Thank you Net Galley for the ARC of Behind Every Lie!

This book starts off with a bang, literally. Eva is struck by lightning and when she wakes up finds out her mother was also murdered the same night and she is quickly a suspect. I tried to keep up with guessing where this book was going to go but there was no way to predict these twists! Every character plays a pretty important role and I appreciated how everything tied together with the ending. Eva deals with memory loss during the book and at times I thought it could get cheesy when everything came flooding back to her, but it did help that we weren't given all the information up front so it kept the mystery of the plot moving forward.

I did not finish this book. Trigger warnings should be used when talking about violent deaths of children. I read until chapter 14 and could not stop thinking about her first daughter.

I requested this one on Netgalley after seeing so many people talk about it. The premise was vague but intriguing so I went into it not knowing a lot about the story. Unfortunately, this one just didn’t do it for me. The plot was interesting but there so many unbelievable twists that didn’t sit well me with me. I think this is just a “me thing” but I saw a lot of the twists coming. It was predictable. While I didn’t predict the ending and how it all came together, I did predict a lot of what happened and one of the final twists. I think this took away from my enjoyment because I wasn’t totally surprised or shocked by much. The shock factor is what makes me love thrillers so much. The characters were also so unlikeable and annoying in my opinion. I had a hard time connecting with Eva and Kat and constantly questioned their choices. Again, this may be just a personal thing.

Overall, this wasn’t a bad book by any means. It simply wasn’t for me. I’ve seen a lot of people rave about this one, so if it piques your interest, definitely give it a go! I think this one would be good for people that don’t read a lot of mysteries/thrillers. If you don’t see the twists coming, you’ll probably enjoy it a lot more!

3 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️

When Eva wakes up in the hospital after being struck by lightning she learns that her mother, Kat, has been murdered, and she appears to be the police's number one suspect despite not remembering anything from that night. Desperate to learn more about her mother's past and to clear her name, Eva heads to Kat's former hometown of London to search for answers. Slowly, pieces of Eva's memories come back, causing Eva to lose trust in everyone around her -- including herself.

McDonald writes such interesting mother and daughter characters and I was quickly drawn in to this story and the overall mystery. The alternating timelines between Kat in the past and Eva in the present worked really well. I enjoyed seeing the pieces start to come together but by the end I none of the "answers" were at all surprising, which took some steam out of the end for me.

3.5/5 stars

Twisty and surprising, BEHIND EVERY LIE delivers a thriller rich with characterization and fascinating use of amnesia to fuel a story with whiplash pacing.

3.5 stars. A fairly easy read with a lot of twists and turns. The author uses selective amnesia in her protagonist to make all the pieces of the puzzle fit together which was a little too convenient in my opinion but I would likely consider reading another book by this author in the future.

Eva wakes up in the hospital to find out her mother is dead and she is a suspect. How did Eva end up in the hospital? Is Eva really capable of killing her own mother, and if so, why? Only Eva can clear her own name. As she begins to piece together the clues, she unravels a web secrets and lies that will shatter everything she’s ever believed about her life. A complex family relationship reveals a shocking and heartbreaking ending. The author weaves the past and present with twists and turns that will leave you on your seat one moment and breathless the next. Another great book by Christina McDonald.

@christinamac79 is a masterful story teller. I absolutely loved #behindeverylie and want to thank @gallerybooks and @netgalley for the #arc. I’m not one of those reviewers who like to give away a plot or even offer to many details about a book, because every one has their own opinion. But this storyline catches your breath like lightning in a storm, leaving you unsure of what is going to happen next, and holding your breath until the next twist hits you like thunder. Christina MacDonald is fast becoming one of my go-to favorite authors (if you haven’t read #thenightoliviafell yet— you should read it now while you wait for this page turner to hit the stands on April 1!!

Behind Every Lie by Christina McDonald is a highly recommended domestic thriller.

