DNF - story was very disjointed and inconsistent. Not only was main character unlikable, but so were all the other characters. Some facts and plot points were changed and writing was difficult to follow.

Faith's sister, father, best friend, and her best friend's mother were brutally murdered in a cabin on her birthday. She's "the girl who lived," in the media, and is never fully able to escape that title. She turns to drinking, and we meet her ten years and many rehab stints later. Everyone thinks her father committed the heinous act in a murder-suicide, but Faith thinks she saw the man who did it, and over the years, she's seen him several times. She calls him Ratman, but no one believes her. Her dead sister's fiance, now a cop, reluctantly agrees to help, but only if she stops drinking, something Faith can't seem to do. Lots of twists and turns, especially at the end, make this a quick, adrenaline-filled read. The writing style is not my favorite, and there were a few moments that seemed to push the boundaries of believable, but it was lots of fun. I truly didn't see the ending coming, either--it's always nice to be surprised!

This was the first book that I have read by Christopher Greyson and it was very fast pace. While I wasn't initially a fan of the main character, she grew on me and I wanted her to succeed, likable or not. And props to Mr. Greyson for having an ending that I didn't see coming!

A unique story of pain and betrayal!

I am a big fan of this author's series of books about Jack Stratton. When I read he had written a book not related, I was definitely intrigued. I know how well he can weave a story. This psychological mystery kept me guessing every step of the way! One of the best books I've read this year! The story pulls the reader in from the first page -- I could not put it down!

A masterful story of one young woman's struggle with major personal losses and betrayals since her 13th birthday when her world collapsed. Through ten years of pain, presented as drinking, breaking the law and getting into all kinds of trouble, we hear her story, her pain and her anguish. While very flawed you will still love and root for Faith after you hear her shocking story! She does not know who to trust and with very good reason. So many twists in this story! You might think a right turn is coming, but, NO! It's a corkscrew of turns that will leave you, as well as Faith, breathless and questioning every character's motives! An excellent must read book!

Great suspense thriller with some unexpected twists. First book from this author and I would definitely read again.

"I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review"

As the anniversary of the murders approaches, Faith Winters is released from the psychiatric hospital and yanked back to the last spot on earth she wants to be—her hometown where the slayings took place. Wracked by the lingering echoes of survivor’s guilt, Faith spirals into a black hole of alcoholism and wanton self-destruction. Finding no solace at the bottom of a bottle, Faith decides to track down her sister’s killer—and then discovers that she’s the one being hunted.

This book was a unexpected surprise for me. I was expecting this book to be just okay and I also expected to solve who "did it" well before I read it, but this book left me guessing right until the author wanted me to know. I had no idea what was was coming and I was in shock when I found out who it was. This book has so many twists and turns and I have to admit I thought even my husband could be the killer by the end of the book. I was just as paranoid as Faith.
Faith made my heart break and made me so angry at the same time, but I think someone who went through something like that would be in the same mental state as she was in or at least could be so I think the fact that I had those feelings for her was intentional by the author.
I ended up giving this book 4 out of 5 stars and am looking into more books by Christopher Greyson as I really enjoyed this one. I would suggest anyone who likes mystery's to give this book a go you wont regret it.

I’d received a copy of this book via Netgalley and promptly forgot about it due to school and other obligations. I started, and finished, it today. This is an amazing story with so many twists and turns. Faith is a fantastic character and the story is told at just the right pace. I recommend this book 110%, you will not be disappointed!

Suffering a staggering loss that would leave the best of us on edge, Faith Winters toppled over. Having been recently released from yet another psychiatric institution, Faith sets out to find answers of her own. Suspenseful and propulsive, The Girl Who Lived will keep you wondering just who you can trust.

DNF . Sadly I just could not warm up to the book. I think perhaps I read it to close to another thriller/suspense novel and was unfairly comparing the two novels. My stars are not accurate but I was required to post them

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in return for an honest review.

This is Faith’s story, written from her perspective. At 13, she and her sister arrive at their family’s cabin. What was meant to be a fun-filled 13th birthday celebration ends with Faith’s sister, her friend, her friend’s aunt (her father’s lover) being killed by her father. Or were they? Faith is the lone survivor who insists that her father, who then committed suicide, was not the murderer. It’s a great premise, but it is never followed through. Instead of following through and searching for the real killer, Faith binge drinks. She is such an unlikable character, yet you feel bad for not feeling some empathy for what she has gone through. You become a spectator to the story instead of being drawn in.

There are so many inconsistencies in the story it is hard to reconcile them to make them believable. Faith knows her father didn’t commit the murders, yet she continues to have doubts over the next 10 years. She continues searching for the killer she saw, at the same time she is blaming her father. Faith spends years institutionalized, while her therapist mother writes a tell-all book exposing her daughter’s pain and inability to cope. Faith binge drinks, on top of her heavy medication, and upon release from the mental facility, her mother just plops her in an apartment and expects her to get a job.

