This is a debut novel. The setting is beautifully written, not a small town I’d want to live in but I think that’s the point. The author shows real potential and I will look forward to her next book. This one hit a lot of tough issues and things that are hot topics in the media right now.

I thought I would enjoy this more than I did. The mystery part, what happened to Abigail, did she runaway or did someone make her disappear? Was my favorite part of the story. This was a slow burn suspense novel, not an action packed high speed story so depending on your preference you may or may not like this book. The things that made me personally not like this book were two things. First, all the descriptive details about the town and the people were negative which gave a very depressing aspect of the story. The second thing which made me not care for the book as much was Abigail's diary pages. The pages were referred to many times at the end of the story as to why she made the decisions she did, but were never made available to the reader except obliquely where we had infer what was in them.

Great debut by Anna Bailey - she packs in a lot of tough issues and it was easy to get sucked in.. A perfect read for fall.

This is a book that either you read in one sitting or a book you have to read in short bursts. While it’s an engrossing tale there is so much homophobia, misogyny, racism, religious intolerance, domestic abuse, and child abuse portrayed that I couldn’t get over my anger and had to keep putting the book down. About halfway through I couldn’t stop reading because the shock from each turn in the storyline was too much to let go. The town of Whistling Ridge felt all too real and scary and I’m sure there are so many towns like this scattered throughout the country.

The plot itself was good with plenty of suspects and possible motives to keep the reader guessing. But other than a few characters, every other character in the story was irredeemable and somewhat one dimensional. Perhaps more well rounded characters weren’t needed as it wouldn’t be such a dramatic tale otherwise.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for the arc.

Wow. This sorry was so much more than I anticipated. I thought I was going to read a thriller about a small town, only to find it runs much deeper, the issues are so much more wounding.

This was a haunting yet beautiful debut thriller that I couldn’t get enough of. I hated putting this book down and needed to know what happened next. I became invested in the mystery surrounding Abby but also in the lives of the residents of Whistling Ridge. Every resident has a story to tell and these stories are heartbreaking, disturbing, and human. There were some characters I wished I could reach through the pages and hug, and others I wanted to throttle.
As someone who grew up in a small town, the author was spot on with her depictions of that life, and some of the behaviors I read about triggered memories of my own experiences. The author doesn’t hold anything back with her often brutally realistic depictions of xenophobia, racism, abuse, and evangelical religion.
But despite the dark depictions of humanity, the author balances it well with poetic imagery. Reading, you can almost imagine for yourself the cool mountain breeze at your back, or see the majestic snowy peaks in the distance.
I will be recommending this book to everyone I know, and I am looking forward to Anna Bailey’s next book.

So many people who live in small towns have always said how stiffling and claustophobic living in a small town can be. Everyone knows everyones business (and secrets) but there is also a sense of "We're all in this together" That last part did not come across in this book! In fact the town was just awful. It was like the author put all of the nastiest, homophobic and racists POS in this book.

So a young girl Abigail disappears and the only one who seems to care is Emma (who is her best friend). Emma is determined to find Abigail or what happened to her. By trying to piece together what could have happened to Abigail, she is brought face to face with the towns secrets and realizes that not everything is what it always seems.

I have to be honest, there were some of the most unlikeable characters in this book which I think really worked in this story because I got the feeling you weren't supposed to like anyone . It made my heart break for Emma.

Thank you again to Atria Books and #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this book and the story got my blood boiling a few times. It had a slow build but once it really started it completely captivated me and I couldn't put this book down. The characters were gripping as well as the story line..

many many readers. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! No spoilers. Beyond amazing I enjoyed this book so very much. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Could not put down nor did I want to. Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Maybe even a book club pick.

Thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books.

Abi is a high school student from a very dysfunctional family in a small town in Colorado. She disappears one night and neither her family or her best friend Emma know if she left on her own.

