What if the past comes back to haunt you on the day you are getting married?

Her Dark Lies by J T Ellison is set off the Italian Coast, on Isle Isola, a cliff-top villa owned by the Comptons. Claire Hunter is all set to get married to Jackson Compton, surrounded by close family, intimate friends…and a host of dark secrets. As the wedding weekend begins, things take a turn for the worse when an old body gets dug up on the island, menacing texts get delivered, and a ruined wedding dress. Its not just the happenings, people on the island carry secrets, dark secrets that can ruin not one, but multiple lives.

The plot of the book is quite complex, and in a good way. The plot is not a normal and usual run-off-the-mill thriller, rather it is a story that makes a reader turn the page compulsively. The storytelling is quite interesting, and the author has used subtle details in the beginning that become important towards the end. The language of the book is easy to comprehend, and suits the characters quite well. I loved the part of the book where the tensions start building up and the secrets start tumbling out slowly. The author keeps the shadows hidden, and the revelations are done at the time which is just right. The picture that the author paints is quite detailed and vivid, and I could clearly visualize the island, the villa, and the events as they occur. The climax was quite unexpected, and it added to the charm of the storytelling.

The story is primarily character driven, and it is them who provide the tension needed for a thriller to deliver on its promise. Claire’s character is interestingly crafted, and her past is hinted about in the story, but revealed only in the end, which is quite well done. Jackson’s character has shades of gray which actually set the tone of the book. His loving, romantic side towards Claire is quite opposite to how he reacts towards Elliott. His complex character is something I really enjoyed in the book. Other characters I enjoyed were Ana Compton, and most of all, Will Compton, and the way he adds to the story in the end.

Overall, a definite recommendation for thriller readers that scores a 4.12/5 for me.

3.5 stars. This was a quick, fast-paced, entertaining read. I liked the characters, the location, and storyline. I didn't really like the perspective from the bad guy because it took the suspense out of the book. It would have been much more tense and intriguing if the story kept the reader guessing. The ending was lacking a little. Both of these criticisms are minor and didn't take away from enjoying the book.

Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.



Book: Her Dark Lies



Author: J.T. Ellison



Book Series: Standalone



Rating: 2/5



Recommended For...: thriller lovers



Publication Date: March 9, 2021



Genre: Thriller



Recommended Age: Can't reccomend, DNFed



Publisher: MIRA



Pages: 336



Synopsis: Jutting from sparkling turquoise waters off the Italian coast, Isle Isola is an idyllic setting for a wedding. In the majestic cliff-top villa owned by the wealthy Compton family, up-and-coming artist Claire Hunter will marry handsome, charming Jack Compton, surrounded by close family, intimate friends…and a host of dark secrets.

From the moment Claire sets foot on the island, something seems amiss. Skeletal remains have just been found. There are other, newer disturbances, too. Menacing texts. A ruined wedding dress. And one troubling shadow hanging over Claire’s otherwise blissful relationship—the strange mystery surrounding Jack’s first wife.

Then a raging storm descends, the power goes out—and the real terror begins…



Review: Had to DNF this read at 23%. The book didn't connect with me and it was really boring at the beginning of the read. When it started to pick up a little, the pace slowed back down again and I didn't have the energy to deal with this book.



Verdict: Not for me, but maybe for you.

I’ve been reading a lot more romance and thrillers during the pandemic, so this book was perfect! Her Dark Lies drew me in with the promise of an Italian island as the backdrop, although we don’t hear much about Italy. I love that most of the story is told from the perspective of Claire, the main character, but there are chapters interspersed from the perspective of the villain. Is the villain Claire or Jack’s first wife Morgan or someone else entirely? Who else is involved and how are the other tragic events connected? What are each of the characters hiding from each other? This book kept me guessing until the end, and I couldn’t put it down!

This was my first JT Ellison book and it will not be the last. I was intrigued from the beginning and found the book to be totally unpredictable which is always a good thing in a thriller. I definitely recommend it!

I really enjoyed reading Her Dark Lies by J.T. Ellison. In fact, this was one of two books that I could actually get through in the past month that I couldn't stop reading! It had me on the edge of my seat and flipping the pages compulsively. The characters are layered and filled with realism, the plot is fast faced and riveting, and the twists and turns are epic! I highly recommend giving this one a try. I look forward to going back and reading many more of the authors novels.

The setting of Her Dark Lies by JT Ellison is beautiful. The action builds from beginning to end. I do guess the eventual resolution, but it does not deter from the enjoyment in getting there. Most of all, I enjoy the characters. The many characters imply many different story threads. Not all are fleshed out or followed through. Yet, it all works in a a whirlwind of intrigue from beginning to end.

Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2021/03/her-dark-lies.html

Reviewed for NetGalley and a publisher's blog tour.

