Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of The Woman Who Lied.

Emilia Ward is a bestselling novelist of a popular detective series who has just finished the last book in the series. And it was not easy to do.

Right after she's dropped off the final manuscript for review, strange things begin happening, mimicking the plot of her earlier novels.

At first, Emilia dismisses it as a coincidence. Until it happens again. And again.

When someone dies just like a character in her novels, Emilia realizes someone is onto her. But who? And why?

The premise sounded so intriguing and in the beginning I was eager to find out who was doing all this and why.

Then, the narrative quickly began convoluted, full of coincidences and random meetings and how everyone connected to everyone else.

Also, it didn't help that Emilia is a deeply unlikable character; she has no self esteem, no confidence, and I get her ex cheating on her didn't help, either, but she also jumps quickly to conclusions and immediately assumes every person she meets is the killer, based on little circumstantial evidence.

Emilia is a nervous Nellie, her personality is neither interesting or vibrant, and she seemed very mousy.

It was hard to take her seriously as a bestselling novelist, talented at anything that didn't include being passed over for a younger wife.

The story is identical to so many thrillers being churned out now; red herrings to distract the readers, cheesy scare tactics (I hear footsteps behind me? Am I being followed? Who is it? Turning around and there's no one there), one ridiculous plot twist after another based on coincidence or deus ex machina to 'shock' the reader.

But right before the final page, one more twist to throw at the reader. So many twists including the kitchen sink!

The narrative lacked urgency and suspense, interesting characters, and dragged on too long.

This book was so clever! I loved the characters, I loved the way the 3 POVs were. I was SOOO sure I knew exactly how the twist was going to be and I was SOO wrong!!! I’m definitely going to be recommending this book and reading more by this author! Thank you so much for the ARC!!

I went into this hoping for a gripping story like others I've read from Douglas, but I struggled with it. The beginning felt slow because there was too much detail that made it hard to get into. The plot got really complicated, and I found it tough to follow.

Even though the idea behind the story was interesting, it didn't feel as well done as her other books. I just wanted to finish it quickly because it was hard to keep up with. The big surprise in the story wasn't much of a surprise for me. Overall, while there were some exciting parts, I ended up feeling disappointed and confused by the end.

I'm a huge fan of Claire Douglas and this was no exception! It felt like EVERYONE in this book had a motive and I was at the edge of my seat to find out what really happened. I loved that it was a book within a book as well. The ending took me by surprise, I can't believe I didn't figure it out sooner but this book really kept me guessing.

I thought I had this one solved about 20% in. I was SO wrong. The different POV's were a little confusing, I found myself going back chapters to see I was remembering things correctly. Overall, I enjoyed this book - a great mystery/suspense that will leave you guessing until the end.

Having one of your stories become reality might be a dream come true for some novelists, but if you’re a crime writer it might just become a living nightmare…

Emilia is a typical suburban mom in London who is also the author of a bestselling detective series. She’s been through some hard times with a divorce in her past, but is happy with her second husband & their lovely home. After finishing her tenth novel she decides she wants to mix things up a bit, & spark something new in her creative life by writing something different instead of just continuing the existing series. But when specific scenes from her books keep popping up in her real life, Emilia realizes that walking away from her detective novels won’t be that easy…

The prologue of this book does a fantastic job of pulling you in, & when I got to the end of Part One I realized that a major assumption I didn’t even register I’d made was wrong, & it flipped the whole story inside out! I liked how the pandemic lockdown was included in the backstory, & I always love when there’s a book-within-a-book. I’ve read & enjoyed CD’s work in the past & she has definitely still got it because there’s no way I could have predicted the intricate details of that ending.

Thank you to NetGalley & Penguin for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Emilia Ward lives a wonderful life as a mom, wife, and bestselling author of the Miranda Moody detective novels, but things take a turn when life starts mimicking art-in the form of accidents happening that follow her latest and final novel. Only a select group of people have read the final chapter of this character's series-and they are all close to Emilia. She starts to look into the crimes being committed, and also starts to suspect some of her family/friends along the way. Will she end up being the next victim, or will she uncover the truth about who is committing these horrible acts before her final ending becomes true in real life?

