What a great book! No Spain never fails to please and this is no exception. There are lots of twists and turns with a thoroughly unpredictable ending. I highly recommend.
Thanks to Net Galley for allowing me to read this amazing arc for my honest review.

The Perfect Lie by Jo Spain is a gripping page turner packed with killer twists. Erin, who has moved from Ireland to live in the USA, and police officer Danny are happily married after meeting two years ago, so why does he commit suicide right in front of her and who can she trust? Beautifully written and a fantastic read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! I am a huge thriller fan and have very high expectations of what makes a good thriller and The Perfect Lie completely met the brief.
From the very first page you are hooked and Spain leaves you wanting more. I started this before going to bed one night and suddenly realised it was past 23:00 and I was already 40% through! I love a book that completely immerses you in a way that you lose all track of time and suddenly realise you had fully escaped real world. That is what made me fall in love with books at a young age, the escape they provided and the opportunity to let your imagination truly free.
The characters are excellent. You can sense the underlying emotions that motivate them and you get to know each of them on a deep level. Even Tanya and Bud who only appear as supporting characters, you still feel like you got to know them as real people and as people you could see yourself having a drink with. I really liked Erin and honestly, this was such a relief, I have read a lot of books, especially thrillers, lately where the main character just annoyed me. I know they were meant to come across that way and it just shows how well the author depicted them but there is only so much frustration a reader can take. Whereas, I thought Erin completely owned her role in this story and I loved that she was Irish (maybe a slight bias there!).
The Perfect Lie is a tense, on the edge of your seat, story that you very quickly realise has a lot more layers to it than would seem. This isn't just about a beloved husband who has committed suicide, if anything this is what open's Pandora's Box and shapes what will be an extremely harrowing and eye opening journey for Erin and the other characters. The story is laced with tragedy and loss and some parts of it are very heavy and really hit home. It's a fantastic thriller with great twists but it also a story that addresses some big topics like rape, grief and suicide and you really feel for some of the characters throughout these parts of the story. The level of emotion throughout the book is fantastic and you become so invested in each and every character's loss and struggle. There is a lot more to it than the 'Whodunit' that we love about a good thriller.
The narrative is really good but I will admit that I found the timelines a little confusing at first. I had to go back once or twice to check if I missed a chapter but quickly you get the hang of it and I actually found these mixed timelines made the book in the end.
The ending....I knew to expect something big but Jo Spain, please take a bow! It isn't an ending or twist that will change thriller writing forever but it is so clever and also painfully obvious when you realise and yeah...so well done. There are so many good thrillers out there that are just ruined by their predictability and before you're halfway through you already have an idea of what to expect.
So yeah, a big 5 starts from me! You will absolutely fly through this and it is a great read for those who love thrillers, those who want to get into thrillers or those who have lost love with thrillers.
A big thank you to Net Galley for letting me read it before it was published. Can't wait to see what Spain comes out with next!

This was a great read, engaging, surprising, and it draws you into the story swiftly and thoroughly.

„The Perfect Lie“ is a compelling, surprising and pacy page turner, which will leave you guessing until the bitter end. It’s a mix between a domestic thriller and a courtroom drama, therefore you‘ll stay glued to the pages and want to read it in one nerve stretching sitting. The writing was superb, I loved the plot and the characters. This was my first book by Jo Spain and it will definitely not be my last.

Thank you NetGalley / Quercus Books for providing me with this riveting arc in exchange of an honest review.

Erin Kennedy is looking forward to another ordinary day when she answers the door to find one of her husband Danny's police colleagues there. She turns to Danny to find out what is happening just in time to see him jump from their fourth-floor apartment. His death starts off a chain reaction of events which will upend Erin's life and lead her to the conclusion that you can never really know another person, even one you are married to.

Wow, this is a jaw dropping absolute belter of a book from Jo Spain. The usual twists and turns are one thing, but just when you think you have it figured out, your preconceptions are blown out of the water by another cracking twist. The main character is sympathetic without being annoying (a failing of many books) and the plot and pace never let up. If you hadn't gathered it by now, I absolutely loved this book and highly recommend it.

