Well this one grabbed me at the beginning and didn’t let go! It was well written, fast paced, and full of suspense.
Many thanks to Harlequin MIRA and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Girls can lie and be nasty. Oh what a tale Ellison wields in her new novel. Ash, a new student to the private prep school that caters to the rich and famous finds her new life quite interesting and seemingly quite dangerous. She’s come across the ocean to attend the Virginia s elite school where rules are set and expectations are high, but oh what a student society actually exists. There are secret societies, rumors, lies, secrets, mean girls, and deaths to keep you winding your way through a thriller to find out who’s who, who did what, why they did it to an intriguing conclusion.

I was provided with an ARC of this title from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This story has all of the elements I want in a thriller:
- a sinuously twisted, sinister plot that kept me guessing until the final chapter.
- a cast of unpredictable and unorthodox characters with conflicted loyalties.
- a backstory revealed in poignant glimpses.

I devoured it during a 2 hour flight. I highly recommend this outstanding read to anyone who enjoys reading the works of Riley Sager or Ruth Ware.

I will start off by saying I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The first chapter had me hooked, and I hadn't figured out the ending until the very end. This book wasn't your typical thriller, it had more to the story and kept you guessing throughout the entire book.

Ash takes off to America to an all-girls prestigious boarding school to escape her life back in Oxford. What she doesn't expect is to find herself full of emotions and becoming the centre of everyone's attention. When one domino falls, all the pieces begin to crumble and she needs to escape her past, once and for all.

This was my first novel by J.T. Ellison and it will certainly not be my last. The character build up made you connect so deeply with each one, but also left you guessing about their motives and personalities. The story wove a grand tale of deceit and who to believe, while never giving away too much and keeping you wanting more. Definitely check this one out!

I have two types of catnip when it comes to books; Witches coming into their powers and Secret Societies. Good Girls Lie by J.T. Ellison is filled with secret societies and teen drama, just like the shows I watch on CWTV. Don’t judge! Legacies, Nancy Drew, and Charmed, yup, some people think it’s trash TV, but I love it.

This is the second book I’ve read by Ellison, the first being Lie to Me. I really enjoyed that one, so I was excited to give this one a read. Good Girls Lie is filled with one twist after another. Many of them you knew were coming with the foreshadowing and clues Ellison weaved into the story. But this didn’t take away from the enjoyment of the book. And there was still some surprises that I didn’t see coming.

It’s told from multiple points of view, with the main one being Ash’s. I thought this worked well to keep the reader a bit off balance. Right when you’re starting to get into Ash’s head, Ellison switched to another character, one of them being a menacing voice that the reader may not be sure who it is.
There is plenty of character development. You will root for some of the characters, feel sorry for some, and perhaps hate a few. Ellison also does a fantastic job with the descriptive elements of the school and town. You can feel how lonely and isolated the school is, and how the town is dead only to come partial alive when the students go into town.

As with any good secret society book there are secrets, some deadly, hazing, and the questioning of one’s sanity. And of course, with an all girls school, you’re going to have some questioning of one’s sexuality. I thought Ellison did a good job of combining hormones with not being sure of your place in the world yet.

There are two reasons I’m giving Good Girls Lie four stars instead of five. The first being I felt the story could have been tightened up a bit, and that would have given it a more frantic feeling that would have enhanced it as a thriller.

The second is because of the very, very ending. If Ellison would have left it at the first ending, I might have given the book five stars, but the second ending was a bit too far-fetched for me, and it felt like a horror movie when they add on the last jump scare so there can be a sequel.

If you enjoy thrillers, secret societies, or all girl boarding school novels then you should give this one a read. I know I’ll be reading even more of Ellison in the future.

Goode girls don’t lie...or do they?

After a life-changing tragedy, Ash Carlisle moves from her home in Oxford, England to an all-girls boarding school in Virginia. The Goode School attracts the wealthiest and most elite girls and gives them the upper hand in Ivy League acceptance. But among the school’s accelerated courses, rich traditions and secret societies, something sinister is lurking. Who is behind the mysterious things that are happening at Goode School? Who is telling the truth and who is lying?

Good Girls Lie was my first book by J.T. Ellison and I really enjoyed it! It kept me guessing along the way and delivered some unexpected twists. I loved the boarding school setting and the alternating character perspectives. Overall, a quick and twisty read that my mystery and thriller loving friends will love! This one will hit shelves just in time to add to your 2020 TBR. Look for it December 30th!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin-Mira for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Good Girls Lie - Available December 30; 2019

Girls at the prestigious Goode school, an all girls boarding school in Virginia, are held to a strict honor code. When Ash shows up for her first day she is already hiding her past and living a lie. As she struggles to make friends while slowly discovering the school has a dark past and secrets of its own, she fails at keeping her own past hidden. When one girl turns up dead, the dean of the school, the students, and Ash.s secrets unravel.

I wanted to like this book but it was a little too far fetched for me. I felt the transitions between perspectives were confusing and it was obviously supposed to be that way. While this book wasn’t my favorite by the author, it was still a fun book to read and I was up late reading to see how it ended,.

Thank you to NetGalley and MIRA Publishing for the free copy of this book I’m exchange for my honest review.

Great thriller, fast and easy to read. A cozy and intimate setting of the Goode school got the book going, interesting characters kept me turning pages in the middle, and a nice twist at the end made the the book exciting. Very well done.

The book starts off with something or someone hanging from the iron gates. Everyone at the prestigious school is shocked this could happen. The book is full of twists and turns and the writing was on point,

This was my first J.T. Ellison book, and I was thrilled to read and review it. I could hardly put this book down - I loved all the secrets and lies that were continually being revealed. I predict that this book will receive a lot of hype when it's released very soon - praise it thoroughly deserves. Well done, Ms. Ellison - this book is a success and I'm definitely going to read more from you. Thanks, Netgalley, for this arc.

This is a tight thriller set at an exclusive boarding school. Bursting with secrets, hazing, sexual surprises, murder and some really creepy stairs this one was really tough to set down. Good Girls Lie is my third book by J. T. Ellison and I am once again fully satisfied with this sinister mystery/thriller read. This was a quick read for me and I was glued to its pages from the start. I enjoyed the alternating points of view and the clever way the author created the tension throughout the book.

The Goode School is an elite all-girls high school that only accepts the brightest, and most privileged girls. Steeped in its own history including secret societies and the hazing they invoke.
Ash Carlisle isn’t your typical Goode student, being from Oxford for starters, but the storyline seta her even further apart than that, with dire consequences along the way.
Overall I enjoyed this book, although I did struggle at times with the author’s writing style. It was filled with twists and turns and I definitely didn’t see all of them coming, which is what you want in a decent thriller.
There are some interesting characters and the author creates what feels like authentic friendship/relationship types that I would assume happen in such a location.
Definitely worth a read.
My thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Books for allowing me to read this book in return for an honest review.

After the sudden deaths of her parents, Ashlyn "Ash" Carr makes her way from England to the the highly exclusive Goode School in Virginia, as a scholarship student.
An all girls boarding school for the most accomplished of high society.
Ash becomes immersed in the schools traditions and secret societies. Where the honor code means only appearing to tell the truth and hazing is prevalent.
When several deaths occur, the police begin to investigate. Were they accidents, suicides, or something more sinister?!
This atmospheric, gothic thriller had a menacing and creepy vibe.
JT Ellison is a favorite author, but there were a few reasons this one did not completely work for me.
The characters were disagreeable and a bit annoying. I just couldn't relate to any of them.
And I felt the story went on too long and the twists were not as surprising as I'd hoped.
But I've seen great reviews for this one, don't skip it on my account.
Thank you to MIRA Books for the e-ARC via NetGalley.
3.5 stars, rounded down to 3 stars.

Good Girls Lie, or more accurately, GOODE girls lie. JT Ellison's new book takes place at The Goode School, an exclusive, all girls boarding school in northern Virginia. Only the finest and most wealthy girls are accepted into the school, and the headmistress, Dean Westhaven is there to ensure that tradition and exclusivity remains. The story starts off with a new student, sent abroad from England, with plenty of secrets and lies of her own. She’s in Goode company, as all of the students seem quite unlikeable, with lies of their own.

If you enjoyed Pretty Little Liars, this story is in the same category. It has a solid mystery at the beginning with the apparent suicide of one of the most popular girls. This is a GOODE thriller at 3.5 stars.
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy via NetGalley.

The Goode School is considered the Ivy League prep school known as the Silent Ivy. Its elite status, long-held traditions and honor code are ideal for preparing exceptional young women for brilliant futures at Ivy League universities and beyond. In a world where appearances are everything, as long as students pretend to follow the rules, no one questions the cruelties of the secret societies or the dubious behavior of the privileged young women who expect to get away with murder. But when a popular student is found dead, the truth cannot be ignored. Rumors suggest she was struggling with a secret that drove her to suicide.

Look closely…because there are truths and there are lies, and then there is everything that really happened.

It's been a while since I've read one of Ellison's book and I forgot how much I like her writing as well as her ability to build suspense. There is a reason why she is such a successful writer in the genre. Good Girls Lie is a tautly written tale of girls, rich elitist girls, sequestered away at a remote boarding school. When new "Ash" is admitted, she appears to be the perfect "Goode Girl." She is tall, tanned, has perfect hair and the smile of an innocent but she also has a lifetime full of secrets. Her smile is practiced and her motives are impure but is it she who drove a fellow student to commit suicide or are there more secrets to reveal. The answers to these questions are what make this heart-pounding thriller so good!

Good Girls Lie is set to be published December 30 and should be on every suspense lovers 2020 TBR.

When I received an advanced copy of this thriller, I was excited to read something that was in a school setting. Most thrillers don’t involve schools so I couldn’t wait to read this one.

