The Good Liar by Catherine McKenzie centres around three women, Cecily, Kate, and Franny. The women are linked by a tragic event where an explosion ripped apart a Chicago building, where 513 people were killed. It’s coming up to the first anniversary of the explosion and a documentary is being made about the real people behind this national tragedy. But just how accurate are these individual narratives? Can any of them be trusted?
Character and plot are cleverly interwoven through a medley of narrative devices, where the reader gets to know each character before the narrative strands are expertly brought together until one twist after the other forms one huge knot.
The first character the reader gets to know is Cecily, a mother of two whose husband has been killed in the explosion. Her best friend also worked in the same building, and she too has been killed. Cecily’s point of view is told through first-person narration, where we learn what is usually considered to be one of her weak points (she’s always running late) actually saves her life. But what she’s actually doing at her husband’s place of work adds intrigue: ‘It was ten in the morning. Seems like an odd time to meet your husband at his office.’ Cecily is the poster girl of the documentary, and is portrayed as they grieving widow whose life was destroyed that day. But just how accurate is this portrayal?
The second character is Kate. Kate’s family believe she was killed in the explosion, but unable to cope with her life in Chicago, Kate has escaped to her homeland in Canada, where she’s working as a nanny to two young boys. A third-person narrative is used to drip feed in events of Kate’s past, and there are lots of edge of the seat moments when you think her past is going to catch up with her. But does it? Just what has she done to make her run away? And will she be forced to face her past demons?
The third character is Franny. Franny is the youngest of the three main characters and is part of the documentary alongside Cecily. Told in an epistolary style of narration, through questionnaire type recordings made for the documentary, Franny had only just been reunited with her birth mother, when her mother was also killed in the explosion. Franny fights hard to ensure her mother’s husband and her two half-siblings receive the compensation they are entitled to. But what’s her real story?
This novel is full of so many twists and turns I felt almost physically dizzy. The premise really reminded me of 9/11, and it left me wondering just how many real people, affected that day, have similar stories to the characters in Catherine McKenzie’s novel. This is the first novel I have read by this author but it certainly won’t be the last. Another 5 star review from Literature Love.
Thank you to Catherine McKenzie for such an enjoyable read, and thank you to Lake Union and Amazon for this Advance Reader Copy.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Good-Liar-Catherine-McKenzie-ebook/dp/B073D5NK69/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1523885046&sr=8-2&keywords=the+good+liar
I absolutely loved this book and couldn’t put it down. I recommend you stop what you’re doing and go and buy this book now!
As well as having all the elements of a four-star review, this book transcends its genre. The language is original and compelling; characters jumped off the page; and twists in the plot left me gasping. This rare and exceptional book will be put forward for Literature Love’s top 10 books of the year.


For further details of out rating policy please see :
https://www.literaturelove.co.uk/blog-1/literature-love-5-star-rating-system-explained

McKenzie delivers a unique story told in a unique manner.  Each chapter heading tells you whose perspective the story in the chapter will be told from and within the chapter indicators are given as to if the character is remembering past events or discussing present events.  Interspersed between chapters are interviews in question and answer style that the characters are responding to because they are part of a documentary about the primary event common to all three of the main characters.

The Good Liar answers the question, for three characters at least,  of what would you do if a catastrophic event happened in your life. One chooses to be viewed as something she is not, one runs away, and the third pretends to actually be something she is not.  

This novel takes several twists and turns.  The knot of lies is so layered that it is only in the final words of the book that the last piece of the layers is uncovered and revealed.  I look forward to reading more by this author.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy.

A thrilling story with tons of twists and turns. Some of the plot points were predictable but overall the twists came together at the end to create a compelling story.

The Good Liar is based around a fictional, 911-type tragedy set in Chicago that devastates the city. The story is told via the alternating narratives of Cecily, Kate and snippets from the interview that Teo, a documentary maker, has with Franny, a young woman trying to find her birth mother. This tragedy links these three women and as their stories progress, readers see the truth revealed.

This book has good bones - solid premise, emotional situations and part of it is set in the beautiful city of Montreal (I love it when Canadian authors keep their stories in Canada). But the three women were hard to keep straight in the beginning and I can't say I was connected to any of them. Too much time was spent on their daily lives and not enough time spent developing and maintaining the tension.

Overall, The Good Liar is well written and kept my interest, but I was expecting more suspense and a bigger build-up. Readers who like domestic drama with a side of suspense will enjoy this book and the ending will make readers question who really is the Good Liar.

