The world breaks everyone and afterward many are strong at the broken places.
-Ernest Hemingway, A Farewell to Arms

3.5 stars rounded down

Christina McDonald has once again weaved together a fast-paced mother/daughter tale which examines those complicated, familial bonds. Behind Every Lie is a good story, but unlike The Night Olivia Fell, it's not a great story.

Told from the dual perspectives of Kat and Eva, the reader is submerged into decades of trauma and abuse. While there are some beautifully done metaphors scattered throughout, the whole of the story felt a little too extreme and contrived (Eva was struck by lightning minutes after her mother was murdered, for Pete's sake). Further, while it's likely due to my unedited copy of the novel, I did find a couple timeline/plot hole errors which bothered me.

While I wasn't able to completely untangle the web of lies and deceit, I did find the antagonist to be fairly obvious very early on. Regardless of my nitpicking, this story is still a helluva ride...and I believe any fan of the suspense genre will find it well worth their time.

**Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Having read The Night Olivia Fell and loving it, I had pretty big expectations for McDonald's newest novel, Behind Every Lie.

Let me tell you, she did NOT disappoint!

Told in alternating timelines and perspectives of Kat and Eva, this story is intriguing, satisfying, frustrating, and heart-wrenching. I hated having to stop reading this at any point in time. It is fast-paced and made me want to keep turning pages into the night (if only my body would let me). Some parts I had figured out. Some I didn't. Some serious red herrings threw me off completely!

McDonald's mother-daughter relationships are realistically imperfect and the endings of both her novels show that in the best possible ways. She has proven to me that she is the QUEEN OF ENDINGS! I cannot tell you how beautifully written her endings are. Get your tissues ready, because the ending is sheer poetry. I will be reading anything she writes in the future!

Eva wakes up in a hospital and her mother has been murdered. Eva was found unconscious from being struck by lightning near her mother’s house on the same night. The police are highly suspicious of her. She only has flashes of memory from that night, her mother’s face, a knife, a sharp white light, and slashes of blood.
Eva desperately wants to clear her name and figure out what happened that night so she flees from Seattle to London where her mother, Kat, was from in order to find answers. As she is discovering shocking secrets her mother kept, she realizes someone doesn’t want her to find out the truth. Spurts of memory from that night are coming back and now Eva doesn’t know who to trust, least of all herself.

This book was amazing, I could not put it down and have the bags under my eyes to prove it! It had me looking over my shoulder and huddling down into my recliner. I LOVED IT!! It grips you from the first page. I thought I had it figured out but I admit, McDonald got me, because I was definitely wrong. McDonald’s writing is fantastic. It’s told from 2 POV’s - Eva’s as she is searching for answers and Kat’s mysterious past. This is a perfect psychological suspense thriller and I recommend everyone should read it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Once again, Christina McDonald has sent me into the world of a deeply dark domestic thriller and would not let me escape. Eva Hansen wakes up in a hospital after being struck by lightning and is told that her mother Kat has been murdered. And she is a major suspect in the murder! Eva’s snatches of disjointed memories adds to the stunning, unexpected twists throughout the book. The book takes place in Seattle, where Eva lives, and London, where her mom used to live. It is told from the points of view of both Eva and Kat and from the times of present and past. All of these changes back and forth kept me so absorbed in the book that I did not realize sometimes how late I was staying up to read. I felt like a pinball at the beginning of each chapter, and I mean that in the best way possible. McDonald sent me spinning each time, bouncing from one twist to another and waiting for the lights to zing in my head and show me what was really going on. There were clues, but they were subtle and very well-written. This was a book about mother-daughter relationships (or lack thereof), but it was so much more! It also included sibling rivalry and the budding love relationship with a new fiancé. This book was a thriller like no other that I have ever read and I read a lot of thrillers! I loved it and absolutely devoured it! Fans of thrillers and suspense will definitely want to read this one. In fact, I want to read it again to read all of the clues that I skipped over, not noticing what the author was telling me in her tricky and masterful way!
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. (But I also want to say that I have purchased an e-copy and a hard copy for myself to own! I love this author’s books so much!) I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

Enter a Book Giveaway Contest! (1 f 1) print ARC paperback with a bookmark (US only) Jan 15-Feb 3, 2020. Winner announced in the Q&A Newsletter Interview. Enter Here.

Stay tuned for my upcoming in-depth Q&A Elevator Ride Interview with Christina McDonald and this smashing new book BEHIND EVERY LIE coming Feb 4, 2020! Get this gem on your pre-order list now.

Last February, we were "wowed" by Christina McDonald's knock out thriller debut, The Night Olivia Fell which has been optioned for television by a major Hollywood studio. Check out my Q&A interview for all the "behind-the-scenes moments" and more about this talented new author.

