This mystery was well written. It's my first book by this author. I did find it a bit of a slow burning story and enjoyed it overall. It did take me several times trying to read it to get through with it - I ended up listening to the audio version.

i really enjoyed reading htis book, I really enjoyed the plot and figuring out what was going on in the story.

A truly gripping thriller that takes readers on an emotional roller-coaster ride, author Heather Gudenkauf’s “This Is How I Lied” begins as a personal story of a young woman seeking justice for her long lost best friend, and takes a dramatic turn that puts every character in the spotlight.

The brilliant use of flashbacks through the eyes of the victim to the modern-day investigation and the secrets that fuel all of the characters make this such an engaging narrative. Just when readers have a bead on who the killer is, the author drops a new piece of the puzzle that turns the investigation on its head. The author does a marvelous job of portraying the narrative in a very cinematic way, allowing readers to envision the events of the story playing out perfectly.

The Verdict
A must-read thriller and mystery, “This Is How I Lied” by Heather Gudenkauf is a fantastic narrative that deserves to be read. Evenly paced, thought-provoking, and shocking in its delivery, this is a one of a kind read that fans of the mystery and thriller genres will not be able to get enough of, especially in the final shocking moments of the book’s end. Be sure to grab your copy today!

I loved the tension on the story - and the ending was well written even if it was a little expected. I do admit that I had to skip some passages as I'm not one to be able to stomach anything abusive/graphic/you know about animals..so I'm sure I may have missed an important clue here or there....

Traveling With T’s Thoughts:

I think it was The Baking Bookworm that made me get really interested in reading this book. She had been talking it up quite a bit and I have enjoyed the Heather Gudenkauf books I have read- so I eagerly reached for my Kindle one night and began reading.

What I liked:

That cover is pretty spooky 🙂

How the story was told- we get to hear from Eve in the time before she is killed and see the how to unfold a little at a time.

The ending. I felt it was good and solid ending!



Bottom line: This book will keep you reading just to see how Eve’s final moments really play out….



*This book was sent to Traveling With T for review consideration. All thoughts and opinions are mine alone.*

This is a twisty exciting thriller that kept my attention from page one. I think my favorite part about this story was that there were only a handful of characters but every single one of them was a viable suspect. I kept changing my mind on who I thought I did it and I had a hard time putting this book down because I just wanted to know what was going to happen.

This book is told through three different narrators as well as during two different timelines which was a great way to tell this story. I loved how all these different aspects of the story came together and it helped to amp the suspense up perfectly. Part of the story is told from Eve, Nola and Maggie when they are teenagers and this part of the story deals with some heavy stuff they are all dealing with and when it all comes to a head it has devastating consequences for Eve.

The ending of this story was a bit over the top but it was fun and definitely kept the drama going. I also love that the author chose to make Maggie 32 weeks pregnant when the book started because that by itself lended so much drama to the story. I highly recommend this book if you are looking for an entertaining and fast paced thriller.

This Is How I Lied truly kept me guessing. Hooked from the prologue, I found this book from the start one that piqued my interest instantaneously. I found the progression of the plot a simmering pace but a fulfilling experience that not only keeps you guessing but motivates your curiosity to keep turning the pages.

The book introduces us to Eve. Twenty years prior, she was found deceased by her best friend Maggie and younger sister Nola. Maggie and Eve were best friends who like other teens went through the trials and tribulations of teenage life. While Eve was going through an abusive relationship emotionally and physically, Maggie had her own secret relationship that had dire consequences if came to light. When Eve found out Maggie’s secret, desperation and fear drove their friendship to a place of no return.

Sadly, there were many suspects that included her abusive boyfriend but there were no solid leads to close the case so it went dormant. Years later, a couple boys were playing near the crime scene and discovered a key piece of evidence that could shed new light on the case. Following her dad’s footsteps in law enforcement, Maggie, a detective in the same precinct, decides to pick up the pieces where her dad left off and reexamine the case. As the past collides with the present, secrets are revealed and new information surfaces that change everything. Let’s just say that Karma found a way to come back around.

