Star rating 3.5.
This was definitely a thrilling ride. It was reminded me of the Mindf*ck series with the FMC. The romance hooked me out of it unfortunately. Insta love. I enjoyed the first half more than the second half.

In Hiding Lies, we follow Lydia, a forensic photographer tasked with documenting a gruesome crime scene at a remote campsite. A possible serial killer may be lurking, ready to strike again, leaving behind a sinister message in photographs. Lydia feels an unsettling connection to the killer through this message, and as more of her own dark and tragic past is revealed, her obsession deepens. Then she meets Adam, someone she finally feels a genuine connection with.

From the very first page, this story grabbed my attention. It’s fast-paced, high-tension, and told from the dual POVs of Lydia, the crime scene photographer, and the killer. While the plot kept me engaged, I found myself wanting more depth from both the story and its characters. Please check content warnings before reading.

Thank you NetGalley and Death by TBR Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Publication date : Sep 9, 2025

Hiding Lies is a romantic suspense that pulls you in from page one and doesn’t let go until the very end. Stephanie Rose blends swoony romance with just the right amount of tension, making it impossible to stop reading “just one more chapter.” The chemistry between the main characters feels natural and electric, with banter that made me smile and moments that genuinely tugged at my heart. I loved how the mystery thread kept me guessing without overshadowing the emotional core of the story. The pacing is perfect—action when you need it, tenderness when you crave it, and a payoff that’s worth every page. Rose’s writing is warm and addictive, making you feel like you’re right there alongside the characters as secrets unfold. If you love a story that mixes danger, heart, and hope, Hiding Lies is an absolute winner.

If you've got a true crime obsession and a love for dark romance, this could be your perfect book! Especially for fans of You or Dexter.

Hiding Lies - Stephanie Rose
⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (3.5)

Synopsis:
Lydia sought a career in forensic photography to help distract her from her traumatic past. She has finally been assigned to the ultimate case: a potential serial killer. She strategically inserts herself into every area of the case that she can to feed her morbid fascination with the case and with the killer themself. As the case awakens something in her, she will have to decide whether to stay true to morals and the justice system or to give in to her dark urges.

Review:
I have mixed feelings about this one. Told in a dual POV, I was very interested in the relationship between our two main characters and how their traumatic pasts shaped who they became in adulthood. I enjoyed how the author made a nod to her online bookstore, “Death by TBR Books.” Unfortunately, this got old quickly as it was mentioned numerous times. That distracted me a LOT from the story and hindered my enjoyment, as the dialogue felt unnatural at the cost of name dropping. That really is my only complaint though! “Hiding Lies” features a fascinating story line that includes a peek into a serial killer’s psyche. It’s dark and macabre, and appeals to that morbid fascination within us. Stephanie Rose is a writer who I will certainly be reading more from!

“Hiding Lies” is out on September 9, 2025!

❗️Content warnings: SA, neglect, child abuse, child SA, death of minors, gore, animal neglect and abuse, DV

I want to highlight a heavy content warning for child SA. If that is something that bothers you, it is intense in this book. Please keep that in mind.

Thank you to NetGalley, Death by TBR Books, and Stephanie Rose for a ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

Absolutely fantastic twisted horror story absolutely recommend you will not be disappointed

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read and review this book

I was not able to push through for this one. The writing didn't work for me, the insta love didn't work for me and just the overall vibe didn't do it. I had to DNF.

This read like a fan fiction that wasn’t given a second glance before publishing. Everything was too simple. I don’t understand why this has so many good reviews when good books with this same plot exist

This was so poorly written that I only made it to page 20. The sentences were wayyy too simple and start and stop. There was no pacing and no flow to the book.

Actual rating of 3.75

Lydia Walker is a forensic photographer who has just been making her way through life overshadowed by the trauma she experienced as a child. When a new case comes in it reignites her spark for life, and when she meets someone who she feels might finally understand her darkness, her life feels like it's been lit up like a supernova. As the murders keep ramping up Lydia will be forced to make a decision, give in to her darkness or uphold the justice system that once let her down.

I had originally requested this when it was first released, I was knocked back, and I'm okay with that as I was accepted for this version of the story, the author preferred version. I really loved the way that this story went, so I'm kinda glad that I got knocked back for the previous version, though I'll admit, I am curious to see how the two differ from each other. I do have an old copy of the book in my house I'm pretty sure, so I'll have to check it out.

