This was one of my most anticipated books for this fall and it did not disappoint! I’ve been a huge fan of Tami Hoag’s since the day I picked up a mass market paperback of A Thin Dark Line – over 25 years ago! Nobody crafts an intricate plot with deeply developed characters and then sets them in the perfect immersive scene quite like Hoag does. It’s no exaggeration to say I credit her with inspiring my love of thrillers and police procedurals, and Bad Liar is a prime example of why.

We’ve got one man dead, his headless body giving no clues as to his identity, and more than one local man missing. The backstories are dark, with plenty of potential culprits and red herrings, but also a depth of emotion that is unusual in this genre. The atmosphere is so skillfully drawn that I could picture myself poling a pirogue through the Louisiana bayou, with the cadence of the characters’ Cajun French dialect adding to the authenticity. Detectives Annie Broussard and Nick Fourcade are the perfect team both on and off duty; I love them together and I love how Annie has softened Nick’s rough edges over time since we first met him in A Thin Dark Line. But no worries if you haven’t read the first two Broussard and Fourcade books though, you can totally read Bad Liar as a standalone!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Dutton Books for providing me an advance copy of this book.

Tami Hoag is a master at jumping you right into a story and building intrigue and suspense, and Bad Liar is no exception. Annie Broussard and Nick Fourcade are detectives in the sheriff's department in a small Louisiana town. The damaged-beyond-recognition body of a man is found on the edge of the bayou and two local men are reported missing, leaving Annie and Nick searching for people and answers. This was an excellent mystery that had me trying (and largely failing) to figure it out before they did. I wasn't entirely satisfied with how the final parts of the mystery came together, but it probably was consistent with "solid police work"; I guess I expected a bit more excitement at that point? The characters are likeable and have depth, and although this is the 3rd book in the Broussard and Fourcade series, it is easily read as a standalone. A solid crime/police procedural that will keep your attention throughout.

Tami Hoag’s Bad Liar reminds us that evil often wears a friendly face. In a novel that is both intense and mesmerizing, you’ll find yourself eager to reach the end and figure out which of the many suspects is our dangerous liar.

The day starts with a dead body and ends with two missing persons, either of whom could be the corpse Lieutenant Nick Fourcade is called to investigate. Left in an isolated area abutting a gator-filled swamp, the body is unidentifiable after having the face and hands blasted off by a shotgun. Nick’s only lead as to the identity of victim is a business card in a pocket reading Mercier & Sons Salvage, $2,875.00 dollars.

When he visits the facility to see if they can tell him anything about the transaction listed, Nick learns that Marc Mercier left his home for a weekend hunting trip and hasn’t been seen since. His brother Luc, his erstwhile hunting partner, had arranged to meet him at the Corners, a local gas station/restaurant, at five am the previous day, but Marc wasn’t there when Luc arrived and hasn’t called, spoken to, or been seen by anyone since.

Detective Annie Broussard, Nick’s wife, is both anxious and excited to begin her first day back on the job after her medical leave. A brutal, unexpected attack during her last investigation has left her with PTSD and a host of other issues, but she has finally been deemed fit for duty. Heading to human resources to fill out some necessary paperwork, she encounters a woman desperate to find her missing son. B’Lynn Fontenot has been to the small local police department, who blew her off, claiming her recovering, formerly drug-addicted adult child Robbie has probably just gone on a bender. B’Lynn is confident that hasn’t happened and is so anxious to get to the bottom of his disappearance she plans to prevail on her friendship with the Sheriff to get his office to take the case. Fortunately for her, the area where her son lived is within the Sheriff’s jurisdiction. B’Lynn is also lucky that Annie is a mother as well. B’Lynn’s worry and anguish touch Annie’s heart, and she agrees to take the case.

