“Is it possible to be both, a terrific father and a terrible man at the same time? A man to admire and a man to hate?”
4.2/5 stars
This is the first time I have read a book by Catherine McKenzie and I really didn't expect to like it as much as I did. Initially the book cover (it's so amazing) and the blurb is what I found interesting and that's what made me pick it up.
The plot is amazing & very engaging. It surrounds three women who were affected by a disaster & keeps going back to the past and then to the present as two of them are interviewed for the making of a documentary. It alternates between three POVs but it was very easy for me to keep track of them. It's a story filled with lies, deceit and secrets. It's an absolute page-turner. It's a woman oriented story with all the three main characters being women and they all play very important parts in the climax of the story.
There were so many fantastic reveals and plot twists through-out that honestly surprised me so much. I really did not see any of them coming. And especially the ending was very unexpected & left me so boggled.
I would very much like to see this one adapted into a movie. I think it'd do great as one.
I am definitely going to pick up her other books soon because honestly this one was so amazing!
I want to thank NetGalley, the author and Lake Union Publishing for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much for the opportunity.

I'd like to thank Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for the E-ARC of this book that I received. I found this book thought-provoking. The characters will stick with me for a long time.

Great read with twists and lots of questions that kept me reading to find answers. I'm still trying to figure out Kate. I know she was supposed to be the villain, but her choices and actions seemed so cold & harsh; they belied the feelings she expressed. Cecily, her kids and Teo were great characters.
Advanced reader copy courtesy of the publishers at Netgalley for review.

I really enjoyed this book. As the story unraveled I became more and more engrossed in it and suspicious of my initial thoughts of what the end could possibly be. While I did enjoy the story, I did not enjoy the ending, it felt like it needed a bit more of a dramatic conclusion to the story.

This one is filled with a bunch of situations that had me wondering if I'm confused or if the author is really THAT good at throwing me off the trail. :-) (It's the latter.) I had the chance to read this "early" and I dug right in...and didn't stop till the final word.

Another five star read by Catherine McKenzie. She's one of those authors that I don't really have to read what the book is about because I already know it's going to be great, whatever it is. She creates such vivid characters and lives for those characters that it's impossible for me not to feel as though I'm part of. Her writing is so effortless that I can't believe how many pages I've read when it's (sadly) time to put the book down. I loved it!

This book is a must read for 2018. Get it ! I read it in a day, could not put it down. The story is so original. The characters are complex, dislikable yet likable. So much loss. So many lies. Everyone lies, right ? Every character has their own story, their own set of lies. The ending, WOAH ! So good ! I highly recommend this book !

Griping, chilling, unforgettable! . Full of intrigue, deception, and suspense McKenzie slays it. Who do you believe when almost every character is unreliable and deception lurks around every corner. A brilliant and intense read!

Oh my goodness what a wild ride! This book hooked me from the beginning and didn't let go until the end. And that ending? WOWZA! This is a story about three different women after a massive tragedy. I love how the chapters alternated between the women and you could see how they were affected from the building explosion. I loved the differences in the women but Cicily was my favorite. I read this book so quickly as I could not put it down. A fantastic read that I thoroughly enjoyed! I received an advance review copy of this book from the Great Thought's Ninja Review Team. All opinions are my own.

Catherine McKenzie knocks it out of the park again! I was hooked from the first words and loved this book all the way to the end. Cecily is by far my favorite character, but there are so many interesting people with so many facets!

Loved this book! I literally could not put it down once I started it. This is definitely a must read.

“The Good Liar” by Catherine McKenzie

What a phenomenal novel. Catherine McKenzie takes a national tragedy and examines how it affects three women: Cecily, who had not yet entered the building and was photographed just standing there in shock; Katelyn/Kate, who was just leaving the building when it exploded and was thrown from the building alive and running far away from it and her life; and Franny, who believes her biological mother worked in the building, died the day of the explosion, and inserts herself into her “new” family.

Each woman has a different story from the day of the tragedy and the following year. Each woman knows one another, either from before or after the explosion. Each woman has one or more secrets. Each woman has one or more lie(s) they are carrying either by deception, that of another they are related to, and/or in reality.

