I found this book very hard to stay with. The writing is acceptable, but the story just doesn’t flow well. The present to past flashbacks were not sufficiently correlated and early on in the book, I was a bit confused as to what was happening or did happen, in relation to what I had just read.

Claudia, the protagonist and her boss, Philip were the only characters that had any depth. Claudia's addict sister, Gina doesn’t add to the story in any meaningful way. The only character who was relatable, fun, and lighthearted was Sir Evan Evans.

I'm not a fan of foul language in my books, yet can tolerate a little. This book was replete with f-words, distracting from the overall reading experience.

Unfortunately, the ending was a cliffhanger that simply didn’t work. I didn’t find myself pining for the next installment, as any good cliffhanger ending would do.

I did give a second star for a marginally good plot, even though it did not come together as well as I hoped.

Thanks to #netgalley and #LittleBrown for the advance reader copy, in exchange for my unbiased review of #TheGoodLiar

Denise Mina’s *The Good Liar* is a captivating psychological mystery that hooks you from the start and keeps you guessing. The story follows Dr. Claudia O’Sheil, a blood spatter expert whose testimony helped convict a killer for a brutal double murder. Just as she’s about to give a big lecture to forensic experts, she discovers the real killer is in the audience.

As Claudia prepares for her talk, she grapples with the choice of maintaining a life-saving lie or coming clean for justice. The tension builds through her memories and moral dilemmas rather than graphic violence. While some side characters could use more depth, the core story remains engaging. Ultimately, *The Good Liar* is a thought-provoking look at guilt and the lies we tell ourselves, with Claudia as a memorable character facing everything on the line.

Blood spatter expert Claudia O`Sheil`s evidence put a killer behind bars. But now she learned that her evidence and testimony were wrong. So does she continue to keep quiet or tell the truth? Also the murderer is still out there. I loved the multiple timelines, which helped keep it so suspenseful. This book shows the power of the rich and what they can hide and get away with. The writing was strong in this novel and the character of Claudia was complex. This was a great book and I need to read all of the author`s previous books!

Mina’s 2019 crime thriller, Conviction, was one of the first books I remember really liking from this genre. I’ve sought out and read several since, and she has such a unique and compelling approach to story telling. Her female protagonists tend to have this unapologetic, raw tone.

We have Claudia O’Sheil, a recently widowed forensic scientist who is thrust into the middle of a high profile, gruesome double homicide straight from the jump. She is forced to juggle her personal life, her grief, her two teenage boys, her struggling sister and now this case. The pacing shifts, the time jumps from the present to a year ago, yet it all works. The book as a whole was a satisfying and fun read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’m sure I’ve liked everything I’ve read that Denise Mina has written, although off the top of my head I can’t name any titles…but I was happy to receive a copy of her latest, The Good Liar, from Little, Brown/Mulholland Books and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I love mysteries, almost never guess the ending, and appreciate strong female characters. Check, check, and check! The female in this one is a professor whose expertise focuses on blood spatter (eewww,how do people get into these specialities? Yesterday I spent an hour listening to a trial with an expert on dog bites – or “canine dentition.” Anyway, Claudia O’Neill is just about to give a talk to a very distinguished audience about her most famous/notorious case: the “Chester Terrace murders.” And unlike previous presentations, she is resolved to finally tell the truth.

The storyline revolves around the fact that rich and powerful people actually can keep the truth hidden due to their wealth/position/whatever.

There are multiple timelines, but it’s not a challenge to follow. It’s suspenseful and kept me turning pages (figuratively) right until the end. Great portrayal of the “elites” who seem to often get away with murder. Recommended! Four stars.

