This Is Why We Lied is the twelfth book in the Will Trent Series by best-selling American author, Karin Slaughter. Atlanta medical examiner Sara Linton organised their wedding. GBI investigator Will Trent is taking care of the honeymoon and, to his surprise and Sara’s delight, has got it exactly right: a luxury cabin at a family-run, off-the-grid mountain lodge that offers hiking, biking, fishing, canoeing, gourmet meals and sunrise yoga. If only their first night swim hadn’t been interrupted by a blood-curdling scream and the discovery of a stabbing victim, dying even as Will tries to give aid.

Mercy McAlpine, currently managing the resort, has been stabbed multiple times and left on the lake shore. Neither Will nor Sara can stand by and do nothing.

It turns out that, hours earlier, Mercy reacted very badly to the plans her father has for the resort: threats flew back and forth, and quite a few of those present at the family meeting would have a strong motive for killing her. And something Mercy has not shared with anyone else, but one of the guests also might have a serious issue with her.

When a wild storm cuts off road access, Will sends an SOS to his GBI boss, and Faith Mitchell has a locked-room situation she’s always wondered how she might handle. An added wrinkle is that one of the McAlpine family turns out to be the fellow inmate at the children’s home who made Will’s life hell. Dave McAlpine, first adopted then married into the family, and now Mercy’s ex, is known to have often been violent with her, and the prime suspect in Will’s book.

Would that it was quite so cut and dried. People grieve differently, but even for such a dysfunctional group of nasty people, Mercy’s family are behaving very strangely, and when Will and Sara reveal they are not a mechanic and a high school chemistry teacher, the reactions of both hosts and guests are not exactly benign. Of course, they aren’t the only ones who have lied about who they are, or what they do.

My oh my, pre-book a chiropractic appointment before you start this one: there are so many twists, turns, red herrings and surprises, you’ll need it. Before the final, shocking reveals, suspicions of murder land on quite a number of people; Will barely escapes a burning building and going over a waterfall; Faith has an unwanted equine experience; another person dies; to their detriment, people do a lot of drinking; and Will and Sara end up with a honeymoon dinner party story to beat all.

The narrative is carried mainly by Will, Sara, Faith and Mercy, with some back story provided by Mercy’s unsent letters to her son. Faith’s inner monologue offers light relief, as does any dialogue with Amanda and, in fact, any scene that features Faith seems to border on slapstick. Karin Slaughter never disappoints.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Harper Collins UK.

Karin slaughter does it again and I’m not sure how she can make so many books with some many ideas that have me hooked. If you haven’t read the rest of the will Trent series then I would a suggest to do so but it’s not essential. I loved the slow paced of this novel and how it the characters develop throughout the story. The ending had me gripping my seat in anticipation. Loved it

“This is Why we Lied” is the very definition of a page turner. Great pacing and an excellent mystery made it very difficult to put down.

The story is at times horrific and sad and Slaughters character work really makes you hate them or feel sorry for them…..or both on occasion.

Fans of Will and Sara will know what to expect but i think it works as a good jumping on point for newcomers also as any backstory is well explained.

I think any fan of a good thriller will enjoy this book immensely.

Thank you to Harper Collins and Netgalley for the ARC

Once you get over the ick of Sara Linton and Will Trent being ridiculously loved-up and unable to believe their luck at snaring each other, on their honeymoon, this is a fine read.
A crazy family who own a lakeside resort and their mysterious guests are the suspects in the murder of one of the family. But whodunnit?
This is really twisty and turny and it’s also well-characterised: I just wish Slaughter hadn’t layered on all the lovey-dovey stuff…
Highly recommended: a masterful thriller.

Amazing, gripping read that kept me guessing. Twists and turns round every corner. Would highly recommend.

Brilliant! Fast paced, multi-layered with plenty of twists and turns to keep you hooked! Couldn't put it down and one of those books that I couldn't stop thinking about when it ended.