Disclaimer: This Advanced Reading Copy (ARC) was generously provided by the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

October 10th was the day that forever changed the life of Cecily Grayson. October 10th at 10:00 AM in the morning was the day that the building blew up in Chicago. October 10th was the day that her husband and her best friend, Kate, died in the explosion. October 10th was the day that her life was spared because she was running late. October 10th was the day that Cecily became famous when a photographer made Cecily the face of a national tragedy. A year has gone by since October 10th hand Cecily is slowly putting her life back together. She is participating in a documentary about that day and those who perished that day. Included in the documentary is a woman who says that she is the daughter that Kate gave up for adoption so long ago. One thing Cecily knows for certain is that there are a lot of secrets surrounding that day that could destroy everything if they go out. Secrets that leave her feeling guilty and could leave her children permanently scarred. Will the truth about what really happened that day ever be revealed?

The Good Liar was so good! It is so common for society to get caught up in the personal stories of a tragedy. Whether it be a mass shooting or some other tragedy we get caught up in the stories of the survivors. We become personally invested in their stories and their lives. The Good Liar explores that premise with such great insight. Cecily was a sympathetic character from the very first page. She played the part of grieving widow so well that it was easy to see why the photographer (and the nation) latched on to her grief. She carried a lot of guilt and I liked how the author had her in therapy. It was real. As was her relationship with her kids in the aftermath. Her efforts to keep the kids from finding out the truth were certainly noticed. I was a little icked out by Franny's relationship with Joshua, it was just a weird little twist. There are so many different layers to this story, so many different threads to this elaborate web of deceit. As each thread is unraveled the reader becomes more and more invested in the story. Leading me to finish the last half of the book in one gulp - I just could not put it down. - CLICK HERE FOR SPOILERS

Bottom Line - The Good Liar is not just a book about secrets. It is a book that looks at survival after a tragedy and what some women will do to keep their secrets intact.

Details:
The Good Liar by Catherine McKenzie
On Facebook
Pages: 380
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Publication Date: 4/3/2018
Buy it Here!

So who is the good liar? There’s not only one in this engaging psychological thriller, another well-crafted story from Catherine McKenzie. Perhaps liar should instead be plural --- the lies are abundant, making it a satisfying page-turner that leads us toward a twisty surprise ending.

Told from three women’s points of view --- Cecily, Kate and Franny --- each has her own collection of secrets. THE GOOD LIAR is packed full of them, leaving hints and questions crackling throughout the book. I find it tough to review a suspense story for fear of divulging any clues, but McKenzie delivers again in this, her ninth book. Incidentally, she jokes that she is the queen of books with one-word titles --- FRACTURED, SMOKE, HIDDEN, SPIN --- but this one breaks that tradition.

"Perhaps liar should instead be plural --- the lies are abundant, making it a satisfying page-turner that leads us toward a twisty surprise ending."

Secrets, lies, betrayals, twists, questions, regrets and surprises are all between these two covers (or between swipes). You won’t want to put down your book or device --- or your earbuds if you're the audiobook type like me, though this one I read in hardcover, flipping madly through the pages to the end.

I often think about the real lives and the real people behind a news story, the real-life subjects of an image that becomes part of our cultural focus if even for a short time. For those living and experiencing the tragedies and “stories” we watch on our screens, what does it mean to them? What are the consequences of being unwillingly propelled into the public eye? How do people manage painful, hard-to-process emotions with the world watching?

Lately, I’ve read quite a few books with mothers leaving their children and families, and I always wonder what it takes to get to that decision. What circumstances, what inner turmoil or angst, what history or self-talk pushes someone to make such a dramatic choice? THE GOOD LIAR asks these questions for me again.

Today I posted on social media that I’d just read THE GOOD LIAR, and the comments poured in, all saying a version of “I loved that book!” You can’t argue with enthusiastic Facebook readers. In the book and #bookstagram world, McKenzie’s newest thriller is getting lots of buzz and rave reviews, and I’m adding my own here. This is one you won’t want to miss.

A great psychological thriller told from the points of view of a trio of women, each with complicated lives and secrets that threaten to be exposed in the aftermath of an explosion of a building in Chicago. Engaging and intriguing, filled with twists and surprises, the author did a great job of keeping you guessing who the good liar actually was. The characters were well-developed, the storyline kept me guessing, and I did not expect the final reveal at the end, which is always a huge plus for me!

Other reviewers have complained about the character of Franny being revealed through interview transcripts, but I found that to be a very original and refreshing way to learn about her character. Very well done, Catherine McKenzie! I highly recommend!

