I have read all of Gudenkauf's other novels, and thoroughly enjoyed them. I might not be in the majority, but I wasn't as keen about this one as I have been about her other ones. I felt it was more of a typical thriller with expected twists and turns, and I was bored. I have liked how she has included fresh perspectives, different/interesting topics, and new story lines in her past works, and I do not think this book brought any of that. I will continue to read her novels; I just didn't like this one as much as the others.

Maggie’s best friend, Eve, died 25 years ago and the killer was never arrested. Now new evidence is found, will the guilty party pay?
Nola(Eve’s sister) is a very disturbed person. She is asking Maggie(a cop) to break the law. Will Maggie fall for her crazy threats.
This book was very disturbing and interesting. I just couldn’t put it down, a very good read.

Another winner by a very talented author who knows how to keep the reader in suspense. I must confess that I love all of Heather Gudenkauf’s books. This book deals with a murder investigation of an unsolved case from 25 years ago. Maggie, a police investigator, is looking into this case of her best friend, Eve. Her father had lead the investigation years ago but now new evidence has been discovered. There are lots of twists and turns and many possible suspects. Very well done as I raced to the end to find the killer. Another great hit! #ThisIsHowILied #HeatherGudenkauf #NetGalley

This is How I Lied by Heather Gudenkauf was an excellent book that I thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend. Heather is an author whose books I see and just know I’m going to enjoy, I don’t even need to know the plot. I just know that the book is going to be well written and interesting and suspenseful!

Pregnant police officer Maggie Kennedy O’Keefe is investigating the newly reopened case of Eve Knox, a teenager who was murdered but a killer was never caught.

Maggie was the one who found Eve’s dead body over twenty years ago. New evidence in the form of a shoe surfaces and Maggie must revisit the case, the new clue, and try to put the pieces together. We go back and forth between past and present as we learn about events leading up to the murder. The character of Nola is especially unnerving as she straddles the line of being a sociopath/misunderstood.

As we read further into the story, a few potential suspects arise and you don’t know what is going to happen next or who is going to be a suspect. Does everyone have something to hide about their relationship with Eve?

Check it out:

Twenty-five years ago, the body of sixteen-year-old Eve Knox was found in the caves near her home in small-town Grotto, Iowa—discovered by her best friend, Maggie, and her sister, Nola. There were a handful of suspects, including her boyfriend, Nick, but without sufficient evidence, the case ultimately went cold.

For decades Maggie was haunted by Eve’s death and that horrible night. Now a detective in Grotto, and seven months pregnant, she is thrust back into the past when a new piece of evidence surfaces and the case is reopened. As Maggie investigates and reexamines the clues, secrets about what really happened to begin to emerge. But someone in town knows more than they’re letting on, and they’ll stop at nothing to keep the truth buried deep.

Don’t miss this fantastic novel from a favorite author. Coming out on May 12, order here.

Maggie and Eva were best friends. Eva is murdered. No body was arrested. In the current timeline, Maggie is a cop, following in her fathers footsteps. Seeking to find the killer while her father couldn’t. Beautifully written and artfully constructed, we learn a little more of the truth with each chapter. Except we don’t know how it will end. ! Plenty of suspects, some truly horrible characters, some unforgettable characters, plenty of twists and turns. In flashbacks, we read of heartbreaking decisions and their consequences and to what extent we go to keep our secrets. Loved it - That’s how you do it Ms Gudenkauf!

Book: This is How I Lied
Author: Heather Gudenkauf
Rating: 4 Out of 5 Stars

I would like to thank the publisher, Park Row, for providing me with an ARC.

I must say that I was very interested in this title right from the start. We have an unsolved cold case, a bunch of people involved, and a small torn that has been torn apart. We have so many different moving parts and so many different factors into the equation. It’s just the best set up for a thriller. What kind of stood out for me was while we do have a cop main character, that isn’t our focus. We don’t actually set to see a lot of the cop stuff.

The characters are great and well developed. All of them have something to hide and the way it’s presented, it keeps us guessing right up until the end. Every one of the characters is someone who you can blame. You can see why they would want to kill Eve and their motives behind it. Plus, the mind set of some many of them gives us just enough to believe that they did. Nola is Eve’s sister and known as the town crazy person. Plus, she had a background that makes people really question her. Maggie is the cop in charge and Eve’s best friend. She looks like she has everything together, but really doesn’t. She actually has a lot of hidden secrets and can’t really escape from them. Then, we have Eve, who tells us her story in the form of flashbacks. We to get see even more just how messed up she really is.

The plot was pretty quickly paced. I felt that the ending was solid, but a little rushed. This is the thing I usually say about thrillers, so don’t worry. I thought the story as a whole was well planned out and well thought about. I really liked getting the whole then and now story. I thought it was a nice touch-it gave me Pretty Little Liar feelings. Plus, it allowed us to see more of Eve’s character instead of just having her memory from those around her. I liked all of the levels and how everything had a reason.

