Reminded me of a recent book or movie, the theme felt too repetitive . I thought I knew who did it and how it would end, and then I changed my mind. Then I went back to my original guess, and then I changed my mind again. Unfortunately, by the time I got to the end it was no longer exciting or a surprise. I wanted to like the book but, it was too anticlimactic.

Alternating POVs done right! This book also has a delicious twist. Kathryn Croft did it again, 10 out of 10 would recommend.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for providing an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I'm in the minority of people who didn't like this book, as I can only see glowing reviews of this one on Netgalley and Goodreads.

What didn't work for me:
*Some plotholes and inconsistent timelines.
*Adult characters acting like kids.
*I guessed the biggest (and only) twist in the first Rose chapter itself, which made the final reveal feel lackluster.

The book is short and easy to read, so I'd say give it a go if you're new to mystery and thrillers.

This book is another interesting read by this author. The only downside is that the ending is quite predictable early on in the book. Regardless of this, would still recommend.

Lucy and Tom decide to move from London to Surrey for a fresh start after their daughter Ava was having problems being bullied at school. So, they wanted to get a way from all that. They also have a son called Jacob.
They decided to hold a BBQ for their friends and neighbours. Jacob has also invited his girlfriend too. Everyone seems to be getting on fine. Jacob decides to walk his girlfriend home. Something that should only take up 30 minutes. But Jacob comes home around 1am. His mum Lucy queries where he has been. But Jacob says he is tired and goes to bed.
The next morning, Rose’s mother Carrie finds that her daughter is missing. At first, she is not concerned. But when her keys are found in the bush she calls the Police. Three days later her body is found, and her boyfriend seems to be prime suspect. But when Lucy tries to talk to her son to find out what happened with Rose, he said he walked her home to her door. But Lucy can see her son is not telling the hold truth. What is he hiding and where was he for them couple of hours when he left her?
Thank you, Bookoutre for a copy of the Lie by Kathryn Croft. This is another intriguing read from the author that I really enjoyed. I liked how each chapter told the story in several point of views, so you can get the full picture and kept me riveted right up to the end. I know as I have not been one myself but, that a mother do anything to protect her children. But I thought Lucy was quite naive to what her son Jacob got up too. But the twist at the end made up for it. 4 stars from me.

Although well written with rounded characters and a good enough plot this book needed more twists and turns as the outcome was very predictable and easily guessed.
That said I would definitely read more from this author

Here is my review, maybe there are some grammatical errors because English is not my native language, but I will try to express as best as possible how much I liked this book.

It's no secret to anyone that I love thrillers and suspense and if there is something I hate the most are predictable books, well let me tell you that this reading managed to surprise me, plus I devoured it in a couple of days since the structure in short chapters made it a quick and agile reading and I could not put it down because it caught me from the beginning.

Tom and lucy are a married couple with two teenage children who have moved to Surrey to escape some troubling events concerning Ava the youngest daughter, this move would mean a new beginning for everyone, what they never imagined is that the disappearance of Rose, the girlfriend of Jacob the eldest son was going to trigger a whirlwind of events that could end the apparent calm and happiness they had managed to establish until that moment.

I always say that the character that seems like the obvious culprit is not, so I try to put the pieces together and formulate my theory, which I did, but the author got me out of my mistake by creating a twist that I didn't see coming, I finished the second part thinking wtf, how come I was so blind and this is as far as I can tell you without spoilers, well I hope you enjoy the read as much as I did.

This book needs to be made into a BBC crime drama and Sarah Lancashire needs to play Lisa.

I couldn't put it down! The twists and turns during the book were incredible and I never knew what or who to believe

The story follows missing girl, Rose, her mother Carrie and Lisa, Rose's boyfriends mum as the truth about Rose's disappearance is discovered.

I read this book, reading Rose's chapters and picturing Jacob but when I got to the final twist I had to go back and reread Rose's chapters again! Absolutely incredible writing!

Thank you #Netgalley for the advanced copy. I thought I had this one figured out pretty early in, however it really turned me upside down in the last few sections. At times I was frustrated with how Lucy was handling her family situation and felt bad for their daughter Ava who clearly needs support. The family dynamics quickly present themselves as the story moves on, from parents, Lucy and Tom, to the children Jacob and Ava. Then mix in another neighborhood family, Carrie and Rose. Some many twists and turns and gaps into what happened after everyone left Lucy and Tom's barbeque.

The synopsis of The Lie spoke to me on a profound level. Being a mother myself I was very intrigued with how far I would go to protect my son. But the book delivered even more then what I was anticipating!

Lucy and Tom, a happy married couple have moved to a new home in Surrey with their children, Jacob and Ava. To welcome themselves to the new neighborhood they organize a BBQ as some kind of welcome party. However the next day Lucy receives a call from Jacob's girlfriend's mother, Carrie. She says Rose never got home and asks if she is at their house. Rose is not there, but Jacob was the last one to see her and walked her home the night before she went missing. So where is Rose and what is Jacob hiding?
What I absolutely loved was that the story was told from 3 different points of views. We follow Lucy and Carrie, two mothers who are trying to protect their child or uncover the truth about what happened to their child. I absolutely loved their different chapters, because I am a mom as well and could understand both ladies points of views. Protecting your child that is under suspicion and fighting to get justice for your child that has been murdered.
In the third perspective we follow Rose herself, who unravels very slowly what has happened to her.
I really enjoyed this book and I loved the twist at the end. It made me want to reread all of Roses chapters, because I clearly misunderstood them.

One little point of critique is however the timeline. Especially in the beginning. A housewarming for a family that has lived there for many months felt a little bit of.  Small thing, but it kept bugging me.

