I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review . This was an outstanding mystery with many surprises and twists. The main characters, Max W. And his wife, Suzanne were very complex people with many secrets that they kept from each other and other people. Their actions and motives are very intriguing and keep the reader in suspense throughout the entire story. I really enjoyed this book and hated to see it end.

This book is just not resonating with me. It is really slow going and I can't make myself finish it. Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for my honest review

This book is interesting and different, keeps you guessing and make sure whose ‘side’ you’re on keeps changing. A great read that shows you everyone has so many different layers and elements to who they are and reinforces that nothing is ever as simple as it seems!

Book Info
Hardcover, 288 pages
Expected publication: January 15th 2019 by St. Martin's Press
ISBN 1250128218 (ISBN13: 9781250128218)
Other Editions (3)
Source:Netgalley EARC

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BOOK BLURB


A seemingly perfect marriage is threatened by the deadly secrets husband and wife keep from each other, for fans of B.A. Paris and Paula Hawkins.

Susannah, a young widow and single mother, has remarried well: to Max, a charismatic artist and popular speaker whose career took her and her fifteen-year-old son out of New York City and to a quiet Vermont university town. Strong-willed and attractive, Susannah expects that her life is perfectly in place again. Then one quiet morning she finds a note on her door: I KNOW WHO YOU ARE.

Max dismisses the note as a prank. But days after a neighborhood couple comes to dinner, the husband mysteriously dies in a tragic accident while on a run with Max. Soon thereafter, a second note appears on their door: DID YOU GET AWAY WITH IT?

Both Susannah and Max are keeping secrets from the world and from each other —secrets that could destroy their family and everything they have built. The Perfect Liar is a thrilling novel told through the alternating perspectives of Susannah and Max with a shocking climax that no one will expect, from the bestselling author of The Headmaster’s Wife.

My Thoughts


As the book shifts between Max and Susannah's viewpoints so does the readers perception of each of these characters.

The strange part is that throughout this story the lies upon which Max has built his entire life are revealed one by one, Susannah's secrets however do not come under scrutiny until near the books final chapters.

Both of these fictional people are hiding a darker side, one that they have tucked away until time for it to surface at just the right moment.

The title does not begin to scratch the surface of what we are capable of even as it perfectly captures the spirit of its content.

There are of course minor characters whose usefulness for building the tension necessary to advance the plot is utilized fully.

At the end of the day I did not see that ending coming, it was not what had expected at all!

[EArc from Netgalley]


On every book read as soon as it is done and written up for review it is posted on Goodreads and Netgalley, once released then posted on Amazon, Barnes and Nobles as well.

The Perfect Liar was a real surprise for me. A good surprise. I had read two of Thomas Christopher Greene’s books and don’t recall them having the psychotic characters found here. This is a fast, easy and tense read with some beautifully written passages.

The two main characters, Max and Susannah, have dark, ugly secrets buried in their pasts and hidden from each other. Or they are until a series of anonymous notes start to show up pinned to their front door, beginning with “I KNOW WHO YOU ARE”. Then, their comfortable existence begins to unravel. Max’s secret is revealed to the reader early on, and is told almost as a whole story inside the bigger one. In contrast, Susannah’s builds slowly for the first two thirds of the book. Both are revealed to each other, with devastating consequences at the end, and a plot twist unexpected but satisfying.

There were just a couple of things about the plot that niggled at me, and prevent me from giving this a higher rating. The biggest one had to do with Max’s secret. In the age of everyone’s past being pretty much available to even the most casual internet user, I struggled to believe that it could remain so well hidden. At one point, I thought about abandoning this simply because of that but I am glad I persevered.

My thanks to NetGallery, St. Martin’s Press and Thomas Christopher Greene for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Perfect Liar by Thomas Christopher is a thriller that follows a couple as they receive threatening notes. The story is told by alternating the point of view between them in each chapter giving a reader a look at both sides of the story.

Susannah had gotten herself into a relationship with a much older man which led her to becoming a widower with a young son. When Susannah met Max he seemed the perfect man for her seeing that he was also an artist and fit into Susannah and her son’s life perfectly.

