I didn't know what to expect coming in. I'd heard of (but never read) the author, so I was an open canvas. Well, this was pretty good, and the author has a new fan. The characters were real, flawed, and had their dirty sides exposed. The moral dilemma facing the MC was well-documented, and the journey which led to the dilemma was compelling and kept my interest.

Recommended. Will I read more from the author? Yes.

I received a complimentary copy of the novel from the publisher and NetGalley, and my review is being left freely.

'The Good Liar' by Denise Mina is a sharply intelligent and morally layered thriller that pulls the rug out from under you at just the right moment. At its center is Dr. Claudia O'Shea, a respected forensic scientist who has built her career on groundbreaking blood pattern analysis. As she prepares to deliver a prestigious keynote speech, a single moment of doubt cracks her confidence - and threatens to unravel everything.

What unfolds is a slow-burning psychological suspense novel told in dual timelines: Claudia in the present, questioning the evidence that brought her fame; and the events leading up to the murder of a wealthy man and his fiancee that sparked the case. Mina excels at building tension not through violence or spectacle, but through conscience, class dynamics, and scientific ambiguity. Claudia is a compelling and deeply human protagonist - brilliant, flawed, and grappling with whether speaking the truth is worth the personal and professional fallout.

The novel also delves into the uncomfortable relationship between expert testimony and justice, raising haunting questions about who gets believed, who pays the price, and who walks away unscathed. Mina's prose is confident and elegant, and she keeps readers on edge without relying on cliches or easy twists.

The pacing lags slightly in the middle, and some of the supporting characters could have been more fully developed - but the final act delivers a satisfying, earned conclusion that lingers.

Big Denise Mina fan and I really enjoyed this book. The narrative alternates between a speech that Claudia, a forensic scientist, a recent widow, is going to give that will blow the lid off a big, high-profile case and then chapters of that look back at the case, its investigation and the possible cover up.

I liked that it alternated between "will she give the speech???" and "why is she giving the speech??." Quietly yet relentlessly suspenseful, it was a little different than the Denise Mina books I've read in the past, but I really enjoyed it.

This is a fascinating story of a murder that may impact the political career of Claudia as she battles her opponents but realizes there may be a set up in the works. It's a great convoluted story that had me overthinking each wrench thrown in the story! It may have you re-thinking a political career!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

New evidence in an old murder case will force a forensic scientist to make an impossible choice- If she admits that her research is flawed-old cases may have to be reopened and her own reputation and career will most definitely be ruined.-Will she expose the truth?

Doctor Claudia O’Sheil is approaching the podium at an elegant fundraiser, where she is expected to give a speech about how her forensic science evidence helped convict a killer, one year prior, in her most famous case-“The Incident at Chester Terrace” a brutal double-murder which captured headlines.

She has two speeches in her folder-
Which one will she give?

The prologue tells you, she will come clean.

But is she a reliable narrator?
Does she have the courage to do so?

I requested this, curious to find out.

The present day is interwoven with the past narrative which eventually reveals what actually happened the night of the grisly double murder.

And, in the final chapter, when Claudia steps towards the podium-we will learn what she has decided, and what has motivated that choice.

The book is only 272 pages, so the pace is quick. It seems like Claudia moves from one conversation to another so there are lots of characters that you don’t get to know very well. I prefer more character building, so while I enjoyed the premise-it’s not a book that will leave a lasting impression on me.

TW: Graphic description of a family dog killed, Crass language

Available July 29, 2025

Thank You to the Novel Suspects program and Mulholland Books for the opportunity to try this “NEW TO ME AUTHOR “.
A gifted ARC was provided through NetGalley and as always-these are my candid thoughts.

.What a rollercoaster! This dual timeline crime novel had me on the edge of my seat. I honestly didn’t know how it was going to end. I had mixed feelings about the FMC, Dr. Claudia Atkins O’Sheil! One moment I was pissed at her and the next I was rooting for her. This was my first read from Denise Mina, I’ll definitely be picking up more of her books. Shoutout to NetGalley and Denise Mina for sending this eARC over! Loved it!

While the premise was intriguing, I decided to give this 3 stars.

I was interested in the choices Claudia would make and how she ended up in this predicament to chose between right and wrong in the first place. However, I ended up skimming parts and finding myself not excited to continue reading at certain parts where the murder wasn't the focus.

The murder itself was captivating -- two wealthy, well-connected members of society murdered and the science used to put the killer behind bars was recently revealed to be junk science. Everyone seemed so happy to quickly wrap it up with a bow that there wasn't much push to dig in further.

However, I found the society standards and connections hard to follow and since I'm not as familiar with them they felt a bit far-fetched. I also didn't find some of the character connections to be strong or believable as the story went on.

I have had Conviction, another one of Denise Mina's titles, on my to-read list and I do still plan to read it because while this story didn't blow me away, there is definitely potential for me to fall in love with her writing style!

Thanks again to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for providing me with a digital review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of Denise Mina’s latest book The Good Liar. I’ve been a fan of her writing for years. This one did not disappoint. Exceptional writing, great characters and always a twist. I really enjoyed it and would recommend to all.

I love psychological thrillers and Denise Mina will be an author I will add to my list. The Good Liar’s main character is a forensic scientist specializing in blood spatter. Her testimony on a previous case help send a man to prison. Did she make an error in her report? Will she a year later recount her findings? What actually happened with her husband’s death.? Wealth and power are pivotal in this storyline.. This is definitely a page turner but I did get bogged down with the foul language.

