The Good Liar by Catherine McKenzie is set in Chicago beginning on October 10 when an office building explodes due to a gas leak killing 513 people including Tom, Cecily’s husband. The story is alternately narrated by Cecily, Kate and Franny. All three are keeping secrets; some more serious than others. All three have told lies; some more serious than others. About 1/3 of the way into the story I got a sense that one of the narrators was not to be trusted which added to the suspense as the secrets were slowly revealed. Who was the good liar? Who told the biggest lie of all?
If you enjoy a good mystery with unreliable narrators then you will want to pick this book up on April 3, 2018 on its release date!

5* Riveting Stars

This story was very well written and flowed well. It is told from the perspectives of three women whose lives were tragically altered through a major disaster. There were plenty of twists and turns throughout the book which made for compelling reading especially the ending which I did not see coming.

If you enjoy a story that is fraught with lies, secrets and deceit on so many levels then do hesitate to read this page turning read.

The characters were very real and some of them likeable and some not. This is my fist book by Catherine and it will definitely
not be my last read from her.

Thanks to Lake Union Publishing and Netgalley for allowing me to read and review this wonderful book.

This book comes out the beginning of next month and believe me, you are going to want to read it!

An explosion in a building in Chicago, causing great loss for so many people. Cecily Grayson loses her husband in the disaster and becomes a poster girl for the tragedy when a picture is taken of her being lead away. The photographer begins a documentary on the tragedy with Cecily being one of the main focuses. Cecily was late getting to the building that day and she is hiding a secret as to why.

Cecily is part of a coalition to divvy out the money that has been sent in to the different families involved. She is working with Franny, who is the daughter that one of the women gave away for adoption years ago. She had just met up with her mother, Kaitlyn, and no one had even heard about her yet. Franny is a little unhinged, to put it mildly, as we soon discover with her interviews.

We also follow the story of Kate, a woman who fled to Canada after the explosion. Running away from her family and starting over again isn’t as easy as she thinks, especially when she reads more about Franny.

So many lies. So many twists and turns. I was not expecting a few of them at all. And the then epilogue makes you go hmmmmm…. The characters are flawed, human, afraid. The line between hero and villain is a very tight walk. You may wonder who is reliable, the lying will do that to you. I found myself drawn to Cecily’s struggle and when the truth comes out, my heart broke for her. A lot of weight was put on her shoulders. Such a good read.

I received a copy of this wonderful book from Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing and I can’t thank them enough.

A building in explodes in Chicago, killing hundreds of people and altering the lives of three women forever. Secrets and lies are exposed as we find out which one is the Good Liar, page by page. The Good Liar was a hard to put down, stay up all night, mindblowing book! Lots of twists and turns that had me guessing to the end!

What A Ride. Let's put it this way: I finished this 41 chapter book in less than 24 hours. The summary had intrigued me, and the story itself didn't let me down. I was 20% through the book without realizing it and felt like I had barely scratched the surface (and at that point, knowing what I do now, you really *have* barely scratched the surface). Easily one of the best of the now 25 books I've read in 2018, which is saying quite a bit.

A very interesting tale of three women who are forever connected by a major disaster.

This book absolutely had a lot of parallels to the tragedy of 9/11 and it got me thinking that there were no doubt stories behind those who passed that day as well.

Cecily has lost her husband in the tragedy that struck Chicago, a fire that claimed over 500 lives, in the building where he worked. Their marriage had some secrets, and some of them died with her husband.

Kate flees from Chicago.....but she can't flee from herself.

And Franny is desperate to find out more about the birth mother she never met.

How these three women's lives become intertwined is the basis of this story, and it is a good one. It is a cautionary tale too, to live your life as honestly as you can because lies tend to catch up with you eventually!

The author does a great job of making lots of twisty tales make sense and come together in the end.

Highly recommended book from me, 4 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing. All opinions expressed are my own.

I’ve always been fascinated by liars, why people lie and what causes people to lie. Do we all lie? This fascinating, sophisticated domestic/psychological thriller story of three women intertwined but also living their own lives had me wondering until the end and wondering how far people will go to keep secrets. I love when I can’t or don’t want to figure out the end because it’s such a great story and I don’t want ruin it with my own head spinning with wonderment because the story is SO GOOD.
“A year later, Cecily is in mourning. She was supposed to be in the building that day. Instead, she stood on the street and witnessed it going down, with her husband and best friend inside. Kate, now living thousands of miles away, fled the disaster and is hoping that her past won’t catch up with her. And Franny, a young woman in search of her birth mother, watched the horror unfold on the morning news, knowing that the woman she was so desperate to reconnect with was in the building.”
I loved these characters, even when things are revealed where I probably shouldn’t. The author is brilliant in this way. The story lines is in the voice of the three women intertwined. Suspense, drama, tragedy, love and lots of emotion had me saying things like,”No way!” “OMG” and “WHHAAAAT?” and loving every minute of it. Catherine McKenzie tells a fabulous story. It’s a page-turner, a late night under the blankets until the last page with a huge cherry on top of it all and a whoosh of air I blew out. I sat a few minutes after finishing just in awe of what a great book it was. 5 stars. Go get it, you won’t regret it and you’ll be telling all your book loving friends! I am.
Thank you #netgalley #catherinemckenzie #lakeunionpublishing

