Eva has been struck by lightning. When she wakes up, she is covered in blood and her mom is dead. What happened? The story explores the complicated relationship between a mother and daughter, and what led up to this point.

This book grabbed me from the first paragraph…. and then it lost me for half the book. While there were great pieces and interesting characters, it just seemed a bit muddled. There wasn’t a good flow to the writing. Some scenes flew by- the memories especially- and some dragged to the point where I would get bored and have to take a break. Now, I know that it’s common to use these writing techniques in suspense novels to make the reader on edge, make the story jump as it were… but I didn’t feel like that was the reason for it here.
As far as characters go, I really liked Eva and Kat, even when I knew I shouldn’t. They’re interesting characters, well developed and uniquely broken. Eva, with her past trauma that she can’t quite remember, has trouble believing in herself and her feelings. She relies on her fiance, Liam, more than is usual. He seems at first like the perfect caretaker and partner, but after she gets struck by lightning the night her mother dies- and forgets everything about that night!- there are moments when the relationship doesn’t feel right. Sometimes she gets angry at him, or wants to rebel and can’t understand why. Feeling like she’s a bit damaged makes it hard for her to feel like she can trust her emotions, especially when she can’t remember that night.
Kat has been keeping a secret for twenty-five years. She wasn’t always the best mom, and showing emotion is difficult for her, but she loves Eva and will do anything to keep her safe- even change their lives completely to escape a dangerous past. Out of the two narratives, I have to say that I prefered Kat to Eva. Wanting to know the back story was what kept me reading at times when I wasn’t sure I would finish this one.
The second half of the book began to run more smoothly, and I became more interested in it (though I had to dedicate a lot of time to get there). The characters begin to shine and the story comes together in a crazy, beautiful pattern. In the end I liked the book well enough, but I don’t know if I would actually buy a copy. It was just…. ok… for me, most of the story was pretty forgetable. I would give it three stars.
On the adult content scale there’s a lot- violence, language, emotional trauma/bullying. It talks of rape, though as a thing in the past and not an explicit encounter. Still, some of it was really hard to read. I would give it an eight.
I was lucky enough to receive an eARC of this book from Netgalley and Gallery Books in exchange for an honest review. My thanks!
The book is out now! Have you read it?

Another compelling mystery from Christina McDonald. Told from alternating points of view and varying timelines, this domestic thriller offers plenty of suspense and twists while also exploring the complicated dynamics between mothers and daughters.

This was a really suspenseful book and I was never quite sure who was the good guy and who was the bad guy. Eva wakes up in the hospital and is told she was struck by lightening and her mother has been murdered. She has no memory of anything. When the police start to suspect Eva of her mother's murder, she realizes she must figure out what happened. There was a lot that went on in this book and a lot to follow, but the mystery keeps you engaged and reading.

This is one of the best named books I have ever read! The lies are stacking up faster than I can count and even some of the lies have their own set of lies. Brace yourselves, it is going to be a bumpy ride!!

Eva finds herself in a precarious position when she wakes up in the hospital. She learns that not only has she been struck by lightning, but her mother is dead and she cannot remember any of it. Not a bad start, eh?

Told in alternating perspectives by Eva and her mother Kat, we have a story of lies, deceit, and mystery. Kat’s story starts 25 years earlier when Eva is just a toddler and makes its way to the present day. This story is a fascinating and emotional look at a mother and daughter relationship with all of its ups and downs.

Eva is determined to solve her mother’s murder and will go to extreme lengths to do so. She becomes increasingly frustrated by her lack of memory, and the more she learns the more questions she has. Eva’s character may be determined, but she is also very insecure, vulnerable, and cannot let go of self-doubt.

This book is for those who love an intense read, with countless family secrets, and love a good mystery!

The world breaks everyone and afterward many are strong at the broken places. —Ernest Hemingway

Eva Hansen lives near Seattle with her fiance. She makes, paints and sells clay pottery. And she has secrets.

One night she is struck by lightning and, though she lives, she's lost her memory. In the hospital, she finds out her mother was murdered the same night.

This is a mystery, a thriller, a tale of psychological suspense and also a tale of relationships - between mother and daughter, with brothers, with old friends, and with the people you love.

This was a twisty tale and surprised me on different levels and I enjoyed it.

I received this book from Gallery Books through Net Galley in the hopes that I would read it and leave an unbiased review.

