I love Julie Clark’s writing! Her books always flow well and I’m always left stunned (in a good way). The Lies I Tell is a fantastic read. I’m so happy she wrote another kick ass book! I can’t wait to read her next book. I will always be a Julie Clark fan. Thank you for this amazing ARC!

This was phenomenal!

I love a good con artist storyline and add in a Robin Hood twist by targeting bad people makes it that much better.

The girls supporting girls theme was fantastic and the ending was perfection.

Julie Clark does an amazing job of writing twisty, compelling, and charismatic main female characters and that makes her makes so fun to read. I loved this story of revenge and characters that you just cannot figure out until it all comes to a beautiful end. It's the story of two women: Kat, who has been searching for ten years for the woman she believes set her up and Meg, the con artist who can convince and take anything from anyone. No left untouched when Meg is involved. I loved how this slow burn allowed us to put this story together just as Kat is, while we figure out the truth being Meg. Super well done slow burn mystery.

Bestselling author Julie Clark was fascinated by a podcast about a con artist who "went to elaborate lengths to lure in his victims, gain their trust, and then steal everything they owned." She envisioned female con artists being even more effective because women are generally perceived as less threatening than men. She asked herself, "Would people be more inclined to trust them?"

From the outset, Clark makes Meg a richly sympathetic con artist. Early in the story, Meg reveals that her latest target, Ron Ashton, tricked her mother, robbed them of what was rightfully theirs, and is now a powerful politician. Meg's first-person narrative is highly effective and heightens her story's emotional impact. She explains that Ashton "tore my life apart, sending my mother into a downward spiral she never recovered from and leaving me to live alone in a car for my final year of high school and beyond." Meg describes how her mother longed for a true partner, believing women should stand on their own, but fell victim to the scheming, deceitful Ashton. Meg's dreams were crushed and she learned to take refuge in libraries, using the computers there to establish a dating profile that ensured at least three dinner dates per week in order to stay fed. Living in her car, she worked at the YMCA where she was able to shower before her shift and hide her true circumstances from her boss and coworkers. She was never quite able to save enough enough money to get a place to live due to car registration fees, rising gas prices, and parking tickets issued as a result of the ongoing search for a safe place to park and catch a few hours of sleep. She inadvertently fell into a life of grifting when she discovered the profile on a dating site of a math teacher, Cory Dempsey, at her high school. Crafting a fake identity and life story, Meg used her knowledge about the forty-eight-year-old, who had been promoted to high school principal, as a basis for her first scam. Initially, she was motivated by her need for a safe place to live. But as she learned more about him, she formulated a plan to extract revenge and found she enjoyed being someone else. Eventually, Meg reached the point that "harming someone who harmed someone she cared about felt right to her" and found a lucrative career as a con artist.

Meg explains how she creates elaborate, detailed backstories about herself, focuses on specific targets, and "plays the long game," taking time to study her prey. She methodically infiltrates her victims' lives, heavily using social media to establish connections with her victims' friends and business associates. That way, the mutual acquaintance can vouch for her when she finally meets the victim, corroborating details of the identity she has fabricated. And she reinvests in her business, using the money she makes from her cons to fund her future scams. She keeps meticulous records of her pursuits.

By the time Meg meets Kat, she has been spent ten years perfecting her techniques, all in preparation for and leading up to the one big con that will destroy Ashton, the man who ruined her life. As Meg compellingly explains, being a con artist is not just a role she never planned to play. It is a lonely existence and she has no intention of being a grifter indefinitely.

