Thanks to Netgalley and MIRA book for a digital copy I read along with an audiobook from the library.

Claire is a talented painter who has tamed her image to be with Jack Compton, a member of one of the world's wealthiest and most influential families. When they land on his family's private Italian island for their exclusive wedding things start to go sideways. A dead body turns up and it appears someone is trying to sabotage this union. But as the story progresses you find out everyone has something to hide and even what you think is the truth can be easily manipulated. This book is layered and fast paced and once you pick it up, you won't want to put it down. I will say I wasn't completely shocked by the ending, but I still really liked it.

Content Warning: Death, Violence

I don’t understand how this book has only a 3.5 star on Goodreads! I absolutely devoured this book!

All the books I’ve read by J.T. Ellison have been 5-stars and this one is no expection! This was soo good!

Premise: Rich family, Italian cost, private island, violent storm, wedding?! Yessss please

One thing I adored about this book was that it was very atmospheric! J.T. Ellison does an amazing job as describing the surrounding! I could feel myself be on this island, in the dark, in the rain. I just adored the setting and atmosphere.

The book was told in different POVs, which I always like. However, there were lots of different characters and the chapters were titled by Chapter number, so it was a bit confusion to figure out who’s perspective I was reading, but this wasn’t a make-or-break issue for me.

If you want an action-packed, atmospheric, suspenseful, and mysterious read; this one is for you!

From the moment Claire sets foot on the isolated island estate of her fiance, the wild beauty and dark majesty of the island captivates her. But her nerves are rattled from a close encounter prior to their departure, and she can't let her guard down enough to enjoy her lush surroundings. From the beginning, she senses that she is that one puzzle piece that doesn't quiet fit in, a wren thrown in the coop with a bird of paradise.

The wealth just feels ostentatious to Claire, and even though Jack is solicitous, he seems both preoccupied and distracted. When the weather takes a turn for the worse, everyone is trapped and there's an ominous villain on the loose.

This character driven suspense had me in its grip from start to finish. I was looking for Ms. Danvers and Pennywise around every corner. The plot twists were unpredictable and I had no idea who was telling the truth, who was hiding their true motives, and who was a cold-blooded killer beneath their polite facade. The build was slow because of the intricate descriptions of the setting - but they only added to the ambience for me.

I highly recommend this modern gothic romance if you enjoy Mary Stewart or Daphne Du Maurier.

I read this a while ago and forgot to give feedback (oops!). Anyway, I loved it. Fast paced with a lot of suspicious characters and, of course, a fantastic exotic setting. I had a feeling about some of the people who were involved but I was still guessing until the end. Highly recommended.

This was a super quick, really fun thriller. The setting was fabulously written, and the twists had me excited to keep reading. I will say that you will need a lot of suspension of disbelief, but if that doesn’t bother you then you’ll love it!

Classic Gothic set in modern times, this was another wedding gathering thriller in a remote location, but one I thoroughly enjoyed. The bride-to-be is on her own among the wealthy family with dark secrets, where she has to figure out how to survive in this place and decide who she can trust.

This book reminded me of a gothic novel. Taking place on an island in Italy during a storm and including a villa and family crypt, it was very atmospheric. I received an advanced reader's copy and couldn't stop reading, even though the key to the mystery was revealed early in the book. When Claire Hunter meets the rich Jack Compton, her life changes. Having led a tough teenage life and becoming involved with a criminal, she still feels guilt about the night her father was killed in a car accident that she caused.

When Jack arranges their wedding on the island where his family owns a villa, she's excited but somewhat overwhelmed. It doesn't help that the night before they leave for Italy, someone breaks into the house, and Claire kills the intruder in self defense. Her actions are covered up by the bodyguard who was meant to protect her and Jack. Trouble continues to follow them to the island as they prepare for their wedding, and the incoming storm adds to the mystery. Claire learns that many of the Compton wives died accidentally, including Jack's first wife, Morgan. The only difference is that Morgan's body has never been found, although when Jack and Claire arrive on the island, a body is discovered.

Secrets are revealed about Jack's family, but Claire, with her own secrets, still wants to marry Jack. After her wedding gown is ruined and people start being killed by unexplained accidents at the villa, Jack's mother moves up the wedding in the hope that whoever is trying to prevent it will stop after it has taken place. Unfortunately, the person behind the incidents has other plans.

Although I wasn't surprised at the ending, there was a twist. I really enjoyed this book, but I found it a bit too dark for my taste. The changing point of views, even of the person behind everything, added interest and insight to the characters. For those who enjoy dark fiction with a gothic feel, I would recommend this read.

