I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This book feels like it's trying to straddle the line between thriller and drama. I actually think it would've been stronger with an all-in on the marriage/friendship drama with a side of suspense. Naturally, we want to know what's going to happen in the end, and the plot has a few twists and turns, but that is secondary to the deep emotional story at the heart of the book.

In making this a plot-driven novel, we lose a little bit of character depth. Not only that, Cecily's 'big secret' pales in comparison to Kate's, yet both are treated somewhat similarly. And in the end I felt the POVs conflicted with one another a bit. It definitely feels like Cecily's story, but Kate's POV is really strong, even though those chapters are written in close third person instead of Cecily's first person.

There's a lot of heavy stuff in this book. I love the questions the author asks, and the characters she creates. However, I would've liked to have seen better character development, especially around their motivations at key points in the story. Information is revealed slowly, to create suspense, but the timing of these reveals doesn't always feel natural for the POV, which can break the spell for the reader. This also creates distance between the reader and POV character. I didn't always understand why a character felt the way they did, or feel like I knew them well enough to believe their actions.

All that aside, I did connect with the characters enough to keep reading, and their world felt very real to me. The best reading experience, for me, is to be invited into another person's life. I felt like I was part of this book, and remember it as though I saw it all myself. I'm glad to have read The Good Liar. I just think it would have been stronger with a more character-driven approach, since the issues at stake are so deep and complex.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchanged for an honest review.
When an explosion demolishes a downtown Chicago building, three women are particularly affected; Cecily- who lost her husband, Tom, Franny- whose mother perished in the fire and Kate- who lost more that day than anyone else.
When a documentary filmmaker strives to make a film regarding that tragic day, all three women are thrust into the spotlight (some more willingly than others), and deeply hidden secrets struggle to stay that way. How far is each woman willing to go to protect her secret?
“The Good Liar” by Catherine McKenzie is a suspense-fueled, gripping thrill ride with surprising twists at every turn. Full of unexpected surprises, this novel is as entertaining as it is addicting. All three women are likable in their own way, each with their own dark secret, and it is easy for a reader to develop a fast friendship with each of them, empathizing and rooting them on throughout.
This is a story which had actual, real, no doubt, unexpected twists that I did not see coming. They were unpredictable without being unbelievable, and really added to the page-turning nature of the novel. “The Good Liar” itself gives nods to Mary Kubica (one of the women having possession of one of the author’s novels), which is appropriate as Catherine McKenzie’s “Liar” plays out in similar fashion to the make up of a Kubica novel. I adore both authors and while this novel may slightly resemble a Kubica novel in genre, it completely stands alone in creativity and individuality.
This novel rotates between points of view, and will often jump back and forth from “before” the explosion, to “after”. This is normally a style I find confusing and difficult to follow (especially in an audio or electronic format) however it really worked for “The Good Liar”, the style definitely contributing to plot development in a good way.
A huge fan of McKenzie’s work, I will always read anything she puts her hand to. However, in this case, “The Good Liar” may be the best one yet! I look forward to seeing what she comes out with next.

If only I could give more than 5 stars! Uh wow! I mean WOW! This is one of the most CAPTIVATING and SUSPENSEFUL books that I’ve read in a long time. I love a story that has twists and turns. Talk about a wild ride! This is the first book I’ve read by Catherine McKenzie but it won’t be my last.

Cecily Grayson has had to endure so much after losing her husband and to be thrust into the national spotlight as the poster child of this tragedy and is almost too much to bear, almost. Teo Jackson known for snapping the now famous photo of Cecily in the aftermath of the Chicago building explosion is now working on a documentary featuring Cecily among others who lost loved ones that day.

After two years, Cecily is still spotted by the public and photographers alike. She continues to grapple with loss of her husband and also her best friend. Franny Maycombe was so excited to meet the woman who gave her up for adoption so many years ago – and then to lose her to this tragedy was heart wrenching. Kate is adjusting to the loss of her husband and her children. She is trying to move forward, but her past keeps pulling her back.

All I can say is strap on your seat belt!

I received an advance review copy of this book from Great Thoughts Ninjas. All opinions are my own.

I had a really hard time coming up with a review of the good liar. I find it hard to put into words why someone should pick up this novel without giving important parts away but I will try my best. I loved it and can’t think of anything bad about it.

Catherine McKenzie has a talent for writing suspenseful novels and twists you don’t expect. The good liar is a perfect example of this. The description of this novel tells you all you need to know before reading it in my opinion. The less you know going in, the better it is. I was on the edge of my seat throughout and trying to put the mystery together. The good liar finishes up nicely without leaving you asking any other extra questions and no cliff hangers. This novel speaks for itself and I have a feeling fans of other thriller style novels like gone girl will really enjoy it. I also recommend reading it in one sitting if possible because it is hard to put down. However, it is also really easy to get pulled back into. I highly recommend reading the good liar.

Jaw-dropping bombshells. Scintillating secrets. Love, pain, betrayal, revenge. The Good Liar follows the lives of three women whose lives are forever-changed by an epic tragedy. I was spellbound as their stories intertwined, with twists and turns that were stunning and unexpected! So many lies, so much deception, making this book unputdownable! There are also tender moments in this story, heartbreak and poignancy hidden beneath the surface of of this captivating book!

