Review: ONE PERFECT LIE by Lisa Scottoline

My heart did not drop from my throat throughout this novel. That is how highly the suspense is tuned. Author Lisa Scottoline successfully brings her trademark talent of bringing readers into the plot and setting subtly, enwrapping us unaware, so that we must see the plot through to its conclusion. The theme here is domestic terrorism, horrifying in itself. To see the ways in which formerly innocent individuals trap themselves in crime is also terrifying, and the last-moment suspense blows the reader away

Lisa Scottoline spins a rattling yarn in this fast paced psychological thriller. Chris Brennan is a highly personable and charming man applying to be a high school government teacher at Central Valley High School and to be the assistant baseball coach. He seems to be the perfect and ideal candidate but Chris is gifted in the art of deception, a man with a plan, a dark and deadly agenda. The narrative is delivered through multiple perspectives but primarily focuses on Chris.

Whilst Brennan has engaged in extensive research on the school prior to getting the job, he needs much more information on students and he is aided by the propensity of openness and over sharing by young people on social media. He is running classes that add to his knowledge of the qualities that students possess. He is paying particular attention to three teenage friends and members of the baseball team. Raz Semetov has recently lost his father to cancer, jordan Larkin's father has played no role in his life, and Evan Kostis, whilst being attractive, popular and rich, is highly secretive. All have fractured backgrounds, rendering them vulnerable. We are given insights into the mothers, Susan, Heather and Mindy. Not all the teachers take Brennan at face value. The tale eventually reveals a sinister and horrifying plan with echoes in recent American history.

This is a terrific thriller that keeps you gripped with its compelling plotlines and twists although it feels uneven occasionally. The strength of the book lies in the characterisations which keep the reader hooked with the lies of Brennan, how he immerses himself in the school and the community, and the secrets of the boys and their families. This is an entertaining novel that is full of intrigue and suspense in true Lisa Scottoline style. Thanks to Headline for an ARC.

I have read and enjoyed a couple of this author's books so I had high hopes for this one. I was especially quite intrigued by the blurb as it sounded quite different to the books I have been reading recently.
So, Chris Brennan goes for a job as a high school teacher. He has an ulterior motive though which soon has him scoping out certain members of the baseball team. It becomes apparent quite quickly that Chris is there to do a little more than just teach and coach and, as the story unfolds and starts to give up small parts of the puzzle that is Chris, it all starts to come together.
I was swept away by the story initially and followed meekly as the author took me down certain roads, but it was not until a couple of key pieces were uncovered that made me go back and reassess certain assumptions that I had previously made, that I soon started to see the bigger, rather shocking picture.
We meet quite a few characters on our journey, all of them came across as quite real and on the whole credible. The main ones were easy to connect with and that always makes for a better read for me. Obviously some are more open than others but hey, that's true in life too so why not fiction?
Having recently just been to the States to watch my first live baseball match, I was especially interested in the baseball parts of the book. Don't worry, for those with no interest in the sport, they don't overshadow the book at all; I just liked the connection I made with it.
The three boys that the story focuses on are all from different backgrounds. They have different home lives, have suffered different things, and have different relationships with their respective family members. We follow each boy and their mother too and get a glimpse of what life is like for them. I am usually bad with a lot of main players in a book but each character was well drawn and distinct enough so I didn't have any trouble distinguishing them and remembering who went with who!
Pacing was also good. It starts off quite slowly with a bit of scene setting and character development but when the action starts, it goes off at a pretty fast, action packed pace. This is also where Chris really holds his own. And that's all I will say as to explain would provide spoilers. It all culminates in a rather thrilling finale which left me breathless as it wrapped up.
All in all, another great book from someone I now have on my watch list. Must revisit her back catalogue and fill in my gaps.

My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.