First, thank you Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for this ARC!

I think my first Victoria Helen Stone was Follow Her Down, which I did enjoy reading, so I was of course curious about the newest book of the author.

I have to admit, I am not always a fan of slow burn, but I did like the blurb. It sounded like a promising story - I mean, who would not enjoy a good stalker thriller? - and after reading it I have to say, yes, the book did actually deliver.

Sort of pulled and all-nighter with this one as well, seeing release date had already happened. Anyway, I can really recommend the book, and surely will alse give the next Victoria Helen Stone book a chance. 4.5 stars from me.

Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the eARC.

Bald-Faced Liar was a wonderful slow burn that I enjoyed the entire time. I really liked this story and how the author gave you just enough to want to keep going but threw in some loops.

This one is a bit of a slow burn, at least the first half but the second half really picks up ! I actually really liked Lizzy - she was such a sweet character just trying to get away from a mistake she made when she was 5 ! but of course she is a liar so how much what she is telling us is the truth 🤷🏼‍♀️😉 the twist is interesting and I really found the history of the satanic panic interesting , I hadn’t heard of that before

Bald-Faced Liar focuses on Elizabeth, whose shady past is coming back to bite her as she finds herself being stalked even though she moved far away (and multiple times)
I had a really good time reading this. Elizabeth was such an interesting character to follow, and her inner monologue and the way she acts was fascinating. She's dodgy as hell, lies constantly, paranoid and essentially living as much as a hermit as she can while still having (shallow and fleeting) connections with other people. As soon as you start the book, you get to see her quirks and it instantly pulled me in and had me wondering what the hell happened in her life for her to act that way.
This mystery aspect of her past was done well, and I think information was fed to the reader at a reasonable pace. I appreciated that the story developed throughout the book (rather than a large dump and reveal at the end). I generally figured out who the stalker was, although I do think there could have been more breadcrumbs leading up to it. It wasn't completely out of the blue, but I think it could have been set up better especially since the author did such a good job with the other mysterious elements of the story.
Some aspects of the climax and resolution were a bit far-fetched, but this didn't really affect my enjoyment of the story. There were a couple details in the final action section that I would have probably liked a bit more detail was (the stalker did indeed go on a bit of a villain rant which was a tad all over the place and hard to follow, but it is a crazy stalker so...).
Overall, I enjoyed reading this. The suspense was well done, and I was invested in what was going on. I truly felt frustration, terror and rage along with Elizabeth. This would be a great read for fans of thrillers involving stalkers, and the vibe of 'is this really happening or am I going insane?;

This was a reasonably interesting summer binge. I love stalker thrillers. I do feel like this book fell into the trap that nine out of ten books about characters with shady pasts fall into, but it was a quick, bingeable read with a nice setting. The way things played out with the MC's landlord was amusing, if not entirely believable!

“Bald-Faced Liar” by Victoria Helen Stone, is a 274-page fiction book released this year. It was published by Lake Union Publishing in Seattle, its cover design produced by Caroline Teagle Johnson, and its cover image by Peter Dazeley. The paperback has ISBN 978-1-66251-464-6 and costs $16.99, and the ebook has ISBN 978-1-66251-462-3 and costs $4.99. Victoria Helen Stone, who is a renowned prolific writer and has a penchant for all things filled with dark intrigue and emotional suspense, including crime stories, is currently living in the Wasatch Mountains in Utah, United States. Her author website is www.victoriahelenstone.com.

This story is about Elizabeth May, a 39-year-old single healthcare specialist in Santa Cruz, who loves to spy on her neighbors and acquaintances, both online and offline, with varying identities to protect her real personal information, and chilling at the beach. A Redditor impersonates her online, which almost ruins her career. That’s not all. Now, someone is spying on her everyday activities and taunting her online and offline. Elizabeth now believes that her life is in danger, the remnants of her past coming back to haunt her. Is this karma? Could it be a person Elizabeth wronged in the past?

Will she find out who her stalker is? Find out in this amazing book!

