Review

Julie Clark is an automatic To Be Read author for me after reading The Last Flight and The Lies I Tell.

In this story, Clark crafts a thrilling story featuring con artist Meg Williams who is now pretending to be a real estate agent, and Kat Roberts, the journalist trying to expose her.

The plot in this book is filled with action from the first chapter when Kat realizes that Meg is back in town. Kat has underlying reasons to want to bring Meg down and expose her web of lies. Ten years ago, Meg did something that not only ruined Kat's rising career as a promising journalist but also marked her personal life forever. Since then, Kat has kept tabs on Meg waiting for the moment she would be back in town. Now that the time has come, Kat has come up with a plan to get close to Meg to make her pay for that event that ruined her life. Kat develops a relationship with Meg by pretending to be on the lookout for a new house, and when Meg offers her a job as an assistant, she realizes she can dig deeper into Meg's life. But Kat doesn't count on Meg's exceptional abilities as a con artist, and as she delves into Meg's life, she starts questioning everything she thought she knew.

Julie Clark is a master in crafting engrossing thrillers with strong and confident female characters, and this story was everything I was expecting and more. This book is a roller coaster of emotions, and I'd say that the characters are the main reason for it. Both Meg and Kat are assertive characters with a purpose, and while they are very different people, they both display similar qualities. They both are on a mission to uncover the truth and expose people, and they both are willing to do whatever it takes to achieve their goals. Meg and Kat are multidimensional characters who portray good and bad personality traits. They are both likable and relatable, and while their personalities and professions are opposite from each other, they also share similar values and points of view. I was truly in awe of how well developed both characters were, and I was rooting for both of them as they deal with their own circumstances. The secondary characters provide the perfect opportunity for interactions with Meg and Kat that help to develop their characters and move the plot along. I liked how Kat interacted with her fiance while coming to terms with the reality of their life together. I also enjoyed Meg's wit and great personality when she interacted with her clients and other secondary characters.

The plot and the pace of the story flowed together beautifully. This was an action pack thriller filled with intriguing storylines, and the many twists along the main plot keep it engaging from the first chapter. The book was easy to read while staying compelling, which I find is not easy to do with thrillers. There is not one chapter I didn't enjoy, and I found myself fully engaged in Kat and Meg's life stories. I couldn't put the book down because every time I finished a chapter something else was revealed.

Once again, I will say that Julie Clark has proven to be a master of thrilling stories. Can't wait for her next work!

The Lies I Tell by Julie Clark follows the story of Meg Williams, who has gone by many names and identities,and Kat Roberts, a journalist investigating her. This suspenseful book is full of twists and turns and takes place over multiple years. It is fast paced and kept me turning the page. This is my first Julie Clark book and I can’t wait to read more from her. Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is one of the best books you'll read this year. Unputdownable! Smart, savvy and so duplicitous with a propulsive storyline and two of the most beguiling female characters I've ever met. i loved this book and will be looking for more books by this author. I loved the female characters it truly made it more interesting story line.

A story of a con artist who assumes the identity for whomever she wishes to scam. She finally meets someone who investigates who she really is.

This was a complex and detailed story. How long would you wait to make someone pay for taking advantage of you? How far would you go? Is that person you blame the true villain?
Meg is driven, patient and methodical. Every man has a weakness and she takes advantage to right his wrongs and sometimes for her gain,
Kat is a writer. Once driven she is now withdrawn, fearful and anxious. Always on the lookout for any sign of the person she blames for her past.
When Meg and Kat finally meet they are more alike than different and each gains a new understanding of the other.

This was a really fun read! After con artist Meg Williams places Kat, a reporter, in a dangerous situation, Kat vows to get revenge by revealing Meg’s true character. However, as Kat gets closer to the truth, she starts to understand Meg’s motives and realizes they aren’t so evil after all. I appreciated the depth and dimension of Meg’s character and I enjoyed discovering her end game. I connected less with Kat because her character didn’t feel as dynamic as Meg’s. I also questioned some of her choices. Regardless, this was a great book with a unique plot that kept me coming back for more. The ending was also very satisfying, which is always important to me. Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for providing me with an e-galley!!

“The Lies I Tell” expertly subverts your expectations. It allows Kat to make the reader believe Meg is nothing more than a money-stealing con artist, but as the story unfolds you find yourself rooting for Meg. The people she targets are well deserving of what she leaves them with. Kat having this realization is what makes the story exceptionally better than if she had just been against Meg without any give. When Meg hands Kat the reigns to take her own vengeance you feel powerful and just and completely in the two women’s corners. This story screams “girl power” in a way I’ve never seen other books accomplish. The intricacies of how to con someone and how to be different people are so in depth and fool-proof that even the reader begins to believe they could do it.

I read Julie Clark's The Last Flight a few years ago and absolutely loved it! When I saw she had a new book out, and had hear lots of hype, I couldn't wait to read it. I loved it! I could not put this down and read it in one day. So many twists and turns and kept me entertained. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy. I look forward to recommending this next month.

THE LIES I TELL is a fast read. Con-artist and revenge stories are a newer sub-genre of crime fiction for me but I will definitely be reading more. Meg and and Kat’s determination to finish what they started make for a fun and thrilling read. I love reading from both points of view throughout.

Oh no, she didn’t! What a novel! This is a story of deception and lies, but the reasoning behind the lies will leave you with your mouth wide open! I thoroughly enjoyed this, and had a hard time putting the book down! Along the way, I found myself cheering for both Kat and Meg, which really makes no sense. Do yourself a favor, and definitely read this one!

What a roller coaster of a thriller. A psychological mind game between two incredible women. Once you start reading you won’t stop until you reach the end!