Part Gothic, part suspense, part psychological thriller and all crazy this was one page-turner of a book.
The haunting atmosphere was set in the prologue and the author did a great job of maintaining it throughout the entire twisty plot.
I don’t want to give anything away, so I think I’ll refer to the notes that I made as I read.
I liked how the author emphasized Claire’s artist background in the narration, specifically giving names to the colors that she was seeing. It was done with an artist’s eye which was impactful and helped me get a better feeling for Claire.
I do wish they had continued, but as the plot became more complicated, Claire’s descriptions became less embellished. I guess that does make sense for her character – she no longer had the time or inclination to notice the details.
I also liked how the author set the tone for how the Compton family dealt with things. The repeating of statements, mantras to remind themselves, etc. were all consistent and added to the mystery surrounding the family.
I did think that the family business got short shrift. I wish there had been a bit more detail about it, as it certainly was a unique prospect – and not all that unbelievable given the current state of affairs worldwide.
But as it was it served more as a mechanic to illustrate the family’s wealth and need for privacy without elaborating and giving it a lot of depth. I think this is why another aspect didn’t completely come together for me.
I don’t know how to address that without giving anything away, but the motivations of a main character seem to spring from what the family can offer, but that was never made crystal clear to me.
Or maybe the character was just supposed to be a total sociopath and none of that matters.
I guessed early on what was really going on so there was no mystery there for me at all. Other readers may not make the connections. The author did have me second guessing a few times, and I have notes speculating that other characters were to blame (when they had nothing to do with the incidents in question).
The plot also took an Agatha Christie-like turn, where multiple people were under suspicion but just as quickly were proven to not be responsible (for various reasons).
That last third of the book was pretty gonzo. There was a lot of build-up, but then things really started happening quickly. In some ways it felt almost too frantic because it was all rapid-fire events and revelations.
There are times when I will skim parts of a book to get through because of repetition or just not holding my interest. This is NOT one of those books. I read every single part – it definitely kept me engaged.
I would certainly recommend this one. It’s an excellent brain break from reality and you’ll enjoy trying to figure out who is reliable and who isn’t.

This is a story of a young woman, Claire, who meets Jack. Both of the characters have complicated histories. Claire has been involved with a man who is now in prison and has been guilty of all kinds of unseemly behavior. She meets Jack and they instantly hit it off. As their romance turns into more and they decide to get married, Claire gradually cleans up her look and behavior. Jack is from a super wealthy and famous family who keep their history and secrets tightly guarded. Jack has been married previously but his wife died several years before he meets Claire.
The wedding is to be held on the family’s privately owned island off of Italy where chaos ensues. One roadblock after the other seem to make the union impossible. This book has a little for everyone. There is romance, travels, mystery and thriller, as well as potentially supernatural events.
I enjoyed the story and the characters. I would say that it could have been edited to leave out some of the plot because it felt as though the story could have wrapped up and then more plot twists occurred. I still recommend this to anyone who wants an atmospheric and mysterious tale, with almost a closed circle vibe.
Entertaining read.
#HerDarkLies #NetGalley #Harlequin #MIRA

Claire Hunter, an up-and-coming artist, is ready to say “I do” to the handsome, uber-rich Jack Compton on his family’s private island, Isla Isola, in the ultimate destination wedding. The idyllic Italian island has enough room and entertainment for all their friends, family, and enemies.

Despite having the perfect dress, the perfect location, and the perfect groom, Claire knows something is very, very wrong. She is attacked in her apartment the night before she is scheduled to fly to Europe. During the fight, Claire kills the intruder. Jack’s family’s influence gets her out of the U.S. and away from the investigation in time for her wedding. But trouble follows her on to the Comptons’ private island.

Her Dark Lies by J.T. Ellison highlights all the reasons you should reconsider your destination wedding. Just kidding. But not really. The beautiful Italian island, the villa, the grounds, and Jack’s family harbor some dark secrets that refuse to stay buried. Isla Isola’s ownership dates back to Julius Caesar—yes, the Julius Caesar. It’s an island filled with violent secrets, mysterious and gothic.

Isla Isola is one of those settings that become a living, breathing, active character in and of itself. Ellison ensures the reader sees the windswept countryside, the raging ocean beyond the rocky shores, and the twists and turns of the villa which was built straight into the earth itself. The island is both a romantic hideaway and a harbinger of haunted things. Without this atmosphere, the tragic circumstances of the story would fall flat.