When Kat and Meg's lives intersected a decade ago, Kat's career as an investigative journalist was just beginning. Chasing the Cory Dempsey story, she saw a chance to score an interview with a reluctant witness. It could lead not only to the discovery of new and shocking information about the story, but also, perhaps, to details about Meg herself that would enable her to successfully pitch a story about her and allow Kat to advance in a highly competitive industry. Her risk did not pay off. Instead, her life quickly derailed. She was "collateral damage" as a result of a series of events set in motion by Meg. She has blamed Meg ever since, determined to expose Meg as the fraud that she is and put her life back in order. Clark also employs a first-person narrative to convey Kat's story, pulling readers into her innermost thoughts and motivations in chapters that alternate with Meg's account. Kat reveals that she knows blaming Meg for what happened to her is not entirely rational, but she embarks, like Meg, on a mission to "balance the scales."

Kat is living with her fiancé, Scott, a police detective with a gambling problem, when she learns that Meg has returned. Meg is posing as a real estate broker, and Kat secures a job as Meg's assistant. She plans to infiltrate Meg's life, ingratiating herself in much the way that Meg does with her victims, in order to gather enough evidence to finally write the exposé that will unmask Meg and establish Kat as a credible, respected journalist. She believes that Meg has no idea who she really is, but before long, Kat finds herself being reeled in by Meg, and doubting everything she thought she knew as she strives to keep her life from unraveling yet again. Trust is a theme Clark deftly explores through Kat's experiences. She made the mistake of trusting years ago and the consequences devastated her. But did she learn from the experience? Is her trust in Scott misplaced? Has she learned to trust her own instincts? And could her growing fondness for Meg, despite her knowledge of Meg's actions, undermine her efforts to get her life and career back on track?

The Lies I Tell is a smart, absorbing story about two women who craft false identities and attempt to con each other. Both are motivated by deep wounds inflicted by others who wronged them. In Meg's case, she lost her beloved mother as a result of Ashton's callous wrongdoing. Both women are intent on retribution, believing that they can exact justice and, in the process, free themselves from past hurts and forge for themselves the kind of futures they have long dreamed about. Clark cleverly keeps readers guessing "who is the cat and who is the mouse" in a tale that is simultaneously full of surprises and heart-wrenching. Clark has made Meg a relatable anti-hero for whom readers will find themselves rooting.

And The Lies I Tell is yet another cautionary tale about the dangers of social media. The methods Meg employs to gather insight into her victims and enable her to believably ingratiate herself in their lives illustrate the inherent dangers of posting personal details online. Posts detailing life experiences, birthplaces, current and past residences, jobs held, names of relatives, etc. can easily provide a con artist the entrée he/she seeks.

For Clark, The Lies I Tell is "about justice; it's about taking back what you think belongs to you.” And that theme is particularly poignant, resonant, and timely given that Clark's two protagonists are female and this is still "a world where women often get the short end of the stick."

I loved The Last Flight by Julie Clark, so I was super excited to receive this on NetGalley. Clark does not disappoint with her new book, The Lies I Tell. T

This story revolves around 2 women playing a game of cat-and-mouse and I really enjoyed the dynamic between the two women. Kat thinks that Meg has ruined her life and she sets out for revenge. Meg is a very clever con-artist. But who is really the cat and who is really the mouse?

I loved this fast paced book and ended up reading it in one sitting. It was a fun suspense novel and I highly recommend it!!

As thrillers have become more violent, I've turned to 'puzzle mysteries' especially stories about imposters whether imagined or based on true events. Stumbling on Julie Clark's "The Lies I Tell" turned out to be just what I wanted to read next. Be prepared to stay up late!

FIRST SENTENCE: "She stands across the room from me, in a small cluster of donors, talking and laughing."

THE STORY: Years ago con artist Meg and journalist Kat crossed paths. Since then Kat has been determined to find Meg and write the exposé that will put an end to her scams. When Meg returns to California with a new name and posing as a real estate agent the game is on. How the two women go about their separate plans, become 'friends', and move on weaves a spiderweb of suspense.

WHAT I THOUGHT: Alternating between Meg's and Kat's voices, the author carries the story briskly along what seems like a predictable path. The characters are well drawn and the writing is articulate. The reader becomes vested in what happens to both women. You'll want to share "The Lies I Tell" with your friends. It would also make a great book club read.

