Sixteen-year-old Rose is nowhere to be found. Her boyfriend Jacob might have been the last one to see her alive. He claims that he walked her home after his parents’ barbecue. Someone is not telling the truth. Is it Jacob?

Jacob’s mother thinks he may be hiding something as there is a huge discrepancy as when he said he arrived home after a barbecue they had thrown. Quite naturally, Rose’s mother Carrie is very concerned when she realizes that Rose is gone. Someone took Rose. In fact, her body is found a few days later.

While it is clear that Jacob is lying in this thrilling story, he is not the only one. Deceit, lies and secrets make up the pages of Kathryn Croft’s latest book. With surprising twists, I was kept guessing as to who was responsible for what happened to Rose, especially since there was more than one untruthful character.

What a compelling read, especially with the shocking surprises! Kathryn Croft wrote another excellent book and I can’t wait to read her next one.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

This is a good solid thriller read which keeps you guessing at every stage. It starts really strong as The Lie really throws you right into the action. Rose is missing and no one knows what happed to her after Jacob walked her home that night. Soon through it’s clear that Jacob is lying and everyone starts to question what actually happened.

The Lie got a little slow for me at around 40% when I wasn’t sure what would happen next to justify 60% of the book still to go, but it is a story which just keeps twisting. I was left realising that all my assumptions were wrong. It soon sped back up though and I managed to devour the rest of the book in a single night.

This is a great read for people who like their books to keep them guessing.

First, I want to thank Kathryn Croft, Bookouture and NetGalley for providing me with this book so I can bring you this review.

WOW!!! WOW!! WOW!!! Kathryn Croft’s The Lie will have you holding your kids a little tighter! Every parent’s worst nightmare becomes reality in this fast paced read! It is definitely a must add to your summer TBR list!

Kathryn grabbed my attention straight away in the first paragraph of the book! For me this was a one sitting read! I just could not take my eyes off my Kindle until I knew how things were going to end!!

This is one read where I thought I figured it out but OMG I was so off base! Kathryn’s twists and turns totally blew my mind and left me speechless! My heart ached for so many of the characters.

After reading The Lie from Kathryn Croft I am very interested in checking out more of her titles!

After a BBQ at Lucy and Tom’s home their son Jacobs girlfriend is missing and he is the prime suspect. Lucy gets a phone call from her mother Carrie and says Rose never made it home. Jacob says he walked her home. Apparently he was the last one with Rose, but is he telling the truth? Rose is 16 and everyone is worried about what could have happened to her.

As the police show up to talk to Jacob, things take a turn. Rose’s keys are found on their grounds and witnesses claim they saw the couple arguing. Carrie is also question about her daughter’s habits. She claims she is not on social media and is always upfront with her mom.

Lucy knows something about Jacob, and wants to believe her son. She NEEDS to believe in her son! Will they find Rose? Did she just runaway? This novel kept me listening to find out what happened and to listen to the clues! I had no idea where this one was heading, which makes it all that more exciting for me.

This novel is told in multiple points of view by Rose, Lucy and Carrie. I enjoyed her last one The Suspect as well. If you enjoy psychological thrillers, I highly recommend this author.

The Lie by Kathryn Croft is a book that you won't be reading for long as you'll be flipping the pages at record pace! This is a thriller that draws you in from the start! I read The Lie in one day and it was full of twists and turns that keep you guessing! I thought I had the murderer figured out, but it changed a couple of times along the way. Lucy and Tom have just moved to the suburbs to get their 2 children, Ava and Jacob, away from the city life in London. Ava was having some trouble at school with bullying and she's only 12! Tom works in London as a lawyer but will just make the long drive each day. It's worth it for the children's happiness.

