Cover Image: Just Another Liar

Just Another Liar

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

The book follows the lives of three women, who we come to know as Denise, Petra and Anna,. All three have turned to online dating to battle their loneliness and all three fall in love with a man called Dr David Kingfisher, however they never actually meet him.

Quite unusually, the three women meet to share their stories, all the while Dr David is tracking them - of the three women, one end up dead. How, why and who… that I won’t spoil!

Was this review helpful?

This was an ok read for me. It just didnt have that thriller aspect for me, so it was a bit flat. I also struggled to connect with the characters.

Was this review helpful?

Another one that's a 3.5 stars for me, that I can't round up. Some day Goodreads will allow half stars, or a larger scale (maybe 1-10), which would allow a more accurate rating, but I digress! This was a great premise and a reflection of new norms in our culture with online dating and the inherent dangers. I definitely did not see the twist but, I can say that every single character was suspect at one point or another, and none of them were particularly likeable. It felt a bit chaotic with the authors attempt to cast doubt on everyone's story and make you believe they all had a reason to be the who in whodunnit, and a few things were a bit laughable/implausible/bit too convenient. All in all, it kept me turning pages!!

Was this review helpful?

⭐⭐⭐.5

Honestly, this one started off a little iffy for me. The first 30%(ish) was kind of slow and I wasn't sure I was going to keep going with it. However, since my previous two reads weren't great, I decided to give this one a few more chapters and I am glad that I did. The pace picked up, and I found myself thoroughly invested in this story! Bonus points to the author for the plot twist I did not see coming, and I am usually aces at Sherlocking these things out! Sp yeah, a solid thumbs up for this one from yours truly. 👍🏻

**ARC Via NetGalley**

Was this review helpful?

An ok book
It can be a bit confusing
But once I got my head round it I finished the book
Thanks NetGalley

Was this review helpful?

I did not enjoy this read. Possibly it is a story for another reader. Would suggest to someone else, as maybe they would like it.

Was this review helpful?

If it’s a book of suspense and unpredictability you want then this book is for you! With each page I read I still couldn’t guess what was going to happen, which kept me turning the pages! I was gutted when I had finished the book even though the story had come together as I was enjoying it so much!

Was this review helpful?

Ok so this is a twisty thriller that follows 3 different women and we see how their worlds collide through an online relationship they've started. This was a very twisty story with a lot of twists in the plot that I didn't see coming so it does keep you on your toes. And I definitely didn't see the ending coming!

One of my main issues was to begin with, I was confused when the POV swapped over. I went into this blind and hadn't read the blurb in a while so it confused when it seemed to all of a sudden shift POV at the beginning between the 3 women, it did feel slightly confusing as the chapters weren't labelled. Once the story got going it was easy to distinguish between the three women as they were all very different and lived very different lives.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for providing me with a pre-release copy. All views are my own.

Was this review helpful?

Meet Denise, Petra and Anna, three very different women with one thing in common - they are all dating the same man, David. David is perfect, everything each of them needs but none know of the others and none of them have met David. One of them will die but who and why?

There are a fair few unsavoury characters in this book so you can't help but turn page after page for more revelations. We hear from each of the women and short snippets from David. Whilst this is a fiction book the online dodgy dating many could ring off stories very similar. David offers them an escape or comfort, understanding, a distraction, romance, love, a relationship, something different to each of them.

It offers a perspective of online dating as the three women experience it, to look at the type of people they are and the old no-one is quite what they seem, especially online. Character flaws, very shady behaviour and questionable morals. This is one of those books you could quite happy sit with a bucket of popcorn as you go page to page with a oh no, cringe, ahhhhh. Lots of drama - a bit like sinking into a fab epiosde of one of your fave soaps! 4/5 for me, this is her debut novel I cannot wait to read more from Byatt!

Was this review helpful?

This was an exciting read that kept me wanting to turn the page. Three women, all with their own issues, have been drawn to a man online, and when he begins to let them down, they realise they have been duped and want to find him. Urgently. The women are seeking happiness, and have some serious issues to overcome, so they feel an online date would suit them best. However, the date is not at all as he appeared online, and when they realise he is fooling them, they have urgent reasons to want to confront him.

