The Better liar weaves in and out the stories of two sisters and a woman who takes on the identity of one of the sisters. The pace was really slow and it took a long time for the mystery to develop. While the ending was twisty and satisfying, my interest by that time had faded significantly.

Dark, full of twists.
Started this book and two chapters in I am thinking, meh same old same old...but I plodded on . Was not disappointed. Story takes turns I did not see coming. Ending is a little abrupt....still a great read

Deception begets more deception. That's exactly what you can take away from Tanen Jones' first thriller, A Better Liar. Every chapter unravels more of the true self of the main characters, Leslie and Mary. Jones does a wonderful job shedding their layers chapter by chapter and showing us just who each of these women really is. Just how deep does deceit really run and can your really ever separate yourself from the past or are you doomed to repeat it? Those are answers that Leslie will come to find out after she sets out to find her long lost sister in order to collect a family inheritance. When an obstacle is set out an unexpected solution seems to land in her lap and suddenly there's no turning back. Will it work? Or was she doomed before she even started?This book is so much more than your average thriller!

I have been reading quite a few contemporary romances after reading many, many psychological thrillers. It was a nice break, but I was looking forward to reading something I could really lose myself in. Boy, did this book fit the bill!
Start with three viewpoints, not necessarily reliable, then ramp up the intensity of the story with each page. There are quite a few names dropped, some important and then some not so much. It’s all about a woman wanting to collect her inheritance, but cannot do so without her sister also being present. However, she hasn’t seen her sister in many, many years. These multi-dimensional characters are very complex, and not very likeable, but they create a story full of suspense and intrigue.

A wonderful psychological thriller. Like all good thrillers, I though I had things figured out and I did have some part figured out but then. . . the surprises occur keeping me reading and reading and reading - until I finished the book.

Daringly plotted- an intriguing thriller that is deep and dark right up to the finale.
Many thanks to Ballantine Books and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is so hard to write a review on without giving away any of the story! So many twists and turns yet never confusing. I never wanted to put this highly suspenseful novel down!

The Better Liar by Tanen Jones is full of twists and turns. Every time you think you know where the story is going you discover you're wrong. I love books like this, that I do not see what's coming. This is the type of story that when you finish it you almost want to reread it. I want to thank Ballantine Books and Net Galley for an early copy to review.

Standing ovation for Tanen Jones for crafting such a wonderful book that was full of suspense and twists.

I'm not going to rehash the story, the blurb tells you the basis of the book, but buckle up when you turn to page one. You are in for quite the ride! First, there is one character who assumes the identity of many. You would think that it might be confusing to figure it that character out and it is, but in a fun sort of mess with your head sort of way.

Tanen Jones wrote this book as if she was the reader. It has just the right mix of misleading, but able to keep it on track. Just the right amount of mind playing, but able to stay on track. Nothing was to "In Your Face" nothing was to crazy. Messed up, yes but not crazy or over the top like some wind up being. This is a great debut novel by Tanen Jone! Put it on your 2020 TBR Now!!!

Thank you #Netgalley for the ARC.

Good idea. Poorly constructed. Every scene is obvious where it is leading to. The author follows a 1, 2, 3, 4 pattern. 1. She finds her sister dead 2. we know from the start that she can only inherit with the sister (of course that premise is ridiculous from the outset) 3. She meets Mary. 4. Mary is cooincidentally fired from her job that day and finds her boy friend with someone else. No surprises what is going to happen when Mary and Leslie get together in the hotel room. And then too much description of things that are not important.... like a ton of description of the restaurant where Mary works. A few sentences would have given the idea.

The book needs to be rewritten.

Wow! This book made me lose sleep. In the best way! I couldn’t put it down! Leslie needs to locate her younger sister who ran away years ago in order to collect an inheritance from their late father that she desperately needs. When she finally does locate her sister she’s dead. So Leslie meets Mary and hires her to impersonate her dead sister and they’ll both collect on the money. Seems simple enough. But Leslie isn’t telling Mary everything. And this book took twists and turns that I’ve never seen done. Chapters are told from the perspective of each sister plus Mary and everyone was hiding secrets! I usually think I’ve got a story figured out about half way through but nope, I’m proud that it took me to the very end to see the big twist. And what a twist it was! Would love to read more from this author in the future!

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to review The Better Liar by Tanen Jones. This is a story about Leslie, who needs to locate her sister in order to collect her inheritance from their father's estate. When Leslie finds her sister Robin deceased, she teams up with Mary, in an effort to receive this money she so desperately needs and wants. Throughout the story we learn more about the relationship that Robin and Leslie had as children and what caused the wedge that was driven between them.

I enjoyed the many twists and turns that this book took. I gave it a 4 star rating because I did find that sometimes it was difficult to remember who's view the book was in and would have to scan back through to recheck.

This book was excellent and totally got me out of my mystery / thriller slump!

