I loved this book! I love that the main characters are strong, intelligent women. Both have known grief, loss and heartache. Both have been betrayed by men, in one case a man that was loved. And in the other a man that was in her life because of someone she loved. The degrees of betrayal are what led these women to live the way they did. They became friends, also because of the damage done by men. Although there was no trust between them to begin with, I believe in the end they both had gained a respect of the other. I absolutely loved the ending. I love Julic Clark's books and will recommend this one to anyone who will listen.

Once I began reading The Lies I Tell I wanted to cancel the rest of my life and finish it in one sitting. I stayed up way too late two nights in a row, savoring the peeling away of the onion like layers of the two main characters - Meg, a real estate agent and Kat, a journalist. They each seemingly are seeking revenge for events that changed their lives many years ago. The events are connected and both women are keeping secrets from the other, convinced they are keeping their true identities a secret. As their lives continue to entwine, they grow to like and respect each other. I found myself cheering for their friendship to endure as they each need a true friend.
Julie Clark’s writing style, pacing, and ability to bring characters to life are the gems in this story. I loved the con man/grifter aspects, especially once all is revealed. This is a perfect read for everyone - just allow yourself time to fully engage with the story as once you begin you won’t want to be pulled away.
Many many thanks to Julie Clark, Sourcebooks Landmark, and NetGalley for affording me the pleasure of reading an arc of this just published book. I highly recommend this read.

Well-written characters that live off of lies and manipulation which makes the story suspenseful and has some twists. I voluntarily reviewed an advance readers copy of this book.

This has been the year of the female vigilante, and “The Lies I Tell” is a smart and fast-paced exploration of this topic. The novel is based on the relationship between two women: Meg, a career con artist and Kat, a former LA Times reporter whose life and career are ruined after pursuing a tip called in to the paper by Meg. Fast-forward ten years, Kat decides to pursue a grift of her own in order to jump start her career after learning that Meg has returned to California with a shady real estate career.

The novel’s suspense is primarily generated by the reader who brings their own stereotypes of the typically sociopathic male con artist to the tale. What difference, if any, does it make when the con artists are women? Or, as Meg puts it, does the difference between justice and revenge come down to who’s telling the story? 5 out of 5 stars. Highly recommended!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a complimentary advanced readers copy of this book.

Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC of this book, in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Meg (or Maggie or Melody or a variety of other names) has a fairly desperate backstory. Her mother, seriously ill, was tricked out of their home by a predatory man, Ron, and the two of them spent her last year of life, and Meg's last year of high school, living in their car. When the book opens, a few years have passed and Meg is living a marginal life - still living in the car, eking out a living by working at the Y (where she can take showers and do laundry), and by getting dates through online dating services, so that she can score a meal and perhaps steal things from the men's houses if the opportunity arises.

Things change when she discovers a teacher at her old high school is on the dating site. Thinking back to high school, she also recalls the one girl who was nice to her, but who suddenly disappeared from school. She meets the former teacher, now a high school principal, and works her way into being a live-in girlfriend. She finds out that he had seduced the girl she remembers from high school, and other teenage girls, and is currently doing the same thing, so she decided to make him pay for this. She manages to clean out his bank account, then sends evidence of his behavior to the newspaper, the police, and a teacher at his current school who dislikes him. She then leaves town.

Ten years later, she's back in California, and sees an opportunity to get revenge on Ron, who's now running for office. She also connects with Kat, a former reporter, who was raped by the high school principal's best friend while investigating the original story, and who has basically been suffering from psychological effects ever since. Kat blames Meg for this, and decides to worm her way into Meg's life to punish her for this.

So, we have two women, basically trying to each work their own con, but becoming somewhat unwillingly closer at the same time. While Meg is by far the more accomplished con artist, Kat is trying to work her own game. And, of course, other people become implicated.

I really enjoyed this book. I liked both Meg and Kat, and was rooting for them the whole time. It's a fast moving story, and I really enjoyed the twists and turns.

I have enjoyed all of Julie Clark’s books. She has become one of my favorite authors. Her writing style is easy to read and I love how she presents and develops her characters. The twists and turns as you flip through the pages will have you gasping. While I was shocked at Meg’s behavior, I also admired her intelligence, patience, ability to survive. She was one tough cookie. Kat’s character was a perfect counter to Meg. I couldn’t put the book down ... which is why I have such dark circles under my eyes. And get ready for the ending! It will leave you wanting to know more. Perfect ending!

