Her Dark Lies is such a good thriller. The first book I read by J.T. Ellison is Good Girls Lie. I actually fell in love with that book so when I was asked to read and review this one I just had to do it. It caught my interest and I just love the cover.
The pacing of the story is done very well and kept my interest the entire time. I actually really like Claire. Her character is very well done. But I can't stand the guy she is planning on marrying. I think because he's the type of guy I wouldn't go after is what's making me feel this way. He's a bit full of himself and I didn't exactly care to get his point of view in the story.
I am very curious how someone the characters trust is able to hide so well and not really let on who is after them. Kind of makes me wonder how they trust so easily yet be a family that has enemies. When things started happening I think I would have questioned almost everyone's loyalty.
Even those few things baffled me a bit I still love the book and would recommend it to anyone who loves thrillers.

This book reminds me of a gothic novel where a bride is being "haunted" by something in the groom's past. Jack Compton is bringing his bride to be to Isle Isola off the coast of Italy for the wedding of the decade. From the moment Claire arrives she feels threatened and frightened. The unease has her searching for an answer and the question is what happened to Jack's first wife. With a raging storm and no power sinister happenings have everyone scared to move. The action is fast and the feeling of horror is real. Well written and a thrilling read. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

knew going into this book I would be in for a thrilling ride, and it did not disappoint. Riddled with secrets, lies, revenge and death, Her Dark Lies by J.T. Ellison kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish.

In this story we meet Claire and Jack who are in the middle of planning their wedding, but someone doesn’t want them getting married. A fact which became clear after the many attacks, most of which resulted in someone’s death, against Claire. The questions running through my mind as I went deeper into this twisted world, is why and who would want to attack Claire and hurt Jack. Did it have anything to do with Jack being a multi-millionaire and Claire a struggling artist, or the death of Jack’s first wife, which occurred under mysterious circumstances? Whatever the answer, someone did not want these two joined in marriage. The further I dug, the darker the revelations became. Despite the story’s predictability, it still had me turning the pages.

The fact the wedding was scheduled to take place on the same island where Jack’s first wife died mysteriously added to the intensity of the story. Also, the strange occurrences leading up to the wedding made the story atmospheric. The story began on an interesting note, with the pace slowing down as the author described the island, the villa and the surrounding area. It picks up the pace at around the twenty percent mark and maintained a steady momentum throughout the story.

The story delivered the POVs of Claire and the person behind the attacks, which provided interesting insights into their minds. Claire was no saint, actually neither were any of the characters featured throughout the story. They all had skeletons in their closet, which they would not want revealed. Jack never spoke about his first wife with Claire, and she never told him about her shady past. What a pair they both made.

After all that had transpired, I expected a dramatic ending, but I found it to be anti-climatic. Despite this, I found Her Dark Lies entertaining. A must read for fans of thrillers.

Claire Hunter is on her way to her dream wedding in Italy with the man she loves more than anything. What she will face during her time there will chill you to the bone. Secrets, lies, family, deceit, and long dead bodies all resurface to keep you turning pages long into the night.

This was a chilling suspense novel, and I got drawn into the web of deceit right from the first page. The characters are complex, and the author, J.T. Ellison keeps you guessing throughout the book. The narrative is written from the viewpoint of two different characters, which I found also added to the depth of the story. The only drawback I found personally was that at the beginning the story was believable, but as the story continued, it got a little far fetched. I did enjoy the book though and loved the authors descriptive writing style. My thanks to Harper Collins, J.T. Ellison and Netgalley for the advanced copy to read and review with my honest opinions.

Claire Hunter is beyond happy. Her life is looking too good to be true. She’s a successful artist and she’s marrying the handsome, wealthy Jack Compton. His family is even planning their huge wedding at their family estate in Italy on the Isle Isola.

However, once Claire arrives at the island, disturbing things happen. Her beautiful wedding gown is vandalized and threatening texts are sent to her and the Compton family. Claire also senses some mystery about Jack’s first wife, but she’s not exactly sure what it is. Jack is tight-lipped about it, but in fairness, Claire has quite a few of her own secrets.