Catherine McKenzie does it again (How does she do it over and over again?!) Another book of hers that I could not put down from start to finish. This might be my favorite of hers - though I say that every time- they are all so fabulous!
The plot: On October 10 at 10:00am a building exploded killing over five-hundred people...fast forward one year later and the "Triple Ten” is being remembered. McKenzie weaves alternating perspectives of three women whose lives were impacted- all in different ways- in this one horrifying moment.
You think you know where this story is going....but you have no idea. You become sucked into each of these characters lives, the pain they have gone through and their struggles to find themselves and the truth. This book had me guessing until the very end and I was not disappointed! This is a must-read!!!

I really liked the book! A bit slow at first then the second half took some great twists and turns. The ending was a bit predictable! Great set up for a sequel!

Riveting, thrilling psychological drama and mystery that will keep you glued to the pages until the final paragraph. Three diverse yet intersecting lives following the shock and aftermath of a tragic event will take you around many twists and turns and never fail to surprise the reader. Excellent book! Highly recommend. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

“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?”
4.2/5 stars
This is the first time I have read a book by Catherine McKenzie and I really didn't expect to like it as much as I did. Initially the book cover (it's so amazing) and the blurb is what I found interesting and that's what made me pick it up.
The plot is amazing & very engaging. It surrounds three women who were affected by a disaster & keeps going back to the past and then to the present as two of them are interviewed for the making of a documentary. It alternates between three POVs but it was very easy for me to keep track of them. It's a story filled with lies, deceit and secrets. It's an absolute page-turner. It's a woman oriented story with all the three main characters being women and they all play very important parts in the climax of the story.
There were so many fantastic reveals and plot twists through-out that honestly surprised me so much. I really did not see any of them coming. And especially the ending was very unexpected & left me so boggled.
I would very much like to see this one adapted into a movie. I think it'd do great as one.
I am definitely going to pick up her other books soon because honestly this one was so amazing!
I want to thank NetGalley, the author and Lake Union Publishing for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much for the opportunity.

I'd like to thank Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for the E-ARC of this book that I received. I found this book thought-provoking. The characters will stick with me for a long time.

Great read with twists and lots of questions that kept me reading to find answers. I'm still trying to figure out Kate. I know she was supposed to be the villain, but her choices and actions seemed so cold & harsh; they belied the feelings she expressed. Cecily, her kids and Teo were great characters.
Advanced reader copy courtesy of the publishers at Netgalley for review.

I really enjoyed this book. As the story unraveled I became more and more engrossed in it and suspicious of my initial thoughts of what the end could possibly be. While I did enjoy the story, I did not enjoy the ending, it felt like it needed a bit more of a dramatic conclusion to the story.

This one is filled with a bunch of situations that had me wondering if I'm confused or if the author is really THAT good at throwing me off the trail. :-) (It's the latter.) I had the chance to read this "early" and I dug right in...and didn't stop till the final word.

Another five star read by Catherine McKenzie. She's one of those authors that I don't really have to read what the book is about because I already know it's going to be great, whatever it is. She creates such vivid characters and lives for those characters that it's impossible for me not to feel as though I'm part of. Her writing is so effortless that I can't believe how many pages I've read when it's (sadly) time to put the book down. I loved it!

This book is a must read for 2018. Get it ! I read it in a day, could not put it down. The story is so original. The characters are complex, dislikable yet likable. So much loss. So many lies. Everyone lies, right ? Every character has their own story, their own set of lies. The ending, WOAH ! So good ! I highly recommend this book !

Griping, chilling, unforgettable! . Full of intrigue, deception, and suspense McKenzie slays it. Who do you believe when almost every character is unreliable and deception lurks around every corner. A brilliant and intense read!

Oh my goodness what a wild ride! This book hooked me from the beginning and didn't let go until the end. And that ending? WOWZA! This is a story about three different women after a massive tragedy. I love how the chapters alternated between the women and you could see how they were affected from the building explosion. I loved the differences in the women but Cicily was my favorite. I read this book so quickly as I could not put it down. A fantastic read that I thoroughly enjoyed! I received an advance review copy of this book from the Great Thought's Ninja Review Team. All opinions are my own.

Catherine McKenzie knocks it out of the park again! I was hooked from the first words and loved this book all the way to the end. Cecily is by far my favorite character, but there are so many interesting people with so many facets!

Loved this book! I literally could not put it down once I started it. This is definitely a must read.

“The Good Liar” by Catherine McKenzie

What a phenomenal novel. Catherine McKenzie takes a national tragedy and examines how it affects three women: Cecily, who had not yet entered the building and was photographed just standing there in shock; Katelyn/Kate, who was just leaving the building when it exploded and was thrown from the building alive and running far away from it and her life; and Franny, who believes her biological mother worked in the building, died the day of the explosion, and inserts herself into her “new” family.

Each woman has a different story from the day of the tragedy and the following year. Each woman knows one another, either from before or after the explosion. Each woman has one or more secrets. Each woman has one or more lie(s) they are carrying either by deception, that of another they are related to, and/or in reality.

A fast moving, captivating, suspense novel, “A Good Liar,” will keep the reader on their toes, thoroughly engaged, and unable to put this novel down. There are pieces that will keep you guessing throughout the novel. There are individual stories and events that aren’t completely unfolded, told, and/or revealed until the last page. Even then some things may keep you ruminating until you really put it all together after the novel is done.

Catherine McKenzie has taken a plot that, sadly, can happen at anytime, and examines the acts of human nature in relation to such a disaster. To freeze, to run, or to use it for personal gain in some manner. Her characters are honest and relatable, as is her storyline. A true 5 star read!

Rating: 5.0
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

** I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this novel. All thoughts and opinions are my own.