review ✨

This was a quick and twisty thriller I had a hard time putting down! Just like Clark’s novel The Last Flight, Meg and Kat are complex and well-fleshed out. I had fun as a reader getting to know them; my opinion constantly changed as their layers were peeled and the story unraveled.

The story went in a completely different direction than I expected which I loved!! It’s very much an anti-heroine psychological suspense.

⚠️ there are graphic depictions of sexual assault and abuse in this novel so please keep that in mind before picking up ❤️

Thank you to @bookmarked and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

🗓 PUB DATE: 6/21/22
📖 320 pages
✨ my rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Wow, I devoured The Lies I Tell in one day. Julie Clark’s second book is even better than Last Flight, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Again it focuses on 2 women whose lives cross paths. Each perspective compels the reader to champion for the truth behind the lies. The friendships that develop feel real and natural. The amount of character development over chapters is a feat to be applauded. It is a tale of justice and revenge, and while there are not many twists for a thriller, it is oh so satisfying. I cannot wait to read what Julie Clark writes next!

Meg is a female con artist that goes by various names, depending on her location. She has managed to swindle millions of dollars from men without ever getting caught by the police. Now she's after one man in particular, Ron Ashton, who's running for Senate, and has wronged her family in the past. Now Meg is out to claim what was hers all along.

Kat is a writer, engaged to Scott, a recovering gambling addict. His addiction has burdened their relationship and sent them into a deep debt that Kat is working hard to pay off. Kat has also been wronged in the past by a man and it has caused her trauma for many years. She has been interested in writing about Meg for a long time and she's determined to gather as much information as possible to hopefully sell her story and kick off her writing career.

The story is told from the POVs of both Kat and Meg. At first, I really disliked Meg's character, but towards the end, I began to lean more towards her side than not. The author will keep you guessing about Meg's integrity for most of the book. My least favorite characters were probably Nate and Ron, mainly because they are just horrible human beings.

I would not categorize this book as a thriller because it's just not that thrilling, unlike The Last Flight. There are no real major twists in this novel, so don't be disappointed because I told you so. That being said, it's also not boring, but it did take me longer than normal to get through this book even though it is an appropriate length. I think I would have preferred listening to this book on audio and I would have finished more quickly. I just did not feel compelled to pick it up and keep reading.

Special thanks to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The Lies I Tell isn't even out yet, but I have already recommended it to a half dozen readers. One of the best thrillers I have read in years!

4.5 stars

Is it wrong to cheer for a conman, or con-woman, in this case?
When presented in books or movies, I usually hate them, as they usually target a rich yet vulnerable person. But the more I learned about Meg Williams and how she selected her targets, the more I liked her.

This story is told from two POVs, Meg and Kat Roberts, the latter being someone who believes Meg ruined her life. One the outset, I didn't care for Meg and had to wonder what she could have done to Kat for her to seek vengeance. When Kat reveals the reason, I actually thought her anger was misdirected, but I was sympathetic to her experience.

What was most interesting in this book was reading how the two women tried to play one another in order to meet their own goals. Meg had an unfair advantage, with years of practice, but I thought Kat did much better than I anticipated.

In the end, are they friends or foes?
It was fascinating to read it all play out, and witness some powerful people taken down a notch or two along the way. Justice served with a big cup of f**k you, lol.

Loved this smartly written novel of drama and suspense in which two fiercely brilliant female protagonists face injustice and revenge! I will read anything author Julie Clark writes.

An excellent first book to read by Julie Clark, and it certainly will not be the last!

This is an entertaining cat-and-mouse thriller between two women -- a con artist who has made it her life's mission to avenge a family wrong from her childhood, and a writer/reporter who is inadvertently swept up in one of the cons.

I really enjoyed this read, and will gladly recommend it! 4.5/5 stars

I was really looking forward to this book following the excellent prior book. The Last Flight was one of the best thrillers I had read recently. But this book just didn’t do it for me. The characters were good but I found it a bit monotonous and I didn’t really care for the ending. All good, it was still a pretty good book.

