Susanna is married to Max, an artist of sorts. They are living a happy life when a note appears on their door shaking them both up because it seems one of them has secrets that the other is unaware of. Max's colleague turns up dead making things more complex. The book is about the secrets that couple harbor and how these alter their life. The book was a relatively short read and was neither boring nor exciting enough to keep me up to finish it. It definitely had it's moments, the plot was interesting, but the writing wasn't exciting enough. I really liked how the book shaped up, and though at one point it was a bit predictable, it did turn out to surprise me at the end. A lot of questions remain unanswered. Too many loose ends that were just left so. I really wish there was more fire in the writing because the plot has so much more to deliver!
Overall, it was a decent read, but not an amazing read or anything as such.

I KNOW WHO YOU ARE.

Max W. and Susannah have moved from NYC to an upscale, college town in Vermont, a fresh start for the couple and Susannah's son, Freddy. When ominous one line notes begin to appear on their doorstep, their seemingly perfect world begins to unravel at an alarming rate. This story alternates between present day and the pasts of both husband and wife. Neither is who they appear to be, but what secrets have they kept from each other?

The Perfect Liar was a quick page turner that kept me guessing and my mind reeling with the revelations of past events. I found none of the characters likable or which was my one hang up, but this did not detract from the need to find out how the twisted scenarios would play out by the end.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read this eGalley. All opinions are my own.

This book had a promising start and kept me going right until about 70% and then the story seemed to fall apart. There are so many story lines and information that builds up, but the end seemed a little disconnected and also a little disappointing. I thought more would happen. I still give this book 3 stars and I'm sure many people will enjoy it. It is a page turner and kept me reading until the end, well past my bedtime.

The Perfect Liar is the pretzel of twists and turns at every single corner. Thomas Christopher Greene sure knows how to shock you just as you think all the secrets have been brought to light.

The Perfect Liar follows Susannah and Max, a happily married couple. Susannah’s son from her previous marriage lives with them. Their lives seem great. Susannah spends her days working out and taking care of the household as Max teaches at his fancy job at the University and travels around doing speeches on his love… Art. But is it? Turns out Max has some secrets about who he is and Susannah is definitely no saint. And now someone else knows one of their secrets and is leaving weird notes on the door. CREEPY!

This book kept me intrigued with all the different twists and turns and pop-up backstories that showed the not-so-innocent side of Susannah and Max. Greene gave just the right level of information to make these characters thoroughly terrifying, yet appear as if they were the perfect family next door. My only issue with The Perfect Liar was the amount of things these two got away with. I know there are criminals out there that get away with crime after crime and never get caught, but there was almost a lack of realism at times that left me slightly annoyed. But all in all, Greene did a good job of tying the story together into a smoothly, and intricately flowing story that had you shocked until the very last page. You will definitely be saying, “These people are crazy!”

I will definitely be checking out more from Thomas Christopher Greene going forward. A psychological thriller such as The Perfect Liar is good for anyone who loves the twisty stories. Constant drama and excitement in mass proportions.

This is the first book I've read by this author, and it definitely wont be the last! Kept me on the edge of my sleep. You definitely wont be able to put this page turner down!

The Perfect Liar is a perfect of a fast-paced-keep-you-on-the-edge-of-Your-seat-roller-coaster-ride of a story.
This is my favorite kind of book. From the very first page it pulls you in and takes you through endless twists and turns. The best part is, just when you think you’ve heard it all... you’re just getting started. This is easily the most exciting book I’ve read in a while. Highly recommend!!

Susannah was first married to Joseph, who was her therapist. Together they had a son Freddy. Joseph died and left Susannah to raise Freddy on her own. But she meets Max and they get married.
Max becomes an art teacher at the local university and everything is going great for the family until a note is found on the door. I Know Who You Are. Susannah and Max are lost to who could have wrote that message.
I enjoyed this one because you were constantly questioning who was sending the messages and why. You will not get bored reading this thriller, it is fast paced.

Everyone has secrets in the Perfect Liar.

Susannah has finally reached the good life with her second husband, Max, and her son, Freddy. Then a note is tacked to her door, “I know who you are”. Susannah assumes the note is meant for her. However, Max also has secrets to hide.

The Perfect Liar is a compelling read. However, I thought some of the plot was left dangling at the end. The two twists were fun. I would recommend this book to thriller readers looking to lose some sleep the night they start reading it. 3 stars.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

A three star ⭐️ book. I’d call The Perfect Liar a mild psychological thriller. There’s just enough to keep you hanging on and guessing. There was a few times I found myself skimming the fluff of the book to seek out the meaty parts.

Well that was pretty messed up. The bad guy is obvious throughout the book, but it still managed to have plenty of twists and turns! If you like domestic thrillers, add this one to your list!

Who is the perfect liar? The husband or wife? What did the liar do in order to create the lie? How far will the liar go to keep everything hidden?

