Sad, unbelievably sad, who-dun-it, but a page-turner that I was so drawn in to, I read it straight through in one sitting (it helps that I have a hard time sleeping.) We learn at the very start about the beautiful red-head teenage Abigail going missing and we assume she's not coming back — from the dead or wherever she ran off to. Our reading time is spent suffering the racist, homophobic, misogynist, abusive, and out-right despicable bible-thumping residents, who go back generations, of Whistling Ridge, a small town near Estes Park, Colorado. The kids party, the poverty is deep, and the line between good and evil is strong, especially when all the town's secrets are revealed. I won't give the ending away, but justice does prevail, after lots of spilt blood and spewed wicked anger.

Emma is filled with guilt at the disappearance of her friend Abigail. Emma left Abigail at the edge of the woods where it seemed Abigail was to meet a boy. Emma is determined to investigate the disappearance which dredges up many secrets.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book is great! Would definitely recommend. Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Anna Bailey’s debut novel Where the Truth Lies brings readers a dark, disturbing, emotional, and atmospheric crime novel set in small town Whistling Ridge, Colorado. A teenaged girl, Abigail Blake, disappears after leaving a party and going into the woods. She had come to the party with her friend Emma Alvarez who feels guilty for not waiting on her friend and commits to finding out what really happened to Emma. Did she meet someone; and if so, who? Most, including the police, believe she ran away from home. But is that what really happened?

Many characters in this novel are nasty, spiteful, obnoxious, malicious, and mean-spirited, and that is describing them mildly. They seemed very real and it is daunting to imagine a town that contains this many vile characters. However, there are a few characters that stand out positively from the rest. One is Abigail’s younger brother, Jude. Another is Emma. Despite her problems, she is trying to do the right thing. The third was Rat, a Romanian living in an RV. While he had some problems, he basically wants to help Emma.

The plot is quite dark and contains several twists that are interwoven well. The author does a great job of world-building. I was able to easily visualize the setting. The small town atmosphere came through, but not the positive atmosphere often seen in novels. This one is full of secrets, alcoholism, racism, and a charismatic pastor that advocates violence and intolerance. Add to this drugs, rage, domestic violence, child abuse, self-blame, cruelty, narrow-mindedness, inexcusably bad parenting, gossip, lies, maliciousness, bullying, and much more. What do you get? A suspenseful and emotional novel that pulls a reader in and keeps one looking for something hopeful in Whistling Ridge. My one quibble was with the frequent shift of perspective from character to character and back and forth in time which broke up the natural flow of the novel.

Overall, this book was a study of many characters and group dynamics that was intense, compelling, thought-provoking, and impactful. What will Emma find out as she digs into Abigail’s disappearance and learns that Abi had her own secrets? Will she solve the puzzle of her friend’s disappearance? I will not forget this book or its characters for a long time, if ever. It is not an easy book to read, but it is important to understand that attitudes and behaviors such as those shown in this story line exist.

Atria Books and Anna Bailey provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. This is my honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. Publication date is currently set for August 3, 2021. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.

Love where this one was going, but also not one of my favs. Felt like it was missing something but really sure what. Overall it was a pretty decent read!

Abigail Blake has gone missing. In the small town of Whistling Ridge everybody knows everybody, but secrets are still kept undercover. So when Abi goes missing, her best friend Emma tries to uncover the truth behind her disappearance. Abi was last seen heading off into the woods with a mystery man after a local bonfire party in the woods. Abi's family is well known in town for domestic abuse, so her disappearance is first written off as a runaway. Later, when an article of her clothing is found, people start to get more serious about her disappearance and delve deeper into the whereabouts of certain people on the night she went missing. Was she kidnapped? Murdered? Or trying to run away from a secret of her own?

I wanted to love this book and some of the people in it. It dealt with some heave issues: racism, homophobia, abuse, and more I won't mention due to spoilers. The author has a way with words and I loved how she wrote. There were a lot of characters and I sometimes had a hard time keeping them straight, especially with the way the chapters would switch POVS and go back and forth between "Then" and "Now". I think with a little more clarity it would have been a 4 star read for me. Some loose ends needed to be tied up for me.

This mystery kept me turning pages late into the night. There are multiple layers in this small town. Most of them hateful and disguised as good Christians.

The back and forth between then and now was sometimes annoying. I also wanted a more definitive ending but overall I really enjoyed this book.

I am going to be very blunt. This was not an easy book to read. It disturbed me on such a level that I had to take a break from it. While on that small break, I thought about what I read and how it was so relevant to what goes on in small, secular towns and, to be honest, not so small and not so secular towns. So, I will say this: Read this book and keep in mind that places like Whistling Ridge exist and in those towns, people like the ones portrayed.