Throughout reading this, I had so many different suspects. Everyone seemed to be hiding something, whether it be big or small. I really enjoyed the characters and the plot, though when I finished it was a little "busy". There were many different pieces of the puzzle and a lot of information wrapped up into a decent conclusion. I would recommend this book and author to a friend!

"The Woman Who Lied" by Claire Douglas is a riveting thriller with intricately crafted characters. The narrative keeps you on edge, skillfully weaving a web of secrets and lies that leaves you constantly guessing about the true antagonist. Douglas's skill in crafting a compelling psychological mystery, solidifying "The Woman Who Lied" as a noteworthy contribution to the genre.

The Woman Who Lied
4⭐️

Being a crime-thriller author is all fun and games until your words and pages become your reality.

Emilia has written a series of detective novels over the past decade. She has decided to write one final book and end the series. It’s sent off to be reviewed and a handful of close family and friends are given an advanced copy. Soon, things from the books start happening to Emilia. At first it seems like this must be a crazed fan, until events from her unreleased book start happening to her, including a murder. Now she worries her stalker, the murderer, must be someone close to her.

I love can’t-trust-anyone thrillers. Everyone is a suspect. I thought I had it figured out a few times. I felt Emilia’s mental spiral as my own.
This will be a great thriller to add to your Summer TBR list.

Thank you to NetGalley, Claire Douglas, and Harper Perennial and Paperbacks for providing this ARC. This review is being shared on NetGalley and Goodreads.

Pub Date 30 Jul 2024

Claire Douglas does it again with another exciting thriller perfect for summer read! Does she reinvent the wheel with this story? No. Does she create a whodunit mystery that kept me turning the pages? Yes. This book is filled with excitement and mystery from approximately 30% onward. However, the beginning of this book is filled with a myriad of small details that seem overwhelming and unnecessary. Only later in the book do you realize the importance of these minute details and how Douglas uses them to shape the story. Throughout the story, Douglas also does a good job of developing and shaping Emilia, the main character. Overall, I enjoyed this book and while I would recommend it to a friend, I likely will not re-read this book. I give this book a solid 3.5 stars, rounded down because, in my opinion, it doesn't feel like a 4 star book.

this book was alright. I was confused and irritated half he time. but I'm sure someone would enjoy it. it just was not for me. the cover is still very beautiful.

Thanks for allowing me to read! This started off strong and did not disappoint. Lots of characters all with faults and morally gray moments. Told with multiple POV's , which got confusing particularly when a new entered later in book. A bit too long got a little lost in itself. With these great characters and twists it could have been two books. But the suspense is well written and I really did just whip through the book to see how all the threads would be tied up. I look forward to recommending this to everyone
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3.75 Stars

I really liked the premise of this book, but I think it was executed in a convoluted way. Told from three POVs, one of which I think was completely unnecessary, only served to make the plot more confusing. The MC became more and more annoying to me, behaving irrationally, blinding accusing everyone in her life of being a serial killer. The twist was good but boy did I have to sit and think about it and the characters and their connections, which in my opinion makes it less worthy of praise. A solid book with a solid twist, but be ready to think and work through some confusion.

The premise of this novel is really good and the author makes you want to understand the truth behind the escalation of the threat levels. The characterisation especially of Emilia and her family is good with all of them being well fleshed out. There are plenty of plot twists and turns and the author keeps on coming right to the very end with the final one being especially good. I like the extract from the book that are also included in the narrative.

Arc from netgalley

It took me two weeks to read this book. I just was so inspired by it.
The premise is good but some parts where just so over detailed. Some may not be bothered by that but I just wanted to get back to the story.
Solid 2 star

What an absolute thrill.

