This is a book with hurricane force intensity -part mystery, part psychological drama ,with twists and turns that had me at the edge of my seat. I would have rated this a five except that I found some things in the ending that were dubious and therefore lacked plausibility. The ending felt a bit rushed and I wished it had been flushed out more.. The characters are extremely well drawn and pulled me deeper into their individual struggles. There are a couple of storylines that are threaded together beautifully contributing to making this such a satisfactory read . My mouth did drop open several times as I had no idea what was coming around the bend. The gist of the story can be read in the synopsis but my one word to you is go out and read this as fast as you can. This minute isn’t soon enough.

What an AMAZING book! Wow this story line was so addicting... I mean I completely was drawn in from the beginning. This is one of those books that will be immediately popular as soon as it is released. A MUST READ!!

The Liar’s Child by Carla Buckley

March 2019
Random House
Fiction, psychological drama

I received a digital copy of this ARC from NetGalley and Random House in exchange for an unbiased review.

This story is told from multiple POV with alternating narrators with questionable reliability. Based near North Carolina’s Outer Banks, several lives are devastated and not just from the impending hurricane. The Liar’s Child is just about anyone’s child given the complicated family histories and differing perspectives of reality. It seems most families have secrets or untold truths which ultimately get retold or misrepresented over the years.

The Nelson family live in an apartment complex called the Paradise which coincidently is anything but a paradise. Life is difficult for 12-year old Cassie and her 5-year old brother, “Boon” primarily due to their ineffective parents. It seems that as much as the parents express their love for their children they lack the mental and physical ability to protect them. It’s no wonder that Cassie is acting out and hanging with high school hooligans and Boon sucks his thumb, wets himself and considers his stuffed animals his friends.

The father, Whit Nelson, seems to spend most of his time compensating for his wife’s mental instability while working as a full time hotel manager to keep CPS from taking his kids. While it seems that he has good intentions, he clearly spreads himself too thin trying to placate his parents who live an hour away and Thompson his demanding boss.

As if this isn’t enough, Paradise becomes the home for Sara Lennox, a con artist forced into Federal protective custody to avoid prison. As much as she tries to remain uninvolved with the tumultuous family living next door, she gets drawn into their lives reminding her of her own childhood. Unfortunately, her story only feels partially explored with an unsatisfactory ending.

As the hurricane approaches, Sara is compelled to do the right thing by rescuing the 2 kids next door when their father doesn’t return from an errand. Trying to escape the elements they eventually end up at a motel where they encounter more people trying to escape their past. Hank is a retired sherif still grieving the loss of his wife and son many years prior. Due to his own denial and feelings of regret he focuses his energy on “all” the missing children in the news. Honestly, I wasn’t sure where his storyline was going as his obsession is rather creepy!

I enjoyed the pace of the story and the twists and turns but didn’t feel like the story was complete at the end. I felt like it “skipped” parts and just put a bow on it leaving many questions unnecessarily up in the air.

I got this book through NetGalley for an honest review and wow, I loved it. Actually I had tears in my eyes by the end.

It takes place in NC in a town called Paradise but it is far from that. Sara who is in the witness protection program gets placed in Paradise until the Feds can move her. She lives next door to a father and his two children. After a hurricane hits them she is the one who rescues the children not only from the storm but also from a life of tragedy that is tearing them apart.

A warm story of suspense and compassion you wont want to miss. Due out March 12, 2019; put it on your TBR list now.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. A true psychological thriller with plenty of suspense and twists. It all takes place in Paradise. However, it is anything but paradise. Sara is transplanted there as she is now in the witness protection program. She is supposed to keep quiet and stay out of trouble. That was all well in good until she encouraged her neighbors. The only thing that was a little disappointing for me was the ending. A good,solid read.

Prepare to be totally engrossed in this story about the relationship between a young woman trying to escape her past and the two troubled children she rescues from a hurricane.

This was an amazing story. Cassie and Boon are Whit’s children. Sara is their neighbor, a woman in Witness Protection who has plans to run as soon as she can. The children’s mother had recently disappeared and was believed to have run away from her responsibilities. Everything comes to a head during and following a hurricane on the NC outer banks. Whit leaves the children alone at their apartment to go “help” his parents who had severe damage to their home. Sara takes the children with her while she is attempting to get away from the storm. The story is told from different viewpoints each chapter. The reader gets to learn the whole story in bits and pieces and gets to watch the characters develop throughout...and learn about themselves. Thanks to Net Galley and Ballantine for an e-Galley for an honest review.

Set on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, Paradise Apartments isn't exactly the Ritz. It's old and tired and falling down and just sad. Much like the people who call it home.