The pacing of Where the Truth Lies started at a fast pace and kept gaining momentum until the ending. There were points in the book where it was almost too much (because of everything that was going on). For a fast-paced book, there was little lag which surprised me. I expected more because of how frantic the pacing got at the end.

The book starts with Abi disappearing from a bonfire and Emma beginning to look into it. She befriends a Gypsy man who was among the last people to see Abi alive. Then the author let’s open the gates of “WTF.” The racism that is shown to both Rat (the Gypsy) and Emma was disturbing to read. My heart hurt for them both.

Noah, Jude, Dolly, and Samuel are then introduced. They are Abi’s older brother, younger brother, mother, and father. Samuel is a Vietnam Veteran with PTSD coupled with severe anger and violence issues. He is a devout Christian who follows the Scripture closely. I couldn’t stand him, and I couldn’t find a little bit of pity when the author went into his backstory. I will warn that the abuse he puts his family through is graphic. There were a few times where I had to put my Kindle down because I was getting triggered. But I kept going.

Noah’s story arc was the saddest (well, besides Abi). He was gay, living with a homophobe, and a mother would couldn’t (and wouldn’t) protect him. He was forced to go to conversion therapy with the very slimy preacher, and when it didn’t work (because, you know, you can’t change who someone is), he was almost forced to go through it again. No wonder he wasn’t more screwed up. But, his relationship with Rat was beautiful to read. Not getting more into it, but I was moved by the depth of devotion Rat had for Noah.

The rest of the town is introduced, and I couldn’t get over how small-minded they were. Distrustful and racist of anyone who wasn’t white (and that included Emma, who was raised there), they were also quick to follow the lead of the preacher and Hunter’s father. So, I wasn’t surprised at the scene in the middle of the book when mob mentality took over, and the mob burned Rat’s trailer. But I was surprised at Dolly’s sudden change of heart when it came to Noah.

Abi’s disappearance is still the main storyline. I figured, like the police, that she had taken off until the police found something. Then my focus shifted to who would have killed her.

The end of the book had a lot going on. There was a massive twist in Abi’s storyline. One I didn’t see coming and surprised me when it showed it. I also didn’t see the twist that came with the Blake family storyline. If only Jude had come forward with what he had seen earlier and if only Dolly had the guts to do what she did much, much earlier.

I was a little confused by the very ending of the book. It was almost surreal, and honestly, it was a little anticlimactic after the events in the book. I don’t know what I was expecting, but it wasn’t what was written. I reread those last paragraphs quite a few times before giving up.

Where the Truth Lies is a dark book that doesn’t hold back any punches. It doesn’t sugarcoat any of the events in the book. I did enjoy reading it but at the same time, it disturbed me on a level that very few books have been able to.

I would recommend Where the Truth Lies to anyone over the age of 21. There are graphic (and often disturbing) scenes of domestic violence and child abuse. There is homophobia. There are graphic scenes of racism. There is also graphic violence.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A teenager on the cusp of womanhood goes missing. A search ensues, but a those who love her have secrets of their own that they wish to remain hidden.

Thank you so much to Atria Thrillers and Anna Bailey for my ARC of Where the Truth Lies that comes out August 3! This book was a slow burning mystery that was twisted until the end. The story is about Abigail, a girl who goes missing, and the people she leaves behind. Her friend Emma is full of guilt for leaving her alone, and vows to search and find the truth of what really happened. There are so many secrets in the small town of Whistling Ridge, and they are bound to come out. The people in the town will do whatever it takes to keep them hidden, and that means someone might get away with murder.

Thoughts: This book was truly dark and depressing. The small town feel really came through, as did the difficult lives of its townspeople. This book was heartbreaking in so many ways and felt me feel claustrophobic and like I needed to escape. This book gives you lots of different pieces to a huge puzzle, and it was enjoyable trying to put them all together. I really loved the writing in this book and found it easy to read and easy to imagine myself in it.

The plot went a lot of different ways and it was easy to get a bit lost if you aren’t paying close attention. There are quite a few trigger warnings in this book and it made me feel sad and mad and all types of emotions. It wasn’t a feel good book at all, but it was so atmospheric and that it sucked me in from the beginning. I enjoyed most of the characters and felt a connection to them. The big twist at the end is actually given away quite early, but it was still an enjoyable journey. 4-stars for this chilling debut.