Leslie’s sister Robin left home more than ten years ago and has been nothing but a nuisance from afar since. When Leslie’s ailing father finally passed, a condition of receiving his inheritance is bringing the sisters back together. But when Leslie tracks down Robin in Las Vegas and finds her a mere few hours too late (heroin OD), what can she do to ensure she still receives her piece of the pie? Panicked and stressed, Leslie flees her dead sisters apartment to collect her thoughts. That’s where she meets Mary - an extroverted, stunning, aspiring actress who with a little coaching a new hair color could maybe pass for the Robin that disappeared a decade ago. Can the women pull off the stunt? What other secrets are they hiding and what are their real motivations?

This is one to go into as blind as possible! Stop reading!!!

The breadcrumbs were there and whether I chose to ignore them so I could be ignorantly blissed or they totally fooled me I’m content either way! Thoroughly enjoyed this one - the writing style, character development, narration, and build up. It was over the top but in all the best ways.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Wow! What a great debut novel by author Tanen Jones. If you enjoy psychological suspense, this is the book for you.
The book begins with Leslie looking for her sister, Robin who she hasn't seen in ten years. She needs her to come back to their home town to sign some papers to inherit $50,000 each. When Leslie arrives at Robin's apartment she finds her dead. Because of the agreement in the will she asks someone she meets who looks somewhat like Robin to come to Albuquerque and sign the papers. The stranger can take $50,000 and Leslie will get her half.

That is the beginning premise of the book...after this there are so many twists and turns that make you want to keep reading to find out what happened. I definitely recommend this book to thriller fans. You won't be disappointed.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me an advanced copy of the book for an honest review.

5 plus stars! An absolutely riveting, chilling read that’s absolutely unputdownable! This book was very well written, the characters were so amazingly developed, I had to know what was going to happen and when and how! Kept me flipping pages all night, because I just had to find out what was next! Chilling, thrilling, twisted, and shocking! Unputdownable!!! Highly, highly recommend!
Will make sure I highly recommend and buzz it all around!

Lying takes center stage in this riveting page turner debut novel by Tanen Jones. But, who is the "Liar"? ... a triad of women is presented. Robin ("Rachel") ... dead when we first meet her ... but, cadaverous even before her death by overdose ... extremely beautiful at 16 when she runs away from home; Leslie, her older sister.... less attractive but very dependable .... and lastly: Mary - the red-headed bar waitress in Vegas ... on a collision course with Leslie and also the multiple men in her life.
Leslie is presented with a major roadblock ... when she finds it necessary to journey to Las Vegas only to find her estranged sister "stone cold dead" and emaciated in her apartment from an overdose. She was charged to return her sister home to Albuquerque to claim a dual inheritance after her father finally succumbs to a long battle with cancer. Leslie has devoted her life to ministering to the needs of her father while trying to build and foster her own family .... her loving and devoted husband and 11 month old son, Eli. Now she will not be able to claim her desperately needed inheritance ... But, why is she so desperate for the money? Is her family life really that stable? As she is wallowing in despair over her plight, she crosses paths with the charismatic Mary who bears a striking resemblance to her sister.. A plan is hatched in which Mary will impersonate her sister in exchange for receiving the $50,000 due Robin.
When Mary returns with Leslie to Albuquerque she soon suspects all is not what it seems. Leslie's life is replete with mystery and secrets prompting Mary to embark on her own investigation ... hoping to unravel her true motivations. What starts as a mystery novel evolves into a captivating study in psychological suspense..
Tanen Jones proves to be an uncanny storyteller and weaves a convoluted narrative gorged with unsuspecting twists exploding into an electrifying denouement. And, along the way she explores many contemporary problems of today .... the complexity of sisterhood and mother relationships ... and the far flung ramifications of depression of every day life and even postpartum depression, and how it effects not only the individual but also friends and family.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group and Ballantine Books for providing an Uncorrected Digital Proof of this gem in exchange for an honest review..
..... Please check out my Book Review blog at: readersremains.com ......

The Better Liar is an engrossing mystery with a superb plot and characters. Look forward to more from Tanen Jones!

This book just kept me reading until late in the night. It tells the story of Leslie who has spent time looking after her sick father. When he dies, his Will specifies that Leslie must find her sister Robin, so that they can collect their inheritance. She drives to Las Vegas to bring her sister back. She has not had contact with her for years, and they have not been close, but Leslie is in for a shock when she finally locates her sister.
This story flows along nicely but has some twists that you don't anticipate.
It also tells the backstory of Leslie's not so perfect marriage and her life growing up.

Leslie Voigt needs to find her sister, Robin. She hasn't seen her in 10 years, But when she finally tracks her down, Robin is dead. On her way home she meets, Mary, who is an actress and is willing to play the part of Robin for a meeting with estate lawyers.

It's hard to review this book without giving much away, but be prepare to be confused by names, and for lots of twists and turns, some predictable and some surprising. Overall, it was an enjoyable novel, with themes many mothers and sisters can identify with.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC of this novel.

This book had great potential with the premise. The storyline was ruined for me with the lesbian sex scenes and predictable twists.

I will not leave any reviews anywhere.
Thanks for granting me access to this book