*4.5 stars

Last year I wanted to read Emily Carpenter's, The Burying the Honeysuckle Girls, but never got around to it. So when I saw the many great reviews of her second novel, I clicked request on Netgalley quickly!

It did take me a few chapters to get into this. I didn't think I was going to like Megan. She complained about her mother a lot and I was hoping she wasn't going to be a pampered socialite. Her mother happens to be a famous novelist because she wrote a novel called, Kitten, 40 years ago. With the anniversary of the book coming up, Megan is propositioned to write a tell-all book about her mom. Megan has no problem doing this because of the strained relationship between the two. So Megan goes to Bonny Island, located in Georgia, to uncover secrets about Kitten. Was it written based on the little girl that lived there, who actually was the true killer, and/or did her mother fabricate the whole book or was she basing the novel on truth? Bonny Island is very isolated so its just Megan and a few inhabitants. This lends to a very atmospheric story. You really never know who to believe. Is everyone telling lies? You just have to read it to find out!

I thought this was written very well and it kept me glued to the pages.

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

Thanks for my copy, but I'm passing on reviewing this as it's not a good fit for me.

Thanks to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing and Emily Carpenter for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This was a good mystery with lots going on in the plot and characters. Meg Ashley is the mostly-estranged daughter of Frances Ashley who wrote a best-selling cult horror novel decades ago. Meg gets drawn into writing a revenge novel about her neglectful mother as well as digging deeper into the true events that supposedly sparked the story behind the successful novel.

Meg goes to a creepy island off Georgia where the story happened. Doro, who was Kitten in her mom's novel, welcomes her into the old hotel that no longer accepts guests. Doro pledges to help Meg in her quest to find answers as to the murder that happened so many years ago. However, as Meg delves deeper into the story, she finds that there are many suspects, including her own mother, and now Meg's own life appears in jeopardy.

There is a lot of action going on and there are alternating chapters from the old novel to add to the creepiness factor of the book. But this was a good ride and I couldn't wait to find out what happened!

The plot here seems super basic. Daughter of famed author explores secrets about her mother and whether or not parts of her most famous book are real crime. However, the plot is anything but basic. Alternating between the protagonist, and excerpts of "Kitten", her mother's most famous work, Carpenter weaves flawlessly leaving you wanting more.

I love that the characters are diverse and we actually get to explore issues minorities face head on. While this was not the main plot point, it was very well done and added value to the story as a whole.

It is fast paced and brilliantly written, I read it in two days and could have finished in one if my body allowed me to stay awake later. Really can't stress enough how well this was written. The switching in POV's could have really ruined this, but instead alternating with excerpts of Kitten added immensely to the reader experience. It brought light to the story in a really unique way.

Overall really impressive story.

I'm so glad that I picked this one up (that COVER just grabbed me) because it was so fantastic! It is such an engrossing read that I read it in a day. I could not put this book down. If I had to say it was like another book, I'd say there are some similarities to Night Film. It had a similar vibe - creepy, seeking to understand a creative dynamo, a mystery to be solved, etc.

What really stood out with this one was how beautifully written it was as well as how well developed the characters were. The sense of place in this book was absolutely stunning to the point that the island location in the book absolutely feel like a real place ... almost like another character in the book. The characters that grab you and don't let go are one of the things that made this book so unputdownable. They were complex and rich, making them really come alive for me. Nothing felt in any way artificial or unreal.

The plotting of this novel was so well done. It all came together so beautifully. It felt effortless to me yet when I think about the pieces and parts, I realize how complicated the plotting really was for the author. All in all, this is an excellent psychological thriller. One of the best I've read in quite awhile. Maybe since Night Film. I highly recommend this, particularly if you like dark family stories that you cannot put down!

This was a roller-coaster type of read that tackles the mother-daughter relationship and intertwines it with a forty year old book that was based on a true story. I selected this book on NetGalley purely because of the cover and ended up getting sucked in by the characters, the island setting, and the constant lies that spilled out from the pages. Read it today, you won't be disappointed.

An absolutely fantastic, complex, multilayered story.

