Okay- right up front this is one which has twists, turns, some not-such-a-surprise moments, and some plot holes BUT it was a good read. Max has been hiding a secret for years. YEARS. Now, however, he's married Susannah and, with her son Fred, they've moved to Vermont where he thinks he'll be safe. Susannah has her secrets as well, of course. The note that sets all this off seemed innocuous but it's not- it opens a spool of craziness that will ping you back and forth. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This is a fast paced, plot driven read.

The Perfect Liar by Thomas Christopher Greene

4 stars

A slow burner.....

Susannah is married to Max, and they live in a sleepy Vermont town with her 15-year-old son, Freddy, from her earlier marriage to Joseph. Life seems idyllic, but both Susannah and Max have secrets they have hidden from one another. Everything runs smoothly in their outwardly successful lives until an anonymous note is pinned to their front door. Someone else knows their secret but who is it and which particular secret do they know?

The storyline jogs along in an even and smooth fashion, much like most of our own lives. Nothing particularly remarkable happens, and the most angst in the couple's life is caused by the rapidly developing teenage son. Under the surface, though there is a tension in both the lives of the main protagonists and the author allows this to build very gradually until it's obvious that something will reach a breaking point.

I especially liked the way T C Greene does not pander to the lowest common denominator of the reader and, instead, uses vocabulary and language which is beautifully well crafted. The dialogue, too, is credible and convincing. The list of characters is sparse but the book benefits from this, and I mainly took to the female detective. The plot would make an excellent TV series if handled sympathetically.

My only criticism (and it's a small one) is that the ending was a little tame and predictable – after all this is a story about two fundamentally selfish and egotistical individuals. I haven't previously read any of this author's other works but will now take time to seek them out.

mr zorg

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.

I enjoyed this short, fast paced story. Right when you think the story is going one way, it shoots off in another direction. Great twists. I recommend

Susannah, a widow and single mother, meets Max, at a party, hosted by her employer. She soon finds out that Max crashed that party saying he was someone else; it appears that Max has done that before. Is Max who he really says he is? Max and Susannah quickly marry and appear to be living the perfect life, until one day Susannah finds a note taped to their door that simply states, "I know who you are".

There were multiple twists throughout this book; however, I was not overwhelmed nor shocked by any of them. I have read two other books by author, Thomas Christopher Greene, and have enjoyed both, but this one was just ok for me. If you find, like me, that this just didn't hit the mark, don't hesitate to check out the other two that I enjoyed...The Headmaster's Wife and If I Forget You.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy; all opinions are my own.

A great thriller with a fast flowing storyline which will keep you guessing. Susannah is married to Max who is a public speaker. They recently moved to Vermont with their 15 year old son. One morning when Susannah gets back home after a run, she notices a note on her front door which reads "I know what you did". She is puzzled and asks Max, who claims that he knows nothing about and who says that it must be a prank. Then after a nice dinner with one of their neighbors, the husband goes for a run with Max and ends up dead. The next day there is a new note on the door asking if they think they can get away with it. We then learn that both Susannah and her husband Max have secrets from each other, secrets so awful that it could tear their family apart. Who knows their secrets and who is watching every move they make. A good book to curl up with while you are trying to solve the mystery.

Susannah thinks she’s met and married the perfect man until things start to unravel. Is he who he’s says he is, can he be trusted and for that matter can she? Who is The Perfect Liar? There was nothing really new in the use of this age old plot, the twists were easy to guess and the overall story asks the reader to completely suspend belief. That being said, I still enjoyed the book, just not as much as I could have.

Really enjoyed this book although the characters were not very likeable which bode well with the storyline. Proves you never know anyone 100% Enough twists and turns to keep you guessing. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it

St. Martin's Press and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of The Perfect Liar. I was under no obligation to review this book and my opinion is freely given.

Susannah and her husband Max, along with Susannah's fifteen year old son Freddy, take the chance to leave the hustle and bustle of New York City for the quiet tranquility of a college town in Vermont. When Susannah finds a threatening note on the door, however, her husband quickly dismisses it as a prank. Will a second note bring up secrets from the past that both Susannah and Max would rather keep hidden?

The biggest issue that I had with The Perfect Liar was the fact that neither main character were likable. I really did not feel a connection with either of them and, as a result, felt no stake in the eventual outcome. The synopsis promised a mystery/thriller type ambiance, but the highs and lows of books in this genre were largely absent. The Perfect Liar had promise, but fell short and did not live up to my expectations.

This was a different kind of thriller, one in which the reader knows more about the characters than they do about each other. We keep reading because we want to see how they react as each learns about the others' deceptions.