The most notorious residents are the Nelsons. Mrs. Nelson has issues. Serious mental issues and when she leaves her small son alone in a hot car all day, everyone is looking at her oddly. Most of all her 12-year-old, Cassie. Cassie knows what happened that day and has become sullen, rebellious, a thief and a liar.

When Mrs. Nelson disappears no one is surprised. And I was quite sure the husband had quietly killed her and disposed of her body. 

Meanwhile next door Sara Lennox has moved in. It's supposed to be a safe house for her to stay alive until her testimony that will put her boss in prison. She hates it. She hates the people next door. She is plotting her escape every day. And just when it seems she has everything set to flee, a hurricane comes barreling in over the islands. Ready to leave she sees the children from next door. She grabs them and runs to safety.

She's no saint. No one is looking for a woman with 2 children. But then new information comes to light and she knows she can't abandon them.

There were stories within stories here. Hank was in the first and then we don't see him until the end. It was difficult to see why he was there at all. 

Everyone in this tale had serious flaws! Not a one of them was likeable except the little boy Boon. It wasn't my favorite by this author.

Netgalley/March 12th 2019 by Ballantine Books

3.75 Stars! This is a story, within a story - more of a drama with some surprising moments! I am already a fan of this author - she does a great job describing the depths of her characters and their situations. And although I enjoyed this book, I was a bit confused at times as it jumps around in the narrative and the ending was also a bit flat! Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC, in exchange for my honest review.

Laura Buckley has penned a psychological thriller weaving together the lives of three families as they face their daily trials trying to hide their true selves. I couldn't put it down as sympathy built for all the characters involved knowing someone was going to lose as secrets were revealed.

Thank you to Net Galley, the author and Random House for an e ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review. This book was more than it seems. It's part mystery, thriller, with a great deal of family and character turmoil thrown in. I truly thought, through the entire book, that I knew exactly where this was going, only to be surprised at the end. That said, it was done skillfully, and caused me to pause and think about the implications for everyone involved. Really well done.

An author has wrote a good book when she makes the reader emphasize with the villains. This story has multiple layers and is told in that good suspenseful way that prevents the reader from taking a break until the last page has been devoured! 5 shiny stars. 10/10 would read again.

Carla Buckley's The Liars Child was written in such a way that several of the characters had a lot in common. A 12-year-old girl going on 16 and her 5-year-old innocent brother whose mother has disappeared are left alone. Their neighbor is in witness protection and befriends them (much to her surprise) when a hurricane threatens their homes. As the story unfolds the lies become more evident, misconceptions abound and life comes crashing down on them all. Choices must be made. Do you continue with what you thought you wanted or will you be part of other's lives? I would recommend this book for those that enjoy a good mystery.

I recently found Carla Buckley's work, and I must say, I am a fan!

Lives collide in Paradise in Buckley's newest thriller. Sara Lennox lands in an apartment complex, called Paradise, in North Carolina's The Outerbanks. Ironically, Sara has less than desirable neighbors and her digs are not reflective of what we envision paradise to be. Against her wishes, Lennox is part of the Witness Protection Program and is biding her time until testifying after which she will spend the rest of her life with a new identity and alone.

Enter Boon and Cassie, the children that live next door. Living in an abusive situation, they, like Sara, are lost. Perhaps Sara feels a kinship with them based on circumstance, but when a hurricane hits The Outerbanks, Sara is faced with a difficult choice. Does she escape alone or help the children she feels may need her?

Thank you NetGalley for an arc of this great book in exchange for an honest review.

The Liar’s Child
My thanks to #NetGalley for this ebook in exchange for an honest review. The Liar’s Child, by Carla Buckley was eagerly anticipated as I loved Deepest Secret. I’m not entirely sure how I feel about Liar’s Child. There were certain aspects I really enjoyed, but overall, I think the plot just fell flat—especially at the end. I was terribly disappointed in this book. I just kept wanting more. I wanted the characters to go a little deeper, I wanted the plot to be a little richer. I was good, but there were so many chances for it to have been much better. It was all just dishwater grey without a spark of light.

Huge fan of Carla Buckley. I read all of her books and loved them. I hate to say that this was not one of my favorites. I usually love books that I alternate between characters but not this one. At times I was confused and wondered what that person had to do with the story. That person would be Hank. He shows up in the beginning and his purpose isn’t fully explained until much later on. The story seemed interesting at first, with Sara being in the Federal Witness Program. Unfortunately, Sara was not very likable. I never got to really know her and didn’t feel like I would want to. I felt horrible for Boon. He’s such a lovable little boy, with his scruffy Wolf always in his arms. He’s gone through so much in his short life and is lucky to be alive. I kept hoping someone would get that rash looked at by a doctor. Cassie was just screaming for help, but no one was listening. I still can’t believe she was only twelve. Their mom had mental issues and their dad left them alone all hours to work, I knew something bad would happen. There were so many storylines going on plus a hurricane. The Nelsons could have been a separate book with all the issues that family had. The ending was so disappointing. Nothing was resolved for me. What happened to Sara?

