This was a great edge of your seat book! This book kept me captivated the whole time! I could not put it done!

Thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the Advance Reader Copy in exchange for my honest review. This is my first book by this author. I thought it was just ok as far as thrillers go. Premise sounded good but not the page turner I was hoping for.

Identical review posted on GoodReads.

Revenge stories don't interest me much. Therefore this story was just an okay read to me; well written and crafted, but I couldn't find myself invested in it like I'd been in her debut novel.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. I will keep checking Christina McDonald’s future books because I think she's a great storyteller.

What a intriguing, suspenseful thriller that will keep you guessing right up to the last pages! There was so much going on, it was hard to keep up with everything. Talk about family secrets, family abuse, lies and mother-daughter relationships....this book has it all.
I had to get use to the story going from past to present telling both the daughter and mothers point of view. But once I got into the rhythm of it, I liked it.
I loved Christina Mc Donald’s first book, The Night Olivia Fell and was glad I was offered a chance to read and review Behind Every Lie. Definitely recommend you read this book.
Thank you to NetGallery, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read and review Behind Every Lie.

This sophomore effort from Christina Macdonald is utterly engrossing. From the first chapter all the way to the shocking conclusion, I was completely invested in Eva and Kat’s journeys. All the twists and turns gave me whiplash, but I couldn’t put it down.

As with The Night Olivia Fell, Macdonald deep-dives into a complex, complicated mother-daughter relationship and grapples with the question, “can our memories be trusted?”

Eva is the witness to her mother’s murder, but as she flees into the night, she is struck by lightning. She awakens in the hospital with no memory of the previous night, and soon becomes the main suspect in the ensuing murder investigation. Propelled by random snatches of memory, Eva is determined to discover the truth—but how do you figure out the truth when you realize your whole life is built in lies?

Macdonald again employs the dual narrative—switching between Eva and her mother Kat, moving seamlessly between past and present. I guessed about halfway through where the story was heading, and I was anxious, wondering how she’d piece it all together. The ending was redemptive and beautiful. It wasn’t perfect, tied up with a bow, but it was real.

If you are the survivor of an abusive relationship, this book may be especially triggering. Macdonald handles sensitive subjects with tender care and shows that healing is possible, but I feel that it’s best to be aware of the subject matter going in.

Additional Trigger Warnings: domestic abuse, assault, rape, murder, PTSD, suicide, death of a loved one

Another great book by Christina McDonald! Love this book and love this author! Great story with tiwsts and turns. Just when you think you know what's coming, you don't! So thankful I got to read this ARC, (thank you @netgalley) if you haven't read her other book, "The Night Olivia Fell" pick that one up now then run to your bookstore in February and pick this one up too! Promise, you will not be disappointed! Can't wait for more great books from this author!!

Holy crap what a ride! If you have read The Night Olivia Fell by Christina then you will love this as well! And if you haven’t, what are you waiting for?? This is the story of how far mothers will go for their children. Along the way Eva learns a lot about herself, her mother, and their past. This book will take you up and down and all around. Such a good story!

I really liked this book and read it in one sitting. It centers around Eva, in the present, and her mother Kat, in past times, with chapters alternating between the two. The story gets you into the suspense quickly and never lets you go- there are constant twists and turns leading you to be unsure of what to believe. Though this is a suspense story, there is enough emotion throughout to make you empathize with the characters, and maybe even tear up a couple times!

I figured out a couple of the twists early, but still found it fun to see if I was right as the story went on. There were a couple things that read a little too coincidental to be true- like Jacob just happening to have a flat in London, and him booking Eva's flight for her without her passport information, but for the most part the details were sound. I found myself annoyed with Eva a few times, with her constant self-doubt and feeling embarrassed about things that happened to her that weren't her fault. I know this was a story of self-actualization but wish she would have come off a little stronger in parts of the book.

All in all, I would recommend this quick, twisty read, and am looking forward to reading more books by Christina McDonald. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you, Thank you , THANK YOU NetGalley for the ARC. Before Olivia Fell was one of my favorite reads this year and I was beyond thrilled to get this ARC!!!

I loved everything about it! Christina McDonald does not disappoint! I've never seen a author be able to keep a book as fast paced, exciting, heart pounding through out the whole book, but she does.

I don't want to give too much away until the book is released, but I will say that you HAVE TO PUT THIS on your 2020 TBR!

Thank you #NetGalley

Eva Hansen wakes up in the hospital after being struck by lightning and discovers her mother has been murdered. Eva only remembers quick flashes of that night, but she is the lead suspect in the investigation. Determined to clear her name, at the same time doubting her own memory, Eva travels from Seattle to London for answers. As she discovers her mother’s deeply guarded secrets, Eva soon realizes that there is much more the story than she could have ever imagined. The book is told in alternating perspectives as Eva tries to recall the events leading to her mother's murder which aligns with Kat’s mysterious past.