Meg Ashley has lived in the shadow of her mother, and her mother's book, for her whole life. When first we meet her, she's the quintessential trust fund party girl; or at least she plays the part of one to mask the pain of waiting for her mother to be the mother she's always wanted. Then she's presented with an opportunity to explore this shadow that has hung over her life - and discovers a new side to not just herself, but to everything.

Emily Carpenter has managed to build an amazing story. Each chapter is preceded with an excerpt from Frances Ashley's book, Kitten, and while the book and the main story ratchet the suspense in harmony, the two voices are absolutely distinct and authentic. I've read a lot of that 70's-80's horror style and she nails it - and Meg's voice in the present day was also spot on.

I really don't want to spoil it for anyone, so I'll leave the plot out of it. But the way Emily Carpenter writes dialogue and people is just marvellous. When someone speaks, it sounds like an actual person talking - and hallelujah, a mystery that doesn't involve super handy but medically extremely unlikely memory lapses that hide the mystery from the reader. Building a mystery just by hiding important parts of the story is NOT a mystery people, just a jigsaw without all the bits. And this story builds a very satisfying and well-planned mystery without any of those terrible tricks.

An absolute stand-out, from an author I'll be sure to follow in the future.

<i>I was provided with a free copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher, in exchange for an honest review</i>

Betrayal, Secrets, and Lies... The perfect summer read!

The Weight of Lies by Emily Carpenter is a solid psychological thriller that is gripping, suspenseful and loaded with twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the end. The cast of characters are complex, disturbing, and questionable - and some are just downright creepy. This novel is part southern gothic and part "whodunit" murder mystery that begins on the road to revenge but ends in a way so unexpected, your jaw will drop! This is the most unique, well-written, book-within-a-book, thriller I have read in a long time, add in that stunning cover and you have the perfect novel!

I want to thank NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC of this novel.

The book grabbed me from the beginning. I really enjoyed it. Meg Ashley is the daughter of a famous novelist. Her relationship with her Mother is anything but happy. After several years of not communicating she decides to go back to NY to attend her Mother's birthday party. When she arrives there is no party and her Mother's longtime assistant has had a stroke and in the hospital. While in her Mother's apartment she meets her Mother's so called new assistant. The story has some interesting characters and the author does a great job with developing them. Meg decides to write a tell all book about her life growing up. You'll find suspense, mystery, danger, secrets and maybe a little love tucked in. I highly recommend this book. I did not want to put it down. I often try to figure out the villain but this book will have you back and forth. Thank you to Netgalley for a copy of the book for an honest review.

First of all, I need to say that I read and enjoyed Burying The Honeysuckle Girls last year. It was one of my firsts approvals ever on Netgalley and for that I'll always be grateful. However, as much as I enjoyed that first book, I think The Weight Of Lies is much better and it just proves that Emily Carpenter is a fantastic storyteller. I can't wait to read what she writes next! Although both books are southern-gothic tales, they couldn't be more different. The first was more of a slow-burning mystery, this one is all suspense and action. It's addictive, compelling and the last few chapters were completely crazy. I loved all of it.

The Weight Of Lies tells the story of a young socialite called Megan Ashley, daughter of famous best-selling author Frances Ashley. The relationship between the two of them has never been easy, so no one is surprised when Megan decides to write a memoir about her childhood and goes on to investigate the real crime that inspired her mother's most famous book: Kitten.

This is a book within a book, so we get to read one chapter from the actual story and then an excerpt Kitten. It works really well and this way, you know what the characters are talking about when they describe the Kitten phenomenon. And Kitten was surely gripping (at least, that's how I feel about the parts we got to read), but the present story was the real gem here.

The setting was my favorite part: Bonny Island, Georgia. I could feel like I was there with the characters, and the hotel made for a really good book location. Emily Carpenter has written a complex and fascinating mystery with plenty of red-herrings and moments where characters say things like: "You have no idea of what's going on here" (I honestly felt my heart racing at that moment) and scenes where there is so much tension that you need to breathe in and out to relax.