One notable trait exhibited by the protagonist throughout the story is the gloomy but well-crafted storytelling the author portrays. Growing up with a pretty infamous childhood life in Fair Isle for the imprisonment of the Hoffholders in a false occult massacre, Elizabeth prefers isolation and is so scared of anyone knowing about her past that she lies and pretends to her closest friends and workmates, just to get away with it. Her relationships are temporal, and she is nonchalant about it. She is also very impulsive and acts irrationally, such as repeatedly calling 911 at the least oddity, to the chagrin of the police and detective Heissen. I’m, however, glad she at least has a social life on the beach, and also with a few people she could open up to, such as Beret and Viola. Eventually, Elizabeth has to face the demons of her “devilish” childhood sins and come out victorious if she wants to live the perfect, normal life she has desired all these years.

I am happy at the author’s attempt to offer Elizabeth her redemption arc. The content of this novel is not like the usual fairytale books with female heroines, magic, and romance, but a realistic narrative with a subtly dark, mature theme, befitting the author’s preferences. I find the uniqueness of the narration quite interesting, a pleasant aspect of this book. There is nothing to dislike about the book.

I did not find any typographical mistakes or grammatical errors because this book is excellently and thoroughly edited. I, Michael Lartey, the reviewer, find this book to be filled with emotional suspense, as well as being among my favorite genres. It possesses a well-crafted storytelling. Because of this, I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars. I recommend this book to lovers of fiction and psychological thrillers.

This book’s intended audience is adults because of its profane words and mild sexual content.

****I didn't realize that this is now released and it was approved today, so I won't be reading it****

****I didn't realize that this is now released and it was approved today, so I won't be reading it****

****I didn't realize that this is now released and it was approved today, so I won't be reading it****

I just finished reading "Bald-Face Liar" and wanted to share my thoughts. I found this thriller to be truly gripping and fast-paced, and I was completely hooked from the very start. The suspense was intense, with twists that constantly kept me guessing, and I really enjoyed uncovering Elizabeth's secrets as the story unfolded. The paranoia and mystery, made it impossible to put the book down.


There was one moment in the book that didn’t feel entirely believable to me, but it didn’t stop me from continuing to read and enjoy the story.
While I did find the ending somewhat predictable, as I anticipated how Elizabeth (FMC) would resolve things, this didn't take from my overall enjoyment of the book. Just because my Nancy Drew skills worked on this book doesn’t mean it won’t towards others.

From a master storyteller, Victoria Helen Stone (long-time favorite), author of the popular Jane Doe series, returns following her 2024 release, Follow Her Down, with her highly anticipated 10th suspense psychological thriller, BALD-FACED LIAR.

Check out her feature in Park City News.

My apologies for the lengthy review, but I get a little carried away with the books I am most passionate about, as I want everyone to read them!

Stone's 10th thriller is among her best.

With each Victoria Helen Stone (VHS) story, you expect flawed characters trying desperately to survive against the odds, a wicked plot, dark humor, twists, and a race against time to the finish line. She does not disappoint!

Stone, a versatile writer, has also penned romance novels under the pseudonym Victoria Dahl, with a total of 29 published works in this genre.

In her latest work of fiction, a woman is hiding from her past, where lying has become a part of her life—her means of survival. But her lies may have caught up with her in this psychologically rich, twisty, emotional, unputdownable thriller. The suspenseful plot will keep you on the edge of your seat, guessing the identity of the stalker and the motive until the grand finale.

The title "Bald-Faced Liar" is a poignant reflection of the protagonist's ongoing struggle with truth and deception, a compelling and central theme in this gripping narrative.

An exploration of childhood trauma, identity, acceptance, and survival. Victoria Helen Stone is at the TOP of her game with BALD-FACED LIAR. Highly impressive. You will find so much more than a thriller. Emotional, compelling, and psychologically rich.

About...

Set in beautiful coastal Santa Cruz, CA, Elizabeth May (nurse extraordinaire) is a traveling nurse with a habit of lying about every detail of her life, and sometimes she even forgets all her lies and her many aliases.

She often feels like a freak. She remembers the pain, the fear, the torture, and relives it in her dreams every night. The horror movie. Her frequent name changes are a reflection of her need for anonymity and her desire to escape her past—a past that continues to haunt her.

From police, prosecutors, and therapists. She was examined, interrogated, hypnotized, guided, and prayed over. It started as manipulation and a persuasion to lie to help someone. Was she a victim?