Annie and Nick couldn’t be seeking two more different fugitives. Marc, a high school football hero, college graduate, and popular figure in town, seems almost universally loved. Robbie, who barely graduated high school, is, at best, pitied and often spoken of with scorn. Yet our two detectives find their investigations intersecting as they try to unravel just where these men disappeared to – and why,

The author has a terrific knack for showcasing the dark side of human nature and how even the most seemingly normal of us is capable of doing the most horrifying things when desperate. Ms. Hoag also does a fantastic job of demonstrating that sometimes families and friends are our salvation, and other times, they are the cause of our undoing. It was fascinating to see what is uncovered as each man’s darkest secrets are slowly brought to light by the cops.

While this is the third book in the Broussard and Fourcade series, it doesn’t read like a series book. The emphasis is not on Annie and Nick or their relationship. Their son Justin barely makes an appearance and is hardly mentioned and the narrative focuses firmly on the mystery, which works fabulously well here. The lives of Marc and Robbie are both complex and convoluted, and how they converge, and the fallout from that makes the story riveting. Each man and the people around them are drawn with a slowly revealed clarity that leaves us moved by their story.

I can’t say enough good things about the writing. Hoag gets the balance between characters, plot, and location perfectly right. We get a real sense of how the community and the area where these men live play a part in the outcome of their lives – and how the people we interact with and trust are ultimately the ones who can harm us the most. From the start, the narrative has a dark, almost gritty feel that helps immerse us in their world.

We also get a strong feel for who Annie and Nick are as people, and how that affects the way they handle their cases. Annie is all heart, wanting to see the best in people but experienced enough to know that is rarely what she will encounter. Nick is her mirror image. Wise enough to know that nice people rarely get caught up in the kind of nasty problems that result in his being called in, he nevertheless has empathy for the perpetrators and the dark paths that lead their lives to entwine with his. Both of them have the strength of character needed to muck through the dark places most people fear to go, the cynicism necessary to ferret out the truth, and the compassion necessary to do so in a manner that cushions the fallout for the victims. If you were ever to find yourself at the heart of an investigation, you would want them in your corner.

I’ve mentioned the book has a dark and gritty tone, and I want to reiterate that this story deals with some troubling issues. Drug abuse and addiction, alcoholism, prostitution, theft – all of them are covered. The author doesn’t go into needless detail or glorify the situation in any way, but she does shine a light on what it is like to live in a world where those things make up your reality. If any of these is triggering for you, this is probably not a book you’ll want to read..

Bad Liar is more of a mystery than a thriller, and I absolutely loved that. Rather than spending a lot of time in the twisted mind of a psycho, I got to see the good guys (kinda) win one for once. If you enjoy detective stories at all, I strongly recommend this one.

It has been a while since I have read Tami Hoag. I used to love her suspense/romance thrillers when I was much younger. Then I discovered the Oak Knoll series, and then Detectives Liska and Kovac series. However, it has been a while since I've read her, and was happy to have the chance to reconnect with this book. This is the third in the Broussard/Fourcade series- but the first that I have read. It can be read as a stand alone. However, I am going to go back to read the previous novels!

In a nutshell: A murder victim is discovered in an isolated location on a country road in Louisiana. Two men are missing. Broussard and Fourcade soon discover that the two cases are tied together.

I love how Hoag writes about the bayou counties in Louisiana. Her descriptions of the communities, language and attitudes is spot on. I am familiar with this area, as my family comes from the region. When her characters talk, I hear the Cajun rhythm roll out and am drawn back to this place! She also weaves darkness and superstition into her stories, and this is very characteristic of the region.

This is a tightly woven mystery that has you puzzled the whole way through. Just when you think you know where it is going, there is a turn. And the characters are so well written. They are very 3 dimensional in that they are not all bad or all good. There are nuances in each character which strengthens the story and its outcome. It is not a light read, as the main characters struggle with trauma from their past. And the crime! It is a bit grizzly- but appropriate for the arc of the story.

I highly recommend this for readers that enjoy Loreth Anne White, Karin Slaughter (although these are not as graphic or violent as Slaughter's!), Anne Cleeves Shetland Series. Or anyone wanting a dark mystery with some good detectives!!