The writing was great. We had just enough information that you could have figured out who do it, but there was a lot left out that you could have been wrong. The way this is presented makes it seem like anyone could have done it. To me, this is the mark of good writer and good storyteller. Heather has you thinking it’s this person for a while, then changes it to this person, and, yeah, it’s just a fun ride.

Thrillers are kind of hard to write reviews for because I don’t want to give anything away. If an unsolved murder is something you like, then pick this one up. It comes out on May 12, 2020.

Youtube: https://youtu.be/mlqIr04LlmA

This is How I Lied is Heather Gudenkauf's latest novel, out on May 12th. This book is about a twenty-five year old murder of a teenage girl, Eve. Her best friend, Maggie, and sister, Nola, found Eve in a cave and despite the efforts of the police, Eve's murder was never found. Now Maggie is a detective in the same town she grew up. New evidence is found in Eve's murder and despite being seven months pregnant, she volunteers to work Eve's case. She has been haunted by her best friends murder and wanted to solve the case.

One of my favorite features about Gudenkauf's books is the setting. They are all set in small towns in Iowa and as a native Iowan, I love reading books set in the state. While the setting does not play a large part in the story, I still enjoy reading about Iowa.

The story changes from the present to the past and gives a little more information about the crime each time. I really enjoy this type of writing because I try to solve the crime as I'm reading. As much as I tried with this one, I was surprised by the ending. This story proves there are secrets around every corner and even twenty five years can't hide them.

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves crime novels and books with a lot of twists.

Special thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is How I Lied was a very quick read for me. It had me right from go and I sailed right through as I absolutely HAD to know what had happened.
This is the first Heather Gudenkauf book I have read and I'm hooked. I enjoyed the characters in this thriller. They felt very real to me and I felt the raw emotions right into my bones.
A part of the book I really enjoyed was the two separate time lines the author took us down, the present and then the days leading up to the murder of Eve Knox. It was this style that hooked me, just when I felt I was ok to put the book down for the night I would finish the chapter and be sucked right back into the past and what was going on with our main characters; Eve Knox (murdered best friend/sister), Nola Knox (sister of deceased) and Maggie Kennedy (best friend).
There are so many twists and turns in this book, just when I felt I was onto something and I was sure I had it all figured out BOOM I was totally wrong. I love it when that happens, it's always disappointing to me when I get it right at the end!
I'm definitely looking forward to reading the rest of Ms. Gudenkauf's novels!

Thank you to Harlequin and Net Galley for an e-ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review. I remember reading Health Gudenkauf's books years ago, but I just stopped...for no good reason. This book was so good. I'm glad to have her back! Sometimes I have difficulty with timelines, but like a narrative that skips between characters or time periods. This one was crafted in such a way that I didn't have any difficulty keeping track of any part of it. The book was fast paced, and so intriguing that I just kept reading, not wanting to stop. Such a good book, and I highly recommend it.

I have read most of her books and they are creepy and real and always explore good and evil.
This one was a page turner .

I have not read any books by this author in quite some time. So glad that I requested and was granted an ARC of "This Is How I Lied". I love how the author organizes the chapters so that you know the year of the events and who the chapter is focused on.
This book follows two different time lines that are 25 years apart. Maggie Kennedy-O'Keefe is now a detective in the town where she grew up. She has been keeping a lie for the past 25 years. New evidence in a cold case has now come to light and she needs to get involved to protect many people, including herself. Nola and Eve Knox were Maggie's neighbors growing up. Nola has always been very strange. Nola and Eve are also hiding secrets.
Who is lying and how far will they go to protect themselves??
This is a fast read, one where you want to keep reading to see what happens next. Love books like this that keep you guessing.

Oh this book was so good!! It was creepy and twisty and kind dark. I read it in one sitting and could not stop reading.
All the characters are horrible people, self serving and entitled. I couldn’t find a single redeeming quality in any of them and I loved the book more for it.

This author is brilliant and will be adding her to my tbr list.

Thank you to NetGalley, Heather Gudenkauf and Harlequin for the free e-book in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed the layout of this novel and the few perspectives we get both from now and the past. I felt like it was slowly giving us breadcrumbs to lead us to the killer and I enjoyed every moment of it! There was so many characters that I disliked and didn’t trust, but I was really rooting for one and I couldn’t wait to see what happened to her. I was shocked by most of the twists and thoroughly enjoyed the ending! I did guess who the killer was, but the ending was so perfect that it didn’t matter!

Out May 12th

Great new thriller that keeps you guessing. This author is great in making you feel like you are in the story. Doesn't disappoint making you want more.


Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an early release of thus book.

