I thought I would love the book more than I did, but it was hard to follow with over a dozen POV, 3rd person. I didn't count the number of characters mentioned but thye must have been like 20. At some point I was just confused and couldn't remember who was related to who.

Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for access to this arc in exchange for my honest review.

I really did not enjoy this one, I found it to be chaotic with too many characters and the ending felt really rushed!

Thank you Thomas & Mercer and Netgalley for this book.
I requested but was not sure I would actually like this as it isn't my usual type of book - uni students (yuk), but I couldn't put this down.
I read in two sittings.
You really must read this book.

Let’s play a game. It’ll be fun they say. In this locked room/remote island thriller the games don’t turn out to be much fun. This is especially true when all of your oldest friends also have secrets - oh so many secrets - to hide. Will anyone come out of this weekend alive? Thanks to NetGalley for this read.

Folks stranded on an island in murderous circumstances has become a well-used psych thriller trope in recent years but McGowan has produced a standout story that elevates this above its peers. Hugely atmospheric and gripping, this is a twisty tale of a group of friends who are celebrating one of their number's 40th birthday on a private Scottish island when they take part in a game of 'truth, truth, lie'. This sparks a chain of events that leaves a few of them dead and the remainder fighting to survive. I ripped through it in a weekend – it's a belter of a thriller.

Two truths and a lie, a simple and fun party game. You can take it as far as you want to. But for old friends travelling to a private island for a fortieth birthday party, it goes too far. 1. You’ve all killed before, 2. There’s no way off the island, 3. You will all kill or be killed.
Is this some sick game, or is someone else on the island out to get the group? As truths come to light, and darkness falls, the friendships begin to fall apart, and when someone dies, it’s only just begun.

The premise was very promising, but I never found myself hooked, unable to put the book down. Amira was an annoying main character to I didn’t enjoy her perspective and she was the majority story teller. I found the reveal somewhat predictable and anti climactic. But the writing flowed well enough for me to finish. Overall, it was fine.

This is my first crime fiction book by Claire McGowan (although I have read some of her wonderful women’s fiction written under Eva Woods). The title intrigued me, along with the blurb.

It took me a while to get into the story as there are so many characters to keep in mind. However, having said that, all the characters are well-defined and individual so once I’d understood who was who, the pace quickened.

The plot is like a locked-room thriller, a group of friends gathered on a remote Scottish island to celebrate a 40th birthday. It is not long before niggles and issues begin to rise and change the readers view of this idyllic break, realising quickly all is not as it seemed.

A party game of truth, truth, lie creates uncertainty, starting to reveal secrets and lies within the group, although interestingly these are anonymous, adding a layer of mystery into the gathering.

The tension in the catalogue of intense events is palpable and the reader is left surmising, making predictions about who is behind each occurrence.

The story races along at a fast pace, reducing each person to the naked truth of what has happened in their past shaping the people they have become, and fighting to survive the weekend.

The conclusion to the story contains surprises, whilst making sense of unfinished threads of the plot which have emerged. An enjoyable read.

I absolutely couldn't put this book down. From cover to cover I was engrossed in the story. It was long, extremely tense and quite twisted. It started as a getaway for 5 uni friends and their partners and an ex and a teen and 5-year-old-twins for a twin 40th birthday celebration on a secluded island in Scotland. After a party game of truth, truth, lie the bodies begin to pile up. It's freezing rain and wind, rough seas and no way to leave the island until a boat is scheduled to pick them up in two days. Suspicions and finger pointing, and guilt are causing paranoia. The story kept me involved to the very end and the final twist was an amazing surprise. I'd happily give this book 6 stars. Thank you NetGalley &Thomas & Mercer for approving this book for me.

4.5 Stars

I really enjoyed this book, and found it a very atmospheric thriller. The book had me gripped and I read it very quickly. This is one of my favourite books by Claire McGowan and I highly recommend it.

Clare McGowan does a great job of creating a scary atmosphere and from 20%, the book is full of intrigue, tension and I found it scary 😱. It was a great setting of a remote island with no ways to leave, no phones and no WiFi.

The story follows the participants trying to escape the island whilst chaos ensues. The ending was interesting and not quite what you expect, (though you think you've guessed it half way through).

My only gripe with the book was that there were a lot of characters introduced (and I mean a lot!).