Christina is a pro at delving into the complex relationships between mother and daughter. And in the lives of her characters. She takes us on an intense, suspenseful, and mysterious journey of dark family secrets and trauma, alternating from past to present—as Eva searches for the truth leading up to the event of her mother's murder.

Rich in character and place. Beautifully written, infused with lyrical prose and stunning metaphors, BEHIND EVERY LIE, is "Captivating, Atmospheric, and Illuminating."

Eva finds herself in a confused state due to being struck by lightning. The lines become blurred —what happened the night her mom was murdered? Is she to blame, or is there something more sinister at play? Does she want to know the truth, and can she trust herself?

There is so much here! The dual settings, from past to present, Whidbey Island/Seattle area to London, England. I am a huge Whidbey Island fan and always love visiting the area in person and in my reading.

The author sets the mood with her vivid descriptions bringing a strong sense of foreboding and impending doom. As a reader, you are drawn into the rich settings throughout the book, which I find critical.

From the elements of earth, still-gray waters churning behind the ferry, the isolation, and the weather. The land reached only by a ferry, the rain, lightning, dark clouds, and fire—all give you that chilling, atmospheric, unsettling, mysterious, and eerie vibe, which adds further to the intrigue.

All things “ART” play a big part in BEHIND EVERY LIE. I found the kintsugi technique called “yobitsugi” fascinating and the Lichtenberg figures! Also, the metaphors of broken pieces combined with the new —as relates to the character’s lives and transforms the broken.

There are many strong themes, family secrets, emotions, and highly charged topics addressed in the novel. From the darkness, the unknown, a dark past, guilt, fear, abuse, sadness, and a world of “broken promises, dreams, and hearts” —there comes something beautiful. The new cleanse the old. There is happiness, and joy, and new life, as she reiterates in the novel.

“We are not defined by our tragedies or mistakes, but by the pieces of all combined and the range of human emotions to be experienced.”

Something beautiful comes out of damaged and broken. There are many parallels and beautiful metaphors as relates to art and the character's lives, and she describes eloquently. Memories are a big part of the novel. They become distorted, twisted, to suit the teller, or ignored and forgotten, push away. I enjoyed how she explored these from different angles.

Set aside the time. It is unputdownable! This is a "must-read" cleverly crafted, emotionally charged domestic thriller. Fans of Mary Kubica, Heather Gudenkauf, A.J. Banner, and Kimberly Belle (all favorites), will find a lot to LOVE here. 5 Glowing Stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Top Books of 2020!

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Christina McDonald is a strong writer and her works show that. This current book, Behind Every Lie, delivers on many levels. It has multiple POV's and in some parts a fast pace. There are a few coincidences and the lightning strike causing the memory loss starts everything.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me a copy of this clever suspense read!
Initially, I thought the book was going to be an evenly-paced suspense with hidden plots. It may seem like that at first, but the author is just laying out a multi-layered plot that will hit you full-speed, so pay attention!
Eva Hansen can't remember anything that happened the night she was struck by lightning. When she finds out her mother was murdered--possibly by her--Eva struggles to put the pieces back together. And with little help. The detective is not buying her "can't remember" story.
The book also goes back in time to tell us how Eva's mother, Kat, got to this point in her life. I found her backstory very interesting, and again, one that you want to pay attention to every detail.
Behind every lie is a story full of secrets, deceit, love, courage, and determination. Great read!

I couldn’t put this book down. Such a web of lies that keeps twisting the story, until I was dizzy. #Christina Mc Donald has developed really strong and interesting characters, so dark and threatening.
The story is written in two time frames with two stories. Kat’s story starts in London, in a tumultuous marriage, but blessed with her sweet daughter Eva. A tragedy changes Kat’s life and she goes on the run. This alternates with her Daughter Eva’s story, living a nice life in the Seattle area, when lies from her past begin to impact her sanity and another tragedy occurs.
If you love psychological thrillers, #BehindEveryLie, will grab you from the prologue. A real page turner, so prepare for a couple of short nights.
I received this ARC and thank #NetGalley #FirstGalleryBooks. The opinions are my own.