I recommend the book, it just wasn’t for me. I didn’t hate it, but also didn’t love it like the author’s previous books.

Thanks to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and the author, Carla Buckley, for a free electronic ARC of this novel.

I wasn't sure if I was going to like it going into it, and after reading it, I'm still not sure how I feel about it. Part of me really enjoyed it, and another part of me is confused and disappointed. I have no idea.

This good was unputdownable, until the very end. Didn't care for the end at all. Three stars, but I would like to specify that it's because of the very end - the writing itself was sublime.

I’ve read ‘The Deepest Secret’ by this author and thoroughly enjoyed it. Unfortunately, for me this book did not live up to my expectations. I found the story slow moving until mid way thru when the Hurricane hit. From here, it took off at a much faster pace. It is in no way a cheerful read, it’s a down-on-your-luck sad read. The last chapter and the Epilogue were more hopeful. But, I finished it with too many questions. Story is told in 4 voices, until the Epilogue.

I really did not like most of the characters, except for Boon, an adorable little boy caught in a bad situation along with his sister, Cassie, a teenager with major attitude, rightfully so but needing her parents to step up and parent. Whit, the Dad, who tries to keep everyone happy. Diane, the Mom, who is selfish and self-centered. Sara, trying to save herself in the Witness Protection Program. Hank, an ex-cop with a past that we learn about late.

I do enjoy Ms. Buckley’s story telling and look forward to reading her again. Thanks to NegGalley, the author and Ballantine Books for this ARC. Opinion is mine alone.

I was so excited to read this book. I had read the blurb and thought “This could be a good book”. And guess what, it was a good as I thought it was going to be.

I am going to come straight out and say it, this book was amazing. It was everything that I thought it was going to be and then some. The book is slow to start and I would hate it but in this case, it was needed. There was so much background that the author needed to build up before the story got going. And when the story got going, it didn’t stop.

Family dynamics were a huge focal point in The Liar’s Child. Cassie and Boon had a dysfunctional family. By the descriptions given, it seemed like she was bipolar at the least. She was also known to take off with the kids. Hank, their father, was the only stable person in their lives but he worked a ton of hours. He was never around. I had no doubt that this was the reason why Cassie started hanging around with the kids that she did. I also don’t doubt that was the reason why Boon was the way he was.

Sarawas an enigma. The author made it a point of not releasing a ton of information about her background. Heck, even her name was fake. She was in the Witness Protection program because of a case that she had no choice but to testify in. It was that or jail. Sara was at The Paradise under duress.

To be honest, I didn’t like Sara very much during the book. She was always scheming, seeing who could get her what. She formed friendships to get things. Take her friendship with her boss. She used it to get to her computer and to steal booze from the customers. Let’s not forget to add that she used her boss’s boyfriend to get laid and get a car. I also wanted to know why she was so hot to get out of the Witness Protection program. I understand that she chafed at being watched but hello, she got involved with human trafficking. Which is a bad thing.

I did feel bad for Cassie. She was acting out, hardcore. At 12, she shouldn’t have had to step into her mother’s shoes. While I didn’t agree with how she rebelled (sleeping around, doing drugs, skipping school) but I definitely could understand why. She did love Boon and she did try to protect him. But she also resented him. There were times in the book where I thought that she was going to need a good therapist.

Hank came across as a pushover. He allowed his wife to do whatever she wanted and chose to turn a blind eye to what she was doing. Even when she almost killed Boon, he still coddled her. It should have been a relief when she left. But it seemed to add more stress to him. I didn’t understand exactly why he was so stressed out until the end of the book. That’s when I did an “aha“. But, even that wasn’t what it seemed.

The plotline with the hurricane was almost anti-climatic compared to what was going on with the people. I liked that it didn’t take over the book but instead was the background for everything that happened after the middle.

I am still trying to figure out why Sara decided to take the kids. It wasn’t because she wanted to rescue them or felt bad for them. She felt that they were a pain in the butt and told them so. So why did she? I know that she saw a lot of herself in Cassie. So maybe that called to her. Who knows.

The book wrapped up on a happy note. I was happy to see everyone was thriving and doing well. I wasn’t happy to see that Hank was where he was but I understood why he did it. Never underestimate a parent’s love for their child.

I would give The Liar’s Child an Adult rating. There is sex (not graphic). There is language. There is violence. There are triggers. They would be the abandonment of a parent, death of a parent, horrific accident involving a child, dealing children services, destruction from a hurricane, underage sex, talk of drug use and a child becoming ill. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread The Liar’s Child. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank the publisher, the author, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review The Liar’s Child.

All opinions stated in this review of The Liar’s Child are mine.