BOTTOM LINE: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

DISCLAIMER: I received a free e-copy of "The Lies I Tell" by Julie Clark from NetGalley/Sourcebooks Landmark for my honest review.

Julie Clark has written another fast paced thriller that will make you turn the pages quickly and tune the rest of the world out until you can race through this book!!

Meg is a grifter..a con artist. She is not your typical one though as she goes after men who have committed various wrongs. Her current mark is a man who wronged her mother and her 10 years ago. Meg goes by many different names and lies more than she tells the truth. Kat has been waiting for Meg to return to LA as Meg conned her and changed her life. Kat wants to ruin her so they become friends but Kat might learn that things are different than they appear. Who is good and who is evil???

Hold on tight for the ending!!

I received an early digital copy.

I didn't read Clark's previous book so I can't compare it to that, but I really enjoyed this domestic "mystery thriller," which is more like a drama/cat and mouse story.

I don't typically root for the "bad guy," but Clark's writing of Meg's character had me hard core cheering her on. She had a clever intelligence and a strong determination and put it to use. I loved learning about the process of long cons and how much went into them.

Kat's chapters seemed almost irrelevant. I feel as though her pov should have been much more in depth or just ditched. So much of it was redundant. This is what kept me from giving 5 stars.

The short chapters had me flying through this book. Even though I felt Kat's chapters were lacking, I still understood both character's motivations.

Overall, an enjoyable cat and mouse revenge story with a twist I love. I have heard that you need to go into this knowing that it's not as fast paced as The Last Flight. It's definitely not an edge of your seat thriller, but still a very enjoyable read.

“The difference between justice and revenge comes down to who’s telling the story.”

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the digital arc

Meg is a woman who has been taken advantage of for the last time. She has turned her victimhood into fuel for an epic revenge streak. Year after year she finds people she can masterfully manipulate and take advantage of. When she crosses paths with Kat, an investigative journalist with her own axe to grind, it will be hard to predict who will come out on top.

I’m officially a major Julie Clark fan. She writes pacey thrillers like no other. Just like with The Last Flight, I found myself so invested in the characters, even the morally grey ones. While I would say there is no jaw dropping twist, the pace and progression of this one keeps the pages turning. I would say this one would bode well with fans of The Collective, it has bad ass women taking down nefarious folks in completely satisfying ways. I like that there is nothing insanely far-fetched and every scenario was well researched.

Thanks to Netgalley for advanced access to this novel. All opinions above are my own.

Julie Clark has done it again! After being hooked by The Last Flight, I knew I had to read her newest book and I am so happy I did.

What I loved about this book was the fast-paced thriller that keeps you guessing until the final act! I loved the two womens' point-of-views and how it was disorienting it was. I really loved Meg and how flawed she truly is. She has redeeming qualities although she is a con-man!

Thank you so much to Netgalley for my advanced readers copy!

I loved Julie Clark's The Last Flight and The Lies I Tell did not disappoint. The concept of a modern female Robin Hood con artist was cool and refreshing, and I loved how the characters fought though devastating adversity at a young age to become the mature women they were. I do love a good book that makes me root for the criminal and a book that makes me question how much happens due to serendipity and how much is controlled perhaps by a puppeteer. This fabulous thriller offers much to its readers: interesting characters and POV, fast pace, and exquisite application of girl code.

4.5 stars from me!

Thank you Sourcebooks and #NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

There is a Robin Hood theme to this engaging story of Meg Williams, a real estate agent, life coach, and con artist who weaves a web to destroy men who have hurt women emotionally, physically, and financially. Meg uses her own deception to ruin the careers of men who have deceived women, but Meg uses her financial gain to reward the female victims. Meg assumes different names and occupations depending on what city she is in, and Kat, a journalist, has been working for ten years to tell Meg's story. The two women meet at a political campaign event in LA and their worlds become more entangled. The Lies I Tell is a delicious revenge story recommended for reading groups.