Last year I read this author’s previous book, The Night Olivia Fell, and it was one of my favourite books of 2019. I was really looking forward to reading the new book by this author. Eva wakes up in the hospital and is told she was struck by lightning. She learns her mother, Kat, was murdered nearby from where Eva is found. Eva quickly becomes a suspect but the night is a blur to her. She starts trying to solve what happened before she is arrested. As she begins to find out more about her mother’s past she quickly heads to London to discover more information about their life before moving to the US. The story is told by Eva and we also learn details of Kat’s past. Eva begins to see moments from the fateful night that her mother died and wonders if she did in fact kill her mother. As Eva continues to search for clues and to try and remember how her mother died she also finds out many things about her mother and even herself that are a shock. There are some great twists and turns for Eva. This was another book that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Behind Every Lie by Christina McDonald is the highly anticipated follow up to her debut success, The Night Olivia Fell. In her sophomore standalone thriller, McDonald asks

Told in dual POVs, Behind Every Lie follows Kat and Eva, a mother and daughter with a complicated relationship. After Eva is struck by lightening, she awakens to discover her mother has been murdered, and Eva is the primary suspect. Refusing to believe she has committed this horrific crime--even though she's suffering from amnesia--Eva travels to London, intent on delving into her mother's secretive past. Slowly, she unravels the mystery and pieces together what really happened that fateful night.

This was a twisty, fast-paced story with great character developments, strong writing, and vivid details. I enjoyed the dual POVs and unreliable narrators, which make for a compelling, riveting read. I highly recommend it!

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley. This is my honest, unbiased opinion.

Everything including the kitchen sink can be found in this book and I found myself saying huh, now this quite a few times. Not always in a good way. It was a wild ride, that’s for sure.

Free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

This was a super fast read that I couldn't seem to put down. However, everything was just too predictable. There were multiple "twists" that I was able to predict before I read them. I also found the struck by lightning premise to be over the top.

Thank you Netgalley for an early copy for a honest review.
BEHIND EVERY LIE was the second novel I have read by Christina McDonald , I really enjoyed the first one but this one seemed to drag on and on. I am sure I will read more of her novels this was not her best.

Book Review - 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Such a good book! So many twists and turns! Kept me turning the pages! I was crying, angry, and just felt the pain.

Two young mothers of toddlers meet one day and their meeting changed their lives in a way that no one would ever expect! Loss of a child, hiding from your life, running for you life, trying to save what is most important! You think you have come so far and built a new life for all when it comes crashing down!

<b>Unsettling, illuminating & wholly absorbing!</b>

BEHIND EVERY LIE by CHRISTINA MCDONALD has quite the opening scene and a premise that definitely hooked me and kept me entertained and completely invested in. It was such an emotionally intense, suspenseful, enjoyable, and entertaining mother-daughter domestic thriller. It is packed full of drama and atmosphere. The vivid descriptions added to the tension for me and definitely helped to set the mood.

CHRISTINA MCDONALD delivers a complex, captivating, dark, character-driven, gripping, fast-paced, intriguing and well-written read here that is told in alternating perspectives from Eva’s after being hit by lightning and Kat’s mysterious past. I thoroughly enjoyed our main character here and it was extremely fun trying to figure out if her memory was affected by being struck by lightning or if there was something else going on here. My absolute favourite is an unreliable character.

I absolutely love it when a book starts out with a bang and has plenty of questions for us to ponder but gives me this firm grasp that I know exactly where the story is headed. These types of stories are so satisfying for me as I like it when an author guides us to the conclusion and then throws in a surprising twist ending that totally works then I’m one happy reader. She writes these emotionally-charged stories that taps right into all your emotions as well as this deep sense of foreboding to make it quite the suspenseful storytelling.

Norma’s Stats:
Cover: Impending doom, ominous, foreboding, haunting, eye-catching and a fitting representation to storyline.
Title: Intriguing, suspenseful, affecting and an extremely fitting representation to storyline.
Writing/Prose: Engaging, taut, readable, beautiful, and well-written.
Plot: Steadily-paced, complex, fascinating, foreboding, vivid, atmospheric, suspenseful, and moving.
Ending: A dazzling, clever, and twist ending that was extremely satisfying! There were some aspects to the storyline that I felt were easy to predict but that ending totally took me by surprise!
Overall: An emotionally charged & intriguing storyline, realistic & believable familial dynamics, and a well-crafted & intense mystery. Would highly recommend!

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Gallery Books, and Christina McDonald for gifting me a copy of your book ! It was an absolute pleasure reading this novel and I LOVED the reading experience!

First I’d like to say this is the first book I have read by this author. I definitely look forward to more though. This one was great. It was perfect. It had it all.
There are a few things here that really made this book great. Here are a few that touched me.
“For so long I’d been trying to move past it, around it. But it hadn’t worked. It was always there, tearing me up, breaking me to pieces.
Only now did I see-it didn’t matter how far I went; I couldn’t outrun myself.” (That is powerful in my opinion)
“Answers, I know, are rarely absolute. We each intend to do the right thing, and yet we are all helpless in the face of fate. We make a choice and must then move forward with the consequences.” (Another powerful quote from this story)
“We can be strong and brave and broken and whole all at the same time.”
“We aren’t defined by our tragedies, by our history, by our mistakes, but by pieces of love and sadness and happiness, and the whole range of human emotions we feel.” (That is so true. If only we could see that when we truly need too.)