Thanks to NetGalley and publishers, Quercus Books, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

Jo Spain knows how to write a twisty mystery, so I was very excited to read her latest novel THE PERFECT LIE. Inspired by the challenges of facing adversity and tragedy whilst living abroad, Spain casts her main character Erin as an Irish woman who has escaped a painful past by moving to the US and marrying an American detective. They are now happily living in New York, far from Erin’s parents and the family dynamics that have split them apart. But one morning, her husband Danny commits suicide by jumping from the balcony of their fourth floor apartment, leaving behind a legacy of questions no one wants to answer. What prompted her easygoing husband to take his own life in front of her?

The story unfolds in an unusual format: after the shocking opening scenes, here we have the POV of Erin in the present as she is awaiting trial for the murder of her husband. Murder???? But didn’t she say that he jumped and took his own life?

The second POV is also Erin’s as she is recounting the time leading up to Danny’s death. And the third POV introduces two other characters who are seemingly unconnected to the main story. Where is this all going to lead?

I spent a large percentage of the book in wonderment, puzzling how all these timelines could possibly connect in the end and why Erin was in court accused of murder. It wasn’t until very close to the end that the AHA! Moment finally came as more pieces of the puzzle fell into place. Spain knows how to construct a multi-layered mystery, and I thought she did a great job in keeping me in the dark. I love it when a story takes me totally by surprise!

Whilst I was mostly gripped by Erin’s predicament, I did feel that the book could have benefitted from a bit more editing of the other timeline, which contained a lot of information that slowed the main part of the story down but wasn’t all relevant to the central mystery. Instead, I would have liked to see a bit more background about Erin and Danny’s relationship, as I wasn’t totally convinced by their great love story. But these are minor quibbles because the story gripped me pretty much right from its explosive and shocking opening chapter and kept me guessing to the very end.

How well do you know your spouse? This really forms the central question to Spain’s new mystery, and it’s something you will ask many times as the story unfolds from it’s jaw-dropping opening chapter to the final tying up of threads. If you are looking for a domestic thriller that stands apart from others in the genre by clever layering of multiple elements and by withholding just the right details to keep you guessing, then give this book a go!

Well there is a lot going on with this one, between balancing a few timelines and keeping the suspense moving throughout. I found it a bit long at times and in some cases slightly out of place but overall found it a thrilling dissection of what you know and what is true.
I received an advanced copy of this book from Netgalley for my honest review.

Happy Publication Day! The Perfect Lie | Jo Spain
13 May 2021 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This has one of the most dramatic and explosive intros I’ve ever read across any genre ever! Wowzwr it pulls you in hook line and sinker!

Told from multiple POVs and in both past and present narrative this book is typical of Spain’s writing with so many layers and strands of stories being intricately laced through the plot coming together in the final chapters with a bang.

Brilliant and addictive I highly recommend you grab yourself a copy of The Perfect Lie and settle down for a roller coaster ride.

What a book! I really enjoyed this, it was well written, well plotted and had me hooked from the start. I loved the character development and felt like I really connected with Erin. It had so many twists, turns, secrets, lies and motives I genuinely didn’t know what to think or where to even start. I think Jo Spain’s books are always worth reading as she writes brilliant thrillers and this one was no exception!

This was a fast paced, page turner that had me guessing what was going on right from the word go! So many twists and turns, it’s a very multi layered thriller and Jo Spain just drip feeds the plot to the reader perfectly.

The book switches between ‘then’ and ‘now’, which I loved! It really made you think and try to figure out what on Earth was going on. I had my theories throughout the book but they kept changing as the book progressed. I love that about a book, the ability to keep you guessing right up until the last minute!

Jo Spain is a brilliant writer, expertly offering twists and turns at every moment and keeping the reader fully engrossed in what they are reading!

From the first page this book will have you hooked! A shocking beginning that will suck you in as you flip through the pages to find out what is going on, and why. So many questions right from the start and as you read the shocking chapters one by one, all will be revealed.

The perfect couple. So in love and so good together. The have the perfect life. Or so it seems. Until one day when Danny suddenly jumps to his death, Erin is left heartbroken, confused, and full of questions. Why would Danny wish to jump to his death? Was he hiding secrets? What did he have to hide from Erin instead of confiding in her and seeking her support?

I enjoyed reading along and following Erin’s search for the truth of what happened and why. She was an interesting character to read about and reading from her POV. Charged with her husband’s murder she is desperately trying to find all the answers to save herself, as she swears she is innocent. Truths and secrets from past and present are all revealed in time, and Erin learns that not everything was or is as it appears to be. What would you do if you found out that the one person in your life you love and trust the most has been lying to you about so many things and kept things from you? This is the situation Erin now finds herself in, as she learns shocking secrets that Danny has been hiding from her for so many years.

