I have been struggling with books so far this month. I was so hoping this book would get me out of my reading funk but alas this book just couldn't keep my attention.

Her Darkest Lies has held me hostage the past few days. I didn’t want to put it down or stop for anything but #adulting and work interrupts reading time!

I really enjoyed this one! The body count was high! The twists just kept on coming, and was the narrator reliable or not plagued me throughout the story. I figured out whodunnit early on but you have to keep reading for the how and why!! Also, @justonemorepage_ name Morgan was made into character in this one and I had read it to see what kind of havoc she wreaked!

If you enjoyed The Guest List, this one’s different but I think you’ll like it. If you’re a fan of @thrillerchick and her other books I think you’ll love it!!!

Thank you @netgalley and @_mira_books_ @harlequinbooks for my digital copy of the book to review!!!

A modern day gothic thriller with more than a few nods to Rebecca, this is a fascinating and thrilling read. Bohemian artist Claire is marrying Jack Compton, scion of an impossibly rich family, who have more than a few skeletons in the closets of the magnificent family retreat on remote Isle Isola - some of the skeletons being rather more literal than others. Trapped on the island by a powerful storm, Claire comes to realise someone doesn’t want her wedding to go ahead. And that someone might be willing to kill to stop it.

The tension ratchets up steadily throughout, as more and more of Claire and Jack’s pasts are revealed. Claire is no angel, with some dark secrets in her own background, powerful enough that her own sister is fully prepared to ruin Claire’s life if given the opportunity, but it pales in comparison to the Compton legacy of blood.

With the entire cast trapped on the island, once the first body turns up this becomes a locked-room thriller. Claire already knew something was wrong when her wedding dress was gruesomely sabotaged, but finding out someone is willing to kill takes the tension to a whole new level. It’s obvious from fairly early on who has to be behind everything, but the reveal of their accomplice took me by surprise, as did Claire’s actions in the final confrontation and afterwards. Let’s just say that Claire is a worthy successor to the Compton legacy and I think Jack may eventually be surprised by the strength of the woman he’s married!

There’s some gorgeous prose here which some might find slow but I thought it really helped to set the atmosphere; I could almost smell the Mediterranean sea air and the thick scent of lemons in the trees, hear the thunder from the incoming storm. This isn’t the first book I’ve read by this author (I also enjoyed Good Girls Lie) and it certainly won’t be the last, because she definitely knows how to tell a compelling story. I’m giving this one five stars.

I've been meaning to try J.T. Ellison's books for quite some time now, and after reading the blurb of Her Dark Lies there was just no way I was going to be able to resist joining the blog tour for her newest title. And boy, did this story give an excellent first impression of her writing! It was hook, line and sinker and I couldn't help turning page after page while I wondered how everything would end... Addictive, suspenseful and without doubt an excellent ride!

I have a weak spot for so-called 'locked room' thrillers and while Her Dark Lies doesn't actually belong to the subgenre, there is no doubt that it has that locked room vibe I so love. Why? Think about the main characters effectively being trapped on a small Italian island; the bad weather making it impossible to return to main land. Suddenly strange things are starting to happen and they soon realize just how dangerous the situation has become... Especially since the person who is behind it all can only be trapped on the island with them. How exciting of a premise is that?! Add the Italian island setting (I LOVE a foreign setting in my stories!) and I had nothing but high hopes this story would be a success... Which it most definitely turned out to be.

As the title might suggest already, there are a lot of lies and secrets involved in this story, and the plot is basically build on them. Not only do we have the wealthy Compton family with their past and secrets, but Claire Hunter has her own share of dark past and secrets as well... And then there are the lies relating to what is happening in the plot itself of course. The story uses a multiple POV structure to be able to develop the different characters more thoroughly, reveal certain information in key points of the plot as well as help building up the suspense and add plot twists in a successful way. There were definitely quite a few twists I didn't see coming either!

As for the characters... I can't say I actually liked them, but there is no denying that their development is done in a very realistic way. Each of them has their strengths as well as their flaws and contributes a little something extra to the plot... It was very interesting to see them all interact, learn more about them along the way as well as seeing them grow. I really liked the structure of the plot itself as well, and how we slowly get to learn more about the Comptons, Claire and the history of Isle Isola as well as all the secrets and lies involved. Most of the story is actually set on the Italian island, and I liked how the suspense and ominous feel was slowly build up. Bodies, secrets, lies and reveals start piling up as you keep turning those pages, and this is one of those stories that will be hard to put down until you figure out the final twists.