The Good Liar is yet another intelligent mystery from Scottish Denise Mina. I don’t believe that Mina has written a book that I have not found wonderful, and here, again, she shows me why Mina is one of my favorite authors.
Mina began her career writing two absorbingly intense (but often humorous) mystery series. First Garnethill (1998, 2000, 2001) with three titles and then the Paddy Meehan series (2005, 2006, 2007) with three titles. She won the Edgar and Anthony for the middle book in the Paddy Meehan series, The Dead Hour, along with other awards and nominations for her works, too long to list. If you have not read these series, you are missing some of the best novels in the mystery genre. When people ask me about my favorite writers – Denise Mina always makes the cut. (If you love Louise Penny, you will also love Denise Mina)
Here, with a stand-alone novel, Mina deals with the topic of forensic junk science. Our heroine, Claudia Atkins O’Sheil, is England’s premier forensic scientist, specializing in blood-spatter analysis. After a wealthy man and his fiancée are brutally murdered with no clues left behind, Claudia’s work on blood-spatter plays a big part in charging the wealthy man’s son. But following a series of strange revelations, Claudia believes him to be innocent and her “science” flawed.
At the same time, Claudia begins to wonder about her husband’s accident when another friend dies in the exact same manner. The book opens a year later with Claudia about to give a speech about this case at the Royal College of Forensic Scientists in London– will she reveal her findings about what really went on and destroy the lives of everyone around her or will she carry on with her part in the cover up?
The Good Liar is a taunt thriller about privilege, power and in the end, morality. Mina once again cleverly brings the reader into her world where murder is only the step-off point to delving into life’s meaning and purpose.

My rating: 5 of 5
This ARC title was provided by Netgalley.com at no cost, and I am providing an unbiased review. The Good Liar will be published on July 29, 2025.

We have to trust that the judicial system is based on truth. They want us to believe that it’s never about wealth, power and prestige. It makes us wonder how many people are wrongfully convicted of murders and sent to prison for years. I suspect it may be a shocking number.

Professor Claudia O’Sheil was about to present her findings of a highly publicized murder case based on forensic analysis to an audience of influential scientists and leaders in London. However, before this happened, readers were given the back story that led up to this point.

The author described the characters and scenes as if you were watching it on a screen. Claudia had a complex life with financial issues. Her husband recently died from a car accident working on legal case and he left her with bills and grief. It affected her two boys and sister as well.

I read this on the edge of my seat with a trail of deep deception from the high courts. It’s graphic with the description of dead bodies and realistic with a dialogue that includes strong emotions.

I always wonder how much truth there is in a story about a criminal case. It certainly seemed believable. Did the title give the plot away? You’ll see. I really didn’t want the book to end.

My thanks to Mulholland Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book with an expected release date of July 29, 2025.

In THE GOOD LIAR, written by Denise Mina, Doctor Claudia O’Sheil prepares to give a speech about her most famous criminal case, murders that occurred two years earlier at Chester Terrace. Instead of offering scientific evidence that helped convict the murderer of Jonty and Francesca in what is called The Incident at Chester Terrace, she has other plans. I want to know what Claudia ends up speaking about. What are her other plans?

I like the premise of this story, but for me, it is an unfulfilling read. There is an abrupt change in the direction in the plot early on in the book that I find confusing at first. When I see where the story is going, I’m frustrated. I realize it is going to take a while to get to the answer to my question. The plot is too slow-moving for my liking, and the narrative is too wordy. Despite my dissatisfaction, I am willing to read something else written by this author. Thank you, Little Brown and Company and NetGalley, for the chance to read and review an advance reader copy of THE GOOD LIAR.

Denise Mina has become one of my favorite mystery writers. This book centers around a scientist who is a blood spatter expert. She is called in for her opinions after a murder of a father and his fiancee. Her testimony turns to be flawed after new reseach has been found. Her choice-does she stick with her testimony or does she admit the mistake and ruin haer career and family?

This was a twisty thriller that moved at a quick pace. Even though the storyline goes back and forth in time, it is easy to follow. The characters were well-defined and colorful. If anything, I wish that story were a little longer because I can only imagine the next scene. I will keep a lookout for this author in the future.