Lucy and Tom decide to have a barbecue to meet people from their new neighborhood and to bring friends to their new house. They've been in the suburbs awhile and want to celebrate with new and old friends. Jacob's girlfriend, Rose, is at the barbecue but doesn't seem to be spending any time with him. Rose is spending all of her time with Jacob's younger sister Ava. Ava loves Rose and the chats they have about books and stuff. Jacob thinks something is wrong with Rose as she's not acting like herself. He doesn't know of anything he's done to upset her and is surprised when she says they're over. When Jacob questions Rose about it, she won't discuss it. Later in the evening, Rose tells Ava she has to go. Rose's mother had arrived and she was on her way to getting drunk and dancing with Tom.
As Rose left, Jacob said he would walk her home. He still wanted to make things right and to find out why she was mad at him. Rose wouldn't have it and ran in front of Jacob to her front door. He stayed on the sidewalk and watched her go in the house.

Back at the barbecue things are coming to a close as it's getting late. Tom and Lucy decide to clean up in the morning as they can't face it now. Lucy has had more to drink than she has in a long time and is feeling the effects. Lucy ends up on the couch watching tv and falls asleep quickly. Ava is already in bed asleep. Did Jacob make it home? Is Tom home in his den working, asleep in the bedroom, or did he go out? Early the next morning Lucy wakes to her phone ringing. It's Carrie, Rose's mother. She wants to know if Rose is at Lucy's house because she's not at home and it looks like her bed was never slept in? Lucy looks around, but says that Rose is not there. She hands the phone to Tom as she goes to check with Jacob about Rose's whereabouts. Jacob is sound asleep, but Lucy wakes him to ask about Rose. Jacob said he walked Rose home last night and saw her go into her house. He left after that and hasn't seen her since. When Lucy tells him her mom is on the phone and that she hasn't slept in her bed, he's very concerned.

Lucy goes back downstairs to inform Carrie of what Jacob said. Carrie is terrified that something awful has happened to Rose. She explains that when she got home, Rose's door was shut and it's only shut when Rose is asleep. Carrie didn't want to wake her daughter who is a light sleeper so she never opened the door. When she got up this morning, she opened Rose's door to see the bed had not been slept in. Lucy tells Carrie to call the police and she'll be right over. The police arrive and take statements from everyone. No one seems to know what happened to Rose after the barbecue, except Jacob. He knows that she went into her house while he watched. Carrie's sometime live-in boyfriend Joe wasn't home the night of the barbecue as he had to work. Rose couldn't stand Joe and Carrie was growing tired of him. He does come over to comfort Carrie, but he thinks she's just trying to prove something. Carrie says she would never worry her and always texts or calls.

As the investigation goes on, who is lying? Someone knows something. Did Jacob really walk Rose home? Did he see her go in the house or did she go with him somewhere? Lucy remembers waking up briefly as Jacob came home and it was around 1 a.m. When she asked Jacob what time he got home he told his mom 9:30 or so. Why would he lie? Where was he for all that time? Is Jacob guilty of something? Will Rose turn up? Will Rose be with friends doing something totally innocent? Tom doesn't believe Jacob's story and that causes a rift between Lucy and him. Things are spiraling out of control as Carrie thinks her daughter is missing because of Jacob, too. Jacob swears he has nothing to do with Rose missing. Who's telling the truth? Will you be able to figure it out?

I thoroughly enjoyed The Lie and rate it 5 stars! Any book that I read in one day has got to be great! If you enjoy a good mystery that is a fast read then you can't miss this book! I'd like to thank NetGalley and Bookouture for an advanced copy of The Lie in exchange for a fair review. #TheLie

The description of The Lie had me hooked before I even picked up the book. It was full of tension and suspense and the book did not disappoint. The story is fast paced with plenty of twists and turns and had me on the edge of my seat all the way to the ending I did not see coming.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for my ARC.

Kathryn Croft is becoming a great storyteller of modern day crime but not with novels told from the detectives point of view, but from that of the families and lives of those effected. In this case we hear from the two mothers and there cannot be any of us who have such a role in life who cannot both sympathise and feel connected to their stories. A good mystery thriller.