And there is indeed tragedy. Tragedy as old as the island.

The first thing confronting Claire is the strange discovery of a body. She and Jack are greeted with this unfortunate news just as they arrive, unable to even exit the ferry when they get to the island.

Jack doesn’t normally command me. I’m so shocked I halt immediately, and he surges ahead, disappearing into the crowd. I stand awkwardly alone, shivering in the salty breeze. I can hear Italian, spoken very quickly, much too fast for me to follow even the few words I’ve picked up, then Jack’s baritone, all overlaid with a cacophony of seagulls – the island’s rookery for wayward birds must be nearby. I’m just grateful for the solid ground. Maybe I was getting a little seasick.



Jack reemerges moments later, his face pale.



“The timing is impeccable,” he grumbles.



“Are they here for us?”



“No. The restoration people dug up a body.”



“A body? Whose?”



“No idea. Sorry, technically it’s not a body, it’s a skeleton. Remains. This happens frequently in historical restoration.”



“Remains?” I’ve had just about enough death for a lifetime. Two bodies in two days?

If only the body count remained at two…

As the countdown to the wedding continues the death toll mounts and more and more secrets are unburied. Including the truth about Jack’s first wife, who died under mysterious circumstances. Someone on the island has a long memory and refuses to let Jack, and now Claire, ignore the past.

Claire already knew that Jack was married before. In fact, she’s developed a perhaps unhealthy interest in his first wife, Morgan. Claire stares at internet photos of Morgan. She reads articles about the other half of the “power couple.” She tries to understand why Jack loved this woman who seems so very different from herself.

Everywhere Claire looks, there are reminders that Morgan has been here before. The dead woman’s presence is in the prenup Jack’s parents ask her to sign, it’s in the pearl necklace Claire receives, and it’s in the incoming storm clouds.

Secrets, however, have a way of coming to the surface. And now Claire’s groom, the handsome and caring Jack must confront his past without letting Claire in on the truth. Because those ‘historical remains’ have been identified.

“I want to see the body, and I refuse to take no for an answer.”



“Fine,” his mother snaps at him, finished. “She’s been taken to the crypt. I trust you can manage to say your goodbyes without alerting Claire to this story? There’s no need for her to know Morgan died here. Let her, like the rest of the world, think she went missing in California. I refuse to have you implicated Jackson. That tramp wasn’t worth it.”



“Mother—”



“If you won’t do it for yourself, do it for Claire. Do you think she’d really understand if she knew the whole truth?”



“Yes, I do. You underestimate her, Mom. Trust me, she is stronger than you know.”

Claire’s strength is about to be tested. Because someone—or something—doesn’t want her marrying Jack. She receives frightening texts. Her wedding dress is ruined. Glass is strewn in her bathroom. And the bodies in the crypt are piling up.

Her Dark Lies has garnered comparisons to Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None and Daphne Du Maurier’s Rebecca—so if you’re looking for a well-crafted gothic closed-door mystery, J.T. Ellison has delivered one. The events of this weekend on Isla Isola will stick with the reader long after the last page turns.

J.T. Ellison writes great twisty dark thrillers. I started reading her with her Taylor Jackson and then Samantha Owens series and have also enjoyed her standalones. Her Dark Lies takes place mostly on a secluded island in Italy with characters gathered for a wedding. There's something about an isolated setting where you are "trapped" and murders happen to bring on the tension. There are lots of plot twists and turns making it hard to know who to believe and who is the guilty party. Good fun and a good book for summer beach and pool reading.

Her Dark Lies
by J.T. Ellison

This is a great book! Full of intrigue and mystery... This is a page-turner which I really enjoyed. Wealth? Wedding? First wife?
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC. I truly enjoyed this one!

5 star

Her Dark Lies by J.T. Ellison takes place in Italy. A talented artist, Claire Hunter, has arrived at Isle Isola at the invitation of the wealthy Compton family. She is to be married to one of the Compton sons, Jack. Their families and friends will be joining them for the private affair. But plans begin to change, due to a fierce storm. Claire begins to realize that she may not know Jack as much as she thought. Then an unidentified body turns up and there is a power failure on the island and other disasters occur. The possibility of having a wedding on the estate seems to be less and less doable. This book felt familiar and I then realized it reminded me of Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. It has the same gothic feel and the plot and characters are quite comparable. But Her Dark Lies lacks the dark suspense and the story at times seems to drag. Also, maybe the book is longer than necessary. If you enjoy reading about the lifestyle of the wealthy, you will love this book. If you are looking for a thriller, this may not be it. This is my opinion only and I am sure many will love this book. Thank you to Harlequin-Mira, NetGalley and the author for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is so wonderfully dark with enough twists and turns that it will have your head spinning. I could not put this book down. JT Ellison delivers yet another fabulous thriller that you will speed read through because you just simply can’t stop!