Thank you NetGalley for letting me read the ARC .

I've become a Denise Mina fan! She's got various writing styles and this one was up my alley - complex legal thriller... unfortunately I struggled with getting through this one-maybe my mindset, I don't know. Kind of guessed the outcome although I never let myself think about this. I'm still here for the next one!

Have read many books with some nasty characters but this book was really dark. I could not like any of the characters which is rare for me. The story was intriguing which kept me reading it.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

In The Good Liar, Denise Mina crafts a taut, cerebral thriller that pulses with moral complexity and forensic intrigue. Set against the polished veneer of London’s elite, the novel follows Dr. Claudia O’Sheil—a blood-spatter expert whose career-defining testimony helped convict a man for a brutal double murder. But as she prepares to give a celebratory speech before the Royal College of Forensic Scientists, Claudia is haunted by a devastating truth: her evidence was wrong, and the real killer may be in the room.

Mina excels at building tension not through bombast, but through psychological excavation. Claudia is a compelling protagonist—brilliant, burdened, and increasingly unmoored as she unravels the conspiracy she once helped construct. The narrative toggles between past and present, slowly revealing the night of the murders at Chester Terrace and the web of ambition, grief, and manipulation that followed.

What sets this novel apart is its interrogation of truth itself. Mina doesn’t just ask whether Claudia will come clean—she asks what it costs to do so when your entire life is built on a lie. The stakes are deeply personal: Claudia’s reputation, her family’s security, and her own sense of self hang in the balance.

With elegant prose and a scalpel-sharp sense of pacing, The Good Liar is both a gripping mystery and a meditation on complicity. It’s a story about the lies we tell others—and the ones we tell ourselves to survive.

A must-read for fans of forensic thrillers who crave more than just plot twists—they want ethical whiplash.

I really enjoyed this complex book. The author did a great job bringing the often-flawed characters to life. The main character, Claudia, is a recently widowed woman who has multiple family problems. Her professional and social aspirations are challenged, and she has many ethical issues to resolve. There were many characters, and I was happy to be reading the book on my kindle so I could easily refresh my memory when they re-appeared. I found that this book was not the typical mystery/thriller but had a lot of substance with the issues raised in the book. I think this would be an interesting choice for a book group discussion. I enjoyed the many twists and turns in the story. Highly recommended!

If you appreciate complex characters and the tough ethical decisions that they face, this is the book for you. The characters in this novel are not boilerplate crime characters; there is a depth and heft to their personalities and their actions. An excellent exploration on the role of truth in our lives and the corruption of greed.

The Good Liar
By Denise Mina
Pub Date Jul 29 2025
Little, Brown and Company Mulholland Books

NO SPOILERS
My first book by this author and there will be more! I love the cover. I’m a huge fan of book covers. I do not do spoiler reviews. Everyone’s perception is different. I received a copy from Little, Brown and Company, Mulholland Books, and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This book is very suspenseful, which is one of the main components I look for in a storyline. There are a few timelines which are easy to follow. One concept that’s proven (in a book) that rich people can hide behind their power and wealth who can get away with murder.

If you like suspense genres that will keep you page turning pages, I definitely recommend reading this.
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

I enjoyed this book, but it didn’t quite work for me. I liked the gritty noir element and, in Claudia, sometimes even saw glimpses of my all-time-favorite Mina heroine Maureen O’Donnell: both troubled and trouble (to those who deserve it and perhaps to the people who love and worry about her). But Claudia’s motivations felt too murky, rather than conflicted, and her character didn’t feel properly fleshed out. I felt blindsided often by other people’s assessments of her after spending almost the whole book inside her head: that her son (and reportedly her late husband) thought her a social climber; that her addict sister thought that she invited chaos, which I found a strange thing for an addict to think about another person. The upper class stuff also didn’t feel ethnographic or satiric enough, unlike say in Charlotte Vassell’s books, and the developments there seemed to be dictated by the plot.

Thanks to Little, Brown, and Company and NetGalley for letting me read an ARC of this book. 3/5 stars.

I received a free copy of, The Good Liar, by Denise Mina, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Is Dr. Claudia O'Sheil a good liar or not? Did she send an innocent man to prison with evidence she provided? I did not care for the language in this book, This book was a little to dark for me, the characters were not nice at all.

This is really a good twisty tale of lies and greed. Claudia, a respected scientist, is caught in the middle of fraud and murder. She is aware that revealing the truth about either will put her career and her children at risk.

As a forensic scientist, she has realized that her analyses are flawed. She also realizes that both she and her children are being manipulated by the man who has given her financial security. As the plot moves forward, Claudia becomes aware that deaths surrounding her are not accidental.

She is faced with a huge decision. The reader will be drawn into her moral and ethical dilemma. For those of us that love a good mystery, this is a fine choice.

I thank Netgalley for the opportunity to enjoy this compelling story.

A page turner I loved it and will recommend this read thank you for allowing me to read it I didn’t want it to end

This was a first for me by Denise Mina and let me tell you, it will not be the last! I love the way this was written. It kept me hanging on chapter after chapter. It was a fast paced thirller and as soon as you thought you knew what was going to happen, TWIST. Never saw it coming! THank you Denise. I cant wait to read another one from you!!!