I'm not sure that I liked these characters but the story, within itself, was good. For me, this was a 3.75 stars.

The first clue to the plot of “The Perfect Liar” by Thomas Christopher Greene is in the titles of the chapters. We begin with “The first note” and go on from there. Susannah finds that first note, written in block letters, on the door “I know who you are.”
Green gives readers lots of background on Max and Susannah, their meeting, courtship, just how they got to where they are in time. Deception permeates every minute of every day with both of them. Susannah had been married to Joseph for a long time. She deceived him about birth control, and their son, Freddy, was born.. Six years later Joseph died of a heart attack, making Susannah a widow at twenty-seven. Susannah met Max W (Max Westmoreland) when he crashed a party. When they planned to marry, Susannah’s friends wondered how well she knew Max, but in truth, her friends did not know Susannah very well either.
Max was born Phil Wilbur in the tiny western New York. He did not become a fraud, in his view, but emerged into the world that way, fully formed. He became Max Westmoreland and traveled as far south as Tallahassee, and as far north as Burlington, Vermont, where many years later Max and Susannah and Freddy would make their home.
Greene gives readers an idyllic picture of where all this nasty deception is happening.
Around them people walked by in the dark. The stars were overhead. To their left, cars went down the slope of Main Street to the restaurants and the clubs. And none of it mattered. Then normalcy descended as easily as after a thunderstorm. It was as if the weather just needed to break, shake off the humidity, and suddenly it was glorious, beautiful summer.
The story alternates between Susannah's perspective and Max’s viewpoint, but neither Max nor Susannah is reliable, and no one is who he or she seems to be. Greene keeps readers wondering what is the truth and what is a lie. In the end, readers should question everything they read. The plot is disturbing but delightfully misleading. Lies pile up on one upon the other, leading to an unpredictable, startling and yet fulfilling ending.
I was given a copy of “The Perfect Liar” by Thomas Christopher Greene, St Martin’s Press, and NetGalley. Readers cannot help but wonder if Max and Susannah are perfect liars or just incredibly lucky to get away with it. And the last line tells it all.

Susannah and Max seems to have the perfect life: happily married, raising her teenage son together, and leaving behind their chaotic life in New York for a quiet town in Vermont where Max teaches art in college. What could possibly wrong? They have both secrets from their past that they are keeping hidden from everyone, including each other. So, one morning, when Susannah comes back from her daily run and finds a note on her front door that says “I know who you are”, Susannah knows that their perfect life is about to grumble. As more notes are found on their daughter, the situation quickly spirals out of control…
Even though the story is at times predictable, it has also a few twists that took me by surprise and make the novel suspenseful and chilling. I liked the Vermont setting and the premise of the novel is what got me interested in the novel in the first place, but, despite all these things, I couldn’t really get into the story and I didn’t like the protagonists of the book who I found annoying and a bit tiresome.

3.5 stars

A perfect marriage between two imperfect people - both are artists, and both have secrets.

Susannah, a young mother and widower met Max W, an artist and popular speaker, at a party. They soon married and eventually they moved to Vermont when Max gets a job there. Max, Susannah and Freddy like it in Vermont. Life is easy there. They are comfortable and happy until one day a note appears on their door. A note which reads I KNOW WHO YOU ARE. An honest person might think "I know who I am too! I'm Max or I'm Susannah" but each of them has a secret. Both are nervous - but Max is nervous. He begins to wonder just who knows his secret, who out there is taunting him, who wants to ruin his reputation, his marriage, his life? Soon another note arrives. Suspicion grows. Tension mounts as the reader is left to wonder, how Max and Susannah will react when/if his/her secrets are revealed.

I found this to be a fast-easy read. It came with a few twists and turns which made for an interesting read which didn't require much thought. This was pure escapism reading for me. I found the couple’s secrets to be more interesting than the identity of the note sender. Overall, I found this to be quite enjoyable and it was fun to try and figure out just who was the "perfect" liar?

Thank you to St. Marin's Press and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The thoughts and opinions are my own.

ating 3.5 stars

The power of a story is in repetition. It's iterative. If you say something enough times, and say it with authority, you will be believed. It's all in the delivery and in being consistent.

The big marriage question...Do you really know who you are married to? Husband and wife Max and Susannah have their own secrets from their past. Susannah a young widow with a young son and Max with his entry into the Art world was unprecedented. Narration is done with both of their own voice and motivation. Max from homelessness to popular speaker and Susannah living in the shadows of her new husband.

When Suzannah finds the first note written in bold letters I KNOW WHO YOU ARE, she becomes undone and not being able to keep anything from her husband, he too becomes concerned. With both of their pasts, unbeknownst to their spouses, they contemplate who is the enemy. For the reader, the secrets unravel and the marriage becomes who can you trust.

The kicker is who sent the note and once that is known, the plot takes a different direction. You never really know what the other is capable of. High tension, page turning suspense.