'Her Dark Lies' is a gripping, gothic mystery. Claire is living the dream, a talented artist from a troubled background engaged to a wealthy businessman Jack Compton. Things are magical and not at all as they really are. Beneath there are many secrets that grip the lives of Claire and the Comptons. Right before their destination wedding, Claire and Jack come home to an intruder and the suspense begins. Someone is out to cause death and destruction. But to whom? Jack or Claire? At times the story was suspenseful but at other times it dragged. Both Jack and Claire have kept many secrets from each other, and although they plan to get married, these secrets barely come out right before they are supposed to get married. The story was built on a good start but I felt there were too many holes. A lot of murder and loss and nobody really batted an eye. There really wasn't closure, and it seemed that all parties were unstable. Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin for providing this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Claire Hunter is an art world darling, thanks to her exceptional talent and the influence of her fiancé the wealthy and mysterious Jack Compton. At Jack's insistence, the couple will wed at his home's estate, a gorgeous Italian villa on the private island of Isola. The majestic sweeping views and ghost stories of the island are a perfect backdrop for a wedding, and family secrets.  When Claire arrives with her fiancé, things immediately begin to go wrong. Skeletal remains are found on the island. Strange notes and shattered glass decorate the private bathroom for Claire and Jack. When Claire goes to try on her wedding dress, she finds a cruel barb written in blood on the train, the day before the wedding.  The rumors swirl around Jack's first wife, Morgan. Though long dead, her essence haunts the estate. Claire Hunter has dark secrets of her own.   What deadly secrets are the Compton family keeping from Claire, and will she survive the weekend. 

I will admit that when I picked up J.T. Ellison's Her Dark Lies, the cover lead me to believe this was going to be just another thriller in my collection. After all, the cover is a cliff, the back text haunting and discussing secrets.  Instead what followed was a book that reminded me so much of Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca, but with enough differences that I couldn't tell where things were going. The specter of a former wife? A family with a dark history and dubious presence?  I mean, this was everything I could want and more. Ellison's book was a can't put it down even though it is past midnight kind of a book.

Her Dark Lies is available now from Mira.

Her Dark Lies was a fantastic thriller that was so hard to put down.
This story was twisted and very well written.

I loved the private Island in Italy as a setting. The character was complex and well fleshed out.

This chilling and highly atmospheric thriller hooked me from the very beginning. A dream wedding taking place in a castle on a remote Italian island... what could go wrong? My favorite part of this story was the setting. I was completely immersed in the Italian castle, lost in the crypts, and stumbling through the labyrinth. Told from Claire's POV, the reader gets an understanding of the situation, but every so often, the chapters switch to a different voice, giving the reader an idea of whodunit. I also loved the ending, what a cliffhanger! I highly recommend this masterpiece.

🔎 𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐊 / 𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐄𝗪 🔍⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
Title: #HerDarkLies
Author:@thrillerchick
Publisher:@_mira_books_⁣
Pub Date: 3/921⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
Type: #ebook (thanks @netgalley) and #audiobook (thanks @hoopladigital)
Genre: #Mystery #Thriller
Must Read Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⁣⁣⭐⁣⁣⁣

My thoughts:

-JT Ellison is a fantastic author. Her book, GOOD GIRLS LIE, was one of my top mystery/thriller reads of 2020, so I had high hopes for Her Dark Lies and this one did not disappoint. I think GGL will still go down as my favorite Ellison book (yet), but if you liked that book also, I suggest grabbing this one. Two completely different types of thrillers, but the rides are equally thrilling!

-First of all, I absolutely LOVED the setting of this one. Her writing is lyrical, highly atmospheric and will help any reader transport for a few hours while reading. I appreciate when the location of a book morphs into its own character, and Isle Isola off the coast of Italy fit the bill for me. From the moment the wedding guests begin to arrive, everything feels eerie, ominous and foreboding! I would have loved to be a fly on the wall for this wedding for so many reasons!

-This one was a little bit of a slow burn for me, but once things started to pick up, I really liked the pacing. Unlike GGL, this one was a little bit predictable and the plot twists were minimal, but I still enjoyed the story. Also - be warned ... there are a lot of characters to remember and quite of few of them played no real part in the story, so could have been eliminated without missing much. My favorite part? The body count is HIGH in this book, so buckle up!

I loved this story of a romantic, glamorous, Rockefeller-style wedding on a beautiful island with murder, mystery, high-tech, and a touch of supernatural sprinkled in between.

JT Ellison tells the tale of a technology-laden murder mystery within a wedding, which takes place on Isle Isola Island, off the coast of Italy. The happy couple are the stunning Claire Hunter, freelance artist, and dashing Jack Compton, from one of the richest families in America. I loved the glitz, glamour, and power that the Compton family brings to this story.

JT Ellison creates an atmospheric wedding venue on the island, and her detailed descriptions create a beautiful and ominous vibe with a haunted backstory, a unique island landscape, craggy cliffs, dark secret island spots, and many secrets. The island is a central character in itself, and added an additional aura of mystery.

