There is so much to enjoy about this book--the plot is interesting and unique and the dual point of views adds suspense. I did struggle with how one character could be very compelling and well developed (Kat) but the other protagonist (Eva) seemed hollow and shallow.

Really enjoyed behind every lie. I love a good mystery and at some moments I began to question if the main character actually did something wrong.

Linda’s Book Obsession Reviews “Behind Every Lie” by Christina McDonald, Gallery Books, February 4, 2020

Christina McDonald, author of “Behind Every Lie” has written a chilling, intriguing, intense and captivating novel. The Genres for this Novel are Mystery, Suspense, Thriller, and Fiction. The timeline for this story is set in the author’s present and goes to the past when it pertains to the events or characters. The author describes her dramatic cast of characters as complex, complicated, strange, and suspect. The story is narrated by Eva and alternates with her mother Kat.

Can you imagine being hit by lightning, and waking up in a hospital remembering nothing, but being told that your mother has been murdered? Eva Hansen wakes up in a hospital, with very few memories of what happened the night before. Eva does have certain visions and realizes that the detective involved with the case seems to consider her a suspect. This novel reminds me of certain Alfred Hitchcock movies, and other movies with gaslighting. Many of the characters in this story seem suspicious.

There are deep dark secrets and terrible lies that can cause major changes. There are twists and turns, and this novel had me sitting at the edge of my seat. I highly recommend this chilling thriller for readers who enjoy mysteries and thrillers.

I'm still reeling from this book. So many twists that you don't see coming.

You know when you think you have a book figured out but then things change. Then you once again feel as though you have it figured out. Only to find out at the end you were wrong. In a way that makes the best story possible.

I loved the writing of this book and will go back and read her debut novel.

#netgalley #behindeverylie

I was so excited to read this ARC after absolutely loving Christina McDonald's first book The Night Olivia Fell. But her second novel did not live up to her debut. Don't get me wrong - this book was still action packed and thrilling, it just did not deliver as good of a story or emotional connection to the characters.

Eva wakes up in the hospital with no memory after being struck by lightening and learns that her mother has been murdered. Because she was found unconscious near the murder site, she is questioned by the police. This traumatic event led Eva to look into her mother's past, and by extension her own, to investigate who was responsible for the murder, and ultimately clear her name. The book had many twists and turns, and unexpected surprises, while alternating between mother and daughter's point of view.

Overall, a good thriller, and I'm looking forward to reading more by this author.

Thank you to Net Galley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy and review this book.

Just like this author's The Night Olivia Fell, I could not put this down. It draws you in from the first page and doesn't let you go. The twists and turns aren't the same as every other "I've lost my memory" thriller out right now. It's unique, and fresh, and I just loved it.

I can't wait to read every single book from Christina McDonald.

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

4 1/2 stars!

Another great dual POV from Christina McDonald that provides a nice addition to the amnesia thriller. A good addition to collections where thrillers and her previous title are popular and has crossover appeal to HS collections

In her follow up to The Night Olivia Fell, Christina McDonald crafts an intricate, engaging mystery/thriller centered around an unreliable narrator. Eva wakes up in a hospital after getting struck by lightning and cannot remember what happened the night before. She is informed that her mother was murdered, and she is the main suspect in the crime. Her journey to find the truth about that night takes her to another country and leads to some shocking discoveries.

The plot of this book is interesting, but sometimes overdone. There are many characters and subplots that feel unnecessary to the main plot. I found myself frustrated sometimes by the introduction of character or event that I couldn't really connect to the mystery of the night Eva cannot remember. My experience was not all frustrating, though. I like the fact that I was never quite sure about Eva's guilt or innocence. McDonald kept me guessing and doubting my judgments, which is a necessity for me in a mystery/thriller.

In terms of characters, I found Eva to be a bit annoying at times. It is difficult to sympathize with her dependence on her fiance and her paranoia. I found myself rolling my eyes at some of her decisions. On the other hand, I really like the character of Kat. She seems like a cold person, but when you see beyond the surface there is so much more to her.

Overall, I rate this book a 3.5 out 5 stars. I enjoyed reading it, but I probably won't remember much about it after a while.

I should have known better!!!!! After reading <strong><i>The Night Olivia Fell</i></strong> in one sitting, I should not have started this book when I had so much going on in real life where I had to keep putting it down or this would have been another one sitting read!!!

The story alternates between Eva, in the present, trying to recall what happened that fateful night that her mother was murdered and Kat, her mother, twenty-five years ago.