There are so many twists in the book, they become contrived, convoluted and beyond belief. The ending takes so many quick turns your head is spinning. Everything Faith sees is a red herring, and the ending rushes at you.

This is a long and drawn-out story, and I’m still not sure why I continued to read it. Lately I seem to be putting books aside, thinking that there is so much good stuff out there, why spend time on the bad. This one could have gone by the wayside without a blink.

Really interesting read, with super suspenseful twists and turns. I really liked the way that the main character was clearly traumatized and struggling to cope with the world. It was just really unclear whether you should trust that she's telling the truth, and I really enjoyed that. Overall, I would recommend to readers who liked Girl on the Train or Gone Girl. They have a similar sense of suspense and unreliable narrators.

This book was a fun, fairly quick read. It captured my attention even though it was difficult to like or relate to the main character. She was really unlikable to me, but the story kept me intrigued. The rest of the book was full of twists and didn't leave any questions unanswered. However, the book would have been fine without the last chapter. It did not fit with the rest of the book and seemed like the book would have been better without it. Overall, I enjoyed the book and I would recommend it.

It’s been ten years since the day that changed her life. The day her beloved sister and father were killed together with her friend and her friend’s mother and she survived. The anniversary is close when Faith Winters is finally released from a psychiatric hospital where she spent most of the time since. She is said to have hallucinations, but she is very sure not to hallucinate at all. It wasn’t her father who killed all of them because he was exposed as adulterer. Yet, nobody believes the then girl and now young woman. Free at last, Faith is going to search for the killer – but the demons of the past haunt her and soon she realises that she cannot trust anybody. Or is she just crazy after all?

Christopher Greyson’s thriller is fast paced and playing on the readers’ nerves. It is a psychological thriller in which you can never be sure of what you read and what or whom you can believe. Faith Winters is a well-chosen protagonist, her past qualifies her to be either totally unbelievable and paranoid; yet, on the other, it is easy to imagine that she had been fooled and that people were eager not to believe her and to simply label her the crazy girl. Her medication and the consumption of alcohol just add to this.

The plot is cleverly crafted, many clues only lead you to dead ends and you have to build you explanation anew. Most of the characters act suspiciously in one or the other way which does not help much since you do not know if their behaviour is linked to the case or motivated by something completely different. The fact that there are many former addicts and people on medication around does not make it easier to distinguish between the credible and the non-credible characters.

All in all, the author did a very good job. Great entertainment, a thrilling plot with many twists and turns, an interesting protagonist and a fast pace – all you could wish for.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Greyson Media for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.* 'The Girl Who Lived' is described on its cover as a 'thrilling suspense novel.' However, in reality, it is far more than that. The story is based around Faith Winters, who since a tragic event in her childhood has spent her life bouncing from one disaster to another. Whilst the main plot line of the story is based around what actually happened in her family's cabin on that horrible night, Greyson's novel also has much insight to offer on addiction, survivor guilt and complex family relationships. A fast-paced, engaging read.

This is a book that totally picks up speed as you go, and the last quarter is unstoppable. I couldn't love our protagonist, in fact this often read as a YA novel to me with Faith being so blended between combative, immature, victim, badass, she was definitely all over the map with her characteristics. I want quick to pick this up and read for the middle of it, but I'm glad I stuck with it because things got pretty exciting at the end, so many possibilities on the whodunit road to murder. I will be trading more Greyson in the future!

This was a very fast paced "final girl" page turner that I couldn't put down. We have an unreliable narrator, vivid characters that keep the reader guessing, and an unpredictable ending. The ending was unpredictable but it came together in such a nice way. I also liked that despite all of her flaws, I was still rooting for Faith. (WHY would they make her return to her home town! There's group therapy everywhere!) Well done and I would recommend.

Wow... this was pretty good. It was interesting and suspenseful and I didn't want to stop reading it. Did Faith truly see the face of the man who tore her family apart? She was but a child, but she stays true to her story. However, no one else believes her. This is her story. I had been in a bit of a thriller book rut, and this pulled me out of it! I look forward to more from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Definitely page-turning. The lead character, Faith, was not the most likable or relatable of characters, but I was still rooting for her through thick and thin. Solid suspense writing.

This was the first book I have r3ad by Christopher Grayson. I was hooked from the very beginning. the book was full of plot twists all the way to the end. The main character lives through a horrific tragedy only to spend the next 10 years in madness trying to get someone to believe her and what she saw. It is a nail biter to the end. I did not want to put it down. I plan to check out some of the authors other books. I received this book from NetGalley for my honest opinion.

This book kept me guessing the entire time how the story was going to end, twists and a very likely character, Faith Winters. My first book by Christopher Greyson and I liked it a lot. All the elements I like in psychological thrillers, suspense, unexpected twists and interesting characters.