An atmospheric, page turner that I recommend.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The whole "remote location, friends reunited, someone is a secret murderer out for revenge" plot has certainly been done a million times but I like to think hat this still managed to stand in its own little niche! It's certainly well worth rotten and had me guessing throughout. The pacing is good, it starts with a bang and then there's a slow build into a bit of a roller coaster but it's well written, the characters original and it didn't feel like I was reading something I'd read before! It's a locked room thriller with vibes of 90s horror film like scream or I know what you did last summer..... luckily I love both locked room thrillers and 90s teen slasher films lol

4.5 stars. This was sooo good!
A twist on the closed room murder mystery trope when the 'closed room' in this case is a private island off the Scottish coast.
We follow a group of Oxfors University friends celebrating the joined 40th birthdays of twins Vicky and Jonathan. The group decide to play 2 truths and a lie, when a sinister note is found among the game.
" Everyone here has killed someone"
"There is no way off this island"
"You will all either kill or be killed"
Who put it there and what is true and what is a lie?
As the group become more and more paranoid with no way to contact anyone for help, their past starts to catch up to them. Truths are revealed in this deadly game.
Told from multiple POV including the tragic stories of the innocent victims of their past, this fast paced mystery will leave you guessing.
A excellently written book with great character analysis and back story.
I personally loved the fact that the last 15% of the book had very short chapters which just made the pace all the better.
This was my first book by Claire McGowan and she is now firmly on my radar.

You may have read this kind of book before - a group of friends go on a holiday where all their secrets are revealed and their friendship unravels…but Truth Truth Lie definitely elevates this trope. On the first night they decide to play two truths and a lie but someone has slipped in extra piece of paper, which states that everyone of them has killed people, there is no way off the island and that they will either kill or be killed before the end of the weekend.

I really enjoyed the tension between the main characters during the disastrous weekend. What I really loved though are the chapters set in the past which inform us how each person has purposefully or inadvertently killed someone. The book kept me guessing throughout. I needed more from the ending though, which seemed a bit rushed.

3.5 stars rounded up for 4

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to review an advanced copy of the book in exchange for and honest review.

Locked room thriller fans - here's another recommendation for you! Set on a private island, we follow the group who play a game of Truth Truth Lie only to find one extra slip of paper with a sinister message. Then the bodies start accumulating. Who is behind it all? With so many suspects, I found myself constantly trying to decide who the killer was. In the end, I didn't manage to get it right but I enjoyed the journey. With lots of twists and juicy secrets, this was my kind of thriller!

A group of university friends are getting together for a 40th birthday party on a remote Scottish island on a cold, February weekend. Amira has known everyone for years through her husband. but has always felt like an outsider with his friends. Amira is already unhappy when someone suggests they play a game of "Two Truths and a Lie." Everyone anonymously writes their list, and some of the statements have everyone wondering who in the group is keeping secrets.

Things go from mysterious to creepy and foreboding when this list is read out loud hinting that everyone there has killed someone and everyone will either kill or be killed on the island. Now everybody wants to know if this is a joke, and if it isn't - which one is the lie? They are forced to take this threat seriously when the first death occurs. The story unfolds through several different point-of-view, including some from past timelines that at first seem random, but make sense as things progress.

With eight adults, one teen, and two children in the group, of course some of the characters are more likable than others. Most of them have an entitled attitude having grown up wealthy and now with successful jobs. However, I really related to Amira who has tried so hard to become friends with her husband's old school friends, but never quite fits it. The book is fast-paced and suspenseful and kept me on edge as to what would happen next. I think the story is told in a clever way and I enjoyed the ending. 4.5 stars

I received an advance copy of this ebook at no cost from NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer. My review is voluntary and unbiased.

I’m a big fan of this author. And Truth Truth Lie by Claire McGowan is another fantastic story!
A well written novel with suspense, mystery and characters that are so entertaining.
McGowan creates a thrilling, pulsating read that hooked me almost immediately.
This was an excellent read and thoroughly enjoyable. Pacey and intriguing.
The storyline gripped me within the first few pages and I knew that it was going to be a book that I would struggle to put down…and it was!

Thank You NetGalley and Publisher for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Truth Truth Lie is my type of book. It had plenty of twists and turns that kept me gripped and made me want to keep reading. I loved the setting and enjoyed the characters - Overall a fantastic read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for my ARC.

Headline: Finely crafted locked-room thriller with a wholly unexpected finale

Book Review: Truth Truth Lie by Claire McGowan
Published by Thomas & Mercer, May 21, 2024

★★★★☆ (4.25 Stars!)

Mallacht Island, Scotland
Mallacht Is. (fictional), described as a "...desolate lump of rock..." barely a mile across, ten minutes by ferry off the Scottish island town of Tarne.

Mallacht features a house, some ruined cottages, and about two hundred seals, heads of sheep and seabirds. It boasts of a recently installed $2MM wind turbine to complement a fossil fuel electrical generator. A radio is available for emergencies. Inexplicably, the island lacks a relatively cheap satellite dish for WiFi and communications.