This book was slow for me. I hated the town, which was filled with god fearing racist misogynistic homophobes. It wasn't a setting that I enjoyed at all and many of the characters were horrible people. I know it is a true depiction of some towns, I just don't really want to read about them. That said, I did find myself sort of interested in what actually happened to Abi, and with some of the side stories but wasn't that excited with the answers. Overall a good debut, but maybe just not for me.

I received an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review

The blurb describes this book as “atmospheric” and a “slow burn” and it is- it’s more of a literary drama about a dead girl than a thriller. It’s not unenjoyable though, and I found myself turning pages once the action started going. Slow and pensive

This was a pretty bleak look at what goes on in small American logging towns in Colorado. Nothing good, apparently! It was a little grim for me--is there nothing good in this town or happening to these people? But it was well written and well paced and the characters seemed real.

This was my first book to read by this author and I can't wait to read more! This book sucks you in from the get-go and you will find yourself thinking about the story and the characters long after you finish the book!

Where the Truth Lies is a dark, claustrophobic vision of a small American logging town in Colorado, caught in a web of lies. The novel defines depression and bleakness while dealing with the worst of America: spousal abuse, controlling spouses, child abuse, child sexual abuse/rape, misogyny, drug and alcohol abuse, homophobia, and the sexualization of teenaged girls.

When Abigail Blake disappears into the forest, her best friend, seventeen-year-old Emma Alvarez cannot forgive herself for not insisting Abi leave with her. As the plot progresses, the reader is introduced to multiple vivid characters, from Abi and Emma who are beautifully layered to high school students from the local high school, to Rat a Romanian young man who lives in a trailer park and Noah Blake, a member of Abi’s family, to the local preacher, a religious right hard-liner to Samuel Blake, a Vietnam vet whose religious beliefs, anger, and hatred ruin his family. Multiple plot twists keep this a high-tension thriller.

In her disturbing and haunting debut novel, “Where the Truth Lies,” author Anna Bailey shines a spotlight on small town bigotry, rage, secrets, and gossip—all of which is shrouded under the guise of religion. In the process, this author also delivers a compelling story that is more character-driven than it is suspenseful. While I found myself drawn into this slow-burning, dark and unsettling story, I also found myself wishing that there was a bit more “light” thrown into the mix just to balance things out. As in life, however, that is not always the case, so I understand the desire for this fictional story to mimic reality. Despite the depressing undertones, “Where the Truth Lies” is a very thought-provoking story, and one I will not soon forget.

This is Bailey's debut novel, and it shows that the author has promise. The writing, overall, is solid, but it fell a bit flat for me.

There was a lot of repetition, which could've benefitted from a tighter edit. The story line of a missing girl is interesting, but the characters, in general, aren't all that likable, which makes it a bit hard to care about what happens to them.

WOW!!! This book right here!!!

I wish I didn't have responsibilities, because I would have been able to finish this one in one sitting! In the rural mountain town of Whistling Ridge is the setting for a 17 year old girl disappearing. You're taken into the lives of her family and the people that knew her. You'll be swept away trying to piece together the puzzle of what happened to Abigail. and learn about everyone's secrets.

Anna Bailey, please release another book! I'm having withdrawals already!

A special thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books, and Anna Bailey for providing me with an ARC.

Good book with engaging characters and beautiful setting that drag you into the plot and keep you engaged. Very good book

This is going to sell well, and it's impressive for a debut. It's pretty dark and suspenseful, and includes interesting characters. The author doesn't yet have the polish of a more experience author, but she writes well. Most mystery and suspense fans will likely enjoy this one.

Thanks very much for the ARC for review!!

While the book starts off with a bang and a missing girl, it slowed down to a very slow burn about the secrets in a small town and what everyone is hiding... and where could Abigail be?! At about the 65% mark, the book really starts giving away information small bites at a time, which made me frantically flip pages to get to the end to find out exactly what was going on! Heart-wrenching and poignant, yet a mystery still at heart, I thoroughly enjoyed this one.