Such an excellent read! Think Catch Me If You Can meets Revenge and you’ve got The Lies I Tell. Female grifter with a penchant for paying back those who deserve it and taking care of this hurt - can’t wait to see what Julie Clark does next!

A psychological thriller that isn't really thriller-like. No hostages, no blood, just clean and pure con artist fun. Meg is a con artist and is back in town. Kat is a reporter that is trying to write Meg's story. For their own benefits, they become friends and the lies they tell are to keep each other at arm's length.

It may not be a very thought provoking, deep think book but for summer it is a perfect psychological thriller. Not too heavy but enough twists and turns to keep you interested.

I happily accepted the surprising change of pace since The Last Flight, and I really indulged in The Lies I Tell! I really liked the two rivaling characters going back and forth and trying to one-up each other the entire novel, and it made for an extremely fast read. I was a little bit more invested in Meg's earlier chapters and became a little bit frustrated with Kat's later on, but this is a very good follow-up for Julie Clark. I can see almost every reader finding something they enjoy in this book, so it's definitely worth a shot.

Julie Clark does it AGAIN.

I really liked The Last Flight, but dare I say, I enjoyed The Lies I Tell even more?

What a spectacularly woven story, stand out female character with believable and readable flaws, and a powerful study on "right vs. wrong"".

I will be recommending this one to everyone for a great summer read.

I really enjoyed The Last Flight last year, so I was excited to see that Julie Clark had a new book publishing soon. As soon as I obtained an early copy, I added it to my queue. While The Last Flight was excellent, I enjoyed The Lies I Tell even more!

The story was so twisty the entire way through. I didn't know if I could believe or trust Meg, but I wanted to. I actually applauded what she was doing and I wish that she was real so she could help some of my close friends take down their ex-husbands. I felt bad for what Kat was going through and could easily sympathize with her. I was definitely worried about her getting caught up in Meg's web of lies though.

This novel reads more as domestic suspense than a thriller. The "thrill" is more from the adrenaline rush of seeing Meg get away with something. It's definitely worth picking up when it hits shelves in mid-June, but have some time available because you won't be able to put it down once you get started!

Movie casting suggestions:
Meg: Michelle Mylett
Kat: Mackenzie Davis
Cory: Rob McElhenney
Ron: Christopher McDonald
Scott: Christopher Abbott
Veronica: Constance Zimmer
Phillip: Lochlyn Munro

4 stars! This book was a terrific read!! Meg Williams lost her mom and spent her teen years living out of her car. With some practice she becomes a superior con artist and is out for revenge! Kat Williams is a journalist who was investigating Meg's boyfriend but after a tragic event, she's relegated to writing up cheesy articles. Kat hopes one day she can gather enough information to expose Meg for who she really is!

The book jumps between characters and timelines. It held my attention and I stayed up late finishing this book, needing to know how it ended. It took me a couple of chapters to really get into the book but when the backstory of Meg starts, it became a fast read.
Very thankful to Netgalley and the Publisher for this advanced copy in return for my honest opinion.

Meg grew up living out of a car and poor when her mother dies and the man whom her mother lived with was a con artist and stole everything they owned. Years later Meg decides that maybe that is the way to get back her life and get revenge on the man who hurt her years ago. Kat has a past with Meg and decides to write a story about her life and wants to expose Kat as a con artist because she blames her for some trauma in her own past. Once these two worlds collide Kat has to decide if Meg is really as bad as she thought she was, or is she really just trying to get justice for her past. This was a really great book! I think this author is going to continue to impress us. Thank you for the the ARC. #theliesitell #NetGalley.

After reading and loving The Last Flight, I knew I that I would be reading the next book by Julie Clark.
The Lies I Tell quickly became one of my most highly anticipated mystery/suspense books of the year.