Thank you NetGalley and Dutton Publishing for the ARC. This is my honest and voluntary review.

What a great crime thriller. Nick and Annie are married and are both detectives. Nick is Annie's boss but that doesn't get in the way of their relationship. He is more hard knocks guy and Annie is more of a caring person. It all starts with two missing people. One is a town favorite Marc, and the other is an addict Robbie. Both of these missing people were on the HS football team where poor Robbie got hurt that ended his career and Marc took over and became the hero. Robbie's mom is beside herself because she says her son has been off drugs for months and she is very worried that he hasn't contacted her. Marc's mother is very upset because Marc takes care of their family business and she is worried about him. Being the small town that it is, everyone knows everyone else's business. There are the leaders and the followers. There are good guys and bad guys and that goes for cops too. The book draws you into all the characters. You root for some and some you don't. It's great to follow Nick and Annie and delve into the crimes they are trying to solve.
Thanks to #netgalley, #duttonpublishing and @tami_hoag_writer for an ARC of this great read.

Bad Liar by Tami Hoag
✨ Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
💃🏼 Vibes: Cajun spiced suspense.
📕 If you like ______, you’ll like this: Police procedurals
📖/🎧 Read Type: E-book/ARC (Thank you @netgalley, Penguin Group Dutton, and Tami Hoag!)


Set in small-town, southern Louisiana, this story follows three seemingly unrelated crimes—one unidentifiable body and two missing persons. As the cases begin to intertwine, their personal overlap seems like too much of a coincidence. Detective Annie Broussard and Lieutenant Nick Fourcade (who are also married to one another) investigate the crimes and unweave what turns out to be an incredibly tangled web.

Nobody does police procedurals like Tami Hoag. I adore her Liska and Kovac series and I found the officers in this series to be just as complex and readable. I particularly appreciated the setting and the characters' dialect, which added a layer of authenticity to the story. My main complaint is that I would have liked some more character development but that is probably my fault. If we can be vulnerable, I did not know this was the third in a series—I've made this mistake before (and probably will again) when I get excited about ARCs from an author I love. I feel like that somewhat impacted my reading experience but I do not regret it! If you enjoy Tami Hoag’s other books or have read the other books in this series, you will also enjoy this!

#badliar #tamihoag #arc #netgalley
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I want to start my review by saying that I LOVE Tami Hoag. I read the previous book with the same characters and was really into it. Bad Liar is good. The concept of the book, the storyline, the love story BUT there were too many characters and too many subplots to keep track of as a busy, working mom. It took me awhile to read and although I now know who did what, I am not sure I could accurately describe it for you.

As we’ve joyously come to expect, Tami Hoag has ANOTHER thrill ride with BAD LIAR. I couldn’t get enough!

Lt. Nick Fourcade and his partner, Deputy Stokes are called to the swamps of New Orleans when a body is found. The victim’s face and hands have been obliterated by a shotgun blast, so identification of the body will take a few days. In the meantime he makes contact with Kiki Mercer when she reports that her son, Marc has gone missing for days. He was supposed to meet his brother for hunting and never showed. Marc is the town’s Golden Boy who was set to win a football scholarship and make the town proud. Could the body in the swamp be Marc? And what of his wife who hasn’t even reported him missing? Is she involved in his disappearance?

Nick’s wife Deputy Annie Broussard, having recovered from a violent attack, is on light duty when she returns to the department. When a distraught mother, B’Lynn Fontenot comes to the department begging for help in finding her son, Robbie. B’Lynn reports that she has been to the police department on numerous occasions, dealing with Detective Dewey Rivette who seemed to blow her off and reported that Robbie is an adult who probably left on his own when he returned to his hard partying, drug induced days. B’Lynn is convinced that Robbie is on a good program and is staying clean. She begs Annie for help in locating her son. As Annie dives into the case, she meets with much resistance by Detective Rivette. She also comes into contact with some, shall we say undesirables and meet a battered woman who she really wants to help.

There are secrets in this small town. Sometimes they float to the surface and other times they sink to the bottom of the swamp. Just who is it who can put the pieces together? Are Robbie and Marc part of a crime and coverup or are they victims at someone else’s hands?

This one had me hooked from beginning to end. As I’ve come to expect from Tami Hoag, the writing is clear and concise and painted a picture of the Bayou that had me motoring through the waters in search of answers.

Thank you to netGalley and random house for this ARC opportunity. All opinions are my own and given voluntarily.

Audiobook And Pub Day Review: Bad Liar
I absolutely loved the Oak Knoll series when I read it years ago, so l was excited to see this title on @netgalley.
I loved this small town Louisiana thriller, and the narrator did such a great job with the Cajun accents! Nick Fourcade and Annie Broussard are back investigating two separate missing men in this small southern town. B'Lynn is worried about her recovering addict son who she hasn't seen or talked to. Nick is investigating the disappearance of Marc Mercier, a well known hometown hero. A body is found, but is unrecognizable, so the two detectives must work together to find out who it is.
This was a great procedural thriller, and I really enjoyed the audio! Thank you @tami_hoag_writer and @netgalley

Bad Liar is book three in the Broussard and Fourcade Series by Tami Hoag.
I’m such a big time fan of Hoag! When I first discovered her Kovac and Liska series! Absolutely loved 9th Girl!
And this series and book is no different!
The story was fast moving and kept me guessing.
Hoag writes very solid, atmospheric stories and really knows how to ramp up the suspense. She outdid herself with this one, I must say.
It's a book that you wanted to end just to find out who did it but you didn't want it to end because it was so exciting.
If you like tense, atmospheric thrillers, with complex characters and personalities, and mysteries that will keep you guessing to the bitter end, this one is for you.

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

Bad Liar was everything that makes Tami Hoag great and more. It was the roller coaster of whodunnit and emotions that make me absolutely love the writing style of this author. Just when you think you have it figured out you turn the page into another 180 that leaves you guessing again. And the fact that there are several different mysteries going keeps you on your toes and completely immersed in this story. 1000% a top read of there year for me. I loved this journey!

When a mangled body shows up in the swamps there is little to identify who it might be. However, the town has two missing people. Both who have a tie to each other. Either could realistically be the body. The only thing that differs between them is one is the hometown hero, a football player who stepped in when the other missing person suffered an injury that knocked them out of the game. And Robbie the young man hurt so horrendously during the football season that they started to take opioids which they were never able to break the habit. While it seems weird to think that two different people on such life paths lives would still be entwined the more that is discovered the sticker the knot looks.
This is an interesting book. I am not quite sure I loved it personally as a reader. There were times that I was taken out of the story. Especially at the beginning. The more I got into the story though I appreciated all the footwork that was going on to make everything connect at the end.
Thank you to Penguin Group Dutton and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title.

This is the third book in the Broussard and Fourcade Series.

When Nick is called to a murder victim dumped on the side of the road, that is the start of his case involving the missing Marc Mercier.

Meanwhile, Annie is faced with a desperate mother trying to locate her missing son. As they are both involved in missing cases, they end up being connected. When the investigation continues, they find old family grudges, jealousies, and police corruption.

This is a great addition to this series. Great characters and a great plot that keeps building as the story goes until the finish.

Thank you to the Publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in return for my honest review.

Fast paced and a real page turner, Tami Hoag's latest, "Bad Liar", doesn't disappoint. It is a police procedural with missing persons, a dead body, and a host of characters who shy away from the truth. Great character development, wonderful writing, and a really good storyline makes this a terrific read. Don't miss it!