A definite must-read for the year, this is certainly one of my favourites of 2021!! Way to go Jo Spain! I am already very excited to see what books you come out with next!

The Perfect Lie by Jo Spain ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

In the opening chapter we are introduced to Erin Kennedy and her police officer husband Danny Ryan. When there is a knock at the door from Danny's police colleagues who have come to arrest him. He then decides to takes his own life by jumping from their fourth floor balcony in front of Erin.

The story is split into three different points of view. 'Then' is set around the time of Danny's suicide. 'Now' is set when Erin is on trial for her husbands murder and in the third timeline, 'Harvard' that is set in the grounds of the University and surrounding areas in 2016, we are introduced to Ally and Lauren. As the story progresses everything links together very cleverly.

We also meet Ben, Danny's partner in the Long Island Police Department, who likes to keep his cards to his chest and isn't very forthcoming about the corruption surrounding Danny police career. Karla, Erin's no nonsense lawyer, friends Cal and Bud and Erin's sister Tanya.

This is such a cleverly written book and it kept me hooked from the first page. It is the first book of Jo's I have read but it certainly won't be the last! If you love a pacy thriller full of twists and turns then you won't be disappointed.

Thank you to Millie at Quercus Books for including me on the publication day review blog tour, Jo Spain and Netgalley for the ARC of The Perfect Lie.

#ThePerfectLie Quercus Books

The Perfect Lie by Jo Spain.

Happy Publication Day!

I’m jittery from too much caffeine because I stayed awake way too late , reading this book. Impossible to put it down.

Erin is an Irish woman living in Long Island. She’s married to Danny, an American cop. Life is good. Life is normal. Then one morning , Danny’s colleagues arrive at their door to arrest Danny and he jumps to his death in front of them.

18 months later. Erin is being tried for his murder.

This story is deliciously told. There’s strong characters, a court case, interweaving clever plots , it’s well paced and it kept me guessing till the very end.

The definition of a page turner. The Perfect Lie is out now and I’d recommend adding it to your Summer reading list.

4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Next level domestic noir with a killer twist!

Jo Spain returns with another mind blowing thriller that demonstrates just why she is part of the thriller writer elite. This novel perfectly blends the domestic suspense noir trope with a disturbingly dark secret at the heart of image narrative. It’s addictive reading: opening with one of the most astonishing hooks I’ve ever read, layering mystery and suspense effortlessly, blurring the lines between romance and heartache and spinning intricate webs of lies and misdirection. I was genuinely on the edge of my seat whilst reading this. I really thought that I had figured out where this story was going, but NO! Spain literary kicked the legs out from under my chair and the twist in this tale FLOORED me (like actual gasp out loud shock!).

I can’t stress enough just how clever this novel is. The plot is a multi-layered, thematic feast that keeps you guessing, only revealing its secrets exactly when Spain wants them to come to light. As well as all of the exhilaration of a perfectly paced, original and wholly gripping plot, The Perfect Lie is a mesmerising social critique. The devastating innards of the plot hint at the darkness buried under the glossy surface of wealth, privilege and entitlement. There’s some difficult themes at the crux of this novel, but Spain handles them with sensitivity and they add a depth and authenticity to the narrative. The emotional journey Erin takes in this novel is at the core of these themes. She progresses from being emotionally scarred from her past and then broken through grief after Danny’s death, to finding an inner strength and a pathway back to her family in Ireland (arguably Danny’s final gift to her).

I really enjoyed the format of this novel too, which is set in three distinct parts and meanders through past and present timeline. This is partly a courtroom drama - the present day trial scenes interspersed through the events of the past - and I really found this made the whole novel extremely gripping. The present hints to the past and the past hints at the present, so readers constantly find themselves ending a chapter in one timeline on an electrifying cliffhanger, returning to the other timeline in the next chapter and being equally tense! It’s a hard thing to pull off, but Spain does it exceptionally well.

It’s no surprise that she writes for the screen too, as this is such a visual novel and I could completely picture it in screen - here’s hoping we’ll be watching it soon. In the meantime, don’t miss this incredible thriller.

Thank you so much to the publishers for providing me with an eArc of this book in exchange for my honest review. As a lover of Spain's writing and previous work, I was so excited to get into reading it and was not disappointed!