When offered a job in Vermont Susannah and Max take the leap moving from New York to their new quiet home. Quiet that is until one day Susannah finds a note left that reads “I KNOW WHO YOU ARE”. Max is sure it’s just a joke but Susannah can’t help but wonder just how well does she know the man she married?

The Perfect Liar is another of those books that when done I felt a bit so-so with it but I look around and seem to be missing something everyone else seemed to see. For me, I never really got to care a bit about Susannah or Max but that is something that sometimes happens with thrillers that I go into not trusting the story, you have “liar” in the title and it can’t be helped.

However, it didn’t take long for my own theory to form about the outcome and again I pretty much figured out where it led so that was also a bit of a let down. Sure there were twists and turns along the way but seemed predictable to me leaving me with that meh feeling in the end. I will again chalk this up to reading too much for my own good since I seem to be in the minority with most being a lot more excited.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

I couldn't relate to any of the characters - - but considering the characters, I think that's a good thing!! I don't have to like the characters to enjoy the story and that was certainly the case here. It was a case of who was the most wicked!!

The story moves along well with lots of twists and turns - some I anticipated but wondered how they would come about. This was a good, enjoyable thriller that was certainly never boring!

I really liked this book - I love it when i don't guess the twists and turns of a psychological thriller - this one did not disappoint. I have never read this author before but I look forward to reading other books he may have written.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. This book is scheduled for publication in January 2019.

Great book. Kept you guessing as to who the “perfect” liar really was, the husband or the wife. Thought provoking, making you wonder - do you ever really know someone?

Thank you so much, St. Martin Press for sending me a galley of this new thriller coming out on Jan. 15, 2019

This was such an interesting and intriguing thriller that grabbed me from the start. The synopsis had me, so I really had to get into this book really fast and I’m glad I did because I enjoyed it. After reading a really heavy literary fiction novel this was the perfect book for me. Therefore, I can’t complain about that.

As mentioned above, this was such a unique thriller that had me hooked right from the first few pages. If you want a fast-paced story that will keep you popping until the last page then this book will be the right match for you. However, while this book was fast paced I sometimes felt disconnected from the story. Especially in the middle where things just felt unbelievable and bland. Also, this book was kinda predictable so I wasn’t really shocked along the way. But the ending was just my cup of tea. I was just left gasping for air because while I wanted it to end like that I was surprised that it actually did happen.

I also enjoyed the set of characters. They were all very well executed throughout the novel and I loved that. The fact that there aren’t many characters in this book makes it more enjoyable. Although my favorite character had to be Susannah who was such a strong female lead in the novel. Her resilience was incredible and I learned a few things from her. One thing that stood out to me was the author's inclusiveness and I appreciated that 100%.

All in all, if you want a fun and enjoyable thriller that will keep you in, this would be the right book for you. I had little problems along the way but the ending made everything come together which made it perfect. To summarize, this is what a thriller should feel like and I do recommend reading it if you are trying to get a fun and fast-paced book to take you out of a reading slump. However, this is not a must read, there are some thrillers out there that will take you on wild rides.

The Perfect Liar wasn’t a good fit for me. I didn’t hate it, I didn’t love it- it just fell somewhere in the middle, 3 stars.

I found it hard to relate to any of the characters or even find them mildly likable which kept me from really enjoying the book and getting lost in it. Thomas Christopher Greene’s writing was strong and I would definitely read another book by him in hopes that the characters were more my speed, I’ll even take a character you love to hate.

The Perfect Liar will definitely work for some people. I can even think of a few friends who I will recommend this to despite it not being my favorite read.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an e-ARC OF The Perfect Liar in exchange for my honest review.

***Will post to Goodreads 12/15/18 and to Amazon and Barnes & Noble on 1/15/19.

The Perfect Liar by Thomas Christopher Greene promised to be a thrilling read full of twists and lies and it certainly delivered. The story was interesting and the characters were intriguing and there seemed to be another twist around every corner.