This book is told from alternating POVs. Eva and Kat. Kat’s is from 25 years before. Eva’s is in the now. Both end up exactly where they should. Both take you on a ride you will both love and hurt over. It’s a very touching story of the love of a mother. The abuse of a wife. The losses some go through and the things that lead up to murder....

The who did what to whom will make you not want to put this book down. You’ll read each timeline wanting more and more. You’ll hurt for mother’s who are only trying to do their best. To get by and protect what belongs to them. From running away to protect themselves and their child. Going to a whole new world and starting over. Life is not always easy. We sometimes do things that we would never dare when it comes to living or dying.

This is a very good story. It has a lot of things that will make your heart hurt. Make it break. But ultimately it will have you rooting for the one person to find out she’s worthy of life. Of being herself. The choices she makes are not perfect but they make her who she is and that is what counts. That is true about all three of the women in this story when you finish and have time to reflect back on this story.

It if filled with very likable characters. Except Seb. I detested him immensely. But he was part of this story and it had to go the way it did to make it the wonderful book that I believe it is. The character development is perfect also as is the descriptions. You’ll feel like you are right there in the story. From some of the pain inflicted at times you will actually find yourself flinching. Parts will make you cry so much and parts will have your mouth dropping with a big “why didn’t I see that coming”. I throughly enjoyed reading this book. From start to beautiful ending. It was tied up just right. I can’t think of anything that was left out or needed to be said.

I have to thank #NetGally, #GalleryBooks and #ChristinaMcDonald for the eARC of this book. This is my own unbiased review.

I had to give it a 5 star rating and also a hug recommendation to everyone I know that loves a good mystery/thriller. It’s absolutely wonderful.

Great thriller. Started off slow, and then took off. Told between two POV, in the past and present. I figured out one twist early on, but all the other twists near the ending blew me away. Love this author,,,now on my favorite author list since also reading The Night Olivia Fell,, which I also loved.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Gallery Books, and Christina McDonald for the opportunity to read and review her sophomore novel - 4.5 stars rounded up. Probably would have given it 5 stars if I hadn't loved her first book, The Night Olivia Fell, quite so much. Hard to compare to that - if you haven't read it, please do so! But this was still a wonderfully-written thrill ride, with explorations again of the mother-daughter relationship.

Eva wakes up in the hospital after being struck by lightening. She can't remember anything but discovers that her mother has been murdered and Eva was found just down from her mother's house. The police are suspicious of her, especially because this isn't the first time that Eva can't quite remember what happened to her. The story is told in the voices of Eva, as well as her mother, Kat, letting us discover the back stories of both women. But this is also a thriller - who killed Kat? Who is following Eva and who can she trust?

Great read from a wonderful author! It was difficult to put this book down until I found out all the secrets and lies.

Wow! I found myself mad, sad, hopeful, and terrified during this fantastic novel. Every once in a while you come across a novel so well written that you feel that the you know the characters personally. This was one of those books. I loved The Night Olivia Fell and wasn’t sure that book could be topped, but Ms. McDonald topped it and wrote another excellent heartfelt novel. If you can’t remember an event does it mean you weren’t involved in it. When Eva is a suspect in a horrific murder of a close loved one she is torn and confused because she can only remember bits and pieces of the night in question. With so many twists and turns I hung onto every word of this novel. Definitely one of the best books I have ever read. Can’t recommend highly enough.

• If you can't remember it, how do you prove you didn't do it? •
Eva Hansen wakes in the hospital after being stuck by lightning and discovers that her mother, Kat, has been murdered. Eva was found unconscious down the street, but cannot even remember going to her mother's house. The police are suspicious of her, and Eva is desperate to clear her name...
And so we have ANOTHER unreliable narrator book...but, don't get me wrong- unreliable narrators usually make for a quick, thrilling read for me.
What worked for me- I enjoyed the 2 POV writing style. It's always interesting to me to see more than one side. There was a lot of characterization- both Kat and Eva suffered from different traumas, and we get to see how they have dealt with that. Delving into Kat's past was interesting, and we see how events unfolded to lead to present day.
What did not work for me- I didn't like all the coincidences- it was one of those stories where it's like.. HOW many bad scenarios can the author throw in to one book?! I guessed part of the twist VERY early on, like maybe 7 pages in? But, that being said, I definitely didn't figure it all out, since there were a LOT of things happening. Maybe TOO many things, but overall, this was a quick twisty ride and I couldn't put the book down. I'd definitely recommend this to thriller fans.