Thank you to NetGally and Bookouture for an ARC in exchange for my review.

What did I just read? I liked the premise of The Lie but overall found the actual execution of the plot sloppy and the dialogue was often forced and unnatural.

My biggest issues with the book were:
- Timelines that didn't add up - half-siblings Jacob and Ava are 16 and 13 respectively and yet their mother didn't meet Ava's father until Jacob was 4?
- Adults who act like children - I'm sorry but if my daughter was found murdered and I became aware of evidence, I would go to the police. I would not try to convince literal teenagers to craft stories on how they found said evidence and then be OK when they got too scared to go to the police. What?
- The description doesn't actually match the plot - what is the family secret no one can find out about?

This book had potential. I love the concept of a mother grappling with protecting her son vs. getting to the truth when his girlfriend goes missing. There is a great story there, but this just isn't it.

Our new home was meant to be a chance for us to start again, to make new friends and forget the past. And as I look around the barbeque we’ve thrown for our neighbours, I dare to dream that things will be all right. I watch my husband joking as he flips burgers and my daughter turning cartwheels on our sun-bleached lawn. And then my gaze falls on my son Jacob, and his new girlfriend Rose, in her light blue jeans and her green crop top. There is a worried expression clouding her beautiful eyes.

Kathryn Croft is on my favourite author list and again she did not disappoint. Told from different POV's this book was thoroughly enjoyable. Each of the women have secrets, secrets they wish to remain, just that, secrets. But what do we really know of Jacob, is there more to him than what we are presented with, there are many questions here which do lead to an engrossing read. Not all of these characters are the kind of people that we would become great friends with, but the author has done an excellent job of portraying them which greatly enhances the development of the story. Highly recommended.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of the book, my review is honest and unbiased.

I had never read a book by Kathryn Croft. I really enjoyed this one and will look into her books in the future. The book follows the disappearance of Rose. Rose mysteriously goes missing following a barbeque at her boyfriend Jacob's house and then is never seen again. The suspicion immediately falls on Jacob who was the last to see her when he walked her home. When the police get involved it seems that nearly everyone has something to hide and ends up lying to them. The muddies the case. Who is responsible for Rose's disappearance. This book was amazing.

What a brilliant book this is, I think this has to be one of the best from this author, certainly in my top ten reads for 2023.

I just couldn't stop reading this I have nothing negative to say about this book, an excellent page turner which kept me on the edge of my seat, brilliant characters all with their own story to tell and described so well, it was certainly a fast paced thriller of a read.

Mustn't forget the ending, fantastic everything was brought to a satisfactory conclusion.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for this great ARC which I have no hesitation in recommending.

This was domestic suspense done right! I was engrossed in this story almost instantly, and as the story became more layered and complicated, I couldn't swipe the pages fast enough!

Lucy and Tom have moved to a new home in Surrey with their children, Jacob and Ava. There were mentions of issues with the children; Ava was being bullied, but Jacob's issues weren't clear. Jacob is dating a young woman named Rose, and she's a guest at the barbeque the family hosted. Shockingly, Rose's mother Carrie calls long after the party is over to say that Rose didn't come home. Jacob says that not only did he walk her home, he watched her go inside. Everyone who knows Rose knows what a responsible girl she is. She wouldn't just disappear and make her mother worry.

Told in alternating points of view from Rose, Lucy, and Carrie, THE LIE pulls back the surface of each of their lives as each woman is keeping something a secret. I never, and I mean NEVER would have guessed the truth. It was shocking, disturbing, and all too real. What exactly was in Jacob's past? What kind of men is Carrie exposing her daughter to? And what kind of mother is Lucy if she's covering up for a killer?

So grateful to NetGalley and Bookouture for this early read. THE LIE will publish April 20, 2023.

I LOVED this thriller! I was hooked from the start and loved watching the plot unfold. I was suspicious of everything and even when I thought I had an understanding of what was going on, I was then surprised all over again.

This was a compelling read even if it was all a little obvious. I definitely enjoyed this more than the previous book by this author. Would recommend.

This was one of those books that I couldn't read fast enough,,,,to find out who killed Rose. Excellent author. I did not expect the final twist, as to who murdered her. Looking to read more by Kathryn Croft!

"He said he walked her home but now she is missing..."


Synopsis: 16 year old Rose has the seemingly perfect life. She is an aspiring musician and songwriter, she has a close relationship with her mother and she has a wonderful boyfriend named Jacob. The morning after a neighborhood barbecue, Rose is discovered missing. Everyone close to Rose is devastated, shocked and confused. As tension arises, her boyfriend Jacob becomes the lead suspect but Jacob's mother, Lucy, will fight for her son's innocence no matter what. What really happened to Rose and who is responsible? How much do you trust the people that you love?

First, I'd like to thank amazing Kathryn Croft and Bookouture publishing for allowing me to read this early copy of The Lie. This was the 4th book of Croft's that I've read and it did not disappoint. Croft is one of my favorite psychological thriller authors.
This story is told from many different perspectives, which I love. I love knowing what more than one person is thinking. By the end of the book, there were no gaps left open or strings left untied. The Lie had me sitting in the same spot for hours burning pages. I couldn't put it down! Be on the lookout for The Lie by Kathryn Croft in April 2023. In the mean time, grab some more of Croft's other thrillers. You can thank me later!