This psychological suspense is one I couldn't put down. Told from dual POVs, we follow Kat and Meg as they uncover truths about one another from their pasts and what led them to their current predicaments. I thought I would be in one character's corner, but it would change throughout the story. These characters are complex, compelling and are the highlight of this tangled web of deceit.

Meg is a woman that is known by many names and many occupations. She is a chameleon and she changes to who she needs to be depending on the circumstances. She is the ultimate con artist that plans meticulously. She is a clever woman that has a past that she is trying to avenge and she will do what it takes to get to the end.

Kat is a journalist that has not been as successful as she would like because of an event 10 years ago. She was following a lead that led her to Meg and then to her undoing. Now she wants Meg to pay. When Meg returns to California and is Kat's orbit, Kat will not give up on the story she has been chasing for many years.

The Lies I Tell is a character driven story that will keep you glued to the pages. There are twists, but it's mostly about the con, about revenge and about strength in a scorned woman. The more I dove into the story, the more I understood the complexities in Meg's relationships she made and left behind. The friendship that evolved between Meg and Kat was natural and led them down a road of trusting the unexpected. I loved that we got a story of the power of women when they come together (even unknowingly) and a woman con artist that bested all her marks. #RiseOfTheWomen

If you like a story that is driven by strong female characters, is original and full of lies and manipulation, do not hesitate to pick up this book. The alternating chapters and events leading up to the final con is written to perfection. 100% recommend this magnificent read!

Another great read from Julie Clark! This time the theme is “revenge is sweet,” and boy is it! Meg and Kat, the two main characters, each want to have “revenge” for what happened to each of them more than a decade earlier. In alternating voices, the reader discovers not only what happened to Meg and Kat years ago, but how they are dealing with the aftermath . . . and what they intend to do about it. A quick-moving storyline makes this a real page turner — and I loved the ending!

How do you con a con artist?

“The lies I tell serve a purpose, tipping karma in the right direction. Returning power to those who have lost it...The difference between justice and revenge comes down to who’s telling the story.” -Meg

Meg Williams is a con artist. You may have met Maggie Littleton or Meg Wilde, but she is one and the same.

Kat Roberts has waited ten years to expose Meg for what she has done to her and to so many others who have crossed her path.

Will she get justice? Or does she have it all wrong?

It took me three weeks to finish this book! I kept finding other things to do and other books to read instead of this one. Why?

It is NOT really a THRILLER or a MYSTERY. It’s a story about JUSTICE and REVENGE.
It is HEAVY on real estate lingo, transactions, and business.
It is PREDICTABLE!
It’s a VERY SLOW BURN.
There are NO twists!

While I somewhat enjoyed the well-written story, I couldn’t wait to get to the end. It really dragged for me and effected my overall opinion. I am definitely in the minority on this one, so please check out other reviews as well.

3.5/5 stars rounded down

Meg Williams is back and Kat Roberts is out to expose her for all her lies.

Kat believes Meg ruined her life ten years ago. And now that Meg has resurfaced at a party for a powerful politician. Kat is determined to befriend and learn all of Meg's dirty secrets. What Kat doesn't know is that Meg has her own reasons for returning that run deeper than befriending the rich and powerful people of Los Angeles as a real estate agent. Meg wants revenge for what she sees as an injustice that befell her mother and landed them living out of a car. What Meg has been up to over the last decade as a con woman will lead Kat to question whether what Meg has done to her "victims" is justified or the perfect revenge. What if the monster Kat thought Meg was is just a survivor like herself, setting wrongs to rights?

I loved this book. I started off not liking Meg but ultimately fell in love with her. Yes, some or most of what she does can be seen as wrong but I know she had her reasons to justify her means. I started off rooting for Kat because I got her backstory before I got the whole picture behind Meg's actions. Ultimately I liked both of these complex characters despite Kat's naivety and Meg's ruthlessness. This thriller will engross the reader and keep you on your toes.

Thank you to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Compelling topic, and quite a fun read...provided the reader is capable of suspending all disbelief.