I’m not going to say anymore about the storyline as I don’t want to spoil it for anyone. The story started off a bit slow for me, but it picked up quickly and I couldn’t stop reading. I had to know how this was all going to end. At the same time, I didn’t want it to end. I wanted it to keep going.

The author’s descriptive writing style paints a vivid picture of the setting, drawing the reader right into the story. I was immediately transported to Italy (and I really didn’t want to leave.) Her Dark Lies has Gothic overtones and a mysterious family mansion to add to the spooky feeling.

The characters come alive on each page. They stayed with me long after I finished reading. It’s a spine-tingling, thriller with so many twists and turns throughout the book. Every chapter left me with my mouth hanging open. This is suspense at its finest. It had all the ingredients to keep me up late into the night reading (with all the lights on.)

This is the first time I’ve read anything by this author and I’ve now added the author to my “must read” list. I’ll also be checking out the backlist. I can’t wait to get started.








FTC Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed a free Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Her Dark Lies is definitely a great thriller that I enjoyed and had me turning the pages as fast as I could. This was my first time reading J.T. Ellison, and I cannot wait to dive into more of Ellison’s works.

Without giving anything away, much like Lucy Foley’s The Guest List , Her Dark Lies offers a great setting for a locked-room mystery of sorts. There are lots of twists thrown at you and you don’t know ultimately whom to root for or whom to fear. This kept my heart rate high and my anticipation due to the suspense even higher!

The storyline as a whole thing felt seamless, at least until the last two chapters when the details fully unfolded. The last few chapters left some holes and confusion there (I still have questions!), but overall just wow! I love a thriller that has my emotions all over and this one was a full on rollercoaster that wouldn't let up on me. Best of all, the characters were fresh and imaginative.

Check this book out for your next thrill ride!

Her Dark Lies had an interesting premise. The story centers around Claire and her fiancé Jackson. They're polar opposites but feel extremely lucky to have found each other. Jackson is rich beyond words and Claire, an artist, but in some ways, struggling is looking forward to their dream wedding on Jackson's family villa. The villa is on a secluded island and the perfect backdrop for a wedding.

However, there's one shadow that Claire can't seem to shake. Jackson has been married before and is now a widower. His wife's body was never found. A part of Morgan's body was found at one point in the story, but Claire learns that there's more to her death than the family is letting on. Between Jackson's mother, brothers and father, it seems like everyone is hiding something or has something to lose.

Before Claire and Jackson can leave for the villa, strange things start happening. A man breaks into their home shattering their pre-wedding happiness. Claire tries to banish the incident from her mind and focus on the wedding, but when they leave for the villa and finally arrive, more strange things happen. I won't ruin it all for you, but suffice to say, it looks like someone on the villa is out to ruin Claire's happiness. And what about the intruder back at home? There are a lot of questions.

So, why this all sounded mysterious and intriguing, it was so obvious to me who was behind it all from the very beginning. I kept at it thinking the author may pull out some twist at the end, but it never came. Also, in my opinion only, there wasn't really one likeable character in this book. I read some reviews where some fans of this author were saying that they had problems believing this was the same author as prior books. I don't know but this is one I didn't really enjoy. Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity.

My first J.T. Ellison book!!!

I love it, everyone has secrets, everyone is lying. Family affairs that full of secrets and lies. It's a first person point of view book, but from many characters, even from the killer too, so it's pretty entertaining and exciting. The suspense and mystery was superb. The setting is in a private island in italy, although the details sometimes a bit dragging for me, I still enjoyed it.

A page-turner story, great characters, wonderful setting, yup totally recommended.

I've previously enjoyed one of J.T. Ellison's books so was excited to pick this one up. I did really enjoy that this story was very fast paced but didn't always love the perspectives that we were reading from. The settings were great and really set the tone for the story. It would have been even better if there had a been a little more mystery/history thrown in as the setting could have thrived even more with it. It definitely had vibes similar to Rebecca or mysteries set in an secluded spot such as And Then There were None. Overall I really enjoyed it and would definitely read more of J.T. Ellison's books.

