"Everything was perfect, and full of perfect people, except for the two of them, who looked the part, but were sliding backward into their true, deep imperfections, where they belonged."

The only question to be answered in this domestic drama is -- who is the "perfect liar"? Max W. is basically a fraud and Susannah has some deep-seated psychological issues. She and her 15-year-old son, Freddy, are still reeling from his father's death when Max appears at party and sweeps her off her feet. Their marriage seems to be going very well until the morning a note appears taped to their front door. All of a sudden, their wonderful life starts unraveling. No spoilers.

I was really into the story until things shifted and my "oh no" meter ramped up. Told in alternating points of view by Max and Susannah, the two extremely unlikeable characters are definitely suited to each other. There are hints and red herrings but it becomes more clear quite soon what is about to happen. I just hated the ending and I'd love to tell more about the reason for that, but can't without ruining the requisite twisty part. It just didn't work for me and I'll stop after saying that I really prefer a book where justice is served.

Although this one didn't hit all the right notes for me, I enjoyed a couple of hours reading about this crazy couple. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the e-book ARC to read and review. I'm certain others will find it a very satisfying psychological thriller and I'm sorry it just didn't quite meet the expectations raised by the synopsis and premise.

The Perfect Liar is an inside look at the marriage of Max and Susannah and that of their family which includes Susannah's son, Freddy. The chapters alternate between Max and Susannah, showing us each of their lives prior to meeting each other, and then, once together, the machinations of the marriage, the secrets each of them keep, and how those secrets come back to bite them.

Readable? Yes. Interesting? Yes. Suspenseful? Yes. Original? Not so much. The market seems to be flooded with books of this sort lately, and it ends up diminishing many that otherwise would fare better. Will this book be memorable to me in a few weeks? No. Is that Mr. Greene's fault? I'm not sure. People who read a lot of books may find themselves in the same boat I'm in; to me it seems like one more flavor of the day. Those who don't will most likely thoroughly enjoy this book.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I thought I reviewed this already, but somehow I completely missed it. This is because this book is a solid three stars, which is what I give books I'm mostly going to forget the moment I've moved on.

Susannah and Max are an adorable couple. Beyond happily married, wildly attracted to each other. Max is a successful and charismatic artist, teacher, and TED talk giver. Susannah is a stay at home mother to her 15-year old son from her previous marriage. She genuinely enjoys cooking meals for her husband and staring out the window longingly when Max leaves and comes home. Nothing weird there.

Then one day, Susannah comes back from a morning run to find a note on her door.

I KNOW WHO YOU ARE.

Turns out, Max has some skeletons.

Also turns out, Susannah has some skeletons.

So, what does the note mean?

What a fantastic premise. The mystery is all centered around the note writer, not the secret. We find out Max's secret pretty fast, and I'm not going to lie, the secret made me not like Max all that much. He may be a good husband and stepfather, but what a d-bag.

Susannah is entirely insufferable. I think I'm supposed to have a sympathetic reaction because she suffers from high anxiety and panic attacks, and had a fairly traumatic experience with her first marriage, but mmmmmmmmmmmm.

I thought of a pretty great twist about a quarter of the way in that I was absolutely certain wasn't going to happen. It came close, actually. What we got was....not bad, and fairly unexpected, but it couldn't save what was a pretty weak plot.

I also had some issues with the writing style. A strong editor was needed to fix some major redundancy. If I'd had to read even one more time about someone slurping oysters, I would've stopped all together. There is nothing appealing about the term 'slurping'. The only appropriate use of that word is if you're describing a slovenly character's rude eating habits.

There has to be more ways to eat an oyster than to slurp it. Just saying the word slurp in my head is grossing me out.

This was not a terrible book, but it was just very weak, and could've done with considerable tightening up of the foundation.

Do you really know someone when you get married and do they really know you? I started the book not sure if I would like it but as I kept reading it was hard to put it down. This book can consume you and you'll just want to keep reading just to see how it will end. I suggest going into this book knowing as little as possible so you can enjoy the journey and see where all the lies will lead.

Thanks to Netgalley for an opportunity to read this book and provide my honest review.

This rating is really between 3 - 3.5 stars.

The first thing I would like to point out is this book has the perfect title. Who exactly is the perfect liar? The book will have you guessing the answer to this several times throughout the story. I loved how the book grabs you in the beginning with Susannah coming home to a note on her door - 'I know what you did'. Does that not give you the chills?
The plot is intriguing, though it fell a hair flat for a good bit of it after that explosive opener. Then at about three-quarters through the book it picks back up and ends strongly. While you know that several of the characters are liars, it's surprising what the lies are, who is telling the lies and when - it's deliciously deceptive.
I liked the character development, the short chapters and the storyline being told from different points of view. The few unexpected twists makes this an enjoyable read.