People didn't believe Eva years ago when she couldn't remember who or what happened that night she was raped. And now, people don't believe her when she states she doesn't remember the details of her mother's murder even though the evidence is starting to stack up against her.

After returning to her mother's house, hoping to jog her memory, she finds her birth certificate and a letter written by her mother. What's in that envelope is not only devastating but also adds to her confusion. So she sets out to try and find out the truth before she is arrested.

The suspense overflowed from the first to the final word at breakneck speed. The characters and clues were delivered at a rapid fired pace that had me turning the pages as fast as I could but also jotting down notes so that I didn't miss one iota of the story.

Behind every lie are more lies that will come together in a shocking and shattering conclusion!!

A jolting story that left me with a book hangover!!! An outstanding read that will pull you in and not let you go!!! Phenomenal!!!!

GR posted on 01/25: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2838864988
Blog will post on 01/28: http://cmashlovestoread.com/?p=21904

3.75
Eva wakes up in the hospital after being struck by lightening to find out her mother was murdered. She can't remember what happened.
This was a quick read. The pages flew by. This won't be the last Christina McDonald book I read.

Thanks to Netgalley for my copy to review.

"We can be strong and brave and broken and whole all at the same time."

Hard to believe this is Christina McDonald's second novel. I will be getting "The Night Olivia Fell" her debut book.
Eva Hansen wakes in the hospital with no knowledge how she got their or why. She was struck by lightning and her mother, Kat was murdered. Eva is the police main suspect.

"If you can't remember it, how do you prove you didn't do it?"

She leaves the hospital on a mission to find out the truth and prove her innocence. She finds more than she thought.
Just when I thought I knew what happened, it's not. I stayed up late finishing this one. Plot-twisting, suspense, mystery thriller!

Thank you to publisher and author @christinamcdonald and NetGalley for this eARC. All opinions are my own.

#behindeverylie, #netgalley,

Ms. McDonald's second journey into the realms of domestic thrillers should be every bit as successful as her first, which was The Night Olivia Fell. I anxiously awaited this book because of how much I loved and recommended her first book, and this one did not disappoint.. The hook at the beginning of being struck by lightning and the effected memory loss opens up all sorts of mysteries throughout the story. I felt this was a fast-paced story-line with many degrees of truths and lies, Eva Hansen gets snippets of memories and "feelings" that things aren't what they are supposed to be or what they appear to be....but is it her imagination or is it reality? She is prime suspect in the murder of her mother, Kat, and even in her mind she sees that she may have done it. And then she finds a note to her from her mother........and the story begins to unwind. Throughout the book the story is told through chapters about Kat, and chapters about Eva until they all come crashing together. One recommendation when reading this book: don't speed-read or skim it because you will miss something!! The twists and turns in this story are compelling....and what you think you may have guessed? Don't count on it! There are many characters in this book that may be thought of as peripheral......but they ALL play a part in this story! Thank you to NetGalley and Galley Books for the opportunity to read this ARC in return for an honest review, which this has been. #NetGalley #GalleyBooks #BehindEveryLie

This was my first read, by Christina McDonald. I had her on my TBR pile for a few months and then received this amazing opportunity to actually read AND review this book. I jumped at the chance.

OUTSTANDING! At the end of this book I had to stop and ask myself “What did I just read?” INSANE! Fast paced, page turner of a book that I seriously do not think anyone who reads won’t find themselves satisfied!

Mother / Daughter. One turns up dead. One lands herself in the hospital and with amnesia. Trauma, drama, it’s one you will want to read!

It can be hard to believe Behind Every Lie is only author Christina McDonald's second (published) novel. It is a multi-layered psychological thriller that is capable of keeping the reader on the edge of their seat. Some things may be familiar to readers of this genre but those things are put together in a new combination. Other things are new, for instance, I don't remember ever reading of a character being struck by lightning.

Speaking of lightning, the notion of lightning is revisited throughout the book. Not just in reference to the actual lightning strike but it also is used in descriptions of power, powerlessness, physical descriptions of storms, etc. There are a lot of storms in this book.
While I was aware that Seattle and the surrounding areas experienced a lot rain, I did not know (or consider) how much of that may actually be thunderstorms. I think the author's choice of featuring lightning and thunderstorms is important to the story, in fact I believe it contributes much more than atmosphere, it is more than a plot device, perhaps it is a character in itself. It seems to be present at important points in the story, sometimes even providing reasons for certain situations. The remnants of it provide certain links as well. I am trying hard not to give anything anyway and it is difficult. I'll move on to another topic just in case.

