After a family tragedy tears her family apart, Erin Kennedy moves to Newport, Long Island for a fresh start. She meets and marrys Danny, a detective with the Newport police, within 6 months.
Life is pretty perfect until one morning Erin answers the door to her husbands police colleagues and behind her Danny walks to the window of their 4th floor apartment and jumps to his death.
Eighteen months later, Erin is charged with the murder of her husband and learns things about Danny she could never have imagined.
Jo Spain does it again. Her stand alone crime thrillers are so easy to read but hard to put down. This book definitely keeps you gripped the whole way through. I found myself constantly guessing but still didn't have it figured out by the end. Erin is a great character, her not knowing what's going on in her own life makes for very interesting reading and the friends and allies she picks up along the way are very likeable. I would definitely recommend this new gripping stand alone thriller from one of the greatest Irish storytellers.
Thank you to Netgalley for my advanced copy of this in exchange for my honest review.

The Perfect Lie.... the perfect book!
I absolutely love Jo Spain's books and this one is no different ! A superb thrilling read that will keep you reading until the early hours ! Once again fantastic characters and a plot that keeps u enthralled. Jo is one talented author. Thank you so much for the advance copy. Roll on the next one !!!!!

Thanks to Netgalley and Quercus for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Erin's husband Danny, a police officer, jumps from their 4th floor balcony and commits suicide just as his partner arrives at their apartment seemingly to arrest him. Erin has no idea why Danny killed himself and no one will give her any info so she needs to start figuring out what Danny was hiding.

I really enjoyed this book. It alternated among 3 view points, Erin following the death, Erin now, and another woman named Ally. I had parts of this figured out but not all of it. It was a neat and clean ending, and I was engaged enough to keep turning the pages. This was my first book from this author and I look forward to reading more.

Entertaining stand alone from Jo Spain that almost had me scratching my head to try figure out,how we go from suicide to murder.
Turns out the answer is a lot of lies.
You begin to wonder who you can trust. What is the truth?
As the book went on,I could see where a few bits fitted,but not the big ones.
The reveals were as surprising as the opening pages.
Great read.

Well there's a first chapter I am not going to forget in a hurry. Gripping and shocking in equal measure. Jo spain always takes an event and twists it and turns it like no other author. This time it's the suicide of a husband. Now why did he jump? More importantly, why is the wife now prime suspect number one? Someone has been doing bad things and as Jo Spain digs and overturns yet another bit of dirt, this reader was hooked.
A note on Long Island - sounds lovely but you wouldn't want any of these as your neighbours - how the other half live indeed!

#ThePerfectLie #NetGalley
Nice read.
Erin Kennedy moved to New York following a family tragedy. She now lives happily with her detective husband in the scenic seaside town of Newport, Long Island. When Erin answers the door to Danny's police colleagues one morning, it's the start of an ordinary day. But behind her, Danny walks to the window of their fourth-floor apartment and jumps to his death.Eighteen months later, Erin is in court, charged with her husband's murder. Over that year and a half, Erin has learned things about Danny she could never have imagined. She thought he was perfect. She thought their life was perfect.
Thanks to NetGalley and Quercus for giving me an advanced copy.

I was beyond excited when I was approved for the new Jo Spain book on Netgalley. Having enjoyed all her previous stand-alone thrillers this had a lot to live up to.

What started off as a normal day for Erin Kennedy soon becomes anything but. Her husband is in the shower and there is a knock at the door. Erin opens it to her husbands colleagues and then her husband throws himself out if their apartment window.

I must admit I was confused by the synopsis - how does one find them-self on a murder charge for their husband when their husband has committed suicide in front of not only their wife but also other witnesses? This book was very cleverly written and at times had me gasping out loud. I changed my opinion of what I thought was happening on numerous occasions and still didn’t get it right.

An excellent read and one I thoroughly recommend. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced read copy of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

What. an. intro.

I think it may be the quickest I've been hooked on a book, and in the best way possible.

It was a complete and utter page-turner; I raced through it, because I had to know what happened next -- and felt like I'd been holding my breath by the time I had reached the final page.

I did kind of figure out who she was on trial for murdering, but watching the story -- and all the twists and turns that came with it -- unfold was still incredibly enjoyable.

Thank you to Jo Spain, Quercus and Netgalley for this ARC in return for my honest review. I'm a massive fan of Jo Spain and this book definitely didn't disappoint. Kept me gripped and guessing up to the last page. Jo is a gifted storyteller and this is one that I'd definitely recommend.

Never read this authors work but wow kind blowing, page turner kept me on my toes. Cant wait to read some more by this author

As a fan of Jo, I was expecting to enjoy this book going into it, and I’m not surprised to say I wasn’t disappointed. This thriller kept me guessing right to the end, along the way Jo created really characters and a story that flowed naturally.