Thrilling. Tense. Fast paced. A book thar grabs you qnd doesn't let go. Wonderful. All the superlatives apply to this amazing book. Do read it.

This a really good read with an excellent ending that you don’t expect. The characters were great, the story itself was excellent and the style of writing was perfect. I have read many books by this author I have enjoyed every one of them… looking forward to the next one out.
I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys reading psychological thrillers.
Thank you netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a honest review.

The Lie by Kathryn Croft was another excellent book by this author. This latest book was excellent from the beginning till the end with lots of twists, turns and lies that will have your head spinning! which made this book a great page turner and hard to put it down. I loved it and I highly recommend it.

Lucy and Tom Adams have recently moved from London into their new home in Surrey. Lucy is a florist and Tom is a solicitor. Their daughter, Ava, 12, had been bullied at her old school and they hope she will be happier in this new school. Their son, Jacob, 16, is settling into his new school and has a new girlfriend, Rose, 16. He had a girlfriend named Isla in London but their relationship fizzled.

Lucy and Tom have hosted a barbecue for their new friends and neighbors. Surprisingly, Rose spent more time with Ava rather than Jacob at the party. Jacob says he walked Rose home around 9:30 p.m. and then went back home. The next morning, Rose’s mum, Carrie, said she never came home and is missing. Some people think Jacob did something to her. However, Carrie’s live-in boyfriend, Joe, does not get along with Rose. What happened to Rose and did someone do something to her?

Wow! This book took me on quite a ride. I kept wondering who did what and why. There is a lot of angst and I felt bad for Jacob and all he was going through even while wondering if he was guilty. I did figure out “the bad guy” so to speak and found this to be a very emotional read. Do read this and let people know what you think.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest thriller by a favorite, Kathryn Croft - 4.5 stars!

Lucy and Tom have moved to Surrey with their children, Jacob and Ava, for a clean start after Ava experienced bullying in school. On a beautiful day, they decide to have a BBQ in their backyard and invite their friends and neighbors., including Jacob's girlfriend, Rose. The next day, Lucy receives a call from Carrie, Rose's mom, that she never returned home after the BBQ. Jacob walked her home and said he saw her go into the house and she was never seen again. But things just aren't adding up.

This story is told mostly from the POV of the two moms, Lucy and Carrie. Both are anxious to believe only the best of their children and Lucy especially won't listen to any talk of Jacob being guilty. Everyone seems to be hiding secrets and withholding information. There are plenty of twists and turns in this one and I had a tough time putting it down!

‘The Lie’ is another dramatic and intense thriller by Croft that I quickly became absorbed by.

Jacob, Lucy's son, is thought to be connected to the disappearance of Rose, Carrie's daughter, resulting in the detection and unveiling of both families' dark secrets. Told from multiple points of view, this is fast-paced, enthralling and impressive. Although I suspected I knew the conclusion quite early, the unforeseen ending had me speechless.

As a parent, I could relate to both mothers in this storyline, and their need for justice and the need to protect. Both families have complex dynamics and Croft writes all sensitive topics with a great sense of fragility. (Please check trigger warnings before reading).

The author’s writing talents are truly remarkable and I must acknowledge the clever manner in which she weaves all the characters together. (No spoilers here!)

If you appreciate a classic whodunit, this book is for you. This would make an ideal book club read, as there is plenty to discuss throughout, providing thought-provoking conversations.

A recommended read for fans of this genre and author.

🌟🌟🌟.75/5

"The Lie" is my first book by Kathryn Croft. The Adams family have moved from London to Surry and mark this by having a barbecue. Rose Nyler is Jacob Adam's girlfriend. She's a talented songwriter, a motivated and disciplined student and a close confidence of Ava Adam, Jacob's sister. Jacob walks his girlfriend to her place at the end of the night, and then...Rose goes missing. Jacob is the person of interest as he was the last person, and his chronic lies aren't helping his case. But is there more to this disappearance?