When her son Jacob's girlfriend Rose goes missing, Lucy struggles to maintain her belief in his innocence when no one, not even the rest of their family, does. Meanwhile, Rose's mother Carrie is certain that Jacob is the culprit. It doesn't help that it comes to light Jacob lied to the police about how things were between him and Rose when he walked her home, among other things.

Although not impressed by the writing itself and though the story dragged on in the middle (though, to be fair, this is very standard for page-turners), the story was genuinely both unpredictable and believable. The Lie touches on the ramifications of a horrible crime from varying angles, such as how it affects minors/young persons and a small community, focusing on the way it eats into even the family of the suspect.

What stood out to me was the relationship between Lucy and Carrie. They're different in socioeconomic status and how their neighbors perceive them, but the fact that they're both mothers who love their children with unshakeable determination bonds them in the truest sense -- they understand each other even if their children are each on the other side of a murder case. Even after the truth is revealed, the two women become friends, and in some sense the only true friends they have. This, to me, was a pleasant surprise and a refreshing note to end on.

Great read with lots to make you flip the page. So many people are saying different things, it really comes down to who you believe and who may be lying. The riddle doesn't get any easier to solve when it seems everyone had something to hide. I'm pleased to say that I figured out the who but not the why. Not that the author made it easy. Recommend this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for an advanced reading copy.

Thank you Bookouture and Net Galley for an early copy of The Lie. This one had me guessing who did it but when it was revealed, it was an obvious character. I liked this because there was a lot of guessing about what was going on. A quick, good read. The twist at 80% was WHOAAAAAAAAA!!!!! Thank you Kathryn Croft.

Everyone is hiding something.
After a neighborhood barbecue, Rose -- a sixteen year old, smart, lovable teenager-- is walked home by her boyfriend, Jacob. But when Rose's mother discovers that her daughter has never returned home after the party, suspicions grow-- and Jacob is the main suspect.

Unfortunately, this book missed the mark for me. The ending "twist" was good in theory but predictable from about halfway through the book. The entire premise of the book was good, but the execution was poorly done. None of the characters are ones you want to "root for" (not even Rose). They are all frustrating in their own way. Additionally, one of the characters was said to be a pre-teen in the book, but while reading it she almost seemed like a very young girl (6 or 7?). It was strange and confusing. Additionally, *slight spoiler alert* at the beginning of the novel, the main married couple seems happy with no rocky roads in sight, and then all of a sudden things are described as tumultuous "for a while". This part just didn't flow.

There was also a lot of "fluff" in this book, think: "what are they lying about now!", "how can we trust them?", "just tell the truth!","they must have had something to do with this!" over and over again about many of the characters. While the idea of the "lies" sounds thrilling, in execution it made all the characters unreliable, unlikable, and frustrating to read.

Ultimately, I found this book confusing at times. It had multiple red herrings that would arouse suspicions, but that didn't end up wrapped in a bow at the end. This book had multiple POV's, which I usually find nice in a thriller, but it was still confusing and choppy. This book received 2/5 stars from me.

Thank you again to NetGalley and the publisher for an Advance Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.

Wow, this book was so good it was hard to put down. Kept me guessing right to the end, but omg what an ending, .I can highly recommend this book.

I thoroughly enjoyed the captivating and intriguing psychological thriller, with the narrative providing hints of a sinister truth. Despite the gripping build-up, the revelation felt like a satisfying payoff. However, the unlikeable main characters and tangential side stories detracted from the plot's overall appeal.

Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review.

For more detailed book reviews, visit my website: www.thejayword.com

A thrilling book that keeps you turning the pages until the shocking ending. Full of twists and turns and shocks. Brilliant!’ I rate this book five out of five stars.

I loved this book, I actually couldn’t put it down. I must finished it and it’s past midnight.
It’s full of twist you won’y see coming, i highly recommend it.

I really enjoyed the writing style of this book, I loved that it was written from 3 diffrent prospectives. I did think that focusing on only it being Jacob when obviously knowing it wasn't going to be him in the end kept me guessing and trying to figure out who it really was.

Whenever Lucy attempts to question Jacob about that night, whether they’d had an argument, or if Rose had any problems she might be running away from, she gets the distinct feeling that he’s uncomfortable and anxious. Could he be withholding a vital piece of information? A few days later, Rose’s body is discovered in a wooded area - she’d been murdered.

Even the investigating team suspect that Jacob isn’t being entirely honest with them, and so begins a long drawn out enquiry with Jacob as the main suspect.

Each chapter is given over to a different character, providing a great insight into what’s going on in their minds,what makes them tick, but we don’t know everything, because everyone has secrets, and some of them are truly shocking!

A terrific read that had me gripped, and whilst I thought I knew exactly what was going on, I clearly didn’t

Firstly, thank you to Netgallery, Bookature and Kathryn Croft for the ARC of this book in return for an honest review.

Kathryn Croft has done it again she is the queen of thrillers! I’ve read all her books so I was ecstatic about getting my hands on her latest one! Wow what can I say this book was amazing, it was a fast paced and kept me guessing throughout a perfect book for psychological thrillers fans alike! The ending wow I did not see it coming!

Overall I throughly enjoyed this book and all the plot twists that it presented! Kathryn Croft definitely should be on everyones shelf!