I hate not finishing a novel so I did get to the end, but it was hard work.

Whilst this has a good premise based in their being consequences in everything that you do, it was told poorly and with such a slow pace that it was hard to hang on.

I hope that this is a one off for this author as you could tell they have skill and imagination.

My thanks to NetGalley and publisher Canelo for the electronic copy.

I found it a little hard to really get into this story - it seemed to be written in a rather overly-complicated manner giving the reader little time to understand who each emerging character was within the narrative.

A year after their mother's death and the conclusion of a harrowing trial that saw the boyfriend Colin imprisoned for murder, sisters Sophie and Ruby hold the wake. Sophie and her two children have boyfriend Ewan living with them in the family home; Ruby has recently split with her boyfriend Tom and remains living in her dream home they bought together - wishing things had been different. Ewan appears to be the perfect boyfriend and happy with the children.
Worse the wear for drinking too much Ruby decides to walk home after the wake, only to find Ewan following her and, in the semi-darkness of a back alley he drunkenly makes a pass at Ruby, which she reciprocates - until she comes to her senses and pushes him away; one other person is watching the altercation from the shadows.
Ruby knows her erstwhile fragile sister must never find out what had happened, but when she learns that that night a woman had been murdered in that area of town, she is torn between protecting her sister or coming forward to the police.
The situation takes a sinister turn when the identity of the victim is revealed as a woman who gave Colin a watertight alibi, and who disappeared before police could question her. Ruby and Sophie realise they also may be in danger - could the killer still be out there and Colin is actually innocent?
Then Ruby begins to question herself about what they really knew about Ewan and starts to investigate his background, with some dire consequences.

There are twists here and there but as said, I felt it to be overly-complicated, and that, together with Ruby's rather repetitive and incessant musings on what her best course of action should be, kind of spoiled it for me.

But that's just my opinion.

I've enjoyed all of Jane Isaac's previous novels and love her foray into psychological thrillers. One Good Lie illustrates that there are always consequences for one's actions and sometimes trying to hide from them only means making things worse.

A year after Sophie and Ruby's mother's death they are still coming to terms with their loss and the fact that her boyfriend has been found guilty of her murder. When another murder takes place Ruby wonders if there is a link with Ewan, who is dating Sophie. He is secretive and private and one night unexpectedly kisses Ruby but persuades her not to say anything.

I thought the characters were all well developed and I did have my suspicions as to who the murderer turned out to be but this didn't spoil my enjoyment of the novel at all. Many thanks to NetGalley and Canelo for the opportunity to read and review One Good Lie.

This book was a first glimpse into this author's work and it was okay. It was a bit of a slow burn and when one of the main characters seemed to show his true colours it started to get interesting. I didn't see the ending coming, but it lacked any feeling of satisfaction - it felt more like the author had drawn the name out of a hat and then made it fit. That's easy for me to say- I'm no author, but I am an avid reader of all genres...this just left me with a slightly disappointed feeling - that said, if I hadn't got in to the story or been interested in the characters I wouldn't have wanted a more satisfying end for them so the author has definitely got something right and if you're intrigued by the book I wouldn't talk you out of giving it a go.

I would like to thank NetGalley, the author and publishers for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Ruby and Sophie's mother was murdered one year ago. Still healing and reeling from a intense trial where their mother's ex boyfriend was convicted of her death, they are both dealing with their loss in their own way. One night after drinking a little too much wine, Ruby is walked home by her sister's boyfriend Ewan and he kisses her. Ashamed and appalled by their actions, Ruby and Ewan decide not to tell Sophie, it was just a drunken mistake. However when a woman is murdered near where Ewan and Ruby were that night, it becomes harder and harder to keep things secret especially when suspicions arise. The murder sets off a chain in events causing the sisters to question what do they really know about Ewan and his past? and what really happened the night of their mother's murder?

Unfortunately I could just not really get into this one. It was almost DNF for me but I wanted to see it through the end. I could tell who the murderer was right away but there was a twist thrown in there that I did not see coming. It was a slow in the beginning and did not really pick up until near the end of the story. There also really wasn't much character development and I found myself getting so frustrated with Sophie's character. The plot was interesting and initially captured my attention, but I just could not connect.

This one took me by surprise. It took hold and wouldn't let me go. I was hooked after the first few pages. Riveting. I didn't see the ending coming.. I have to look for more of this authors works.

One Good Lie had me on the edge of my seat! Every time I thought I had the plot figured out the carpet was pulled from under my feet!
Twisty and full of surprises. Highly recommended!
5/5

Thank you to NetGalley and Canelo Publishing for an E-arc of this title in exchange for my honest review. I enjoyed this book. The characters were well done, and some of the plot twists were enjoyable (but super frustrating.) I couldn't guess which way this was going, and I enjoyed every bit of it.

This just didn't do it for me. Unfortunately I just couldn't get into it even though it sounded like something I would've enjoyed.

