Good story that fell apart at the end.

Susannah and Max seem to have a good life in Vermont until they find a note on their door.. Susannah is mentally fragile and we already know Max is a murderer. The story was well written and kept my attention, but the ending, particularly concerning a detective and the writer of the notes, is implausible.

Also, the book had very few chapters or breaks, which made it difficult to read in shorter times. Some nights I only had a half-hour or so to read and there were no natural breaks in the story that made it easy to decide when to put it down. I usually had to stop in the middle of a scene. That may not seem like a big deal, but somehow it was.

Tl;dr: Short, taut domestic thriller that poses a lot of interesting questions, definitely a must read for fans of psychological suspense.

The Perfect Liar is the perfect title for this book because, in the end, who is the perfect liar?

This one is sort of like The Talented Mr. Ripley meets Gone Girl with no one being what they seem and it leaves (or at least left me!) really intrigued by the way that central question--who is the biggest liar, are they perfect at it-- or unaware? Or aware yet not, at least on the surface?

It's impossible for me to talk about the novel without spoilers and I will mark my review as such, but just in case...

SPOILER

SPACE

Ok! So, that ending! Max, to me, seems to be the perfect liar at first but he's so not--Susannah is. I mean, yes, Max has a great con going, the kind of one you do read pieces on in Vanity Fair or The New Yorker (loved the nod to that at the end, btw) but I think Susannah is really the biggest--and best--liar of all, although I can see the case for everything she does being in reaction to what happens/did happen to her.

I think Susannah is not reacting--I think she's whatever she wants who she's with to be until she's done. And then she's *really* done, and unlike Max, who thinks and is presented throughout, as someone who is both immensely pleased by and very, very good at presentation.

Max goes from teen/early adult vagabond to on the fly murder to aspiring artist (because the art world, he senses, will be a perfect place to be who people want to see) to a knowing sucess, to superstar who is "beyond" art and in demand for motivational talks that he (and us) know are just him playing to the crowd, to academic (Greene really shines with this, it's clear he's in academia but isn't afraid to call it on its bullsh*t)-- and then murderer again but this time Susannah has it and him all figured out but hey, she's all over the place and he's got it under control and if she has to go, well...

And then he's dead.

His mistake is seeing Susannah as she presents herself and how she is, on the surface, written. She's a art school dropout who never did what her family wanted, met a therapist who could calm her always busy mind (she thinks of it as panic, her son thinks she's just unmoored, and Max thinks she needs him as an anchor--I think she's just bored until she's ready to make a move) and seduced him, then got pregnant.

Susannah narrates that part of her life, and in it, she's a victim. And while there's no doubt that her family turned away from her, and Joseph, the therapist, was questionable at best, and unhinged at worst (that dog cage scene, yikes!)--you have to wonder. She's very open about the defiance (I would call it choice) to get pregnant and huh, the minute Joseph isn't helping her/pushing her as hard as he can because he thinks he can/she realizes he's old--bam! He's dead. Technically, she tells her son when it all comes out, he was mostly dead anyway. (Oh, well then, ok!?)

Then there's Max. When Susannah meets him, he confesses he's crashing the party (literally and figuratively) but, in his mind, dazzles her so much he gets her and surprises himself by loving her as much as she does him. Luckily he knows how to handle her, and sure, there are moments when Susannah wonders about his past, but in her recollection they are just little hiccups. He's the father figure she wanted for her son, he's successful enough to get them out of New York City and to a perfect home in Vermont--he's perfect. And then notes start appearing and she's freaking out and Max-- she can see that under that calm exterior is rage. So much rage.

It's not aimed at her, but she sees it and it scares her, and in the end, Max has sort of confessed about his past and he's killed someone and the police have been coming around and she panics, grabs her son, a whole lot of cash, and meanders into an escape that's foiled by her boy being a teenager and texting Max because he thinks "Mom is acting cray cray"--so she returns home and all is well except for the cop who talks to her but she doesn't say anything, just tells the story of meeting Max ( and whoops, that part where he told her he wasn't exactly an artist yet, but hey, now he is!)

So, Max knows he needs to get Susannah calmed down and possibly out of the picture, so it's family vacation time and Susannah is getting all panicked again, phones the cop she spoke to (managed to keeo the card the cop gave her, you see) and says she finally realizes she's in danger and then, before he can kill her, she kills Max but she was terrified and the cop says to tell everyone that Max fell off the cliff Susannah pushed him off, to say it was suicide, and Susannah is just so grateful she and her son are safe and besides, with what they know about Max, he's killed before and she was probably next.

Except

Except for that one sentence about how funny it was that Max died exactly one day after the university where he was working life insurance policy kicked in, guaranteed money even if the cause of death is suicide.

And Max becomes even more famous once he's dead, and Susannah, after all this time, finds an artistic streak she thought she lacked and now back in New York, her works (funnily enough, all about murder, but of course in reference to Max's deeds and her surviving him) are very in demand and now she's more than well on her way to becoming famous in her own right.