I loved this book! Such a compelling, satisfying and juicy story about women taking back their power that I found impossible to turn away from. Even though some suspension of disbelief is needed, I enjoyed and lapped up every moment.

The story is told in dual perspectives and while both women shine, Meg is the ultimate show-stealer. Was she meant to be a morally grey character? Because I had no problems rooting for her right from the start while Kat needed some time for me to warm up to.

This was a solid 4⭐ for me all the way until the last few chapters, which were just soooo irresistibly good! Once again, Julie Clark sure knows how to end a story! That Easter egg / little nod to The Last Flight had me so excited and happy. Omg!!! Love love love.

Overall, this book has everything I love in a thriller. Strong and well-developed characters, an addictive and bingeworthy plot, feminist themes handled well, and an ending that packs a punch.

I still prefer The Last Flight - aka one of my all-time favourite thrillers - a bit more. Nevertheless, The Lies I Tell lives up to the very high bar that its predecessor has set. Yet another brilliant book from Julie Clark and I can't wait for her next one!

A deliciously tangled web I couldn’t put down. I read this in one sitting because I just HAD to know what came next. The Lies I Tell features strong female leads leading semi-relatable lives weaving a web of lies with a side of vigilante justice. This is the first book in months that made me forget I had basic needs like eating and hydrating! My hips ache, but I’d read it in one sitting again in a heartbeat!

It's been awhile since I read this novel but I remember I enjoyed this novel. There weren't many unexpected twists and turns but I enjoyed the read and both female leads.

I received an e-ARC through NetGalley.

I rooted for both Meg and Kat throughout the story. I enjoy the author’s writing style, and look forward to what she writes next.

Oh this is good! If the rumors are true and this is an option for June's BOTM, you need to pick it! And if it isn't just go ahead and pre-order!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It's quick and bingeworthy. With the popularity of scams and conartists lately like Inventing Anna and Cover Story, I was worried that this would just be a repeat of the same plot, but it was not! This book and this story is by far the best one that I have experienced!

The unique take with alternating POVs between Meg, the conartist, and Kat, the investigative journalist, who is trying to expose her was *chef's kiss* perfection! I loved how you really root for Meg and how she's a conartist with a conscience. You see why she does all of her conning and I was so torn on who I wanted to win in this situation, Meg or Kat. I was rooting for them both, but you know they both can't win or maybe they can!

The author did a great job keeping Meg sympathetic with the reader! I love being in the minds of the person and knowing what makes them tick and why they do what they do and you get that with this book! The depths of both characters and the storyline she has for both as separate people and weaved together, was perfect. I love how this book spanned a time period of ten years so you get the depth and the growth but this book never felt drawn out or too long. It was the perfect amount. Highly recommend. This will be a hit and perfect book for this summer!

**Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me an advanced copy of this book and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion. I am posting this review to my Goodreads account immediately and will post it to my Amazon & Instagram accounts upon publication.

In this tale of two women, Meg and Kat, one is a con artist and the other a reporter seeking revenge. Their stories are woven together in the past and present in a web of lies. Meg’s hard life has led her to be a clever con artist, swindling corrupt men out of their fortunes. But it’s her motivation and what she does with the money that make things interesting.

Meg Williams has a few aliases because of the nature of her “work.” She is a very successful con woman. Her exploits have taken her across the country but now she has finally come back to California for what may be her final ‘job.” Kat Roberts believes she was brutally victimized by one of Meg’s cons, that goes back a decade. That act destroyed Kat, uprooting her identity and dreams. So now Kat wants revenge.

Since Kat is an aspiring journalist, she wants to expose Meg for all her cons. Kat wants to write a true crime piece that garners fame and fortune for herself. To achieve that goal Kat must get close to Meg, but not let her know what she intends. Therein lies the danger: what will Meg do if she realizes Kat wants to take her down. On the other hand, a successful con has skills not only to get the money, but to push people to do what she wants. Can Meg be charming and potentially lethal? Kat wrestles with her own demons as she begins to fall under Meg’s spell of friendship. Kat cannot figure out the endgame, and she can’t quit the investigation. Truth seems fluid and obstacles accumulate in Kat’s quest.

As chapters alter the narration in time and between characters (Kat or Meg), Clark engulfs the reader in a cat and mouse game of who will succeed. The focus is also on journalism (Kat) and real estate (Meg) as the chosen area for each character to use. Back stories of both women explore motivation. As the web closes in, the reader is not sure who will have the upper hand. In spite of all this intrigue, the characters seemed somewhat flat for me. At times I was unsure whose voice was whose – but that may have been the whole point. Saw the end coming, but kept reading to verify. Not in the majority here as far as book reviews go, but sure others will be satisfied. Appreciate the author for taking a chance on an interesting premise. So 3.5 stars but rounding up to 4. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this title.

If you are looking for an edge of your seat page turner, look no further because this is the book for you. I was hooked from the first few pages and my interest never wavered clear to the end. The story is told from two points of view. Kat is a journalist hoping for a big break at the newspaper where she works and Meg works at the Y signing in people and living in her vehicle. When their paths cross, all sorts of things happen! That's all I want to tell you because I do not want to give any spoilers in this fast-paced riveting book.

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC of this spell-binding book that kept me up way past my bedtime.

I've seen so many great reviews for this but man...I was kind of disappointed. I loved The Last Flight, and couldn't wait to read Julie Clark's newest! But I had a hard time getting into the story or connecting to the characters. They all felt flat and un-relatable to me, and the book seemed to drag on a bit. I considered DNF-ing towards the end, but powered through. I think I went in expecting more of a thriller feel. It's more of a slow-burn drama. Not quite for me, but I know many loved this!!