A decent thriller and a page-turner. I guessed the culprit early on and got distracted by the American characters sometimes using British slang.

Well J.T. This has been one very wild ride, or maybe I should say swim! I always say after reading one of your books that that’s my favorite and it can’t get any better and then you go and do it and write another fantabulous book! This one had me on the edge of my seat almost the entire time. Thank you for writing such fantastic books for us!

I thought I'd really devour this one, because it's a suspenseful mystery set in Italy. However it just did not work for me. Parts of it seemed too farfetched, that I just had a hard time getting engrossed in the book. I really struggled to finish it.

A scenic setting (Italian coast) chock full of suspenseful mysteries - what more could I want for a weekend wedding, right? Her Dark Lies by J. T. Ellison is the perfect escape read - not only does she make the wedding site idyllic, but she clouds that beauty with a darkness - skeletal remains, wedding mishaps, a crazy thunderstorm. Oh, and did I mention the unknown details surrounding the groom's first wife's death, along with the bride's own mysterious background. Seems like no one is being truthful and revelations are about to be made. Talk about the worst wedding weekend ever!

Ellison has written a terrific mystery-thriller that will have you turning pages faster than you can say 'nuptials'. She's created unreliable characters that are deeply flawed and thrown them all together on an island, where they are forced to be even closer together due to a power outage. It's thrilling, suspenseful, and so much fun to read. I just loved getting lost in Claire and Jack's wedding weekend.

I would happily recommend Her Dark Lies to fans of Ellison and anyone looking for their next great read - you will LOVE this book!

Ellison did it agin with another juicy tale. Her Dark Lies is overflowing with danger, luxury and secrets galore. The writing is atmospheric, the characters are layered, and the setting is so incredibly stunning. A wedding on a remote Italian Island sounds fantastic, right? Throw in a huge storm, a lot of cash, dead bodies and few potential ghosts and you've got yourself quite the tale. Ellison wowed me with her nod to Daphne du Maurier. Paying homage to one of her favorite books (Rebecca) in Her Dark Lies was Absolute perfection! Bravo!

J T Ellison has written a seductive and chilling contemporary Gothic thriller that held me completely in thrall from beginning to end: Her Dark Lies.

The stars seems to have finally aligned for up and coming artist Claire Hunter. Having met and fallen head over heels in love with Jack Compton, Claire simply cannot wait to marry the man of her dreams and start her life with her handsome and charismatic husband. With their wedding set to take place in a majestic cliff-top villa on the Isle Isola in Italy surrounded by their closest family and friends, Claire is counting down the days until she finally says ‘I do’ and can begin to build a life with Jack. It was meant to be the wedding of her dreams, however, little did Claire realize that her worst nightmares were about to come true in the most alarming and unexpected of ways…

From the moment she set foot on the island, Claire could immediately sense that something was amiss. Her every instinct was telling her that she needed to keep her wits about her and be very careful. She initially dismissed these worries as wedding jitters and nerves, however, when things begin to take a sinister turn, Claire realizes that amongst her closest friends and family a dangerous enemy is hiding in plain sight waiting for the right moment to strike and cause maximum havoc and destruction.

Things begin to go from bad to worse for Claire. Skeletal remains have just been found on the island, but events begin to hit very close to home as she starts receiving threatening text messages, a wedding dress is ruined and she begins to hear troubling rumors about Jack’s first wife. Has Jack been lying to her all this time? How well does she know the man she was going to be spending the rest of her life with? And can she trust him? Or will the skeletons in her bridegroom’s closet prove to be deadly?

As a raging storm descends on the island, the power goes out – bringing Claire closer and closer to jeopardy, despair and danger…

Like a modern-day Rebecca, J T Ellison’s Her Dark Lies is a deliciously sinister, creepy and menacing thriller I couldn’t help but devour. J T Ellison knows how to bring our fears to life on the page and in Her Dark Lies she has penned a superbly tense and terrifying read which I was still engrossed in in the early hours of the morning.

An immensely enjoyable rollercoaster ride from an outstanding storyteller, switch off your phone, lock the door and kiss sleep goodbye because once you start reading J T Ellison’s Her Dark Lies, putting it down is simply not an option.