Eva Hansen is engaged to Liam Sullivan and seems to be getting her life back on track after an earlier unnamed traumatic occurrence (that will be revealed later). When she wakes up in the hospital and discovers that she was struck by lightning, she learns that she was found down the street from her mother's home and that her mother, Kat, has been murdered. Apparently Eva is a suspect and the police are eager to question her. Eva can't remember what happened, but knows that she couldn't have murdered her mom, could she? Then she finds a letter addressed to her in her mother's things that sends her traveling from Seattle to London. Kat lived in London before moving to the USA with Eva, so Eva hopes that the answers to what happened will be found there.

The action moves along quickly in Behind Every Lie, setting a break-neck pace as more and more details and secrets are revealed from both Eva and Kat's past. The narrative is told through Kat and Eva's point of view in alternating chapters, so you follow what Kat was going through back in England up to the present day while at the same time learning about Eva's discoveries and her past trauma. As more of the diverse stories are told, you will begin to make sense of what happened in the past and question what actually happened to Kat.

I liked the alternating points-of-view between mother and daughter, and the suspicion that every character is under as the plot unfolds. All the characters seem untrustworthy at some point and the final denouement may take many readers by surprise, although others may have been suspicious about what was going on. Even though believably is frequently stretched, I was hooked into frantically reading to discover what happened next and if my suspicions and guesses about plot points were correct.

While very entertaining and engaging, McDonald seemed to throw a whole lot into this plot that would have benefited from being a bit more focused and not so wildly full of so many diverse secrets, coincidences, and implausible circumstances. I didn't quite believe some of the secrets would have been kept or not recalled much sooner. Character development suffered under the weight of so many different secrets and new developments. McDonald does regain points for sheer entertainment value.

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Simon & Schuster.

http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2020/01/behind-every-lie.html
https://www.librarything.com/work/23401157/book/177951791
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3150466516
https://twitter.com/SheTreadsSoftly/status/1219018823149465607?s=20
Amazon and Barnes&Noble after publication

Thanks to Netgalley and Gallery Pocket Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Eva’s mother has been murdered and she has been struck by lightening near her mother’s house. Her memory is compromised as a result of the lightning strike and she thinks she may have killed her mother. While visiting her mother’s house in search of clues, she finds a note from her mother that tells her that her existence has been a lie and she flies off to London to investigate.

I thought the previous book I read by this author was predictable and very emotional but I am glad I chose to read this one because I enjoyed it much more. This one was fast pace and filled with twists and turns. I enjoyed it and look forward to this author’s next work.

It has been a while since I have read a book in one day. I could not put this down and before I knew it, it was late at night and the book was finished. There was sooo many things going on and so many questions that was tied up in the end. I did not see majority of the twists coming and that says a lot. I really enjoyed this book. The pace of it, character development, and plot.

Thank you Netgalley and Gallery for my advance readers copy. This book is out 2/4/20.

3.5 stars, bumping up to 4 stars. The book was very engaging in the beginning, as it begins with Eva finding her mother dead with blood on her hands and clothes.. It follows the point of view of. Kat, the mother, and Eva, her daughter. It does follow 2 different timeframes, but it was easy to follow along. The middle third seemed a bit slow at times. However, the end was great and tied up all the loose ends. Thanks to NetGalley for providing an ARC for review.

Behind Every Lie, written by the amazingly talented Christina McDonald is set to be released early next month. I highly recommend you put this on your TBR list right now! I have lost a great deal sleep over this book and have finished it in less than 24 hours! Seriously, you will not be able to put it down.

It is a fast-paced character driven thriller that follows Eva and her Mother. McDonald weaves a complicated tale full of hidden family secrets, murder, domestic violence, love, second chances, amnesia and creepy stalker you are being watched vibes all rolled into one edge of your seat story. The hair on my arms stood up nearly the whole story.