She moves every few months, from state to state, creating vignettes of life in each one. That worked for fifteen years before she landed this short-term gig in Santa Cruz, and she has been here for the last two years.

Her shady Romanian landlord offers her a nice discount for the work she has done for him since her arrival. Grigore cut a hundred dollars off her rent to keep an eye on the apartment upstairs and the cottage next door, since she is home all day. This gives her something to do between her work and also something to stress about—trying to keep up with these tenants and visitors coming and going like a revolving door. Also, her shady landlord may be of assistance later on. (Wink😉)

(Beth, Eliza, Elizabeth) She is almost forty, has never had kids, has been married, and now her life isn't perfect. But she is making it work and is a survivor. She has come to this little beach hideaway, and this seems to be the best medicine for what ails her. She must stay safe, and she enjoys people-watching, seeing people come and go, and imagining their lives behind closed doors. Her resilience is truly inspiring.

But the truth is, NO ONE truly knows her. So she does not have to leave this place. She will never go back.

There are dangers to stuffing all your bad feelings down as deep as you can. However, on the other hand, she knows that opening up allows control to fall into the hands of others.

She must keep herself safe. She is resourceful and always looking over her shoulder. She is fun and has a warm personality. She needs to remember what lies she tells. She needs to stay under the radar. She even uses humor and plenty of snark as another coping mechanism. Keep everyone at a distance. Do not get invested in anyone.

She can never get too close to anyone if they stumble upon the truth about her past. Her use of humor and snark is not just a coping mechanism, but also a way to keep people at a distance, preventing them from getting too close and discovering her secrets.

Then she discovers she has a creepy stalker, which destroys her carefully laid life, and now she is forced to confront the present and her traumatic past, which started her on this journey in the first place. A false facade.

Why is this happening now, and who remembers her from Iowa? She cannot go to prison. She second-guesses everything, trying to backtrack how she slipped up. Are there others involved in the case? Who is dead, alive, and what is their motive? Is she next? It is time to pull off the biggest lie of her life.

What about Mike, the sexy environmental chemist/neighbor? Of course, she tells him she is an accountant when she meets him.

What about her online friend, Tristan? Can he be trusted?

She can never trust anyone with her most secret feelings. She cannot even trust herself. Her struggle with trust is palpable, and it's hard not to feel empathetic towards her. Will she be discovered and have to relive her trauma? INTENSE!

My thoughts...

Victoria Helen Stone never ceases to amaze me with her awe-inspiring talents, creativity, and her well-drawn characters. Plus, I love her settings and vivid descriptions. All her books are well thought out, and there is always something beneath the outer shell of her main characters, which is usually a woman showing great strength when things get intense, and there is nowhere to turn.

With BALD-FACED LIAR, Stone has created a complex main character in Elizabeth, blurring the lines between right and wrong and how a traumatic childhood shapes your adult life.

An exploration of the capacity of the human heart to harm, manipulate, to heal, and ultimately, to hope. Victoria is a savvy writer who delves deeply into her characters’ motivations.

A riveting page-turner, intense, delivering thrills, twists, superb characterization, emotional depth, and entertainment that we all come to expect from her work. Well done!

The author brilliantly builds suspense as the stalker comes into play, causing Elizabeth to question everything in her life, including her sanity. She keeps readers guessing as to where she is taking us, but hang on for the ride!

Elizabeth is in a terrible position, so you feel for her. Yes, she was just a girl. Yes, she ruined several lives. But she cannot forget, and it tortures her. How can she ever trust anyone after a childhood defined by false memories and community hysteria? All the damage was not only to her but to many. What is the cost of a lie?

The "cost of a lie" refers to the negative consequences, both emotional and relational, that can result from lying. These consequences can include guilt, anxiety, decreased self-esteem, and damage to relationships. Additionally, lying can lead to a loss of trust, both in oneself and in others, and can create a cycle of further deceit.

Her coping mechanism is DENY. Deny. Deny.

Elizabeth has many personalities, and we see all sides throughout the book. From vulnerable and fearful, to strong, resilient, and courageous. Inspired by the Satanic Panic (you must read up on this as haunting, unsettling, disturbing, and intriguing).

