📚BOOK REVIEW📚
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Unfortunately, this book was too much of a slow burn for me. I couldn’t stay focused and ended up skimming through a lot of it.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

I simply adored the premise of Where the Truth Lies, however, the premise and the execution simply didn’t live up to my expectations. A character driven novel about the disappearance of a girl Abi, in a small town, and her best friend Emma, working to uncover the truth. It sounded like my kind of book. Sadly, this novel just wasn’t for me. I think part of it was the execution and the other part of it was the delivery. Frankly, it left a lot to be desired.

This was a buddy read with my friend Kaceey and unfortunately this one didn’t work for either of us.

Thanks to Atria Books for the arc.

Sadly, I did not finish this book. I gave it about 50% and just couldn't get into it. I found the characters to be a little lacking and the now and then point of views got frustrating at times. I may pick this one back up eventually and finish to see the ending.

The premise made Where the Truth Lies sound like my kind of book! But I could not make myself read this. I don't know if it was the way it was written or the fact that I just didn't care about any of the characters. Either way, it wasn't for me, and I had to DNF.

Wow!!! So much going on in the town of Whistling Ridge! Abi goes missing and is presumed dead. Rachel, her best friend, feels guilty for leaving her at a party and she decides she is going to find out what happened to her friend. Along the way, every single person in the town has a secret, every single person lies and no one seems overly concerned that Abi is missing. There is so much distrust in this town, so much hate and piousness, and you can feel that in every word the author writes. 3.5⭐

Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books for the eARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Small town with gossip and secrets - sounds like where I live!! Not the most fast-paced read so keep that in mind.

Couldn’t keep my interest. The premise sounded promising but I couldn’t connect with the characters and the pacing was off.

This was really rough and gritty. Lots of child and spousal abuse. I can normally press through that stuff if the plot and writing make it worth it, but even though I did finish it... It didn't seem worth it. Important themes in this book for sure, but I didn't enjoy it as a whole.

WHERE THE TRUTH LIES started out by pulling me in. However, it soon lost me. I just couldn't sink my teeth into the story. The concept was great, but it just wasn't for me.

BOOK REVIEW- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

My Thoughts: Thank you to @annabaileywrites, @netgalley, and @atriabooks for an E-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review. First off, I'm so surprised this was a debut- it was written so so well. As someone who grew up very immersed in the church, I found it fascinating to read this one. There's something that bothers me so much about people twisting and using religion and God for their own agendas so this one had me hooked. I love a good small town, secret-filled setting & this book delivers just that! While this one had more of a slow burn for me, I still had to continue turning the pages until I found out what happened.✨

Where the Truth Lies by Anna Bailey is a recommended murder mystery set in an insular small Colorado town. Considering I love a good thriller this was just up my alley. I have somehow fallen a rabbit hole that is mysteries this year that will continue into 2022. I think because my best friend loves anything to do with a crime that I enjoy these even more.

Emma's best friend Abigail is missing after a party held in the woods outside the small Colorado town of Whistling Ridge. The last time she saw her friend, Abi was going to meet a boy in the woods... and then she disappeared. She does not believe Abi ran away without telling her first, but when evidence is discovered that something happened to her friend, Emma sets out to uncover the truth. The trouble is that this is a town full of secrets and prejudices that everyone is hiding and violence always seems just behind every turn.

The plot moves along at a swift pace and the tension keeps you reading. I felt that every word had its place on the page making it a joy to read.

This was a very well written debut novel. I love when a novel is set in a small town full of secrets and lies. It almost had a haunting type feel to it.

This story was just okay. I didn't really connect with most of the characters and I found myself getting bored and the story progressed. I am very thankful to have received an advance reader's copy but this one wasn't anything special or anything I haven't already read before.

A missing teen, a friend who wants to find out what happened, and a town full of dark secrets.

Where the Truth Lies is told using multiple points of view and alternating timelines (past and present). The transitions between narrators and timelines was not as smooth as I would have liked. Still, the story was intriguing and kept my interest.

An atmospheric mystery with unlikable characters. Recommended for fans of dark and disturbing stories.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I went in blind and was impressed especially for not knowing what to expect. It’s dark and full of characters who are so unlikable. Plus racist and homophobic characters too. Well written, however a little difficult to follow the different timelines

When 17 year old Abigail goes missing after a party in a small town, her best friend Emma is determined to find out what happened and get some answers. But what happens when the people of that small town believe that most secrets are best kept hidden?

I'm conflicted. I really enjoyed the writing, but didn't enjoy this book itself (if that makes sense). The characters were all just...vile. I really had a hard time caring about what happened. Also the time jumps sometimes left my head spinning. So I felt conflicted. I like Anna Bailey, I like how she writes. But this book and these characters? No thank you.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Small town drama, slow burn, family secrets.. what more could you want? A young teen goes missing in the wood during a secret party. Everyone seems to be a suspect.. but you’ll be reeling with the possibilities and not know who to trust.

I had a difficult time getting into and fully understanding Where the Truth Lies. There were a lot of moving parts and the timeline was not linear. The events moved quite slowly in my opinion as well, which added to the story falling flat for me overall.

"Where the Truth Lies" is slow burn mystery that is beautifully written. It's sad, dark, and a little hopeless but the glimmers of raw humanity shine through and make the characters relatable. If you want a slow book to curl up with on a cloudy, rainy day at home, this is a good pick.

When Abbi Blake goes missing from a party in the woods in her small, rural Colorado town, it is not clear if she ran away (terrible home situation) or if she was the victim of foul play. Abbi’s family, and the town in general, is full of horrible secrets. This ambitious debut tackles homophobia, racism, sexual assault, domestic violence, general assault, groupthink, religious insanity, the old boys network, drug abuse, teen alcoholism, police misconduct and likely other issues I am forgetting. It’s a lot. While the intent is good, the issue is that everyone seemed like a caricature of what is wrong with America. It was too much with not enough depth. The author is a British woman who spent time in America, so that explains a lot for me