The book was well written but by about a third of the way through, I’d lost interest.  It just wasn’t my kind of book and I didn’t complete reading it.  Maybe I will finish at a later date.

I love a good toxic friendship book and this one was no exception.   There were parts that didn't necessarily jive for me, but it was a good fast escapist read that fits the bill if that's what you're looking for...

More a 3.5 - 3.75 star. Enjoyed this book a lot the first half, then it got slow somehow, and it wasn't quite as exciting as I hoped.

Starting off with a huge bang, Elizabeth Kay has my full attention. I loved the set-up of the book, I thought that it was unique and makes you feel like you are right there from the start. I didn't end up caring a lot for the characters. And, that big bang fizzled out pretty quickly. I found the story entertaining in the end, but nothing to remember.

I really liked the pacing of this novel, and the voice the protagonist had, It sounded very conversational.

I had low expectations that became quite high expectations as I really enjoyed it, but as soon as the tone changed - it no longer sounded like she was talking to me - the book fell apart some. But the ride there was fun, and most novels of this genre have a hard time with endings so I wouldn't fault the novel too much for that.

3/5

Seven Lies by Elizabeth Kay has been presented as a literary thriller, but I'd say that 90% of the book is more of a tense character study than fast-paced thrill ride. It follows Jane and Marnie, BFFs since childhood. Now that they are adults, and Marnie has fallen in love and married, Jane has reassured her that she is happy for her and that likes her spouse. This is just lie number one...and there are six more to go! As each lie is revealed though Jane's creepy, confessional-style POV, the tension steadily builds.

Unfortunately I did not finish this book.  I found the book a bit difficult to read. It was hard to follow and it was hard to relate to the characters. Thank you NetGalley for the copy and opportunity.

Seven Lies by Elizabeth Kay is compelling book with a focus on female friendship and obsession. 

Jane and Marnie are lifelong friends. Jane's husband dies unexpectedly and her need for Marnie's friendship is at a high. But when Marnie meets the man of her dreams, Charles, Jane's dislike of him starts to pull them apart and sets actions in motion that will change everything. 

I loved the confession format of the book. It drew me in and the writing is fast-paced and  engaged me from page one. While the writing is fast-paced, the story is a slow burn as we learn about Jane and Marnie, their history, their friendship and how that shapes their lives and those around them. Think dark character story with a look inside the mind of obsession. I'm a big fan of this type of story and look forward to reading more from Elizabeth Kay. 

Thank you to  NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for this eARC.

This was a great read! The writing was so intoxicating that I couldn’t put it down. Highly recommend!

I never had the chance to finish this book before it was published or archived. The version sent to my Kindle was a mess and I sometimes had 1 letter per page for entire chapters.  I apologize for not having the bandwidth to reach out and resolve this. 2020 was a series of ups and downs and I had to leave some things unresolved to focus on staying ok  Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC.

A interesting and well written book with crazy characters and a insane plot. As a debut book, I was most impressed. this story was truly unique and fresh and I highly recommend.

I found this book a bit difficult to read. It was hard to follow and it was hard to relate to the characters.

What starts as a small white lie to reassure her friend that she likes her husband soon grows into another lie...and another. The story mounts as we learn about each lie. Jane, the liar & psychopath, narrates, making for a creepy & chilling story. The story did drag at times and leave the reader impatient, however overall I recommend this read from Elizabeth Kay!

I never got the chance to read this one before it was archived, but the idea behind it is so promising! I'm truly grateful for the publisher giving me a chance to read it, and will be looking for a physical copy in my local bookstore.

A good story. I enjoyed the change in the way a thriller is done. I’ve never experienced one told as if in story to someone else. Really great premise.
I didn’t care for Jane. I felt like she was overly attached to her friend Marnie, and I got the Wiggins from it. Jane is our narrator, but we don’t know who she’s talking to. I likely would have liked the story more if I connected better with Jane. In her defence though, I didn’t like Marnie either lol.
Good story, great flow, just didn’t jump out at me. The very ending was super creepy though, so definitely lifted the story.

DNF 

It has been a while since I got this book and unfortunately I don’t really have any interest in reading the book anymore. I am also now a lot more picky with the books I request and choose to read.

Seven Lies by Elizabeth Kay was a deliciously twisted, unpredictable thriller, with an unreliable narrator that I loved to hate.  One of the main plot twists is revealed right at the beginning, then we’re taken on a journey with the main protagonist that tells us how she got to that point, revealing her ‘seven lies’ as we go.  

As we explore Jane’s past, the story delves into the dynamics of her relationships with her best friend Marnie, as well as her mother and younger sister.  Jane isn’t a sympathetic character by any means, but her life is undeniably tragic, and this was a book I had trouble putting down.

This was a wonderful debut novel, and I will undoubtedly watch for future books from this author!

Thank you to Netgalley, Penguin Random House Canada and Elizabeth Kay for an egalley in exchange for an honest review.

3 "pissed, really pissed off at the editor(s)" stars !!

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and Penguin Random House Canada for an e-copy in exchange for my honest review. This book was released in June 2020.

This should have and could have and might have been THE DOMESTIC THRILLER LITERARY EVENT of the year.
Truly, madly, deeply !

Instead it was left as an adequate but very sloppy chick-lit psychological thriller.


Let's start off with the great and I mean great :

1. the psychological congruence and believability of Jane Black was absolutely fucking brilliant. Most anybody can write about terrible people but what most of these psychological thriller authors write is not steeped in any type of complexity never mind believability.

Ms. Kay not only paints a brilliant portrait of an insecure female narcissist (with a lower case -n) but couches her in a backstory where her thoughts and actions and behaviors make absolute fucking sense.

Ms. Kay does even more though she creates a misguided villainess that you have empathy for. Underneath most every narcissist is a lost insecure child that due to circumstances has not been able to emotionally mature and be able to see other's foibles and vulnerabilities and be able to not share the affection and love.

In addition, the other characters, are like looking into fun house mirror as we see them not as they truly are but how Jane Black sees and experiences them. Most of the psychological thrillers today get this wrong too but not Ms. Kay. She is bang on with this ! Bang bang bang on !

2. The plot had a complexity and a believability that propels you forward. You are not taking any guesses as you read. You have no idea where Jane Black's twisted but understandable desires will take her.


The editor now needed to do his/her job and have seen the potential for a literary masterwork the way that Leila Slimani's The Perfect Nanny is or The Gloaming by Melanie Finn.

Instead we are left with long-winded and gimmicky prose that was very much a slog to get through.
The writing veered from dull, to overly explanatory (lots of telling and not enough showing) to a fair bit on uninteresting minutiae (believe you me...I love interesting minutiae)

The book should have been pushed pushed pushed into the psychological literary masterwork that this character study deserved.

Seven Lies is a well-written debut novel about the friendship of Marnie and Jane, who grew up together and remain friends into adulthood. Jane is brooding and intense and will do anything to protect Marnie from the men in her life. She is a very loyal, albeit obsessed friend. Marnie is the trusting, friendly and naive one. Jane tells Marnie seven lies, beginning with her opinion of Marnie's husband. Jane is a master at manipulation and the story is told with her a the narrator and is divided into sections for each lie.  She unveils the story to you as if you are sitting with her and having a conversation with her. You get the feeling she might be a little off centre and continue to read on to find out. This was a great debut psychological thriller. Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

RATING: 1.5 STARS
2020; Viking/Penguin Random House Canada

Darn, I should have written this review right after I finished it as I cannot even remember anything about this novel. I remember my mind wandering and just wanting to DNF this book, but attempting to finish it. Many of my book friends liked this one, so please take a look at better reviews on this one. 

***I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.***