A fast moving, captivating, suspense novel, “A Good Liar,” will keep the reader on their toes, thoroughly engaged, and unable to put this novel down. There are pieces that will keep you guessing throughout the novel. There are individual stories and events that aren’t completely unfolded, told, and/or revealed until the last page. Even then some things may keep you ruminating until you really put it all together after the novel is done.

Catherine McKenzie has taken a plot that, sadly, can happen at anytime, and examines the acts of human nature in relation to such a disaster. To freeze, to run, or to use it for personal gain in some manner. Her characters are honest and relatable, as is her storyline. A true 5 star read!

Rating: 5.0
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

** I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this novel. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This author satisfies again and again. Enjoyable and a great read

Man, I really really loved McKenzie's first books that leaned more towards chick-lit. Unfortunately for me I found this book to be just okay. Most of the secrets were easy to see from a mile away and I just didn't feel like the plot had a lot of substance to it. I know many will disagree with me on that but for a general woman's literature book, I need more to make me rate it above average...more drama, more suspense, more endearing characteristics, etc. I liked this book okay but wouldn't recommend it to my friends. I've loved McKenzie's earlier work but with each new book I'm liking things a little less and less so I'm not sure if I'll keep reading her books.

I received this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Catherine McKenzie can suck you into her story so well. Her characters are always interesting. This story how an unbelievably relatable feel to it. It centers around an explosion in a Chicago building. We first meet Cecily who lost her husband and best friend. Thanks to journalist and photographer Teo, she became the face of the tragedy. We also meet Fanny. She claims her biological mother died in the explosion, but her story is a little crazy. So many twists, secrets and suspense. The ending was so cleverly done. Outstanding read from beginning to end.

Netgalley granted me a digital copy of this novel, for which I’m very grateful. At 10 a.m. on October 10, an explosion ripped through a Chicago office building killing hundreds. In the disaster, labeled Triple Ten, Cecily lost her husband and best friend. A year later, she’s still the poster child for the tragedy. Three women tell their stories of lies and deceits in alternating chapters. McKenzie has done it again, crafted a read so compelling, it’s hard to cook dinner and do the laundry. This author knows how to plot twists you don’t expect, yet wrap it all up nicely with a decorative bow at the end. Be sure to put this on your to-read list.

Thank You to Amazon Publishing/Lake Union Publishing for the E-ARC of this book for free, in exchange of an Honest review.

I have previously reviewed Catherine's books Fractured, and The Murder Club, and they were both so good. So when I saw she was writing another book, and that it was up on Netgalley, I had to request it immediately. 

This was even better than the previous books I have read. I love Catherine McKenzie's writing style and the twists and turns she puts into her books, it's not just one or two of them, they are placed throughout the book. Which makes for an enthralling read, one that could be considered unputdownable. 

Three woman, all  so completely different. I loved one of them, hated one, and the other I just couldn't understand. (If there was one complaint I have, it's that I wish I knew why, she was the way she was. There really isn't much back-story to her. So I didn't get why she felt the way she did, and why she made certain life choices). 

When it comes to the ending of the book, I felt it was done well. It did however leave off on a little cliffhanger, which makes me think sequel? 

Have you read any Catherine McKenzie books? If so, which one was your favorite?

Engaging from the start. Timely and emotional considering there are so many "disasters" in our world today. Catherine McKenzie weaves a compelling tale of family, friendship, and the aftermath of disaster.

A wonderful ten star novel with elements of mystery, suspense, love, and betrayal.
It is the story of two women who survive a 911 type explosion in a Chicago office building. The impact is strong, as it deeply affects both the women and their families.
The story has many threads beautifully balanced by skilled writing leading to an unexpected conclusion. There are lies and liars on every level of this story, not just the obvious. A perfect book and title!

"...a woman running away from a tragedy, a woman running toward the same tragedy, and one stuck in the middle of it." This is The Good Liar in the author's own words. Another great read by Catherine McKenzie. All three women have a story to tell. There's an underlying sense of foreboding throughout the book, even though the catalyst is tragic enough. The pieces start falling into place and you think you're getting a handle on it all, but then there's another 1/3 of a book left! There's more to read, trust me.
This is the kind of book that you read again just to see if you missed anything the first time, to see if you can pick up on the subtle clues now that you know the end. Good stuff.

I was given an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.