The story has a wide multitude of diverse characters: the bride, groom, wedding planner, mom, dad, siblings, aunts, uncles, family staff, company staff, friends and wedding guests. The reader is privy to the full story as each character’s fears, secrets, and lies are unveiled during the wedding weekend. The characters are well-developed, and this book is more of a character study where the development of the character(s) is more important than the plot.

The book has themes that are very similar to Rebecca and The Guest List by Lucy Foley, and I absolutely loved it. However, this book is different and has its own spin; the twists are fascinating, and the ending is completely different and unexpected.

I really enjoyed this dark and atmospheric thriller with excellent writing, a good backstory, twisted characters, and a fast moving, unpredictable plot.

Her Dark Lies is a binge-worthy, addictive, captivating, and suspenseful book. I love JT Ellison’s style of writing, which kept me engaged the entire time. Don’t forget to check out her previous books that I’ve reviewed, such as Lie To Me and Tear Me Apart.

I highly recommend this story for all thriller fans. This one is definitely worth your time!

This book was deliciously twisted. I knew I was in for an intriguing ride after reading the description but I truly had no clue how fr down the rabbit hole I was going.

A story set in a villa on a beautiful island. I raging storm. A killer among them in disguise. It was like something out of the movies only better because I got to delve into the story without distraction.

From the moment I open and read the first page the author grabbed my attention and never let me go. I was a willing captive of her storytelling. She went to places most authors would not dream of and I followed willingly.

This story was dark, twisted, full of secrets, and oh so good. I could totally see it playing out on the big screen for all to watch. I must-read for anyone who wants a really good dark thriller.

Claire Hunter is about to become a part of an illustrious family - the Compton family. They are known for their wealth, their history and for having women/wives that die young. Claire is going into this marriage a little naive and maybe doesn't have all the information before hading to a remote castle in Italy to marry.

For me, right off the bat, this book had terrible pacing and within that it felt too long and it dragged on and on. I was surprised to find out after finishing it, that it was under 500 pages because for me it felt as though it was much longer - and not in a good way.

With that being said, this book had atmosphere and I felt as though I was stuck on an island in a huge castle and felt as though I should keep looking over my shoulder while I was reading the book. I love a thriller that gives me the goosebumps, but I felt as though there wasn't enough movement to keep the story progressing forward.

This was only my second JT Ellison read and I liked Good Girls Lie better than this one, but am still open to trying more from the backlist and more from what is to come.

A gothic psychological thriller, gripping and entertaining.
I was reading this book and thinking that some parts reminded me of Rebecca by Daphne de Maurier and parts the classic gothic novels of the beginning of XIX century.
It’s a story told by different POVs all of them unreliable and all of them hiding some secrets. It’s more a matter of who will be alive at end of the story than who did it.
The character development is quite good and the island is one of the character, maybe the most fascinating as there are plenty of secrets and the descriptions are amazing.
As Italian is my mother language I had some doubts when I read the name of the island (Isola) as it sounded like island Island but as soon as I started reading the description I loved the descriptions.
The character and plot development are quite good even if I think the action starts before we get to know them.
This is the first book I read by this author and liked it. Recommended.
Many thanks to MIRA and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This almost creepy, twisty tale of wedding and murder will keep you on the edge of your seat.
4.5 Stars

✨ The Title/Cover Draw:
I really enjoyed Good Girls Lie and this one sounded a lot like The Guest List.
💜 What I liked:
The clues were given subtly and while some were totally obvious, some were hidden. There was a lot of good and descriptive writing here.
😱 What I didn’t like:
Not everything is clear, motive-wise. While there is a lot of suspicion thrown, you still don’t have a firm idea of why.
💁‍♀️ The Characters:
Morgan is the wife who died. Jack is getting married to Claire on his family's island.
🚦 The Ending:
There are still a lot of questions I have about this book.
💭 Reminds me of:
The Guest List

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Received from Netgalley.

A deceiving, page-turning thriller, with an unreliable narrator and an intriguing plot. This one reminded me so much of Riviera - a Sundance original series starring Julia Stiles, set amidst the art world, the rich and powerful, and a family that has many secrets they'll do anything to keep hidden. In a similar fashion, Claire, the main character, seeks to uncover the truth about her husband's first wife Morgan, and her questionable death. There are twists, there are turns, and plenty of red herrings, that will keep you flipping pages late into the night. I love a good revenge story, with gothic undertones, and this one is set on an island off the Italian coast, so it the setting doesn't get much better than that -I mean a grotto, caves, secret tunnels? With an array of characters, both deceptive and hard to trust, and too many dead bodies to count, you'll thoroughly enjoy this new "popcorn thriller" by Ellison.

Whew! I loved this book! It took off at breakneck speed and didn't stop until the very last page! A wedding on an island in the middle of nowhere in a creepy castle that is said to be haunted...and so many lies swirling around the bride, groom, and their families--yes please!! The first thing Claire hears when she steps onto the island is that a skeleton has been found. But who's is it? A body from centuries ago? Or the body of her fiancée's ex girlfriend? And then, a huge storm hits and all hell breaks loose. Such a great book!!