A Special Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review

Susannah and Max are married. It’s the second marriage for Susannah. Her first husband passed away. Max is charming and the life of the party. He is now stepfather to her fifteen-year-old son.

Susannah thinks the past is behind her and her new life is idyllic when she receives a note on her door one morning.

The note says, “I know who you are.”

Max is not worried in the least about the note; however, just days after having dinner with Susannah and Max, someone dies in an accident while on a run…with Max.

And that is all followed with another note on the door, “Did you get away with it?”

Susannah and Max each have secrets, and they are big ones. Their idyllic world would be shattered if they come to light.

I loved hearing from both Susannah and Max, and the ending was out of sight. The whole time I was questioning who is the perfect liar? Or is it both of them? Unexpected and unpredictable, The Perfect Liar is a solid thriller!

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press for the complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

The Perfect Liar by Thomas Christopher Greene is a thriller about a couple, Max and Susannah, and who is the liar in the relationship. I was very disappointed in this book, and found the couple very unlikable, and could care less about either one. In my opinion the ending wasn't justice.

I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

They were living the American dream – the perfect family - Max, Susannah, and Freddy. While Max relished his entry into the academic world, Susannah enjoyed her role in making a comfortable home for the three of them. That was when the first note came “I Know Who You Are”. Both Susannah and Max have secrets they’d rather keep hidden, but someone’s about to call their bluff.
This was a totally thrilling, unputdownable book for me. I know it’s a cliché now to compare all new psychological thrillers to Gone Girl or The Woman on The Train, but this one really hits the spot. I recommend it!

Title: The Perfect Liar
Author: Thomas Christopher Greene
Genre: Thriller
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Susannah’s first marriage was to an older man—her therapist—who spent a lot of time “helping” her work through her issues. Now, she’s married to handsome and charming Max, an artist and speaker whose new job at a university took them out of New York City to a small Vermont town where she hopes her 15-year-old son will thrive.

One morning, Susannah finds a note on the door. “I know who you are.” The note triggers her anxiety, and she worries her family is in danger, but Max thinks the note is just a prank. All the same, he starts looking at his coworkers and their neighbors with new eyes—do they know his secret? When a couple visit for dinner, Susannah finds Max’s behavior suspicious, and, a few days later, the man dies tragically while on a run with Max. Then, a second note appears. “Did you get away with it?”

Susannah knows Max is hiding dark secrets, but she has secrets of her own she wants to keep hidden. Who is leaving the notes? And just which secret is he or she talking about?

I was intrigued by the premise of the book, and the writing was solid, but I couldn’t stand the characters. Susannah had a history of mental health issues as well as abuse, and I felt sorry for her, but I didn’t like her at all. She let life happen to her—except near the end of the book—instead of making choices and moving forward. Max was just creepy to me. I really wish I’d liked the characters more. I finished the book, which speaks to the quality of the plot and the writing, but the characters just didn’t work for me.

Thomas Christopher Greene was born and raised in Massachusetts. The Perfect Liar is his newest novel.

(Galley provided by St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.)

{My Thoughts}
What Worked For Me
Domestic Thriller Done Right – Domestic thrillers have become so popular they’ve almost morphed into a genre of their own. With such competition it can be difficult to find ones that rise above and feel fresh. Alafair Burke did it last year with The Wife (my review) and now Thomas Christopher Greene has done it again with The Perfect Liar. He’s created a unique couple, with some serious quirks that manage to keep you on your toes from start to finish. Bravo!

Drawn to the Dark Side – Max and Susannah are a couple in love, but also a pair with pasts. Greene delivers those pasts in small doses, slowly revealing that neither spouse is quite who the other believes them to be. Yet, both Max and Susannah are drawn to their partners’ underlying edge.

“She saw the raw power of that time, as if his mask had been ripped off, and again it both frightened and oddly thrilled her.

Theirs is a co-dependent relationship, feeding off of the others’ drama and their lies.

“Sometimes they were symbiotic like this – two minds connected by an invisible thread. Maybe that’s why she was calm. She was calm because Max was. He knew what he was doing.”

Even as more becomes known, the two can’t quite let go of “the marriage.”

Spectacular Ending! – I’ll give nothing away, but this was one that really worked. I’d begun to suspect, but I didn’t see how it would finally play out. And, the last two lines of the book? PERFECTION!

What Didn’t
Really? Moments – As in almost all thrillers, The Perfect Liar had a few scenes that seemed quite improbable. However, I easily forgave these because without them, what would be the thrill?

{The Final Assessment}
The Perfect Liar was my very first 2019 read, making for a wonderful kickoff to my reading year. It was just twisty enough to keep me thoroughly engaged and on my toes. The characters were exactly what you want in a thriller, and their actions (while not always sane) worked beautifully. Definitely a fun domestic thriller to add to your TBR list!

Note: I received a copy of this book from St. Martin’s Press (via NetGalley) in exchange for my honest review. Thank you!