Kathryn Croft has sprinkled the breadcrumbs across multiple POVs, and its execution was impressive and brilliant. The sad and tense environment is carried throughout the book. As this is a psychological thriller, all the characters are morally grey, which fuels deception, motive, secrets and suspicion. The connections between the characters tie well, and the level of detail makes it an enjoyable read. However, for me, I deciphered the accused halfway through the book. As a result, when the twist was revealed, it wasn't shocking but warped.

If you're a fan of domestic thrillers, suspense and psychological thrillers, give this book a go!

Thank you, NetGalley & Bookouture, for giving me an ARC. This honest review is left voluntarily,

The Lie is the newest suspense thriller by one of my favorite authors for that genre, Kathryn Croft. Teenage couple Rose and Jacob appear on the surface to be the perfect teen romance. However, one night Rose disappears after Jacob claims he walked her home. The mystery begins there as the relationship between the teens is hashed through in an attempt to discover what might have happened to Rose. There is a lot of family drama, intrigue, and secrets to propel this story along. Read and enjoy!

The Lie by Kathryn Croft is a psychological thriller about a missing girl.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Bookouture and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.


My Synopsis:    (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
Rose Nyler is missing.  Her boyfriend, Jacob Adams, says he walked her home for the barbeque at his home around 9 or 9:30pm, and saw her enter her house.  She wasn't there when her mom Carrie went to check the next morning.

But Jacob has lied about so much.  Carrie is sure he is responsible for the fact that her daughter is missing.  The only one that truly believes in Jacob's innocence is his own mother, Lucy.  Not even his father believes him.   Lucy and Tom Adams moved to Surrey with their son Jacob, and daughter Ava to escape the problems they had in London.  It looks like there are finding more problems here.


My Opinions:
This book is about secrets, and lies, and infidelity, and manipulation.  It is also about the love of two mothers for their children.

The story was told from a few different perspectives, including Rose.  This worked well.

Unfortunately, I didn't really like any of the characters.  They were all flawed, which is okay, but I couldn't find anyone I wanted to root for.  There were some real slime-balls in this one.  As well, I'm not sure the teenagers acted their ages, or that the adults were more mature.

The plot was good, and there were plenty of twists.  I had actually guessed the perpetrator, but there were some other things that I didn't.  The Isla story was a surprise, and really interesting.

So, although I had problems with the characters, I still really enjoyed the book.

★★★ 3.5 stars

My son said he walked his girlfriend home. But now she is missing...

Lucy and Tom have moved from London to sleepy Surrey with their children Jacob (16) and Ava (12) for a fresh start. Several months after their arrival, they decide to host a barbeque in their backyard for the neighbours and friends. Everyone appeared to be enjoying themselves...but beneath the surface secrets threatened to bubble to the surface.

Jacob had been seeing girlfriend Rose for six months but today she seems to be spending most of her time with Ava. Lucy is too busy hosting to see that Rose's mum is flirting with her husband Tom and he appears to be enjoying the attention. Jacob spends most of the afternoon trying to get Rose's attention while she seems to be spending most of it trying to escape his. Heated words are exchanged and she decides to head home. Jacob offers to see her to her door.

The following morning, Lucy's phone rings. It's Carrie, Rose's mum. Rose didn't come home from the barbeque. Is she there? Jacob was the last one to see her and he insists he walked her home the night before. But now she is missing. And all signs are pointing to Jacob despite there is no evidence against him...yet. So where is Rose?

Over the ensuing days the police search Rose's house and then Lucy and Tom's, having been the last place Rose was seen alive. And her keys are found hidden in the bushes not far from their house. Did she drop them in her rush to escape? Or were they put there by whoever is responsible for her disappearance?

Carrie is certain Rose wouldn't just disappear. Lucy is certain that Jacob had nothing to do with her disappearance. Ava knows Rose was angry with her brother and she is angry with him on her behalf. Tom doesn't know what to believe. But which one of them is lying? Where is Rose? And what happened to her?