Overall, I really enjoyed the book. The alternating point of view perspective really allows the reader to get into the moment and relive and experience the past and the present. This gave us great insight into their lives and piece together what happened, whodunit, and why. I wouldn’t necessarily classify this as a thriller but it had thrilling moments of building suspense that pique your interest. The twists in the plot will be enough to keep you reading. I’d recommend checking this one out.

***Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review***

The main character is a police officer who is tasked with solving her best friend's murder from 25 years prior. Some new evidence has emerged and the flashbacks to the time in question only seem to bring more suspects to light. But who really killed Eve? You won't find out until the very end!

I love Heather Gudenkauf's books! She writes great edge of your seat thrillers. I have read all her books and have yet to be disappointed.

This Is How I Lied was hard to read due to the large amounts of serious content. While this is a quintessential domestic thriller with a pretty predictable/formulaic plot line, the content mentioned above made this take several turns. I would not recommend to those easily triggered by domestic abuse and/or pedophilia.

I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

This was a good book. It was a suspenseful tale with several twists. I have always loved this authors books, and this was another great one.

Maggie is a detective just about to go on maternity leave when new evidence comes to light from a case from 25 years ago. Her best friend Eve was murdered. A case that he father had been investigating. Now she must try to finish his work and try to solve this case. As Maggie goes through all the evidence she starts to realize that there's a lot of things coming to her such as lies and secrets that she just may not be the right person for this case.
Thanks Netgalley and the publisher for the advance ecopy.

I haven't ever read anything by this author but after reading this one I think that is about to change. This was a great suspenseful story set in a small town. This thriller is one that gets to you early on and it doesn't let up until the last pages. I love thrillers where you don't know who you can trust and who can be trusted. I could not put this one down at all.

Heather Gudenkauf is a "go to" author for me.

In this book, past and present collide.

It's 25 years later and Eve Knox's murder is a cold case. Maggie Kennedy-O'Keefe, Eve's best friend has been assigned to desk duty due to her pregnancy and requests that she be able to look into the case and see if she can find anything new since technology has drastically changed.

The cast of characters are bizarre and strange and the list of whodunit's include some of these people.

Maggie puts herself in danger in order that she can figure out what happened in the cave that fateful day.

As we follow along on this twisty mystery, I changed my mind a bunch of times about the outcome.

An enjoyable read and one of Gudenkauf's "must read" books for me.

4.5/5 stars

Twenty-five years ago, Eve Knox was murdered. Her killer was never found. Detective Kennedy investigated the crime at that time, now his daughter, Maggie is reopening the investigation. This will be an especially hard case for Maggie, since Eve was her best friend and she was the one who found her. Could the killer have been Eve's boyfriend, Nick, who was abusive or Eve's sister, Nola, who was the strangest person in town? Maggie will use the new clues to find the killer, or will she?

Thank you to NetGalley and Park Row books for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I am a big fan of Heather Gudenkauf. Her books leave you on the edge of your seat in anticipation of what is going to happen next. This one gave me a surprise I didn't see coming. With a lot of books you are able to tell what is going to happen and who the culprit is, but Ms. Gudenkauf, leaves it all to the imagination. This book has a twist around every corner and I hope you are ready for them. If you like books that will have you scratching your head as to how it had the outcome.

Maggie really shouldn't be investigating this case. Eve was like a sister to her. But she has to know what happened back then and who was the one who hurt her friend so violently. Eve was kind to everyone and her death was devastating to the entire town. But there are skeletons in every closet and they may come out during this investigation.

Twenty-five years ago, Eve Knox was found murdered in the caves near her house. She was just fifteen years old. Now, her former best friend, Maggie, is a detective who is assigned to reopen the cold case with new evidence. Eve’s abusive boyfriend was one of the main suspects, though there wasn’t any evidence that he killed her. Eve had a strange younger sister, Nola, who was fascinated by dead animals and their anatomy. Maggie has to investigate this murder, while also keeping her own secrets.

This story was told from three different points of view. Eve’s story was from the day she was killed. Maggie and Nola’s perspectives were in the present, as Maggie investigates the murder. My favourite parts were Maggie’s chapters because those were the ones that really moved the story forward. Eve’s chapters were a little slow because they followed her actions of her final day, and Nola’s were creepy because she was fascinated by dead things.