I am a long time fan ofTami Hoag and was excited to be selected to read her new one. It did nit disappoint me.
A man is found dead in a remote area. Someone gas gone to extreme lengths to make sure he is not identified. Meanwhile another man is reported missing by his mother. The police department refuses to help because he is a known drug user. They suddenly become interested when the sheriff's department takes over determined to find both him and the link to the dead man.

This was a highly entertaining story with dual P.O.V.'s and a solidly structured plot that only well seasoned authors can create. Before diving into this one, keep in mind that it is a mystery, not a thriller, and that it is part of a series although it can still be read as a stand-alone. That said, Tami Hoag is back with a vengeance and remains the queen at this game. This was delivered meticulously with such detail and solid character development, creating the perfect murder mystery/police procedural novel. It had several characters to keep track of which is easily obtainable if you are an avid reader and fan of well told stories that take their time and not in a rush to the climax and reveal like so many in the recent years. Unpredictable and memorable, this was a great read yet again by this author and so give it four stars.

Thank you, Netgalley, and Penguin Group Dutton for this ARC.

Really great suspense/thriller. 3rd book in the series - but was easy to read as a stand alone (I'm definitely gonna go back and read the first ones).

Annie and Nick make a great duo - totally relatable and likeable. The story was slow to build - long back story set up - but held my attention and left me wanting to keep reading.

Bad Liar
by Tami Hoag
Pub Date: Sep 24 2024

When I started reading Bad Liar by author Tami Hoag I didn't realize this was the 3rd. book in the Broussard and Fourcade series. This can be read as a standalone novel, reading the earlier books will provide more background though. The story went slow for me, it did hold my interest though. It involves police procedures. The story and characters were interesting. All in all a good read.

Synopsis: A murder victim dumped at the dead end of a lonely country road, face and hands obliterated by a shotgun blast, is not the way sheriff’s detective Nick Fourcade wants to start his week. His only lead takes him to the family of a hometown hero suddenly gone missing. Marc Mercier left his home for a weekend hunting trip and hasn’t been seen since.

Many thanks to #BadLiar #NetGalley and #PenguinGroupDutton for providing me with an E-ARC of this book.

When I saw a new book by Tami Hoag, I was reminded how much I loved her writing back in the 1990's, and that I really missed her books. Bad Liar, the third in the Broussard and Fourcade series was a great reminder of how wonderfully suspenseful and character driven her novels are. Oh, how I have missed them!

Tackling the destruction of high school dreams, addiction, and spousal abuse, Bad Liar isn't a light, cozy mystery. Instead, the reader is taken deep into the psyche of the detectives who investigate missing persons and murders, as well as those relatives who are desperate for news of their loved ones who are missing. Annie and Nick are fantastic characters, detectives who are not perfect, who become emotional about the cases they investigate, and worry about their loved ones as they go about their chosen occupations. Tami Hoag is a master of both mystery and character development, and her books are among my favorites as a result.

I am so happy to see a new book by Tami Hoag, and hope to continue to enjoy books in this series for many years to come!

Thank you to Netgalley and Dutton for the digital ARC of Bad Liar by Tami Hoag. The opinions in this review are my own.

I have waited so long for a book from Tami Hoag and finding this one was so exiting! I loved it! I have missed her stories and writing style!

This suspense thriller and police procedural with Annie and Nick draws the reader right into the story and keeps you there. It is filled with mystery and intrigue that will keep you enthralled and on the edge of your seat waiting for what happens next.

Three local men have seemingly just disappeared and one unrecognizable dead body begin the story. Annie comes across a desperate mother, begging for help to find her son, in the lobby of the law enforcement building. She stops to find out what is wrong and quickly becomes embroiled in the mystery of the woman’s son’s disappearance. Meanwhile, Nick is called to the scene of a dead body which leads to more mystery and suspense as the seemingly separate stories may have threads that tie them together.

The story is well written and keeps the reader absorbed in the story. I found it unputdownable! An excellent, solid suspense thriller!

Thank you to NetGalley and the Penguin Group Dutton for the arc. I leave this review voluntarily.