#ThePerfectLie #NetGalley
I love Jo Spain's books. Her plots always revolve around current day events and her characters are Irish, modern, relatively normal and believable. This one doesn't disappoint set in Long Island and taking in Harvard and the worlds of police and publishing. The author notes at the end that this was written at the start of the covid pandemic in a crowded household which was suddenly dealing with homeschooling and working from home. This is reflected in the book I feel. The story feels a bit rushed and the characters could have done with more development. Some of the plot contrivances are a bit unrealistic such as the psychiatrist and the Christmas present even the friendship doesn't ring true. Some of the characters seem to be simply in the book to push the story along. Tanya for instance seems only to exist to help Erin out. However I did enjoy the book and was kept guessing....
Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for the advance copy in return for an honest review

I initially thought I had worked out the plot to this clever, intense thriller - but it had me fooled right up until the end! From the fully fleshed out characters and the twisty-turny style of the story to the evocative descriptions of Long Island and its hidden secrets, this book was devoured in a few hours.

This is the first Jo Spain book I’d read and I’ll certainly be checking out her back catalogue!

Admittedly, I am a huge fan of Jo Spain and when I saw that this ARC was available, I applied immediately. The one catch with being a huge fan, is that you have such high expectations straight away and for the author to live upto those expectations is not easy. but Jo Spain surpasses all expectations with this classy, pacy thriller which catches you by the throat in the opening pages and holds you until the close.
Absolutely epic.
In the opening pages, we are introduced to our protagonist Erin Kennedy, on the morning that her husband Danny Ryan commits suicide as his police colleagues arrive to arrest him for corruption. When his colleagues arrive, Danny jumps from the balcony of their fourth floor apartment in front of Erin.
The story then jumps forward to seventeen months later, when Erin is on trial, but we are given little info on her supposed crime and the defence.
At this point, the story divides into several timelines: the first concerns Erin and in told in "Then" referencing the day of Danny's suicide and subsequent events. And "Now" referring to her trial, when we are slowly dripfed information that fills in the blank about what lead to her arrest and being charged 5 months ago. There is also the storyline of Ally and Lauren that is set in 2016 in Harvard. Initially, there seems to be little to link our storylines, but Spain carefully drops in the clues and the reader begins to pierce together the truth.
The storyline twists and turns, leading the reader to make several conclusions of their own, before the truth is finally revealed in dramatic fashion in the final chapter and this is no doubt an epic revelation, covering all of the elements of the story in such a brilliantly executed finale.
It may only be January but this book is my book of the month and likely to be one of my books of the year, Utterly brilliant, Thank you to Netgalley, Quercus and Jo Spain for the ARC.

A nice litle thriller to get stuck into.

Two seemingly different incidents, linked by one person.

Erin finds herself accused of her husband's murder even though he jumped off a balcony in full view of others (no spoliers here, it's on the blurb) - VERY clever twist here that you don't see coming.

Ally is trying to support Lauren, a student at Harvard university who ends up in a heart breaking situation.

Erin is trying to uncover what drove her husband literally over the edge that day and in doing so finds herself in over her head not knowing who to trust and as the reader you are right there with her, suspicious of everyone but hoping not everyone has a hidden agenda. She finds herself being manipulated by people taking advantage of things that happened in the past.

Ultimately you are definitely team Erin in this story and if only her husband and his cop partner had balls like Erin then the situation might not have got out of hand in the first place!

Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to review this book - this is my honest opinion.

Another fantastic book from this talented writer I am a big fan if Jo's books & was so excited to read this. I really enjoyed this book Each character in this book is well written you feel like they are real people, such is the quality of her writing. The plot is really good & once you get into the story it's impossible to put down.

Loved this book - from the heartbreaking start right to the perfectly executed ending. This is the first of the author's books I've read and I will definitely read more.

I am a huge Jo Spain fan and in particular the 'Inspector Tom Reynolds' series. The Perfect Lie is a stand alone book and I think that it is her best one yet! It had me hooked from the first chapter. It is full of plot twists that keep you turning the pages over and over again.

Very early in the book we learn that Erin's husband Danny dies under very unusual circumstances and at the time of his death he is the subject of an Internal Police Investigation. Erin lives in America but is Irish and carries her own family tragedy with her as she tries to come to terms with her husband's death. Who does she trust????

I would highly recommend this book!

Thank you to Netgalley and Quercus for the chance to read this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Another fantastic Jo Spain standalone edge of your seat thriller. Within the first few pages, we know that Erin's husband has died in mysterious circumstances, and that his police colleagues are investigating something suspicious. Erin is all alone in America, but makes some firm friends who help her through the traumatic tricky first months where police are still being cagey about what they know and what her husband was up to.

A well written and captivating story, well worth a read

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read it.

A new standalone novel from author Jo Spain that certainly starts quickly.

Following a family tragedy five years ago, Erin Kennedy moved to New York for a fresh start where she now lives with her detective husband in the scenic seaside town of Newport, Long Island. One morning Erin answers the door to Danny’s police colleagues and everything appears to be no different to any other day. But behind her, Danny walks to the window of their fourth-floor apartment and jumps to his death. Eighteen months later, Erin is in court, charged with her husband’s murder. Over that year and a half, Erin has learned things about Danny she could never have imagined. She thought he was perfect. She thought their life was perfect, but it was built on a perfect lie.

I was gripped from the very start and eagerly looking forward to a great read but unfortunately for me I didn’t feel the book got any better and dragged. I still enjoyed it but felt let down after such a promising start.

I would like to thank both Netgalley and Quercus for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.