I loved the unique format of the story. At just over the halfway point of the book, the killer was revealed. Since it only about halfway through, I knew there must be more to the story. There was still loads of tension until the end, when the details of the murder were revealed.

I really enjoyed this thriller!

Thank you HarperCollins for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Heather Gudenkauf's This is How I Lied takes place over a 25 year period through three different characters. Eve Knox, Maggie Kennedy, and Nola Knox. 25 years ago, the body of 15-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 Brady, but without sufficient evidence the case ultimately went cold. Maggie's father was the lead detective on the case, but could never put the pieces together.

Flash forward to the present. Maggie is a Detective in the Grotto Police Department and very pregnant. She's married to Shawn O'Keefe who was 2 years ahead of her in High School. When a new piece of evidence is found in the cave where Eve was found, Maggie is asked to take over the case. This puts Maggie is a horrible position because she not only found Eve, but she was her best friend right up until the day she was murdered. In reality, the case should have been solved 25 years ago, but understanding why it wasn't, is key to uncovering who the actual murderer is.

This book also has several therapy notes from Nova as well as newspaper articles and 911 transcripts. Like many other reviewers, this story really is all about Nova. What did Nova know about Eve's murder and why did she never come forward and tell anyone what she saw that day? Is Nova really a sociopath, or is she trying to cover for her desire to become a veterinarian? Maggie struggles partly because she too has a secret that if it came out, could have devastating affects on her marriage and her career as a Detective.

But, when her shed is burned to the ground, and people start calling her a home wrecker and worst, there's something else happening here. When Nova makes it personal by calling Maggie a killer and making it known that either she or Nick is going down for Eve's murder, it's time to really dig deep into the facts to what led to Eve's death and why. As Maggie goes over the original notes, pictures, and witness statements, Maggie realizes there are a lot of suspects. Maggie’s father, Henry, now with dementia, tried to bring answers to Eve’s family but those 25 years went by without any answers and Eve’s case was filed away. How can Eve’s murder be solved without Maggie risking her own secrets being revealed? The killer could be anyone. For Maggie isn’t the only one in Grotto with secrets.

Fairness in reviewing; I figured the killer out who the killer was from the beginning. It was figuring out what really happened and why that was the mystery. It is figuring out why Eve was in that cave in the first place. It was reading how horribly Eve was treated by not only her mother, but her sister and her alleged creep of a boyfriend who constantly did horrible things to her. It was also deciding whether or not I should care about Maggie once her secret is revealed, especially since Maggie's actions are anything but angelic.

This Is How I Lied by Heather Gudenkauf, 332 pages

Twenty-five years ago, detective Maggie O'Keefe Kennedy's best friend Eve was murdered in a cave just outside their small town, and the killer was never found. But when Eve's shoe is suddenly discovered, the case is reopened and Maggie is determined to uncover the truth once and for all. Maggie's investigations, however, seem to be uncovering more than just clues about Eve's death. It seems that everyone around Eve was lying, including Maggie herself. Will the truth actually come out?

This is a taut thriller complete with a controlling ex-boyfriend, a creepy neighbor, an unhinged sister, and a retired detective who, in this case, is absolutely no help because of dementia. Oh, and our protagonist Maggie is heavily pregnant. The description, however, doesn't really do it justice. I was completely swept up by this suspenseful book, and honestly did not see all those twists coming.

Maggie has always been haunted by her best friend’s death. It’s been 25 years since she found Eve’s body and the killer has never identified. Now Maggie is a detective in her small home town. When new evidence is uncovered, the case is reopened and Maggie investigates.

The story unfolds in two timelines, moving back and forth between 1995 and present day. As expected, there are a variety of characters and many are not very likable. However, the story is well-plotted, there are a few twists to keep it interesting, and the story maintains a decent level of suspense. All in all, This is How I Lied is a very good read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book for review.

Although a good story, it just missed it's mark with me. It felt more like the retelling of a story from a textbook on the history of a small town than any type of compelling engrossing tale.