I was never sure about my suspicions and I kept changing my theories with every new chapter. So, even though the last chapter felt a bit rushed, I finished the book with a big smile on my face. I knew this would be one of the best books of the month. And not that it needed it, but there was a nice twist that I never even considered (although once you start thinking about it, it makes total sense).

Started off well enough, but I just could not get into it. Skipped to the end and was unimpressed. I'll read what she writes next, I think she has potential.

Here is a book to add to your summer reading list STAT!

This story follows a gal named Megan who has a strained relationship with her mother Frances. Frances is a world-renowned author who has written the murder mystery "Kitten" and has little time for Meg. Meg is raised by the help, and away at boarding school. Lots of scandal surrounds her upbringing and she decides to write a tell-all about growing up with her mom and that is when crap hits the fan, without spilling the beans and giving away all the plot twists, I'll leave it at that.
I had two working theories and one ended up being right. I would definitely recommend this book to lovers of a good mystery and a quick read.

"Ambletern was a different sort of place, a house brimming with history and secrets and promise. A house where things happened."

This book has some excellent elements mixed with some really terrible ones, it adds up to a mystery that is only OK, but is worth a read if you want something fairly frivolous and not too in-depth.

The Weight of Lies takes a while to get going, the first part is mainly about Meg's relationship with her mother, and is very Mummy Dearest but without a compelling enough relationship to make you want to read on. I didn't really connect with Meg at all, there's no depth to her, she's supposed to be spoilt but there's nothing much underlying to connect to.

However, once she gets onto the island and stops whinging so much about her mother the book gets going. It becomes a bit more classic thriller, with a small set of characters in an isolated location. You don't know who to trust and there are a lot of secrets slowly revealed which I liked.

There are twists, some of which I didn't see coming, and the tension definitely ramps up towards the end.

I like the way Carpenter inserts segments from the novel Meg's mother wrote, Kitten. Frankly, I'd rather read that book than The Weight of Lies; a creepy child, ancient legend, mysterious death in a secluded hotel, it's right up my street, very Stephen King.

There are some excellent elements in The Weight of Lies but the writing lets it down, and there are unnecessary chick-lit additions and a rather lack-lustre love affair which just did not have any passion or tension whatsoever. There are also some spectacularly cringey lines.

"He had a jaw like a scythe and eyes that I couldn't look away from."

Good grief.

But, if you clear all the cheese, overly dramatic cliffhangers and poor little rich girl story, there is a good, strong thriller underneath.

Rating: 2.5/5 (rounded up to 3 stars for Goodreads and NetGalley)

I received a copy of The Weight of Lies by Emily Carpenter via NetGalley in return for an honest review. My thanks to the author and publisher.

A HUGE round of an applause to Emily on this beautiful masterpiece! It was a slightly slow start but once I got into it, I couldn't put it down! Full review to come!

You must plan on picking up a copy of The Weight of Lies for your summer reading must haves! You will not be able to put it down! (just remember to flip if you are out reading in the sun!)
This book is about murder, family drama, love and so much more!
It all began when Meg's mother Frances was 19 years old and she stayed on Bonny Island for a summer. She left at the end a literary star for writing Kitten which turned into a cult classic! The 40th anniversary of the book is around the corner and Asa (a literary agent) sought our Meg to write a tell all and basically let out all of her mothers secrets.
Meg decides that she needs to visit the scene of the crime for the summer and she will never forget it (and not in a good way!). She's threatened, stalked, almost bitten by a snake, kidnapped and that's not even the half of it!
I really though I knew what happened and then my theories were blown out of the water all the way till the very last page!

As often happens, I merely skimmed the description of this book and basically picked it up because of another blogger's raving review. I had no idea what I was getting myself into but I was pleasantly surprised as this is one heck of a ride.

Meg is living a life of privilege, thanks to a bestselling horror novel her mother wrote decades ago. But the relationship between mother and daughter has always been rocky and when Meg gets the opportunity to write a tell-all memoir, she sees it as a chance to break free from her mother once and for all.