It turns out that plenty has been withheld from us, though -- at a couple of pivotal points, we are slammed with revelations and must scramble to realign all the facts we've collected about this trio: mom Savannah, son Freddy, and second-husband and stepfather Max.

Good writing. Interesting structure that I suspect was marred a bit in the digital copy I read before publication (there were no breaks, from scene to scene, from one point of view to another, or for switches in timeline.) Even with these literary speed bumps (which I assume will disappear by publication), the pace was strong and steady. Dialogue was crisp and suited to what we know of the characters -- who were themselves believable and fascinating, if not particularly likable. I appreciated that the characters I had pegged as "light" showed traits less savory, and vice versa.

Beautiful northern Vermont was almost a character in its own right, and I liked the social commentary that was simply and painlessly woven into the story here and there: "For when you stripped it all away, Max believed, we were what we had always been: tribal peoples just trying to survive and make sure our own do the same. We were all hunters on the plains of life, bringing back food for the village."

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC. I'll be seeking out other books by Thomas Christopher Greene.

Max and Susannah seem to have a great life. When a mysterious note shows up on their door, they want to ignore it, but then a second note appears.

Told from alternating points of view, Max and Susannah both have secrets they don't want getting out. When Susannah met Max, they seemed to fit together perfectly. They met in New York City, but with the success of Max's career have moved to Vermont. Everything is going well for them, until the mysterious notes start to arrive.

The plot was interesting. The two main characters are both hiding dark secrets. Someone is leaving creepy notes on their door. It seems like a great read, but I never really connected with the story or the characters.

I've seen some great reviews for this one, and I imagine it will be a hit with some fans of psychological thrillers. For me, it was good, but not great. Best for fans of dark domestic thrillers with unlikable characters.

I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A psychologically damaged woman meets a murderous conman. What could possibly go wrong? This novel is a bit unbelievable, but it is a fun read.

So, the title gives away the fact that we’re going into a situation where things aren’t as they seem. It’s a quiet, Sleeping With The Enemy sort of scenario. In a sleepy Vermont town where farmer’s markets and quaint hotel restaurants own the social scene, the reader is drawn into a sense of security. Oh, but don’t get too comfortable!

You do have to suspend disbelief for much of the book, but the delicious drama is worth it! I really wanted Rose to play a bigger role in the story. I think she could have been the ubiquitous best-friend-voice-of-reason that helped to ground the characters.

I read this book in a matter of 4 hours. My family went without a proper meal so that I could read about Susannah’s chicken parmesan and her mama’s paella recipe. My kids prefer ramen noodles to shrimp scampi, so they didn’t mind.

It’s not a mind-blowing psychological thriller, but The Perfect Liar is what I’d choose over a TV show any day.

The Perfect Liar
Thomas Christopher Greene
#NetGally#

Just finished an enjoyable book by a new author to me. The Perfect Liar keeps you guessing till the end how it will all turn out and I must say it was an unexpected ending. The two main characters Max and Susanna are very complex figures and each has hidden skeletons in their closets that are slowly revealed throughout the book. It is hard to say which was the most evil of the two. They are both suspicious of the other’s motives that are revealed during the book. There was a comparison to The Talented Mr Ripley in the book and I thoroughly agree that there are similarities. All in all, I really did enjoy Mr. Greene’s style of writing and will look for other books of his to read. This is a book I can recommend to all the book lovers of a good psychological thrillers.
I was provided an advice copy read of this book by the publisher and NetGally for an honest review of the book.

The Perfect Liar, by Thomas Christopher Greene

Short Take: Like a dip on top of a swerve that will knock you for a loop. Just trust me.

(*Note: I received an advance copy of this book for review.*)

I’m back! Have you all missed me? Life got a little weird there for a minute, but I have brought you all a deliciously twisted treat.

The Perfect Liar centers on married couple Susannah and Max, who have a really, REALLY great life. He’s a famous artist, raking in the bucks and traveling the country to give lectures while teaching at a prestigious college. She’s a devoted but fragile mother to her teenage son Freddie from her first marriage to an older man, who left her a widow at a cruelly young age.

So it’s a shock to both Max and Susannah when the first note shows up, a piece of paper taped to the door of their lovely, tasteful home that reads, simply, I KNOW WHO YOU ARE. And from there, oh my little duckies, the you-know-what hits the fan and splatters hither and yon in a most spectacular fashion.

This is one of those books that’s hard to describe without spoilers, but we learn early on that Max is harboring a Dark Secret, and that he will Go To Any Length to keep it hidden and let me just say that I was genuinely shocked by exactly how far he would go. And I’ve read Haunted by Chuck Palahniuk so let’s just assume that I know shocking when I see it. Max is scary-smart but not in an over-the-top mastermind kind of way - there’s a much more realistic type of manipulation and self-preservation at work here.