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebook Landmark for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

This was a solid novel that kept me invested in the lives of two characters: Meg, a con woman who has embarked on her greatest scam yet, and Kat, a journalist who is hot on her trail. However, I would disagree with this being categorized as a traditional thriller. There wasn't really any suspense in my opinion or twists in the plot - everything was pretty predictable. There was also a lot of jumping back and forth with the time frame, which I'm never a fan of.

That being said, this was still a four-star read for me because it was written in a way that allowed me to get inside the character's heads. I was able to jump past some major plot holes because Clark writes in a way that feels authentic. And I love a good tale of a woman seeking revenge! I'm curious to see how this book measures up to Clark's other popular novel, "The Last Flight" - I'll still check it out at some point.

I wouldn't recommend this for people looking for a fast-paced read, but if readers are comfortable with more of a slow-burn story, they might enjoy this one.

The Lies I Tell was on my most anticipated list because I really liked the author’s last book The Last Flight
Con Artist Me Williams. Maggie LIttleton. Melody Wilde. In the course of one of her cons, she unknowingly changed Kat Roberts’ life for the worse. Kat, a want-to-be journalist has been investigating and waiting for Maggie to strike again. Who is conning who? This was different, engaging and quick-paced. I thought it was a little heavy on a theme at the end that I don’t want to spoil. (Otherwise would have been 4 stars from me.). However, that same theme may really work for some people.

This book has been everywhere for weeks now. So much has already been said about it so I’ll keep it short and sweet. ☺️

This one grabs you from its very first pages. We follow two main characters Meg and Kat, each with different grudges and scores to settle…”each of them trying to spin a web of lies and manipulation around the other, never knowing whose strings are wrapped around whom.” Two women on a mission to expose truth and get justice.

The beginning has super strong My Friend Anna vibes and you think you’ll be getting another Anna Delvey type story. Until there’s a twist that takes things in a different direction. 🤔 And that’s where it gets more interesting. 👍🏻

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

An entertaining read that’s not gonna set your world on fire but kept me engaged the entire time. Solid 3.5 showing.

Huge thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. ❤️

The Lies I Tell is an excellent mystery/suspense following a female con artist and a reporter determined to find the truth behind her lies.

This book was so good! I was hooked from the start and the storyline was unique and twisty in all the best ways. I found I was cheering on the con artist and I absolutely love when the "bad guy" turns out to be not so bad. Julie Clark has just become an auto-buy author for me 💃.

4 stars

This was my first book by Julie Clark but it will not be my last! I ripped through The Lies I Tell in 2 days; it was so addictive. The story starts out with a bang and keeps pace the entire time.

Even though Meg is our “anti-hero”, I was rooting for her the entire time. She’s a con-woman but she also has a big heart and knows that women need to stick together. Abiding by the “girl code”, Meg weaves the perfect kinds of revenge on men who have no respect for women.

Kat was a little bit annoying; she came across as very whiny. However, I really enjoyed her character development through out the story because she definitely evolves.

This story is your atypical superhero story; no capes, masks or special powers needed. As we read in the book: The difference between justice and revenge comes down to who’s telling the story. Told in alternating POV between Meg & Kat and past & present, this story is sure to hook you in.

Thank you to Source Books for my copy of this book via NetGalley

This was my first Julie Clark read and I thought it was fantastic. The web she does weave is mind blowing. I was constantly trying to piece together how all the characters fit together. I mean that in a good way, not a confusing way.

I do not want to say much about the plot, since from the beginning it sucks you in and you are wanting to know more.

The character development was fantastic. The details of their pasts were not given away all at once and you grow to know the narrators.

I have The Last Flight sitting on my TBR shelf and I will be reading it very soon!!

Thank you for the opportunity to read the ARC of this book!

After absolutely loving Julie Clark’s The Last Flight a couple years ago, I could not wait to get my hands on her next book! The Lies I Tell is similar to The Last Flight in that it is a domestic thriller centered on two women. One of these women, Meg, is a con artist and the other, Kat, is a journalist trying to get the scoop on this story of a lifetime. I walked into this anticipating rooting for the journalist. But, Julie Clark has an insane ability to make an anti-heroine incredibly likable. I can’t even believe I’m writing the words but I was for the con artist. Meg was a great character. I found myself sympathizing with her and really rooting for what she was doing. On the other hand, Kat was very easy to dislike. She just never took ownership over anything. It was always someone else’s fault and I couldn’t get on board with that.

I’d say the only reason I can’t give this a 5 star would be the pace in here. The beginning of this was amazing. It was addicting and so juicy. I could not get enough of it. Unfortunately, it did start to lose a bit of steam toward the middle and the end. By the end, I was still interested but kind of ready for closure. I definitely do still have some questions about the end but I think it left it on the right note. There were some twists in here but no real major shocking moment. Overall, it was another entertaining, domestic thriller from Julie Clark. I will anxiously await her next one!

*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Julie Clark has done it again! After reading The Last Flight, I was so excited to see that Julie Clark had a new book coming out. One of the things that I love about her books is that they are entertaining and fast-paced, and this one is no exception! This is one that had me turning the pages to find out what was going to happen next. I felt like this one had a very unique concept, and it was very interesting to see how Clark brought the story line to life. I was immediately intrigued by the cover and synopsis, and I am so glad that this one did not disappoint! Thank you to the publisher for giving me the chance to read an early copy of this book!

The soap opera suspense, between the two main characters, is fueled by no good men. Revenge is bittersweet!

The Lies I Tell is a fast-paced domestic thriller. The story leads the reader through the backstory of two women, how they are connected and what is fueling the current con. This is the perfect novel to read poolside or on the beach. Thank you SOURCEBOOKS Landmark, Sourcebooks Landmark for the advance reader copy.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the advanced e-copy of this book!

One thing that drew me to wanting to read this book was the main characters! Right from the synopsis of this book, I knew it would be a fun read. When reading the book, I got to know them and their complexities as well as see the incredible character development throughout the story.

While reading, I kept flip-flopping between the two characters on who I liked more. SO often with mystery/thrillers, the reader is trying to figure out the 'who-done-it' but in this one I found I wasn;t trying to figure it out as much as I was just enjoying the book. It was fast paced, but not too overwhelming.

So many lies & deceit - this one will hook you and be a story you can't put down!

I inhaled this book - opened it, had a cup of coffee, ate lunch and rarely looked up until I turned the last page. It is a story of a master manipulator, her backstory, her cunning and meticulous planning. She is a scammer, a Con Artist, a woman on a mission to take and destroy - maybe.
Point and counterpoint - there is also a journalist who is determined to have the full story and to demand her own retribution - if she can stop her own unraveling and downward spiral. The psychological mind bending is on every page, every thought and it is often exhausting in a good way.

Meg and Kat, both damaged, both admirable, both believe “The difference between justice and revenge comes down to who’s telling the story.” This is a phenomenal, hard to put down psychological thriller which is over too quickly. Julie Clark is a masterful story spinner and she has hit an out of the park home run with this book.

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks for a copy.

This is a book I will probably reread years down the road. There were many twists and back stories which had me invested in Meg's future.
Have you ever watched a movie where you were in support of the bad guy? Meg isn't necessary all bad and her background makes you sympathetic but seriously, don't cross her!

Meg uses different alias - Meg, Maggie, Melody - depending on her situation. She moves to different towns, develops an identity and smoothly cons her way into someone's life.

Kat Roberts finds Meg and is determined to expose her but things are not as she imagined, based on her own interactions with Meg ten years prior. Kat blames Meg for a trauma she experienced which temporarily sidelined her journalism career.

This book would be an excellent choice for a book club. If you haven't read Julie Clark's previous book The Last Flight I would also recommend that one.

Publication date is June 21, 2022 by Sourcebooks Landmark. Genre: Mystery/Thriller and Women's Fiction.
Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced reader's copy of this book. I was not compensated for the review, all opinions are mine.

Review of The Lies I tell by Julie Clark.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spoiler free. Yup five stars from me. I was in the minority to a degree with her previous book The Last Flight. I liked it but didn’t love it like most people I talked to did. But this one cemented the deal for me and definitely she’s an auto buy moving forward. This book was fast paced and I couldn’t wait to see what happened. I was super invested in the characters and loved the ending. I loved the strong women in this book. I’m not usually the biggest fan of revenge stories but this one was perfection!

Quick synopsis: Kat is an investigative journalist who has been researching a con artist named Meg for years. She finally has found her again and is determined to get her story this time. It’s personal as well as professional for her. But nothing is every as simple as it seems for either woman.

I don’t want to give anything away.

Thank you to @netgalley and @sourcebooks for the ecopy.

I really enjoyed this novel about a likeable con artist. I wouldn't really categorize it as a thriller but it was fast paced, with great characters and a nice twist at the end. It was a quick read, I finished it in one day. Highly recommended