The pacing of this was pretty quick. The chapters were long and it jumped back and forth between Susanna and Max and their perspectives, but the story itself moved along nicely and there was enough of an interest and enough twists to keep the reader guessing and interested in continuing. Like most thrillers, I had my suspicions about what the outcome would be, and I’m happy to say I was definitely moving in the wrong direction.

Susanna and Max were certainly more than they seemed. They seemed to live the perfect successful artist’s life, but you quickly learn that they have much they’re keeping close to their chests. Susanna struggled with mental illness and anxiety, while Max was harboring dark secrets and desires. But even further than that, reading between the explanations that the book already gave us, these were two deeply complex and troubled characters. From their sly charisma, the look in their eyes and their creative sex life, there’s clearly a different depth to their existence, secrets that seem to be lingering just a little too far out of reach and things about their nature that you just can’t quite figure out. They both seemed like they could be up to no good and I had a hard time trying to figure out who was going to fall off the deep end first.

I enjoyed this read, though after the climax, there was still part of the story and I felt that was a little dragging for a while, until the actual ending. I liked that it kept you guessing and while the story itself may not have been too elaborate, you don’t need a complicated story to create complicated characters that are interesting enough to drive it. I was pleasantly impressed with the way this unraveled.

Savannah has finally found the perfect man after having been widowed in her 20’s. Max W. meets Savannah in a less than honest circumstance but with such an intense attraction and his love and acceptance of her son Freddy, she is willing to overlook things that just don’t add up. Yes, she has seen him lose his temper with someone before and it scared her but it also made her feel safe knowing he could protect her if needed.

Then one morning there is a note on the door that says, “I Know Who You Are”. Max is scared that someone from work has found out his secret. When a second note comes and he lies to Savannah she begins to become fearful of what will happen. This begins a strange set of events that just seems to have too many holes in the story to make it flow well. It is a psychological thriller where I was surprised by who was leaving the notes but that isn’t the ending. It was a good who-done-it. I just wish the story was more complete. It felt as if the author was rushing to the big reveal and missed some important points throughout the story.

The Perfect Liar seems to be one of those stories that you either really love or you don’t. I was somewhere in the middle, it has a great premise and a rewarding “bad guy” if you can call him that but I’m just not sure how everything fell into place. I would recommend for those who are looking for another psychological thriller, it certainly has some strong points.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this novel.

Thank you to the publishers for letting me read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book once it got halfway through. It felt like the build-up was very slow but once it got there, it went very downhill (in a good way!).

I'm still hung up over the last 3/4 of the book and the ending I never saw coming!

Not what I expected, but in a great way! Wow - kept me on my toes - wanted to keep reading into the night!

Hmm... I feel like I read a different book than everybody else with this one. Many have been raving about The Perfect Liar, but it was just okay for me.

So I don't give anything away, I'm going to use the publisher's description for this one:

*****
A seemingly perfect marriage is threatened by the deadly secrets husband and wife keep from each other, for fans of B.A. Paris and Paula Hawkins.

Susannah, a young widow and single mother, has remarried well: to Max, a charismatic artist and popular speaker whose career took her and her fifteen-year-old son out of New York City and to a quiet Vermont university town. Strong-willed and attractive, Susannah expects that her life is perfectly in place again. Then one quiet morning she finds a note on her door: I KNOW WHO YOU ARE.
*****

The book started off well enough and I enjoyed the overall concept. I'm always up for some sort of sinister plot that keeps the reader guessing. However, I found the "twists" pretty easy to guess so I wasn't particularly surprised for the "big reveal" toward the end. When the reader discovers who has been leaving the notes and why I kind of scratched my head. It wasn't entirely clear why this person was leaving the notes and specifically why now. And that question never really got answered or clarified which I found somewhat dissatisfying. The ending overall was pretty anticlimactic as well and didn't leave me satisfied given the tension that had been built up by the author.

But all of that being said, there was never a point during the book that I wanted to stop reading it. I kept hanging around hoping something exciting would happen. And even though it didn't really come to fruition, I still enjoyed reading it.