It was good but I figured out the "who did it?" very fast and that doesn't usually happen with me (I can be very tunnel vision with books). I did like it and finished it. The main story was interesting and intriguing however.

So many secrets, so many lies, and I had no clue who to believe. Every character in this book has a story to tell. Each story had lies and truths that were told but it was tough to tell who to believe. I enjoyed every word that I read. I was excited to keep reading, looking for times when I could read another chapter.

I loved that Eva worked to solve her own mystery. She took what she knew and put the pieces together. She was not sitting back and letting the police put the clues together. I questioned who was helping her and who was working against her. I was intrigued by Liam and Eva’s relationship. I questioned if Jacob was a good friend. Andrew was my biggest question as far as if he was a good guy or not. It was fun to start putting the clues together and figuring out the answers to my questions as I continued reading.

I am a fan of Christina McDonald having read The Night Olivia Fell and look forward to reading more of her books.

So I read The Night Olivia Fell by this author and it didn’t work for me. I decided to give this book a chance because the blurb sounded good. With that being said I really enjoyed this book a lot better. The writing was solid. The story line sucked me in and I finished this book in one day. It was told in dual points of view from the past and present. I loved how it all came together in the end. There was a twist that I didn’t see coming at all. I had my own theories but I wasn’t expecting that bombshell at all. If you are looking for a suspenseful story that will have you hooked from start to finish look no further.

If you can’t remember it, how do you prove you didn’t do it? And this first line of the summary totally hooked me into reading this Couldn’t-Put-It-Down book! CPID!

Surviving after being struck by lightning was a miracle; discovering that her mother Kat had been murdered and she was the chief suspect – not so much! Eva was found unconscious down the street from the scene of the crime. She can’t remember what happened but the police investigator is highly suspicious of her.

Returning to her mom’s house Eva discovers a letter from her mom and determined to clear her name, Eva heads from Seattle to London—Kat’s former home—for answers. As she unravels her mother’s carefully held secrets, Eva soon realizes someone doesn’t want her to know the truth. Some disturbing memories begin to emerge, and Eva doesn’t know who to trust. Least of all herself.

As mentioned in the beginning you may assume that I truly loved this story and while I don’t like jumping back and forth in the story as it was told in alternating perspectives, it flowed extremely well. By having the two perspectives it brought everything out in the open in order to understand the motivations of the plethora of characters so central to the story.

BEHIND EVERY LIE was an emotional read exploring mother-daughter relationships, family dysfunctions, and the danger of keeping life-altering long-held secrets. This was an absolutely wonderful and intriguing read!

Eva didn't know Katherine was not her real mother. When Katherine was killed Eva became the Prime suspect. Eva doesn't remember the night of the murder due to trauma and being struck by lightening.

This is the beginning of a very twisted thriller which will change everything Eva believes to be true.

Enjoy the ride of twists and turns.

Thank you get valley for an opportunity to read and review this book.

Talk about starting a book off with a bang! Christina McDonald starts off from chapter one when a young woman wakes in the hospital with no memories only to be told she was struck by lightning...oh, and you might have murdered your mother just before that!!! Told in differing voices and set in the mystery of the past vs the confusion of the current, this is not a light read. Keep up with the story and you will definitely change your theory of who done it often. Happy reading...this one is a good one.

Loved what I got to read - didn’t get to finish in time for the pub day review.

I will be buying this book. I loved the night Olivia fell and this one was just as good as far as I got to read. I can’t wait to see what happens

Eva wakes up in the hospital, her memory erased but in deep pain. The nurse explains that she had been hit by lightning, her arm feathered by Lichtenberg figures, red lines left from where the electrical current went through her. But that’s not the worst thing. Her mother had been murdered. Eva had been found by the police several blocks away from her mother’s house, from the scene of the crime.

As time goes by, she learns that her past is a web of secrets and lies, but her memories stubbornly keep their distance. After leaving the hospital, she tries to relax and let her body heal, but her need for answers is stronger. She starts trying to piece together what had happened to her and to her mother, because she’s afraid that the police will arrest her for the murder.

But as shards of memory return, and Eva is faced with bad decisions from her past, she realizes that without her memories, she can’t be certain that she wasn’t the one who killed her mother. The lightning strike itself can cause memory deficits, and a previous trauma left her vulnerable to anxiety, even paranoia. So with all that working against her, how can she be sure if she was the killer or not?