Review of Digital Galley Edition

Professor Claudia O’Sheil, a blood spatter expert, is set to speak to a distinguished audience about her most famous criminal case: the Chester Terrace murders. She’ll outline the facts and explain how her scientific evidence helped secure the conviction of a brutal murderer.

But Claudia is wiser today than he was then and she plans to deliver a different speech . . . despite the devastating fallout, she’s going to tell the truth.

=========

The unfolding narrative has less to do with the actual crime than with corruption, with the rich and powerful convinced they can keep the truth hidden simply because of the power they believe they wield. Claudia, the main character in the telling of this tale, comes to realize that she can either be truthful or she can be caught up in the web of lies perpetrated by the entitled wealthy and elite. What will she choose to do?

Plot twists abound; this unique and absorbing tale keeps readers guessing even as it keeps those pages turning. This captivating thriller, with its present-day tale balanced by a look into the past thanks to its dual timeline, keeps readers well-informed. Tension permeates the telling of this tale, filling each page with suspense and trepidation.

Readers who enjoy tales of families and power and conspiracies will find much to appreciate here as the story races toward a denouement all readers are anxious to reach.

Highly recommended.

I received a free copy of this eBook from Little, Brown and Company / Mulholland Books and NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving this review.
#TheGoodLiar #NetGalley

It’s been a while since I’ve read anything by Denise Mina, but I’ve liked the ones I’ve read. I’m adding this one to the list. The plot was solid, the characters fully fleshed out. Dr. Claudia O’Sheil is about to blow the lid open on how her forensic evidence falsely accused a man and led to his conviction in a double murder one year earlier. Claudia was behind a blood spatter analysis program that became the industry standard and was a key component in the case. Now what she has to say will destroy not just her life but that of several others.
The story veers back and forth between the present day and the time of the murder investigation. It moves at a nice steady pace and there’s a constant underlying sense of tension.
Mina’s writing is descriptive without being overly wordy - that ability to nail a character or a scene in just a sentence or two. The book delves into class, corruption and power.
Claudia is a great main character. She’s dealing with her husband’s untimely death and some serious family issues. And she’s finally trying to grow the spine she lacked the year before. She let herself get sucked in by her ego, her desire to maintain her reputation and a lifestyle she’d never had before. It’s unclear until the bitter end whether she’ll have the strength to do the right thing.
This will not appeal to those that want their mysteries to be all about action. My one complaint was that Mina wasn’t consistent about using first vs. third person narration.
My thanks to Netgalley and Little, Brown & Co for an advance copy of this book.

Are you looking for your next thriller? Watch out for The Good Liar by Denise Mina. It's available this summer. This is one you won't want to miss.

I am a big fan of Denise Mina but this novel was a big disappointment. The story line was blurry and I could not follow the explanations and the character relationships, I majored in English and taught it. I adore the British novelists and read a huge range of literary genre. Mina uses the third person at times and then seemed to switch…this choice created many instances when I often could not discern who was speaking. The mystery of her husband’s death was so vague and I thought it was solved too abruptly. She claimed they were divorcing but gave no reason. Her sister’s addiction was never fleshed out and her relationship to Charles was left undiscussed. Unfortunately, the book ends with a bit of a cliffhanger… not an ending I liked at all.

The Good Liar is a tense well paced read that captured my attention from beginning to end.

Dr. Claudia O'Sheil is a well renowned blood splatterer that is called to a brutal double murder at Chester Terrace in London.

The case is being handled with kid gloves as the upper echelon of the police do want any mistakes like the Lord Lucan fiasco.

The book is told in two timelines where Claudia is about to blow up not only her world but many others.

The past takes us back to the investigation at Chester Court and all its complexities.

Denise Mina has woven a suspenseful story that shows both good and evil and that keeps you guessing.

I could not put the book down , read it one sitting and am still thinking about The Good Liar.