Fast-paced and chock full of surprises, Catherine McKenzie's latest novel is sure to please fans and readers alike. The Good Liar follows characters Cecily, Kate and Franny, three women brought together by tragedy and long-held secrets. With twists and turns you won't see coming and a surprising (but oh so satisfying) ending, the book is one that can and will be read in one seating. Bravo!

Wow - just when I thought I had things figured out the story would unveil another deception! I loved that this was NOT a predictable story - it was filled with so many lies, betrayals, and secrets. The book is told from the perspective of the 3 main characters - Cecily, Kate, and Franny - after the "Triple Ten" explosion that destroyed a large building, killing hundreds of people. It highlighted small, life-changing events that could have meant a very different outcome (a text that wasn't intended for the recipient...running behind schedule...choosing to leave the building seconds before the explosion). This fast-paced book got my attention from the beginning and kept it throughout. I highly recommend this book! I was provided with an ARC from the author via NetGalley.

The premise of this story made me think of 9/11, even though it was a different situation that led to the building explosion. There were so many interesting facets, with it being told in three perspectives. I liked how Franny's perspective was only in the form of an interview. Meanwhile, Cecily's was in first person and Kate's was in third person. It made everything very easy to distinguish.

With The Good Liar, Catherine McKenzie weaves a captivating story that was difficult to put down, even when real life was calling. I kept wanting to read more to see what would happen. One part of the story seemed easy to guess, based on a lot of hints, but the other parts threw me off completely and kept me guessing. I liked how real and genuine the characters seemed. Their emotions jumped off the pages.

The only thing that didn't work so well for me was the lack of a Chicago feel. I know it took place there, but I felt it could take place anywhere. I'm from the Chicago area originally, so I can sense the feel of it through various novels that are set in the city (or surrounding suburbs).

Overall, I enjoyed The Good Liar and all the suspense that came with it.

If Hollywood comes calling:
Cecily: Marley Shelton
Kate: Elizabeth Reaser
Franny: Allie Grant
Tom: Jay R. Ferguson
Joshua: Joel Edgerton
Teo: Charles Michael Davis (I know he's a little younger than Teo should be, but he's the only one I could picture.)
Andrea: Amy Smart

This was my first book by Catherine and I loved it! It made you wonder the whole time how it was going to end!,,

3.5 Stars

”She gets up and pours herself a strong one,
And stares out at the stars up in the sky.
Another night, it's gonna be a long one.
She draws the shade and hangs her head to cry.

“She wonders how it ever got this crazy.
She thinks about a boy she knew in school.
Did she get tired or did she just get lazy?
She's so far gone she feels just like a fool.

“My oh my, you sure know how to arrange things.
You set it up so well, so carefully.
Ain't it funny how your new life didn't change things?
You're still the same old girl you used to be.

“You can't hide your lyin' eyes
And your smile is a thin disguise
I thought by now you'd realize
There ain't no way to hide your lyin' eyes
There ain't no way to hide your lyin' eyes
Honey, you can't hide your lyin' eyes”
--Lyin’ Eyes – The Eagles, Songwriters: Don Henley / Glenn Frey

Cecily, Kaitlyn and Franny are the three main characters in this story, with lives that twist and turn and weave in and out of each other’s stories, connected at the core. Underneath that level where their stories are linked, there is a tragedy that occurs and in the aftermath of that tragedy, their lives begin to connect, as the lies slowly come to light.

An explosion decimates an office building in Chicago, one woman is running late that day, and arrives late, runs from the train up the steps just in time to see flames in the direction she should be heading. A crowd of people running into her, as she stands frozen in shock. A man’s hand grabs her, urging her to run. And so they ran. A photograph of her is taken, and overnight she is the face people will forevermore associate with this tragedy.

So many people, it seems these days more and more so, look for a life in the public eye. Fame is what they seek, hoping it will lead to fortune. An expected response to so many public figures who are famous for being famous, with little or no talent to show for it. But a life under public scrutiny isn’t all sunshine and lollipops, or rainbows. You don’t get to pick and choose what you want publicized. When your face becomes the face of a cause, a cause célèbre, a tragedy, you become fodder for the media.