‘Until they show you evidence,’ he says, ‘believe nothing, Erin.’

I could not put this book down. From the beginning, I was completely drawn into the story and eager to read what happens next.

This book is written using changing narratives and spaces of time referring to 'Then' and 'Now'. At first, I was a bit conflicted and confused about the changing narratives from Ally to Erin but as the story went on it began to make more sense on overall boosted my enjoyment of reading and engaging with the book as I tried (and failed) to connect the dots until we were told!

I got a bit lost when hearing about Erin's trial, but the confusion helped with the shock and surprise later on.

Definitely recommend it to all lovers of crime fiction and mystery!!

Happy Publication day to Jo Spain – I am thrilled to be part of the #BlogTour for her latest book The Perfect Lie. This is the sort of book which ticks pretty much all the boxes for me: multiple points of view, moving between time periods, an early hook and a fabulously gripping storyline! It is a difficult book to review in detail because I don’t wish to add any spoilers which might impact upon someone else’s reading experience. It may a little cliche but it is definitely a story where not knowing too much at the start will probably give you the best experience.

I read my copy of The Perfect Lie in almost a single sitting, I did get up to refill my coffee cup, but for nothing else. Sometimes it seems like it takes an age to get up to and past the events within the blurb of a story and into the real body and sometimes I can find that a bit frustrating. With The Perfect Lie you are there within a few pages and very much invested in finding out what has happened to lead up to this point, initially because it is such an unusual sequence of events but as the story unfolds, because of how it has unfolded. We know that Erin is there at the time when Danny jumps – so how on earth could she end up on trial for his murder? Well that was something I just could not figure out but I thoroughly enjoyed finding out. There is definitely a real art to writing as Jo does – as you read there are points where you do think, aha I see where this is going, only to find that you are quite wrong!

The chapters are not too long which is always good for pace. It also allows us to build up a profile of Erin and Danny slowly because interspersed with their relationship we have threads of another storyline which doesn’t immediately seem to fit but nonetheless is interesting on its own. Erin has had her fair share of difficulties even before her husband leaps from the window to his death. She and Danny meet on a night out and their relationship goes from strength to strength fairly rapidly. They are close and they seem to have a really good relationship but yet Erin had no inkling that Danny could ever do something like this. What on earth has happened?

If I was suggesting books to take with you for a holiday this would be one of the first ones on the list. Since holidays are a bit up in the air just now, I’m pleased to say that it will be just as engrossing to read at home so definitely worth getting yourself a copy either way. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Jo Spain is an auto-buy author for me. I don’t even look at the cover or read the title. I see her name and I instantly look for the order button! So, you can imagine my happiness when I got the chance to read The Perfect Lie.

You might have seen my Instagram stories or tweets about me taking the book with me in the bath… and almost drowning! That’s the Jo Spain effect. Perfect is indeed a keyword here as the prologue itself ranks high in the top prologues of the century. Like poetry in the most sublime and relatable prose, Jo paints the portrait of a seemingly happy couple in Newport. Details of their morning routine lull you into a false sense of security as you get to know them. Before a knock on the door will knock you out. I remember letting out a gasp. It takes a lot to surprise me, and I’m not a fan of the announced “exciting twists” Here, there is no ceremony. You get it, right from the start. A shock that will change Erin’s life forever.

At the time you are reading this, I’ve been trying to gather my thoughts for weeks. I’m started countless Word documents, begging for the right words to appear on the page. The Perfect Lie is… well… Perfect. I could end my review here and shout “JUST BUY IT” because the worst reviews to write are about the books you love the most. But I will try again.

One day, Erin feels good. Life is good. She’s happily married, living in a nice apartment. The next day her husband is dead, and she’s left with grief and questions. Oh, and later, she’s accused of his murder! How’s that for a perfect plot?

On top of a brilliant question mark hanging above the pages about her husband Danny and how Erin ended up charged with his murder, the plot is cemented by thick layers brought by Erin herself, and the excellent series of secondary characters who inhabit the novel.

