Imagine the man you love being not only convicted of murder but confessing to being a serial killer including the murder of you best friend. That was the position a nineteen year old Alison found herself. Unable to handle it she left Ireland and never looked back telling no one in her life about her dark past. While her boyfriend and love Will is convicted and sentenced to life. Until ten years later the killing start again. Now the police need to talk to Will but he will only talk to Alison. So for the first time since her world was blown apart she returns to her home and faces everything she ran from to try and find the truth. But what is the truth and what will it coat her to find it? Catherine Ryan Howard spins a beautiful web of a story that has you searching for the truth and the twisted truth revealed at the end will shock you a new and leave your head spinning. I really liked this story and got through it in two days. Looking forward to more from Catherine Ryan Howard.

I had read Distress Signals (review here) and really enjoyed but I have to admit when I read the opening chapter of this I was hopping around. Because this was fully up my street, heading more into the territory of everyday psychological thriller (kinda Kathryn Crofty for anyone who read her, for those of you who are fed up of me comparing everyone to her, I’m sorry, but she’s my holy grail in psychological thrillers to date).

Our protagonist, Alison Smith, has been called back to Dublin to talk to her ex boyfriend, who is in a psychiatric hospital after admitting to the murder of female students of St John’s University, ten years ago. With a new killer repeating history Will is saying he has information that he will only tell her. Here is a book that sends you around in circles and back again. You wonder via both Will and the detective on the scene (who actually I wouldn’t mind seeing more of) if there is any chance at all that Will could be innocent and your eyes search out every single word trying to figure out if you’re right or wrong. You also have to take into account that at the time Alison and her best friend Liz, were going through tumultuous times and we wonder why we need to know this ( I guessed why totally wrongly a number of times!!).

I loved both the detective aspect of the book-the perfection found in the expertly done ins and outs of the system (expected of course, from someone who wrote the mecca of all writing manuals, the ‘Self Printed’ spoken of here ) and also the cautionary aspects in terms of social media and student life too (a number of ‘what the frig’ moments in terms of getting information really got me). I hated/ loved following victims knowing where it was leading and wanting to help them, but being unable to (um, because it’s a book and not real life;)).

I have to admit one part that I didn’t quite need was the dark voice of the ‘baddie,’ but that’s just because in general I feel that unless they’re adding something significant to the book by showing us either an actual justification for the crime, or how they do it in a way the protagonist/ police can’t, then they’re just adding a ‘scary’ voice that isn’t necessary (this is more than likely totally me though!). The other thing was the last portion of the book which wasn’t quite for me, after the slow burn the sudden crazy drama just didn’t resonate and when I realised there was so much more to go I guessed the ending. Saying that I loved the book, the everyday, the twists, the turns, setting, marking Catherine Ryan Howard for me as a definite ‘straight onto the to be read list’ author. Thanks so much to Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for this book in return for an honest review.

Rating: 4.5/5

The Liar's Girl is good escapist reading. It is a quick read, perhaps even a little rushed at times, Ms. Howard made the police just a little too incompetent for my taste. The characters are well drawn, not extremely compelling. The Heroine wasnt really that likeable for my taste, which is why I resented her sudden skill at crime solving. Ms. Howard uses a technique of multiple viewpoints, also not my favorite. All in all, I think her writing style and my reading preferences werent compatible. If you are looking for a day's light escape reading, you may find The Liar's Girl a fit.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this book in return for my honest opinion.

This was the first book I have read by this author, I cannot believe I haven't heard of her, tis was a great book. I will definitely be reading more books by this author.

Alison left and started a new life when her boyfriend turned out to be a serial killer and her best friend was one of his victims, she is called back to hear his confession to help solve similar "copycat" murders, she agrees reluctantly. The first of this book was a slow burn to the many surprising twists and turns, it set out the details and gave us a feel for our characters, building to a surprise that I didn't see coming. I love when I cannot solve the case myself. Great book and great creepy read.

Well that was a bumpy ride.

Will Hurley- The Canal Killer, Murdered his girlfriend's best friend, Liz when he was about 19 years old. In a pych ward in stead of a prison. He claims he is innocent and will only speak to Allison, so the Gardaí go find Allison and bring her to him.

Allison-Ex girlfriend to Will. Forced back to Dublin where it all happened due to Will wanting to see her to prove his innocence because of a copycat killer. She does not believe he is innocent and does not know how or if she can help him. She starts to believe towards the end that she ended putting Will in prison because of her statement all those years back to the Gardaí.

This novel kept me guessing all the way through. At one point my mind was like could Allison kill her best friend? I especially loved the ending of the novel, that was a huge twist that I did not see coming. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel.

Thanks NetGalley!

The Liar's Girl starts out slow, but hang on because it's definitely worth the read. This book is creepy, gripping, and will leave you guessing until the end.