This tragedy, and the ensuing trauma that envelopes those involved, had me questioning the public version of these three women as their more private, personal sides came to light. Little by little their thoughts revealed more and more of their stories.

I enjoyed this; it was a nice break from some of the heavier, more serious books I’ve been reading lately. I found this to be more psychological suspense than thriller (for me, anyway), a nicely paced, character-driven, thought-provoking story about lies and lying. The ones we are told, the ones others tell us, and the ones we tell ourselves.

There are a few breadcrumbs here and there for you to file away, or follow, but even if you think you know who the good liar is before you reach the end, you just might be wrong. The ending will have you looking back over all you’ve read as though you’re seeing for the first time these little things you overlooked in your haste to determine which person is really The Good Liar.


Pub Date: 03 Apr 2018


Many thanks for the ARC provided by Lake Union Publishing

Creative and suspenseful, this book had me guessing the whole way through. I especially loved the imperfect but well rounded characters, who kept surprising me, If you're looking for a well-written psychological thriller, you won't be disappointed.

There are all kinds of lies - that small lie of omission, that little white lie, and then there are major lies that affect not only you but the people around you. This is a book about 3 women with lies that they are keeping from others. It's a page-turner of a book as the lies are exposed and their secrets are reveled. In my opinion, it's Catherine McKenzie's best book yet.

The novel starts a year after a huge explosion in Chicago killed over 500 people and follows the lives of three women whose lives were affected: Cecily, mother of two whose husband died in the explosion and who is the poster child of the survivors because of a photo that was taken right after; Kate, who ran away from the explosion and her family and has moved to Canada to keep her identity hidden and Franny who is looking for her birth mother when the building goes down - with her mother in it. These three women are all hiding something from the world - will they be able to keep their lies hidden or will the real stores come to light in the glare of the publicity and the documentary that's being made? It's a roller coaster of a book and will keep the reader's attention until the very last page.

Thanks to the publisher and the author for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.

I read an ARC of The Good Liar by Catherine McKenzie in exchange for an honest review. I’d like to thank Netgalley, Lake Union Publishing, and author, Catherine McKenzie for this opportunity. The genre of this book is psychological thriller. The characters consist of 3 women who’s lives are all interconnected. It centers around, or takes place after a horrible tragedy. The story consists of secrets, lies, and betrayal. While reading, it’s really quite hard to figure out who is telling the truth and who can’t be trusted. It’s really a tangled web. It isn’t until the very end, that you learn the complete truth. If you enjoy deceitful stories that keep you guessing, then this one’s for you! It really is a quite fascinating, intriguing read.

The concept of this novel was a big draw. An explosion gives some people the chance to change their lives and we follow the outcome for Cecily, Kate and Franny. For me, the structure of jumping from one character to another made it harder to empathise with the characters from the beginning.. Because they were all holding back. a lot of their past, I couldn't invest in believing in them. It was obvious there would be unreliable narrators so I was suspicious of them all. There were plenty of twists and turns but I didn't care about the characters enough from the beginning and found that some of the plot was too far fetched and it felt too contrived. It was well written and will be well received by many psychological thriller fans but it wasn't a great read for me.

The Good Liar is a psychological thriller that you will not be able to put down. An office building in Chicago is destroyed by a gas explosion. One year later a documentary is being made that follows the lives of Franny, Kate, and Cicely. Each has a story to tell and a secret to hide. Just when I thought I knew who was lying, a plot twist sent me in a different direction. Expertly crafted characters and plot twists that had me guessing to the very end. The Good Liar is Catherine McKenzie's best book yet!
Thank you to the author, publisher, and netgalley for an ARC of this book and this is my honest review.

The Good Liar by Catherine McKenzie

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Out April 3rd, 2018!

We all keep secrets, some larger than others. If I learned anything while reading this book, it is that lies (either spoken or as a result of omission) can spiral out of your control, sending your life on an unexpected trajectory. Catherine McKenzie takes you into the lives of Cecily, Kate, and Franny, three women whose lives we’re impacted by a tragedy in Chicago one year ago. As the story unfolds, their lives intertwine in ways that are unimaginable.

I was captivated from the very beginning with this story. Told from the perspective of each main character with the change of every new chapter, the story evolved in a way that surprised me and had me hanging on for more. Even more interesting was that all of Franny’s chapters we’re written in the form of an interview transcript or a magazine article. We never actually learned about Franny from her own perspective, but exclusively on an impersonal basis through her interactions with others. It was an added element to the story that I quite enjoyed.

