This was a surprisingly quick read, considering it's over 400 pages. The twists and turns weren't always surprising but I enjoyed the ride. And I'm always glad to read a thriller that doesn't involve violence against women.

I really enjoyed this book! There were lots of twists and turns with story changing revelations at a good pace. I had fun figuring out what was going on in one story line but being competely surprised by another of the storylines. It’s hard to write a review without giving anything away. The characters are really likeable but I found my attitude about some of them changing as the story progressed. The ending is great but the epilogue was not my favourite.

The Good Liar is the second novel that I have thoroughly enjoyed by Catherine McKenzie.
When a devastating explosion rips apart a Chicago building the lives of three women are forever changed.
Deceit and lies abound and marked by tragedy how far will they go to protect their crucial secrets.
Can you hide a secret with the whole world watching?
An enjoyable psychological thriller!

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an arc of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5 Stars - I received an #arc of #TheGoodLiar from the publisher via #netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This suspenseful book followed three women’s lives that intersected in unexpected ways when an explosion of a Chicago building changed their lives forever. Nothing is as it seems in this exciting thriller. Cecily lost her husband, Tom, in the explosion and she became the face of a compensation initiative aimed at restoring the victims’ families after the tragedy, but Cecily feels guilty to be the face of the campaign because she is holding onto a secret. Another woman (Kate) lives in Canada and she has her own secrets she is closely guarding. Finally there is Franny, a woman obsessed with connecting to her birth mother whom she believes was killed in the explosion, and she has plenty secrets of her own.

This is a thrilling page turner that I found myself engrossed in quickly. I tore through this wanting to know if my theories about the connections of these women and the secrets I guessed they were hiding would come to fruition. I guessed the twists in this one, but it was still a good read. The only thing I didn’t like about the book (and the main reason I am giving it a 4 instead of a 5) is that I felt one of the main characters’ backstory (which was crucial to the plot) was underdeveloped and seemed a bit unbelievable as a result. For me if a mother is going to abandon her kids there needs to be enough of backstory to make that seem plausible. That part and her character in general felt constructed in such away to further the plot rather than fit the characterization as a loving mother. I have no doubt there are people who might have acted the way she did in this book and truly not be able to explain why, but I think the author should of done a better job of developing her motivations. If this was done solely to keep the storyline more secretive, I think it was a miss, because the twists were not the kind you don’t see coming until the end anyway.

Despite the lack of character development of the one character I mentioned above and the fairly predictable nature of this book, I did enjoy this suspenseful book. It is a quick, easy read, and for me, it has solidified Catherine Mckenzie as an author to read more from. If you haven’t read this thriller, I recommend bumping it up on your TBR list. #JPBookReview

What a interesting book! Hooks you almost from the start. Three woman, united by a tragic event, navigate this twisty thriller.

BOOK. HANGOVER. That's what I absolutely have after reading this incredible psychological thriller! I know hangovers are not typically a good thing; but in this case, it's what this book will do to you - you'll need a day (or several) to be able to move on to the next book! It's that good!
An explosion happens in an office building, irrevocably changing several lives forever. The story toggles between the three main characters - Cecily, Kate and Franny. Who is keeping secrets? How will these secrets affect their lives? This book kept me guessing to the very end. And when I say VERY END, I mean it! Definitely one of the best books I have every read!!
Thanks you to Lake Union Publishing, Catherine McKenzie and NetGalley for an ARC of this fantastic book!

3.5

This was a fun, twisted thriller centered around a tragedy and the secrets, lies and betrayal of three women connected to the tragedy. The three women (Cecily, Kaitlyn, and Frannie) are bound together by a tragic event and all three of them are spinning lies to protect them and their families. As we're all aware, secrets always come out, and usually when least convenient. McKenzie does a beautiful job telling these secrets and the different twists and turns in unveiling them.

Such a great book from such a great author. Loved the twists. When reading this I felt like I was able to get away from my stressful job and just escape.

This is the first book that I've read by this author and it was excellent. The story revolves around three women and the tragic event that connects them.
I love books that have significant twists and turns and, baby, this one delivers!
Obviously, I have been missing out by not discovering this author long ago. I plan to read her previous works.
I received an Advance Review Copy. All opinions are my own.

WOW. I really liked this book and enjoyed unraveling the story. I definitely bought-in to the characters and went through the emotions with them.

McKenzie is a master of taking things from the headlines and making them seem so realistic and immediate - even when you stop to think about how improbable some of her stunning plot twists are, this book is still just so believable. On top of the page-turning plotting, her characters are incredibly lifelike and relatable as well. I really enjoyed her use of "during" and "after" narratives and all the bizarre twists and turns they took. One of the primary "twists" was quite obvious (though I think it was supposed to be), so I was initially expecting a lot less from the plot - but then bam bam bam bam, things got weird. I don't really want to give anything away, but it was very dramatic, very human, very readable. This is her best book since her first two!