This was an intense read. I knew it was going to be a thriller but I should have known after reading another book by this same author last year that nothing was going to be what I expected! This was a little bit of a slower read because it was very introspective, a lot of mysterious excerpts that you aren't really sure of until about half way through who it might be. And then a lot of what seems like so much happening in the span of one day. It seemed like so much more time should have passed in the book when in fact it all happened in a matter of a few days. to be honest though there was a lot of backstory and lead up to each progression of the timeline.

I felt hooked nonetheless. I couldn't stop once we got into the meat of the story. There was so much that was going on and so many things that the main characters weren't even aware of but yet as the reader you get to know everything thats happening. I did guess who the creepy killer was before the big reveal though, and I'm not sure if that was intentionally done so it wasn't too vague (most likely), or if I'm just a super sleuth.... (probably not.) . Either way there was a LOT of blood and gore and accidental murder? Is that a thing? I kept thinking there's no way anyone else can die, who would be left to read about? But the author proved me wrong time and time again.

This was an interesting and crazy read. I definitely think that I would recommend this to my friends with stronger stomachs though due to the insane amount of blood and death. Still, it was a fun ride and I did enjoy the story overall. JT Ellison is an author to keep your eye out for, trust me, they do not disappoint.

This book starts out with a bang and continues until the very end. You won't know who is the bad guy/girl and who is innocent. The problem is.... you can't believe anyone. Everyone is lying about something. So many hidden truths. So much is happening. But it's easy to follow if you love a good thriller. If you are use to reading thrillers that keep you going and on the edge then you will enjoy this one for sure. Even though I figured out a few things, mainly the who was doing it, it was still an excellent book.

Claire and Jack both have so many secrets. Will they ever be able to come clean with each other and have the kind of life they want. Will family secrets pull them apart or make them even closer? With people dying or getting hurt all around them. With the wedding being sabotaged over and over. With all that is going on, will this couple ever find the happiness they want. Will they be together or go their separate ways. Who is behind all the horrors that are happening on this Italian island. Who can be trusted. How many skeletons are there and haw many more will there be.

Who hates Claire so much that they are willing to go to such depths to see her punished. Or unhappy. Or possibly dead. Who hates Jack the same. Could it be one of them or some other sinister person who wants revenge. Will Claire ever forgive herself for things that happened when she was such a young girl. It seems you can't trust anyone. Not even a sister. Or a brother.

This book certainly does have a lot going on. A lot of twists and turns. A lot of dying and attempted murder. A lot of things happening to stop a wedding. A lot of revenge. But through it all the most important is.... family. We protect family first and foremost. No matter what!

Thank you to #NetGalley, #Harlequin, #JTEllison for this ARC. This is my own true feelings about this book!

5/5 huge stars. I highly recommend this one.

This was fast-paced and suspenseful. I loved the descriptions of the Italian villa and all it’s secret passageways. The setting itself became a character in this. The ending was well-written and worked.

I had high hopes for this book but it kind of fell flat. The pace didn’t really pick up until about the last quarter of the book and it was never really a thriller to me.

New York Times Best Selling Author J. T. Ellison gives us a twisted thriller with "Her Dark Lies". Her Taylor Jackson and Samantha Owens series are two of my favourites!
For Claire Hunter her dream wedding on a beautiful island, off the coast of Italy, is turning into a nightmare. When a raging storm begins, all power is lost, and a killer is on the loose!
Every character involved (and there are many) has a secret.
With lengthy descriptions the author paints a vivid picture of this alluring island and historical villa, which had me imagining I was there.
An enjoyable read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin - Trade Publishing/MIRA for an arc of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

JT Ellison never disappoints. I haven't read a book of hers that I didn't like, but this one may be my favorite. Loved the plot and the twists!

If I had 10 bucks for every body that turns up in this one, I might not be able to buy that beach shack I've been wanting on my beloved North Carolina Outer Banks, but I sure would eat like a queen for a week or two! Wow - just when you thought still-standing characters would be safe, bam - another one bites the island dust.