I REALLY enjoyed her last book The Night Olivia Fell but McDonald has outdone herself with this new one!!! Thank you Simon & Schuster for the ARC of Behind Every Lie!!!! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Review posted on Goodreads & Instagram @books_heal

This novel was so good. I couldn’t stop reading it. So much action, all the mysteries, lies, complicated past. None of the characters is left without some secret around him. All the pieces of the puzzle were unfolding till the last page. Great job Christina McDonald. I am waiting for more books to be written by you.

*I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for a fair review.

Behind Every Lie opens with Eva waking up in the hospital after being struck by lightning., but that's not all. Her mother, with whom she has a strained relationship, was murdered that same night, and it appears Eva was there. But Eva can't remember, because she has amnesia, which she also has for all other events significant to the plot of this book. That's because, as we're reminded what seems like every few paragraphs, Eva is broken.

This lacked a strong voice and I was annoyed by the constant overuse of adjectives and images such as "night was an obsidian fist squeezing me in its grasp" that seemed wedged in to try to float the flimsy story.

The author did a great job with the structure, which alternates between past and present, and between mother and daughter, and I enjoyed the overall theme of resilience and the lengths family will go to to protect each other.

After a night out with her mother and brother to celebrate her mother’s rescue of a little girl, Eva Hanson wakes up in the hospital after she’s struck by lightning without a memory of the previous nights events. Eva is informed that her mother Katherine has been murdered and she’s the prime suspect after she was found down the street unconscious from her mother’s house. As the police inform her they have evidence of her being at her mother’s house that night, she doesn’t believe it. Eva is determined to clear her name as she goes to her mother’s home to try to find some kind of evidence to prove she’s innocent, she stumbles upon a family secret, a secret that shocks her but also causes her to question everything and everyone around her. Told in alternating chapters between Eva uncovering her mother’s secrets and trying to figure out what happened that night, and Katherine Eva’s mother telling her side of the story and why she did what she did and how hard it was living with such a secret. I loved this book! It was the perfect amount of thriller and mystery, I could not put this book down I read it in a day and half even with an ice storm outside! Five stars!

My Thoughts
This is my first Christina McDonald book. The premise sounded promising and I have been on the lookout for a great thriller! Unfortunately, I didn’t quite get what I was hoping for. Here are my pros and cons for Behind Every Lie:

Pros

1. This book started out very well. I was drawn into a murder mystery story that was built on a foundation of secrets between a mother and a daughter. I was intrigued.
2. I liked the dual POV story, which also went back and forth between the past and present. I thought this provided a well-rounded narrative and I really like how the past narrative from the mom’s POV comes into the present with Eva’s POV at the very end of the book.
3. I thought the relationship between Eva and her mother was decently depicted. I particularly enjoyed the mom’s POV regarding their relationship because she seemed the most honest about her feelings – unfortunately she was only honest with herself and not Eva. Personally, I would have liked a little more depth here; however, I don’t think the relationship was underdeveloped.

Cons

1. My biggest problem with this book is that there were simply too many coincidences required to make the story work. For example, Eva was struck by lightning right after her mother was murdered so she lost her memory? Seriously? Come on… That is just one of many coincidences. Some were more palatable than others, but there were simply too many to make this story realistic.
2. I’m not buying that the murderer would have done what he/she did for the reason he/she did it and when he/she did it.
3. I also felt the story was quite repetitive. I felt like I spent a lot of time reading about Eva debating about when or whether she should talk to the police! Like over and over and over.
4. Poor Jacob! He was essentially an unnecessary character except to provide a way for Eva to drop a pointless bombshell at the end of the story that really didn’t go anywhere.
5. Eva has to be the most unlucky protagonist in the history of thriller novels. Goodness sakes! Everything went wrong for her… like nonstop! It was a tad over the top in my opinion.
6. The reveal didn’t impress me. I saw it coming a mile away. Even the little twist regarding the murder didn’t impress me.

Summary
I could go into way more detail about some of the coincidences that messed up the book for me, but then this wouldn’t be a spoiler free review. So, I will simply say that this book had a good premise that only worked because of the many unrealistic coincidences and the requirement for almost total suspension of belief. There were things I enjoyed about the story, but overall this book was just okay for me.