At the heart of The Weight of Lies is a gripping murder mystery. But after all these years, the why and the who remain a bit of a question mark. Considering events happened on a tiny island, you wouldn't expect a long list of suspects and yet I didn't trust anyone, I suspected everyone and still got it wrong in the end when I was slapped in the face with an incredible twist.

But this novel is more than that. It's about the weight of lies. Yes, apt title. It's about secrets, age-old skeletons in closets and family. It's deliciously spooky and creepy and so very gripping. The author manages to create a multi-layered and complex plot that never gets confusing. I loved the additions of parts of the novel Meg's mother wrote and the whole concept of a book within a book.

This is one brilliantly constructed psychological suspense novel and you, yes you, should definitely give it a go!

The Weight of Lies is a slow-paced thriller that tells the story of Meg Ashley, the daughter of the best-selling thriller author of the book "Kitten", Frances, and their strained relationship. While Meg has grown up enjoying the benefits of being the daughter of a millionaire, her life is far from the perfect one that pictures seem to show. Meg has always had a bad relationship with her mother, and has never been able to cope with being labeled and thought of as "the daughter of" throughout her teenage years. Now an adult, she has distanced herself from Frances, but when the news of a birthday bash for Frances arrives at the hotel she's staying in for her holidays, she decides to come back home, only to find her life flipped upside down when Asa, the apparently new agent of Frances, makes her an offer very hard to refuse: to finally expose the horrible childhood Meg had and how horrible of a mother Frances has always been in the form of a book.

My need for Meg to uncover the truth about what had happened to the kid who had been found murdered is what kept me hooked till the end, and as much as I tried to guess at who had been responsible for the murder, I was gladly surprised by that revelation.

Never has a book title been so relevant as to the actual plot of the book. It is indeed a book about someone trying to uncover the truth fom a web of lies that seem to only grow bigger and bigger with every page turned.
This book was gripping and intriguing, even though it took a while for things to get going, and I think Emily Carpenter could be one of the names to look out for in the future when speaking about the suspense/thriller genre.

“You tell me a story, you weave me a tale” You had me at Kitten!

After a devastating fight between an overwhelmingly narcissistic mother and a trust fund daughter, Megan has not seen her mother Frances in over three years. Brought back to her mother’s home in New York under a false pretense, Megan is encouraged to look into her mother’s successes and into a potential coverup regarding her mother’s famous cult classic Kitten. In the story Kitten, there is a murder and a devestating web of lies. Are they true? Megan travels to find out the truth and expose her mother for the fraudulent icon she plays in real life.

The Weight of Lies is one of the most uniquely written thrillers I have read in a long time. Each chapter is cleverly juxtaposed with snipits of the mother’s book Kitten giving you a small glimpse into the book question as the main story unfolds. The characters are authentically developed and very relatable with makes this book easy to read. The story has such a spell-binding plot that I am sharing only the skeleton of the novel. You can fill in the gaps when you read this book!.


Thank you Netgalley and Lake Union Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

My Review of "The Weight of Lies" by Emily Carpenter

First I would like to thank Lake Union Publishing, NetGalley and Emily Carpenter for an ARC (Advanced Reading Edition) of "The Weight of Lies" by Emily Carpenter for my honest review.
The genres of this novel are General Fiction,(Adult) Women's Fiction, Mystery and Thriller. The timeline of this story is told in the present with references to the past. Most of this story takes place on Bonny Island, Georgia.
I like the way that Emily Carpenter fits all these genres in the novel. I also appreciate the unique and intriguing way that she tells the story.
The characters are complex, complicated, quirky, peculiar, and at most times not likeable. There is betrayal, secrets and lies. I would consider most of the characters capable of doing something disturbing, and self serving. The motivations of some of the characters are questionable.
Meg is the daughter of an author who has a book that has a cult following. This book will be 40 years old. The book reads like a mystery and thriller, and is supposed to be fiction. Meg goes to Bonny Island to write her own book of her life and her mother.
Meg discovers secrets and lies and starts to belief that this might be a true crime novel,based on real murders on this island.
There are twists, turns and surprises in this story. The ending is something that I didn't expect. I look forward to reading more books from Emily Carpenter.