After a traumatic childhood Nora McTavish dedicates her life helping other children that are suffering and finding them better homes.
Kaylee Volk is the only survivor when her family's plane crashes and claims Andrea caused the crash.
Nora knows that Andrea has a troubled past, but was she capable of this? Nora takes it upon herself to discover the truth about the family's dynamics and what she finds is far from the picture perfect life Kaylee vlogged to the world.

I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend if you like suspenseful reads.

In 2019 my health started going down hill and I didn't take into consideration what that would mean for my book reviewing. Sadly, I've been trying to play catch up for years and it's been affecting my ability to keep up with present day tasks. So I greatly apologize for this but I am going to clear out all these older review books and focus on present day. I will come back and update this review if I end up reading the book, which is very possible as a lot of these books are still ones I would like to read, I just don't think the pressure looming over me is helpful. Thank you for giving me a chance to early read these books and I am so sorry I wasn't able to provide what was needed.

Where They Lie was a rollercoaster ride. Nora McTavish is a very well-written character. We could feel her emotions through the book. The characters are portrayed in a way that we feel their emotions as we move along with them through the chapters. The traumatic childhoods and the connection each character feels towards each other due to their past experiences made me anxious as the story progressed. It kept me wondering about what would happen next.
Thank you to Netgalley and the author for this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was well written and easy to disappear into. I read it in a day and enjoyed it. I don’t think I’ve ever read a mystery with a CPS worker as the sleuth and I liked that element. I had a few qualms— foster parents are not allowed to post pictures or videos of their foster children on social media, for one. The premise of the book is that a vlogger posts everything about her seemingly perfect life with her and her young husband’s three foster kids, which could never happen. I had also figured everything out very early on, and I was disappointed in the end. That said, Hart is a great writer and I would happily read more.

I read a digital copy of this book via netgalley.

I was hooked until the end. Not the outcome I wanted but this was a good read. I thoroughly enjoyed this first book in the series and will be adding #2 to my TBR

I felt like this book was slow in it's pacing and it was hard for me to make sense of things at times. I was still intrigued by the story and stuck it out to the interesting conclusion.

"Where They Lie" by Joe Hart is a gripping thriller that unravels the seemingly perfect life of Kaylee Volk and her family after a tragic plane crash leaves Kaylee as the sole survivor. The story kicks off with a shocking revelation from Kaylee herself, accusing one of her foster children of causing the crash. This sets the stage for a compelling narrative as Nora McTavish, a child protective services agent with her own troubled past, embarks on a mission to uncover the truth.

One of the book's standout features is the character development. Hart intricately explores the depths of each character, revealing their flaws, vulnerabilities, and evolving motivations. This attention to detail not only enriches the story but also keeps readers deeply engaged as they navigate the complex web of deceit alongside Nora.

The plot is expertly woven with twists and turns that maintain suspense until the very last page. As Nora digs deeper into the Volk family's secrets, tension escalates, and unexpected revelations keep readers guessing. Hart skillfully builds anticipation, leading to a satisfying and surprising conclusion that ties together the intricate threads of the narrative.

Overall, "Where They Lie" is a must-read for fans of suspense and thriller genres. With its well-developed characters, intricate plot, and relentless suspense, the novel delivers a haunting tale of murder and hidden truths that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. Joe Hart's skillful storytelling makes this book a compelling addition to any thriller enthusiast's reading list.

A psychological thriller that delves into the dark secrets of a seemingly perfect family. We follow Kaylee, an influencer who shares her family life with her husband and their three foster children through her video logs. The facade shatters when the family is found murdered, exposing the disturbing truths lurking beneath their so-called happy exterior. The story introduces Nora McTavish, a compassionate yet damaged child protective services agent, who becomes entangled in the investigation. Nora, who has her own traumatic past, is determined to uncover the truth behind the murders and protect the children she is entrusted with. As the investigation unfolds, Nora must navigate through a web of lies, secrets, and hidden motives, leading to a gripping and suspenseful tale filled with twists and turns. The novel is noted for its deep character development and intricate plot, keeping readers engaged until the very end.

I love a book where the prologue packs a punch and Where They Lie by Joe Hart, did just that. Being drawn in from the very beginning makes for a far more enjoyable reading experience

It's the first book in a new series and one that I plan to continue reading. It's the perfect thriller for a new reader to the genre or a seasoned reader wanting something quick and enjoyable

Where they Lie by Joe Hart is a psychological thriller seen through the eyes of Nora McTavish, a child protection officer. When a plane goes down carrying a family with three foster children that she placed, Nora starts to wonder whether there was more to the family than she thought - did she miss something??

This book was shorter than most I read but it was still a great story. Fast paced with slow building tension and a thrilling conclusion. There are some triggers regarding child abuse that you should be wary of, however I felt that it wasn't overdone and was approached in a sensitive manner.

Thanks to the publisher for the chance to read and review this ARC!

This was an ok book. There are quite a few things that were implausible and it was hard to get past them. The characters were okay. Not fantastic but not awful. I did enjoy the mystery and the story was well written.

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for my honest review*

Good book - I found the twist to be a little predictable - but all in all a good story.

This was fantastic , an unexpected book of twists and scandals that kept me guessing until the end. I really enjoy this Author. Hello new fave by Joe Hart.

4.5 stars!!!

I ended up enjoying this much more than I thought I would! I had never heard of this author before so I had literally no expectations going into this and I was pleasantly surprised. The initial thing that had me interested is the fact that the main charcater is a social worker that works with kids in foster care, and as someone that has decided to not have my own children and instead have been interested in becoming a foster parent, this hooked me right away. I had no idea what I was getting into when starting this... the initial mystery was super gripping and I had no idea where it was going to go. Alongside the main character's childhood trauma, this book was super difficult to put down. I felt for the main character a lot and there were a few intense scenes that actually had my heart racing. My only complaint is that I wish there were more twists, not because the ones in here weren't good but because they were SO GOOD. As I was starting this, I learned that the sequel is coming out in April and I couldn't be more excited. I'm definitely going to go back and read some of this author's backlist in the hopes that he'll be a new favorite thriller author!

A suspenseful and eerie read, I was flying through the pages to see how it ended. Loved the book and how it all came together!

"The murder of an influencer’s family exposes the disturbing secrets behind the facade in a haunting novel of suspense by Joe Hart, Wall Street Journal bestselling author of Or Else."

I always love a starting a new series and after this book I will definitely keep my eye out for the 2nd., especially when characters are working to overcome their own past and trauma like Nora is. The premise was interesting to me - did Andrea really do it? What did Nora miss? A quick, enjoyable read.

This felt very solid and average. I wasn't blown away but I also would consider reading more by Joe in the future. Essentially the story in it's entirety is nothing original but it does have a few thrilling moments.

Thanks to netgalley for this early copy.

Nora is trying to get to the bottom of what happened to the Volk family, someone doesn’t want her to.

Where they lie is a typical story, about our main character going above and beyond their duty of work requirements and role description, to carry our plot. Nora is trying to investigate and doing some illegal things in the process to get to the bottom of what happened to the Volk family. During these investigations, someone is coming to try to stop her.

I enjoyed the story, however did find the first 50% slow and a little boring, the 2nd half of the book however, I was able to finish in less than a day. The story was easy to pick up on the hints that were dropped, and I realised quite a lot of the red herrings were just that.

I believe this was my first book by this author, and I will definitely check out more of his work, but this story didn’t wow me. It was entertaining enough, but nothing super memorable.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
This was just Ok for me. I guess since it’s by Joe Hart I had higher expectations.
It wasn’t bad but far from a favorite.