My thanks to Thomas Christopher Greene, St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

2.5 Stars-- The Perfect Liar by Thomas Christopher Greene-- Out January 15, 2019
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Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for a free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
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Susannah, her husband Max and her son Freddy have recently moved to Burlington, Vermont (one of my fav cities!). One more Susannah finds a note on the door claiming: "I KNOW WHO YOU ARE". From there we deep dive into the past of both Susannah and Max, while we watch Max try to protect the life he has created for himself.
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What I loved:
I was here for the premise of this book. It had great promise. I liked how there were very long chapters broken up by when each letter was received. I am normally not down for super long chapters, but I felt that it worked for this book.
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What I did not love:
There were times when the plot seemed disjointed or certain actions did not line up. At one point, Max grabs Susannah's wrists and she mentions how she has a bruise from his grab and he can see it. That's a pretty hard grasp. Or randomly the author used f*** like three times within 2 pages to describe sex when it was not really necessary for the way the sex was being described. The twist at the end was very anti climatic and then to be honest it just kept going. When it should have ended there was literally two more short chapters talking about different time periods later. It made a character seem more important than they really were.
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I honestly did not dislike the writing of the author. I just feel that this one needed a little more cleanup from the editor.

Many thanks to NetGalley, St Martin's Press, and Thomas Christopher Greene for the opportunity to read his latest thriller - a very entertaining ride!

Max and his wife Susannah have settled into a small Vermont town with Susannah's teenage son from her first marriage. They are so happy together. Max has become very successful with his form of art and is also teaching at a college in Vermont. Then the first note appears on their door - I Know Who You Are. Both Max and Susannah are keeping secrets from each other that threaten their happy life together.

Enough said - you really want to go into this book not knowing too much ahead of time. So sit back and enjoy the twisty ride. 4.5 stars!

Wow! Thoroughly enjoyed this psychological thriller. Dark twists and turns throughout the entire book. I love it when a book is so powerful you just don’t know what to expect next... but be assured you need to prepare yourself for a binge read! Highly recommend this book. My first Thomas C Greene book, I’ll be looking for more.
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

The Perfect Liar is a book filled with suspense. There are many twists and turns that will keep the reader guessing how the book will end. I did not know how the story would end which makes this an exceptional read. I look forward to reading more books by Thomas Christopher Greene.

On the surface, Susannah and Max are a perfect couple. He is an art professor and she his supportive wife. Along with her son, they live in lovely home on Lake Champlain in picturesque Vermont. But everything is not as ideal as it appears to be on the surface. Both Susannah and Max have deep and disturbing secrets from their past and someone is leaving cryptic notes on their front door threatening to expose them.

I absolutely loved Greene’s the Headmaster’s Wife and this too was a winner for me. I found the plot to be interesting and original with lots of surprises along the way just the way I like works of this genre to be. The characters were deep and multilayered. Just when I thought the story was heading one way, it went in an entirely different direction, making it thrillingly unpredictable. I can’t wait to read more by this author. 5 well-deserved stars!

Many thanks to Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Thomas Christopher Greene for my complimentary e-copy ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This is a fun psychological thriller! It was a fast, well written read complete with twists. The characters weren't relatable, but fun to read. I definitely enjoyed this book.

After being widowed in her 20s with a young son, Susannah meets Max at a work party. Max lies about who he is to gain access to the exclusive event. He is handsome, charismatic and knows how to read/work people. He instantly charms his way into Susannah's heart and they are married within six months of that fateful meeting.

Susannah and Max are in love and happy. Max's career has taken off and the family relocates to a small town in Vermont where he will be a visiting professor. Everything is going their way. All seems perfect - until the first note arrives.

"I KNOW WHO YOU ARE"

Anxiety runs rampant and we begin to see that all is not what it appears within this family. There are desperate actions taken to assure their security. Just when Max think he can relax, another note appears, shortly followed by a third. Who is responsible? What do they want?

We begin to see that there is much more than meets the eye with this family. Lies seem to come as easily as the intake of breath. So who exactly is The Perfect Liar? Is it Max - the man who will go to any lengths to get what he wants and keep it? Or is it Susannah - the seemingly dutiful wife with her own secrets and demons to hide?

The story had an addictive quality to it with its frantic pace and short chapters. The author is definitely imaginative - unfortunately you have to really suspend your belief to fall in line with some of the twists the plot takes. Some of it proved too much of a stretch for me. I enjoyed the book overall and I definitely liked the aspect of a wolf in sheep's clothing and not all being what is seems despite my inability to fall in line with some of the plot points.

Susannah and her son Freddy have been on their own for 16 years after her husband Joseph passed away. And then she met Max "W" at a party that Susannah's boss was hosting for the art community. Not long after, Max proposed on the very spot that they first met.

They had the perfect life, or at least that's what it appeared to be. Max's notoriety soared in the art world, after traveling to give his talk on "You Are The Art". He was sought after and was then offered an academician appointment at a Vermont College. Three years after settling down in Vermont, the cryptic notes started showing up on their front door.

The first note read I KNOW WHO YOU ARE. Two notes would follow.

But who were these notes intended for since both Susannah and Max had deep buried secrets that neither one of them knew about?

The story was captivating from the start. However, at approximately 30-50% of the story, I found it dragged some. But after that, the suspense and action picked up and at that point, I was frantically turning the pages.

