THE BETTER LIAR
By Tanen Jones
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

I felt extremely underwhelmed reading this title but thought that the unbelievable twist more than made up for it.

You know that feeling. You’re plodding along and not much is happening. And then bam. Plot twist. That was this book. And since I’ve finished it I can’t get it out of my head.

Looking forward to what else Jones puts out next!

Thank you #netgalley for the free ebook in exchange for my honest review.

This is one twisted domestic thriller! This was a fast-paced, well written, and full of secrets read with a surprising ending. I enjoyed reading this story and felt the 1st person perspective kept the story interesting.
Thanks to NetGalley for sharing this amazing ARC COPY in exchange my honest review

In order to receive an inheritance, Leslie must find her sister - her sister who she has not seen since she ran away from home years earlier. Leslie goes to Las Vegas, the last know location of Robin and find out that her sister has just died. Leslie is desperate for the money had happens to come across Mary, who happens to look a little like Robin. Mary agrees to impersonate Robin in exchange for Robin's share. What could possibly go wrong? The two soon realize that they each have something to hide.

A good, but not great, psychological thriller. It has the required twists and turns as you try to figure out what is really going on. Who is Mary and what is she really up to?

Page turner! Couldn’t put this book down and will be looking for more from this author! Just when you think you have it figured out, you don’t! Lots happening in this book so pay attention! Thank you again for the advanced copy - can’t wait to read the next book this author releases!

I honestly don’t know what I just read... This was such a quick read because there were so many secrets (Who is Mary? Why does Leslie need this money so bad? What happened to Robin and Leslie’s mother? Is Dave, Leslie’s husband, having an affair?) that I just couldn’t wait for all to be revealed. And let me tell you, I was NOT prepared for this shocker!! I actually had to go back and reread the big reveal to make sure what I read was actually what I thought it was. I feel like I can’t even say anymore without giving something away, and this was just such a great book, you have to read it yourself and just wait... Books like this are what make me want to read and keep reading! The author wrapped everything up in this little package and when she was ready for you to open it, it was like SURPRISE!! And this was a debut novel?? Unbelievable! If I could give more than 5 stars, I probably would have!

I read this book a few months and forgot to write a review for it. I thought it was a very interesting concept and didn’t anticipate the twist. I however didn’t love how the postpartum issues were addressed. Also, as a mother of a speech delayed child, I didn’t love how the cause of the child’s speech delay was because she wasn’t talking to her child enough or not reading him enough picture books.

I enjoyed this book. I liked the writing, pace and characters. It kept you guessing until the end. I would definitely recommend this read and I’ll be looking for more by this author.

This is a huge cat and mouse game with lots of moments where I thought I had it figured out but I didn't. 3 stars from me. It is very hard to discuss this without giving away spoilers. Leslie needs to find her sister Robin! Her father has died, leaving a very specific point to his will. The only way his money will be released is if both daughters are present in the lawyers’ office. The first half of the book was fantastic and then it fizzled a bit for me.

Three stars. " The Better Liar" has a lot of great reviews but unfortunately it fell flat for me and I can see it being forgettable. I enjoyed the first half of this book more than the second. Slow burn thrillers just aren't really my thing I suppose but if you do enjoy them then check this one out!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is one intense, twisted, dark and addictive novel! Not only is this a very well-written book with wonderfully-interesting characters, but the suspense builds at just the right pace as the story unfolds. Compulsive, gripping and horrifying! Will keep you on the edge of your seat!

I liked the sound of this book but it didn't live up to my expectations. The main characters were all basically un-likeable/untrustworthy which made me not care too much how the story was resolved. It plodded on for a long time making me almost grateful for the rushed ending. I did finish it because I wanted to see what happened so I suppose in that way it must have been intriguing.

Leslie is desperate to get her inheritance but her father stipulated in his will that both her and her sister who left years ago needed to be there in order to collect the money. When Leslie goes to find Robin she finds her dead, but desperate to get the money she meets Mary who resembles her sister enough to be able to pass for her. Leslie tells Mary that she will give her Robin's part of the inheritance if she will just pretend to be her. In agreement Leslie and Mary/Robin return to Leslies home.

Leslie's husband is totally in love with his wife and his son but there is definitely tension there. When Leslie is around her son you just don't feel the love and Mary/Robin seems to be getting a little too comfortable at her house and with her family.

Mary/Robin is desperate to find out what Leslie is hiding. Finding her high school sweetheart is a cop helps her to solve the mystery.

This book just didn't capture my attention and I struggled through it. Leslie was so distant and not easy to get to know and her husband didn't seem to me to be the most trustworthy. Mary/Robin was definitely the most interesting character of the book but I didn't really care that much. This book was supposed to have something to say about postpartum depression but honestly that whole piece flew right over my head. The ending seemed rushed and confusing and by that point I think I was beyond caring about any of the characters.

A well written, twisty phsycholgical thriller. I enjoyed this debut novel and look forward to reading more.

3.5*
Leslie needs to find her sister Robin ASAP! Her father has died, leaving a very specific codicil to his will. The only way his money will be released is if both daughters are present in the lawyers’ office.

And if Robin can't be there? Then what? What if she needs to find someone fast to fill her sister’s shoes...just for a few days.

Introducing Mary. She’s more than eager to help out and play the role of the long lost sister. But can Leslie trust her? After all, there is a lot of money on the line.

Loved the first half, but about midway it took a very bizarre turn and my interest in Leslie’s plight for the money fizzled.

I toggled back and forth between the written and audio versions. The narrators were amazing, so if this book is on your radar I highly recommend the 🎧 version.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine.

In exchange for an honest review, I received an advance copy of this book from Netgalley.
Leslie needs money. In order to inherit her grandfather’s estate, she needs her sister’s signature. But, when she gets to Vegas, her sister is dead from an overdose. No one has seen her sister in years, so she grabs the roomie, Mary, to impersonate her sister—just for a week. The two road trip it back home and things don’t go smoothly. Mary loves Leslie’s son, smokes pot with Leslie’s husband, and makes herself a bit too comfortable in Leslie’s home for her liking. This book is great and would make a wonderful beach read

This wasn't the straightforward thriller I was expecting - in a good way! This is one of the first suspenseful novels I've read in a while where I actually wasn't able to predict ANY of the twists and turns. More than just an exciting read, I found it a thoughtful analysis of familial relationships and what it means to have a family.

The Better Liar was unpredictable but in the best way! Based on the synopsis, I prepared myself for a psychological mystery but this book was much, much more. The author gets down into family relationship issues and touches on the subject of postpartum depression, which you don't see much in thrillers. With relatable characters, it was overall a great read.

This was a book that had a lot of potential but failed to meet my expectations. The plot at first was too long and the end seemed hasty and confusing. It's weird because I just wanted to know that what I suspected was true and that's why I kept reading. I liked the development in the last chapters but they were confusing and as I said previously the development of the plot was not the best .

This was a really good mystery, the characters were great and it kept you in suspense and guessing all the way through. I really enjoyed reading this.

It was alright.

Honestly, I wish I could say more but this simply wasn't a thriller book that stood out to me. I didn't hate it but I wasn't in love with it. I didn't stay up later, eager to find out what happened next, and instead would simply pick it up and put it down every so often.

(That cover is pretty fantastic though.)

I will probably give this author another chance (I'm a sucker for thriller novels) and hopefully will feel more excited about the next one.