Hiighly recommmend you grab your copy and settle in for a roller coaster of a read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for the privlege of reading and reviewing The Good Liar.

Claudia Atkins is a forensic scientist who has been taken to find the murder of an engaged couple, found slashed to death in their London home. Claudia's life is further impacted by the 'accidental' death of her husband James. She seeks the help of her colleague Sir Philip Ardmore, and close friend Charlie in solving the murder case, and the clues point to the slain aristocrat's son. Claudia disagrees with this conclusion, and encounters many lies and misdirection through her investigation. Denise Mina is masterful in tying loose plot threads together in this gripping novel.

The Good Liar by Denise Mina is an interesting mystery, and the premise is intriguing. Claudia, a blood spatter expert, grapples with the morality of her flawed testimony in a high-profile murder case. The setup offers a lot of potential tension, and the idea of someone in the audience being the real murderer is a captivating hook.

However, for me, the pacing felt a bit off. It took me a while to get invested in the story and the characters. There were moments when the narrative dragged a bit, leaving me wanting to skip ahead to the more engaging parts.

Overall, The Good Liar was an engaging mystery with some good plot twists, but was a slow burn for me.

#NetGalley @littlebrown

It took me a bit to get into this one, but as the story progressed I began to really appreciate and enjoy it. It's a crime procedural novel highlighting corruption and how progression in how crimes are analyzed can affect individuals who have been wrongly convicted. While this novel is suspenseful it is also moving and thought-provoking. I really couldn't wait to read the ending to find out what Claudia ended up doing.

Thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company | Mulholland Books for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Good Liar begins as Claudia O’Sheil, a forensic scientist who has developed a program to analyze blood splatter, is about to give a speech. This speech will reveal the truth behind the wrongful conviction of an innocent man over a year ago. His case focused on an horrific crime. Jonty, a wealthy English nobleman and his fiancée were savagely stabbed to death, Claudia arrived at the scene with Lord Philip Ardmore, her mentor and superior, just as Jonty’s nephew was quickly, perhaps too quickly, arrested for the crime. Claudia knows that procedure has not been followed. She soon realizes that she has stepped into a spider’s web of deceit, political intrigue, financial misconduct and murder. Claudia is still grieving the death of her husband eight months earlier. Although his death was ruled a suicide, Claudia believes he was murdered because of He was investigating an offshore corporation with deeply concealed owners. Her sister Gina, an addict, is using again and stealing from her until she disappears. These themes twist around each other until a thought-provoking conclusion which makes you wonder how far you would go to uncover the truth?

Denisa Mina has delivered a compelling multilayer thriller that asks more questions than it answers. When is a gift considered a bribe? How does political ambition affect others? How far would you go to protect your career…or your family? The Good Liar will stay with you long after you finish the final pages. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Little, Brown and Company and Denise Mina for this ARC.

Many thanks to NetGalley for the early ebook copy of “The Good Liar” by Denise Mina! Having read several of Ms. Mina’s previous thrillers, I was eager to read “The Good Liar” and it did not disappoint! We begin the novel with Claudia O’Sheil, a highly regarded forensic scientist, contemplating sabotaging the careers of herself and her boss by revealing an error that has resulted in the imprisonment of an innocent person. But is Claudia correct - or simply paranoid? She has been dealing with so much: difficulties in her marriage followed by the unexpected loss of her husband, a sister in and out of rehab, and the needs of her two young sons. Plus Claudia feels very insecure in her social status, particularly given that her boss is Lord Arthmore. We go back and forth between two timelines: at the time of the murder Claudia is called to investigate; and a year later, as she prepares to reveal a secret that will end her career and her life as she knows it. This is a complex and engrossing plot! I started the book in the afternoon; and woke up in the middle of the night thinking about it and had to finish it! This was a 4-star read for me, and I would highly recommend for those who like thrillers/murder mysteries/police procedurals! ! Thank you to NetGalley for the advance ebook! #TheGoodLiar #NetGalley