I did figure out who the letters were intended for, but not who wrote them nor the why for the motive. It all came together in a climatic ending.

Another psychological thriller that you should read!!

Posted to GR 01/06/19 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2435112724
Scheduled to post on blog 01/08/19 http://cmashlovestoread.com/?p=19473 ;

Susannah Garcia is a widow with a teenage son name Freddy. She meets Max W at a party. He's an artist and speaker, with a magnetic, larger than life personality.
After a whirlwind courtship in New York, they marry and head off to a tranquil Vermont town to live, where Max has gotten a job as a professor at the local university.
Their life together seems blissful, until she finds an ominous note taped to the front door. It says "I know who you are." Then another note follows. "Did you get away with it?"
As the story shifts perspectives between Susanna and Max, the tension mounts. Both of them are keeping secrets from each other and suspicions run rampant.
This twisty thriller kept me hooked from the very beginning and I never guessed the mind blowing revelations at the end!
A solid 4 star read. The only down side for me was the characters were very unlikable. Otherwise, a satisfying and exciting read.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the free e-book in exchange for an honest review.

Where do I even begin with this story?! It starts off seemingly innocent enough *ahem*. Told in alternating POVs of Susannah and Max, we get a dark look into their very special relationship. Let me tell ya, this is quite the dysfunctional relationship with two people who have sordid pasts. Oh wait, that's right, this is a thriller! ;)

But seriously guys, this book really is a fun ride. There are definitely moments where I questioned what was happening or why it was even a part of the book. **cough** **fox** **cough** Real talk though, I did smile a lot the crazier it became because well, I do love the crazy and this book delivers that abundantly. There were parts that seem disjointed and as with all thrillers, you have to suspend some reality. However, I think the best way to read this is just for the cat and mouse and the little twists that surprised me... go forth blindly, but with arms forward.

Lovers of dark domestic thrillers with characters you absolutely love to hate on will thoroughly enjoy this book. Keep your friends close, your enemies closer and your secrets closest - and be sure to stay away from those edges.

“A seemingly perfect marriage is threatened by the deadly secrets husband and wife keep from each other.” This book was...interesting. I was so excited to read it and the premise sounded fascinating! But I have to admit, the pacing really threw me off and some things just didn’t add up. The story was so disjointed and I mean I could get past it until the last maybe 50 pages? Everything seemed like it was finished and then there was more that happened and sure the story continued but it didn’t feel like it fit. Overall I was able to finish the book but I didn’t really enjoy it. Not that it was bad, but there was nothing special, no big twist or unique characters, and the pacing was off completely. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the free digital copy in exchange for an honest review! Publish date 1/15/19. (2.5 stars rounded up)

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the free review copy. All opinions are my own.

I am not one to leave negative reviews, however, I did read this entire book, and it just was not for me. I liked the characters in the beginning, but as the book progressed liked them less and less. I think that Max and Savannah are perfect for each other, even though her attitude seems to be that she thinks that she is better than him, when in reality, she wasn't. I also didn't understand some of the character motivations. Why the notes? The thing in the closet? I just didn't understand why some of the things that happened did.
I didn't like the chapter structure. I thought they were so long to get through. I found myself speed reading to get through some of the longer chunks. Also, the big twist was extremely anticlimactic, and I found the ending to not make sense at all. Was it done this way for just another shock factor?
I do think that this book will be liked by some, but I read a lot of thrillers, and this didn't give me the feeling I am looking for when I read one.

Good, creepy tale of a married couple with secrets upon secrets that the author carefully shares with readers bit by bit. Just when you think you have this tale all figured out, author Thomas Christopher Greene slyly slips in another detail that shifts things just a tad and you are left reconsidering your assumptions. I could not stop reading; I was compulsively led from detail to detail in search of answers. This is a captivating thriller with secrets until the very end. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Let me start by saying that I hated the ending of this book - absolutely hated it. So, why the four stars? Well, that lies in the storytelling. On the surface, The Perfect Liar isn't much different from so many others out there - Unreliable narrators, a normal on the outside family unit, lots of secrets, and some crazy twists along the way. Nevertheless, there's just something about this book. Whether it's the writing style, which is terrific, the character development, or the moments of tension as things start to spiral out of control, or a combination of all of that, there's just something thoroughly compelling about this story. Whatever the reason, I didn't want to put this one down. When I wasn't reading, I was thinking about it. The funny thing about that is I didn't like either of the main characters here. Neither of them stirred any feelings of empathy in me but at the same time, Max's charisma comes through loud and clear. Whether he's playing the crowd or having an intimate conversation, it's easy to see why people are drawn to him. Susanna doesn't have that same draw, but there's something there. Love her or hate her, I wanted to know her secrets. So, bad ending or not, I enjoyed the journey, and won't soon forget this tale of greed, ambition, and obsession. Thomas Christopher Greene certainly has a way with words, and he's made me stand up and take notice with this one.

Oh my goodness, this is a FANTASTIC book! I could not put it down. It was fascinating, thrilling, and quite suspenseful. There were several twists that I had not predicted. I highly recommend it!