My thanks to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for providing an ARC of this novel.

3+ stars

I’ve really liked some of Catherine McKenzie’s books but this one was just ho-hum for me. It felt like another overly eager entry amongst many books that refer to lies in their title.

The book opens on the one year anniversary of a big explosion in Chicago. The story is told from three perspectives. Cecily lost her husband in the explosion, Kate was supposed to be in the building at the time of the explosion and takes the opportunity to disappear from her life, and Franny claims that her birth mother who she had not yet met was in the building. There is a tangled web of lies and secrets that slowly unravels.

I liked the premise but I have some complaints about the delivery. It took me a really long time to sort out who was who, and what was going on. And once I figured it out, the characters left me a bit cold — I especially had trouble with Kate. It’s pretty tricky to pull off a character who is desperate enough to voluntarily disappear from her life — including her children — and to me Kate’s character didn’t quite cut it. And I quickly saw the end coming, although I’ll admit it was clever.

Why 3+ stars and not a lower rating? I have a soft spot for McKenzie because her books often have a Montreal connection as did this one. And despite my complaints, I did keep reading to find out what was going to happen.

I seem to be very much in the minority on this one. There are lots of enthusiastic reviews. So take my thoughts with a grain salt.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read an advance copy.

Catherine McKenzie always comes up with unique and interesting premises that hook me in instantaneously and The Good Liar may be my favorite one to date. Three women, all connected by one terrible tragedy, and I had no idea who was being truthful or if any of them even were actually being truthful, the title of this one is SO fitting!

This is told from Cecily, Kate and Franny’s point of view. Cecily and Kate’s chapters are pretty standard as far as the structure but Franny’s story unfolds via an interview transcript which brought a fresh edginess to the plot, it almost moved things along at an even faster pace, and this was already a page turner. As I said before, none of them were altogether trustworthy or very likable, but McKenzie’s characterization is top notch making this a solid and engaging read.

This was a read that snuck up on me a little bit, as much as I was enjoying it, I did guess one of the plot points before it was revealed so I was slightly anxious that it would be easy for me to puzzle the rest out. WRONG! That tiny little piece I fit together was honestly not even the tip of the iceberg, this was more twisted than a pretzel which kept the plot moving forward at a rapid pace. The epilogue was amazing, you guys know an ending can make or break a book for me and this one just made the book that much better for me!

The Good Liar in three words: Unexpected, Tight, and Riveting.

I am always 'up' for a Catherine McKenzie novel, and am never disappointed. The Good Liar is no exception. Cicily, Kate and Franny are all faces from the same local Chicago tragedy, yet the way the tragedy affects each of them is of course completely unique. Told in the first person, each character has her own voice in various chapters, which sounds confusing but isn't. By the first 30 pages you will recognize each person's voice by emotion and reaction to action.

Each lady has admirable and questionable characteristics, good and bad instincts, sympathetic or unpalatable reflexes. And there is a lot of action in this tale. First one, then another appears to be the more evil or most admirable, but until very close to the end I was not sure just who the culprit would be.

I received a free electronic copy of this novel from Netgalley, Catherine McKenzie, and Lake Union Publishing in exchange for an honest review. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me.

I really enjoyed this one! The premise was very interesting, and different than anything I've read lately or that is currently out there. I very much enjoyed the different narrative perspectives, I thought it added another dimension to the story. I think it also created an element of surprise and the reader is left wondering who they can trust. A few of the twists I did guess, but there were still several things that I didn't figure out, so I was anxiously reading until the end. This was an easy read, the story moved along quite nicely. I would definitely recommend this one.

*4.5 stars*

Wow!! This psychological thriller follows the lives of three women, one year after a catastrophic building explosion in Chicago. Cecily, Kate, and Franny have all been affected by the tragedy, and reacted in very different ways. Each of them harbor secrets, which are revealed in a way that makes it hard to stop reading. And the last twist?? It left me reeling. Again, wow!

I love this kind of thriller, but it wouldn’t have had the same effect if the characters were one-dimensional. Cecily, Kate, and Franny are all fully realized,
and at times I felt like I was reading a fascinating study of survivors of catastrophe, and how deeply their lives are changed.

Cecily is the “poster child” of the tragedy, a model widow who wishes more than anything that the whole thing would blow over and she could live in anonymity with her children.

Kate is a nanny in Montreal, but it soon becomes clear that she has roots in Chicago, and her past haunts her no matter what she does.