In short, Her Dark Lies was a highly entertaining, suspenseful and addictive thriller that has both a foreign setting and a locked room vibe. Most definitely recommended if you enjoy the genre!

Traveling With T’s Thoughts:

I have been a fan of J.T. Ellison for some time (love No One Knows, Tear Me Apart, Lie To Me, and Good Girls Lie) and pretty much as soon as it was announced about Her Dark Lies- I was emailing for a copy!

What I Liked:

The cover. Hello, beautiful!

The setting. Weddings in fiction can bring out the worst in people and add to that the setting- where all these things are going wrong…. YES!

The absolute ending. I PROMISE it will give you a thrill (and maybe even a chill!)



Bottom line: Loved it. Loved it. Loved it. Another great edition in the” whole J.T. Ellison is so good at writing characters who are just so darn bad” collection.



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

This book is a DNF for me. The synopsis was the best part of the book. There were too many pages giving detailed descriptions of the seaside, the ornate house, and all its grandeur. I tried to push through but I can't. There other books I would like to read instead of pushing through on this one. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher but this one is a no for me.

This was J.T. Ellison's best book by far! It was so fast-paced and I had no idea what was going to happen next. The atmosphere was perfectly set up to where you felt like you were at this villa with the characters seeing everything they were seeing and feeling the weather and overall spookiness of this desolate place.

The characters were also perfectly executed and well-built. I was having the hardest time figuring out who the "bad guy" was and who was telling the truth and who was lying. Each of the many characters brought a very specific aspect to the story and I love how the author portrayed each of them. My favorite character by far was Claire, the girl that didn't fit into all this wealth with her creative, artistic personality. I feel that I connected with her the most because she kind of reminds me of myself and her character really surprised me throughout the whole book with how tough she was.

The ending is what really tipped the scales for me, it was so unpredictable and amazing. I didn't understand the twist at the end at first but after rereading it I'm in even more awe of this awesome story that J.T. Ellison created.

*Thank you so much to Mira Books and NetGalley for the complimentary copy of this book for my honest review!*

This book had me all over the place. I couldn't decide who were the good guys and who had an evil agenda in the works. It kept me guessing to the end. I love when that happens.

There shouldn't have been so much evil and darkness on that beautiful island but every time someone turned around, there was more mayhem or death. And lies. What is the dreadful secret the family is trying to keep?

Her Dark Lies is a captivating page-turner, with all of its intrigue and drama. I couldn't put it down and definitely recommend it to anyone who loves on-the-edge-of-your-seat thrillers. This is one you do not want to miss!

This book…ahh, just look at that cover, does that not convey something sinister? Thank you to J.T. and Mira/Harlequin and NetGalley for the review copy!!

You think you know the entire story, you think you’ve figured out who’s behind all the troubles that keep popping up but, it’s not what you think.

Claire and Jack are planning a huge wedding off the coast of Italy at his families Villa. Jack comes from money and has secrets in his past but, so does Claire. Their love seems to be unshakable but, can it hold up to Murder and dangerous lies that keep arising?

This story was so good, genuine and cleverly written. Lots of details that give way to truths and yet, more lies. That is the theme of this novel, lies and you don’t even know half of them until you get deep into the book.

I thoroughly enjoyed this. The characters were well developed and full of personality. It was hard to put down! Definitely recommend!

Everything in Claire Hunter's world is falling apart, on the eve before leaving for her destination wedding a home invasion occurs and leaves her disturbed. Then as they arrive on the island a body turns up that could be the remains of her fiancés first wife, her wedding dress is destroyed, and she keeps seeing things that don't add up. This should be the happiest time in her life, but she feels as though it is turning into a nightmare...

Her Dark Lies is one of those tales that will grab ahold of you from the first page and not let go until the last. The words are captivating and will take you on a journey that is riddled with lies, suspense, murder, deception, and twists and turns you will never see coming. The author's descriptions are so vivid that it had me feeling like I was right there watching it all unfold with my own eyes. I found it impossible to put this book down, it's cleverly penned words had me fully engaged and on the edge of my seat the whole way through! Highly recommend!

I requested an advanced copy of this title from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving my honest and unbiased opinion.

Claire and her soon-to-be husband, Jack, are planning on leaving for their wedding on the isolated private island Isle Isola. They arrive home for their pre-wedding party and walk in on a burglary in progress, or was it. With the intruder ending up dead, they are still able to head overseas. Jack's extremely wealthy family have a gorgeous, restored villa where their wedding will be held with only 30 family and close friends. From the time they arrive, things start happening, the first is the uncovering or skeletal remains. What secrets does the island hold?