This was such an interesting story with many intriguing twists. The Goode school is a private school for girls, with secret societies and a code of honor. What could go wrong? When a student is found dead, questions start arising. Was it suicide? Or murder?

This thriller has it all, including family drama and teenage jealousy. Ellison does a fantastic job writing such tension that kept me intrigued throughout the entire book. It took me a little while to get into the story and trying to keep characters straight, but once I got it, I couldn’t put it down.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin-MIRA for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

A special thank you to Harlequin and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Goode girls don’t lie…or do they?

The Goode School is a prestigious all girls prep school nestled in the picturesque town of Marchburg, Virginia. Known as Silent Ivy, the school only accept the very best and brightest girls, the daughters of the rich and influential. But when a stranger comes to Goode, the ivy turns poisonous.

Appearances are everything, especially at Goode where the girls are being groomed for Ivy League educations. As long as you follow the strict honour code and stick to the rules, you will succeed. In fact, people will even turn a blind eye to the cruel and calculating hazings of the secret societies and the unsavoury attitudes of the spoiled and privileged rich girls to keep the school's reputation and its students' reputations in tact.

Ash Carlisle is an import from England. After witnessing both of her parents dying, she is trying to reinvent herself as a Goode girl. Only it isn't that easy. Ash is not only struggling to fit in—especially with being targeted by popular senior, Becca Curtis—but also with trying to keep her past hidden, as well as the many other secrets and lies that seem to be piling up.

When a popular student is found dead, the truth can't be ignored. Rumours are suggesting that the girl had a secret that drove her to commit suicide. But was it suicide, or was it murder? You see, there are truths, lies, and what actually happened in between.

This propulsive character driven novel is well-sculpted and sublimely atmospheric—the setting was absolute perfection! What is it about boarding schools that is so intriguing? Can't you just picture the stone walls, ornate wood, climbing ivy, and secret tunnels?

Ellison's writing is hypnotic, detailed, and consuming. The solid narrative is framed by equally strong characters. Told from multiple perspectives, the majority of the story is told from Ash's point of view, with a few other perspectives in the mix. This works exceptionally well, the reader experiences a lot of what Ash is as a newcomer.

Good Girls Lie is devious and delightful. There is plenty of back-stabbing, double-crossing, and plot twists. J. T. Ellison will have her readers engaged until the very last page.

Good Girls Lie by JT Ellison is beyond fantastic. A boarding school psychological thriller.

The story takes place at The Goode School (great play on the title), which is a unique all girls school.
The book is tautly paced with unbelievably complex fleshed out characters which may or may not be reliable. I can't give it all away!

The book is written in alternating perspectives which is one of my favorite writing styles and the author nails it!

Prepare to not be able to put this book down, because I could not if I tried.

Did I mention secret societies? 5 stars from Miss W ! If you are not reading JT Ellison, you should be!

This psychological thriller by J. T. Ellison is not short on surprises, as well as having more than its fair share of suspense and tension!

In Good Girls Lie, my second foray into the depths of J. T. Ellison’s explosive writing, the author uses an effective style of storytelling to unveil the narrative. Told from multiple viewpoints and with a whirlwind speed, pivotal anecdotes about the leading characters are revealed.

The narrative delves into the psyche of Ash Carr, who the reader learns, is a tortured young woman having witnessed the death of both of her parents and is now on a scholarship at the elite Goode Academy where each girl is almost certainly guaranteed a place. Set in Marchburg, Virginia, secret societies exist enabling the girls to bond, though what lies beneath the surface is a nightmare of bullying as the hierarchy of students is clear from the outset. Dean Ford Julianne Westhaven turns a blind eye as she believes she is keeping old traditions alive.

Ghost stories of murders, eerie passageways, locked hallways, and a deadly staircase all have their place, giving the school a really creepy vibe.

Good Girls Lie will delight if you like your thrillers menacing and fast-paced. This was a fabulous, dramatic and twisty story, and I can't wait to see what J. T. Ellison does next!

From my blog: Always With a Book:

I have been a fan of J.T. Ellison's stand-alone books for quite a while now. She manages to create such wickedly addictive reads and this one is no exception.

There is just something so fun about a story dealing with a girls' boarding school, especially one that has secret societies and girls that are brimming with secrets. Add in an unknown narrator and a completely atmospheric setting and it just totally amps up the tension and suspense. I could not flip the pages fast enough, trying to work out just what was going on and which characters were trustworthy and which were not.

I loved this book. It is twisted and dark and just when you think you have it all worked out, that you know where things are headed, a new twist pops up to throw a wrench in the works and I loved every minute of it. Nothing is as it seems with these characters and that is what makes this book so good. There's manipulation, deviousness and that mean-girls vibe running through this book, with a double-crossing revenge angle that hooks you and never lets up.

J.T. Ellison is an author that never lets me down and I'm so grateful for that. This is one psychological thriller you do not want to miss - it's such a binge-worthy read and one that will keep you hooked from start to finish. Pick it up, you won't be sorry!