Major Big Little Lies vibes which is a major compliment because that’s one of my all time favorite books, I didn’t love this one quite as much but I did still love it!

If you liked "Big Little Lies'," you will love this one. The setting is an elite private school nestled in the Colorado mountains, Good looking, charismatic, popular soccer coach, Nick, is the guy that the moms pull out their lipstick and swoon over when he walks in the room. Natalie, Brooke and Asha are three women linked by their individual relationships with the high school coach. Teenagers, lies, twists and a mystery that culminates with two bodies being carried out of the school one cold morning, this book will keep you guessing about the lengths these affluent, competitive families will go to to get what they want. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin/Park Row Books for gifting me a copy of this wonderful thriller by Annie Ward, a great follow up to Beautiful Bad. 4.5 stars rounded up!

This story centers on three women in a wealthy Colorado town. Natalie is the administrative assistant at the private school which is full of entitled students, jealous and overindulgent parents. Brooke and Asha's daughters used to be best friends but now there's trouble there as well as in their marriages. Natalie catches the eye of Coach Nick, but also worries about his involvement with Brooke and Asha. Then there are the two bodies being carried out of the school; Natalie can't remember her involvement. in that scene but she's being interviewed by the police.

I loved this book and couldn't put it down! There are lots of twists and turns in these people's lives that we love to hate and I found myself still cheering them on. I loved how the police transcripts were intermingled in the story. This is just a fun, twisty thriller that will keep you glued to the pages!

This was the first book I’ve had the opportunity to read by Annie Ward and it definitely won’t be my last! This book reminded of Big Little Lies with its premise and setting. The Lying Club is a slow burn thriller that catches you off guard. I think for much of the book I has no idea what was going on or what to expect until the book starts to pick up in the last 30%. I enjoyed the drama between the characters in the meantime. Like I stated, the book reminded me a lot of Big Little Lies and I think these little subplots help with the story.

I’m definitely looking forward to reading more books by this author!

I was so excited to be chosen to read and review The Lying Club.

Natalie is an office assistant at a very elite private school. She meets two women, Brooke who is a beautiful heiress, and Asha who is a very overprotective mom. They each have a daughter at the school who play soccer. The assistant athletic director Nicholas, is a very attractive man. Natalie falls in love with Nicholas. She is very jealous of everyone he meets. Brooke would love to be with him. Both Asha and Brooke need him to help their daughters get scholarships for college.
There were so many twists and turns in this book. Everyone was against somebody. I was not expecting the way it all ended. Two dead bodies in the gym. How did it happen. Who did what? Who is lying to who?

I was hooked from page one! This is my first time reading a book by Annie Ward and this book leaves me wanting more.
Thank you NetGalley and publisher for allowing me to give my opinion on The Lying Club.

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for a review.

This book was messy and what I was hoping the outcome would be couldn’t have been farther from the truth. There should be more of a forewarning in the blurb as I don’t think it’s advertised in a way that actually demonstrates what this story is about.

While the drama was enticing, two moms fighting to get their daughters into prestigious schools using the hot athletic coach who is dating the jealous young secretary, that is just the very surface as to what is happening. The actual storyline is way more sinister and dark, which is fine in a thriller, but to have no warning of it feels foolish.

I called that Nick was going to be an abusive SOB early into the story. Private lessons? The female coach trying to protect Sloane? It couldn’t have been more obvious. It was a gross thread to pull through this story and to have another young woman entangled in all of it.

And are we only making Natalie a drug addict to try and make her the easy suspect? That storyline felt unnecessary and off-base. It didn’t impact the story as much other than the control it offered to Nick. He had enough reasons to be the bad guy without this already.

Because I didn’t have any idea *that* is what the story was going to be about, I had requested to read the ARC. Had I know, I wouldn’t have. Interesting characters, not a plot I have time for. Definitely check trigger/content warnings before starting this book.

The Lying Game, is a twist and cinematic thriller full of suspense.

What appealed to you the most in this story?

I absolutely loved all the crazy twists in this story! Seriously, this story was like one of those train wrecks that you couldn’t walk away from…like those times while watching a movie and you cover your eyes but then peek through your hands, because you just have to see what kind of crazy is about to happen next.

What are the characters like?

Oh heavens! I couldn’t relate to them at all, but I just had to know what would happen with each of them. I don’t want to give any tidbits away, so I’ll just say that they may be unlikeable but you can’t help but cheer for them.

How was the pace?

This story had a slow burn build, but it was designed that way to help develop the mystery.

Do you recommend this book?

If you are looking for an edgy thriller that is quite uncomfortably realistic, then grab this book because it is full of lies, revenge, deceit, secrets, and drama galore!

Thank you Park Row for this gifted ebook in exchange for my honest review.