I'll admit, I didn't like Lydia for a good portion of this story, though as the story progressed, I feel like I understood her a bit more and why she was the way that she was. I ended up really rooting for her in the end. I feel like that shows the ability of a writer, when they can take a character that comes across as so unlikeable and make you end up liking them. I'm curious to know whether I'd have felt the same with the original iteration of the story. This was told through alternating POVs of Lydia and Adam, the killer. We get to see Adam go from his first murder through to the rest, I loved that we got to see him from the beginning and get an inside look into his motives and thought patterns. The relationship between these two characters was unique and it really did raise some valid questions of what you would do. There were different situations that arose that really made Lydie look at herself and what she should do. I thought I had it all picked, but then the story went in a direction that I wasn't expecting which was great.

All in all, this turned out to be more enjoyable than I thought it would be when I first started. It was darker than what I thought it would be which was a pleasant surprise, and even though I went into this not knowing how I felt, I left it feeling super satisfied with what happened and liking a character that I initially didn't. A true testament to Rose's craft as a writer. If you want a dark serial killer story that has a unique feel to it, give this one a go.

Oh, man. I wasn’t ready for this rerelease to wreck me all over again. The new ending? Yeah… I’m still side-eyeing it, but damn if I don’t love this book so fckn much.

Honestly? I hate the new ending. But hear me out—if only I hadn’t read the advance copy of the original release. Regardless, I’d still be slapping five stars on this in a heartbeat.

This thriller follows Lydia as she falls in love with Adam a serial killer whose methods I found disturbing especially when he targets innocent victims as well. It felt like the author softened his character towards the end by changing his MO to make him more likeable cause he turns out to be animal lover. But it didn’t fool me.

These two main character both have gone through terrible pasts so there is child abuse in this book.

The ending left me shocked it was quick and satisfying. I liked reading this thriller. It kept me hooked!

Rating: 3.25/5

This was a really interesting premise for a book. I liked seeing the perspectives of the two MCs and watching how the story unfolds. I think there’s a lot of added tension, particularly in the beginning, by having the forensic photographer and the killer have their own POVs. I liked the fast pacing of the story and the descriptions. There’s a lot of really beautiful nature imagery, and the gore is described just enough to be creepy but not overly done. I wanted to keep reading to see if my theories were correct, which they sometimes were.

However, I thought that the characterization could’ve been a little stronger: more showing rather than telling and a little bit more to the characters to make their actions make more sense. A lot of their characterization comes from past trauma and how they cope now. I felt like sometimes it could be hard to believe that they felt a certain way or did a certain thing (I’m being vague to avoid spoilers), but more info could’ve helped explain those things better. I also felt like the reason for the murders could’ve been developed a bit more.

I did find the ending a bit abrupt but preferred the direction it went in. It was more satisfying than a different ending would’ve been, so I think the author’s choice to rewrite the ending was a good one (I don’t know what the original ending was but like the current one).

Overall it’s a good fast paced thriller with a great setting and a lot of good tension. I think I just needed a little bit more for the characters or to have to suspend my disbelief a little bit less.

Thank you to Net Galley and Death by TBR Books for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

I can’t say that I really enjoyed this book so much as endured it. The story, and the matter-of-factness that the characters approach their actions with-is quite traumatic and bleak. Nonetheless, it held my attention to the end. None of the characters were likable but the rage was understandable. I’m giving the story itself 4 stars, but I wouldn’t revisit this one.

A bloody good time!

Lydia is drawn to crime scenes. It’s why she became a forensic photographer. She is fascinated by the gore, the methods, and the mind of the criminals who commit the murders she captures on film. She’s particularly interested in this newest serial killer’s work. What is his reasoning? Why is he picking his victims? Who is he?

Our author, Stephanie, doesn’t make Lydia a one-dimensional character. Despite Lydia’s interest in bloody murders, she knows no sane or normal person feels the way she does. But Lydia also has a history that formed and shaped her view of the world, and it is not a pleasant one. It’s painful and traumatic-leaving scars that never truly healed.