I seem to be somewhat in the minority with my feelings, so I think this one is worth taking a shot for any thriller readers out there. If I've learned anything from fellow bookworms it is that no two people read the same book, so you may enjoy this one even though it wasn't my favorite!

-This book was gifted to me in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley, Thomas Christopher Greene, and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to review.-

Loved Loved Loved this Book!!!

The Perfect Liar by Thomas Christopher Greene is a story that will keep you guessing until the last page.

I was hooked from the first page and did not want to stop reading. Just when you think the story is going one way, it shoots off in another direction. Great twists!!

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martins Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Susannah, a young widow and single mother, has remarried well: to Max, a charismatic artist and popular speaker whose career took her and her fifteen-year-old son out of New York City and to a quiet Vermont university town. Strong-willed and attractive, Susannah expects that her life is perfectly in place again. Then one quiet morning she finds a note on her door: I KNOW WHO YOU ARE.

Max dismisses the note as a prank. But days after a neighborhood couple comes to dinner, the husband mysteriously dies in a tragic accident while on a run with Max. Soon thereafter, a second note appears on their door: DID YOU GET AWAY WITH IT?

Both Susannah and Max are keeping secrets from the world and from each other—secrets that could destroy their family and everything they have built. Thomas Christopher Greene’s The Perfect Liar is a thrilling novel told through the alternating perspectives of Susannah and Max with a shocking climax that no one will expect, from the bestselling author of The Headmaster’s Wife.

My Thoughts: The Perfect Liar opens when Susannah finds a frightening note on their front door. Not sure what to do, she calls her husband Max, who is also concerned. But then he reassures her.

As the story begins to unfold, we learn more about the secrets Max and Susannah are keeping, but neither is aware of the other’s duplicity. As more time goes by, however, we see the lack of trust building between them and feel a hint of what might happen next.

We learn Max’s secrets first, and only part of Susannah’s. As the pages turn quickly, with a rapid pace, the intensity increases. There is a sense of heightening danger throughout, and just when we think we have the answers, we will be stunned by another revelation.

It was hard to know who to root for, as each character seemed to hold just enough of the cards to be a threat to the other.

A thrilling domestic drama that kept me on the edge of my chair, this one earned 5 stars.

***I received the e-ARC from the publisher via NetGalley

Wow! Block out a day, sit back and enjoy this hard to put down story. More twists and turns than a roller coaster! You’ll love it!

What happens when every single character in the pot is unsavory? Things get stirred up in a hurry, with nasty flavors like paranoia, deceit and sociopathic tendencies fighting for dominance. Nothing is certain except that it probably won't turn out as one might expect.

For readers, that makes for an exciting - dare I say thrilling - experience (if it were possible, I'd give this one 4.5 stars). For reviewers, less so; it's nearly impossible to describe what happens without giving away too much. But what the heck - I'll give it a go. Susannah, the widowed youngish mother of a teenage boy, is now married to Max. He once gave a TED talk on art that went viral, propelling him to the top of the lecture circuit. From the outset, it's clear that both are carrying around heavy-duty secrets from their pasts (which, of course, I dare not reveal). Son Freddy seems to be a typical adult-hating teen, although he does take a liking to his stepdad.

The relatively new family now lives in Burlington, Vermont, where Max has landed a short-term position at a local college. While they miss the hubbub of New York City, they've pretty much settled in and are enjoying the more laid-back setting. That is, until Susannah finds a note tacked on their front door: I Know Who You Are, it read. Susannah nearly panics, but Max doesn't seem worried - or if he is, he refuses to admit it to Susannah. But in truth, both think there's cause for concern. Problem is, neither knows which one is the note intended for (don't feel bad; readers are left guessing for quite some time as well).

Told from alternating perspectives of Susannah and Max - during which the layers of their earlier-life secrets are peeled back - the story moves forward as the couple try to figure out what's going on that threatens their future. There are "mysterious" deaths, both past and present, all leading up to a grand finale. Whether or not it leaves you satisfied, I suppose, depends on which of the characters you think is the best liar (or perhaps is lying the least). For my part, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and found it hard to put down, so extra thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy.