This is going to be a difficult book to review. At times I really enjoyed this book but at other times I didn’t like it at all. I kept getting the characters confused. It seemed there were too many. About half way through the book, I was finally able to discern who was who and enjoyed the rest of the book. Kaitlyn and Cecily are the main characters but Franny also plays an important role in the story. Kaitlyn gave a baby up for adoption when she was still a teenager. Now that baby has grown up and is looking for her mother. There are a lot of issues with this search both on the mother’s side and the daughters. I was surprised when I finished the book. I thought there would be at least one more chapter to wrap it all up. After I thought about it for awhile, maybe the author ended the ladies stories right where they needed to end. A different, interesting book. I will recommend this book to family and friends but I will need to explain a few things to them first. Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union for allowing me to read an advance copy for my honest review.

Can I start off by saying the cover of this novel is just gorgeous? Big high five to whomever designed it. This one is quite hard to review as I hate giving away spoilers, and sharing too much on this novel will only expose the thrills beneath its beautiful cover. So, bear with me through this one as I try my best in telling you why you NEED this book, hopefully without spoiling this read for you.

While this was my first read by Catherine McKenzie, it will not be my last. Catherine has a writing style that keeps her reader engaged. From the deep exploration in the characterization, to the seamless way the story she creates flows. Add in an unexpected plot and this girl found herself with the inability to put this book down.

This novel is filled with such complexity and depth, with twists and turns you will not see coming. McKenzie weaves together the story by alternating between the perspectives of three women, Cecily, Kate, and Franny, whose lives were impacted in very different ways by the horrifying events that occurred on October 10th. Worth to note, Franny’s perspective being offered by the inclusion of interview transcript pages was a great touch. This made me enjoy this read all the more and spoke to my true crime/deposition reading heart.

This book grabbed me right from the beginning and did not let go. The writing was so effortless, the characters were so intriguing, and the unexpected plot turns were extremely enjoyable. In the end, you will be left to decide who really was the best liar of them all. Pre-order this one NOW and get set for a ride that will not disappoint!

There are three characters, each telling their story. There is Cecily, Kate, and Franny. The big question is out of three, which one is the good liar. There are lots of secrets in this story. All of these woman are guarding important secrets. Just how far will they go to keep them. There is an awful tragedy. An explosion rips apart a Chicago building and the lives of these three woman are forever altered and each character tells their story of the tragedy. The memories of that terrifying morning become dangerous triggers.

This is a great psychological thriller. This one kept me guessing till the very end. The beginning had so much going on and I was so intrigued. I had so many questions. I was hooked and kept turning the pages looking for the answers to my questions. This was a Traveling Sister's read and we all were intrigued. It was a great discussion and I had fun reading each others thoughts. It was a very fun read. This book was a fast paced read but at the same time, I found myself lost and confused and had to go back and reread it. Some of the twists happen fast and that's why I would have to reread it. I had to slow
down to get all the pieces of the three characters stories. I couldn't read it with a lot of distractions. I mainly read this at night when my husband was asleep.

I didn't know who I could trust in this story. Some of the twists were shocking. This one was like a jigsaw puzzle. All the clues are there, but you have to sort them out and find where the pieces of this story belong. I did find one part of the story unrealistic but that was fine for me because I loved everything else about this story. This is a character driven novel. I really got to know each character very well.
I did find some parts of the story predictable, but I loved the ending, and it ended just the way I wanted it too, which doesn't happen. I found this book to be very addicting and loved the jaw dropping moments.
I recommend this book to those that love a psychological thriller.

I want to thank Netgalley, Lake Union Publishing and Catherine McKenzie for the copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.
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What a page turner! This is the first book of McKenzie's that I have read so I have nothing to compare it to.

I found that I couldn't put this book down.

The book is about three women that are tied together in different ways. Each chapter is about a different woman. I really enjoyed how the chapters were shorter. So many chapters ended with a punch that had me continuing to the next chapter. There were several twists that I saw coming before they were revealed but several that I didn't.

I received an Advance Review Copy of this book. All Opinions are my Own

Definitely a lot of lying going on in this book! Uncovering them will keep you engaged until the end!

This one starts off strong with an explosion in a building and people running for their lives. Focusing on three women who are impacted by the tragedy in different ways. Which one has something to hide? something to gain? something to lose? Which one lies?

Alternating narratives from each of the three women (which I really enjoyed) let us in on some things they were hiding or running away from. Their stories start to unravel as the plot progresses and interviews for a documentary take place. I also enjoyed the format of the question/answer transcripts from the interviews. Stay focused if you read this one because there is quite a bit going on that you may question later. Happened to me...more than once!!

Some startling twists and a fast paced plot put this one at the top of list for psychological thriller lovers!

I wrote this book so of course I highly recommend it! Hope you enjoy it as well.

I have enjoyed all of Catherine McKenzie's books, and this one is no exception. Once I picked it up, I had a hard time putting it down. Why are there always so many other things to be done when I'd rather be reading? Somehow, Ms. McKenzie manages a day job as a lawyer and continues to produce all these wonderful books. I can't imagine what's wrong with me...

From the title (a 3-word title instead of the 1-word titles we've become accustomed to), we know that someone is lying, so of course I spent the whole book wondering who the title is referring to. The book is about three different women in the aftermath of a tragedy in Chicago. In the words of the author - a woman running away from a tragedy, a woman running toward the same tragedy, and one stuck in the middle of it. As the book progresses, we find out that each one has her secrets, and Ms. McKenzie is really good at leaving breadcrumbs for us to follow, taking us exactly where she wants us to be. Just don't get too comfortable - you'll figure it out, be vindicated when your guesses are confirmed, and then everything gets turned topsy-turvy as new information comes to light.

Thanks to Lake Union Publishing for the ARC. The Good Liar is a great read!

I really enjoyed parts of this. Other parts just required too much suspension if disbelief for me. I think there was still a good story here with out all of those twists. Also was I supposed to hate every character because they were all horrible.

What a fun and engaging read. I loved the use of different narrative styles - each chapter was either one main character's storyline or was part of an interview - which kept it fast paced and full of intrigue. The characters lives are complex and private until a tragic event and the publishing of one photo leads to their private lives instantly becoming public. As the characters become public figures, it remains harder and harder to maintain their family secrets. As the novel progresses the author foreshadows the truth yet all is not revealed until the final chapter. Of course, it's an added plus when the novel takes place in your home town.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union for providing me with an early release of this book.

I love everything Catherine McKenzie writes and she has out done herself with The Good Liar! Written with the right amount of tension and surprise, this book captivates and keeps you totally on edge! I thought I had it figured out as to who done it and was totally surprised! Well done!

I love this series, another strong entry. There is somehing for everyone. My favorite: The Invitation. Awesome anthology of short stories. I look foward to the next installment. Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC of this book in return for my honest review.

3.5 Cecily is on her way to meet with her husband, when the office building in which he works is destroyed by an explosion. Over five hundred dead, her husband among them. Her life, as well as two other women, Kate her best friend, and Franny, a young woman with some curious ties to them both. Cecily will become the face of the bereaved, a widow and now the single mother of two children. On the surface things appear simple but all these women have secrets they do not want known.

An addictive read, quickly paced with many, many twists and turns. Hard to know what was happening, because as soon as I thought I knew what would happen, the novel took a different turn. There were a few things I just couldn't come to terms with, things that I couldnt quite process as believable. Who was the Good Liar? One of them or all of them?

I did, however, love the ending. This is one book that after you read the end, makes you see everything, re-evaluate what you previously read in a new and different way. Very well done. It also made for a great sisters discussion.

ARC from Netgalley.

I seriously love all of Catherine McKenzie’s books. If you’re like me, this one will not disappoint. It follows three people affected by a national tragedy, weaving their stories together as the plot develops. You see the stories of the victims, and how their lives may not have been as perfect as they seemed. There are several twists along the way (and, of course, at the end!) that I did NOT see coming. Loved it!

“Is it possible to be both, a terrific father and a terrible man at the same time? A man to admire and a man to hate?
The place: Chicago, IL
When: October 10th @ 10am (“Triple Ten”)
Who:
Cecily and Tom are married with two kids, Henry and Cassie. Tom works in the Chicago building that came crumbling down on 10-10 at 10am.
Joshua and Kaitlyn are married with two Girls. Kaitlyn recently went back to work in the building Tom works. She was also there that fateful day in October.
Kaitlyn and Cecily are best friends.
On October 10th after the explosion rocked the building that Cecily’s husband and friend were in, her entire left changed. She feels an overwhelming guilt because she was supposed to be there that morning, meeting with Tom. But that day, she ran late. Now, her husband and her best friend are declared dead.
One year later, as the anniversary of the explosion rapidly approached, Teo, a journalist who was there that day and snapped a picture of Kaitlyn after explosion, is now putting together a documentary of the disaster. It was because of this picture, Cecily became the poster child for this horrific event.
The story is being told from Cecily’s perspective, Kate’s perspective, and in an interview format between TJ and Franny. Franny, a woman claiming that Kaitlyn is her biological mother who sadly died in the explosion. A year later, another “explosion” happens… basically an explosion of everything everyone ever knew to be truth! Secrets.. so many. The characters in this story are intertwined in ways I could not imagine and as the story unravels, it still kept me guessing! I started this book one morning and didn’t stop until I finished it after midnight! Wow! Amazing!
You will NOT be able to put this book down!

My favorite Catherine McKenzie novel yet (and that is saying something)! There were so many twists and turns that I didn't see coming, but looking back, I can't believe I missed. this is my favorite kind of novel, the one you can't put down and must know more. I read this in just a few sittings and was utterly enthralled from the first page. Read this book and thank me later.

This was an excellent book about some people affected by a disaster similar to 911. The lives of three women are changed in the aftermath of the explosion of an office building that killed hundreds of workers. Their families become famous in the media and, in addition to coping with the loss of loved ones, they are also hounded by paparazzi. There are secrets that unfold and the book really kept me guessing. Highly recommended!!

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for my review. I am a huge fan of Catherine McKenzie and have read all of her books, so I was really excited to have a chance to preview her latest book, The Good Liar. In her latest timely novel, a building has exploded and it has forever changed the life of Cecily, who lost her husband in the explosion along with her best friend Kate. Because of a picture taken of her at the scene, Cecily has become the "face" of this tragic explosion. As the poster girl for the explosion, she has been put in charge of a panel that has to determine how death benefits will be paid out to the survivors. This puts her in contact with Franny, who has come forward as a daughter that Kate put up for adoption at birth, Since she is technically a survivor, she feels she should be allowed to collect the death benefits from her mother.

So why is it called The Good Liar? Because everyone in this twisty novel is lying, and it is a suspenseful mystery to figure out who is lying and what is the truth. I loved this book and I can't wait until this book comes out to talk with my friends about it!

wow, she does it again, Catherine McKenzie really knows how to keep you reading! Who's telling the truth or who is being a good liar! The book is full of twists and turns and is addictive! Thanks for giving me an advanced copy!!

This book grabbed me right from the beginning & wouldn't let me stop until the last page. The story is told through three women's perspectives. It's about a gas explosion that occurs in Chicago that blows up a building & kills over 500 people. Cecily is standing in the street when it happens as she was running late for a meeting with her husband in that very building. A photographer takes her picture looking up at the horror & she becomes the poster child for the tragedy. A year later she is preparing for the anniversary & helping that same photographer with his documentary. Kate is in Canada avoiding the topic of the anniversary & trying not to look at any of the footage. Franny had lost her just found adopted mother in the tragedy & was helping on the committee that was aiding the victims' families. That's all I can say about this book without giving the story away. The plot twists & turns through these three women & I highly recommend you buckle up & enjoy the wild ride! You won't be able to put it down.

Lies simmering on the back burner.

Bring to a rapid boil.......and, wowzers, watch the spillover seeping onto the innocent and onto the guilty as well. Eternal blisters and forever scars.

The Windy City is the backdrop as Cecily Grayson rushes up the concrete stairs that meet the street level of The Loop. "Late" has an indelible mark on her back. Continuous rushing leaves her breathless with her head down and feet planted on each step. As she raises her head slightly, Cecily comes into contact with a massive explosion that hurls her to the ground with the power of the impact. A stranger grabs her hand and pulls her in the opposite direction towards safety.

But there will no longer be even a wisp of safety from here on out for Cecily. Her husband, Tom, worked in that building and so did her best friend. Her grief will find no privacy either as that stranger snapped a photo of her at the shocking moment it hit.......hair and clothing swirling and chaos reverberating with its horrifying aftermath on her face.

As time moves slowly forward, Cecily is contacted by Teo Jackson who is creating a documentary of the Triple Ten explosion based on his photo of Cecily. (10th month, 10th day, at 10 am) Cecily's photo has left her with the kind of notoriety that she longs to avoid. She has also been selected to be on the Compensation Committee for the 513 victims of the tragedy. This is where she meets Franny Maycombe. Franny has just found her birth mother who appears to be a victim of the explosion.

Catherine McKenzie has put out enough place settings at this story table to make your head spin. You don't have enough time to swallow down the first course while she serves up the next. Relentless sizzle to this one, dear readers. Just like we like it. Fast and furious with more rabbits in the hat than a magician at a kiddie party. Whoa! The lies spill out until we're knee deep in the stuff. And secrets that will have you wincing as they all come tumblin' out.

Do yourself a favor and start out the New Year with a definite bang. This one makes more noise than a trove of clanging party favors. Enjoy the explosive ending for sure.

I received a copy of The Good Liar through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Lake Union Publishing and to Catherine McKenzie for the opportunity.