Another amazing book by this Author. I have read and loved them all. 15 year old Eve is found by her best friend Maggie and her sister Nola, dead in a cave. No one is ever arrested and the case goes cold. 25 years later, Maggie, now a detective, is assigned to reinvestigate the murder. Lots of suspects, a ton of secrets and a crazy sister. I always love when the ending is not what I anticipated. Thanks to NetGalley, Harlequin and the Author for allowing me to read and review this book. I hope Heather Gudenkauf keeps writing for a very long time.

Loved it! Great thriller/mystery. I kept trying to guess who killed Eve, there were so many suspicious people to choose from. The number one being NOLA!!! There were so many things wrong with her. So many animals and people would be safer if she was locked up in a mental institute. Her "interactions" with animals were hard to read. She usually wasn't petting them or giving them cuddles, but holding a knife and ready to dissect them. She was crazy and scary and would never want her as my neighbor, especially since she has a "fondness" for the neighbor's corgi. That dog better be able to run fast. I thought there would have been something more sinister and shocking in Nola's basement, since she was so intent on hiding it from others. Nola and her mom were prime candidates for hoarders.

Even though I enjoyed the story and writing style, I wasn't a fan of any of the characters. Just didn't love any of them, except maybe Eve. Unfortunately, the reader knew how her life turned out. Also Winnie the corgi, just because she's a corgi. It felt like Shaun was hiding something. Did Maggie do any police work to find out what happened to Eve? It seemed like she reinterviewed maybe three people. It was the DNA test that identified Eve's killer, not Maggie's detective work. Maggie was never at work, she was always leaving to be with her father. Shealso made terrible decisions. Why wouldn't she tell anyone where she was going??? She was ready to give birth at any moment. If I was her, I would never go into another cave again. I don't think where she gives birth was part of her birth plan. So traumatic and scary.

Definitely recommend the book. There were so many twists and turns. It was hard to figure out who would be the killer. Never expected what Nola reveals she heard between Maggie and Eve. That was definitely a huge twist to the story. I look forward to reading more books by the author.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from HARLEQUIN – Trade Publishing (U.S. & Canada) through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This is How I Lied is another great one by Heather Gudenkauf. It captivated me within the first few sentences and I couldn’t put it down after that. 25 years ago Detective Maggie O’Keefe’s best friend was murdered and now Maggie has taken on the case to finally find out who did it. Like any other mystery there are few suspects, but this one will keep you guessing until the end. Great read.

Based on my reaction to the books I've read previously by this author, it's safe to list her among my favorites; not one has been anything close to disappointing. And by golly, she's gone and done it again.

I've said many times, though, that I'm really not a fan of books in which chapters constantly switch between time periods and among characters. On the other hand, it can be a very effective technique, especially when the shifts are clear - as they are here. In fact, I doubt the story would be half as powerful were it not for the the backstory "reveals" - in this case, to 1995, when Maggie Kennedy O'Keefe discovered the body of her best friend, Eve Knox, in a secluded cave in Grotto, Iowa. Maggie's father was police chief at the time, but after a lengthy investigation, the killer was never identified.

Today, Maggie herself is a police officer, with a husband Shaun and a soon-to-be-born daughter. She gets the shock of her life when some kids find a boot in the cave where Eve's body was found - and everyone, including Maggie, recognize it as being Eve's. Shaun isn't happy that Maggie will be reopening and working the cold case with her partner; but Maggie is determined to get to the truth about what happened 25 years earlier.

But clearly, it won't be easy. For one thing, she must deal with Eve's sister Nola - considered by many to be, shall I say, mentally unbalanced back then, possibly even dangerous. These days, she's a veterinarian who specializes in large animals, and she's got her own ideas about who Eve's murderer is as well as what should be done about it. Knowing what the woman is capable of, though, Maggie has the Nola at the top of her own suspect list.

There are a few others on the list, too, and it's pretty clear that Maggie herself has some secrets she'd rather not have come to light. Slowly, readers get a peek into what really led up to Eve's murder - and who might be willing to stop at nothing to make sure their own secrets stay hidden. Very fast-paced and exciting right to the end - thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for providing me with an advance copy for review. Well done!

Oh boy, this is a doozy! In a small town in Iowa, 16 year old Eve’s body is found in a cave by her best friend Maggie. Now, 25 years later, Maggie is a detective in the same town, and has been assigned to reinvestgate her best friend’s murder. What follows is a one wild ride of a story, told in part with flashbacks from the various characters in the book, with suspects galore, unbelievable secrets, one bat-crazy sister, and lots of twists. This is a book you’ll want to read in one setting, as it’s absolutely impossible to put down without knowing how it ends. Great read!
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through @NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I have read ALL of Heather's books
I LOVE ALL
I RECOMMEND ALL
I am EXCITED to read everything that Heather writes!!

This book kept me glued to the book
from the first letter to the last word!!!
I could not put it down, it was so intense and interesting that I could not stop.