I decided not to continue reading this book. At 25% of the way through it failed to capture and maintain my attention. The characters were unique but no one really resonated with me so I didn’t feel very invested in the story. I can definitely see it working well with a younger crowd, just not for me!

Where the Truth Lies begins at a party in the Tall Bones outside of the small community of Whistling Ridge, Colorado. It's a place where the local kids gather to blow off steam, drink beer, and escape from their parents and day-to-day lives for a bit. Emma sees her best friend Abi walk into the woods, but does not accompany or follow her. Abi never emerges. She never shows up back at home. After Abi vanishes, questions ensue and Emma feels guilty because she believes she was the last person to see her that night. And she didn't look out for her, thinking that Abi just wanted to go make out with a boy.

Abi comes from an unhappy, dysfunctional home. Her father, Samuel Blake, is significantly older than her mother, a Vietnam War veteran who was raised by a mother who wielded Bible teachings like a sword. Samuel does the same thing with his three children. He is controlling, with a vile, violent temper, and regularly abuses his two sons, Noah, the eldest, and Jude, who is a twelve-year-old sweet-tempered child who has been permanently disabled by his father's abuse. Their mother, Dolly, also suffers Samuel's physical wrath and fails to protect her sons. Abigail, though, is her father's precious girl and he does not subject her to the same treatment.

Noah is thoughtful and planned to attend UCLA as an English major, but he was forced to notify the institution he would be unable to attend due to financial issues. One particularly heinous episode in the Blake household required the expenditure of the only substantial money his parents had on medical bills. Now Noah is stuck in Whistling Ridge. Noah has strong feelings for Rat and the two of them spend time exploring their connection, even though Noah's father is an unrepentant homophobe, as are many of the town's residents, including the fire and brimstone-preaching Pastor Ed Lewis, who offers conversion therapy to members of his congregation.

Emma Alvarez has also felt the impact of racism and prejudice. Although her mother is a local physician, her father, Miguel, mysteriously left town when Emma was just a little girl. But she doesn't know what happened or why he left, because her mother will not share the details with her. Others intimate that some horrible event drove him to run away. Indeed, Jerry Mattox, the most powerful man in town and her father's former employer, threatens her that she will end up like her father if she doesn't stop poking around in search of answers, even though Emma doesn't know exactly that that means. And now Emma has lost her best friend, Abi, and is the subject of gossip by kids at school. In the bathroom, she overhears other girls saying, "Can you believe Emma Alvarez just left her there? Do you think that's why she was taken?" But, in fact, no one knows if Abi is dead or alive, although foul play becomes a distinct possibility once her bloodied sweater is discovered in the woods. Emma will not stop searching for the truth until she knows exactly what happened to Abi, and it is her determination that compels Bailey's story forward.

Where the Truth Lies is a richly atmospheric, dark, and haunting story about a small town in which the most powerful residents are bigoted, homophobic, and determined to stop those they deem "others" to infiltrate their tight-knit circle. Men like Jerry Mattox and Ed Lewis demonstrate they will stop at nothing to ensure that their positions of power and influence are secure, even if it means getting involved in and covering up the behavior of their children or committing unspeakable acts. Bailey compassionately illustrates Emma's devotion to the friend she thought she knew so well, and dismay when she learns that Abi engaged in behaviors and had relationships about which Emma was unaware. Emma escapes from her unhappy life in unhealthy ways, skipping school and hanging out with Rat in the trailer park, but recognizes that she needs to find better ways to cope. As for Dolly, she is a battered woman who has failed as a mother by not shielding her sons from her husband or seeking to escape. Eventually, she realizes just how derelict she has been in her duty to protect her children. But is it too late to save all of them, along with herself? Her husband, Samuel, is as unlikable a character as readers are likely to encounter, but Bailey explains how his upbringing made him into a monster. Can he be redeemed?

In her debut, Bailey shows she is an eloquent wordsmith. She convincingly transports readers to the brooding, ominously claustrophobic little town of Whistling Ridge where all of the inhabitants know each other and their histories, and movingly conveys the depth of her characters' feelings about their complicated lives and dreams for the future. At the center of the story is Abi, the girl whose disappearance sets in motion a series of events that will change the characters' lives, and the little town in which they live, forever. Bailey tells the tale through alternating narratives set "then" and "now," and effectively provides critical exposition from the points of view of her characters.

Where the Truth Lies is ultimately both heart-breaking and affirming.

Seventeen-year-old Abigail Blake’s disappearance after a party in the woods stuns the town of Whistling Ridge, and her best friend Emma Alvarez feels horribly guilty that she left the party after Abi chose to stay. Whistling Ridge is a town full of secrets, and Emma is determined to solve the mystery of Abi’s disappearance, talking with others at the party to find out all she can about Abi’s final hours. During her search, she discovers that Rat, a Romanian immigrant and a resident of the trailer park, can tell her something about Abi, and she gravitates towards him. As Emma’s investigation continues, she learns that the deep-seated racism she encounters daily for being half Latina is ingrained in the town, tarnishing both Rat and Emma in the eyes of the older generation. Abi’s brutal home life comes to light, as well as the questionable actions of the town’s most prominent citizens, all instigated by the town’s charismatic pastor.