A locked room type mystery with a difference.
The action of this story takes place over a few days at an isoltated outdoor persuits resort in the US Stateof Georgia. It's run by a highly disfunctionalfamily who allave secrets and things to hide. Similarly, the guest couples are not being truthful about who they are and their motives for being there either, hence the title that Karin Slaughter has chose.
One of the owning family is found dead and it is obvious that she has been brutally murdered. In the course of the iinvestigation in to the killing, past crimes and atrocious behaviour are uncovered. Throw in incel like activity, lots of red herrings and false leads and you have a really good read as the various lies are uncovered.
I would point out though that it's a long book.

Wow what a thrill ride that was!

I thoroughly enjoyed the latest instalment in the Will Trent / Sara Linton (or should that be Trent?) series. It is very different to the others however. In this book we follow Sara and Will as they begin their honeymoon. So it’s not unusual that they are all ‘loved up’. But for this series… they are really loved up! It takes awhile for that to feel natural when their relationship doesn’t normally play out like this so heavily in the storyline.

Crime seems to find Will wherever he goes so it seems only right that a murder happens on his honeymoon and he is the only person able to (and willing) to solve it. As described in the book it’s a bit of a closed door mystery although I’m sad to say I figured out in the first couple of chapters ‘the mystery’. That said, Karin Slaughter is excellent and character development and situational intensity. The whole book is a relentless steam train of twists, toxic personalities and dark secrets. If you don’t like your crime fiction brutally told then you won’t like Karin Slaughter!

This book flits between being told from the first person and reading letters from Mercy to her son Jon. The more you read the more you realise that appearances aren’t always what they seem and tragedy can be born out of any environment.

Even though I knew the who the figuring out why and how was a reveal that nobody will see coming. The whole premise of the book is tragic and sad but the way in which is told is absolutely thrilling and a real page turner.

It would be Will Trent without Amanda and Faith so rest assured all you hard core fans they arrive just in time for the party to begin!

Thank you to NetGalley for my advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

This is my first Karin Slaughter and I must say I really enjoyed it!! The only downside was that I felt it dragged a little bit in the middle, but the beginning had me hooked straight away and the ending, I did not guess the twist at all!! I felt that I’d got to know the characters well even though this is the 12th Will Trent book, it was easy to jump into it without reading any previous books. I’d definitely read other books in this series.

Brilliant book. A alot if detail and information without being too much. Easy to understand and get into. Storyline good and different from the usual thrillers.

I loved it. This is the kind of story that stays with you after you finished it, I cannot tell a lot without spoiling it, but it was amazing reading about Will and Sara again.

I've read and really enjoyed a couple of Karin Slaughter books, but must admit (and I feel embarrassed to do so!) that I hadn't heard of Will and Sarah before so when I realised this was the latest in a long series involving well loved characters I was a bit hesitant about starting. However, it's a well written multi layered thriller and while I didn't know the back stories it was fairly easy to pick up from Slaughter's writing. I'm not sure I would go back and read any previous works, but I will definitely look out for any future ones.
Thank you to netgalley and Harper Collins for an advance copy of this book

I am a huge fan of Karin Slaughter's writing and have yet to be disapointed by any of her books, so I was so excited when I was approved to read this.This book quickly draws you into the story and keeps you guessing right til the end - no easy feat with someone who usually guesses the ending of every thriller. The characters are believable and flawed, they make you care and feel invested in the story. I love the stark difference between the dark, heartwrenching story and the tenderness depicted between Will and Sara.
Overall, another fantastic book - I'd highly recommend this to everyone!
Thank you for the chance to read this ARC.

Karin Slaughter is one of the most anticipated authors of the year, so when I was given an advance reader copy, I knew I’d be in for the ride of my life!

Will and Sarah are on their honeymoon in the mountains, relaxing and enjoying a romantic evening together, finally away from the stress of Atlanta. But when Mercy McAlpine is found brutally murdered, the mood of the story changes entirely. It’s a complex tale, where the pair must piece together every fragment, which of course they are brilliant at doing. Every detail is skilfully examined – another element that reminds me I’m in capable hands – and the level of detail in the postmortem makes me want to come back for more.