What a tangled web of lies Kathryn Croft weaves in her latest psychological thriller The Lie! This is a gripping and thought provoking read that kept me guessing long into the night as I just couldn’t put it down! As a parent I loved the contrast between both mothers POV-one trying to protect her son and the other determined to make someone pay for the death of her child. It was a plot device that worked really well especially when combined with a flackback from the victim herself.
I raced through this one-it’s a gripping tale that grabbed me immediately and didn’t let go. Probably my favourite book by this author!

i love when psychological thrillers can pull me right in right from the beginning and have so many twists and turns that im like wtf and this book did all that. such a great book and great author.

thank you netgalley and bookouture

all thoughts and opinions are my own and arent influenced by anyone else

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

Rose leaves a party at her boyfriend Jacob's house and is never seen again. Jacob and his family are relatively new to the area. Jacob says he walked Rose home but he is under suspicion because he was the last to see her.

This was a pretty good quick read. It is told from various perspectives, including Rose's as she recounts her relationship. You wonder what really happened as Jacob declares his innocence but Rose's mom Carrie refuses to believe he isn't guilt. I like this author and look forward to her next novel.

Really good psychological thriller involving two couples and their children.
Lucy and Tom have moved to a new home in Surrey with their children, Jacob and Ava. They left London behind hoping for a new start... Totally believable and relatable...
They have a BBQ and invite their son's girlfriend Rose who after being taken home by Jacob disappears...
How good of the plot and unfortunately realist is that?
The book is told in multiple POV: Carrie (Rose's mum) , Lucy and Rose.
As the tittle indicates, this books unfolds lies hidden within both families and a wicked twist happens near the end...
Really good plot and would recommend to anyone who likes this genre.

I finished this book last week but the plot has stuck with me. I really enjoyed it and found that I was quickly enthralled in the story. I guessed the ending but that certainly didn’t take away from how much I liked it.
This is a great domestic thriller and one that I’d definitely recommend.

Thank you to NetGally and Bookouture for an ARC in exchange for my review.

What did I just read? I liked the premise of The Lie but overall found the actual execution of the plot sloppy and the dialogue was often forced and unnatural.

My biggest issues with the book were:
- Timelines that didn't add up - half-siblings Jacob and Ava are 16 and 13 respectively and yet their mother didn't meet Ava's father until Jacob was 4?
- Adults who act like children - I'm sorry but if my daughter was found murdered and I became aware of evidence, I would go to the police. I would not try to convince literal teenagers to craft stories on how they found said evidence and then be OK when they got too scared to go to the police. What?
- The description doesn't actually match the plot - what is the family secret no one can find out about?

This book had potential. I love the concept of a mother grappling with protecting her son vs. getting to the truth when his girlfriend goes missing. There is a great story there, but this just isn't it.

Our new home was meant to be a chance for us to start again, to make new friends and forget the past. And as I look around the barbeque we’ve thrown for our neighbours, I dare to dream that things will be all right. I watch my husband joking as he flips burgers and my daughter turning cartwheels on our sun-bleached lawn. And then my gaze falls on my son Jacob, and his new girlfriend Rose, in her light blue jeans and her green crop top. There is a worried expression clouding her beautiful eyes.

Kathryn Croft is on my favourite author list and again she did not disappoint. Told from different POV's this book was thoroughly enjoyable. Each of the women have secrets, secrets they wish to remain, just that, secrets. But what do we really know of Jacob, is there more to him than what we are presented with, there are many questions here which do lead to an engrossing read. Not all of these characters are the kind of people that we would become great friends with, but the author has done an excellent job of portraying them which greatly enhances the development of the story. Highly recommended.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of the book, my review is honest and unbiased.

I had never read a book by Kathryn Croft. I really enjoyed this one and will look into her books in the future. The book follows the disappearance of Rose. Rose mysteriously goes missing following a barbeque at her boyfriend Jacob's house and then is never seen again. The suspicion immediately falls on Jacob who was the last to see her when he walked her home. When the police get involved it seems that nearly everyone has something to hide and ends up lying to them. The muddies the case. Who is responsible for Rose's disappearance. This book was amazing.

What a brilliant book this is, I think this has to be one of the best from this author, certainly in my top ten reads for 2023.

I just couldn't stop reading this I have nothing negative to say about this book, an excellent page turner which kept me on the edge of my seat, brilliant characters all with their own story to tell and described so well, it was certainly a fast paced thriller of a read.

Mustn't forget the ending, fantastic everything was brought to a satisfactory conclusion.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for this great ARC which I have no hesitation in recommending.

This was domestic suspense done right! I was engrossed in this story almost instantly, and as the story became more layered and complicated, I couldn't swipe the pages fast enough!

Lucy and Tom have moved to a new home in Surrey with their children, Jacob and Ava. There were mentions of issues with the children; Ava was being bullied, but Jacob's issues weren't clear. Jacob is dating a young woman named Rose, and she's a guest at the barbeque the family hosted. Shockingly, Rose's mother Carrie calls long after the party is over to say that Rose didn't come home. Jacob says that not only did he walk her home, he watched her go inside. Everyone who knows Rose knows what a responsible girl she is. She wouldn't just disappear and make her mother worry.

Told in alternating points of view from Rose, Lucy, and Carrie, THE LIE pulls back the surface of each of their lives as each woman is keeping something a secret. I never, and I mean NEVER would have guessed the truth. It was shocking, disturbing, and all too real. What exactly was in Jacob's past? What kind of men is Carrie exposing her daughter to? And what kind of mother is Lucy if she's covering up for a killer?

So grateful to NetGalley and Bookouture for this early read. THE LIE will publish April 20, 2023.