We don't discover who the man is until almost the end, and it was an exciting chase with red herrings strewn along the way. The characters aren't terribly deep, but the novel is a fast-paced read that keeps the reader guessing. Great fun.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

Three women have met the same person on dating apps, a man named David Kingfisher. These three women seem to have nothing in common except him. Anna is a gorgeous woman, a thin and tanned school teacher who men can’t resist. Denise is more dowdy, an overweight bookkeeper who takes care of her ailing mother. Petra is an emaciated alcoholic, an anxious wreck trying desperately to save her marriage. All three of them are totally taken by this handsome surgeon giving them online attention.

After they are all stood up and ghosted multiple times by Dave, they find out about each other, and get together to get even. This man lied to them, took money from them, embarrassed them all … they have to find out who he is. All three women have different motives for finding David, but they will find him, one way or another.

Was this review helpful?

This book started off strong and ended strong but kind of dragged in the middle. The twist was very surprising. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free copy in exchange for review.

Was this review helpful?

Three women. Denise, Petra and Anna are alone and looking for someone to spend time with. They sign up to a dating site and find David, a surgeon, dedicated to operating on children at a hospital locally they presume.

The trouble was after three months or so they were still chatting on the phone after many cancelled dates, presumably because he was busy. With Denise and Petra, he had gone silent but Anna had spent money on dresses that she hadn’t yet worn. The attraction was still there plus they were still in touch.

It then got to the point where Denise needed the money back so she put an advert on the local forum asking if anyone knew him? A friend of Anna’s showed it to her asking if it was her David. She couldn’t believe it. Was it him? When she met up with Denise, there was another woman, Petra, there too. It turned out Petra and Denise had both lent him some money. To Anna, it didn’t make sense. He had never asked her for money.

Then David’s name and picture appeared in the local newspaper so Denise wanted to confront him. Anna agreed to go along to the hospital. It wasn’t their David, although it was his name.

Just what was going on? Why were only two of the women being asked for money? If his name was a fake, who was he? What were his intentions?

Wow, this was such a good read and I just couldn’t believe the ending, it was so good! The author had certainly done her research. A cleverly written and well plotted story line with writing that was very descriptive which drew you in from the start. I really enjoyed it.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon Books UK for the arc of Just Another Liar by Mandy Byatt.

4 star read- this follows three women Denise, Petra and Anna whom love him but he is lying to them all... they all met him online.. they three women have their reasons for being alone but there not ready and comfortable to share yet.. so they all met David online.. it conspires from here..

gripping, suspensful

Was this review helpful?

Good premise for what should have been a rollercoaster thriller. Sadly extremely unlikeable characters that I didn't care about and very slow going made progress painful. Sorry, but if you put animal abuse in a book it will always drop at least one star. Could have been so much better. I think the author got confused too

Was this review helpful?

I ended up DNF this book at around 20%. I did not enjoy it. The synopsis initially intrigued me but honestly, I was just very bored. I couldn't get the characters straight and the plot dragged on majorly. I was honestly confused about the good part of the book that I read. The characters are very unlikeable almost to the point of it being sickening.. Plus, throw in animal abuse no thank you. I cannot read this! Denise even ends up sleeping with her mom's boyfriend... ultimate gross. Big pass from me.

Was this review helpful?

David Kingfisher seems too good to be true, and when Petra, Denise and Anna all come across him on a dating website, they all begin an online relationship with him, only to find out that he /is/ too good to be true and is just another liar. In trying to hunt him down, the three women find each other instead and set out to uncover the mystery of who he is.

This was a well plotted story with a great "Aha!" conclusion that I hadn't seen coming despite all the clues along the way (possibly because there were so many red herrings scattered throughout.) I have to say though that this must win the award for being the book with the most awful cast of supporting characters that I have ever read - not that they are portrayed badly, just that they are all really despicable and grotesque people! I found the story gripping and involving right to the very end.

With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book in return for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

A psychological thriller about the perils of internet dating. I disliked the characters, there was too much emphasis on appearance rather than personality and I got bored toward the end.

Was this review helpful?

I really enjoyed this book. It was exactly the kind of story I was expecting, but yet it was stoll thrilling. Would recommend.

Was this review helpful?

Absolutely brilliant and unputdownable book.

I read a lot of thrillers and I was pleasantly surprised by how unique and original this book is; I recommend highly!

Thank you to the publisher for gifting me a copy. It was my pleasure to write an honest review!

Was this review helpful?