And thus the stage is set.

Friday.
It is a cold and blustery February day when eight adults, old university friends, plus their children - a teenage girl and twin five-year-olds land by ferry on the island. The friends had booked it for a weekend birthday bash, non-stop boozing, good food, nature walks and parlor games.

Including a game called "Two truths and a lie".

Sunday.
Tarne Island's chief police officer Sergeant Mhairi Douglas, one of the island town's two-person police force, the other a parttime hire, finds her quiet Sunday ruined and her hands full when the Tarne ferryman booked to ferry the raucous party group back from the island, reports that instead he'd found two dead bodies in the house at Mallacht with the whereabouts of rest of the urbanite group unknown.

The Mallacht party group of old university "friends".
As it turns out, likeability is the least appropriate word to describe their tight group's ethos, with the concept of amiability wholly anathema to each of their personae.

Take a pair of siblings whose family once owned the island and who'd shared a tragic history with the local island townsfolk, far from long forgotten. Add two pairs of ex-spouses along with the new wife of one of the exes, also invited for the weekend, this alone a recipe for disaster.

Plus, far from successful, economically strapped members who'd show up to keep up with the Joneses, topped with two less than highly regarded foreign-born spouses.

Over a long, alcohol-infused weekend, long-harbored, deep-seethed issues ever so slowly surface as class envy, racism, infidelity and resentment manifest themselves.

But would all the animosity be enough to have any one of them murdered?

A finely crafted island locked-room thriller by author Claire McGowan as she builds up the suspense through twists and turns to a wholly unexpected finale.

Review based on an advanced reading copy courtesy of Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley.

I really enjoyed "Truth Truth Lie" by Clare McGowan. From the very first page, I was hooked by its rapid pace and gripping suspense. The plot is intricately woven, constantly keeping me guessing and second-guessing every twist and turn. McGowan's ability to maintain such a high level of tension throughout is truly commendable. It's one of those rare books where you find yourself thinking about the story even when you're not reading it, eager to return and uncover more.
One thing that stood out to me was the characters. While I can't say any of them were particularly likeable, I don't think they were intended to be. Their complexities and flaws made them feel authentic, and it added to the overall tension of the story. The protagonists are far from perfect, each hiding secrets and driven by motives that are sometimes questionable. This lack of clear-cut heroes or villains makes the narrative more compelling and realistic, as it reflects the ambiguities and moral greyness of real life.
I also appreciated the interspersed stories from other people. At first, I wasn't sure how these vignettes fit into the main narrative, but as the book progressed, their relevance became clear, adding layers of intrigue and depth to the plot. These snippets initially seemed disconnected, almost like red herrings, but their purpose becomes apparent, tying back into the central mystery in a satisfying way. It's a clever narrative technique that keeps the reader on their toes, constantly piecing together the puzzle.
McGowan's writing style is another highlight. Her prose is both crisp and evocative, painting vivid scenes without overloading on details. This balance ensures that the story remains fast-paced yet immersive. The dialogue feels natural and contributes to character development, revealing much about their personalities and hidden agendas.
The themes explored in "Truth Truth Lie" are also thought-provoking. It delves into the nature of truth and deception, the masks people wear, and the lengths they will go to protect their secrets. The psychological underpinnings are fascinating, offering a deeper layer to what might seem like a straightforward mystery at first glance.
Overall, this was a fantastic read that I simply couldn't put down. Clare McGowan has a talent for crafting compelling mysteries, and "Truth Truth Lie" is no exception. Highly recommend it to anyone looking for a thrilling and unpredictable read. This book is a testament to McGowan's prowess in creating a narrative that is as thought-provoking as it is entertaining. If you're a fan of suspenseful, character-driven stories, this one should definitely be on your reading list.

At first I hated all the characters, which made this amazing! Amira is so judgy and whiny and she's all "I don't fit in. No one likes me." Maybe trying being nicer!
and Daniel! Ugh.
Vicki is annoying but I get her.
Rachel is a wh0le other issue and so is Johnathan.
Fiona and Louise seem okay and I kind of like Paddy.

The kids are normal kids.
Anyway after all the twists and drama and deaths my opinions changed. Lovely.

When a group of Uni friends go to a remote island in Scotland to celebrate 40th Birthday's a game an innocent game of Truth Truth Lie quickly turns dark when past secrets come back to haunt them!

One of the notes states the following:

Everyone here has killed someone.

There is no way off this island.

You will all either kill or be killed here.

Which one of the above is a lie!!


As things turn sour, with everyone questioning the above past secrets come out and are they all be honest with each other?

The twists and turns, will have you guessing from the start and I can guarantee you won’t be able to put it down.