Overall, I really enjoyed the story. Some things I did not like were; the “unrealistic” things like Rosa asking Kat - a complete stranger- to be her nanny, that Eva’s passport just happened to be in her mother’s house, that Jacob conveniently owns a flat in London and a couple other similar situations. But, the story was intriguing enough that I could overlook those things. There was quite a bit of swear words, but they were pretty spaced out throughout the book, and used at emotional points in the story, so it didn’t seem too overpowering. The book has a lot of trigger moments- domestic violence, murder, death of a child, rape - which could limit the audience who will appreciate the story.
The twists in this book were amazing! At some points, I wondered why a character was seemingly intertwined for no reason, and thought maybe there were too many characters involved but it all wrapped up nicely at the end!



Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Ohhh doesn't the title just scream suspense?! I knew as soon as I started reading this book that it was going to be a good one, and I was right! Christina McDonald did an excellent job at keeping you intrigued throughout the whole novel. The main character was excellent as well.

Review #69 BEHIND EVERY LIE by Christina McDonald and reviewing for Netgalley.. Wow, wow, wow! I could barely put this book down. Sometimes no one is who you think they are...even yourself! Twists and turns with an explosive ending. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟5 stars.A must read!

I read Christina McDonald's first book, The Night Olivia Fell, and I really liked her writing style and hoped to read more of her books. So when I was contacted by the publisher about her 2nd book, Behind Every Lie, I knew I wanted to read it immediately.

The story is told from two perspectives, Eva's and her mother, Kat. It flashes from present to past (25 years ago). The author can get to the heart of mother-daughter relationship struggles and can weave a complex and exciting story. Eva finds herself trying to piece together what happened the night her mother died and finds herself searching for answers. Many secrets unfold in this story, though a lot was going on between the two characters and trying to piece together the plot and how it would eventually intersect. There are many twists and turns and did have a satisfying conclusion.

I would definitely read more books by Christina McDonald. She is able to tap into complex relationships and tell a good story.

Behind Every Lie by Christina McDonald was a definite 5 star ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ read for me. The characters were developed slowly, but fully, in a way that I felt like I really knew them. The way the author describes the settings and action really paints the picture and the experience of the characters. I enjoyed the way that the story is told from both the mother’s (Kat) and daughter’s (Eva) perspective as well as how it went from past to present. This helped to keep me on the edge of my seat and allowed for the reader to think they know how things will come together, but then things would go in an unexpected direction. The complicated mother-daughter relationship is explored through this book as are a number of other difficult themes, but it wasn’t too much for one book as it all worked. This novel was very well written and, while I thoroughly enjoyed the author’s previous book, The Night Olivia Fell, this one is even better.

This book is amazing! I love that it is written from two perspectives. As with real life, the same event is seen differently based on our own lives and experiences. While reading this book, any time I had to put it down, I wad thinking about what I already read and what might happen next. Eva's life wasn't easy but each experience made her who she is. Mother daughter relationships are complicated and not always warm and fuzzy. This book reminds me to make sure to let my loved ones know what they mean to me. Amazing book! Will be reading again to see if I noticed things I missed the first time.

A young woman struggles to remember the night her mother was killed and uncovers a dark web of secrets that somebody would prefer to stay hidden.

Eva Hansen awakes in the hospital to a pounding head, no memory of the recent past, and the news that she’s been struck by lightning. But there’s a police officer by her door and she soon realizes her injuries are the least of her problems. Her mother has been murdered, and Eva was found unconscious down the street.

Eva knows she’d never kill her mother, but can she trust her own memories as they begin to surface? Finding evidence that sends her to London, carefully spun webs of deceit begin to unravel. But not everyone is as happy to let those secrets out and Eva can’t trust anyone. Maybe not even herself.

This was a fast paced read that had me up way past my bedtime. Christina McDonald weaves together the past and the present in a flawless execution of literary magic that explores the darker side of manipulation and abuse while shining a bright beacon of hope with the story of a mother’s love. The characters are well rounded, and you’ll find yourself pulled into their world, breathless with suspense as you fight alongside them.

Christina builds worlds that have a character of their own and you’ll find this one pulling on your emotions. Every detail is important and meted out in perfect time. You’ll never be bored on this winding, twisting road that has surprises around every corner.

Christina McDonald pulled my heartstrings every which way with her emotional mystery The Night Olivia Fell. Now she is giving us a suspenseful thriller about a woman who wakes up from having been struck by lightning and finding out that her mother has been murdered. Eva has vague and confusing thoughts about having been with her mother when she was murdered, with blood everywhere, including on Eva's own hands and now a detective is hounding her for the details of that night. But just like the time Eva experienced another traumatic event in her life, she can't remember what happened that night.

The story is told from the viewpoints of Eva and her mother Kat. There are so many coincidences (or are they coincidences?), shocks, twists, mysteries, piled on, one after another, that I wasn't able to enjoy the ride with this story. So very much happened to Eva (and her mom Kat) that I was waiting for them all to get struck by lightning (twice for Eva), with lightning flashing behind characters at critical moments. But rest assured, even if Eva didn't get struck by lightning twice, about every other bad thing that could happen to a person did happen to her. It all was more than a bit too much for me. Even so, I want to thank the author for taking good care of the cat.