So. Is Susannah just a woman with a knack for falling into one dangerous pattern after another and finally, finally getting lucky enough to escape?

Maybe.

But I don't think so.

Last two lines of the book:
"So many people are dying to meet you," Lydia said.
"Bring me to them."

I rest my case.

I was provided with an ARC of this by St Martin's and Netgalley in return for an honest review. (And apparently, in my case, a very, very long one!)

Five stars for this disturbing but utterly delightful mindf*ck of a read. I can't wait for this to come out so I can talk it up all the time.

When I begin reading this book, I almost just stopped.

I didn’t like Susannah and I didn’t like Max. But, it had some good reviews online and I wanted to see if maybe I was missing something.

I was.

It turned out that, as I read, Max became infinitely more interesting. And Susannah, who I initially found quite boring, became all too interesting in her own right.

And, suddenly…I was in.

The characters in this book are very, very wrong – just about every last one of them. And it was so compelling because I literally didn’t have a clue what they would do next or how this all would end.

Expect a book of psychological suspense that will keep you guessing until the very last chapter.

This was good. I can’t give it five stars because it really did take a bit to capture my attention, but once it did, I was all in.

*ARC via Net Galley

How well do you know the person you are closest to? Have they told you about their past or did you just not ask the right questions? Are you harboring your own secrets that you hope will never be discovered? Max W and Susannah are drawn to each other at an exclusive party given by a successful art dealer who can make or break an artist's career. What follows is a chilling story of lies and deception.

Thomas Christopher Green has written a beautifully descriptive tale about people who are hiding ugly pasts. I was so surprised by the ending that I re-read parts to see if I had missed some vital clues. Two hours later I'm still thinking about this book as I try to write a review that tells how good this book is without giving away too much. The best thing I can do is end the review now.

Thank you St Martin's Press and NetGalley for supplying an Advanced Reader's Copy. The opinions expressed are completely my own.
#ThePerfectLiar #NetGalley

Susannah was a widow(with a young son) when she met and married Max. They both have secrets and when an unsigned note appears on their door(I Know Who You Are), Susannah is extremely upset, while Max appears outwardly calm. Whose secret won't stay hidden for long and what will Max and/or Susannah do to protect the secret?
From the moment the note is found, the story moves at breakneck speed. The point of view shifts between Susannah and Max in the past and in the present. As we learn more about each character, the twists and turns were nonstop. I had a theory about the note, so kudos to the author because I was totally wrong. The ending was a real surprise and my Kindle finger may have been a bit sore from furiously flipping pages.
I seem to have read many books recently that use short chapters with cliffhangers and alternate between various points of view. Not so with The Perfect Liar....the chapters were long and moved from Susannah to Max without pause. I had no issue determining who was 'speaking' and as soon as I stopped anticipating the end of a chapter, I understood the author's writing style and was fully engaged. Secrets, lies, deceit, mystery, and murder....this book had it all. It is the first book I have read by Thomas Christopher Greene and it won't be my last.
I received a DRC from St. Martin's Press through NetGalley.

THE PERFECT LIAR is amongst my very favs of the year! Absolutely brilliant! I highlighted masses of paragraphs for their poetic beauty and hilarious wit. I may read it again, simply to study the expert craftsmanship of this novel. Will write more, closer to pub date. Five massive shining stars! Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press,

This was my first encounter with this author and I wasn’t disappointed. It was full of mystery and twists. It definitely had me guessing to the end. It makes you wonder how well you really know those closest too you. Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This novel starts out introducing you to two sides of a marriage- how they met, their intriguing pasts and their internal feelings about the present. While both characters had some skeletons in their closets, you begin to see who isn't so crazy after all. I'll admit, I wasn't sure about this book to begin with but wow- did I get sucked into the plot and the twists and turns of this couples marriage. This book was very interesting and a really good, quick read.

Hmmmm, too unlikable people inevitably drawn to one another and the levels of deception abound. But as with so many smart people who think they are smarter than everyone else, they don't get away as scot-free as they think. He does and she does and both think it was justified, whether it was on not.
While it was interesting to try to understand why these 2 were the way they were or behaved in such bad ways, I was really only interested in figuring why.
This is less about mystery and more about the layers of betrayal and distrust. Its a little painful to know how awful people can be-

I would like to start this review by thank Netgalley and the publisher St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

For me though I really enjoyed this book and was going back and forth between a 3.5 stars to a solid 4 stars I ended up going with 3.5. Of course I gave it 4 as we are not able to give half stars! I also felt that the twists were enough to give it a 4 star rating.

One perfect May morning Susannah returns from her run to find a note on the door of her home that reads simply "I know who you are". Susannah is freaked out by the note and immediately calls her husband who is out of town on a business trip. When Max gets home he is not as upset by the note and ends up just dismissing it. Thinking that is the end of it and then something else happens. The husband of a couple that had dined with Max and Susannah recently dies in a terrible accident while on a run with Max. Shortly thereafter another note arrives simply asking "Did you get away with it?".