Furthermore, I tend to read a lot of suspense/thriller style novels with strong female leads. I generally find that I see the “surprises” coming with most novels, but The Good Liar was an exception. Although there were parts that weren’t entirely shocking, there were times I was caught completely off guard, even down to the last page! There is nothing worse than reading a great book, only to be disappointed in the ending, and this book did not disappoint. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would highly recommend it to anybody looking for their next thriller.

-The advance release copy was gifted to me in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley, Catherine McKenzie, and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to review-

What a ride!!! 5 stars

One explosion. Three women. Countless secrets, a suspenseful, unsettling novel about what lurks in the wake of tragedy.

Everybody hides. Everybody lies.

On October 10th, three women’s lives are forever altered by a terrible accident.

Cecily was supposed to be in the building that exploded in Chicago and killed her husband. A photo taken of her as she watched the horrifying scene quickly brings her unwanted media attention as the “poster child” of the haunting event. Cecily has secrets she’s desperately trying to hide but cannot find a way to divert the media’s attention from her and her family.

Franny lost her birth mother, Cecily’s best friend, in the destruction shortly after the two met. A year later, Franny and Cecily team up to help families obtain financial compensation for their loss, but their budding friendship is derailed when it starts to become clear Franny’s story doesn’t quite add up. How did she manage to track down her mother? And why did her mother keep Franny a secret even after they’d met?

A thousand miles away in Montreal, Kate is trying to create a new life. But what led her to leave Chicago in the first place? Will she succeed in moving on from her mistakes or will Kate be drawn back into her old life?

With surprising twists and turns, The Good Liar is a riveting read by a masterful storyteller that will make readers wonder how far they’d go to hide their own secrets.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for providing an advance copy in exchange for a fair and honest review..

3.5 stars

This psychological thriller revolves around three women whose lives are profoundly affected by a disaster. Their names are Cecily, Franny, and Kate.

*****

The story: Cecily Grayson, running late as usual, was hurrying to meet her husband Tom when his Chicago office building blew up in front of her eyes. Shocked into immobility, with ashes raining down on her, Cecily just stared at the building until a stranger grabbed her hand and yelled 'run.' Cecily's savior was Teo Jackson, a documentary filmmaker who happened to be taking photos in the area.

Teo admitted to snapping a picture of Cecily in the midst of the explosion, and - with her permission - sold it. The photo went viral and Cecily became the 'poster child' for the tragedy, which killed over 500 people, including her husband. The hubbub resulted in Cecily and her children, Cassie (now 15) and Henry (now 13), being thrust into the public eye.

Investigators determined that the disaster, called 'Triple Ten' - because it happened on October 10th at 10 A.M. - was due to an accidental gas explosion, and a fund was established to compensate the victims' families. Applicants had to prove their relative was killed in the blast, and rejected claimants could appeal to the 'Compensaton Initiative' - a committee co-chaired by Cecily and a twentysomething woman named Franny Maycombe.

Franny, an adoptee who had just reconnected with her biological mother, was shattered when her 'real' mom was killed in the blast. The biological mother's family - husband Joshua Ring and daughters Emily and Julia - were denied compensation, and Franny has been petitioning the Compensation Initiative, trying to get money for them.

It's now the first anniversary of Triple Ten, and a memorial service is planned for the victims. Stories about the commemoration are all over the media. Kate, who works as a nanny in Canada, can't bear to watch these features - but her employer Andrea is addicted to the news. So Kate can't help but see what's going on in Chicago.

As the story unfolds, we learn that Cecily, Franny, and Kate are all harboring secrets.....but maybe not for long. Teo Jackson is making a documentary about families affected by Triple Ten. The film features Cecily Grayson and her children; Joshua Ring and his daughters; and Franny Maycombe.

Inevitably, unknown facts come to light.

The narrative alternates between the points of view of Cecily and Kate, with excerpts from Teo's interviews with Franny. Thus we see events from several vantage points.

Cecily is struggling to raise her teenagers without her husband, and trying to get on with her life. Her media exposure puts Cecily in the sights of paparazzi and reporters, some of whom will do anything for a story. (One of these guys should go to jail!)

Kate anguishes over her troubled past, and keeps busy with the two cute toddlers in her care. The kiddies are more perceptive than their self-involved mom, and almost expose Kate's secret.

Franny had a sketchy childhood and seems to have little use for the people that adopted her. She longs for a new loving family.

Some of the characters behave less-than-admirably, and would make great guests for television talk shows. (Calling Dr. Phil.....LOL)

There's surprise after surprise as the story proceeds, all of which leads to an eyebrow-raising finale that I didn't see coming.

I enjoyed the novel and recommend it to fans of psychological suspense stories.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author (Catherine McKenzie) and the publisher (Lake Union Publishing) for a copy of the book.