I enjoy J.T. Ellison's stories and was anticipating this atmospheric thriller. It is somewhat a locked room mystery, with a small number of people on the island, with a storm raging and no way to leave. The more we get to know the characters, the more we realize that they all have secrets, and a dark side. There is some creepiness that develops with a narrator that is not identified, but left for the reader to try and guess. As the storm rages, it becomes apparent that danger is lurking for Jack's family and there are going to be more bodies before the story ends. This book had a mystery, some twists, suspense and oh, yes, bodies. Full of unreliable narrators that left me wondering if anyone was honest and had no secrets. This one had me racing to the end to see what was going to happen. My one complaint is that I would have liked more information in the epilogue. I recommend this one to readers who enjoy a good mystery with twists, atmospheric reads and lots of suspense.

First off I want to say a huge thank you to the publisher MIRA-HARLEQUIN – Trade Publishing (U.S. & Canada) , the author J.T. Ellison , and to NetGalley for inviting me to join the blog tour for this book as well as letting me read and review it. Normally I go go in to a book blind without known anything about but as soon as I show the tag : "At the wedding of the year, a killer needs no invitation ", I was like say no more , and I didn't even need to know the rest ,all I knew was that just by that one line I had to read it , I even asked a friend should I do the blog tour and she said it was up to me , but I had already made up my mine to do it and I'm so glade that I picked it up . Because just after reading a few pages I was hooked and had to knew what was going to happen next, who the murder was, who was killed or going to be killed, and by the 30% on my kindle I didn't want to stop reading but had to for two reasons , one my kindle needed to be charged and 2 : I was getting a migraine, but the very next day I had to pick it up to finish reading it which I did non stop. What can I say it had everything in it that I love ( a goth touch to it, a creepy setting at night time and some times doing the day as well, a family that had secrets, set on an island setting as well as a storm and no way off the island ( that kind of give it and there there was none vibes ),characters that made you like you them , and the unknown person that also helped tell the story ) . With all that what more could I ask for, in fact this is one of my all time favorite books for March and might be as well for 2021. And another thing I loved was how the author detailed descriptions of the locations which ties into the rising tension which also helped give it that Gothic touch .

This was a fun, well built story based on my favorite trope, the locked room mystery. The past of our bride and groom are the real focal point of this story but the destination of the opulent island added an intense level of urgency and suspense. As with any good locked room mystery we are never sure who we can trust and what their true motives are. The pacing of this book is impeccably done. Her Dark Lies starts out with a shocking event and while the action keeps coming the ending is still explosive and frantic. Ellison did a stunning job with this story and blending the suspense with the entertainment factor. The way the reveals are done in this book are brilliant because there is no huge build up to them. They just happen organically throughout the story and so they added to the story rather than hindered it. With the suspense factor we obviously have to wait for some things but in the meantime we were treated to a lot of unexpected twists and turns. I also love that almost every chapter has a little statement or word to describe what is going to be happening and that really sucked me. It made this book so hard to put down and I think it would be a great afternoon or weekend read. I would recommend this book to anyone who thinks it sounds interesting. If you already a fan of mysteries, particularly locked room ones, then I think this would be an enjoyable read for you. If you are someone who doesn't read mysteries that often then I still recommend this book for the fast paced and engaging aspect of it. I'm already eagerly anticipating Ellison's next book because she just seems to get better and better with each one.

Getting married to the man of your dreams, at a perfect gorgeous location to leading that perfect life. How much do you really need to know about your future husband? Or your future wife? Is their past events things you should know moving forward?

This was my first J.T Ellison novel and I am soo glad it was this one. Her Dark Lies starts off slow but it does pick up. It is very descriptive, but I didn’t mind that especially when they were describing The island off the coast of Italy. Take me there please. It had great twists, loved the mysterious vibes throughout and the death count was high on this one. I enjoyed all the skeletal remains that were uncovered once they arrived on the island and how it was played off as normal and common due to the islands history. If you are a fan of Lucy Foley’s The Guest List, you will enjoy this one. Fairly similar in many ways.

I’d like to thank @netgalley and @mira for the ARC in exchange of an honest review.

Her Dark Lies is a dark gothic thriller set on an Italian island where everyone has secrets and people keep dying.

It was supposed to be a romantic island wedding. But then the first body is found. And what really happened to the groom’s first wife? The wife that went missing on the last day of their honeymoon. Could the new bride follow the first wife’s fate?