Where the Truth Lies is an interesting story, compelling and full of intrigue, and I kept changing my mind about what had happened to Abi and who may have been responsible. This debut novel was a fast read, and I appreciated Emma’s tenacity in wanting the truth, and her willingness to put herself in potential danger to learn the truth, although the truth is often painful. My only criticism is the use of some British terminology in the beginning, like the term netball and saying Jude and Noah Blake, Abi’s brothers, were like chalk and cheese, but other than that, I enjoyed this story very much.

I always love the eerie vibes you can create with something as simple as a small town, and I feel that this book really delivered in that department. I struggled quite a bit with getting into the book until about 30%, as I was having a hard time keeping track of all of the characters and dynamics presented. Part of what I love about a small town setting is that complicated social web that is always pre-established, but with this book in particular I felt maybe too much was given at the beginning, so I had a hard time remembering what information went with which character. However, once I hit that 30% mark, I felt I had it all sorted, and was able to enjoy reading and understanding what all was happening. Overall, this is a very thrilling and sad read, and I would recommend reading it for someone who can pay very close attention to character detail!

Abigail Blake, 17, and her friend Emma Alvarez are at a bonfire/party in the woods. They live in a mountainous area called Whistling Ridge, Colorado. Emma knows that Abigail is going to meet a boy in the woods and Emma worries how she will get home. But Abigail insists that she will be find and Emma reluctantly drives away. Now, Abigail has missing and Emma is doing all she can to find her friend.

The story introduces the reader to the pathetic town of many pitiful people. Abigail’s father is a Vietnam vet living in the past. Her mother is a broken woman. Her two brothers are cowed by their violent father. They all belong to the local Baptist church that most of the townspeople attend.

Rat Lacusta is a Romanian who has moved to town. Many people fear him because he is a foreigner.

This overly long story had me cringing at the family violence endured, much of it in the name of religion. There is also heavy drinking and drugs among the young people. There is a sense of despair and loss of hope. The author writes beautifully and has obviously done a lot of research on the area. She has captured the sad lives of these people perfectly. I was interested in the book but also found it somewhat depressing. It’s sad because some people actually live their lives like this.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This book was wonderfully creepy! It is a little dark but that makes it even better if you ask me.

I was hooked pretty quickly and even when it got very dark, I still needed to find out what happens. I NEEDED ANSWERS.

I would recommend this book if you are into psychological thrillers.

Happy reading!

Where the Truth Lies by Anna Bailey was a really fantastic suspense read and definitely deserves all the praise!

Where the truth lies is shrouded in lies and secrets!
Emma is racked with guilt after leaving her best friend Abi in the woods one night in their small town of Whistling Ridge, where she is never seen again! Emma is determined to find out what happened to Abi, her only friend. Abi never treated Emma differently and always stuck up for her when she was made fun of for her background and who her father was. Emma spirals after Abi goes missing and befriends the outsider Rat who she drinks with every day as she tries to convince him to join her in her quest to find out what happened to Abi. The deeper that she digs, she finds that Abi was leading a double life and Emma didn’t really know her fully.
Whistling Ridge is filled with secrets from the over-zealous priest with his own beliefs of right and wrong and his ability to manipulate the rest of the town to carry out his abhorrent punishment. Centered within the family is Abi’s older brother Noah’s love for Rat and what he is willing to do for it. Abi’s younger brother Jude, saw something he shouldn’t have but isn’t quite sure how to explain it. Abi’s mother who is abused by her husband but doesn’t have the strength to do anything about it including protecting her children. Abi’s father went to war after living in a terrible household and has not recovered. He has done terrible things that haunt him and he takes this out on his family.
Finding out what happened to Abi was slow moving but not easily guessed. I had to read some things a few times because I couldn’t believe what I was reading and it was disturbing.
This book was a good read even until the very end.
Thank you netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I really wanted to like this book, but it was challenging. The many, many, content warnings make this a book that simply not everybody will be able to get through, and that’s a turnoff for me. Additionally, I felt like the book was trying to thread many people together, but the connection fell a bit short.

In the book, Abigail goes missing and the police department doesn’t seem to be putting in a deep effort, so her best friend Emma starts her own investigation. Emma becomes closer to Abigail’s friends and family throughout the novel, in an effort to solve a mystery the police won’t. The majority of the novel spends time uncovering the secrets of the friends and family, rather than directly solving the mystery behind Abigail’s death. It was a unique approach, but part of me felt like it was too much. Everybody had their own secrets, and none of the secrets intertwined too much. It was a lot to take in , especially since most secrets are linked to content warnings.