A particular angle explored by the author is the ex-pat life. Erin left Ireland five years earlier after a tragic incident. She is now settled in Newport Beach and enjoying her life. At least until Danny dies. After this, Erin is left facing the world alone. Well, not entirely. She does have a couple of people to rely on. Thank God, I’d say. An ex-pat myself, I know just how difficult it is to live without the comfort blanket of family and long-time friends ready to support you at a moment’s notice. It had been Erin and Danny against the world. It became Erin against the world. Jo Spain perfectly (this word again! I swear I have more vocabulary than that!) captured the feeling of belonging, or no-belonging, the urge to rush back to what you know, the reluctance to let go of what you created, and the harsh reality of building a life away from where you were born and raised. To see Erin find support and love warmed my heart and reminded me of my own experience, but you don’t need to have gone through it to be moved by her journey (physical and emotional). The author will take you there.

What happened to Danny? The million-dollar question. Why did he jump out the window when he saw his partner at the door? It is clear from the beginning that Danny had kept Erin out of his police work, and I instantly wondered. Was it for her sake, or for his own? We don’t meet Danny, except during the intense and shocking opening. Even then, he is described by us by Erin. So how do you build your impression of someone? All the reader has is impressions, words, memories, from other people. Try and recreate a portrait this way! But you know what? This is one of the reasons why this novel works so well. Jo Spain offers you bits and pieces from different point of views. She also sprinkles the novel with old and new relationships, and it is up to you to form your opinion from what Erin lets you in on… The Perfect Lie is not a one-case plot. From a grieving wife’s search for the truth to a very real and taut murder case, the multiple investigations are the perfect (yes, again, that word) setting to get to the core of the book. Can you really know someone? Do you really know yourself?

I have been a huge fan of Jo Spain for some time now, and she proves to me once again that I was right, and that I have great taste :p I LOVED this book.

I love the way Joanne Spain’s mind works. She is the twistiest, most devilish of writers who enjoys leading her readers up several garden paths only to confound them; to leave them looking puzzled as they try to figure out why the garden is suddenly full of rabbit holes they have an insatiable need to explore.
Erin Kennedy had a fantastic life. A job in publishing in the Big Apple, a man she loves who is her protector and who protects and serves in his role as a homicide cop. They live in Newport Rhode Island and love their lives. Then one morning, Erin answers the door to Danny’s colleague, Ben Mitchell, accompanied by a couple of other police officers. Danny, who has been getting ready to head for work, walks to the balcony and jumps to his death.
Why then is Erin charged with his murder?
Told from three perspectives and two timelines this is a book you have to focus on with your full attention. The narrative consists of Erin on the day of Danny’s death and what happens thereafter and then Erin a year later, in custody and on trial for Danny’s murder. There is also an account from Ally, concerning events at Harvard University.
Bewildered, shocked and grieving, Erin tries to find out what on earth has been going on, but the more she tries to get information from Ben, the more he and his colleagues clam up. Danny, it seems, was keeping many secrets and Erin is left trying to piece together the scraps of information she can turn up in order to find out who this man was that she married; she really didn’t know him at all.
After the dramatic start, the plot builds gradually to a gripping level of suspense as Jo Spain weaves between the time leading up to that fateful morning and the time that followed, through unexpected twists and shocking revelations. And just when you think you know where the plot is going, she throws in a rapid turn to spin you off track. Also weaving through Danny and Erin’s story is an older thread, involving two female college students and it’s not until later that the significance of this is revealed.
Joanne Spain does a terrific job with Erin’s character. An Irish woman who has moved to America following a family tragedy, Erin only really ever belonged because of her marriage to Danny. Now, cut off from his friends, living in snooty Rhode Island where money and privilege mean everything, she finds herself alone and with no-one to turn to, needing to understand what has happened and who Danny really was.
You root for her as she tries to uncover what has been going on and why Danny jumped four floors to his death. This is such an explosive, twist tale with surprises, shocking revelations and – and this is the really devilish bit – she fools you into thinking you know what’s going on, until suddenly she turns the tables and the reader is left with a face that looks like an eggy breakfast.
Verdict: Great writing, fantastic characterisation and an explosive twisty plot, cements Joanne Spain as the Queen of misdirection. Long may she reign!

This book was given to me by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
When Danny jumps out of his apartment window in front of his wife, Erin, and fellow police officers, Erin is at a loss as to why. Fast forward a little over a year later and now she is trial for the murder of her husband.
This was the first book I had read by this author even though I have a few in my TBR and I must say I was not disappointed. This is told from 3 different timelines, THEN, NOW and HARVARD 2016. I didn't figure out what was going on until 90% through this book. This story meshed together in a way that was creative. It tells a lot about a person and what they can do when faced with injustice. Thank you NetGalley, Quercus and Jo Spain!