One Good Lie is a story from Ruby's life. She and her sister, Sophie, lost their mother in a tragic crime. Colin Halliday turns out to be guilty of the murder. But is he really? While trying to clear his name, Colin still claims to be innocent. Does the killer still on the loose? Soon another murder will occur. Ruby begin to question the truth she knows so far. Is it all related to the Aileen McBride murder, or it is only a coincidence?
The problem with lying is that the truth always comes back to us and hits very hard. Who is the killer? Is Ruby in danger? The book interested me from the beginning, and it kept me curious till the end. It was hard to resolve the case, and I did it almost at the ending. It is an excellent, suspenseful book with a fantastic storyline, lightly written and easy to read. The beginning of the book invites the reader to plot too slow - but I was fascinated to read the rest of it. I may guess who the killer was, but I couldn't find motives.
It is the first psychological thriller written by Jane Isaac. I recommend it to every mystery, crime fiction reader who is looking for a tense story.

Thank you, NetGalley, Canelo for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book, it had a slow start and there was a lot going on but as the paced picked up it seemed like the pieces all started coming together.

#OneGoodLie was one good read. Though it starts slow, it gains pace and after a while I couldn't put it down. There was a murder a year ago. The wake takes place only after the murderer's trial is over - and that's where the book starts. The next morning, the small quiet town awakes to the news of another murder. This new murder is not connected to the first one. But how can it not be? Then there's this really bad guy. Fortunately, there's also this really good guy. And the estranged ex. And the odd-behaving boss. This is a well-built thriller with a really shocking twist that I really didn't see coming. Thanks go to #Netgalley #JaneIsaac and #Canelo for this advance copy.

Ruby and Sophie are both struggling in the wake of their mother's murder., Ruby especially because she's the one who introduced her mother to the man who killed her . Then, a year after she was killed, Ewan, Sophie's partner, kisses Ruby and things tilt. While they agree not to tell anyone, the pass has ripples in all of their lives. There's another murder, the sisters are being stalked, and Ewan becomes increasingly creepy as a character. The sisters take turns telling the story, which works. It is a slow burn and sags in spot but it's still a good read. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

This is my first book by Jane Isaac, and I thoroughly enjoyed it! The book captivated my interest, and I had no idea how it was going to end. There were several little twists that kept me guessing until the end, which is always a sign of a good read!

Ruby and Sophie have been extremely close since their mother was murdered. On the night of their mother's wake, Sophie's boyfriend, Ewan, kisses Ruby while she's walking home. Ruby wants to tell Sophie what happened, but Ewan encourages her to keep it to herself and not tell her sister. The next day, Ruby learns that someone was murdered the night Ewan kissed Ruby, and the police have an image of them and are trying to track down the kissing pair.

Ruby starts wondering what else Ewan might be hiding from Sophie, and when doubt starts to creep in about who actually murdered their mother, Ruby starts investigating Ewan to see what he is really up to, and if he has been involved in any of the recent murders. What's going on with Ewan, and who actually murdered Ruby and Sophie's mother?

I was extremely pleased with this book and highly recommend checking it out!

I was hooked by One Good Lie. The characters were well defined. The effect of past tragedy on the sisters and the impact on their present relationships is relatable. They struggle to trust others and work out who they are safe with and the tension builds throughout the book as you share that distrust and uncertainty.

Reading the blurb the plot seemed really interesting and a little different to the normal thrillers.

However I gave up about 20% through the book. I didn't enjoy the writing and style and just found it a little bit boring. In my opinion this is the editor's fault, they should've edited the book better to make reading it flow better

While slow at times it’s an overall enjoyable read. At times it’s formulaic though that’s tough to avoid in a genre such as this, I don’t fault the author. Jane Isaac is talented, has a knack for developing the characters so much so you root for them.

Ruby and Sophie are sisters whose mother was murdered. The alleged perpetrator – Colin - was found guilty and sent to prison, although protesting his innocence. Finally, the sisters can hold a wake for their mother.

After the wake, Sophie’s boyfriend, Ewan, catches up with Ruby and walks her home. Except he stops, takes her down an alleyway and kisses her. Ruby stops him and they agree to keep the incident secret for Sophie’s sake.

Another murder is committed, very close to where Ewan and Ruby had their kiss, and this sets Ruby wondering about Ewan. They’re still keeping their kiss quiet when some dashcam footage of a couple walking along the road is published in the local paper and, of course, it’s Ewan and Ruby. Ewan still wants Ruby to keep quiet and not own up to the police that it was them.

There are several possible perpetrators; Colin, Ewan, Mark (Ruby’s almost-ex), and Lewis (a family friend). I’d almost finished the book before I’d guessed which one it was, and why. I really enjoyed this book, it kept me hooked with a great storyline, and I’d definitely read more books by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and Canelo for an advance reader copy in return for an honest review.

Consequences….
The problem with a lie is that, often, it comes back to bite you. Even a small, seemingly innocuous lie may have dire consequences. Slow burn domestic suspense, tension building and well paced. Credible characters populate an engaging plot, with some difficult themes, which picks up pace as the storyline progresses.

Thank you Netgalley, Canelo, and Jane Isaac for this ARC.

I struggled to get into this book. It crawled so slowly until about 70%. The characters were under developed and boring, which pulled from the suspect aspect of them. Even the twists at the end didn't feel as hard-hitting as they could have been. This book didn't hit the target for me.