The story unfold through the alternating perspectives of the two mothers - Lucy and Carrie - with Rose's narrative told from the beginning right up to the night of the barbeque in progressive form. Nothing is as it seems and there are layers of secrets and lies as each of them holds something back. I didn't warm to Carrie much, though I felt sorry for her in part, but then I found her behaviour somewhat ridiculous and confusing. None of the characters were particularly endearing. I figured out the truth way before there was even an inkling so I wasn't at all shocked...but that could be I'm used to expecting the unexpected from this genre.

Overall, THE LIE is a good solid thriller that does get a little drawn out and I felt it could have been shortened a little. But apart from that, it is a compelling read that will keep you guessing as each layer is peeled back to reveal another more complex secret.

I would like to thank #KathrynCroft, #Netgalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheLie in exchange for an honest review.

This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.

This book didn’t work for me mainly because of a few irritatingly inconsistencies that niggled enough to spoil it for me. The setting time wise also didn’t sit right. Fairly new to the neighbourhood ( or at least we are told the party was a housewarming) yet so much gone on and close relationships forged.
The characters were flaky too with both mothers needing a good talking to in my opinion.
So all in all this wasn’t a great read.

This book had me reading as fast as I could to find out what happens while at the same time wanting to read slowly so the book did not end. It is told in multiple POV and multiple timeline so the details are filled in as the story goes on. If you are a fan of Jodi Picoult, you will love this book. I’m so glad I found this book because the characters and the writing are amazing. I felt as if I was in the book right along the characters. This is a book with a lot of mystery and I couldn’t figure out the twist until the very end. I had a lot of ideas of what the twist would be and non of them were right.

Kathryn Croft returns following The Suspect with her latest, THE LIE, a complex, twisty, emotional domestic suspense thriller whodunit where dark family secrets are unraveled, and a young teen girl goes missing.

Everyone has secrets—things we want to keep hidden, even from ourselves. However, sooner or later, they will catch up with you.

Told from POVs:
~Lucy (Jacob's Mother)
~Rose (Missing teen girl)
~Carrie (Rose's Mother)

Tom and Lucy have moved to their new home from London to Surrey with their daughter Ava, thirteen, and son Jacob, sixteen. Jacob (former girlfriend Isla) now likes Rose. The couple hosts a barbeque at their house.

Then the day after, Lucy receives a call from Jacob's girlfriend's mother, Carrie looking for Rose. She is not home. Jacob was the last to see her, walking home the night before she went missing.

All signs point to Jacob as guilty, but no evidence confirms this. Where is Rose, and what happened to her? Everyone that knows Rose doesn't think she would disappear.

Jacob says he saw her go inside when he walked her home. But did she come back out again, and if so, where did she go?

Had something been worrying Rose? Is Jacob hiding something? What about Ava, the sister? What does she know? What about her past? Then there is Carrie's sleazy annoying boyfriend, Joe.

There is an investigation by DC Gillary and DC Keller. Then Jacob is attacked. What is Jacob's mother so afraid of the police uncovering?

EVERYONE IS KEEPING SECRETS. House keys were found. A note: You deserve to die.

TRUST NO ONE. Will there be justice?

What was the big secret Rose was hiding? What happened to the aspiring singer-songwriter, the high academic achiever? Then there is the YouTube video that reveals the dark secrets.

Rose definitely was the most intriguing and mysterious POV. Croft cleverly keeps readers in the dark about things and reveals them later. When monsters are hiding in plain sight. Families are bonded together by grief.

Croft delivers a smart, chilling thriller, taking domestic secrets to a new level, showing that some people will stop at nothing to bury the truth. Grabs your attention!

Thanks to #Bookouture for a gifted ARC via #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Blog Review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: April 20, 2023
My Rating: 4 Stars
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