The McAlpine family are not what they seem, everyone appears to have a motive and a race against the clock adds an extra layer of suspense. But a storm keeps them trapped in a locked room mystery where we meet Faith and Amanda and a few unsavoury characters with plenty of ulterior motives. This Is Why We Lied is aptly named for a book full of dark and disturbing secrets. With a killer on the loose, Will and Sarah’s honeymoon turns into an investigation to uncover motives and unreliable alibis, and this is where Slaughter is particularly adept at depicting the vilest of human conduct.

What started out as a beautiful alpine retreat quickly turns into a nightmare. Cut off by bad weather, there is no escape, and the story quickly becomes Christie-esque with an investigator and medical examiner for the GBI at its centre. With a cast of contrasting characters, each with their own story to tell, the mood becomes more menacing as the book progresses. So many twists and turns will catch you off guard, but the writing flows and the pages turn. Who can resist another fabulous Will and Sarah mystery?

Thank you to the author, Netgalley and Harper Collins for the privilege of reading this book.

Another great will Trent novel following on from his wedding the honeymoon in an idyllic getaway spot. But all is not as it seems and it’s up to will and his new wife to get to who what and why. Karin keeps you gripped as alway just when you think you have solved it no it turns again. I love this series and can’t wait for the next installment

This is the latest in Karin Slaughter's GBI agent Will Trent and his medical examiner wife, Sarah Linton series, now married and on their honeymoon in the remote Georgia wilderness, hiking and walking in the most beautiful and exclusive place with no Wifi, where Will had dreamed of going during his traumatic childhood. This wonderful location and the joy and love is about to be juxtaposed with true evil and a repellent family whose history is slowly and dramatically unpeeled with a fire and the screams and dying Mercy McAlpine, the manager of the resort is found in the lake, her only concern her beloved son, Jon. To Sarah's horror, Will impales his hand on a knife embedded deep in Mercy's back.

The story goes back in time, to the arrival of the guests, the introduction of the family, Will's encounter with the Jackal from his childhood, Dave, with his nickname for Will, 'Trashcan', the investors intending to buy out the place, and the overt conflict and rage at dinner. Will and Sarah had not given their real occupations at the resort, but why had others lied? The family and her ex-husband show barely any concern for Mercy's demise, a woman who had never stood a chance from the moment she was born in this hornet's nest of horror, violence, brutality, betrayal and worse. As the local sheriff shows no real interest in investigating, and arriving on the scene are the much needed presence of GBI colleagues and boss.

This is a tense and dark fast paced thriller that is packed with twists and turns, that kept me turning the pages quickly, written and plotted in true Slaughter trademark style which is likely to appeal to her legion of fans and others who love the genre too. There are numerous suspects for readers to consider in this locked room mystery with its echoes of the classic golden age of crime. I cannot wait to read the next in this fabulous series. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

Thank you Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. (4.5 STARS)

What a ride. This book was totally full of twists from beginning to end. I really enjoyed how fleshed out the characters were as well as their backstories, I enjoyed how well they all linked and flowed together and how we got both the run down to the murder, then after the murder, as well as later on what lead on in the scenes before the murder. SO MANY DIFFERENT LEVELS.

All of the GBI were great characters, I wish I knew more about Amanda but that's my own fault because I didn't realise this was BOOK 12 IN A SERIES! So I'm definitely keen to go back and read the others - HOWEVER, it totally could be read as a standalone, it was brilliantly done and didn't leave you asking too many questions (Which have no doubt all been answered prior to this instalment).

I loved the connection between Will and Sara, and I loved the addition of Faith - I think there's more to explore there, but also want to go back and read the other books incase there already has been more!

A great book, an easy recommendation. Thank you Netgalley and thank you Karin Slaughter!

A great story with so many twists and turns, you assume everyone is guilty whilst it is unpicked to work out who really is the killer....

A dark ride with plenty of twists and turns to follow. I loved how the setting felt idyllic at first but then quickly turned sinister and claustrophobic, the characters trapped with nowhere to go.

A dark and thrilling ride with a locked room feel. There were plenty of twists and turns to follow but all the characters felt well-wrought and acted in line with their traits. I loved how the setting felt idyllic at first but then quickly turned sinister and claustrophobic, the characters trapped with nowhere to go.