And Franny is the young 20-something reeling from the horror of losing her birth mother, just months after reconnecting with her.

I was very impressed by this book, and look forward to reading more by the author.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC.

Terrific anxiety inducing psychological suspense with sympathetic characters and twists around every corner. I didn't find the plot changes gasp-inducing and for some reason kept waiting for some huge revelation (the revelation that eventually did arrive was a surprise although not a shocker--if that makes sense) but it kept me reading pretty nonstop for two days so it's worth the time.

What I liked about this book was the author's inspiration behind the main character's final confession, and think it's a book that could lend itself to book groups who want to discuss a psychological suspense novel.

Because of the topic of a large number of people dying at once in a catastrophic accident (in this case it was a gas explosion that decimated a large building) and its aftermath, a good companion might be the nonfiction title THE WOMAN WHO WASN'T THERE by Robin Fisher, and for suspense fans, try other domestic thrillers such as Linwood Barclay, Kimberly Belle's MARRIAGE LIE, and Shari Lapena's THE COUPLE NEXT DOOR.

Lies, lies, and more lies. And just when you think you've got it all figured out, you don't. This book started off a bit slow for me and was hard to follow at times. The book alternated between different characters' viewpoints so it took some time to gather information about each person. Twists and turns are found throughout each page and there are several stories within a story to distract the reader from solving the mystery. I felt like this book left me wanting more answers and not fully satisfied with the ending. Also, I wasn't a fan of the bad language in this book because that's just not my thing. However, this was an interesting read that kept me swiping frequently to find out what would happen next.

Copy furnished by Net Galley for the price of a review.

Three women.  One who has been grievously wronged, one who is filled with guilt, and one who just isn't . . . . quite right.  Someone is lying up a storm.  Is it just one of them?  Could it be all three?  At least one of them is a very good liar.

Oddly enough, my estimation of this was higher while I was reading it than it is as I am writing my review.

Gripping right from the start - interesting, creepy premise matched by three equally fascinating female characters. They each have secrets, but you care about each one of them and the different points of view are very well done.

** I have received an Arc for a honest review!! **

WOW!! WOW!! This is an amazing story! I absolutely LOVED it!! This is her very best one yet!! I would like to reread so I can catch more of the details.

Cecily is running late. Since she was late, she was safe. She was supposed to meet her husband for a meeting in that building. There was a gas exploration in Chicago that killed five hundred thirteen people. A lot of twists and turns that kept my interest.

Franny is searching for her birth mother in that building.

Kate fled hoping she will be able to start over.

I loved how the author intertwined three different ladies with one single event. It makes you think and feel a lot! What an amazing job Catherine! I really enjoyed it!!

So many lies. There are enough lies in this book to keep you on your toes while you are reading, and far beyond.

3 women tell their stories following a catastrophic event in Chicago. The stories they tell, however, are pretty far removed from the truth. Cecily is trying to move on after losing her husband. Kate is rebuilding her life in another country. And Franny is looking for somewhere to fit in.

A little slow moving at first, once you get going, this story takes off and becomes a fast paced rollercoaster ride. You won't have any idea of what's happening until the final pages. An excellent read!

My appreciation to the publisher, and Netgalley for the ARC!

THE GOOD LIAR was so intriguing right from the start as we follow survivors and family left behind after a tragic explosion that killed 512 people. This story starts off with Cecily, who lost her husband in the explosion. She was on her way to meet with him and her shock is caught by a photographer as she watched the building explode. Her image becomes the face the tragedy, which brings all kinds of unwanted media attention to Cecily. Even a year after the explosion, she is still hounded by the press.

Kate is living a brand new life thousands of miles away from what happened a year ago. She is living a lie with a fake name and taking care of children that aren’t her own. Kate’s only hope is to not be discovered. Franny watched the tragedy on the news. Her one hope was to meet her birth mother who was in the building.

The story comes together as Cecily and Franny are interviewed for a documentary about events leading up the tragedy. The interviewer plays a important role as he helps Cecily get through the anniversary.

This story really caught me by surprise in the best sort of way. I had no idea how Kate tied into the story for most of this book. Cecily also has a secret she is hiding after she discovers something about her husband. All of these women are hiding something.They go to great lengths to keep their secrets to themselves.

I just love McKenzie’s writing style as she, again, completely surprised me. I almost want to go back and see if there are clues that might have led on to what these women were hiding. I did not see that coming. If you enjoy a well written mystery this is a book you simply must read!