I came up with theories from the start. Occasionally, I might adjust those theories, adding or subtracting as I read further into the book and received new information but the essence of them remained. Several times I would gasp aloud, a new clue that agreed with my initial thoughts, a new way of thinking about a key piece of evidence - it was all very exciting! There were many times I highlighted passages in this book. I liked the turn of phrasing, the thought conveyed, something captured my imagination that I wanted to remember in the future. Mrs. McDonald has produced a compelling and thoughtfully structured novel. I read it in one sitting, I began reading approximately 10 am and started writing my review approximately 4 pm (with teatime and a comfort break included).

Behind the Lies by Christina McDonald is good book; I can see it topping the summer reading lists this year (if you can wait that long to read it). I should add some trigger warnings, and hope they will be included with the published copies, for the following: domestic violence, rape, violence threatened against a child.

Behind Every Lie...Christina McDonald's second novel following The Night Olivia Fell...begins with Eva Hansen being struck by lightning and then she finds that her mother has been murdered. The police suspect she had a role in the murder...but Eva can't remember...apparently her memory has been affected by the lightning strike. What follows is an intense journey to piece together the puzzle of Eva's memory and her relationship with her mother. Using alternating points of view and time McDonald explores Eva's and her mother's pasts. A tense, compelling, fast moving story that Christina McDonald brings to a satisfying conclusion. I really enjoyed this book. The Night Olivia Fell was one of my very favorites last year, even though this book also explores mother/daughter relationships it's very a different look at them.
Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

How much would you remember if you survived a lightning strike? If you were Eva Hansen, not very much. Eva wakes up in the hospital with no memory of how she got there or who murdered her mother Kat. She soon learns that she is a suspect in the murder. Even though their relationship had always been awkward, could she really have murdered Kat?

So begins Eva's search for some answers. After finding a letter from Kat that reveals some dark family secrets, Eva begins to doubt everything in her life, including herself. Eva soon journeys to England to seek out the truth and the rest of her mother's secrets. She's soon forced to confront some of her own.

There were a few unbelievable plot points. Who is able to just walk out of the hospital after being struck by lightning? What kind of police detective is just going to let you hop an international flight to another country? How convenient is it for you that your ex-boyfriend just happens to have an apartment in the same country that you're flying off to? Other than those, the story is well done.

While I understand why Eva is the way she is (not going to spoil plot points), in the beginning she is so annoying. She is extremely clingy and she lets her fiance Liam control her life. He just manages the hell out of her and she just lets him. I was pleased to see that as the story progressed she seemed to start recovering some of her inner strength.

I wish this book had been longer as the journey to the end seemed a bit rushed and as if there was a lot of information crammed into a short period. The author does do an incredible job of dropping bread crumbs to lead you down the path. The conclusion, while parts were obvious, the author still managed to sneak in a few twists to be satisfying.

I would definitely read this again. While not in my top ten favorites, it's a good and solid read and very enjoyable.

Thanks to Gallery Books, Pocket Books, and Netgalley.com for providing me an ARC to read in exchange for a honest review.

Behind Every Lie by Christina McDonald is about Eva, recently stuck by lighting and accused of her mother's murder. Eva cannot remember anything, but starts on a search for the truth when she finds a letter stating that her mother was not her biological mother. Eva hops on a plane to London to get some answers, all while being treated as a suspect by police. As Eva pieces the story together, she realizes her mother was running from someone. Eva is no stranger to violence, having experienced a rape herself. Her mother's killer is out there, and everyone in Eva's circle is wary of her innocence, including her fiance. Eva must figure out who killed her mother, and if anyone in her life had a role in it.

This book was entertaining and the story line was fairly original. It was not boring and kept me interested throughout. This book was certainly a thriller but not the most cohesive plot. I found many holes such as why was Eva allowed to get on a plane hours after being struck by lightening? And how did one note unravel all the pieces? Of course a thriller is not going to be realistic, but I found this one a little far fetched. I would recommend for a quick, page turning read. Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to read and review!

Absolutely a five star must read! I thought I had it figured out from the beginning but that was only the start of this very twisty suspense! And with each new surprising twist, I hung on to the absolutely surprising end!

this is a very well developed story, layer on top of layer till the truth comes out. It held my attention to the very end.

Behind Every Lie is one of those page-turning, plot-twisting, thriller books. From the very first sentence, it will have you on the edge of your seat. I have to say Christina McDonald had my full attention here.

Artist Eva is accused of killing her mother. She wakes up in a hospital without any memory of the accusations before her. McDonald takes you through the emotional journey of Eva and her mom. Eva knows she didn't commit the murder, but who did?

I received a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own.