Thank you to Gallery, Pocket Books and NetGalley for this ARC.

Three more confusing, guilt feeling, my head is about to explode because of overthinking stars!

I truly confess, when I read “Night Olivia Fell”, I mostly enjoyed the writing style and the author’s approach of mother and daughter relationship. But I considered that book is an emotional fiction and I didn’t find it mysterious and thrilling enough so I gave three stars which I regretted and thought to write an upgraded review because nothing was irritating about the book. Just I wished to read something more heart throbbing and juicy.

And this new book is more than juicy! It is raw, rare, head spinning kind of twisty, full of surprises but those too much sucker punching, back stabbing, you didn’t see it coming did you moron reader, look I am so smart and you just paralyzed with shock, you cannot even move an inch kind of edgy, stunning, sudden twists are TOO MUCH to absorb. There are so many coincidences. ( I don’t want to give spoilers but Kat’s realization about some important pieces of puzzle depending on remembering the suspicious guy’s watch brand! Because her abuser husband preferred the same brand of watch! Oh come on!!!!!)

The story starts with celebration dinner!Eva, her mother Kat, brother Andrew and mother’s bestie, her fairy auntie Lily gather together to raise their glasses for Kat’s heroic act to save an innocent child.

We catch glimpses about mother and daughter’s problematic relationship. Eva has a secret about her past that no one believes in her. She keeps the police reports secret from her fiancee and she terrifies her mother can spill the beans so she hesitates to introduce him to her family.

And then at the next chapter she finds herself at the hospital bed, STRUCK BY THE LIGHTNING ( yes, you read it right, I don’t know why the author found so extreme solution to punish her character. Without any light striking or natural disaster, Eva may still suffer from amnesia. Her brain may naturally rejects the things happened that night because of heavy traumatic experience she endured.

She finds out her mother stabbed several times and brutally murdered. And she is the prime suspect of the killing! So she needs to gather the lost pieces of her memory but to do it effectively, she needs to face the secrets and lies that her family had carried for years.

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THE BOOK:
Two POVED story-telling and impeccable, genuine, natural, well-rounded characterization: Both Kat and Eva suffered from different traumas ( abuse, rape, abandonment, violence, rejection) but they are capable to find their own ways to survive and discover who they are. Both of them are not great examples of heroines. They have flaws, obsessions, insecurities but these attributes help us to empathize them and understand their way of thinking, what they did wrong.

WHAT I DON’T LIKE ABOUT IT:
There are so many coincidences. I had hard time to understand the motives of the probable killer waiting for so long to avenge. (Because his or her motivation had to depend on something sacred and emotional but this person doesn’t have any of them. So this makes let’ s say him or her a caricatured, artificial “bad guy”!

And all of those abuse, suicide, schematic runaway plans, disguises, stalker, obsessive characters are too much for one story. All those materials could be used for two different books!!! We didn’t need so much surprises to engage with the story at all.

At the revelation part, all those information makes you feel like you’re hungover from consuming at least 100 tequila and 67 Jagermeister shots (I’m talking from experience, this is my regular girls night out consuming, but I guarantee that next day you crawl and cry at least 7 hours!) or hit by a Christmas tree ( another experience but i did it myself, don’t ask me how! I think those things I drank were not only eggnogs!!!)

My spider senses guessed most of the surprises but I still kept repeated: “WHAT? WHAT? WHAT? OH ISN’T IT ENOUGH!”
Thankfully after the heroine was struck by the lightning, she wasn’t also crushed by the truck and crumbled under the falling piano coming out of nowhere at the very same night. (I don’t suggest her play lottery! She is unluckiest heroine I’ve ever seen and she may also presumed murderer! Poor Eva! (Some parts of the book I gave hysterical laughs because it turned into an over exaggerated B rated thriller movies!)

So I gave three stars but I liked the characters, riveting, fast pacing, high tempo and story telling. If there weren’t so many twists and some simpler solution to solve the mystery, I could happily give more points because the author is brilliant and has so much potential.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Gallery, Pocket Books for sharing this ARC COPY with me in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Publishing for the opportunity to read and give an honest review of this book.

Eva Clarke is struck by lightening while running from a murder scene. Her memory and thinking are seriously affected. She cannot explain what happened and she does not know how she was involved.

This book was complicated with various sub plots and twists and turns. Considering it was less than three hundred pages, it had a lot going on. The story took place in two different countries which added another dimension. The author was very good at weaving all these plot lines together and reaching a satisfactory conclusion.

Even though the book was complex, it all made sense at the end. If you like an intricate mystery with well developed characters this book is for you.

This is the 2nd book by this author. I loved her first book “The Night Olivia Fell” that I was excited when I was approved by NetGalley to get this one ahead of publication. I might be the only one but I was a bit confused throughout the beginning of the book. Flashbacks to 25 years ago, then, now ... you get the picture. I was really wanting to like this book more than I did but it fell flat in certain spots and it didn’t leave a lasting impression. For that reason I’m giving it 3 stars. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this book for my honest review.