The Lying Club is a up and coming bestselling thriller written by Annie Ward. When a body gets taken out of the school one morning, three women are linked through a deep web of lies.
Great read, lots of chapter development and twists and turns to keep anyone hooked. Recommended for any fans of the genre.

* I received an advanced reader’s copy of this book from Harlequin and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review

Three women, two of them mothers, find themselves embroiled but unsavory actions at a fancy boarding school.

The haves in this story would be Asha and Brooke. The have-nots would include Natalie, the school secretary. Before I continue, please disregard the title. The women were never in concert with one another and there was no such club.

What we have in this book are parents who want their children to succeed no matter the cost. Asha is worried that her husband Phil is cheating, and is also shocked to discover that she is pregnant. Brooke is gorgeous and glamorous and is also a serial cheater. Then there is Natalie, who works at the school where Asha and Brooke's daughters attend, and she is more than hooked on pills.

The book starts off with at least one dead body. So the mystery is not whether or not someone would be killed, but who the body was, how and why the individual was killed, and whether or not the killer would be identified.

The story shifts from past to present with warp neck speed as everything begins to come together, with the school's coach and trainer Nick right in the thick of things.

This book was incredibly compelling from start to finish. In fact, you have to read to the very end to see how much deception and lies is the underbelly of this book and how so many lives have been affected.

Many thanks to Park Row and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

I love all things education and schools so when I read the synopsis I knew I was going to request this one. I was not disappointed! The setting of The Lying Club is a prestigious private school full of privileged, spoiled kids and their parents. This story is told in three different POVS: Natalie, Asha, and Brooke..
Asha is a realtor and mom of two, including Mia who plays soccer; married to Phil, who she thinks is cheating.
Brooke is Sloane's mom who also plays soccer, divorced and is a serial cheater.
And Nick, the charming, handsome, dynamic soccer coach is at the center of it all. The book opens with Natalie groggily waking up in her car in the school parking lot and trying to remember her actions leading up to this.
Secrets, lies, gaslighting, manipulation, and entitlement make up the majority of this thriller.
Honestly, not a lot happens until around the 70% mark, and nearly all of the characters are unlikeable, I still thought the story was compelling. It was interesting seeing how everything tied together. Although, I think a few pages could be trimmed to even out the pacing. The mystery of the book was building so slowly but I enjoyed to read the characters’ dilemmas, their cat fights, misdemeanors, revenge plans, hypocrisies. So I didn’t care to reach to the end of it faster.

It was absolutely entertaining, smart, unique, fun read! Highly recommended for book clubs!
I’m looking forward to read more works of the author! This was great!

I think the description of this book is off. I can see where the author was going for BLL but missed the mark.

80% of the book was pretty interesting, but the last 20, where the detectives were involved, has me struggling to finish. The writing was very basic, and not at all realistic as the police case unfolded.

Also, there are two instances of “could care less” in this book. How does someone miss editing that not once, but twice?

I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

✨ Review ✨ The Lying Club by Annie Ward
This book starts with a murder mystery and then jumps back six months to follow three women all associated with an elite private school in the Colorado mountains -- Natalie, an office assistant, and two soccer moms - Brooke, a glamorous serial cheater, and Asha, a rich pregnant real estate agent. The story weaves between these women's lives and the soccer team at the school, at which Mia and Sloane (Brooke and Asha's daughters) are the star players as the story unravels around the characters' jealousy and aspirations.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Thriller / Mystery
Location: Colorado mountains
Pub Date: Out now!

This was a full thriller/mystery that kept me engaged through a long car trip. I don't know that the story was truly revolutionary or shocking in that thriller way, but it was still a fun read with some surprises. I liked the story telling and the mixing of past interjected with excerpts of the police investigation. The story also made me miss the Rockies!

Read this if you like:
⭕️ Dramas / Mysteries surrounding high school sports
⭕️ Dual timeline thrillers

Thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing, Park Row and #netgalley for a copy of this book!

Falcon Crest is a private school that caters to wealthy families and Natalie works in the school’s office. The students are privileged and the mothers are forever hovering over them, determined to get everything they want. As events unfold, their lives are entwined in ways they would have never imagined, resulting in lies, revenge, and murder.

The Lying Club is a story of the haves and the have-nots. The moms, Asha and Brooke, are dealing with family upheavals and personal demons, while Natalie simply longs to be part of that elite group. Meanwhile, they are all bound together by Nicholas, the handsome and somewhat mysterious assistant athletic director.

This Lying Club has an interesting premise although it is becoming an increasingly popular subject. The characters are well-defined and they and the setting are easy to imagine. However, I discovered that I didn’t care for any of the women or their children and that made it difficult to fully appreciate the story. in more than one instance, the cluelessness of the characters was fairly unbelievable and more than a bit irritating. For these reasons, I can only give The Lying Club 3 stars. I wish I had enjoyed it more. Nevertheless, Annie Ward is a talented and imaginative author and I would like to read more of her books.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book for review.