And things only get more intense when the second and third notes show up.

The Perfect Liar is told in alternating voices by both Max and Susannah, and the depth that Mr. Greene gives these characters is dazzling, especially Susannah. The descriptions of her fear and anxiety are so spot-on that I could feel my own adrenalin responding. And when her story veers just ever-so-slightly into highly improbable territory, well, by then I was so enamored of the character that I was happy to hop on that pony and ride it all the way.

And the final reveals, well…. WHOA. I would be a terrible reviewer if I didn’t acknowledge that as much fun as this story is, the last few scenes really stretched the limits of believability. But somehow, it works perfectly. The Perfect Liar unfolds in a way that feels organic, like each event or reveal is the natural result of the one before. Would things happen this way in real life? Almost certainly not. But does the book hang together in a real way regardless?

Does this nerdy reviewer love snacks?

(Spoiler alert: uh, YEAH, on both counts. Feel free to donate chocolate and kettle cooked jalapeno chips.)

Finally, I just want to throw another neuron at Mr. Greene for his finely honed pacing. There’s a LOT of story in under 300 pages, it’s lean and tight and (unlike my reviews) there are no wasted words.

The Nerd’s Rating: FOUR HAPPY NEURONS (and some alka-seltzer. Happy hangover/leftover day everyone!)

This definitely is a book that can’t be put down. Greene hooked me from the start and kept me twisting and turning as I raced through the novel. He makes clever use of voice and while his character development is key to the book’s success, it is the fast pace and many certain uncertainties....just when you’re certain you’ve got it solved all becomes uncertain again...that put The Perfect Liar high on my list of the best of the year. Bravo Mr. Greene.

2.5 stars. This book took me what felt like ages to get through, and I didn't feel like they're was a ton of payoff in the end. The last half was definitely more engaging than the first, and by that point I was involved enough in the story to want to know what happened, but I really never cared what happened to either of the characters in this book, and there was never a whole lot of mystery or tension. When the climactic moment came, it didn't feel particularly exciting. When I finished, I just felt like...what was the point of this story? With all the thrillers out there, I'd skip this one.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review . This was an outstanding mystery with many surprises and twists. The main characters, Max W. And his wife, Suzanne were very complex people with many secrets that they kept from each other and other people. Their actions and motives are very intriguing and keep the reader in suspense throughout the entire story. I really enjoyed this book and hated to see it end.

This book is just not resonating with me. It is really slow going and I can't make myself finish it. Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for my honest review

This book is interesting and different, keeps you guessing and make sure whose ‘side’ you’re on keeps changing. A great read that shows you everyone has so many different layers and elements to who they are and reinforces that nothing is ever as simple as it seems!

Book Info
Hardcover, 288 pages
Expected publication: January 15th 2019 by St. Martin's Press
ISBN 1250128218 (ISBN13: 9781250128218)
Other Editions (3)
Source:Netgalley EARC

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BOOK BLURB


A seemingly perfect marriage is threatened by the deadly secrets husband and wife keep from each other, for fans of B.A. Paris and Paula Hawkins.

Susannah, a young widow and single mother, has remarried well: to Max, a charismatic artist and popular speaker whose career took her and her fifteen-year-old son out of New York City and to a quiet Vermont university town. Strong-willed and attractive, Susannah expects that her life is perfectly in place again. Then one quiet morning she finds a note on her door: I KNOW WHO YOU ARE.

Max dismisses the note as a prank. But days after a neighborhood couple comes to dinner, the husband mysteriously dies in a tragic accident while on a run with Max. Soon thereafter, a second note appears on their door: DID YOU GET AWAY WITH IT?

Both Susannah and Max are keeping secrets from the world and from each other —secrets that could destroy their family and everything they have built. The Perfect Liar is a thrilling novel told through the alternating perspectives of Susannah and Max with a shocking climax that no one will expect, from the bestselling author of The Headmaster’s Wife.

My Thoughts


As the book shifts between Max and Susannah's viewpoints so does the readers perception of each of these characters.

The strange part is that throughout this story the lies upon which Max has built his entire life are revealed one by one, Susannah's secrets however do not come under scrutiny until near the books final chapters.

Both of these fictional people are hiding a darker side, one that they have tucked away until time for it to surface at just the right moment.

The title does not begin to scratch the surface of what we are capable of even as it perfectly captures the spirit of its content.

There are of course minor characters whose usefulness for building the tension necessary to advance the plot is utilized fully.

At the end of the day I did not see that ending coming, it was not what had expected at all!

[EArc from Netgalley]


On every book read as soon as it is done and written up for review it is posted on Goodreads and Netgalley, once released then posted on Amazon, Barnes and Nobles as well.