Definitely atmospheric and really interesting. I felt as though the story was well written but could have needed a little more to push through. I liked the description and the ending, can't say this was a bad one. Enjoyed.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy.
“The sun going down over the mountains looks like God cracked an egg over the peaks and the yolky light is running down through the grooves left by glaciers long ago.”
When young Abi goes missing and is thought to be dead violently, a small religious town starts to unravel, opening up a mess of lies, secrets, and tragedies.
I really enjoyed this dark read and was surprised by the depth of trauma, abuse, secrets, love, friendship, racism and religion the author was able to get into. This is a fucked up town, there is no other way to say it but among the bad there is such highly developed, wonderful characters that you will root for, cry for, want to punch, and ultimately end up loving or hating! The author does a wonderful job of dealing with very heavy subjects, like racism, religion, abuse and rape, without making it a book that feels heavy or hard to read, and still leaves you guessing on who are the good guys and who are the bad guys or if we all have both in us..
“..the truth: that deep down, most men are mediocre. Most people are, really, but men are allowed to grow up thinking the world is their oyster in a way that women cannot”

The small insular town of Whistling Ridge, Colorado is turned upside down when seventeen-year-old Abigail disappears. The police think Abi ran away, but her best friend Emma doesn't believe it. Consumed by guilt for leaving her at the party alone, Emma is determined to find out what really happened to Abi. While searching for answers Emma begins to uncover the towns deepest darkest secrets and if she's not careful she might just be the next to disappear.

Where the Truth Lies is a compelling debut mystery/thriller novel by author Anna Bailey. The story transitions between the events prior to Abi's disappearance and after. Whistling Ridge is a small Colorado town, home to "God-fearing" folks who cast stones from glass houses. The novel features several characters that fall outside of the towns "acceptable" standards and includes several sensitive topics such as racism, domestic abuse, homosexuality, drug use, sexual assault, etc. This was a powerful mystery/thriller with a strong cast of characters which I think many readers will really enjoy. The plot is quite dark, I was left with some unanswered questions, and I wouldn't classify it as an unputdownable read but overall this was a strong debut. I look forward to reading future works by this author.

Man, did this book really make me look at the small town I live in and contemplate just how racist, homophobic, xenophobic, etc. small towns can be and are. A young girl goes missing and her best friend is trying to figure out what happened. Did she run away from the abuse in her home? Was it because of a guy? Or did it have to do with all the darker secrets within the town, which is run by the local pastor using fear of God? I really enjoyed this book, and it was so accurately written about small-town, white America that it made me cringe thinking about the small town I live in and just how much lies beneath the surface.

This is a beautiful deep and disturbing book. a story of love and loss and a story of a town consumed by hate. It was a hard book to read with all the hate, the racism, the anti gay stuff, the abuse and all the christian righteousness justifying it. . It is a tale of survival and a tale of justice and the kinds of love that can outlast it

Y’all I loved this book. Definitely a great thriller and one where I didn’t see the ending happening! The characters were very intriguing and highly entertaining.

I am DNFing this at 17%. After 10 chapters, I couldnt find anything to hold my attention. It honestly was dragging for me.

Also there was a ton of racial slurs and stereotyping that I wasnt comfortable with and I know some other readers would not be either. If an author wants to input a racist character, I think that is fine as long as it has context to the story. In this case, besides the main character being mixed, doesnt really have much import into this book as far as I read. I also think there is a better way of writing a racist character than to just input a ton of racial slurs, stereotypes, and euphemisms. These can be off putting or triggering to a reader.

Racial slurs include Romani people, hispanic people, trans individuals, and stereotyping of hispanic bodies and a nazi stereotype describing a side character.

Thanks to Netgalley for sending this my way. Im sorry that I couldnt give a full review of the book as a whole but do to the content I could not continue.

Abi is 17 and goes to a party with her best friend Emma, but they do not leave together and now Abi is missing. She comes from an abusive father and a scared mother in a home that supposedly lives by the Bible. She has a friend, Rat, who is Romanian and lives in a trailer and he is one of the first suspects. Her older brother is in love with Rat and her younger brother seems to be holding back information.
Whistling Ridge is a strange mix of people, all who seem reluctant to help with the investigation.
This is a book of suspense and intrigue, but unfortunately, as I could not identify with the characters or the town, it really did not appeal to me.
I do thank the author, the publishers and Netgalley for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Wowza, what a read! One of those that is deliciously dark and disturbing. Well written, fast paced, atmospheric, and unique! Chalked full of thrills, chills, twisty turns, and shocks! Character development is nailed! I highly, highly recommend, as I promise my fellow thrill seekers with be blown away with suspense and chills!

Will make sure to buzz around and use low Amazon reviewer number on release date!

This really is a gorgeous book; devastating, elegiac, with a cast of mostly despicable characters who managed to draw me in, especially getting closer to the middle and ending when the author ratcheted up the tension. I do think the issues in this small town were a bit heavy handed, and the preacher in particular was awful and could have been more nuanced. But what made this a 4.5 star novel to me was Dolly’s character arc. Without giving much away, I feel like this was a mother who was flawed and broken and trapped, yet in the end managed to come through for her kids.