The "satanic panic" of the 1980s was a period of widespread fear and hysteria surrounding alleged satanic cults and ritual abuse of children. While it began in North America, it quickly spread to other parts of the world. The panic involved numerous false accusations, unjust criminal trials, and the disruption of countless lives.

Psychological thrillers delve into the human mind, frequently focusing on the inner turmoil and intricate relationships of their characters. Books and films delve into themes of obsession, manipulation, and the blurred lines between reality and delusion. The author skillfully guides Elizabeth through a range of emotions and complexities, as well as her innermost thoughts, as she navigates her struggles to move beyond her past, redefine her identity, and adapt to her new life.

Interview...

Stay tuned for my fascinating and fun #AuthorElevatorSeries QA with Victoria on pub day, June 1, where we go behind the scenes of the book and this mega-talented superstar author! I am truly honored to feature her for the second time. The first was back in 2018, the year I introduced my Elevator series with her, Jane Doe. Here we are seven years later, and still a favorite.

Elizabeth (aka Eliza, Beth, Bess...) is a total riot! I think fans are going to adore her as you follow her on her wild adventure called LIFE.

As always, Victoria Helen Stone shines and is one of my favorite authors, having read all her books and anxiously awaiting her next masterpiece.) I love her dark humor! Highly entertaining.

Movie-worthy! Be sure and add this gem to your summer reading list. Ideal for book clubs and further discussions. I hope we see her again in future books to catch up!

Recs...

BALD FACED LIAR is for fans of well-written character-driven psychological suspense, Jane Doe, and the author, as well as those who enjoy works by Kaira Rouda, A.J. Banner, Sally Hepworth, Laura Lippman, Freida McFadden, and Jenova Rose.

Many thanks to the author, Lake Union (publisher), and NetGalley for a digital and paperback advanced review copy in exchange for an honest review. Also, my Kindle First Read Pick

Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars +
Pub Date: June 1, 2025
June 2025 Must-Read Books
June Author QA Interview

"𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘. 𝑬𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘𝒔 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒎𝒆. 𝑲𝒏𝒐𝒘𝒔 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕? 𝒂 𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒎 𝒗𝒐𝒊𝒄𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒎𝒚 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒅 𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒊𝒏. 𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖'𝒓𝒆 𝒂 𝒍𝒊𝒂𝒓? 𝒀𝒆𝒔. 𝑾𝒉𝒐 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒔? 𝑩𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒂 𝒍𝒊𝒂𝒓, 𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒏'𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖? 𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒕'𝒔 𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒆. 𝑰 𝒂𝒎 𝒂 𝒍𝒊𝒂𝒓. 𝑰𝒏 𝒇𝒂𝒄𝒕, 𝑰 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒊𝒕. 𝑰 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒊𝒕. 𝑳𝒚𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒔 𝒑𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓."

Special thanks you to @victoriahelenstone for the #gifted eARC.

➡️ swipe for synopsis 👉🏼

𝙈𝙔 𝙍𝙀𝙑𝙄𝙀𝙒:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

FIVE FREAKING STARS!!!!
Cmon peeps, this book is phenomenal!

Could you imagine being thoroughly embarrassed by something someone made you do, and you're only 5? Then realize everyone hates you for recanting 2 years later so for the rest of your life you live in mumtiple lies so no one knows the real you?!
Well that's what Elizabeth May had to endure and it's sets the tone with her being fed misinformation during the Satanic Panic that now haunts her dreams.
But can she run far enough away? Or does someone know, and want to make her pay?

This is such a suspenseful read. Following the many personas of Elizabeth as she runs from someone trying to take her down.
I remember hearing about the Satanic Panic but I was pretty young when that went down. That setting makes for such a great story which evolves into a cat and mouse chase for the truth. Not too many suspects which makes this for an even eerily great read.

The end has me gasping, biting my nails, and hoping. The last 20% is a real page-turner. I couldn't put it down.
As soon as i finished i was like oh em gee this was so good but holy shit this is so real!

I was like wait, hold on , she what?! The endingggggg omg my jaw dropped when the door opened.

𝙋𝙐𝘽 𝘿𝘼𝙔:
June 1, 2025

ℚ𝕆𝕋𝔻❓️⁉️❓️ What's the last lie you told?