Small town thriller where main character Emmy is guilt ridden about leaving her friend Abi at a party being held in the forest, and who goes missing. I struggled reading this one. The number of characters was overwhelming and got very confusing. Its slow-paced narrative had me bored, almost wanting to DNF it but pushed on wanting to know what happened to Abi. I was so disappointed with the ending. There are so many trigger warnings in this book.

The disappearance of a young girl throws a small town into turmoil with many suspects stirring the pot. The best friend who wouldn’t give up on her was the most sympathetic character and I kept routing for her. An excellent read!

Started off really well and I immediately got engrossed in the story. However, after about halfway through, there were just so many characters and entwining stories we learned about, I lost a lot of interest and had to power the rest of the way through. Wasn’t a bad read, but just had too many intermingled stories between characters for me to really get in and stay in the story.

In the small town of Whistling Ridge, there are residents who hold secrets, they hope no one will ever know about. I honestly felt like I was reading a true crime story unfold, that’s how amazing the writing is! The details, characters, and description of the town and surrounding area is so clear, that I can envision it as this place that exists, with these characters that live within it, far away from society. closed off to the rest of the world. But in their own way, and in their own world, dealing with a tragedy that has haunted the town since Abi goes missing.
This novel told in third person POV, jumps timeline. The THEN, and NOW. Which give the reader a unique look at the events that transpired all related (maybe?) to Abi’s disappearance. I found myself confident that I knew where the story was going, but I was pleasantly surprised over and over again!
Mystery lovers, this one is DEFINITELY for you!
I cannot wait to listen to this one on audiobook!

I really enjoy a good storytelling and this book does not disappoint! However, It took me a while to get into the story, considering the number of characters involved, but once you've connected the dots, you're in for a ride!

Many thanks to the publisher, the author, and NetGalley for the ARC. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book!

Where the Truth Lies tells the story of Abigail Blake and her family living in a small, Baptist Christian, conservative town. When Abby goes missing, her best friend Emma is determined to find out what happened. Will she get the answers she is looking for?

This book gutted me. It is marketed as a mystery but it is much more contemporary fiction with a mystery flare. At every turn there was something that made me think of society today. I felt so terrible for so many of these characters. I wanted to reach out and give them a hug. In the end, it was exactly who you thought it was the whole time. It doesn't give any consolation but sometimes the easiest answer is the right one. I loved the evolution of Dolly's character through the story and, by the end, she was my favorite. This is definitely not a book for the faint of heart but it is an important story of family dynamic and how people in power can corrupt so easily.

A very well written psychological thriller / character study of a small town with big secrets. The book is not for everyone, as a lot of the characters are unlikeable people who do horrible things.

Emma has felt guilt. Because She left her best friend alone at a party, and now Abi is missing. Soon after Abi and her families secrets will be revealed Living in small town Whistling Ridge, Colorado doesn’t help matters because of all the gossip and even rage. This is the authors debut novel and was so good. It’s dark and chilling and the characters are so well developed.

Rating: 3.5
This was well-written and the characters in this book were, unfortunately, very realistic and mostly small town bigots. The mystery was very obvious to me, but it seemed like a small part of the story.

A thank you to Netgalley for sharing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 Less of a mystery than I expected and rather a slow-burning examination of a damaged community, broken people, and lost dreams. There's also a missing girl who may or may not have disappeared of her own volition, but it exists in the background more and almost exists in the background of the story. Told from numerous points of view at various points in the timeline, it can be confusing at times, but the writing is lovely, so if you're less concerned with a sense of suspense and prefer stories where setting and individual lives are the focus, this would be a great read for you.

Thank you to Atria and NetGalley for providing me with a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

Abigail Blake goes missing in the insular town of Whistling Ridge, and her friend Emma is desperate to discover what has happened to her only friend. As she digs deeper into her Abi’s disappearance, a web of tangled secrets comes to light, one that involves many of the town’s residents.

I really enjoyed Bailey’s writing. This is a richly detailed literary fiction with a solid premise at its core. Her writing flowed really well and was descriptive. I had no problems picturing the scenes and characters.

I thought the pacing was a little too slow. This is definitely a slow burn, but it all just felt too drawn out. All I wanted to know was what happened to Abigail, and I feel like I got led down a lot of smaller tangents, some interesting and/or essential to the plot, some not. I also felt that some of the characters were merely tropes- the alcoholic abusive father, the handsome but foreign outsider, the fanatical pastor, and so on and so forth.

Strangest of all was the overwhelming sense that I’ve read this story before. I can’t pinpoint which book(s) exactly it reminds me of, but I felt as though I was traversing familiar ground.

Overall, this ended up being just ok for me. Great writing saved a slow moving plot and predictable arc.