Many thanks to Catherine Ryan Howard, Corvan Publishing, and Netgalley for the free copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review. Typical Whodunit-man in jail for serial murder but he says he didn't do it. He needs someone to help him prove it. The twist is that he gets his exgirlfriend to support him. She battles shame and guilt the entire time. The main issue is there seems to be a copycat killer after ten years. I liked this book. The paranoia of the female character pored off the page. I was never quite sure how to feel about the boyfriend prisoner, which I think was Howard's point. The reader is left to the very end asking if he's guilty. Also the author takes the reader back in time and we watch the college relationship develop between these two up to the arrest so he seems more human and genuine. It gave him a soul and led the reader more toward doubt. I'd enjoy reading more Howard.

This book begins slowly, but stick around. Slow-building but gripping with a little bit of a creep factor, it leaves you guessing the entire read. I was expecting to be surprised by the ending, but had some theories... I was wrong. I love being wrong! The story shifts from the past to the present... the present Alison is a woman who has tried her best to leave her past behind. She moved to the Netherlands from Ireland ten years ago, desperate to escape public scrutiny and judgement. She never really did anything wrong, but when you're the ex of a serial killer... people talk. Ten years ago, she was just a young woman in love with a charming, handsome guy. She had no idea she was in love with a murderer.

Ten years later, it's beginning again. Young ladies are being stalked and drowned in the Grand Canal. Yet the Canal Killer, Will Hurley, has been locked up for the last decade. The similarities to the crimes cannot be ignored, and it isn't long before the authorities go to speak to Will. Clearly he hasn't been escaping during the night and committing these terrible crimes himself, but does he know who is? A former accomplice, an admirer? He refuses to speak to them, demanding to see his old love. Ali is the only one he'll talk to, and he insists he has a lot to say.

Ali reluctantly agrees to go back, but is understandably not thrilled at the prospect of dredging up the past and seeing her first (and only) love again. Does Will have information that can save some of the girls, or is he just toying with her and using the only card he has left?

I received an ARC of this book from Net Galley and Blackstone Publishing, thank you! My review is honest and unbiased.

So I guess I don't really need to sleep. After picking this book up there was no sleep to be had until I finished it. If you are looking for an edge of your seat, hold your breath, are you sure you know who did it kind of book I can't recommend this book enough!

Catherine Ryan Howard takes her readers on a suspenseful journey in which the the story along the way is even better than the final destination. In college, Alison dated a boy who confessed to being a serial killer. She moved out of the country to restart her life, doubting her decisions all along the way. When similar crimes start happening again, detectives ask her to come back to talk to her old boyfriend. Amidst the danger, Alison has to decide whether she believes he was innocent all along. And who is killing young female college students?

I really wanted to love this book. But I didn't.

Don't get me wrong, this wasn't a bad novel. But it wasn't as exciting as I wanted it to be. 

I really liked that the story flitted back and forth in time to pull the story together. I thought both time points were super interesting, which is something that happens quite rarely for me. 

However, I thought the pacing for this book was slower than what I would have liked and some of the character interactions were a little too forced to be realistic and believable. I also didn't think there were really enough twists to keep me interested. I also didn't think that the resolution to the story and the ending worked well for the story; it just didn't live up to my expectations.

This is a slow-burner of a thriller, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it wasn't what I was hoping to see. I thought it was an interesting case but it didn't have enough twists to keep my interest. For those reasons, I'm giving it 2/5 stars.

I struggled with this book. I found the alternating timelines to be confusing as there didn't seem to be logical transitions. I also had a hard time connecting with Ari so again I struggled with caring if she found out the truth about Will. As far as her helping the police, I had a very hard believing they would give her all that access, show her interrogations, give her files, drive her to witness visits, etc. All this came across very unrealistic and I couldn't maintain interest in the story

Sometimes you just need a good murder mystery and this was that for me! I was so intrigued by the case of Will, was he wrongly accused, or is he a really good liar? And what about the girl who loved him?

Intriguing and twisty! Loved it!

4.5 *s. This thriller pulled me in and get me reading. While Alison was in college, a string of girls were killed by the "Canal Killer". Her boyfriend Will is accused of the crime and jailed in a psychiatric hospital. Years later after Alison has put this behind her, the killing begins again. Alison is forced to see Will again and becomes increasingly involved in the investigation.

Thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for sending me an e-copy to review.

This book was very good. I read it in 2 days. Love the Author. Only gets better. Run...to buy this book. Highly recommend!!!

Psychological thriller, Liar’s Girl, is a stand alone novel by talented author Catherine Ryan Howard. The book alternates between past and present of our heroine, Allison’s, life and the events that haunt her. I was engaged and found myself eager to switch back and forth to figure out “who dunnit”.