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#mysteryandthrills #thrillersandsuspense #thrillerfriendsunite #thrillerlover #thrilleraddict #thrillerjunkie #thrillergirlie #bookbuzz #upcomingthriller #baldfacedliar #victoriahelenstone #lakeunionpublishing
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Stone absolutely never disappoints. Another cracking thriller, juicy and sharp and dark and so tightly written it zips by. You won’t want to stop at one.

Re-examining the Satanic Panic of the late 20th century in America, this book offers an incredibly timely story with a cautionary tale of just how much damage conspiracy theories - and what might be considered "alternative facts" (aka lies) - can do to the individuals and communities that carried away with such ideas.

The protagonist in this story is a survivor of the aforementioned era, and one of the false witnesses of the time - even though she was only a young child. Now a very damaged adult she lives in a constant stage of flux creating multiple stories and identities to keep people at a distance, whilst observing closely lives of others.
Until, that is, she discovers that someone has been observing *her* life at uncomfortably close quarters. Terrified that her past has caught up with her, she is determine to find out who is behind this. The problem is, there are any number of suspicious characters to be considered!

This is a gripping and well-told story, acutely observed in terms of human psychology. Not to mention, consistently entertaining. Victoria Helen Stone is at the top of her game with this book, and I recommend it highly to anyone who loves thrillers, or just enjoys an absorbing human story.. It gets 4.5 stars.

Bald-Face Liar is a gripping, fast-paced thriller that kept me hooked from start to finish. Elizabeth May has spent her life running from a dark past, but when a stalker starts tearing apart her carefully built lies, she realizes she’s not as invisible as she thought.

The suspense is intense, with constant twists that kept me guessing. Elizabeth is a strong, complex character, and I loved uncovering her secrets as the story unfolded. The paranoia, the mystery, and the shocking revelations made this book impossible to put down.

You may recognize this author from the fabulous revenge thriller, Jane Doe. I'm so thankful to have the opportunity to read Stone's newest thriller, Bald-Faced Liar. (My bad not knowing it wasn't bold-faced liar. 😂)

📖: Elizabeth May (aka Eliza, Beth, Bess...) has been living under the radar after a tumultuous childhood and currently stationed in lovely Santa Cruz, CA. Within a few days, Elizabeth meets a cute new guy, is sabotaged online, and wonders if someone is following her. Are these coincidences, or is something bigger at play?

🤝: This may be a good fit if you enjoy:
- "am I going crazy?!" psychological thrillers
- unexpected allies
- quirky little beach towns

💭: Bald-Faced Liars kept me guessing who was creating all the chaos in Elizabeth's life. I was mad and questioning everything right along with her. The reveal wasn't my favorite, but I like how everything wrapped up. This book would be a better fit for readers who read to be entertained rather than expecting everything to be realistic.

This is my second book by Victoria Helen Stone, and I'm officially a fan of her writing style. I enjoy her voice and snarky characters, and I will absolutely continue to pick up her books.

Thank you to Victoria Helen Stone, Lake Union Publishing, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ebook.

Guys.. you don’t want to miss this one!! Listen to this..

Our girl Elizabeth May.. Eliza.. Beth… What the hell is her name?! 😂 She has a little… problem… she lies a bit.. 😬🤫.. about her name.. profession.. her past.. you name it.. BUT she has a good reason.. 🤔.. or so she says… She had a traumatic past… annddd a stalker!! 😳😳😳… Or does she?? 😏

I had NO idea what was the truth… this seriously kept me guessing to the very end! The stalker vibes were off the chain!! This quickly got dark and terrifying. 😍 Things I loved…

✅ All the stalker vibes… it will have you checking the door locks 🔒 😳
✅ Dogs 🐕 Yes Please!!
✅ Beach 🏝 town living 🍹
✅ Gangsters 😳
✅Murder!! Yes your thriller loving hearts.. will be VERY happy 😂
✅ Date night takes on a whole NEW meaning! 😳😂I will NEVER forget that!

Okay that is a wrap!! A big 5 creeptastic stars!! ⭐️ If you haven’t read @victoriahelenstone’s books… you don’t know what you are missing!! She is the queen👸🏻of the revenge thriller… Jane Doe is one the best revenge books EVER in my opinion. That started my love of her books!!