3.5 stars
This book was definitely better than 3 stars but not quite 4. It is a slow burn thriller that winds it way along a series of gradual twists and sharp turns. The heart of the book was about secrets and the emotional impact of living with them. It was also about secrets and how they change the course of life.

An explosion known as the triple ten tragedy links the lives of three characters, Cecily, Kaitlyn and Franny. Cecily loses her husband on that fateful day while she herself narrowly escapes death because she was running late on her way to meet him for lunch. Kaitlyn, Cecily's best friend, was also killed in the blast. Kaitlyn's husband and two kids are mourning her loss and having a hard time putting the pieces together. Franny claims to be Kaitlyn's illegitimate daughter who she gave up for adoption over 20 years ago. The story begins one year after the explosion. The three families agree to be part of a documentary that is following the compensation struggles for victims of the tragedy. As the plot progresses, we learn that each character has a secret or two that will ultimately shake the foundation of what thought they knew.

I enjoyed the clever storytelling and some of the unpredictable twists. The book changes POV along the way which keeps the different storylines separate and allows the reader to get to know the characters a little better and build suspense. That is also where I felt the story fell a bit short was in the character development. It was good but could have gone deeper. The plot lacked emotional connection as a whole given that there were some great opportunities in which it could have been highlighted. This story will appeal to readers looking for a lighter read with some build up and curve balls. Probably a good one to take to the beach this summer!

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing, Netgalley and Catherine McKenzie for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I generally enjoy most books by McKenzie and this was no different. A pretty good thriller following three women with secrets. It was a fast paced read but did at times did get confusing to keep up with. Very character driven story and she did a good job letting you get to know each one. Not my favorite of McKenzie's books but overall a really enjoyable read.

I couldn’t stop reading! There were so many twists and turns. Amazing! This book kept me going to see how it ended. Just when I thought I had it figured out and it was ending, McKenzie got me and completely surprised me with how she finished the story. Wow. This is a must-read and definitely has me wanting to read more of her work!!!

Absolutely loved this book.,Catherine McKenzie is briliant at weaving lives together and a master at storytelling.,

Look forward to reading more of her books.

Thank you #NetGalley for this advanced copy.

Loved this book by Catherine McKenize! The plot was full of twists and turns that kept you on the edge of your seat and always guessing what will happen next. She is a master storyteller.

The Good Liar by Catherine McKenzie; release date April 3, 2018; published by Lake Union Publishing; ISBN 9781542047098

Three women. One fateful October morning. A tragedy that will tie them together through secrets, lies and betrayals. Cecily, running late to a meeting, arrives at the building in which her husband works just to watch it explode. Franny, witnesses the tragedy on television, losing the mother she has just started getting to know. Kate, thousands of miles away in Montreal, watches the one year anniversary memorial on TV, desperate to hide her past.

Another fast paced and engrossing read by the awesomely talented Catherine McKenzie. She craftily creates a story from breadcrumbs masterfully left within the pages you read, each woven together, chapter by chapter. Each morsel divulging a tiny glimpse of what is to come. You can feel it, just within your grasp, tantalizing, suspenseful, irresistible.

As with her previous novels, and The Good Liar is no exception, Catherine's writing is so personal, probing and guaranteed to touch a nerve in the reader. It's as if she writes from experience and ultimately this is part of the charm and appeal of her books. In my humble opinion, this is why so many readers, me included will always keep coming back for more.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for providing a digital copy in return for an honest, unbiased review.

You can certainly rely on Catherine McKensie to write a good thriller, and The Good Liar is no exception. Modeled after the events of 9/11, (loosely) we find that a building has exploded, killing people and disrupting lives. However, this time the tragedy occurs in Chicago, and fewer families have been affected. With stories intertwined, there is a lot going on in this book; unreliable characters add to the confusion, and at times, it can be difficult to discern what is going on. The characters themselves were somewhat hard to relate to, as they made horrific decisions, some worse than others, and not altogether believable. With that said, the story moves along at a pretty good pace, but with some repetition. You definitely have approach this story with a sense of disbelief, because some of the actions of characters are so unreal. Overall, an interesting read, though not great literature by any stretch.

Have you ever wanted something so bad that went to extremes to get it? Do you really believe that a lie is a lie and their all the same? Catherine McKenize takes the reader on a roller coaster of extremes and lies. As the lies unfold and mental strain catches up families unfold, become new families, and cause people to die. The ending you thought was coming never does and when the reader finishes the book their left questioning are all lies really the same. Run don’t walk to get this 5 star read that will leave you breathless and wondering about your own web of innocent white lies.

This was such a exciting read ! I loved it from page one.
The author has masterfully woven a story of three women affected all by the same tragedy. The story delves into how each woman has survived since the tragedy and how their lives have changed. I loved the story and enjoyed the authors writing style skillfully changing from each person's story.
This is a perfect afternoon read with a blend of mystery and women's fiction. Excellent reading !