The island is Isle Isola, off the coast of Italy. That's where uber-rich Compton family has a getaway villa that's nothing short of a castle. And that's where the wedding of son Jackson "Jack" Compton and his bride-to-be, Claire Hunter, will take place, with many family members enjoying luxurious pre-wedding festivities that have been organized to the nth degree by the Compton's highly experienced and competent staff.

But even before Jack and Claire arrive on the island, it's clear something is amiss; as they arrive at Claire's Nashville digs after an event - accompanied by a Compton family security guard - they're accosted by a masked intruder. Surviving that (I'll leave you to read the book to find out how that happens), they try to put it behind them and set off for the island. But almost the second they set foot on it, it's clear that something is amiss here as well. No, it's not Jack's family; despite Claire's background as a multi-tattooed junkie turned noteworthy artist whose work (thanks in large part to a boost from Jack) now sells for thousands of dollars, they appear to welcome her with open arms.

Rather, the island itself, and the villa, that are suspect For openers, a skeleton is unearthed that may have close ties to Jack; this is not, for the record, his first go-'round at marriage - his first ending with the tragic death of his wife Morgan. In any event, Jack's mother, firmly established as the family matriarch, wants the discovery swept under the rug. No one - not even Jack - reveals the circumstances surrounding Morgan's death.

Early on, it's obvious that someone isn't exactly thrilled with the upcoming wedding. Her dream dress, which she personally designed, is ruined. When that disturbs, but doesn't stop, the wedding, the shutdown and loss of all data from the family's server causes even more concern. And when that fails to put the brakes on the wedding, the murders begin.

Chapters from the viewpoint of other characters - including the person behind all the mayhem - are interspersed, giving readers an awareness (already suspected) of who's behind all the mayhem as well as insights on the main characters' backgrounds that help with an understanding of why. The action picks up even more steam near the ending, which brings a few new and somewhat surprising insights as well. All told? Well-written and enjoyable. Thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy.

Her Dark Lies takes place on the beautiful Isle Isola, Italy, where the Compton family owns an extensive villa. This is also where Claire will marry the love of her life, Jack Compton, and take her place in the very wealthy and prestigious family. Claire isn't the first woman to wed the handsome Jack but the details surrounding the death of his first wife ten years earlier are a taboo subject with the Comptons-until they reach the island and suspicious things begin happening, leaving them no choice but to share the truth with Claire. What they don't know is that Claire has some secrets of her own.

"How romantic, how very gothic and creepy, and how very Compton to choose an island surrounded by sea monsters and exhausted birds to call their own."


This is the first thriller to truly entertain and stump me in a long time. There are so many different aspects that I really liked about this book. First being the isolated island setting during severe storms that made leaving the island impossible. Not to mention that the hulking villa perched on the cliffs practically served as its own character with all its twists, turns, and surprises. There are a wealth of characters from the bride and groom and their families to the security and staff and they're all fair game in this sordid tale of cat and mouse.

"I have taken so many lives. The first time was the hardest. It gets easier after that."


I knew who the antagonist was pretty early on but it's not really meant to be a secret. What the reader is trying to discover is the HOW rather than the who and the fact that you never know who you can trust just adds another layer of suspense to the book. The chapters alternate between a few points of view, one being from the antagonist themselves who isn't explicitly named but the information you're given makes it clear that this person is in the villa and watching everything that's going on and you are left trying to figure out how they are able to maneuver and know so many details without being seen. It's a very clever storytelling device.

"Our silences grew from two bent trees into a forest that provided shelter and safety."


Some suspension of belief is necessary to make the ending and some other outcomes believable- but it was easy enough for me to do so. I was really hoping for a big AHA! moment but it never came resulting in the loss of a star. I felt that so much more could have been done to make the ending more twisty and shocking. As a whole I really enjoyed trying to guess what was happening and discovering the stories behind some of the juicier bits as they were slowly revealed. There was also a grandfather and two dogs in this book and those are two things I always enjoy in my stories.

I recommend this book to anyone who likes a darker, more gothic mystery thriller with a large cast of characters, multiple points of view, and isolated settings.

trigger warnings: Drug use (off page), domestic abuse, talk of suicide, loss of a loved one, grief.