This description sold me immediately! A domestic suspense and a school setting? This was definitely right up my alley and I found it to be a fun and entertaining whodunit!

While a bit of a slow burn, this addictive read was bursting with jealousy, lies, secrets, scandals and murder! Add in some unlikeable bougie characters and I’m hooked.

I’d love to see this juicy revenge plot adapted into a TV show and I’ll anxiously be awaiting to see what Ward does next!

I’m a sucker for thrillers that take place in elite private schools. It’s always a great setting for wealthy parents, entitled students, jealousy and drama. I love it!

There are a few twists throughout the book that make it hard to figure out what is going on and you’re constantly wondering if people are who they really say they are.

Generally, I quite enjoyed this one. I didn’t love it however so I think I would give it 3.5 stars in my rating scale. At times it felt that it had dragged on a little bit or some of the scenes felt a little choppy with the characters and unnecessary details. I think if you’re looking for a quick thriller read, this one could be an option!

Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing and Park Row for an electronic copy of this one in exchange for an honest review! This one was published March 22!

I have anxiously been awaiting another book from @anniewardauthor for years. I absolutely loved Beautiful Bad, so I was beyond excited when I saw this book set to release this year. I was also floored that Annie was kind enough to send me a copy when I let her know how excited I was for her new book!

Of course I dropped everything for it! If you like books like Big Little Lies you will absolutely love this one! I highly recommend this one and also The Beautiful Bad!

I hope she writes another one ASAP!

The way this book sounded I was thinking it might be along the lines of housewives type of drama but it ended up being far more than that. It does have a slow beginning and takes a while for the story to truly unfold, but that isn't to say it is a hard read at all, just a slower pace. It's the kind of book where you don't really like anyone, but you're still trying to figure out who might be good or bad and when everything truly came together it suddenly really picked up. If you're looking for a book that is full of tons of twists and turns, this is definitely a thriller that would fit the bill.

The Lying Club by Annie Ward, shares a thrilling story featuring about rich and entitled teenagers; and their mothers who will do anything in their power to ensure their child's success.  This cleverly written tale will slowly draw the reader in and keep them hooked until the end.

The Lying Club delivered a scintillating and twisted tale of murder, secrets, manipulation, gaslighting and revenge. The story began with the discovery of two bodies in the school gymnasium. However, the story gave no clue as to the victims’ identities until about the last twenty-five percent of the story. Natalie, the office assistant for the elite school, was fingered as the suspect for one of the victims. She was believed to be the last one to see this person alive. But did she do it, or was she just in the wrong place at the time? She certainly had motive and opportunity. But so did many other people in this twisted tale.

The Lying Club provided details of the events prior to and after the tragedy. Majority of the characters had issues and frankly not very likeable. All, except for Natalie, had a sense of entitlement because of their status in life. Natalie, on the other hand, obsesses about being a part of this crowd which led to her doing questionable things. As the story dug into her past, my connection with her grew.

Now, with all honesty, I did not sympathize with the person the authorities suspected Natalie of killing. The person in question displayed a narcissistic personality. The story kept me on the edge of my seat as the events in the past connected with the present. As the story moved between the before and after events, the suspense grew. This made putting the book down a difficult task.

Fans of psychological thrillers would get a thrill out of The Lying Club with its well-crafted plot, twists, suspense and dramatic turn of events.

Rich, private school kids and their parents. It’s like this book was made for me. I was very much looking forward to reading The Lying Club by Annie Ward. It sounded like mystery and intrigue and scandal. Just what I like.

The story follows a few different families in an affluent neighborhood where no one’s perfect life is as good as it seems. I quite enjoyed that we got to see perspectives from both the teenagers and the parents and the struggles between the two. It was interesting to see how the things they were hiding from each other affected the story and led it along. Ward did a good job feeding one storyline into another to show how they connected as the story pieced together.

There was one thing about this book that bothered me. Some of the behaviors seemed a little bit over the top and more inappropriate than most individuals would deem normal. At times it was so over the top it didn’t feel very realistic, which made it harder for me to enjoy.

With that said, the flow of the story was good and one story fed into the other as the story built and I enjoyed how I knew what the story would do because of the initial reveal at the beginning of the book. Knowing the outcome, but not how it got there kept me flipping pages. I’m curious to see what comes next from Annie Ward and even though I had issues with The Lying Club, I definitely intend to check out more from her.

A masterful escape into the lives of students, teachers, coaches and parents on a wealthy Colorado suburb. Students get caught up in setting. Parents get caught up in cheating. The storyline is fast paced and highly entertaining.