Allison was a freshman student at Dublin University, who ended up getting caught up in a series of events leaving her destroyed. She thought Will was the love of her live while he confesses to murdering a series of women. He became known as the Canal Killer and she became known as the naïve girlfriend of a serial killer. Devastated and humiliated she flees from her home, the media and public to start a new life.

But when two Garda (police officers) show up on her doorstep her past and future collide. A new series of murders are happening back home and are, suspiciously, exactly like those Will confessed to years ago. The police want information from Will but he won’t speak to anyone but Allison.

I liked Allison. She’s vulnerable, tenacious and faced her inner fears. I also liked the majority of secondary characters, though Will fell a bit flat for me. I guess I was expecting more excitement from their interactions during the visits to the mental hospital. But meh, it still worked out.

While I definitely enjoyed this book I wasn’t blown away. There was a slow build up and there were a couple of times that I was just a teeny bit close to putting the book down. But it definitely picked up and I was pulled in. So, stick with it! I do want to mention for those of you that don’t like flashback style of stories… I have to give the author big thumbs up here. It can be difficult to pull off smooth transitions, while maintaining context, but the author did this beautifully! It kept me interested and eager. That’s what pushed it up to 4 stars for me!

While the theme is a bit redone and story started off slow this did end up being an enjoyable read. I’ll be looking for more from Catherine Ryan Howard!

College freshman, Alison, can't wait to attend college with her best friend Liz. Shortly after starting school, Alison meets Will, a charming, handsome man and they quickly start dating. Alison is enamored by Will, and hates being apart from him, even though it's caused some strain with Liz. 

When women from the college start turning up dead, the campus is in a frenzy, and the police are on the hunt for the Canal Killer. When Liz ends up being one of the murdered women, Alison's life changes forever...especially when her boyfriend Will is implicated in the murder. Ultimately, Will confesses and Alison is in a state of disbelief. 

Ten years later, Will is locked up in a mental hospital, but women start turning up dead again, in the same way as before. Will tells the police that he has information that can help them, but wont talk to anyone but Alison. Dragged back into her past, Alison can't believe Will when he professes that he was innocent - that he was coerced into confessing. 

Is Will telling the truth? What really happened ten years ago, and why has it started happening again? Alison is determined to find out. 

The premise of The Liar's Girl was instantly appealing to me, and I wasn't let down! The book had my interest from the very first page, and sucked me into the world of Alison and Will. The book was told through alternating time periods, Alison in the present and Alison in the past, so the reader is able to slowly understand how everything happened ten years prior, the dissolution of Alison and Liz's friendship, and the relationship that develops between Alison and Will. This format worked really well for this book, and I loved being able to see what happened in the past and relate it to Alison's present. 

The book was tense and fast paced, which I really enjoyed. As more women turn up missing or dead, the tension increases as the police (and Alison) scramble to figure out whether or not Will is involved. As the pieces of the puzzle started to fall into place, I was really happy with how things played out. I absolutely loved the ending of the book - I was expecting one final twist, but expected it to be something different, so I was glad to be caught off my game! 

All in all, I loved this book and would definitely recommend it to fans of the psychological thriller genre! I've had Catherine Ryan Howard's book Distress Signals on my to-read list for a while, so now I'll have to move it up and read it sooner! I'd like to thank Netgalley and Blackstone publishing for my copy of the book. It was my pleasure to provide an honest review.

2,5 Stars

„The Liar’s Girl“ is definitely a slow burner. I had some problems to find my way into the story and unfortunately I never connected with the main character, Alison. I found her extremely immature and stupid. As a girl she was naive but as an adult she is very stubborn and never moved on with her life. As her mother tells her later in the book she somehow never got beyond the 19year old version of herself.

The book itself is a solid and not very twisted psychological thriller. The story headed in a different direction as I expected and I was pleased with that.Unfortunately I cannot add more on the plus site. I must admit that I expected the final “twist”. It was quite obvious. I am not sure if I am just that good or the plot was just not constructed properly and clever enough. I am afraid it is the second.

I really loved the author’s first novel “Distress Signals” so I was really looking forward to “The Liar’s Girl”. But it did not meet my expectations. The pace was very much on the slow side and I constantly rolled my eyes because of Alison. There are a few things I don’t think fit very well together. Also the way the Irish police works seemed to me quite strange. Alison solves the case by herself easily because she has access to all the files and Malone takes her with him to investigate witnesses. Seriously?? There are also some things regarding Liz or Alison's parents that are not really deepened. Towards the end I got annoyed by Ali’s constantly self-talking. The story is a bit of a mess. Overall I must say I am a bit disappointed. But I am glad I had to change to read this book and would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free copy.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this great suspense novel. I was hooked from the get go and did not expect that ending at all. I enjoyed this book and recommend it. Catherine Ryan Howard thank you for a great read.

This book had me hooked from the beginning. Started a bit slow but hang in there it gets so much better! Great book! Definitely would recommend !!