The author also gives us a MMC, Adam. On the outside, he’s a polite, quiet individual who’s always willing to help out someone with advice and recommendations. But under the mask lies an angry and bitter man who can’t stand the false veneer of perfection that plagues society. He won’t abide by lying and deceit, and is determined to ride the world of it, one step at a time.

And when Lydia and Adam meets, sparks fly and things become unhinged-despite conflicting feeling arising. And the ending? A cathartic bloodbath.

This one was a solid slasher book and gets my seal of approval.

ARC REVIEW -

What do you get when you cross a serial killer and forensics photographer? A wild ride. You can’t NOT feel for the main characters of the story. Lydia and Adam were a pair made in hell but at different opposites of the morals spectrum who had more in common than what they thought. The twists and turns kept me turning the pages and as a true crime junkie I’m a fan. The pain each went thru totally supports their POV for their actions and I love how Stephanie wrote them.

BLUF: serial killer + forensics photographer + dark hobbies + trauma bonding + good VS evil VS moral

Thank you to NetGalley and Death by TBR Books for an ARC! Comes out September 9!

I feel really awful about this because I hate being negative about ARCs but I just DID NOT vibe with this book at all. It made me angry and was honestly misleading. I need writers to stop hiding their dark serial killer romance stories behind the guise of a psychological horror. PLEASE.

The book follows crime scene photographer Lydia, who becomes obsessed with the ‘artistry’ of a new serial killer in town. She’s a sociopath, he’s a sociopath, they both love photography and have tragic pasts so boom, they’re a match made in hell. But there is so little complexity in their characters or thoughts. I see people comparing this to Dexter, which is a much more compelling portrait of a serial killer, where is he plagued by his past and his clashing objectives. There is no complexity to Adam or Lydia, and there is certainly no complexity in the way law enforcement is treated: a system that fails kids and is full of bureaucratic idiots. These things may be true, but we never get any more insight into this or even a glimmer of nuance. It’s cut-and-dry.

Ultimately, Hiding Lies is full of plenty of gore, but the real horror is in Lydia getting turned on over the dead bodies of some kids.

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this book.

What attracted me most to this book was the fact that the author is a librarian, bookstore owner, and now published writer. Working in the library system myself, I loved the opportunity to support another women in this field.

That being said, I ended up rating this book 3 stars. It follows a FMC forensic photographer with a dark past who is drawn into the investigation of a serial killer. It definitely gave a Dexter vibe (minus the serial killer with morals). I have seen other reviews were people mentioned the romance happened too fast, but I disagree. You get pretty far into the book before there are any interactions between them. But when it happens, it definitely happens.

Stephanie Rose did not hold back when it came to some parts. The topics can be heavy for some, and mild for others. It just depends on what you can handle. It is always encouraged to read the trigger warnings.

Overall I think this author has a lot of potential in this field, and will only get better with more practice. I'm excited to see how her writing evolves in the future. If I had to give some critique, it would be that the inner dialog of the FMC and MMC felt a little too similar, and the conversations with other characters came off as scripted. At times it did not flow as smoothly as others, but the overall plot allows you to look over the minor things.

If you're into horror, or looking to try something new then maybe you would be interested in this :)

Flat and undercooked. The twists try to be clever but don’t land, and the emotional beats feel forced. But the short chapters and fast pace make it a breezy read when you want low-stakes drama.

Lydia, a forensic photographer with a haunting past, finds herself working on a disturbing case involving the murder of a couple who were out camping. During the investigation, she meets Adam. There’s an instant connection between them—something refreshing and unfamiliar to both.

As the body count rises, it becomes clear that a serial killer is on the loose. Lydia is there to capture the crime scenes through her lens, while Adam remains a steady presence, offering support whenever she needs it.

At just 240 pages, Hiding Lies is a gripping, dark, and fast-paced thriller. I was completely drawn into the story—from the chilling plot and intense investigation to the layered romance and compelling characters. It was such an engaging read that I couldn’t put it down. I especially appreciated the dive into the psyche of both the killer and Lydia herself.

If you’re a fan of Dexter or enjoy dark thrillers with a psychological edge, this book is for you.

Note: The book does explore some heavy and disturbing themes. I’ve listed specific content warnings in the comment section below for those who would like more detail.

A truly intense and addictive read—dark, immersive, and unputdownable!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers and author for this ARC.