Her Dark Lies is an intriguing combination of And Then There Were None and Rebecca. The island and the weather almost seem like characters in this atmospheric mystery. My only complaint is that the mystery was too easy to solve. But other than that, it was a fun way to spend a few hours. 3 stars.

Thanks to MIRA, Harlequin Books and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

Happy pub day to this gem of a book! Fans of Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier will be delighted and swept away with this gothic thriller, Her Dark Lies by J. T. Ellison.
 
What better place to have a wedding than a remote picturesque island off the coast of Italy? At least that is what Claire Hunter and her soon-to-be husband Jack Compton thought when they decided to have their intimate wedding with thirty of their closest family and friends at the Compton family villa. What really is exposed are secrets, lies, betrayal and death—and I am here for it!! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
 
“At the wedding of the year, a killer needs no invitation.” -@thrillerchick

The setting of this book is spectacular and immediately drew me in to the book. Ellison does a wonderful job of describing the island, the atmosphere, and the overall creepiness of the villa, which you come to find is really more like a castle. Not only is the island remote, the villa hauntingly beautiful, but the weather looming over the wedding weekend is severe storms. Talk about sinister thriller vibes. 😈
 
The characters in the book were well thought out and had depth to them. Claire and Jack both had their secret pasts that affected their relationship with each other, but also with their families. I also enjoyed getting to know the side characters throughout the book as well. All the characters had their own secrets, which left you not really trusting anyone! The book is told from different viewpoints—two in first person and one in third person, which created an even more unsettling atmosphere while reading.
 
This story kept my attention throughout the entire read. The level of suspense throughout the book kept me on edge—who did what, who’s hiding what, what is going to happen next!? Not only was this book filled with mystery it was also a compelling love story. AND THAT ENDING!!
 
Overall I am very impressed with this thriller from J. T. Ellison. This is my second read from Ellison and it does not disappoint. Last year I read Good Girls Lie and fell in love with the boarding school thriller setting, but Her Dark Lies tops the cake! I cannot wait to read more from J. T. Ellison.
 
A very BIG thank you to @harlequinbooks @_mira_books_ @netgalley and @thrillerchick for the eARC copy of Her Dark Lies. RUN, don’t walk to go get this book!!

www.elegantlyturningpages.com

"Locked room" mysteries set in a foreign country are my kryptonite, and I couldn't put this book down. I loved all the Gothic vibes, especially the Rebecca similiarities. I also liked how "twists" were revealed. You might guess at some of them, but I think some of them will surprise you. J.T. Ellison is definitely an author I need to read more of. (Yes, it's a need.) The ending on this one is picture-perfect. Many thanks, Netgalley, for my arc!

It isn't often one encounters a completely soulless narrator, and I think there's a reason for that. So, we have a pretty piece of cardboard running around an island while the body count stacks up so quickly they don't even discover each body before the next murder. There. I just saved you 5 hours.

J.T. Ellison is a phenomenal thriller author. Her Dark Lies is possibly my favorite of hers so far. I know when I pick up her books that I will be pulled in, become invested in the story, and intrigued by the characters. With each chapter I read I became more curious as to how the story will end and then when I turn that last page I am sad that the story has ended.

Her Dark Lies is a story that takes place on a beautiful, secluded island near Italy. It has been in Jack Compton’s family for years and is rich in history. I loved how much detail was shared in setting up the setting of the wedding. The history shared, the beautiful landscaping described, and the people who had lived there in the past and present all set up where the story was headed.

As I continued reading clues were given and I felt like I was doing an okay job in following them. The ending came and I only had it partially right. Looking back, I can see where I missed some clues and where I misinterpreted other clues. I love when I have an inkling of where the story is headed but am also surprised.

I am a fan of J.T. Ellison and will always recommend her books. Pick up your own copy and lose yourself in this wonderful thriller.

You can never go wrong with a locked room mystery!
This book was a page-turner! Addictive and with twists galore, it was really hard to put it down.

The setting is so atmospheric and although it feels idyllic, the sense of isolation wins and there is this kind of indescribable feeling that something wrong is about to happen all the time that makes this book so good.

The main characters, Jack and Claire are really intriguing and really layered so it was really good to slowly start learning their true selves as the book developed. Claire was such a strong character and I was really interested to see what did the author had in store for her.

With so much mystery and secrets I just had to read it in one sitting and was never disappointed.

I can’t want to read future books by JT Ellison and would highly recommend this amazing book.

I would like to thank Netgalley, Harlequin and MIRA for an advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.