All quotes used in this review were taken from an uncorrected proof and are subject to change.

Monday was fun day for reviews, but today’s a bit different. Still fun, but as you can probably tell from the title, Her Dark Lies is not a light-hearted romp through the craziness of reality TV. This is a thriller about a young woman marrying an older man with an insane amount of wealth and a lot of secrets. Basically, Rebecca on steroids and set in the modern-day world. Claire is an artist and Jack, her fiancé, manages the philanthropic arm of his family’s vast business empire. They’re getting married in a discrete ceremony, but in an ancient Italian villa on a remote island Jack’s family owns. And so, begins the fun…

On their last night in Nashville, before departing for Italy, Jack and Claire surprise an intruder in her home. Claire kills him, but Jack decides it’s best if one of his security guards claims the deed to avoid unwanted press. This is Claire’s first inkling about the full reach of the Compton family resources and the enemies that can generate. Also, that being a powerful man’s wife may come with strings. Misgivings aside, Claire relaxes into the romance of her wedding’s setting. Until they dock on the island to learn bones have been discovered nearby. Not as foreboding as it sounds, because the island was once Caesar’s armory and is being restored in places. Everything else is stunning, no detail too small, no comfort overlooked. Author J.T. Ellison leans into the luxury that can bought when money is no object, which is always fun reading.

She also plants seeds that, as they accumulate, heighten the tension around the wedding. A note written in a woman’s handwriting in Jack’s drawer, an overlooked piece of glass that cuts Claire’s foot. These seeds are fertilized by more traditional pre-wedding issues on Claire’s side: a mouthy friend who doesn’t really like Jack, a mother with a drinking problem, and a competitive sister. Ellison adds weather, utility problems, an unexpectedly accelerated timeline, and lets Her Dark Lies blossom into a ominous thriller.

All of this works to make the novel the right reading at the right time. I wasn’t looking for a challenge. I wanted a story that swept me up and kept me reading and Her Dark Lies achieved that, even if the plot became a bit operatic by the end. As it built to a somewhat implausible crescendo, I didn’t mind, because Ellison’s writing, her choices, had me invested in the story and I HAD to know what happens. Which is sometimes all I need in my reading.

J.T. Ellison writes a good thriller, and this is no exception. Claire is set to marry Jack, who is clearly out of her league. Yet the pair found each other and is in love. Their wedding is set at a remote island off the coast of Italy. However, the island contains secrets... in fact, all involved have secrets that they don't quite want aired.

Yet someone is intent on airing them.

The book is written mostly through first person, in Claire's point of view. However, there are other narrators thrown in which kind of disrupts the flow of the book and also is a bit confusing. I understand why the other point of view is included, but I do wonder if the book could have been done without that additional narrator tossed in occasionally.

The suspense is good in this book and I definitely wanted to keep reading, but I also figured out a lot of it. Overall it was a good read and enjoyable.

***I received an ebook copy from the publisher at no cost***

This was definitely an interesting read. There's plenty of suspense, made even more intense by the twists and turns throughout the story. The first chapter hooked me right in and got my brain churning out ideas of what I could expect from the story.

Claire and Jack are set for a romantic wedding on a remote Italian island. As soon as they arrive, things start happening. A skeleton is uncovered. Claire begins to have strange experiences and encounters. People start dying. What's supposed to be a time of love and romance turns into a bit of psychological terror.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. The story was solid and the writing is superb. Ellison kept me on the edge of my seat and pulled the rug out from under me on more than one occasion. I wasn't expecting things to go they way they did at the end. I loved the gothic atmosphere of this one as well. The island has a rich history and so many secrets within its walls, soil, and seas, and Ellison really brought that to life.

I wasn't big on the way the book was narrated. The combo of first person and third person was a bit confusing. I also wasn't a big fan of the characters but, that was more due to their personalities. The character development was good. I don't think the characters were necessarily supposed to be the most likeable, so I think the author hit the mark in that respect.

If you like mystery stories, and thrillers, this is a good one to grab.

Four stars to this novel!