Her fiance Liam and an old friend from the neighborhood Jacob both try to help Eva, encouraging her to get the help she needs, but she insists on digging into her past, finding the truth for herself, and putting her fears to rest. But will she be able to put the pieces together before it’s too late?

Christina McDonald, author of the popular The Night Olivia Fell, is back with Behind Every Lie, a thriller about a mother-daughter relationship built on lies as well as love. The story is told by Eva in the present and her mother Kat in the past, interweaving a story of two families in danger and what strong women did in order to survive.

I was so excited to get to read this book, especially with all the good press her first book got. But as I got started, I found a lot of problems with the logic and the timing. It just felt like it wasn’t completely planned out at first. That being said, the more I read, the better the construction of the story became, and many of the logic problems were left behind. It is a compelling story with interesting characters, and for the most part, the wording is beautiful, sometimes lyrical. But it is not a perfect novel, which is disappointing, as a lot of my problems with the story could have been fixed with just some more attention to detail. I don’t want to tell you not to read this, because there is a lot of good in there. I just want you to be prepared to be irritated by details that don’t seem to add up well, especially in the first third of the novel.

Galleys for Behind Every Lie were provided by Gallery Books through NetGalley, with many thanks.

An engrossing and intense hearts-stopping thriller

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

SUMMARY
Eva Hansen wakes in the hospital after being struck by lightning and discovers her mother, Kat, has been murdered. Eva was found unconscious down the street from her mother’s home, but she can’t remember what happened. In the hospital she learns the police are suspicious of her. Determined to clear her name, Eva heads from Seattle to London—Kat’s former home—for answers. But as she unravels her mother’s carefully held secrets, Eva soon realizes that someone doesn’t want her to know the truth. When violent memories beginning to emerge, Eva doesn’t know who to trust. Least of all herself.

If you can’t remember it, How do you prove you didn’t do it?

REVIEW

She had me with the lightning strike. BEHIND EVERY LIE is an engrossing and intense heart-stopping thriller. The writing effortlessly blends the characters, settings and story into a compelling read that you will not want to put down. The cast of characters is masterfully developed with each character playing a vital role in the story.

Reading BEHIND EVERY LIE was like putting a huge thousand piece jigsaw puzzle together, there are so many pieces but it’s oh so satisfying when that last piece clicks into place. Eva’s confusion and angst was paramount to the story, and the vivid descriptions allow the story to come alive on the page.

The story is told in alternating perspectives of Eva’s search for answers and Kat’s mysterious past, which also alternates us between Seattle and London. Behind Every Lie explores the complicated nature of mother-daughter relationships, family trauma, and the danger behind long-held secrets.

Author Christina McDonald is The USA today best selling author of The Night Olivia Fell, which has been optioned for television by a major Hollywood studio. Originally from Seattle, Washington, she has an MA in journalism from the National University of Ireland Galway. Cristina now lives in London, England with her husband, two sons and their dog.

Thanks to Netgalley for an advance reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Publisher Gallery Books
Published February 4, 2019
Review www.bluestockingreviews.com

Happy Pub Day Christina McDonald on your newest book!! I’m so happy for you!
•
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
•
Christina McDonald quickly became a favorite of mine after I read The Night Olivia Fell. So when I heard she had a new book coming out I couldn’t wait to read it! Needless to say she has done it again! The writing and story captures your attention from the very first chapter. I found myself unable to put it down. The characters are not only likable but also complex and make you continue to question what you think you know. I love how the story alternates between Eva’s search and Kate’s secretive past.

I read Behind Every Lie months ago but wanted to wait until today to post my review.
•
What would you do if you were struck by lightening, woke up in the hospital and then told your mother was murdered? Not only that but you were found unconscious and close to the scene but find you no recollection of it at all?

In this chilling thriller by Christina McDonald we follow along as Eva Hansen is put in that exact scenario. When Eva realizes she is a prime suspect, she has to figure out how to prove her innocence. But how can she prove it when she can’t remember what happened?

In the hunt for the truth, Eva must uncover her mother’s carefully guarded secrets. She soon finds out though that someone is desperate to make sure she doesn’t discover the truth. Unsure of who to trust and flooded with violent memories, will Eva be able to get to the truth? If so, can she handle it?
•
You are not going to want to miss out on this gem!! Go crap your copy today!!
•
PS. Needless to say, considering Christina McDonald is one of my favorite authors, I had to show my support and buy a copy for myself too!

I enjoyed Christina McDonald's first book "The Night Olivia Fell," but "Behind Every Lie" really just didn't do it for me...sort of just blah. It really was just another basic thriller.

This book would have been a five star read but I was so lost that I had to start over once I got to the 36% of the way through the book. After creating a character chart I finally figured out what I was mixing up and the story made perfect sense. The alternating characters are the daughter Eva in current day and Kat in the past and at various points in time and not always in order. We are meant to be confused and not really know who each person is but I really don't like it when I have to re-read and create a character chart in order to read a book.

Once I got past that confusion I really like the book. It was very intriguing and I did not want to put it down. The plot line of the book felt original in a time of unoriginal plots. I really enjoyed the previous book but this author and how to was able to weave so much into her stories.

I would say that this books is more of a slow paced mystery thriller, good for those that like to piece together the subtle clues you discover as you read. It is definitely not a book for a person that wants a quick mind numbing easy read of a thriller because you will be lost and miss out of the the best parts.

<i>"Behind every lie is a person and a reason."</i>

The odds of being struck by lightning are pretty slim. The odds of being struck by lightning on the night of your mother's murder . . . well let's just say the probability is up there with winning the lottery. Yet this is Eva's fate and because of the lightning strike she can't remember exactly what happened that fateful night. It's obvious that she was at the scene of the crime when it happened but could she have killed her own mother?

<b>Behind Every Lie</b> is actually two mysteries. Not only is Eva struggling to figure out her mother's murder but she also is tormented by an attack that happened while she was in college. Memory, or her lack of it, is a major barrier to solving that crime and dealing with the emotional trauma she suffers as a result.

Typically when I read mysteries I want to be led on a winding twisted journey, teased with crumbs of evidence only to arrive at the solution at the bitter end. Let's just say I like surprises. Alas, <b>Behind Every Lie</b> did not prove to be too much of a riddle for me. I figured out who Kat's murderer was and their motive at the 41% mark. I thought I had to be wrong. It didn't make sense to have the big reveal so soon so I wondered how McDonald would handle the last half of the book. I kept waiting to be proven wrong, preparing myself for the twist that was about to come. There was a twist at the end but the person that was exposed as the guilty party was someone I did not trust from the jump. So it was not a surprise to me.

I will say that McDonald has a way with maxims. In this book she deals with memory, trust and the Japanese ethos of wabi-sabi. I particularly liked this last concept of there being beauty in what is broken. Eva's trauma may be what has distorted her memory and fractured her emotionally but she is still worthy, still beautiful. Her scars moreover are a testament to her strength and ability to survive the unthinkable. McDonald reiterates this concept by including the art of Kintsugi - a specialized type of pottery repair where the broken pieces are fitted with gems and molded together with gold.

<img src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/56a16cd089a60afe613b9b33/1560192176043-T4ZBW73UYL3FIZJTP2D2/ke17ZwdGBToddI8pDm48kLgYaOO7CHQirDozJyRugZhZw-zPPgdn4jUwVcJE1ZvWEtT5uBSRWt4vQZAgTJucoTqqXjS3CfNDSuuf31e0tVEGqIE4Z3sC3tTTeWscRQhtya5Y9Pj7ZWTPIdp7mQcjYZeuVmK9wgfnRXYYbJgKuCM/kintsugi.jpg"/>

<i>"True repair requires transformation, that our full potential is impossible to see until a crack opens us up."</i>

Behind Every Lie
Author : Christina McDonald
336 pages
3 ⭐⭐⭐

I totally LOVED The Night Olivia Fell. So when I saw Christina McDonald had another book out I just had to request to read it.

The story is told from the viewpoints of Kat ( the mother) and Eva (the daughter) . Kat's story is told from the past and Eva's is told from the present.

I had such high hopes for this book. The beginning of this story drew me to the point I could not put it down. I thought wow this is going to be an amazing story . Then it really started to drag.The story moved fast in some places and quite slow in others. It totally failed to keep my interest. It took me a week to read it and I pretty much had to force myself to finish it.I almost didn't pick it back up.
Way too much of it was just unbelievable and really far fetched. Also there was just way too much going on for one book. There was enough going on to fill up three books. I struggled with the slow then fast pace it took. It is packed full of twist however I was able to guess most of them.

The characters were very unlikeable and annoying . I failed to connect with any of them. Which also took away from my enjoyment.

Many thanks to the Publisher , the Author , and NetGalley for a ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
All in All this book just was not for me.