Hello, complicated women! I loved this fast-paced thriller. Tons of suspense and a villain that keeps you guessing. I was surprised by the impact and emotional upheaval I felt reading The Lies I Tell.

I didn’t want it to end and can’t wait for the next novel by Clark. Meg and Kat will keep you on your toes.

Highly recommend.

Thank you @netgalley and @sourcebooks for the e-Arc.

I love a great female con artist story! Especially, when the targets are well deserving of being conned for $$$ and more. I was rooting for Meg, our grifter, from the beginning and I feel like most readers will also. I love that we got glimpses of each POV from past and present day. The story was intertwined perfectly and truly helped develop the characters. Definitely read if you want a page-turning read with mystery, lies, deceit, and cat & mouse between two well developed female characters.

I need to read Last Flight now! Moving up the TBR list.

This is a Netflix documentary waiting to happen. Literally. There are many amazing people in this world, but it is the cons that bite you in the butt and make you question everything you thought you knew. The Lies I Tell does just that. But the end, you'll be re-thinking all of your friendships and maybe even keeping a closer eye on the people around you.

This one will suck you in and spit you out. Kudos Julie Clark.

I’m a big fan of suspenseful books that aren’t outlandish in their plot twists. I prefer realistic, well-plotted, and well-paced books, even if that means being able to predict the ending. That’s why I have now enjoyed both of Julie clarke’s books. Meg and Kat were interesting characters with complexities and histories, and the feminist elements of this book were perfectly executed. No, nothing in this book was a huge, shocking plot twist. But I don’t need that! I was hooked from the first page and enjoyed seeing the story unfold. If you like Jennifer hillier, Lexie Elliott, or Erin Kelly, you’ll enjoy this one! If you liked this author’s first book, you will love this one. It’s very similar in style and tone (in all the best ways).

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my complimentary digital copy. All opinions are my own.

How far would you go to protect the pastt?This thriller sucked me in from the first chapter. Lots of twists and turns. Although a con artist as the story unfolds I developed very deep feelings for the characters!! This is a 5 star read!!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for an early release of this book for my honest review!!

I loved this one! It was a fast paced, easy read. I liked the two MC's - Kat and Meg. They are tangled together more than one way I loved following all the threads. Meg kept saying it was easy to con because people tend to get so close they are looking at the beams and structures and miss what the whole structure could be. So I wanted to be the outsider looking in solving it all. I tried to see big pictures and all the ways Meg could work towards what she wanted.

I loved Kat's full story. She was a completely flushed out character as we learned what happened before, her job and mom situation and then all about Scott. As more is revealed, you grow to love them both. The end was the best part. I was completely hooked as soon as I started.

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

Book Review: The Lies I Tell by Julie Clark

This one hooked me immediately & I read almost half in one day.

🥀“I’m exhausted by how careful we each have to be, picking and choosing our words to reflect a reality that doesn’t exist.”

This is a story about a con artist, a reporter, and the lies they tell to get what they want, to protect themselves, and to get revenge.

I think there was opportunity for this story to do more. We get to read the perspectives of strong women who go after what they want and who are not willing to let men ruin their lives, but something in the story fell a bit flat for me. I feel like Kat’s character was not as well developed as Meg’s, so I found myself not connecting to her part of the story as much.

In some ways I was happy with how things progressed. Maybe the women didn’t work together the way they could have but they both supported each other none the less.

I’m conflicted about parts of the ending, maybe because it felt like there was a lesson that was learned and then ignored.

🥀“The difference between justice and revenge comes down to who’s telling the story.”

I want to make it clear that I did enjoy this book and do think it’s worth the read! There is just a lot to discuss so, It’s a great one to do a buddy read with!

If you are wanting The Last Flight vibes, you will not get this from this book.
While I really enjoyed the story line of this. I tend to think this drug alittle. I like the Con Artist aspect and the ending was a good twist but I missed the pace that The Last Flight had.
All in all a good read though