This is a quick and easy read. It is a very cleverly written story which held my attention the whole way through. I liked the whole idea of the story and the way it was written.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

What Lies Around Us by Andrew Croft

This is a clever title for a short book that really drives the point of lies home. This is the story of a ghostwriter who has been commissioned to write the biography of a movie star. As with the movies, nothing in this book is real and after awhile neither the main character or the reader. is sure where the truth starts and ends. The book is extremely topical it short and to the point but does make you stop and think about the world that we live in. For all of its modern conveniences, there is a price to be paid, and not in dollars and cents. I enjoyed it. Will want to read more by this author

Humorous, dark, intriguing, fast paced. All in all it's a great pick for summer reading. I really enjoy the different cover, I think it will drew in a lot of readers.

What Lies Around is by Andrew Crofts

Andrew, an English ghostwriter is approached by Silicon Valley Tech billionaire, Roger Rex, to write a book about a Hollywood superstar JoJo Win.

Offering him a million dollars, he immediately accepts the deal no questions asked.

Andrew flys to America and begins to interview and spend time with JoJo’s family members. As the relationships build and Andy becomes closer to the family, especially JoJo’s husband Chuck , a tragic event occurs.

Andrew is an immensely likeable character, he doesn’t get drawn in and clearly carries doubts all the way through the process.

A story rich in American politics mixed in with the celebrity and technology worlds, this book delves into the murky waters of publishing, social media and it’s influencers.

Who is really pulling the strings?

It’s absolutely captivating as it pulls apart the very world we are now so ensconced into.

Control, manipulation, corruption, it’s shows how the world can be twisted and moulded into the favour of someone if enough money and influence is aimed at it.

Fast paced, and thrilling, it’s gripping, superbly written and completely fascinating whilst shocking and very dark in parts

An up to the minute, sign of our times thriller. Not to be missed.

5 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

This book was more of a thriller than I realized, which I usually don’t like many thrillers but I was pleasantly surprised. It’s was fun quick read that I think many people will enjoy.

What lies around us is the ultimate summer thriller. There are moments that are so terrifying you almost don't believe it but you are aching to find out what happens next. This fast paced book follows a British ghostwriter that is writing an autobiography of one of Hollywood's biggest actresses. During his period of writing he uncovers secrets to terrible to imagine...

When I started reading this book, I didn't take too much time to read the blurb because I was drawn to the cover. I'm happy I did that because this book was such a pleasant surprise.

This story follows Andrew, a British ghostwriter who's been hired to write a book for a famous American actress. He gets to know her family, friends and background and yeah, things go wrong eventually.

This book offers perspective about the ghostwriting life and a fair amount of criticism about the publishing world. I've got to know if this book was self-published or not.

I very literally have no idea on what continent I'm going to be next week (and not just because Russia isn't really in any continient). I might be in Taiwan, Korea or still in Russia, back home in Israel or in Finland. So I do feel like I understand that life is unexpected, that when things fall into place, it works. And yet, this book's plot hinges on the sense of wonder we all get from life. I loved that and it really resonated with me.

However, the best part about this book is that you have your main plot (which drew me in immediately) but you also have some solid themes and they were playing a huge role. There's a conversation about the future of democracy, honesty, the impact of race, the power of family, and fame. We see it all through the ideas of Andrew, who doesn't share all of his thoughts yet gives the impression of honesty.

The writing was so good. It made this book much more accessible than it could have been. I felt like the narrative style made it feel like I'm there with Andrew, getting to know Jo-Jo.

You can see that this is a new book and it definitely reflects nowadays well. The idea that politics, tech and celebrity are connected is represented fantastically here and without as much criticism as you'd expect.

I didn't realize the book on the Italian Gardener was an actual book, cause, you know, Jo-Jo doesn't exist and she's not the president so why would that book exist? So yeah, you can finish the entire book without realizing that.

All in all, I'm happy I read this book. It was surprising and thoughtful, I think many people could enjoy it.

This book tell a story about a ghostwriter whose assignment is making autobiography of a hollywood star.
Has setting in current USA, along with gun control issue and how celebrities using social media nowadays. Who knows who is the real person managing the so called personal social media account.

The books screams mystery from the start, I admit I was cautious in what will unfold in the next page. The story is full with turns and twists but the author's trick in story pace is smooth.

I would recommend this book for mystery lover and those who like to read conspiracy theories.

Thank you netgalley for providing the arc.

3.5

I didn't know this book's the sequel to Secrets of the Italian Gardener until I was a chapter or two into it, but thought I would give it a go nevertheless.

It started out very strong and intriguing. A fast pacing book and poignant narration from the ghostwriter, making it a fluid and easy read to breeze through. I liked getting to know how the protagonist did his work as a ghostwriter and found myself interested in his process. There are a handful of characters but their personalities were graspable, and very funny and witty at times. Humorous at first and dark and deep later on, we get insights on the publishing industry and its bitter truths. The end left a few questions unanswered and though I enjoyed the story, it felt a little rushed and shallow. The book gives away glimpses into the influencer life and what goes on in the background but only scratches on the surface when it comes to its effects. The suspense came as quick as it fell flat. It has potential but could've needed more of a bang to the story as it was wrapped up rather rushed.

Learned a great deal about the publication industry and it’s incredibly dark side. A good read for someone who is interested in this