Told in third person we see both Susannah and Max's reactions to the notes and the secrets they both keep. The story flows well except that once in awhile things do feel a bit jumbled. The secrets and trying to discover for yourself who is the perfect liar does keep you glued to the pages. I read this novel pretty quickly so I would say that it is fast read. I think for m the thing that was hard for me was that I just could not get myself to really care about the characters much and for me that is something I really enjoy in a novel. I like to have someone to root for and here there was no one for me to care about. This is a very well written novel and I enjoyed it a lot. I will be recommending this to my thriller loving friends.

I received a free copy of the e-book in exchange for my honest review. First off, I couldn't put this book down. If you're looking for an easy read with twists and turns throughout and leaves you at the end saying, I did not see that coming; then this is your book. The story focuses on Susannah and Max; Susannah is a widow with a son and she remarries Max; and they both have secrets. The story is based off of a random note on their front door saying, "I know who you are". You're not really sure why the note was left in the first place, but after one of Max's partner's dies, another note shows up on the door. When you think you have it figured out, you don't. This book was well written and it never slowed for me. It leaves you thinking, do you ever really know who you're married to or who your friends are. Susannah comes with her own secrets that are revealed by someone very close to her. I was intrigued from chapter one. This is the first book that I've read from this author, and it won't be the last.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin‘s press from the ARC of this book.

There was a lot of moving parts to this story. Normally, when so much is going on, you really follow one of the characters in the story. I really didn’t like either Susannah or Max (maybe the point) and found it was frustrating me while trying to get into the book.

"The Perfect Liar" by Thomas Christopher Greene took me on a crazy ride I did NOT expect! Susannah is a single mother until she meets Max W, an up and coming artist. Several years into their marriage, Max gets a fellowship position at a university in Vermont with a teaching position and a beautiful home. One day when Susannah returns from a run, she finds a note on the front door (the first of three) saying, "I KNOW WHO YOU ARE." This is where the roller coaster begins and we start to learn all the secrets from Susannah's and Max's lives.

The book takes us into the pasts of both Susannah and Max - their time before meeting as well as during their marriage. It makes you really think about the people in your life and do you REALLY know who they are. This book will surprise you, and you will be glad you picked it up. I don't want to say anything that could remotely give anything away because you will be shocked at the conclusion.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. This book is scheduled for publication in January 2019.

This novel examines the relationship and secrets of Susannah and Max, a couple that seems to have everything they could want. Told mostly from Susannah's point of view, the story is set in Burlington Vermont where Max has landed a prestigious job at the university that includes a fabulous house and allows for his lecture travels. Freddy is Susannah's teenage son with her late husband, and it seems that everybody gets along. When the point of view shifts and Max's actual past starts to be revealed to the reader, the plot becomes increasingly creepy and suspenseful. Neither Susannah nor Max is who they seem to be, and the contrast with their lives of affluence, comfort, and intellectualism heightens the suspense , leading to a surprising and satisfying ending. For this Vermont reader, the setting added to my enjoyment, and the added contrast was effective between the relatively peaceful city of Burlington and environs, compared to the shocking actions of the main characters.

Fantastic book! Looking for a roller coaster ride? This is it! This book captivated me from page one!
I thought i had it figured out, but I definitely did not!

I have read several books by Thomas Christopher Greene and this has not been a favorite. The story follows married couple Susannah and Max. Susannah has a teenaged son Freddy from her first marriage and Max is an up and coming artist. Everything seems to be going well until the day a note reading, “ I know who you are” is left on their front door. More of the past is uncovered and a better understanding of why this note was left is revealed. Compared to others I just felt this storyline was a little disjointed.

This book!! It is sooo good! I didn't expect most of the twists and turns to turn out the way they did. I loved the suspense and not knowing what would happen. Some mystery/suspenseful books are very predictable. Not this one! I loved the writing and would read many more books by Thomas Christopher Greene. You will never want to put it down, it's all very relatable, and is fun to see what will come next.

I received a free e-copy of The Perfect Liar by Thomas Christopher Greene from NetGalley for my honest review.

Susannah is a single mom and a widow who lives in New York. She has fallen in love again with an artist, Max, who uses words not art. They decide to move to Vermont where they can live a nice quiet life. One day she finds a note on her door that says "I know who you are".

She shows it to Max who tells her it is probably just a silly prank. But then a partner of Max's dies in an accident and a second note appears that says "Did you get away with it?"

A very quick read with lost of twists and turns.

Susannah and Max have the perfect life. Their life with their teenage son in a quiet university Vermont town seems ideal until one day Susannah finds a note on the door that says, "I know who you are". Unnerved she tries to imagine who could have sent it and what it might mean, although Max seems unbothered and says it must be some kind of a joke. However, when the second note arrives on their front door ("Did you get away with it?"), neither can ignore the fact that someone is trying to scare them. As they each ponder what it might mean and how it relates to their past lives (because they both have secrets), tragedy occurs.

Heart-stopping suspense with smart, thrilling twists! Highly recommended!

Enjoyed very much. Like other titles of this author, this one deals with the relationship of a married couple and the secrets they hide from each other. I would recommend this to anyone wanting a good read.