Lies He Told Me
by James Patterson and DAvid Ellis
Pub Date: Sept. 30 , 2024
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
Ellis is a good writer!
An attorney and mother of two discovers her husband has a secret life—and it might cost them all their lives. Everyone in Hemingway Grove, Illinois, knows David and Marcie Bowers. David owns the local pub. Marcie is a former big-city lawyer who practices family law. When David jumps into Cotton River to save a drowning stranger, he’s celebrated as a hero. His muscled physique, shaved head, and piercing blue eyes are broadcast on every news outlet. For most people, newfound fame is a lifeline. For David Bowers, it’s a death sentence. For Marcie Bowers, it’s a test. A wife knows the difference between a loving family man and a cold-blooded assassin, right?
I was excited to see this one and was ready for a good read. Patterson and Ellis did not disappoint with this book, that is for sure. I kept thinking I had it all figured out and then another twist would pop up and I was all wrong. I really enjoyed this read as I know you will too.

This was one of the best crime thrillers I have ever read. So many twists, turns, and misdirections I couldn’t possibly have guessed at all of them. Very well written plot and story development with extremely likeable characters and a plausible storyline. The fact that Champaign, IL is my hometown and all of the little mentions of it and the University of Illinois were fun. Very quick read because I couldn’t put it down.

Thank you to the authors, NetGalley. and Little, Brown, and Company for the advance reader copy. This is my honest review. Publication date Sep 30, 2024

Wow! What a book! The twists and turns were so unexpected. This one kept me enthralled and excited to read the next chapter!! I love a good James Patterson book and this one was one of my favorites of his, ever!! A must read!

This was such a surprise! 

I love David Ellis, and I'll admit I don't normally read James Patterson often. But this duo sounded great (I read their previous book Invisible, which is why I picked this one up) and the plot sounded great!

Wheeeeeew. Right off the bat, you have short chapters, mysterious characters, mob bosses, and an intriguing plot that kept me hooked. There's something about these short chapters that was literally like crack. You wanted to keep reading and kept saying, "Just one more chapter!" Then before you knew it, you're halfway through.

Some parts felt super obvious, until you got to the end. There were so many layers to this, I loved the fast paced story and finding out who the heck David Browers was!

The onlyyyyyy complaint I have is that I wish some of the chapters had character tags, only because you have different POV and it's told in third person, it would have been helpful navigating the short chapters and different views about which character you were on.

Also, mini spoiler, I definitely thought the money was hidden at the bottom of the lake, that's why David saved the man... because if the car went down and sank, they would have had to send a rescue team and possibly seen the money.

But what a thriller! I will be reading this duo from here on out.

This book grabbed me from the start and I didn’t want to put it down. Lots of twists and turns and I didn’t know what was going to happen. Loved it.

A fast paced, action filled, suspense story that is impossible to put down. . Marcie and David Bower are married with two children and still crazy in love with each other. When David heroically jumps in a river to save a man he is hailed a hero, his photo is everywhere and his pub is filled with people congratulating him. But right after this strange things start to happen. Someone steals their dog for a day, their home is broken into, items turning up in wrong places. Enough to scare Marcie especially as Marcie would have said she knows David inside and out, and she’s caught him in a lie. What is happening and why is it happening? A start to finish winner of a book with great plot and characters.

James Patterson and David Ellis work well in this novel to create a interesting story. I enjoyed the overall feel of this book and how the characters felt like they were supposed to. It worked with what I was hoping for and enjoyed getting to figure out what was going on in this world.

When it takes me less than 24 hours to finish a book, I know it's a good one. I literally couldn't put it down. Fat paced, twists and turns all over. The characters bring out emotions, good and bad. Some you'll love and some you'll hate. But, I promise, if you want a good suspense, you're gonna love every page of this book!!

Thank you to Net Galley and Little, Brown and Company for gifting this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Classic Patterson. A twisting and turning storyline with unique characters.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/204744017

"Lies He Told" serves as yet another testament to James Patterson's unrivaled ability to captivate readers with his compelling storytelling. Collaborating with esteemed mystery author David Ellis, Patterson weaves a fast-paced narrative that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. Set in the quaint town of Hemingway Grove, the story revolves around David and Marcie Bowers. David, the proprietor of a local pub, and Marcie, a skilled attorney, find themselves entangled in a web of deception and uncertainty. As peculiar events unfold in their surroundings, the tension mounts, and danger looms ever closer. This novel is an absolute must-read, deserving of your undivided attention.

Thank you to Net Galley and Little, Brown and Company for the ARC to read and review.

This was an intense, fast-paced thriller that I didn't want to put down! The story was engaging and full of unexpected twists and turns.I loved the twisty plot and mini twists sprinkled throughout, and I know I will think about the book for a while! It was so suspenseful and exciting. I can’t wait to read another book from these two!