Emilia Ward is the best-selling author of the Miranda Moody detective series. Married to her second husband and successfully co-parenting with her first, Emilia recently finished working on her tenth book - an epic conclusion to the Miranda Moody series - when, one by one, incidents and storylines from her previous books start happening in her own life. Already unsettled and on edge, Emilia has even more reason to worry when the threats start coming from the plot of her most recent, still unpublished novel - the one that only very few people, all in her inner circle, have read yet. And then someone close to her is murdered…

A fast-paced, claustrophobic and smart murder mystery that had me up way past my bedtime to finish it in one sitting and kept me guessing until (almost) the end!

Disclosure: I read a lot of thrillers/murder mysteries and pride myself on usually being able to figure out the culprits fairly quickly. Well, I was totally hoodwinked by this book. While I initially had the correct suspicion, the author then did such an amazing job of deflecting from that suspect that I thought I was wrong. Moreover, I totally fell for her red herrings, which I hardly ever do. But not only was the setup smart and the book well-written, there were a few surprises that came completely out of the blue (the twist at the end of part 1 was something I did not see coming at all & that I‘m still marveling at!).

Finally, I thoroughly enjoyed that Emilia, while still doing some amateur snoopjng and sleuthing, has a good head on her shoulders - she invests in security, talks to the police (who, for once, are not just completely incompetent fools), shares her suspicions with other people, and gets her kids out of the house and out of danger.

This all made for a very satisfying mystery - one of the best I‘ve read in a long while.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Perennial and Paperbacks for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Woman Who Lied has so many elements I love in a good mystery book. Firstly, it's about a writer---I feel like those are always so fun! We get the book-within-a-book piece and a whole lineup of great characters/suspects. There are a fair amount of red herrings, but I feel that they're done in a way that makes complete sense from our main character's POV. This is one where "everyone is a suspect," but it's not cheesy...everyone in Emilia's orbit truly does feel like they could be hiding the secret that will unravel it all.

Plot: Emilia Ward is about to release the last book in her series about detective Miranda Moody. Her Last Chapter is currently being read by publishers and very early readers of the author's choosing. When strange occurrences start happening that mirror plot points from Emilia's books, she starts to get worried. When horrifying events from her unpublished book start manifesting in her real life, worry turns to terror. Who could be behind the threats meant to scare her family? Emilia becomes paranoid of everything and everyone as she gets closer to uncovering the identity of the person behind these dark coincidences.

Claire Douglas is such a talented writer! The plot is engaging, the suspense is palpable at the end of each chapter, and it's one of those books that keeps you guessing cover to cover. I love the London setting---it's the perfect place for a mystery and this book brings some English charm, which I love. If you like stories within stories, you'll love this! The storyline is so unique and felt like a plot that could actually happen in real life. Come to think of it, this would make a fantastic Criminal Minds episode! I'll be hoping to see The Woman Who Lied on the screen in one way or another. Can't wait to read Douglas' next book!

Thank you so much to Harper Perennial and Paperbacks, NetGalley, and Claire Douglas for the ARC of The Woman Who Lied!

Malia was known for her captivating charm and impeccable poise, but beneath her polished facade lurked a penchant for deception. Her lies flowed effortlessly, weaving intricate webs of deceit to shield her true intentions. With a silver tongue and a calculated smile, she expertly manipulated those around her, leaving a trail of unsuspecting victims in her wake. Though she wore a mask of innocence, her deceitful nature betrayed her at every turn, revealing a woman who thrived on deception.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I always enjoy Douglas' books and, as expected, I found this to be an engaging read with several twists and turns along the way. Emilia is a likeable main character and I particularly enjoyed the chapters from her POV. I was a bit confused when the other POVs were introduced but it all came together well.

This book is not only on par with the author’s other brilliant works, it surpasses them! It has a complex, but engaging, plot, interesting characters with enough development to feel invested in what happens, and unpredictable twists. I really enjoyed this one and will be recommending closer to publication day. Thanks for the opportunity to read!