Thank you NetGalley and Gallery Books for a free eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Christina McDonald is such an excellent author. I loved her first novel, The Night Olivia Fell and was eager to read her second.

Behind Every Lie again delves into the sometimes difficult relationships of mothers and daughters. It again discusses the lies we keep and how they can help us and how they can hurt us. Some secrets seem like protection, sure, but at what point do you need to come clean?

I love how McDonald doesn't necessarily leave her readers in the dark. In Behind Every Lie we have two timelines and two character's narratives racing together to meet up and blow your mind (basically).

First, we have Eva, a daughter on the verge of marriage. It seems like her life is really turning into what dreams are made of. A helpful fiance who encourages her art and supports her, a beautiful house, you name it! But then she wakes up disoriented and confused and in excruciating pain in a hospital bed. She's been struck by lightning and the unfortunate side effects of that trauma just happen to make her life a hell of a lot more difficult. Paranoia, amnesia.... both things you don't want to be experiencing when you learn your mother has been murdered and you can't remember where you were the night before.

Speaking of her mother, we get to hear from Kat herself before her untimely demise. Kat's timeline happens about 20 years before and drops us in England before their move to the United States. Introducing shady characters, unexpected tragedies, and crazy turns in this timeline too!

Just when you think you've got a handle of whats going on and who to suspect, McDonald throws another twist your way. I can't wait to keep up with this author and what she comes up with next.

Eva wakes up in a hospital bed after being struck by lightning to find out that her beloved mother was murdered and she is a suspect. Unfortunately for Eva, she has no memory of the night her mother was murdered due to the lightning strike. What follows is her quest to find the truth before she is arrested for a murder that she doesn't remember so she can't be sure she didn't commit. Eva's journey takes her from Seattle to London and back again as she pieces together many pieces of her past. Her past is more than she could have ever imagined.

Christina McDonald does it again. Eva's struggle in the book is palpable. The story pieces together the many pieces of her past seamlessly. I very much enjoyed the story, the art references, and the Seattle setting.

I would like to thank NetGalley and the publishing house, Gallery Books, for providing an advanced copy for review. All thoughts and opinions written in this review are my own.

Eva wakes up in the hospital after an accident to find that her mother is dead and a detective who thinks she’s the prime suspect. Eva is not sure of her innocence or guilt because she can’t remember that night and exactly what happened. As she searches for the answers to hopefully exonerate her in her mother’s death, she finds secrets that were buried long ago by her mother and more questions that need answers.

When my book club read Christina McDonald’s The Night Olivia Fell and I gave it a 5 star review, I knew I’d want to watch out for anything new by her. The stars aligned and my wishes came true when I heard about this book and I knew it had to head to the top of my TBR pile. The story alternates between the past and present and is told in the voice of Eva and her mother, Kat. It was easy to keep up with the alternating tense and I enjoy this type of story-telling. I was immediately engaged with the story within the first few pages and was intrigued with how the author would work in the amnesia story line. The author reels the reader in quickly within the first few pages and the lure to read just one more chapter is strong. I had to force myself to put this book down at night and get some sleep!

I made a suspect out of every character. No one was innocent and towards the end of the book I still hadn’t figured out who had killed Eva’s mother. I still had a list of 3-4 suspects. Maybe I just can’t read between the lines, but I couldn’t get it narrowed down. To me, this is where the meat is. I know it’s good mystery/thriller when an author can leave just enough loose ends flying around to leave the reader guessing this close to the end. That’s when I know I’m going to give a 5 star review. I don’t like it to be obvious. Make. me. work. for. it.
I enjoyed all of the subtle tie ins that showed up at the end that seemed like nothing early on in the book. I would recommend this book to any mystery/thriller genre fan who doesn’t mind multiple suspects and doesn’t mind following a back and forth storyline.

I look forward to Ms. McDonald’s next book!