Being the huge Patterson fan that I am, I was excited to see this one and was ready for a good read. Patterson and Ellis did not disappoint with this book, that is for sure. I kept thinking I had it all figured out and then another twist would pop up and I was all wrong. I really enjoyed this read as I know you will too.

Marcie and David Bowers are pretty well known in the community of Hemingway Grove. Marcie is a family law lawyer and David owns a popular pub in town. Marcie and David have 2 kids together. They are both focused on raising their kids and managing their work life as well as possible. When strange things start happening in their home one morning, Marcie is wondering what in the world is going on. How could someone get in their house and move things around? They have a security system in the house but have not been arming it. They will now!

Marcie overhears David on the phone one night and what she hears is not something she expects to hear in a conversation by David. When Marcie confronts David about it, he blows her off and tells her the business is just having money problems. Strange things are still happening around them and Marcie sees cars sitting outside of their house that makes her nervous.

When Marcie gets a call that David has been shot and is in the hospital, she knows that she has got to get to the bottom of this and quickly. Marcie hurries to the hospital to see David before they take him into surgery. She doesn't get any answers though so she goes looking for answers in their attic. What Marcie finds out blows her mind and leaves her with unanswered questions. Has her whole life with David been a lie or is there an explanation for what she finds out? You will want to read this book and find out. So good and keeps your attention all the way through.

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book and all opinions are my own. Thanks to NetGalley, the aurhtor and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book.

I knew I had to pick up this book as soon as I saw David Ellis was a co-author! I actually haven’t ever read anything by James Patterson, but if all his books are this good, sign me up!

I was pulled into this story from the first chapter and it didn’t let me go until the last page. The twists were so well done and I kept thinking I knew what was going to happen…but I didn’t. There were sooo many small surprises that just kept catching me off guard and just added to the brilliance of this book.

The pacing was perfect, I loved the twisty plot and mini twists sprinkled throughout, and I know I will think about the book for a while! It was so suspenseful and exciting. I can’t wait to read another book from these two!

Thank you to Net Galley and Little, Brown and Company for this e-book in exchange for my honest review.

This is a fast paced novel, full of twists and red herrings. It takes a moment to fit all the pieces together and figure out who the players are and their complex motivations. Nothing is ever obvious. Every time I thought I had it, there was another twist.

So, not easy to put down, but all these twists took me to an ending that was not really comfortable. It was simply too complex and too unrealistic.

Thank you Netgalley for this interesting read.

Holy cow! This has so many twists, it has my head spinning. I was immediately pulled in and couldn't put it down. Very very good!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!

I've read Patterson's books for years but this new thriller with hot author David Ellis is out of the park! This book was fantastic. Fast paced and twisty in all the right ways. I loved it. I didn't see a lot of the twists coming and kept putting my Kindle down for a second when I was hit with another twist. I was surprised all the way to the end! Patterson is very formulaic in his stories and adding David Ellis to this one was a perfect blend. My only slight issue was there were a lot of characters to keep track of - FBI agents, cops, bad guys, lawyers, it was a lot. I know this one will be a huge hit! Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers and Ellis and Patterson for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I was given this book by NetGalley for an honest review-
Wow! Wow! What a book! Marcia is a lawyer and her husband David runs a pub. An accident happens and David jumps in it save a man,
But as he is celebrated as a hero others see his face on tv and now know where he lives. Marcia has no idea if the life her husband previously lived— was it a lie or Was he a hero? Grab this book for an exciting read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown for this book.

The book is told from several points of view which added so much to the story. It gave me a look at the minds and thought perspectives of each character. I especially loved the plot twist and the ending. I so totally did not see it coming.

James Patterson always surprises me. I read this book over the course of two days and lived it.

Highly recommend.

Somewhat of a familiar plot – man performs heroic deed, man becomes famous and in the news, man has his past surface that brings with it people trying to track him down.
I gave it the following SCORE:
Setting: Present day, small town in Illinois not far from Chicago
Characters: David Bowers, local pub owner, his wife, Marcie, an experienced attorney, their two children, and a great supporting cast of devious and ever-changing characters
Overview: David, Marcie and family enjoy the typical peaceful existence until David daringly rescues a drowning man in a car accident. David’s new fame does not take long to reach people from his past who want to find him for very good reasons. Strange, minor occurrences in their household alert them to something out of the ordinary going on and Marcie begins to realize that David may have had some secrets from his past. From there, frequent backstories contribute more clues to the mystery and potential danger that may not all be on David’s side of the equation. People, identities, and motivations constantly change in a well-developed storyline.
Recommendation: I rate this book 4 stars
Extras: Plot twists and character surprises are what make a book of this type so fascinating and keep the pages turning. Another good story by a very good author, David Ellis.
Thanx to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for the opportunity to provide this candid review.

A great book. I am a new reader of James Patterson’s but I have become a huge fan. I haven’t read a book by him I did not like.