addictive, and I simply couldn't put this book down!

Genuine Fraud is about the outcasts, kids who are from very plain backgrounds and who aren't rich or perfect in every way. To an extent it is about how far someone could go to achieve their own happy and wealthy life in bitter and twisted ways that are realistic. If you like books with a bit of mystery then this is a book you should certainly pick up.